Well, since I'm first on call tomorrow I should be 'fixing my sleep' as the local describe it. This is to explain that they have all been staying up late (read all night) over the holidays and sleeping all day. Apparently the traditional games being held at the gym in the school weren't over until 1 a.m. If you call during the day you're apt to be answered with "I'm sleeping" and a bang of a phone hang up - much like a nurse sleeping from night shift. Now they're trying to go to bed earlier and actually get up in the morning so they're 'fixing their sleep'. It explains why the afternoons at the clinic are so busy. We are booked to do sick clinic in the morning, draw blood work etc. and various community programs ex. well baby, well woman, CDC (chronic diseases) school immunizations etc. each afternoon. The morning tends to be steady but lots of 'no shows' so the SHP (boss) has the clerk on the phone calling people in for flu shots, pap tests etc. to fill the gaps. The afternoon is flat out as everyone wakes up and decides to phone the nurse on call to see if they can come in for the appointment they slept through.
Cultural immersion requires learning the local expressions and parents often tell me that their child is fevering, not he has a fever but fevering. When travelling you can get weathered or have the plane go mechanical in another community. As the temperature hovers at -50 c you're told "it's getting cold now eh?" by patients who assure me that every day it'll just keep getting colder. They refer to June as spring and August as fall as well. Hmmm.
I found a book in the office downstairs so read it over the day off today. It's about residential schools and called We Were So Far Away. It was an interesting read from both a cultural and historical perspective. There were a couple of stories in there about Labrador in the 70s so a blast from my past as well. There was a link to Acadia University and I was surprised to see a relationship to Inuit studies there from one of the contributors who went on to be an MLA and Commissioner in Nunavut. The traditional knowledge is called Inuit Qaujimajatuqanit. Here's a link to check it out:
Today was quite a productive day off which included laundry, baking chocolate chip cookies, the reading and a walk with two other employees to the edge of the road out of town here are the pics - with apologies to those who check out FaceBook for the repeats:
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| Disneyland as in coloured houses |
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| Heading out of the hamlet |
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| The Northern Store |
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| Northern Stores = Hudson Bay Stores |
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| Cemetery |
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| Mary Ellen & Rose Marie |
It's not the walk which is tiring so much as the long johns, snow pants, thick socks, winter boots, parka, scarf, pang hat and sealskin mittens which wear you out. And no I was not worried about getting attacked by wildlife as Mary Ellen assured us that she makes it a policy not to have anyone walking with her get eaten by a polar bear. Apparently there is a gas station here and my room mate (who drives around Taloyoak as she is a Homecare Nurse) tells me that the guy taking the money sits in a fridge (a walk in cooler I think she means) to keep warm. I am definitely going to check that out on my next stroll.
We were informed that the Premier and Commissioner are coming to Taloyoak on Monday/Tuesday to present medals of bravery etc. locally. There will be a community feast of traditional foods at the school as well as dancing etc. Apparently they will visit the Health Centre on Tuesday morning as well. I don't usually find myself meeting the premier at my workplace - should be interesting.
