Guess What I Did in Nome!

After a bit of confusion and cancellation on Sunday concerning my plan to fly to Nome for ECE (Early Childhood Education) training, I am here in Nome.  I arrived yesterday around 6:30 p.m. and I was the only one on the flight.  What I could see of the landscape through the clouds was...well, fascinating.  I'm going to have to come up with some more descriptive words!  I'm simply in awe of everything I see and experience.

I must say...Nome is bigger than I realized it was the first time I came through here earlier in the month.  I took the usual tourist pictures by the Iditarod sign and such.  Plus, there are two more things now on my list of experiences....

I tried muktuk today....whale blubber.  It was really tough.  Taste wasn't bad but I really had a difficult time chewing it and finally gave up after getting only a nip off a corner.  I guess it's something you just chew and chew and chew.  I'm still waiting for the chance to try Eskimo ice cream and seal oil.

Guess what?  I finally found one!  In the bigger towns/cities that have paved roads up here (Anchorage, Unalakleet, and Nome), I looked for the EJIW sewer grates....and I FINALLY found ONE today.  Otherwise, it's been the ones from Neenah, WI....even here in Nome.   But it just so happened that I found one today with "East Jordan Iron Works" on it.  I had a friend take my picture and as we were doing that, some people came by to ask us if we were ok.  I mean, how many people kneel down and point at sewer grates and take pictures?  Well, I would bet lots of people from East Jordan do in their travels.  I assured the folks I was fine....just that I was from East Jordan, Michigan where that grate was made!

I heard that beluga whales were passing by Shishmaref over the weekend.  It's not something they normally hunt for.  Most of the villagers were headed to the mainland to hunt for moose which were on the run.  I look forward to hearing when I get back if anyone was successful.

Wowzer dowzer....our training here in Nome on this new assessment program we'll be using is pretty intense.  It's one of four main assessments we'll be doing.  Makes me wonder why I didn't stay in retirement!!!  Kidding!  I am having the experience of a lifetime and I'm up for the challenge.  There are good people up here offering support and the folks I'll be working with in the ECE program in Shishmaref are really nice.

Catch ya later!