I wanted to write a post about Togiak, something reflective and comprehensive of our three years there. I wanted to think about where we began and where we ended up, what we learned and what we appreciate now that we once took for granted. Some of the things I have learned may seem vague or broad and others very specific. Some are important and some are trivial. Some are easy to express and others are impossible to express. The purpose of this post is to give the reader (whoever you are), but mostly myself and my family, insight and remembrance of our time in Togiak.
Togiak taught me:
Togiak taught me:
- I learn the most when I am placed outside my comfort zone or am in an unfamiliar environment.
- The Yup’ik people, including the teenage boys, love babies.
- It’s totally fun to have a 4-wheeler as my main mode of transportation.
- Slow down and be patient.
- Living without a cell phone is a breeze when those around me don’t have cell phones either. But oh it’s hard to live without one when it has become part of the culture.
- -30 degrees Fahrenheit really isn’t that bad if I have heating oil and proper winter gear.
- Fur is warm, really warm.
- I love teacher potlucks.
- It’s nice to have the opportunity to learn crafts and skills from others.
- Kuspuks and mukluks are beautiful. I still can picture Margie at my first Eskimo bingo party. She was wearing fur mukluks that went part way up her calves and a kuspuk. She looked beautiful. Ever since then I have longed for my own pair of tall mukluks.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables are so good.
- There are many, many good things to do, but when I have a large quantity of things to do, quality suffers. It is better to do less so I can do it well; I just need to make sure that the things I do continue to do are the best things.
- It’s easy to be mediocre, but there is nothing more satisfactory than knowing I have done something well, the best I could have done it.
- Sometimes I can’t do everything perfectly.
- Care packages are awesome.
- Working all the time isn’t healthy. I have to take time away to enjoy something else.
- All that stuff I need, I don’t really need. But, some of it is sure nice to have.
- Plan ahead or go without.
- Curtains and pictures make a place feel much more homey.
- I am so reliant on the Internet, but it’s because it is so cool. I can communicate with family and friends through email, blogs, video or voice conferencing, and even phone calls. It can tell me what to do to make my washcloths stop stinking or how to make that recipe better. It can tell me what that word means and how to pronounce it. It can tell me how much it costs to ship that box. I can shop and sell. I can find cool videos or illustrations to help explain that confusing concept in science class. I can learn to do that weird crochet stitch or find out what in the world pickle ball is and how to play it. I can access all the church materials and music. I’ve learned I can live without the Internet, but I don’t want to. I rather have the Internet before a lot of other modern-day convinces.
- No matter how hard I try, I just don’t like fish.
- Good friends are priceless . . . and therapeutic.
- I REALLY like my parents. I’ve never thought of them as my friends, just parents (like there’s such a thing as just parents), but after living in Togiak I felt being apart from them was like being apart from my best friends. (Don’t worry Tim; you’re my best best friend.)
- Moonlight on the water is beautiful.
- There’s power in being able to look at something objectively without emotion or placing blame. When I look at something objectively I can look at what was and the discrepancy from what could have been. Then, with an objective outlook, I can look at what I can do differently in a similar future situation to get closer to the outcome I want.
- Things I’ve always thought are obvious or simply “the way things are” are really just part of my culture and there are so many alternatives.
- It can be very discouraging (and damaging) to be raised in one culture and have your success measured against standards of another culture.
- The government’s assistance has very long-lasting, culture-altering, and unintended effects. Self-reliance is invaluable.
- Don’t ship distilled water in the same tote as your powdered laundry detergent and food.
- If I assume others have the same priorities or thought processes as I do, we are bound to misunderstand one another.
- It’s important to observe and experience. I gain insight and avoid a lot of confusion and contention when I strive to know and understand others before trying to “help” them or “fix” the problem.
- My way is not always the best way. My husband has some pretty good ideas. (That second sentence was totally added by my husband.)
- I have control of my attitude and happiness. I have the power to be unhappy in a desirable situation or happy in an undesirable situation.
- There are good people everywhere.
