Pine Ridge Reflections

A FINAL FAREWELL...

2009-06-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

Hello fabulous friends who continue to check this blog, and those who stumble upon it all the same...

I am writing from the middle of my 3 weeks of summer school. It has been an interesting past few weeks, and I cannot exactly find the appropriate words to express my combination of grief and anticipation. I managed to cry my way through the end of school and saying goodbye to my colleagues and fellow volunteers, but I'm still holding out on my last goodbyes for one more week.

This post will most likely be my final time adding to the website- at least for now- and I thought it was good timing, since I am sitting here with Ms. Daisa One Feather, the brilliant shining student and friend that she has become to me. I think it would be lovely to have her contribute a bit to my blog as a final farewell, knowing that this is an ending to one era of my life; concurrently it is also the beginning of a new era filled with the promise of remaining in touch with those students and friends who have touched my life. For my hope remains that when I leave, my heart will stay.

So, without further ado, I give you the wisdom and ramblings of one of the most inspirational students at Red Cloud....

Em: Daisa, how are you doing my fine lady?

Daisa: Hello miss emily!! i went to a powwow this weekend!! All weekend i hung out with Al, and Dom, and Duane. Miss emily!! did you ever smell Dom? He smells sooooooooo soooooooo good!! You should seriously smell him. And no we are not destined to be together FOR LIFE!
Soooo duane- hes sooo weird!! All weekend he just followed me around! You know what i think? he still likes me, but thats not surprising. And they, my sister and her buddies, were calling me and him Delmar and Lynda (my parents names) all weekend. So on saturday night me and my sister went to her friends house. And of course Dom was there and i was extremely happy because i got to smell him again (:

Em: I believe I have smelled Dom at your request one time. :) Of course it doesn't mean you're destined for life, but I swear I heard that before! (maybe Glamour magazine?) :) Hmm, the powwow was pretty exciting, huh? Tell me a little about the weather and how you did...

Daisa: It rained alll weekend!! and i wanted to go the carnival soo badly, but i had no one to go with. Saturday morning we had to go through that stupid parade... i got to drive though! it was awesome although my mom was being kind of Mrs. Krabs. And i didnt wanna say anything but she was waving at everyone trying to be all happy. So yeah OHHH OHH OHH!!!!! i got 1st!!! yayyy... and in womens traditional, my first time of winning the women's division!

Em: I know! I was so proud of you... you do look quite magestic when you're out there dancing- oh, and thanks so much for inviting me to dance with you during the inter-tribal dance! You're such an 'includer.' One of the many qualities I love about you.

Daisa: Yes Emily, although you know i did have to practically carry you out there. You being so paranoid about not being in an "outfit".

Emily: Well, that's true. I mean- my raincoat wasn't exactly as beautiful as most of the regalia that everyone else wears. And I did happen to be the only white person too. :):)

Daisa: (no comment, daisa just stands there and smiles)

Emily: Okay, I actually love being white, and love that Wyatt gives me so much crap about being racist... because I take it as a compliment. If he really thought I was racist, he would most likely avoid me at all costs.... Well, it's about time for you to catch your ride. Do you have any final words of wisdom for my friends?

Daisa: If you guys need any assistance with fashion planning im here to help!! (: ohhh ohh and umm YOU NEED TO SERIOUSLY DANCE ONCE IN AWHILE!!! better yet- with Emily (: soo again it was nice meeting you guys and i wish i could see your round cheeesy faces after reading this but unfortunately i cant ): jk!! im happy (: not sad!! so have fun and JUST DANCE!!!

Em: Thanks so much, Daisa, this is perhaps the closest some of my readers will ever come to meeting you, and that is most unfortunate, you're right. But still I have the hope that everyone interested in my pine ridge reflections will take time to visit here someday- and who knows, but you might have just opened your own boutique downtown for them to visit! :)

Okay, since I feel I couldn't sum up my time here much better than to share with you the relationships I have developed and how important they are to me, I shall leave this post with that- a candid conversation between Ms. Daisa One Feather and I. Who knows, perhaps I shall return to this blog with further news of the wonders Daisa is doing for her tribe and for herself. :)

Until you hear my wandering mind and thoughts again, I bid you a brilliant time of discovering the vast places of wonder our God and Creater has made. For me, Pine Ridge has been one of the most lovely and meaningful places I have discovered!

Much love- and of course, smiles for everyone. :):)

Emily

Saying Goodbye

2009-05-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hello for the last time from the desk of Student Activities...

I am officially moving out of this office over the weekend, and I am full of sadness and the excitement of change. I found out earlier this week that the current HS office will be relocating into my office during summer renovations to the other side of the building, which gives me only through this weekend to finish up my business for next year. I did quite well last night, working away at organizing everything- and now my main task is compiling a binder full of info for the incoming Student Activities Director.

I have written a farewell note to each senior and member of the Student Council, and I wrote a general note to each student and passed them out- so it's my feeble attempt at saying-
'I would love to stay in contact, and I'm leaving- but my heart is still here.' Because that is absolutely true. My heart will always be here, not only because I have created a family here, but also because these students are the first group of students to teach me about the innate beauty of adolescents in a poverty situation... a lesson I believe will advance my future goals of loving as many young people as possible over the course of my life. What a daunting, yet fabulous goal in life, huh?

I'm sure I will post again to wrap-up my experiences here with some reflections, but this is the last time I will sit at this desk to write my ramblings. And I have to say- I've already had more tears over leaving than some, (AJ?) :) might think possible... truly, I feel good about leaving, for the fact that it has evoked a certain honesty between the students and I. I am real about my life goals, and the life-changing impact they've all had on me, and they are real about how much they're going to miss me.

It's so beautiful....for example.... a rather quiet sophomore student council member asked me on Monday to come to her 7th hour class- and when I got there I realized she had prepared a speech she wanted me to listen to, and at first it was about her father and the guilt she felt about his life decisions. (I was moved to hear such honest words, especially since they provoked unending tears from her). Her second speech was entitled, "My Dearest Emily"- and was a tribute to how much she's learned from me and felt my support. She mentioned that she knew how much I would miss it here, but she didn't want them (the students) to hold me back from pursuing my education... because they (the students) know already how much I love them. It was so moving, perhaps one of the most sincere displays of affection I have ever received!

A few of the student council members who read the letters I had written told me they cried and cried- and read it over and over. Some might think this type of emotion is sappy or something- but truly I can't help feeling the opposite. Sappy is something silly...and the relationships I've developed with these students are anything but silly. (I'm tearing up as I write)... and I guess I've never in my life felt more sadness at a life transition than I do right now. I'm leaving after two years... but the people I love here aren't moving on- they remain in their world here, which is so much different than any transition I've experienced. At college everyone is moving on, it is only a temporary setting... but here- this is more than preparation for life...it is life, and to be leaving people with whom I've shared life is so difficult!

Ah, to be entering another temporary world- I look forward to life at Princeton, I really do, but I know I will miss everything about this place and these people. My heart was reborn here, in a sense, and I'm leaving bits of my heart all over the place here! So, here's to anyone from my life at Pine Ridge who might be reading this- I will always love you, and I will always cherish the bits of my heart which I now leave behind.

Transition is great, but oh so difficult, but great. :)

Em

Oh, what a month!!!

2009-05-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

Greetings from a crazy-busy and emotional student activities director~

The past two weeks have been so full of wonderful, saddening, and mostly memorable experiences... I will once again do a portrayal of past events in a picture slide-show. :)

Before I begin telling the various stories, I want to say that today was the final day for seniors in school. I am surprisingly unemotional. No tears. Weird, I know. However, I doubt I will be able to hold back the tears at Baccalaureate tonight, or at graduation on Saturday. This class is full of beautiful souls who have given me such joy (remember my uninhibited skipping from last year's posts?) Yes, these are the student catalysts. The students whom I feel closest to, with the exception of the Student Council. Alas, they are all excited and nervous, tentative and chomping at the bit. What a remarkable time in everyone's life, especially for students here on the Rez. At this point, they are the cream of the crop on the Reservation, and should be darn proud of it! At this point, only God can provide a path toward further success in their lives, and this is why I feel okay leaving them. I know they're still in good hands.

Okay, now for a run-down of my life events... :)

Two weekends ago I went home for my brother's college graduation, and AJ came with me! It was a wonderful time, being able to see my siblings, grandparents, and parents. It was also great fun to be playing outside like I was 8 years old again! This time, with AJ pretending to throw me off his shoulders! The entire weekend was splendid and it made me anxious for more care-free summer days ahead!

This is a group of random volunteers along with past and present Red Cloud Students- we are all posing at the Senior Pow-wow (Inipi), even though none of us are seniors.

I spent last weekend with this darling girl, Daisa, whom I've spoken of often on this blog. She and I presented together at the Board of Director's meeting regarding the relational impact volunteers and students can have on one another. She is a gem, let me tell you, and she spoke with such openness and eloquence, I was so proud that she considers me a big sister. Last week she actually presented me with a huge collage she had been working on as a 'going away' gift of sorts, and she also wrote me a moving letter about the impact I have had on her life. Needless to say, this girl has brought me to tears more than once, and she continues to be one of the biggest delights I have encountered during my time here at Red Cloud.

Me, again, posing with a group of freshman-junior guys at the senior pow wow. Three of the students (to the right of me) are running for the top positions in student council next year. Let's just say that I hope they transform this (self-proclaimed) popularity contest into productive work next year!

Awe, my beautiful senior sister Saige and I at the powwow! I goofed up a bit on this one- Saige Pourier has been a really close student of mine, and she was one of the first students to really work at developing a relationship with me, which I appreciated immensely. Anyway- she had an honoring at the powwow- during which she intended to present me with a start quilt...only I was late, and missed it! Whoops! I felt horrible, and when I walked in late, she just shook her head at me in a sassy, 'I'm pretending to be mad at you" way. It was embarrassing for me, yet good to accept her forgiving nature as well. She truly is a beautiful beautiful young woman!

Ah, yes- the Student Council posters which were added one at a time to my office windows. I was really pleased with the campaigning for next year's slots- All the students running have really stepped up their efforts of advertizing, and it is so much fun... I thought I'd take a picture of my windows! And in case you're interested, we will be voting tomorrow in English classes for the new student council. Don't hold your breath, whatever shall be, shall be. :)

Back-track to my brother's graduation- here he is, along with the rest of us siblings (and Meggie and AJ- new additions to the family). My sister from Texas was even able to come for the visit- hurray for surprises which end up to not be surprises (I guess none of us are good at keeping secrets from one another). :)

AJ and my random "angry" faces. Who looks more upset? Probably me, but I do have to say AJ has a bit of ferocious in his face! I love being goofy with this guy... he's such a good sport with my family- oh, and did I mention we played football against Meggie and Clint- and totally cleaned house (with the help of our dear quarterback Alison)! :)

*Random story without a photo- I have another story which falls under the category of 'unfortunate events' in the life of Emily...or as my student Chandler said, "only a minor setback in life, Emily." whatever title it is given, here's the scoop. Two days ago, as Emily was lifting weights, the heat was intense, and Emily was lazy. Thus, she wore open-toe sandals instead of her usual tennis shoe apparel. Well, little did she realize that the very last lift of the day would reveal the mistake that was, 'wearing sandals'- okay, let me be forward. I dropped a weight on my big toe!!! And it hurt. Throbbed, mostly, and bled for about 24 hours. I was slightly concerned about the well-being of my toe nerves; however, these past two days- along with the miraculous work of a loving God- have produced amazing results! I no longer have pain, and although it looks a little funky- my toe is basically intact. Yey!!!

That's my life in a nutshell. I've also been busy with the student council cookout, house meetings, after-school program, getting blasted with water by some hyper seniors (in my office, nonetheless), and trying to balance my emotions of sadness at leaving these kids and the sheer joy of summer ahead.

Until you hear from my busy little heart and mind again, peace to you and your families. I am off to read to the 3rd grade right now. What a blast! :)

Love and teethy smiles,

It's May....

2009-05-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

This reality hit me quite hard a few days ago.

It's May, and with May comes so many events... 1. Saying goodbye to many of my dear volunteer friends and housemates. 2. Graduation & Saying goodbye to the wonderful seniors and fabulous underclass students I will be leaving. 3. Saying goodbye to the 30+ faculty I have come to love here at Red Cloud. 4. Saying goodbye to my sister who will be moving to Japan.

The common thread is saying goodbye, which is one of the most difficult moments in life for me. I know that I have been processing this transition for months now, and I anticipate that I will be as ready as I can be- but the moment of goodbye is excruciatingly painful- albeit relatively brief- and I never look forward to its arrival.

I have grown so much in my two years of life here among many faithful Lakota friends, Jesuits, volunteers, and students. Honestly my growth has been extremely relational, which is why ending the relationships as I now know them will be the hardest part of my end here at Red Cloud. I will miss the freedom of my position here, but not as much as the students who delight me with their presence. I will miss my living conditions, but not as much as I miss the gracious folks who taught me to be a better, more sincere housemate. I will miss the Lakota traditions, practices, and language- but not as much as I lament the loss of daily presence among my good Lakota friends.

I am also experiencing such a contrast of feelings, since I am thoroughly excited for my future- the craziness of a summer spent in many places- and getting to meet my first niece and spend the first 7 weeks of her life by her side. I am also highly anticipating my new experiences at Princeton Seminary in the fall; however, I know the transition to student life will be a bit tough at first, and I will dearly miss the start of school here at Red Cloud. All things considered (like the NPR radio program!) :):) I will be grounded in joy and thanksgiving through every change, but I hope to be open to feeling the totality of my emotions, as I believe that is the best medicine for change.

My life is also taking on new direction since being in relationship with AJ Munger. I have been learning so much about being a supportive, fun, and sincere girlfriend (and a LOT about how I need to grow yet as a person). I have also learned the many differences between males and females! :):) Now, if you know me at all, you will agree that I am a proponent of seeing the commonalities between genders. Lets just say this relationship has been a bit of a reality check, coming to understand that despite the many similarities, some differences definitely stand out more than I was previously willing to admit! :) This new dimension in my life will also be helpful through other changes, as I know that AJ will be supportive and loving through everything.

Finally, I will also be more than a bit sad to be ending this blogsite. I can hope that someday I will re-visit this "Pine Ridge Reflections" in another era of life, but the future is so unknown, and no promises can be made. I will continue through June to post, as I have plans to work with the RC summer school program.... but after that, this blog will continue to exist in its current state, without the addition of further pine ridge exploration. Sad thought. I know.

I also want to express my unending appreciation of your support as readers and occasional responders to my blog. I know this has been a great tool to update friends and family with my life- and I'm not anticipating this for my seminary experience (come on, how much does everyone really care to hear about my systematic theology course?) :):) But I would be interested in giving updates to those who are excited about reading them...I currently don't have a clear understanding of who that would be. (Okay, those who respond to this, I do know you!)- But Sas, I imagine you'll forego the systematic theology, huh? :)

This is the ending of my introspective post. Thanks for living inside my mind and heart today... I always appreciate the ability to share my thoughts. :) You are all rockstars in your own way, so never give up living on stage! :)

Sending my love and smiles,

Emily

2009-04-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

Why if it isn't my lovely friends, reading this photo-filled post...

I have included some pictures of my past few weeks... which I will summarize by saying I have celebrated all the events (a successful prom- complete with abundant dancing!, a dear friend's wedding, and a junior day of service), without being excessively pleased with my own health. However, I have joined the recovery group called "32 days is 32 days too long to be sick." It seems to be helping, as my symptoms have improved immensely! :)

Oh, and I must say- I went to the doctor. Yep- four weeks was long enough time to self-justify a medical opinion (other than webmd) which is why I'm now smelling the flowers...

Hmm, that just gave me the idea to narrate my past week underneath photos, because past experience reveals that my typing gets all jumbled together at the end, anyway, when pictures are present...

Junior Day of Service: Although I was slightly reluctant to attend this day-event with the junior class, I ended up chaperoning the group to a local church in town- and I must say, what a silly idea to NOT want to go- it was GREAT! The students pitched in with extra effort, and I had a marvelous time organizing the food pantry. (if anyone knows me, you know that's my kinda work!)

This picture of Henry and Anita reveals the varying degrees of excitement my group maintained about picking up trash! :) Ha, actually Anita was wonderful to work with, she just got a whiff of something nasty, I think. :) Henry couldn't have been a bigger help that day... what a guy!

Delia, Tess, Blaine, and Amber- posing during a break in our service to Sacred Heart Church. Again, I was very impressed with their maturity level during the day- okay, and I let them eat at Taco Johns, plus I cleaned up the mouse poop in the pantry... so that probably made them happy!

Delia and Tess sporting the rakes we used to clean up the yard where kids play during the weekends... all the yard work reminded me of my childhood, and I even started picking up sticks! (Mom- some things really stick with you- no pun intended)

So this picture is perhaps a little disturbing for you- don't worry, it was for me as well. However, Kelso, Henry, and Anita really enjoyed that we moved this coffin from the old church into the garage (I really don't have a good explanation why)...so they tried to fit into it- and found it to be a fun- albeit slightly dismal- photo op!

Ah, my great friend Denise!!! AJ and I were able to visit her at her current place of work (and residence) at a boy's ranch called Rawhide in WI- enroute to my friend Jody's wedding. It was wonderful catching up with her and seeing where she's spent the last 1 1/2 years of her life! Oh, to put her in context- she's my 1/2 marathon running partner- and she recently completed another one...I, however, could hardly run a mile with the shape my lungs are currently in!

This is my wonderful, charming, and thoughtful boyfriend AJ. He good-naturedly mingled with my NWC crowd during the weekend- but don't worry, I shall repay the kindness by attending his friend's wedding this weekend! What's with all the commitment lately, gosh! :) (btw- I do have a dress on in this picture, if anyone was wondering. :) I guess my arms were not-so-strategically placed, so you wouldn't actually know this)

And THIS is the fabulous wedding party of Jody's (the bride)...several of the girls are my friends and roomates from college. So, needless to say I had an amazing time catching up with everyone and getting to share in this beautiful day of love and joy.

Unfortunately I DON'T have pictures from prom, although I do have a link to my co-worker Peter's online photo album- so feel free to check out the "Above the City Lights" prom- which, according to all accounts, was fabulous, often called "The best prom ever!" because "Everyone danced, it was great!!" This, although I couldn't be physically present, makes me infinitely happy!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=6io3ymi.3or5nfdu&x=0&y=eyu7zf&localeid=en_US&cm_mmc=site_email-_-site_share-_-core-_-view_photos_button

I hope the above link works! That's all for now, my beautiful friends. If I can get a bit corny for a minute, I'd like to give a little shout out to the good Lord of all, who has carried me through this sickness- and has now led me to a place of immense joy in health. I can't really contain my smiles, since I haven't felt this good in a month! Yeah, God. That's right.

Until the next fateful time my blogging persona hits the airwaves of the internet (did that even make sense?) I shall leave you with a grateful farewell and many smiles- even a kiss blown your way!

Love, Emily

Sickness and Emotions

2009-04-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Why Hello Brilliant Audience!!!

You may have wondered if I forgot about this ongoing story of Pine Ridge which I have been creating for nearly two years now.... but in fact- I haven't forgot at all! And to prove it, I'm posting pictures for you of our Senior Retreat!!! *Warning- the pictures make all the following text scrunched together. This was definitely not on purpose! :)

Senior Guys taking seriously the prayer walk at Devil's Tower

The whole senior class posing in front of a half-hazy Devil's Tower

Ryan and Richard showing off their rapid 'cup' skills at the retreat center

Mike devising a new plan to win a snow ball fight

The class working hard on the 'chair' competition: result? 40 students on 11 chairs!

Alright, those are a few of the great memories I will hold from our senior retreat. Ultimately it was a beautiful time (despite my undying wish for sunshine on each rainy day)... and the class really bonded, in addition to finding means of reconciliation and sharing gratitude amongst one another. I absolutely love retreats with the kids, and I realized that this will be my final retreat experience here at Red Cloud. I will miss this group of student terribly; I feel particularly close to them, since I've seen them grow in the last two years, and we will be leaving Red Cloud together. But, alas, despite the many emotions of sadness, I am mostly grateful for the opportunity to have interacted with this amazing group of 43 students. Oh, and I cannot forget how much I've enjoyed being with the faculty of Red Cloud as well! What a humor-filled work environment I've been blessed with!

I have to let you know that a part of the reason it's been awhile since I've posted is because I was gone for Easter, but also I have continued to fight this crazy illness that I've had for over 3 weeks now! I am self-diagnosing as having the flu for a week, and now the past two weeks I've had bronchitis. I seem to fit the descriptions and likelihood as described on webmd. Please don't tell me I need to go to the doctor, either, because I've heard that a million times, and really, I think it's most likely a virus, especially since it came after I had the flu. In any case, every day I wake up assuming I'll be better- so my spirits haven't broken yet!

Easter vacation was absolutely wonderful! I won't go into detail, since I realize it has not much to do with Pine Ridge (except for my prom shopping and making the sashes for prom royalty). :) But my time spent with family and friends and AJ was beautiful! :)

Now, after a chill weekend of trying to kick this bronchitis (drinking plenty of liquids, sleeping, cough drops, taking expectorants, ect.), I am trying my best to get everything ready for prom- but see, it's a bit tricky, since everything around here works 'last minute'- and I won't be around for 'last minute'- which means I have to rely on things getting done by Wednesday, since I'm leaving for my friend's wedding in Wisconsin in two days! First of all, that's incredibly exciting- to be able to meet up with my college friends again and such, but also I'm sad to be leaving for prom- moreso since I will be missing all the fun- (I'm not entirely sad to be missing the stress of the event). I do have people in place to cover my responsibilities, but the decorations are in question, since so many people are busy after-school. We shall see, it is the Junior's prom, after all, and we will see how they pull it off! :)

It's nearly lunch-time now, and I have to say... I am ready for this day to be done... especially since I'm getting antzy just waiting around for people to turn in permission slips for post-prom, to sign up their dates for the grand march, and getting nervous about all the decorations. But I cannot allow my concerns to override my sincere delight in being with these students. After all, I only have a little over a month left, and that's all that's left of this treasured experience.

Until the next tear-filled time I write (perhaps I'll include pictures people send me of prom)...

Pilamaya!

Emily

April Hopes

2009-04-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Souls...

I am writing you now as I struggle to overcome this silly (actually, serious) influenza I've had the past 6 days. Today I am on an up swing, except for the light-headed feelings and severe cough. All in all it has been a miserable week... yet Monday and Tuesday, Mother Nature came through and gave us two more snow days. And since I wouldn't have been in school anyway, do to the flu, I was thankful for the recovery time. I also didn't come into school Wednesday, but Thursday I did- even though it was terribly overwhelming, with such little energy. Today I am still lacking the energy I need... but I'm beginning to see through the fog of the flu... which is the hope I need.

Today is a pretty exciting event- the Cardinal from Washington D. C. is coming to visit Red Cloud. Now, if you're a little unsure who a Cardinal actually is, don't be dismayed... I had to think for awhile before I could recall what position a Cardinal held. Basically, there is a council of just over 100 Cardinals in the world who elect the Pope...so in terms of Catholic hierarchy, the Cardinal is a pretty big deal! And he's having pizza with the Student Council today. That's right, represent! :):) I will be there to mediate their presence, but overall the Cardinal seems like a pretty cool guy who will be interested in the students.

I had intentions of attending a silent retreat with a few friends this weekend, but that is not happening now- since they left yesterday and I had to be in school today. In addition to the Cardinal's visit... I need to meet with students about prom ordering, etc. Gosh, I am so excited for prom, but as one of the coordinators, I also cannot wait for it to be over! :):) I'm sure you'll hear more about that as the month progresses... I think we're only 3 weeks out from Prom though, which means I need to get on this ordering business asap!

The Prom invites are in, and I'm busy assembling them. Why did I order ones which require work? Not too sure, but let me know if you're in the business of stuffing envelopes, since that's the next step in the process. :)

Easter break is soon upon us! I'm not sure if I will write again before then... I should, but you know- sometimes time simply flies by! I am ending this post early, since my foggy head hasn't allowed for too great of writing, and I'm guessing there's no further hope of it today.

My April hope is that you all are doing well, enjoying the spring (we are suppose to get another blizzard this weekend, FYI :):), and living life to its fullest!

Em

Weather, OH weather....

2009-03-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the wonderful world of SD....

This is what I said to myself (to revive positive spirits) when we received one of the craziest bouts of SD weather in my recent memory. Here's the story...

Sunday, after a warm and sunny walk, I said goodbye to my dear boyfriend who accompanied me to all three games of the boys State A tourney in Rapid this past weekend. (For a sports news update- Red Cloud finished with a 7th place victory on Saturday- definitely not the anticipated outcome, but a win to end it all, nonetheless.) So- back to the weather story... On Sunday I took not one, but TWO walks up Manderson Road- a winding, hilly, and quite scenic dirt road just across the highway from Red Cloud. The weather was so beautiful, with 70 degree temps and life-giving sunshine. I heard the prediction of a possible blizzard, but I blew it off, since I couldn't fathom that while also enjoying the seemingly 'summer' warmth.

Well, I should have remembered the 'wonderful' world of SD weather, because the next day (Monday) we had already cancelled school at 12:30pm for bus travel reasons, and by Tuesday morning, we were drenched in a thick blanket of snow- I mean, piles and piles (thanks to the 50 mph gusts) we also gained a few extremely deep drifts... so many across the Rez, in fact, that we had both Tues. and Wed. off school since a majority of people were stuck in their homes. I have caught myself saying over and over again, "This is CRAZY!!!" I mean, I expect SD to be crazy, but it never ceases to amaze me.

No, I'm not just telling you this for a good story (although it certainly IS)... but it actually happened! I should have taken pictures- well, I still could, for that matter, since it began snowing again today! For a bit of a perspective- A few friends and I decided to walk up Manderson on Tuesday (2 days after our initial summer frollick)... because we wanted to venture into the snow drifts... and after running a few yards through knee-high drifts, my exhaustion kicked in and I began walking- only to discover that in some areas my legs were sinking in mid-thigh! No joke. SD weather can change by 50 degrees in less than 24 hours- and pile on snow so thick you'll forget that warm weather even exists!

But alas, I'm holding on to my recent memories of spring, hoping beyond hope that with the end of March comes the end of cold weather. Being a native SD girl, I should realize this is silly- but I guess my sillyness is what gets me through a lot of days, so I'll stick with a childish hope of spring! :)

Yes, this week at Red Cloud has been pretty laid back. Of course I can always find ways to fill up a few snow days (much of which involves sleeping)... but I am glad to be back in school today, to see the kids, have them tell me their digging out of 10-foot snow drift- stories, or snowmen-building escapades, you know- the sort of things you can enjoy in a rural snowy wonderland. The senior retreat, which I was thoroughly anticipating, has been post-poned due to the weather... but that's alright, since we were able to reschedule at a good time in April.

We are meeting this week about Prom with the Juniors, and I am pleased to announce that we have received a few of the shipments of supplies- so I'm getting a bit antzy to set things up- but of course that must wait; it'll give me (us/ whomever is interested) time to mull over various decorating possibilities for the nearly impossible-to-decorate gym.

Other than that, I cannot say that I have much to report concerning Red Cloud. The students closest to Casey (the student who passed away last week) are back in school, which I think will be really healthy for them... to continue with their studies, etc. I will be headed this weekend to help with the hunting lodge which AJ manages- and will see my brother for the hunt as well!

I'm off to the junior meeting with ideas for prom favors. wish me luck! :) Ha, no, I'm not sure I exactly need luck. More like patience. :)

Sending my love from a warm heart (and cold hands)...

Emily

Death and Life

2009-03-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Pine Ridge Enthusiasts!

It is time once again for a Pine Ridge life update. This week has actually been full of roller coaster emotions. I say this because of extreme circumstances... First of all, plenty of excitement is surrounding the State Tourney (at which our boys are ranked 3rd and stand a good chance of pulling off a championship)...but also, Thursday night a tragedy occurred in the Red Cloud community, sending so many people into a state of shock and grief. Casey Zimiga, a Red Cloud 2008 grad, passed away in a car accident- which involved several Red Cloud students, both graduates and currently attending. The accident was on a gravel road, with the driver losing control. A two-car caravan was traveling together, so the first car turned back and discovered their friends and siblings had crashed. It is all still so awful- and I've wept on multiple occasions- partly in grief for the loss of Casey's young life, and partly in empathy for the pain the living students and family are going through. The wake begins tonight, and the funeral will be tomorrow morning- hence, the roller coaster emotions, since later that evening we are going to get our 'pep' on for the 1st round BB game!

In some ways this whole experience of Casey's death has taught me that I do feel a definite love for these students. I'm pretty sure that if any student in Red Cloud would lose his/her life, I would feel an equal grief and empathy, and it breaks my heart knowing that these tragic deaths occur at alarming rates here on the Rez... We had a prayer service both on Friday and on Monday- the latter involved his family and friends as well. I was asked to say the opening prayer, and I hadn't even begun yet before I was weeping. Death is a crazy thing- and I know it is just as much a part of life as life itself, yet when it happens so suddenly and to someone with such a zest for life, I have to question it. Inevitably death also necessitates prayer, since we know so little what to do or how to feel in response to death; thus, we must acknowledge the love of our Creator. Prayer is the only solace I know of in times of grief.

Speaking of loving the students- I have begin to see some major developments with a few students with whom I'm particularly close. One student, Daisa, (I believe I've mentioned her before) is a remarkable young woman- so driven, so dedicated to her heritage and family, so fun-loving and fashionable, so kind-hearted and other's-focused, and as confused as ever about boys. You know, the general female adolescent experience. :) The other day she was in my office speaking about a few particular guys in her life, and the way she speaks now is such evidence of her growth in self-confidence and maturity, especially from being a timid sophomore to an outgoing junior. I let her know I saw these growing qualities in her, and Daisa's response touched my heart. She agreed with me and said, "And Emily, you know it's all thanks to you!" Of course that's not entirely true, and I let her know she was the one responsible for discovering her self-worth. Yet to think I was able to inspire that- even in the least- gives me such joy!

Just a few minutes ago a young man whom I spoke of before, Chandler, came into my office and asked me to read something he had written. It wasn't an assignment or school work at all...it was a self-reflection, which I read with a good amount of surprise. I told him I wouldn't repeat what he said, but it basically is a plea for understanding- and a cry for help from the black hole of pain he is experiencing. I say I read this with surprise, since he is one of the happiest and kindest students I know. He struggles with classes, and socially, yet his heart is so pure and full of love. It amazes me how students can completely ignore the good in one another and in themselves. Perhaps I am wired to see the good in others, but for whatever reason, I cannot help but to see the beauty that is within each soul. And it hurts me to realize that so much pain exists behind the curtains of resiliency or a survival facade.

The one bit I want to share with you about Chandler coming in just now brings me to tears. Another student (in my office) asked what it was he had written and he responded with, "Just something I wanted to share with people who I consider like family to me... like Emily." If I have ever received a greater (and more humbling) compliment from any student, I'm not sure what it would have been. And to think that I'm leaving in just a few short months. Wow, I think I'm going to have an emotional breakdown when the time comes for goodbyes.

Another caveat about Daisa. Today I wore a shirt with Minnie Mouse on it (I think I got it for $1.00) underneath my black sweater... and she looks at my shirt, gasps, and says, "Emily! I have Mickey Mouse on my shirt today too!" I showed her the writing on top of my shirt, which says, 'taken', and she responds with, "By MICKEY! That's me!" Just an example of the exuberance she possesses, and one of the many reasons why I find it so enjoyable to love these students.

Okay- we have a big weekend ahead, with State Basketball- and possibly 2 fan busses...woohoo! I shall report the outcome next time, and hopefully have a few pictures to include as well! Next week we also have the spring senior retreat, so I will be having quite the emotional time! Ah, to be honest, I think the emotions of leaving have begun, and I don't think they'll stop. My goal is to be as present as ever (something I solidified in my mind during this past weekend's volunteer retreat). I forgot to mention the retreat, yet it was a wonderful time- truly soul-restoring.

'Tis enough for now. Thanks for your continual interest, I love sharing this life with you- whether or not I know you- I still appreciate that you take the time to read. Until I can write again and report that Red Cloud took the state championship! :):)

Sending my love from a slightly cloudy head, and a fully grateful heart,

Emily

State bound...

2009-03-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hello from the happenin' desk of Red Cloud Student Activities!!!

I'm smiling now, as I type this during the final period of the day, the anpetu topa (4th day) of the week. (I imagine you think I am always smiling... and this is actually not true. In fact, I am smiling NOW, since I wasn't smiling EARLIER when I felt a bit overwhelmed- but you're right, I do smile a lot). It has been a full past few weeks... and my soul has both rejoiced and retreated during the plentiful activities. It has been quite the week for basketball, as our girls lost a close game at regions last week Tuesday, and our boys won two games last week to advance into regions- this past Tuesday. The boys won- thus, they are headed to state next weekend! Once again, going back to state in hopes of claiming the championship title they missed out on last year.

Two words come to mind when I think about region basketball games. Fan Busses. Yep. We had them. Yep. They were crazy. Yep. I always find reason to rejoice and retreat when I'm in the midst of the cheering student section, when I'm driving bus in downtown Rapid (asking kids to keep their arms inside the bus), and when I'm asked a million questions about the (seemingly simple) concept of turning in a signed permission slip with $5.00. And I say rejoice and retreat both, because often I feel the need for simultaneous thoughts of gratitude and need for santuary. I love the students. I love giving them opportunity to bond together for the sake of school unity. I love the exuberance they bring with them to the game. I love the positive attitudes a few students naturally display. I do not, however, love the occasional outbursts of rude adolescent immaturity, or the disciplinary actions which I must administer post- outburst. :) On the whole. I love fan busses. But not as much as I love the students individually. :)

The following pictures are all fan bus participants... what a crew!!

Above: NOT fan bus participants...lovely cheerleaders with random baby.

Okay.... so now you have a few faces of the fans... the fans which readily cheered on both boys and girls BB teams throughoug the season. As much fun as BB season is around here (and believe me, I was thoroughly awaiting its arrival)... I can say that I will breathe a sign of relief when the craziness has ended. Not to short the festivities, because I am still all about cheering the boys on at state. (I just found out I won't be driving the team, as originally anticipated...) So, fan bus anyone? :)

This week we have also been hosting a number of students from Creighton University. 5 undergrad students interested in volunteering after college (not necessarily here) have been staying at our humble abode- the gray house! It has been a burst of energy for us, especially for my elementary housemates (who aren't as immediately involved in the basketball hoopla and have been experiencing a long 'marchuary' season).

The weather is still pretty cold here, but next week is looking up! Finally, some spring weather headed our way... just in time to give me a boost in my running routine! :) Hopefully. The treadmill scene takes its toll on my motivation during the winter.

I feel as if I should have so many good stories from the students, and I'm sure I do- but when I'm in the midst of the chaos, its difficult to reflect, you know? I do know that I'm excited to actually do a bit of retreating this weekend, as the volunteer crew and I are all headed up to Storm Mountain for a discernment retreat! Yeah. Yeah. (I'm excited).

Well, on to the after-school entertainment portion of my daily Red Cloud show. I'm signing out now, because when dealing with the students after school- there is definitely NOT room for blogging. My sincere apologies for not giving you a live news feed or something- because I KNOW you'd find it entertaining too! :)

Sending much love to a continually known yet expanding audience!

Until the next time our good Lord inspires my little fingers.... :):)

Ushering in March...

2009-03-02T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hello my lovely flock of friends!

I decided to use this reference to birds today, since the birds are ushering in March (which conveniently coincides with the warm weather), giving me hope of more pleasant days to come.

Actually, recent days have already been pleasant, yet with the added bonus of nice weather, I become nearly estatic in this place! :) Today I am full of sunshine. Literally- I did receive my daily dosage of Vitamin D during lunch as I prefected outside. And Figuratively- since I am quite happy and at peace with my life and with God. It is a theme I am striving for during this Lenten season- becoming more in tune with my relationship with God by journaling and praying consistently. Thus far- all positive.

Last week was a bit of a whirlwind, with Pennies for Patients finishing up... we announced the winning class this week- the FRESHMEN! It was really cute, just a few minutes ago a freshman who happened to be a major contributer to the coin jar came in to confirm (and secretly celebrate) the fact that the Freshmen had won. He smirks as I congratulate him and give him a high-five... then he says with a smile, "Well, at least the freshmen won something, huh?" Such a humble remark made with the best of intentions. I am really happy they won, actually- even though it means baking more brownies for Wednesday!

We decided early Friday morning to take a Fan bus to Rapid City tomorrow (Tues.) for the Girls' basketball Regional championship game- and as haphazard as fan busses can occasionally be, I am thoroughly excited for this! This means the girls are one victory away from attending the State Tournament in Watertown, SD once again this year. We shall see! And the fan bus is the first of the year! Crazy, I know... Get ready, folks, because last year my several fan bus experiences often elicited some pretty funny tales, to be sure!

Our after-school program is going pretty well. Numbers are down this semester from last semester, but it really doesn't mean much, since we have a large number of students involved in other sports and such, which are not counted in my A. S. P. numbers. And a few of the clubs are just getting under way once again...so have no fear- March madness will become a phrase pertaining to more than just basketball... it will carry over to our A. S. P. as well! :) I wish that if you could experience any part of my job here, you would come and see the chaos which ensues from appx. 3:08-3:30pm every day. It's exhilerating!

I believe it's about time to compile a list of the students interested in taking the fan bus tomorrow. If you feel like cheering for Red Cloud, this is a good week to begin- the boys play two district games on Mon. and Thurs., and the girls play regions tomorrow. Basketball updates will surely be in store here- considering it is now post-season play! The 'big times' around here. Hmmm, random note to self (which I, for some reason, assume you'll be interested in) ... I need to start taking more pictures of the kids! I will get on that soon, and post for your viewing pleasure!

I hope this little blurp is finding you all well and well-cared for by our loving God. Until the next time my little fingers fly across the keyboard.....

Sending my love and appreciation for life,

Emily

A fast month...

2009-02-19T08:50:00.000-08:00

Good Morning dear souls!!!

If you haven't noticed, I tend to choose titles for my posts which are slightly descriptive, but mostly mundane. "A fast month" isn't poetic or intriguing. I don't know why I choose to do this, but it's a trend, and I might as well stick with it for now! (I was never good at titling papers in college either) :)

Wow, it has been two weeks already since I last posted. I believe this is what prompted my title. February is generally a fast month to begin with, and I have felt really present here at Red Cloud, so I guess that makes time go quickly. I shall highlight a few particularly exciting events in the past two weeks, both school-related and personal.

So, the highly-anticipated Crush-gram sale went really well; I believe I sold around 135 bottles of crush pop (with which the recipients were extremely pleased). Granted, it made for a really chaotic Friday the 13th, especially with the talent show the same day, but overall I experienced one of those, "Wow, I love my job" moments after it was all over. The talent show in particular was SO MUCH FUN. Every student who participated did so solely out of intrinsic motivation (I didn't even offer prizes or competition)... and honestly I think that's what made it beautiful! Two original songs, three instrumentals, two lip syncs, and a few "jam with the music" entries made it well-rounded and entertaining. Our student body also makes a great audience for the students who participated...cheering them on, even when a little off-tune. :) Ah, the beauty of peer encouragement. It doesn't get much better than that!

We also had a successful student council meeting last week (even pulling together a fabulous lip sync for the talent show)! I bought them pizza, and that seems to make me quite popular (not to mention increases the involvement) with the Stu. Co! A bit of reflection on my college days would teach me that at one point in time I was quite cynical of the "eat pizza, hang out" mentality of youth work... but now I would venture to say the concept actually has much more merit than I could have envisioned in my Ymin classes! :) Okay, maybe Stu. Co. is a bit different than a traditional youth group, but I suppose a similar concept could still apply across the board. Kids do love pizza!

Yesterday we had a prom meeting with the juniors, and I believe they have finally decided on a prom theme. I don't want to speak too soon regarding these delicate details (which have inspired so much drama)... but I will take the risk and tell you... they are going to decorate as "Above the City Lights," which has quite a resemblance to my junior prom theme: "City Nights." I told them this, and of course that excited them even more, because I said I would love to help with ideas and such. I am also in charge of ordering everything for prom, from invitations, to memorabilia, to decorations. It will be different than last year (I had no such duties with prom)... but I am glad to be involved in this way, especially since I cannot actually be at prom. :( (a college friend's wedding coincides).

Alright, so that's life here at Red Cloud. Happening, for sure- with the continued one-on-one interaction with students being my primary source of joy and discouragement-Excitement and sadness. Regardless of the activities going on here at Red Cloud, the students have very real (and often disheartening) lives outside of school; I believe I only grasp a small portion of their reality, but it's enough to make me aware of the deep inner-struggles many of them face daily.

Onto personal life...This past weekend I spent a wonderful Valentine's Day with my Valentine, AJ. :) On Saturday we headed up to a bit of the Red Cloud b-ball games in Rapid, then to a Rapid City Rush hockey game. Neither AJ nor I had ever been to a hockey game before, and we were fortunate to receive (complimentary) tickets from our telecommunications provider here at Red Cloud... front row! We were 'on the ice' I guess, if that's how you say it... able to flinch every time a puck or a few intense players would crash into the Plexiglas! We had a great time- and 4 students were suppose to join us, but for a variety of reasons, only one ended up coming. Tiarra Little, a superb freshman, joined us for the excitement!

Tiarra & I at the Hockey game (the strange angle is due to the fact that we were sitting so close to the rink!) :)

AJ & I enjoying the hockey game together. He loved the fight, even though he calls himself peace-loving. :)

On Sunday AJ and I went skiing with a group from my church back home. It was really great, getting to spend some time on the slopes (for me, a little personal interaction with the snow- more than the others). Okay, I'll be direct. I fell. A lot. And sometimes it hurt (I suppose that has something to do with the fact that I was going speeds I have no business going... especially with only an elementary skiing skill set). But I still had a great time, I want to emphasize the fun over the fact that I came home with several bruises, a sore calf, knee, and elbow, and a confirmed understanding that I need to take lessons before I venture again!

AJ & I posing after the excitement had ended... still smiling, of course! :)

This will conclude my post for today. Oh, before I end- I want to mention that Stu. Co. is hosting a Pennies for Patients drive once again (we did during Homecoming as well)... and it thrills me to see the students bring it what little they have to further the cause of Leukemia research. I'll let you know grand totals once we are finished!

Much love, coming from a heart full of life, full of love, and full of spirit,

Emily

Love, Crushes, and Drama...

2009-02-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Hello Faithful and New Friends alike,

I initially tried to post this several days ago, and it wasn't until I decided to check out my blog for comments did I realize that it never posted, and much of what I had written didn't save either... so here's to my love/hate relationship with technology. :)

I have picked a title for this blog which reflects the feelings currently permeating the air of Red Cloud High School. I tell you what... even though I sometimes feel as if life directs me to dramatic moments at times... I have to admit that I hate drama. Especially when it causes fractions between students (all of whom I know are precious in their own state of being)...

Love. Well, this is an interesting concept here... since it is Valentine's day soon, and I have the great pleasure of listening to the relationship episodes in many of the students' lives. So, this is what "Love" means in the lives of my darling students...are you ready for this tragic but true analysis? The perceived "love" of high schoolers (one for another) often translates to... I'll like/love you when it's convenient, but I always keep my options open. (I've heard one student say, "Play them before they play you- that's what it's like here on the Rez, idnit?") Keeping options open at a young age isn't inherently a bad idea, but the reality of how this takes place, and the emotional destruction which occurs, is a horrible consequence. Students feel extremely committed (more so than I sometimes give them credit for) and their vulnerable identities long for a sense of stability...which they will not and cannot find in this environment of dating infidelity. It's similar to the trend of infidelity so commonly seen across the nation.. in real homes and homes on the big screen. My response is- why? why does it have to be this way? where does the cycle begin again in a healthy fashion? I have yet to find the answers. Even so, some students give me hope.

Crushes. Speaking of those students, crush-grams have provided endless amounts of entertainment for me this week. Several students have stopped in to order them- and the stack of order forms is piling high! I am in awe of the sweetness which many students have exhibited toward one another, both in the sending of crush grams to friends, and in the grams sent anonymously to secret crushes. It is these moments and sincere acts of kindness which instill a sense of hope, even amidst the reality of the tragic relationship situations which exist here and everywhere.

Prom. Its like any big event of which I inevitably am forced to ask this question : "Do the ends really outweigh the means?" SO MUCH DRAMA exists in the realm of prom preparation. Even students I deeply admire for their ability to reflect on situations thoughtfully- are coming to me with horrible gripes and nasty comments about "the junior class" in general. As if they all get together at their junior class meetings and say, "Hey, how can we make the senior class think we're absolutely horrible and don't care at all about prom?" I have reflected with the students on both sides of the divide, and I have come to realize that effective communication would dissipate drama nearly entirely! Yet it is easier to gripe and complain rather than address issues with appropriate conversations. Ah, the joys and struggles of working with high schoolers. :)

My Life. I am actually sensing many transitions in my life right now- and while I still thoroughly enjoy my position here, I also know it's time to move on, and so I can feel myself beginning even now to deal with the separation I will encounter when I leave Red Cloud. It does not have to be a negative thing, since I hope to leave my mark in a good way- and say goodbye with sincerity and with intention of continuing a relationship with the place and people of Red Cloud. However, I must (partially for my own sanity) continue to separate myself in a subtle and gradual way from my identity being 'a part of' Red Cloud. Now Red Cloud will be a part of my identity, but only a part. My time here has certainly shaped many of my current perspectives, but I know that it is not enough to let myself be changed for a time; I must always be adapting my perspectives according to my many life experiences- the next of which will involve studying at Princeton Seminary!

Okay- it is now time to see if my publishing skills are still intact (i.e. posting a blog), as I try once again to charm my way into the loving world of technology. As AJ says, though, computers rarely make mistakes. It's generally the person operating who is in error. Good thing my situation is an exception to that rule! :):)

Sending my love on this rainy Monday morning,

Emily

Reno and beyond...

2009-01-29T13:15:00.000-08:00

Hello wonderful friends who span the globe...

Here begins what I think is a pretty spectacular blog entry... :)

First, a few pictures from Reno, NV. My first (and last?) time visiting...

A. J. and I playing Skee Ball... we both won prizes, but didn't claim them. Shoot.

We look pretty cute- even though some students think we look like siblings...yikes!

A. J.'s booth at the Safari Club International convention.

Okay, on to other elements of life....

I am writing here once again about my Pine Ridge life. Sometimes it feels so much like home that I forget what info might be novel to my faithful few... but I suppose I shall type what I think about, what I do, since that's what I know best...

I returned late Monday night from Reno....well, from a frigid Rapid City... 2 hours later than planned. Yet I was in high spirits, since my time in Reno was well spent with A. J. I suppose I should clarify for those who are not in close personal contact with me... A. J. is my boyfriend. I normally refrain from sharing too much personal information via 'this blog'- but in the chance that I mention his name a time or two, I think it's only fair that I explain who he is.

So- in short, A. J. and my brother played football together at University Sioux Falls, and this fall Clint (my brother) worked at A. J.'s hunting lodge as a guide... so they spent some quality time together, occasionally mentioning my name and single status. After ignoring hints all fall, I agreed to go on a date with 'this boy.' (and it was blind... with the only knowledge about him from Clint being something like, "Well, he's not ugly") :) Neither of us realized how much we would have in common- and now we enjoy each other's company when we can- being 4 hours apart.

Yes, well, I took off two days of school to travel to Reno, which happened to only be one day, since Monday we had a snow day! Tuesday I was blessed with a late start, and considering my tired travel mode, I used the extra sleep well. Back in the bitter cold, it took a few hours before my spirit warmed up at school on Tuesday- just in time to drive the GBB team to Mission for the night. The girls played pretty well but lost in the final seconds, which was disappointing for everyone. Their team is struggling a bit to pull together, but hopefully that can still happen as the season is not over. The boys team continues to do well. I don't think they have quite the same record or ranking as last year, but honestly I'm not even sure what they're ranked. None-the-less, it is still fun to support all the teams, since they are wonderful people!

I have been working a bunch on various little projects this week- promoting our Crush gram sale and talent show, entertaining and carefully responding to a plethora of non-feasible activity ideas from the students, and trying to pull together information for a 21st Century grant meeting tomorrow. The cumulative binder is in progress...well... at least in my mind! :)

Oh, and parent/teacher conferences went swell yesterday (or so I hear). :) See, I don't actually have much business when it comes to conferences. One class. Three students. Weight lifting. Need I say more?

I would like to reflect briefly on my travel to Reno from the perspective of an outsider looking in on my time here on the Reservation. I am inspired to do this based on the conversations I had with several people while en route to Reno. Generally speaking, the response I typically receive after explaining my choice to be here on the Rez is one of ambivalent surprise. For example, a normal response would be, "Oh, wow, now that's interesting!" or "Well, good for you. You really don't get paid?" Honestly though, I don't think most people actually believe it's interesting at all- or care whether or not I get paid, since they fail to provide any follow-up questions. But I take people at their word ;) and begin to briefly explain my position, my struggles and hopes, my life passions (okay, I read the audience before delving in too far, don't worry) :).

My point is, I really feel as if I have become an advocate for this place (which is a second home) and these people (who are my friends, my sisters, my brothers, my second family). I am able to cross bridges between 'the elite' and 'the forgotten,' between 'the privileged' and 'the not-so-privileged.' And this is exactly where I want to be; regardless of other life endeavors, I will always seek to be an advocate for those without a strong voice.

That is all for now. I shall resume daily life here at Red Cloud... driving school bus, laughing at the hilarious comments students (never fail to) make, and enjoying the gifts God has given me. Which also includes all of you. :)

Much love,

Emily

A beautiful time...

2009-01-21T07:40:00.000-08:00

Hello beautiful friends!!!

I have posted exactly three pictures for three reasons. 1. I think a blog is immediately more interesting when photos are involved. 2. I want to express how I feel in beautiful colors. 3. It is always my joy to share photos of students I love.

This scene is NOT what it looks like here, but it's how I feel inside. :)

These fabulous girls are a part of the student council...did I mention they are fabulous?

Our Stu. Co. Representatives at the Inauguration of Theresa Two Bulls

(hopefully I haven't posted this one already)

Hello from the West...

I have always felt strange claiming that I live in the West now, since East River SD would NEVER consider themselves 'the West.' Hence, I grew up with an assumption that all of SD is a part of the Midwest... when in reality, the state divide (Missouri River) is actually greater than I ever expected. It not only separates the state, it is evidently the separation line for the Midwest and West. Betcha didn't know that! :)

I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you like to read first? Well, I'll begin with the bad news, but if you're more inclined to hear good news first, read the second paragraph and jump back to the first.

The bad news is... I will not be returning for a third year here. I recently turned in my official 'letter of intent' which was a difficult yet necessary step. Most likely everyone following my blog knows this is my final year, but I am beginning to think my audience is a bit greater than anticipated (considering the 8000+ views of my profile, I just noticed today). So I must give ample reasoning and warning- that this blog will only be mindfully tended for the next 5 months... and hopefully revisited time and again, but that's hard to predict. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, being enriched by the lives of the high schoolers I work with, the faculty members I work alongside, the culture I have fallen in love with, and the housemates and community members I live among. I have realized this year that I haven't spoken so much about the traditional Lakota Culture, I suppose since it has become an integrated part of my experience rather than a 'new phenomenon.' And I rather enjoy this realization. So- here's to five more months of solid, dedicated, Pine Ridge reflecting....

The goods news is... I will be attending Princeton Seminary in the fall! Also, most likely everyone following this also knows that, but I shall add a bit of detail. I have not yet received my financial aid package, which is the next step, considering I have been accepted and confirmed with my housing deposit. Once I file my taxes and FAFSA I anticipate hearing back relatively soon- enough time to possibly schedule a visit or whatever needs to happen next... I look forward to this journey- which will take me to NJ for three years, but it is a bit nerve-wracking as well, knowing the culture will be quite an adjustment. Honestly I'm not sure what could be more drastic than "The Rez" to "Princeton." I suppose my excitement over this upcoming experience only highlights my love for adventure and meeting new people- discovering a new culture!

But for now, I am here. And I am of course thrilled to continue on into this final semester. The new classes begin today, and lucky for me I get to substitute teach two of them today! U.S. History and Ethics. I know, pulling out all the big guns with me as the teacher! :) This week is a short week, as I only have two days of school (teacher inservice yesterday- fun fun!)... and then I will leave for Reno for a few days. Perhaps I'll meet up with a certain boy while I'm in Reno.... who knows! :) Alright, I guess I do know... AJ (and his father) will be there to greet me!

Last week we had some excitement with a fabulous student council meeting, some planning for Valentine's Day (We are having a talent show and Crush-gram fundraiser!), and my friend Emily (great name, I know) from NW College was here for a visit and was able to meet several of my students and see me in my daily routine. I especially appreciated her visit and interest in my life here...I do love visitors!

Today I am planning on going to a Sweat (inipi) after school today. I believe the wrestling team is hosting. It has been a little while since I've been able to sweat (remember women's participation is subject to their moon cycle)... so I am excited to be able to pray with the students in this way. I am also working on planning for next year- with the after-school program grant coming due soon, and a looming project of creating a binder for my predecessor. :)

All in all, it is truly a beautiful time- with temperatures rising enough for me to enjoy running outside- giving me hope that sometime spring will come....spring will come... :)

As always, thanks for reading this post. I appreciate the interest in the Rez... or interest in me... :) Ha, either way, your readership is well received. :)

Much love, Emily

Catching up...

2009-01-12T08:31:00.000-08:00

Hello my faithful few!

I know it has been another 1 1/2 weeks since I've written to you... or posted... or whatever terminology best suits you, but here I am once again. :)

This past week has been full of catching up - with the students, with my work, and with my volunteer community. I was reminded upon returning of how much I really do love my life here, and hearing the stories from the students was uplifting as we got into the swing of being at school once again. (It teaches me that time away doesn't mean relationships are any less significant).

One positive bit about the student council... last year around this time the student council sort of took a turn for the 'less than enthusiastic'- but this year, several of the girls have been asking, "what happened to student council?" (which the obvious answer would be- we've been on break, silly!)... but my internal response was of great joy, because their questions suggest that they actually miss student council! We have a meeting tomorrow to discuss our upcoming projects, and I have to remind myself to be as positive about this as they are (since there is the temptation for me to say- we had a great semester, that's good enough). But it's not, and I know they still need my encouragement to continue strong. So, let the Valentine's festivities begin! :)

I will show you a few random pictures from the previous weeks....

Our New Year's Eve group- what fun!

A. J. and I at New Year's Eve (he was introduced to the group as my

brother's friend and my "friend") :)

Past volunteer katie and I at LNI this year.

My college friends and I holding a few of my Dad's newly-hatched chicks (this smile was before the chick 'oopsed' on me!)

The wrestling team at LNI- way to go, boys!

Okay, that's all for now. I can't find the winter formal pictures, otherwise I would have posted those lovely shots as well.

I am currently starting another full week- and let me tell you, having two full 5 day weeks in a row can be a bit daunting. I know that perhaps sounds pretty funny- like... well, aren't you suppose to always have 5 days weeks, Emily? Well, yes- generally speaking, but rarely in fact do we actually have them. So then the irregular becomes common, and we all get spoiled and start complaining about a full week. It is a bit strange, I admit.

This is finals week, and everyone is stressed and ready for the week to be over. Well, everyone is stressed that has anything to do with finals, and that does not include me (said with a sheepish smile). I actually love finals week, because I have relatively little to do. I must clarify- I actually have a busy after-school program during finals week, since everyone stays after for study hall- but that's all, really. Just the after-school program. And my girls in weight lifting are maxing out this week.

Speaking of which, I'd best be on my way toward making those sheets for the girls.

It has been lovely updating you all, (however many or few happen to read). :) It's the mystery of my readership which keeps me writing- so I imagine dozens of eager souls reading these posts, even if it's just a few. :) Imagination is key.

Sending warm wishes on this bitterly cold and windy day,

Emily

It's time again...

2008-12-29T18:36:00.000-08:00

Hello Dear Souls,

I have made the assumption that my audience has generally dissipated during the holiday season. If for some reason you are not included in this assumption- and have persistently checked this blog to no avail the past few weeks- I am sending my apologies. Here again, I resume the delightful job of updating one and all on life on the Reservation.

But alas, I have been home on break (a quite wonderful one at that) for the past week, so I shall go back in time to relay a few wonderful bits of news from LNI (refer to previous post for more specific background information)... I was thoroughly busy with the LNI Lakota Language team, who took second place at the tournament (congrats!), driving them around in a bus- no wait, a van- after the bus was stolen by the boys basketball- and proceeded to quit working (but that's not my story to tell)- and more driving drama... okay, I'll explain.

7:00am (or 7:30am, whichever time you feel is more important to remember) we departed with 5 students and three adults on a large 'bus 13' to Rapid City... on the way, we stopped about 4 miles post leaving to see about some b-ball uniforms left at school, then proceeded on, only to encounter a broken-down b-ball bus about 30min. from Red Cloud. (to add context, it was bitterly cold and we believe the diesel gelled up). We picked up one coach and three managers (the other boys found personal rides)... and resumed our travel. By 9am- after some strategic navigation by yours truly- we made it to the Civic Center, where the LNI team proceeded to kick 'tail'. But the bus. Yes, after grabbing light lunch at the mall, our team headed back to the civic center, in order for the b-ball team to accost our bus- leaving us ride-less for a few hours (see, recall the team's bus was currently sitting idle about 1 hour from Rapid City)... so we managed to occupy ourselves until someone from school graciously drove up a school van for our use. Which we used, of course, the duration of our stay. :) Hence, "the bus- no wait, a van..." comment above.

Okay, so that left us some splendid travel opportunities, being more maneuverable and all in a van. The beautiful Lakota Language team (did I mention they rocked?) and I decided to peruse some pretty Christmas lights and decorations in the 'nice' residential area of Rapid. This of course had nothing to do with the fact that Haines Ave is NOT the road on which our hotel was located, (no matter how long you decide to travel it, Emily). Yeah- even super bus drivers occasionally make geographical errors, AND it takes a creative bus driver to turn it into an event to remember. :)

I had the privilege of experiencing LNI with the company of Katie, fellow volunteer last year, and it made for some lovely times. We returned to Red Cloud Thursday night and headed up Friday to LNI with a car packed for Christmas. I was able to enjoy the wrestling tournament- during which Red Cloud finished a strong 3rd- with 1st place, heavy weight champion Jacob (refer to previous Halloween picture with ostrich costume). and 2nd place, seniors Ryan and Charles.

Overall, it was a splendid time, and I enjoyed visiting with friends Amy, Jared, and Trey before heading home, where I have thoroughly enjoyed family and friends (old and new). :)

That is all for now. I have been thinking over my past time at Red Cloud (now, 1 1/2 years!) and have come to the conclusion that I am so blessed, by every student who makes me smile, every co-worker who gives me joy, every volunteer who makes me laugh and cry, every community member who gives me a sense of being at home, and every moment which makes me realize that love, generosity, and peace are treasured possessions which everyone deserves to experience.

May you experience these gifts, particularly during the holiday season. With a heart full of love and voice filled with laughter,

Emily

Nearing Christmas...

2008-12-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Pine Ridge Enthusiasts...

I feel as if I have more news than normal for you... I'm not sure if that's true or not, but that's what I feel like today... :)

This past week has been exceptionally great. Probably because I'm still basking in the glow of the Winter Formal (sorry no photos yet)... and in the fact that I'm coasting in my work responsibilities until Christmas. Not that days are ever slow... Only 3 more days of school before the break. WOW! Hard to believe it, even as I type. Of course we have LNI coming shortly (Lakota Nation Invitational)... which is a massive event held in Rapid City... I know I spoke of it last year, but gosh- that's a whole year ago, so I'll share briefly about it... but first, a recap of my previous week...

On Monday a significant event occurred in my life. I began eating regular food. What I mean is, I stopped eating rice. (Not baby food or something). Alright, back up Emily- Two weeks ago my house and I began a challenge to only eat rice for every meal (plus beans for dinner)... basically as an act to simplify our lives, become more aware of our infinite variety in food choices, and be in solidarity with the billions of people in the world who are grateful for the rice they do consume daily. So, I cooked up a massive batch of rice, anticipating our long journey into the world of spicing rice for every meal. Last Monday we began... and last Monday everyone else stopped, but I continued eating only rice, alone. Every meal. 7 days. SO this Monday I concluded my 'rice fast' by eating yogurt covered cheerios for breakfast. 21 meals of only rice, and yogurt covered cheerios are particularly tasty. I have had the issue of dealing with massive food cravings even when I'm not hungry this week (for example, returning to the development office Xmas party for seconds and thirds on all their goodies), so I'm hoping those dissipate before Christmas goodies get shoved in my face. :)

Also this week I have been listening to several students share their personal drama- be it at home, in school with friends, or relationship issues... and mostly I listen and give support, which most often doesn't take too large of a toll on me. For some reason, though, this week I have really been feeling the burden some of these precious students must carry each day- and it exhausts me when I allow it to. I would share more, but I fear breaching a certain level of confidentiality these students expect from me.

On a lighter note, we had a bird in our ceiling on Wednesday. It was quite hilarious really, since we couldn't figure out if it was a bird or a mouse, but every teacher on the top floor would be blessed with the scampering noises every so often... It was one of those odd occurrences which I absolutely enjoy, since it brings an element of spontaneity to the school day.

This week is a big week for basketball, and if you recall hearing last year- basketball IS life here. Thus, last nights season opener between our lady Saders and the Little Wound team was a PACKED house. I took tickets for the event, and honestly, I don't know if there was an empty seat in our gym. Our girls lost a tough contest, but it wasn't a heart breaker- I think the team realizes now what they need to work on. That's what the first game is good for, right?

Also today (Friday, to clarify- since sometimes when I save drafts and post them later, the date gets messed up) the boys play their first home game against Bennett Co. and it should be interesting- all five starters are new, evidently, so let the games begin! (Random note: I will be selling ponpoms and beads for the fans... fundraiser for Stu. Co.)

I forgot to mention that on Tuesday we had our VB awards banquet, and it went really well. We were able to recognize the girls' accomplishments and validate their good character, as well as eat pizza and laugh a little too. For the banquet I had all the varsity players sign a mat to frame a goofy picture of the team for Robin (head coach).... and she LOVED it. I was glad to have that as a way of saying thank you for her dedication to coaching and teaching me a few things about coaching too! :) I now play on a league VB team with Robin and my housemate Sunshine (or by common standards- Dan). We have a blast and really do well... we're most likely standing around 1st place, you know... :)

Okay- back to LNI... So the streets of Rapid City will be bombarded by LNI participants and spectators Dec. 17-20 (not to mention nervous bus drivers), because it is one of the largest events to take place at the Civic Center... Boys and girls basketball tournaments (16 teams), wrestling tourney, boxing, handgames, art show, Lakota language bowl and story telling, knowledge bowl, T.W.O. Pow wow, Educational conferences, and lots of food. Also they generally bring in a celebrity of some sort for added numbers, but I haven't heard word of who that might be... in any case, I am driving bus for the Lakota Language team, which only lasts Wed & Thurs... but I shall be back Friday & Saturday on my own accord, which will be nice to have flexibility in travel.

Another exciting event to take place- Katie, my housemate and best friend from last year will be coming for a visit- and she'll be here this Monday!!! I am so excited to spend the week with her, and she'll be coming to LNI with me as well... ah, I smile in anticipation.

So that's been my week. When I get winter formal pictures back from Ms. Lainey, I shall post them for all to view. I am anxious for Christmas break, getting to catch up with friends and family from back home. It's been a long time since I've had more than a few days' break.

Thanks for the comments on my hair, Amanda and Bethy. The most recent compliment I've received was last night from a dear friend, "You look lovely, that haircut has SO much energy!" :)

And now, for a final story to satisfy your Red Cloud cravings...

The foreign exchange student who is sitting in my office right now...from Germany... just told me that I have a great last name and I shouldn't change it. :) "Isn't that a cool last name?" he just asked another student. I (realizing the other student most likely wouldn't care) responded energetically, "Yeah, it is! Thanks, Fabian. You're the best." He's grading papers for a teacher now- and I asked him, "If you were grading my paper, would you give me a 100%?" He promptly replies, "Of course I would. Because of your last name." :) What a dear and funny soul.

Okay, until the next splendid time we meet (even if it is on cyber space).....

Grateful, mysterious, and content, Emily

Winter & Dancing... both good things.

2008-12-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

Hello growing audience... (or are you?) :)

First of all, I am sending my apologies for neglecting this precious post these past few weeks. My pictures which I've included have relatively little to do with what I will type (I think) but I still thought you'd like to see them... so I'll share those first, then proceed to tell you why I think that winter and dancing are both good things (because, of course, they are).

My new haircut! I donated 10+ inches to Locks of Love.

This picture is in case you didn't know what I looked like pre-haircut... a bit drastic, you think?

My look-alike cousin and I at Thanksgiving, comparing my current school pic with her!

My friend Denise and I running our 1/2 marathon back in October

(I told you- unrelated, right?)

Me running- and this wasn't even at the beginning- look at that happy/determined face!

Okay, back to Red Cloud. (when I add pictures, the text gets all scrunched up- sorry!)

Upon getting back from Thanksgiving, I've had one of those wonderful "I love Red Cloud and everyone here" weeks. I mean, every day. Every moment, actually, especially when I make sure to pay attention to the details. The student mentioning his gratitude for the animal crackers or cinnamon bread (thanks, Mom!). The quick wave from a shy senior. The macho junior basketball players coming it to ask what to wear to the winter formal. The senior who collects her after-school incentive points to redeem for items her auntie needs at home- like tide. The freshman who constantly says, "Hi Emily"- about 50 times a day. The Student Council members who are forever being creative and helpful. My heart fills with joy as I simply re-remember these moments. To be sure, each day is filled with them, and often times I wonder how I can possibly capture all this beauty in my memory. Perhaps even sharing it with you and others is the first step toward displaying the goodness of RC high schoolers.

Today is the big day- the day when winter and dancing come together.... it's the WINTER FORMAL. I believe this is a first in Red Cloud history (or at least recent history). The kids are quite excited... some hesitation because of the title 'formal'- but overall pure anticipation of getting dressed up, taking pictures, and being able to spend a Friday evening with friends and 'dates.' :) The kids actually ask me several times if I will be taking a date- and thus far I don't have one- so if you're not busy, any last minute add-ins are welcome! :):) (7-10pm) We have the final details pretty well in place. I still need to find the cord to attach an IPod to the sound system (music would be nice)... but Terrance (a guitar club member and budding musician) has assured me he has what we need. Also I need to make sure we can get the tarp down in time (after middle school basketball practice), string Christmas lights, and possibly have tables with candles, all fancy-like. Ah, can you feel my excitement! I even have a dress for the big event (again, at the urgent prodding of the kids).

Today is a big day for another reason- 7 of our Student Council members will be attending the Inauguration Ceremony for the new Oglala Sioux Tribal President Theresa Two Bulls. She is one of the candidates we invited to our debate, so I am thankful for this follow-up experience for the Stu. Co. members... and myself. Sometimes in my busyness I forgot how privileged I am to be able to leave school for all these cool events around the Rez. :)

I will surely fill you in on all the Winter Formal fun- and also post pictures. Miss Lainey (as her children are taught to address her) is my housemate and also a great photographer, so she is the picture woman tonight- capturing fun for everyone... and enabling this to become a mini-prom of sorts, complete with picture forms! :) I think the school is getting excited since it is open to all ages- whereas Prom is for Jun/Sen classes only. Unfortunately I don't think Santa will be making an appearance, as originally projected, yet perhaps I shall sneak a Santa Hat for a few moments tonight!

Details are awaiting my return, as I prepare to leave for the Inauguration and get back in time to quickly set up for the dance- and then enjoy both good things, Winter & Dancing.

Sending my warmest love in this coldest season,

Emily

Fly-by week!

2008-11-20T08:03:00.001-08:00

Greetings dear friends!

This past week has been increasingly picking up pace, and today is my final day in school, as I will be leaving for the State VB tourney tonight in Rapid City. No, our crusaders are not playing (unfortunately)... but my HS Alma mater ARLINGTON is.... so I shall be joining my hometown in cheering on the Cardinals! (I even wore red today... difficult to find now that my wardrobe has changed to include mainly Crusader blue).

This week has been full of restructuring after-school program to accommodate the large turnouts. As one example of how well the after-school program turnouts have been- I have had "advertise after-school program" on my to-do list all semester, thinking that surely there might be a dip in numbers at some point, so I will need to advertise. Nope. Only a growing attendance. Which is awesome, don't get me wrong, but I do have to figure out ways to weed out those who are only 'hanging out' vs. those who are actually studying. 30 students in the library with one monitor sometimes leads to issues. Generally it's fine, but I think it's also an inevitable distraction from studying when so many students congregate.

Hmm, oh yes, I have been working on the winter formal details as well. Wanna know the most daunting of those details? Trying to make a paper snowflake. Ha, see, it's been awhile, and I cannot exactly say that I was the best at any point (making paper snowflakes) but I was previously better than I am now. My first one looked like an oblong white plate with a few random pieces cut out. I have yet to do a second. Don't worry, though, students are generally more savvy than myself, so we should be fine. :) I am also procuring a Santa costume for one of our students to wear for a photo area at the dance. Yes, I know, pulling out all stops on this one! :)

I am still thoroughly impressed with my Student Council this year, particularly the sophomores and juniors. Gosh, I guess I cannot speak enough good things, because I see their potential in so many ways- all bright students, capable, motivated, helpful, creative, and good at communication. Yep, that's them- my Stu. Co. :)

The Drama Club is presenting their play today for the Elementary, and I shall plan to be in the audience as well, since their performance for the HS is occurring tomorrow, and I shall be gone. They are presenting "Iktomi and the Ducks" which is a Lakota legendary story, and I am really excited to see how they pull it off (especially considering they switched plays 1/2 way through the quarter). Two of my Stu. Co. students are also in it, so of course I'll be like a proud older sister in the crowd! :)

On Tuesday of this week the Seniors all participated in a "Senior Day of Service" in which they reported to various sites for the whole day- the sweat lodge and maintenance, the elementary, a ministry in White Clay, NE, a church, and the development office. I think it's fantastic that they all showed up for this and really seemed to enjoy themselves... it goes to show that when given the opportunity, youth are extremely gracious and willing to serve. One student in particular came back from the 3rd grade and told me how much he enjoyed his day helping with reading and math and recess... and beings that I live with the 3rd grade teacher, I asked her about the day, and it seems there was much appreciation for the experience from all parties involved. It's beautiful when we as volunteers can share in the good work of our students here at Red Cloud.

Well, I must be going now, since I have yet to finish working on a presentation that I will be giving to John's spirituality classes on Monday... I am presenting the life and diary of Perpetua, an early 3rd Century Christian Martyr and first Christian women to have recorded a testimony of sorts. I will be 'interpreting' her diary entry from prison (often considered the 'Passion of Perpetua') and give some fun questions to get them thinking about the personality and life of the first Christian women we know about from a primary source.

Thanks for tuning in. As always, I appreciate hearing from so many of you about your continued interest in my life and work here (I say both 'life and work', because they are inextricably integrated). This may be my last entry until Thanksgiving, so I wish you all wonderful and happy moments as the holiday season begins!!!

Much love,

Emily

November Rolls...

2008-11-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

Why Hello my Dear Audience...

I am writing to you after nearly two weeks... no apologies this time, basically because I had a five-day weekend, hence... the news from Red Cloud has been relatively minimal. (Except for if you count the fact that we had three days of activities-school and a retreat- cancelled because of an unexpected snowstorm on last Wednesday night.)

This is not to say that experiences have not been occurring, because of course they have. For example, I straightened my hair :) (an annual occurrance which always takes people by surprise because of the distinct way it changes the shape of my face), the Student Council has been planning a winter formal dance (and students are thus agonizing over which color dress to buy and which person to ask as a date), the construction has begun on the south side of the school (we now have strange walkways to follow to arrive at lunch), I subbed for two days in Lakota Language I and II (less than exciting, considering the fact that I sat in front of the class for 10 minutes trying to coax someone to lead them in singing the Flag Song, but shyness prevailed), and I've been prefecting the snowball-throwing zone during lunch. And that, folks, is what comprises a typical few days at Red Cloud. It's been a pretty glorious time, reconnecting with so many students after the long break... Sigh, I love it here...

I have managed to upload some photos from the past few weeks, with Halloween and the O.S.T. Presidential debate, so please enjoy the images of Red Cloud...

First, my long straight hair...okay, now on to Red Cloud :)

Our awesome VB team... Wonderful girls, somewhat less-than-wonderful season.

Steph and Autumn lovin' the door greeting position at OST Debate

Duane, Daisa, and Autumn- attempting to spell out Stu. Co. (for Student Council)

Todd, Jace, and Steven taking in the debate

My super Stu. Co. students- ready to ask questions at the debate

In case you're fooled by their sober faces....

They really ARE happy senior boys who like to deceive the camera...

Rachel (my housemate, front left) at her pumpkin-carving B-day party hosted by the Gray House (that's where I live)! :)

The Administration Addams family... winners of the "most unexpected" award.

The creative beauty of upperclassmen girls!

The less-than-beautiful creativity of other students during dress-up day.

Oh the fun of riding ostriches... exemplified by none other than Jacob Franks

What a lovely picture to end with. :) Honestly, perhaps this photo best reveals the joy I find in our students. Jacob, an intense and jovial student is ALWAYS coming up with bizarre and hilarious 'pranks' and other ways of entertaining staff and students. Tawna, far left fairy, is as sweet as can be- always giving a smile and shy hello in the hallways. Juliana, green tetris piece, is a go-getter senior who is always respectful, creative, and friendly. Marque, vampire, is the Homecoming queen and b-ball MVP for Red Cloud, and it warms my heart to see that distinctions in choice of activities does not create divisions among classmates in some ways which occur at other high schools.... they all show respect for one another, at least mostly, if not entirely.

I am happy to be back in school now, and we only have today and tomorrow until another weekend. Right now, in addition to details for the winter formal, I am working on an after-school incentive program... although I'm not sure it's as necessary as one might think. Just yesterday we had over 60 students stay after school, and that's not counting those who stayed for physical conditioning. We have five clubs offered today, so I expect the numbers to be high once again. Science club, Accelerated Math, Drama Club (they present their play next week), Study hall, and Dance club- to learn formal dancing before our big winter formal! And I expect you're wondering what snack I'll provide... no? Well, that's at least what concerns the kids. :)

Cereal bowls and milk. A general favorite.

My office is currently being 'rocked' by the sway of a demolishing piece of equipment outside. I guess each thud joins a chorus of noises which will be present all year as the the construction continues... It is soon time to cleverly prevent kids from throwing snowballs (hence, it's almost lunch time). I prefer to use positive reinforcement to disarm any potential snow ball fights. "Thanks SO much for not throwing any snowballs... I am Sherriff Emily and I REALLY appreciate that I don't have to write anybody up... because no one wants to see that happen!" What a dork, I know.

Until next time, may you find the 'thuds' of disruption in your life eventually lead to something more wonderful.

In the loving arms of God,

Emily

Halloween!!!

2008-10-31T09:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween to all those enthusiastic celebratory types!!! To all others, Happy Friday!

It has been a few weeks once again since I've blogged, and I must say- a 'full' two weeks for sure! Last week Monday and Tuesday I headed to the Junior Retreat at Storm Mountain. (I've decided that being at a job which 'requires' 7 or 8 retreats a year is a pretty sweet deal!). If you reference my last year junior retreat experience, you would find that it was a bit of an exhausting time, so I am overjoyed to report that we had a fabulous time this year, and I even came back energized!!! Good thing, too, since I've definitely needed that extra energy. One sad note, however, is that I took several great pictures, NONE of which ended up being saved onto my computer correctly, and I lost them....all...I know, tear.

My days have been full of planning for the Oglala Sioux Tribal Presidential Debate, which our student council hosted this past Wednesday (more to say later), keeping up with the average 35 kids that come to our after-school program (up in numbers since last year), planning for this Halloween week with a carnival and costume party (by the way, as I type this I am sitting at my desk as a 'dancing witch'. It's a pretty sweet costume, really). :) and VOLLEYBALL, which has consumed a considerable amount of my evenings and weekends this fall. Also we had school pictures last week (which I forgot about, so no promises on the outcome of those pics), two home football games recently (our playoff ended in a loss, finishing our season 6-3, so pretty good!), and a T.W.O. (all-reservation schools) Powwow! Needless to say, too much happening, not enough time to write about it all!

I have been feeling really centered lately, and it has helped me stay focused on being available to help out in a variety of ways here at school, even with the busyness of my own schedule! One other thing I haven't mentioned is that we have a faculty spirituality group which meets weekly to share with one another a meal and our spiritual reflections from the week. I absolutely love this time (I'm cooking for next week's meal- any suggestions?) :) because it gives me an opportunity to unwind and really feel as if I am connected with the wonderful (albeit a bit random) faculty that comprise R. C. staff!

So this week we had two VB games- and I must say, it has been really teaching me the art of perseverance, because our teams haven't really been winning since the middle of the season- so when our varsity pulled off a close 3-2 win over Hill City on Monday, Robin (head coach) and I were overjoyed. The JV Hill City game was also my debut as the sole JV coach (my co-coach was sick).... so I had my first taste of solo coaching, and it was actually a little nerve racking, but SO GOOD. I ended up trying a few new things with the girls, and we continued with that plan last night at our final home game, and low and behold- it finally came together, and the JV played AWESOME!!! I was SO SO SO proud of them (and you know me- I let them know!)... because they finally played up to potential, something I've been waiting to see all season!!! Woohoo! I really do feel as if I may have a future in coaching, even though towards the middle of this season I was definitely having my doubts! The varsity didn't fare so well last night, but we have our first round districts game at Custer on Tuesday- so I'll let you know how it goes!

On Wednesday I mentioned we had the debate for the contendors for Tribal Presidency...and it went really well!!! The Student Council members involved took the leadership occasion quite seriously. I had asked them to dress up and look 'professional'- and it was awesome to see them really practice over their questions. Although they 'said' how nervous they were, I really think they did an excellent job. Ryan, the student body president had a long script to moderate the evening- and he did a fabulous job. The debate lasted about 1 1/2 hours, with Russell Means and Theresa Two Bulls as the candidates. The debate also aired on KILI radio, which was great as usual. After the event was over, however, I felt a HUGE wave of relief stream through my body- a bit like the feeling of Homecoming being over! :)

So today we had the costume contest at lunch, and we really have some creative students and faculty! The administration all planned and came together as The Addams Family (they looked great!)- so they won the "Most Unexpected". Other categories were "Most Creative" "Scariest" "Cutest" and "Funniest". An inflatable ostrich, a whoopee cushion, a tetris game piece, a crazy man, and a prep-school girl were among the winners. I shall post pictures of this (as long as the computer doesn't eat them like the junior retreat ones) :(

Tonight the Cottage is hosting an all-night scary movie fest, which I shall attend for company, but not the scares. I am also heading to a spook house in the basement of the old P. R. Hospital building. Don't worry, I'm going with a friend. :) And tomorrow I shall release all Halloween anxiety with yoga- some HSers and volunteers are planning on Saturday yoga sessions, which I think is awesome!

Okay, all for now. Gotta go check out the little kids as they parade through our hallways. Oh, and I have to give blood soon. Appropriate for Halloween every year, RCHS hosts a blood drive too! :) I'm sure I'll have a story from that, since my veins generally like to perform unanticipated feats of craziness!

Thanks for tuning in! I don't know why this just changed colors, but I sorta like it! :) Much love and blessings....

Emily

More Pictures!!!

2008-10-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

Hello Once Again!!!

My computer is graciously allowing me to post more pictures, so I've included several from various events this fall. The order is of no consequence, basically since I'm no good at formatting them in these posts. :)

I have been doing really well here the past week. We had a 4 day 'fall break' of sorts this past weekend, and besides the Black Hills Pow Wow on Saturday, I basically chilled at my house, reading and catching up on break time (since I really didn't get a 'do nothing' break this summer...and I seem to enjoy those quite a bit). :)

I shall begin labeling my photos for you, so you're not wondering about the randomness in which they are presented.

The day after my 1/2 marathon, relaxing at Spearfish Canyon (i.e. posing for a picture)

Little man Trey at the Olive Garden, a major love in my life. :)

The Student Council members at Groundbreaking in September

The same Stu. Co. members smiling in the crowd...

Administration breaking ground at the big event

Beautiful colors of Fall- Spearfish Canyon, Northern Black Hills

My mother and father- after being the super-fans they were during my 1/2 marathon!

The senior class of '09 (hence, the girls' '0')

and the boys' '9' (aren't they wonderfully creative!)

Party on the bus- ride back from Outlaw Ranch after Senior Retreat

Saige and Marque- cowgirls at heart... well, that day anyway.

Student Body President Ryan at ground breaking.

Senior Retreat Ice-Breaker "honey if you love me"

Senior Trust Walk- a yearly tradition

Too bad they couldn't enjoy this beautiful scenery being blindfolded! :)

The whole smiling bunch of seniors!

The Senior Class of '09'- what a marvelous group of students!

So there you have it- all the pictures you've wanted to see plus more! :) That's all I have for now, but lucky for you, the Junior retreat is coming up next week and I shall be in attendance, ready with my camera! :)

This week the Stu. Co. has been busy- (well, I've been busy so far, they soon will be)- in planning for the upcoming O.S.T. (Oglala Sioux Tribe) Presidential Debate for the Tribal Presidential candidates. Every-other year Red Cloud hosts a debate, and evidently it's been pretty successful in the past. I am looking forward to it, especially since I have the great direction and help from our public relations director! Also coming up is the Halloween Carnival, which I don't think will be as big of a deal for the High School as it once was.

Speaking of Halloween, it is a well known fact that Halloween is one of the biggest celebrations of the year around here. Back in August children begin asking what you'll be dressed like for Halloween (I'm still contemplating my response), and several places around Pine Ridge create elaborate spook houses (and some places start out ahead by already being spooky in regular life) :) For example, this year our handgames and dance teams will be decorating the basement of the little gym as a spook house, and they are aided by the many stories which exist of recurring noises and footsteps, etc. often heard throughout the years. I think one story involves a perpetually bouncing basketball as well. Yikes! :)

It has also been a full week with volleyball games- one on Tuesday (in which our JV won against Crazy Horse varsity). It was fun to give them the chance to play a varsity team, but they didn't play as well as expected. The girls sometimes get down on themselves for little things, and even though it doesn't make sense to me, those are simply the dynamics we work with as coaches. :)Today we have both JV and Varsity games against Winner. I hear they're pretty good, but our girls have been playing well together in practice, so let us all hope that translates into the game situation.

It has been an interesting experience, this whole coaching business. I mean- for the most part I enjoy it (like yesterday, when Robin had to conduct a staff meeting and left sole coaching responsibility to me for 2 hours). I get along well with the girls, but at times I get frustrated by the level of play. It's not at all that they're incapable of top quality play, but it matters more what they expect of themselves, and I as a coach can only prod them along so far- I have realized that the player must also possess intrinsic motivation. This is the single reason (as I remember from my coaching methods class) that more "excellent" athletes don't exist. It takes the combination of natural skill and pure desire. And many players have one or the other, but few have both.

Ha, i believe that's one of the first times I've actually sat back to contemplate my learning from the coaching scene thus far. Feels good to share those bits of understanding. We also have a tournament this weekend in Douglas... evidently it's hard, but I always reserve the right to hope that our team will play with excellence!

Today our Stu. Co. members will be helping development with thank-you notes for the donors and participants in last month's groundbreaking. Should be fun, since I absolutely love the Stu. Co. members, and anytime we get together is a good time! :)

That's all for now. Thanks for tuning in. Oh yes, I will also mention that I have recently utilized that "blogs I'm following" portion of my dashboard (if you don't blog, disregard this jumble of words)... but if you do blog, I would love to add your blog to my dashboard.... please let me know the URL.

I am smiling from the desk in my office- waiting for Wade to come in and request to wear again the "homecoming queen" sash he found inside the plastic pumpkin on my desk. (He just now returned it, but I think he'll miss it soon enough). :) Ha.

Much love and well wishes,

Emily

Pictures!!!

2008-10-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Seniors w/ a freshman puppy in front

Elementary dance team float- quite adorable!

Seniors enjoying their final Homecoming, and sporting the "09"

Senior King Mike and Queen Marque

Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Royalty

Pajama Day Dress-Up

Super-Hero Day (with the license to be creative)

One Example of such Creativity- my "Super-Cupid" outfit- with Saige

The Junior Class Hallway decorating

Seniors showing off their artwork

Sophomore boys living it up at the Bonfire

The Seniors attempt a 4-high class pyramid

Burning the "RC"- beginning a school tradition

Several sophomore and junior girls (many VB players!)

Robin (head VB coach), Me, and Danielle (Stu. Co. member, VB captain, and student on my bus route)

There you have it- a few pictures from my collection of Homecoming shots... in case the link wasn't working. For some reason my computer allowed this to happen, and if I was in the habit of thanking inanimate objects, I'd extend my gratitute to my computer. Instead, I'll say "thank God," since God seems to be a more legitimate subject of praise. :)

Lovely wishes on this beautiful Tuesday,

Emily

The race is over...

2008-10-05T18:01:00.001-07:00

I'm sensing a trend in my blogging thus far this year, that being my "once every two weeks" trend. This is my apology to those who have come to expect a weekly update (Sas- not sure you're still tracking, but I hope you are)- I'm sorry. I will try to be better.

Whew, okay- all guilt aside now, and I shall begin to share my past two weeks, with you...

I suppose only some of you know of my crazy running ambitions that surface around once a year- and my subject above is in direct relation to my most recent running episode. As of approximately 36 hours ago, I finished my second ever 1/2 marathon, in a glorious time of ... wait... it wasn't a glorious time at all, actually- so I will only share it with the eager individuals who personally ask me! (this is a big step for me, one of the most open sharers in the history of self-news). However, let us draw attention to the good news inherent in this story- I FINISHED! :)

This entire weekend was splendid, actually- being able to run one of the most beautiful trails in the world (only slight bias)... The Mickelson Trail was our primary route for the Crazy Horse 1/2 Marathon, and I loved the sights of fall in the Black Hills along with the almost completely down-hill terrain! Yep, that's right, what a slack 13.1 miles! :):) I was also able to see my parents, who came to be my #1 fans- how gracious of them! We enjoyed the rest of the weekend together, as I not-so-discretely hobbled from restaurant to art gallery to restaurant, eating as much as I possibly desired. Maybe I should run 13.1 miles every day! :)

The past two weeks at Red Cloud have been full of events as usual... I attended the senior retreat last Tuesday at Outlaw Ranch (future pictures will reveal the delight we all experienced), On Monday we had a groundbreaking ceremony for the new addition to the HS building, which will begin soon- We are planning on creating new Lakota studies classrooms and science classrooms with larger (up-to-date) labs. Also included will be a fabulous commons area, to replace our 70s style student lounge. Don't get me wrong, I have come to love the strange decor of the lounge, but it doesn't exactly suit the social desires of our students.

Hmm, what else occurred, well- I didn't mention yet that one of my best friends from college, Denise, came to run the 1/2 marathon with me and (although she is a much more efficient and determined runner than myself) she and I finished together. It was wonderful to have her here at Red Cloud, and it is always my pleasure to share this world in which I currently live with friends. So, a huge thanks to Denise for visiting- and pushing me to my limit during the race.

Also I didn't mention that in visiting with my parents this weekend, I was able to share plenty about my students here at Red Cloud, my limited understanding of the Lakota language (I even interpreted a few signs around the Black Hills which were in Lakota), and my newfound perspectives about living situations and the issue of white privilege. Well, I only shared a little (if my mother is wondering what I am talking about)... but my thoughts were definitely whirling. Overall, I am reminded how dear my roots are to me, and yet how much I have grown according to my many experiences post-living in Eastern SD.

I saw two of my students hiking today around the same area my family and I were exploring in Spearfish Canyon, and it was a wonderful collision of two worlds for me. I love introducing people who are currently in my life to my parents, and my mother would attest that I do in fact seem to know many people wherever I go around here! Gotta love it...and by 'it' I mean PEOPLE! :)

To conclude my post, I shall attempt to share a link to some photos from homecoming here at Red Cloud. I cannot seem to upload any directly to this site, because of technical difficulties... but even though things in the photo department seem much delayed (as many things on the Rez seem also)- I assure you that I am in fact still trying. :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.fisch

Oh yes, and I have included an album of pictures from Alison's wedding as well.

This is all for now. I shall resume my normal life once again, collecting various stories to share with you, my gracious audience. I haven't received much response lately, and that is fine... it just makes me curious to know whether three or six or ten people read this- or maybe even 50, in Emily's fantasy world. :) Ha, the more light which is shed on Pine Ridge, the better.

In honor of my German-speaking friends, 'Danke' for reading this... you're all the best.

Peace and love,

Emily

Insanely Wonderful...

2008-09-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

I suppose that is how I shall summarize these past two weeks (which have also come and gone without a post....until now)

Homecoming was just that- insanely wonderful. Insane because of the sheer volume of work and tedious details I attended to, and wonderful because it was all worth it!

Homecoming Week 2008 became what many people are telling me is the best homecoming Red Cloud has had in several years. I would attest that it definitely was better than last year... in several ways. From my own personal perspective, I knew much better how to instill a sense of responsibility among the student council members (rather than what comes naturally to me, which is taking over)... and it proved to be quite successful. Over 1/2 of the student council students (now thinking about it- I might even say MOST of the Stu. Co. students) put forth amazing effort and responsibility in every Homecoming Activity- and it showed! Student participation was the best it has ever been (according to reports from long-time teachers) and the level of enthusiasm throughout the week with class competitions and dress-up days was phenomenal!

Speaking of dress-up days... I thoroughly enjoyed these- and will post pictures soon. I'm envisioning more time this week to work on getting those pics onto my computer- so if everyone crosses their fingers and holds their breath- I may in fact post pictures next time! (one issue I'm having, though, is an inability to access this blog from my school computer, which possesses the necessary pictures). On Monday we had pajama day, which was comfy and fun. Tuesday was 'dress-the-decades' or 'old-school' day. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the variety of outfits, mine being a funky 70s style dress. Wednesday we celebrated Super-hero day, for which I became 'Cupid.' Throughout the day I assured everyone that Cupid is a super-hero EVERY day! :) Thursday was perhaps my favorite day- Formal wear day! I serendipitously found this great green poufy early 90s style prom dress in a closet at my house- and it fit perfectly! I of course received several comments like, "You look like a mermaid!" & "are you trying to be seaweed?" & "Did you wear that to your H.S. prom?" Sadly, I didn't take a picture all day, so I cannot reveal this special dress via photo- but I'll work on that.

Actually, the dress was reintroduced to the students by my housemate and football coach Dan- who decided to stealthily take it and wear it during the FB skit (which depicted the VB team at their 'best'). :) You can imagine the laughs from that!

I have so much to tell regarding the Homecoming week. Wednesday we had a great evening with a cookout, class pyramids and games, and burning an "RC"- in addition to a wonderful fireworks show & several drum-group songs. Wednesday & Thursday after school each class busied themselves with decorating hallways. On Friday we had an all-school parade, a H.S. talent show, a dodgeball tournament, and one of the best pep rallies in the recent history of Red Cloud. (Okay, I say that based on reports from students and faculty). The boys won a solid victory during the game, and we finished off the evening with a dance. All in all, Homecoming week was spectacular, the student council members stepped up to the challenge, and we also raised quite a bit of money for Leukemia patients and research. Not bad for a whirlwind week!

I am doing quite well, after getting caught up on sleep this weekend (even though I did referee 10 matches (appx. 25 games) of middle school VB on Saturday. Let's just chalk this week up to stockpiling Americorps hours, shall we?

I am happy to be posting again, and I know that several of you continue to follow my blog, even when I am so busy I barely have time to write updates, let alone be updated on your lives... yet I am thankful for this avenue of sharing- and I thank you all for being interested... It is such a wonderful place here, and I cannot express well enough the amount of care and love I possess for these students....I truly wish you could all meet them in person... and hear the many conversations I am granted each day with these precious students...

In other news- the VB team is doing alright- some rocky areas, but it's been fun thus far- I'll be more involved again this week, as I wasn't able to much last week. Also, two weeks from yesterday I will be running another 1/2 marathon. Evidently my brother (who ran the last one with me) thinks I'm crazy. And I guess I am- but I am mentally prepared to walk parts of this one, since my training has been severely lacking this time. Yikes!

Okay, this will end my post- much love to you all, as you continue to seek and find the work God has prepared.

Written with a smile on my face and a warm glow in my heart,
Emily

Scattered, yet Happy

2008-09-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hello again, for the first time in two weeks.

For some unknown reason, I have been unsuccessful while trying (time and again) to log onto my blogsite and update you on the inevitable excitement of Red Cloud. Finally, today, the site actually let me on, so although this post will contain no pics, I do promise an abbreviated version of the last two weeks....

Gosh, I suppose I could use the one word I happen to hate so much- busy- to describe my last two weeks. For one week (which also happened to be my first week of school) I had a visitor here. Matthias, my friend from HS who lives in Austria, happened to come back and visit the U.S. for the first time since leaving 6 years ago from his foreign exchange experience. It was absolutely wonderful to have him here, but I must say it took it's toll on my energy level...

I feel a story emerging... The Sunday before the first day of school, I took a brief (5 1/2 hour) :)drive to Denver to pick up Matthias. I was feeling happy and ready for the blissful moments of reunion in the airport, then bracing myself for the long travel home... Well, the brief moments of reunion quickly became 2 hours of waiting (until 8pm now) before his delayed flight was scheduled to arrive. Still fairly optomistic at this point, I went to buy a taco when I heard my name projected over the intercom. What could this mean? I became nervous and quickly went to find out what matter of importance would require me being paged at the airport. Turns out Matthias had left a number for me. I proceed to call this random number- and leave a voicemail. Well, as I'm eating my taco, which I was finally able to order, Matthias calls me- and somewhere in between the poor reception, airport noise, and his accent, I ascertained the fact that he missed the flight entirely and would now be coming in on the very last flight of the night- 11:30pm. Whew, it took me a moment to comprehend this idea, then I bought a book.

Without further detail, I'll let it be known that we managed to leave the airport at 12:30am and drive back to Pine Ridge by 6:00am, just in time to catch a 1/2 hour nap before I began my energy-demanding day with freshman orientation. The rest of the week became a bit of a blur, considering the lack of sleep which began it all, yet by the next weekend I was recovered enough to make a trip to the Black Hills and then back again to Denver to drop him off. And of course all the while he was visiting, I continued to pursue my regular duties of activity planning, Stu. Co. meetings, volleyball practice and games, bus driving, and teaching class.

Yep- that's in fact why I must use the word 'busy' to describe my previous two weeks. Last week I was able to work hard on many Homecoming issues, and while I know it's good to get things sorted out (and the Stu. Co. is really going well)... we did have a big 'to-do' about the bonfire, which was cancelled, then petitioned for, then reinstated with stipulations of absolutely no hazing (as happened at last year's bonfire). So, really my head is still spinning with so many details to work out with Homecoming week, and this year our after-school program is beginning two weeks early (tomorrow, actually) which means my workload has significantly increased for these first few weeks. I love it, and I am finding a bit of time to be with friends and such, but at the end of each day I am exhausted and not exactly the most conversation-friendly person I could be.

Yesterday I had a wonderful day- and it was a bit relaxing, even though I spent some time in the office (as I will today once I finish here) getting caught up on work for the coming week. Okay, so the wonderful part of yesterday is the fact that I participated in my first ever mini triatholon!!! I think this will make a few of you chuckle, when I share the details...

So Friday night, my friend Bryan and I decide that this triatholon would be an excellent idea- and so we agree to meet at the Boys and Girls Club in Pine Ridge at 9am to get registered. Well, I arrive at 9:15am and only a few cars are there, which wasn't extremely surprising... so I go inside to register, and I am the first to sign my name. Well- surely I'm just early and others will come, right? So about 30 minutes later, another woman shows up (whom I was expecting to come) and still no Bryan... he did eventually show up, explaining that he came awhile ago but was confused by the lack of cars. (rightly so). The scheduled start time was 10am. Which came and went. Then 10:30 was announced as the official start time (still with us 3 participants). Soon 11am rolls around, which is the time the police could come and escort us on the highway. Finally at 11:15am, approximately 2 hours after I arrived, the race began to become a bit organized, and one of my high school students even showed up to compete. And we were off... all four of us...

Now, I must mention this for the sake of the story- I was initially told that the course would include 2 miles of running, 150 meters of swimming, and 2 miles of biking. I thought to myself, "rather odd combination, but alright." So I began the race fully expecting a short 2 mile run.... yet it didn't take me too long to realize that we were on a much longer run. I got to the turn-around point, and I thought to myself, "2 miles? They got to be kidding!".... I finally drag myself back to the boys and girls club as the last person to begin the swimming competition. As I entered the building I loudly remark... "Gosh, that was definitely more than 2 miles!" Remember that I was last in the race? Yeah, well- I decided to simply enjoy the swimming and biking- which turned out to be extremely easy....and I finished my first triatholon with a huge smile on my face! It wasn't until after I was driving home that I clocked the actual mileage of the run- 3.6 miles! Yep, I'm sure they mixed up the running and biking portions of the race. If you know anything about triatholons, it's pretty clear that you should definitely NOT run twice as far as you bike! :):)

Well, that's about it for now. I am off now to the high school to prepare 1st round homecoming royalty ballots, after-school program flyers, write up class meeting agendas, and calculate my 8 girls' weight-lifting routines. Yes, that is my life here- but thank goodness I've done this all before and I know to expect chaos before the calm of, say, November :)

I appreciate anyone that may be reading this- and also if you'd like to share your blog site with me- I promise to check it out sometime. Perhaps not until we've crowned the Homecoming King and Queen... but you never know when procrastination might set in!

Sending much love from a semi-calm, semi-crazy soul,

Emily

Already so much...

2008-08-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hello to those who may be (legitimately) wondering at my tardiness....

Once again nearly two weeks have slipped by since my last post. In many ways I am thankful that I have come to rely on technology much less during the summer months; yet alas, I shall resume my normal weekly posts once school begins, if for no other reason than the crazy amount of stories I will surely have to share!

The past few weeks have been spent in final preparation for the school year to begin on Monday.
The volunteer orientation officially ended with the 4 days retreat in the middle of nowhere. Okay, so the retreat house actually has a name, but I prefer to use 'in the middle of nowhere" because it describes the serenity which I encountered during those days. Truly this was a beautiful time for reflection, mental preparation for the coming tasks, and time to connect more sincerely with fellow volunteers. We have a fantastic group of 18 this year, and I must say- Paddy did an excellent job at recruiting! Geographically and traditionally diverse, we all seem to share a common enthusiasm for the situation in which we find ourselves: Here at Red Cloud. Living simply. Working in one of the poorest counties of the U.S. Our schedules bursting with bus runs and various responsibilities. Yet happy and entirely grateful for the experience.

This past week I spent flurrying around catching up with returning faculty and meeting new teachers, working on various random preparations, and spending plenty of hours in my new position as an assistant coach with the volleyball team! Gosh, the first few days of practice gave me a rush of memories and excitement that even I hadn't anticipated. Granted, I know I love VB, but being a coach is simply wonderful! I am able to help 30+ girls find their unique abilities and passions on the VB court. What a solid way to spend 30 or more of my hours last week! I will continue to help out when time allows after-school (working around my after-school program schedule)... but I will also be able to assist Robin (the head coach) with the 7th period freshman girls VB class. Woohoo! What a week, what a week.

On a personal note, I have been going through a few trying experiences lately, which I suppose have contributed to my delayed posting. One week ago my grandmother had a deep hemmoragic stroke affecting her left frontal lobe and therefore speech and communication skills. It was quite the blow to learn of this, as I am in a busy time here and I simply cannot be there for her. It is also difficult to comprehend my otherwise super-active and healthy grandma suffering in this way. If you are a person of prayer, I would deeply appreciate your prayers in this manner.

In a less crucial, yet still personally relevant, light- I have also been struggling with hip pain as I train for a 1/2 marathon. If you know how much I love running and can be quite disciplined, you understand how frustrating this is for me. I am not at all where I would like to be in training, yet the 1/2 marathon on Oct. 4th looms ever-near!

Despite the uncertainty in my life, I should also share that last night as I was lying in bed, I had a sudden sensation of how entirely blessed I am to be here. I am surrounded by people with whom I share a mutual respect and love, God has blessed me with general physical and emotional well-being, and I am able to work hard within a job I feel passionately about. Gosh it almost gives me tingly feelings! :)

A few notes before I sign off and continue to promise pictures soon...

*I have been able to learn even more about Lakota culture (and make connections of previous knowledge using my Lakota Language I learning as well) during our orientation time, and I hope to share some of these insights in a more significant way soon.

*My good friend Matthias (who happens to be from Austria) will be flying into Denver tomorrow to visit me for a week! I am thoroughly excited to have him with me, even though it means a bit of pressure, being the first week of school and all.

Okay, you are most likely wondering how much longer I will be- and to that, I shall say, only as long as this sentence lasts... until next time, may you find peace in knowing that God is bigger than our entire imagination...

Much love and eager smiles,
Emily

Bubbling with Joy...

2008-08-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

Wow. I smile now as I sit contemplating the contents of this first post. My second year of Pine Ridge Reflections thus begin...

I am officially one week into our 2008/9 volunteer training here at Red Cloud, and I believe it's about time I begin to record my joy...

I have experienced no less joy this year than the extreme amounts I felt upon first arriving last year, to begin my adventures here on the Rez. Just something about this place... Of course it feels different this year, better in many ways. I have many established relationships that I will thankfully be resuming... with students, faculty, Jesuits, volunteers, and community members. I also have the benefit of adding new relationships with 1st year volunteers, freshmen, returning (new to me) Jesuits, and the lovely community members I have encountered during my summer escapades around the Rez.

As I moved my belongings from the Cottage to my new residence- this GRAY HOUSE :):) (woot woot) one and a half weeks ago, I only marginally resented the additional work required to change houses. I am now, however, quite grateful- because the gray house (people and place) is absolutely wonderful. I know I'm a positive person and would perhaps say this of even less-than-ideal conditions... but honestly, my housemates are wonderful, and the house itself is homey and conducive to feeling at peace. I live with returning volunteers Rachel and John, and new friends Dan and Lainey. We make a pretty cool bunch and am excited for the makings of a great community.

Our training has gone well so far. I have been pretty relaxed, considering my bus driving skills are current and my CDL is valid. :) The new volunteers had to endure the agony of the written test (archival posts would explain the failure and nervousness I personally encountered last year) in addition to the 3 part practical test, which they all thankfully passed today. Other than the bus training, we've had some good community bonding, a few exceptional speakers, and down time to catch up on things such as blogging. :)

Okay, so I won't make this first post too long, but I did want to share a story from the summer which I think will be enjoyable for all... I mentioned in my last post that I was about to embark on an Outward Bound trip to CO with a group of RC students (in late June). Well, we had an awesome time... and I learned that I was more durable than expected, lasting 6 days without a shower, digging holes to excrete my waste (nice words, huh?) and drinking from stream water. Well, I hadn't remembered too well about the warning of potentially harmful side-effects of such stream water (improperly treated) which would occur a few weeks post-trip. So, one day as I am in the midst of a week of camp (a few weeks after CO), I begin feeling awful. Stomach trouble unlike I had ever experienced. I sort of wrote it off as something bad I ate...but it persisted for several days, and eventually more (less than comfortable) symptoms accompanied my stomach pain. Despite the fact that I was in the midst of my final week with campers, I decided to go to the Rapid City Walk-In clinic to hopefully find out some remedy. Well, it didn't take too long for the doctor to realize that I actually had giardia!!! Yes, that's right, I finally could attribute my uncontrollable diarrhea to a treatable illness! After 7 days of exasperation coupled with meds, I finally began recovering... and after another week, I began feeling quite healthy and well again! :):) So, that's my funny and not-so-funny story from the summer. Emily. Stream Water. Giardia. Enough.

Well, our speaker for tomorrow cancelled, so we have made plans to take a trip into the Hills! Woohoo! I think that will be really fun- and a great time to bond with the new volunteers. We may even go to Sylvan Lake, who knows! :)

I will surely say more later, as these weekly updates will continue... and once I can find ways to include pictures (okay, actually get them off my camera first)... I will do so immediately! :)

Much love from one joyful heart in Pine Ridge,

Emily

At last...

2008-06-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

At last I write to you from my current position with Lutheran Outdoors- counseling at the Pine Ridge Retreat Center for various servant camps that come along each week.

I have decided to not go into as much detail with my summer posts, and I shall start back up with vigor in the fall- I promise. :)

My time with the camps has been going well. I am seeing Pine Ridge with different eyes this summer, and for that I am grateful. It is humbling to be in this position, but the groups appreciate our (Ben and I's) perspective, having both lived here for a year now.

I am into the second week of camps, and I am enjoying it with a surprising amount of energy, looking now toward our final day with this group. Last week was cut short because I left on Wednesday for a very important event in the Fischer family.... Alison's wedding! :) Overall my time home with wedding festivities was absolutely wonderful... I enjoyed everything so much, re-connecting with family, etc.

Now I am looking toward a trip to Leadville, Colorado with rising seniors from Red Cloud- which will obviously be wonderful (I say that with so much conviction, but I suppose I should bite my tongue until all goes as expected.) :) Anyway- it is an Outward Bound adventure trip- and I am the female chaperone- tonight I browsed the list of necessary packing items, and it seems I am short a few things- hmm, perhaps my Friday will involve a trip to Rapid.... yikes! :)

Okay, I want you all to know that I most definitely have not forgotten about my faithful readership, and I look forward to more time to reflect on this summer- but my limited internet time (especially in July) will prevent me from doing much typing until August.

If anyone is actually reading this- thanks, and I always look forward to hearing back from you, my interested friends and journey partners.

Much love- and peace of heart,

Emily

Seniors of '08

2008-05-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hmmm....

It was graciously brought to my attention that I have forgotten to post this week's reflections.

The only excuse I could possibly conjure at this point is that this past week has been graduation festivities... and thus I have been preoccupied. I know this isn't a very good excuse, so I suppose I'll just apologize and get on with it...

Last weekend I spent at home with my family, taking care of a few wedding items (my sister's officially getting married in two weeks- wait, I'm not sure what an 'unofficial' wedding would be, so I suppose I could drop the 'officially', but it does sound cool). Although at first I felt the weekend home would be poor timing, with trying to end things well here- spending time with volunteers and various tasks- but I was wrong. It was actually really great timing, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my family again and celebrating my grandmother's 80th birthday with her and so many others!

I arrived back to Red Cloud Monday evening, and the brevity of the last few weeks of this school year hit me harder than I expected. I am trying to soak up as much time as I can with everyone here, thus making me a little elusive to folks back home- my apologies. I shall relay the many adventures of this week, primarily involving the seniors, class of 2008!

Tuesday we departed on the 'official' :) Senior Class Trip- to none other than Rapid City! :) I was partly in charge of planning and budgeting out the expenses for this trip, and I was overjoyed when I found out I would be chaperoning an ice-skating/movies/buffet dinner trip! As the trip coordinator, I also was responsible for driving the bus- now this part of the story, when I get there, will certainly be of interest to those who have been fascinated by my bus driving skills, FYI.... (I know, anticipation arises)

We had a great time ice-skating, with 35+ seniors participating (2/3 of the class!). Many students had never gone ice-skating prior to this trip, so it was exciting for me (someone who thoroughly enjoys a good time ice-skating) to watch- and occasionally help- the new learners maneuver their way around the rink. Once most people's ankles were finished fighting the ice-skates, we headed to the Golden Corral to eat an early dinner. This was a good experience (I had never been)... massive amounts of food were both displayed and consumed by the students- and in record time too! I forget how fast some people eat, so by the time I finished my first plate- some guys were done with four!

Anyway, at this point, the antsy seniors were ready for the mall, where we spent a good 1 1/2 hours enjoying individual preferences- my preference? Discovering places which would give me smaller bills in exchange for my many $50 bills (to split up for each senior). I did receive some suspicious inquiries from the clerks at both Target and JCP, but when I explained the situation, both were quite accommodating! My second preference was to get a hair cut! I had been speaking on Monday of how badly I would love to get a hair cut, and then very next day I was in Rapid- AT the MALL- WITH TIME! Everything added up to Emily saying bye-bye to split ends!

Okay, well- we have now reached the most interesting part of the story... my great and not-so-great bus maneuvering skills- on my very last bus run! All year I secretly prided myself on my ability to successfully and with great care- drive even the largest of school buses without getting in any accidents. Of course this was true- until Tuesday.... Dun dun dun..... yes, that's right- Emily had her first accident with a school bus, and this is how it occurred. So I dropped off most of the students at one of the theaters (which was positive bus maneuvering, BTW) in time to arrive back at the Rushmore Mall Theatre and see Prince Caspian (quite good). As I was parking the (long :) bus in a way conducive to quick get-away, I began backing up for a better angle, and I shouted back to the girls to watch the back for me, but obviously I didn't work. Soon enough, I hear a loud thump, some shattering, and the few screams from high school girls. Sure- wonderful- I had hit something (a light pole, to be exact) on my very last bus run of the year!

I get out to inspect the damage- and the only thing missing was the plexi-glass covering the light on the top of the pole (an accident which was conveniently forgiven by the movie theatre manager, even though it shattered into many pieces on the parking lot). The next item to inspect? The bus of course. Well, besides a slight groove (the shape of a light pole) on a few places along the back of the bus, relatively little damage... only slight fear and sadness for having gone the entire year without a wreck, then the very last day- bam! Light pole! Yikes! So there you have it- the irony of pride.

Wednesday we held a baccalaureate for the graduates, which lasted for 3 1/2 hours, complete with a meal and slide show. Honestly, I was so grateful to be able to see these seniors in this way before graduation, since I expected (and was correct) that graduation would be more hectic. Thursday was the last day of classes (and it was finals) for the rest of the students, and after school I decorated and set-up for graduation, which we ended up holding in the fieldhouse (gym). Overall the festivities of the week went off without complaint, and I am grateful to be able to breathe a sigh of relief! By Friday, graduation day, I wasn't really even emotional, since so many other things preoccupied my mind. I'm sure the loss of the seniors will hit me next year.

Oh, I didn't mention that I also had a successful first meeting for the new student council. I am so excited for this group of fine students- to work with them on some fantastic activities and projects next year! Woohoo! Thank goodness for a second year- knowing what I didn't know this year!

I shall end this post by say that I'm not sure when the next will be coming. It all depends on the amount of time I will be able to access internet this summer, for I actually leave in 4 days for my summer job- and these 4 days are absolutely packed with things to get done!

I would also like to say that I am honored by any and all attention you have given to my blogging this year. Honestly, it has been a true pleasure to share this experience with so many people, and I hope to continue more reflections next year. I don't think this will be the last until then... but in the slight chance it is- toksa! (which means "later" in lakota)

Much love and treasured thoughts,
Emily

Near transition...

2008-05-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

Hello! (Emily says, with an enthusiastic tone at 8:38am)

I am near transition here, well- we are all near transition. A senior student just popped into my office and after asking me if my throat was still dead (in reference to my loss of voice last week), he asked about my blog. I mentioned the transition title, and he says, "Oh, like we only have 1 1/2 days of school left?" Oh wow... yeah. That's true, but also surreal, really. These seniors will surely be missed, but I also know that most of them are ready to move onto college and/or various places.

A junior student (Todd) also popped in and would like to say, "School is getting out so soon, yea!"

So, here I am, left with many transitions to deal with- and to hear about from others. As we all know, change can be scary and for some, emotion (and drama) is running high at this point in the year. In addition to saying goodbye to students, I also will say goodbye to some dear volunteers, fellow faculty, and students who will not be returning come fall. I will make a few space transitions as well, moving my office upstairs and boxing my personal belongings into a storage room in the cottage (our cottage is used to house various groups during the summer). I begin with my camp work during the week of teacher inservice, so I'm currently working out the details of this... but needless to say it will be a quick transition, so I have to think about packing up my belongings soon, making time to spend saying goodbye to people rather than absorbed in my own moving.

Ah, before I get too carried away with the future, I want to mention the excitement of the past week.... Last Wednesday we had an awards banquet for the star students, and I was happy for everyone- many of the top students are also on student council for next year, hurray! :):) The following day during school we had another awards ceremony for "top student in each class" awards. For the sake of mentioning, Andrew Twiss and Jacob Franks won my guy class awards, and Ida Clarke and Charity Wilson won my girl class awards. Yep, pretty exciting!

Friday was a really fun day, the weather was beautiful and I had my first official "Red Cloud Repeat" experience. That's right. We celebrated the seniors with a graduation powwow, which happens to be the event I came for exactly one year ago on my first visit! Thus begins my ability to compare from one year to another! :) (oh yeah, blogging perspectives for next year)....

Other than working concessions at the powwow (which I was fine with, but not overly enthusiastic about), the evening was fantastic! Much dancing occurred, some 'specials' hosted by the families of various seniors, honorings for a few teachers (one whom will be leaving this year and was particularly close to many of the seniors) In addition, the seniors played a fun musical chairs game to a drum group song and the main event of the evening was the feather-tying ceremony. A significant person in each senior's life (mother, father, guardian, mentor, etc) ties an Eagle feather or plume into their hair, both of which are significantly sacred in the Lakota tradition. The ceremony symbolizes their connection to nature and the strength of the Creator, their Lakota tradition, and to one another as a graduating class. I took pictures, but have yet to upload them. The story of my life.

Saturday was another great day- I was able to spend the day with my volunteer friends (two of whom will not be returning come fall)... we had a girls' day out in Rapid, going to a movie, the mall, and eating Thai food. It was a fantastic time, really, and it makes me realize how greatly I will miss Jackie and Katie. I love hanging out with everyone, but I realize so few weekends now exist... since this coming weekend I am heading home, and then the following with be our last weekend together! Yikes! How quickly this year is halting to a stop.

Sunday I had another adventurous day, partaking in something I hadn't done since high school- horseback-riding!!! A friend from my Lakota class invited me to ride horses at her friend Dave's place, and we had a great time! My friend who works in the heritage center here, Miriam, came along (despite her initial hesitation- which shall be addressed later)... and for a few hours we rode along slowly, enjoying the beauty of the day and the rustic pasture landscape. I have a great story to share (at the expense of Miriam)... but don't worry, she agrees this story is too good not to share! :)

We had been riding along for about 1/2 hour, and my riding skills were surprisingly alright... while Miriam was still quite reluctant to increase speed, for fear of the fall and of the horse itself. We rode into this tree-dotted area of a valley, and Miriam began having flashbacks to when she was nearly clothes-lined while riding horse, so she didn't desire to have a repeat experience; hence, she stopped and began walking her horse until we reached higher, tree-less ground. We all successfully reconvened our ride together once on higher ground, and we made our way toward this water hole. Dave, the leader of the group, for some reason wanted the horses to walk through the water... even though we could have easily avoided the water. Anyway, the first two horses (one of them being my own) began walking through fine. Dave was on a horse that needed a bit more taming, so he waited... and as I was riding my horse through the water I looked back to see Miriam's horse pawing at the mud... and then with a simultaneous shout from Miriam, the horse decided to lay itself down in the water- with Miriam still on its back! As she tried jumping off (at the recommendation of Dave), the horse rolled over- covering her with mud! Gosh, even though I felt bad for her, I couldn't stop laughing at the whole situation.

We all concluded that the horse knew Miriam's fear and resentfully acted out despite its otherwise docile nature. To end the story- after Miriam got back on the horse, the horse began rearing up and acting out in all sorts of unpleasant ways...walking backward, etc. Thus, Miriam had her fill of negative horse experiences by this point and chose to walk her horse the 1 1/2 miles back to Dave's. The horse wouldn't even walk behind her though, so she led Dave's horse while he led hers. We all enjoyed the experience, only some a bit more than others. :)

The rest of my Sunday evening was fun time with community, getting back just in time for another cook-out. I love these cook-outs...by the way. :) We had a prospective volunteer named Ann present, which was fun! Made me remember back to my overwhelming visit to campus last year! What a difference a year makes!

On Monday I had a pretty normal day I would say... subbing for a few classes (which consequently makes the time fly by)... and trying to hold a student council celebration during lunch. I even offered pizza, cookies, chips, and lovely hand-make cards, but only about 5 people I think appreciated it! Whatever... I do my best and will no longer accept any criticism from students who want more activities, b/c if the student council won't even meet for pizza, why would they meet for productive purposes! :) I did also enjoy my evening, running in the cool post-rain air. Oh yes, and we hosted yet another sweat meal... this time for a group from Ohio I believe. I happened to be in a very hospitable mood that evening, which was perfect for the occasion.

Each day now this week, the seniors make remarks such as "my last Monday of high school ever!" "My last Tuesday in weight-lifting ever!" (gosh, that one better not be true!) :) What have I (or not) taught them? :)

Yesterday I had to cover for a sub who didn't show up 1 and 2 period. I don't exactly like surprise subbing... but I have probably mentioned that a time or two. Anyway, yesterday we also had senior rehearsal for graduation... I wasn't exactly involved, because of after-school program and all, but still the excitement brews among the seniors. Yesterday evening I was invited to the wrestling team's banquet, since I was a fab bus driver and all! :) I do enjoy the wrestlers, and the coach-Clay Leonard- made homemade pizza for everyone! He's quite the culinary artist! :) It was great to see the wrestlers honored as well, since basketball receives so much attention and wrestling, well... doesn't.

And here I am, watching my morning melt away once again... I have a lot to get organized around here, but I suppose it will all fall into place, right? :) Since receiving my voice back this week, I have realized how many people I have yet to catch up with... so I apologize to the parties to have been affected by my lack of calling (namely Nealy, Katie, Emily, Aubrey, and family at present)... :)

I must be going... Oh, but I want to relay a conversation which just occurred between a sophomore student and myself. This particular sophomore doesn't live with his parents, and he doesn't exactly have the typical 'family' to speak of... anyway, he was asking me why I would choose to volunteer, if I had a college education and could make lots of money. After briefly explaining that I don't care much about money, he asked about college loans, and I soon realized he had little clue about loans in general. So, it turned into a conversation about how loans work, and why it's not good to get into debt, etc. Coincidentally, it was such a good example of one reason I gave him for why I'm here- because I hope to make at least a small difference in the quality of experience for students at Red Cloud. I think he understood.

Well, farewell for another week. Next week I shall be writing during finals, and the following week with be my last week this year at Red Cloud. I have not determined if I will be writing during the summer or not. I know my internet access will be severely limited in comparison to this year. I have been blessed with the ability to communicate so frequently thus far.

The 3rd period bell just rang. With the multitude of interruptions, it only took me just over 2 hours to type this! :) That's how a day here goes! :)

Okay, much love and care....

Emily

PS- as I was proof-reading (okay, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't) :) a student came in to have me take out a piece of lead from her finger. We weren't successful, but it makes me realize how much I love the unexpected encounters of a random day in the office. Also, I've had a student in and out this morning who seems like she wants to talk, but was at first reluctant. As she was leaving just now she mentioned that she will not be returning next year- something I wasn't aware of.... and she says, "Well, maybe if you want, I could give you my email address or something..." (her way of saying- I don't want to be forgotten!) And of course I took her up on her offer. :)

The end is near...

2008-05-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

The Meth Mural (as written about in the Journal article)

Jarrian working on the mural... he's quite the artist, really!

Two young artists working on the mural... how cute, right?

Three faculty members participating in the spring drama production

The Cast all posing after their bows... what a great crew!

Four Powwow Royalty... all beautiful RC Seniors!

RC Freshmen & Sophomores at the Powwow

A large drum group- led by RC faculty Charlie Eagle Hawk

Daisa, a good traditional dancer and special sophomore friend

Picture of Grand Entry at the Powwow w/ royalty in the center

We are quickly coming to the end of what has been an entirely eventful, enlightening, exciting, and tumultuous school year. (I have added pictures of various events- a Pow Wow, Drama production, the Death to Meth event, etc.)

My first year at Red Cloud (granted, my first year ever! of not being a student) is almost complete, and I must say that in somes ways I really do feel as if I have been a part of the Red Cloud community for way longer than a year! The end of the year for me involves holding a celebration for student council this year, meeting with student council for next year, academic awards ceremony, graduation duties, wrapping up weight lifting class, moving my office upstairs, and general goodbyes to students, with special goodbyes in store for graduating seniors.

I have actually been sick the past few days, so it's only today that I am now thinking about school once again. This past weekend we had our RC Staff banquet in Rapid City, and it was a really fun night! My Vanna White skills ended up improving as the night went on, and althought I did not recieve a door prize, I (along with all other volunteers) were given a jacket for bus driving, a T-shirt, a mug, and a great meal! We had a cool table of volunteers and a few faculty, so plenty of good laughter and conversation!

On Saturday I ended up covering this event called Death to Meth in Pine Ridge for the Rapid City Journal, so I've attached the link below...

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/05/13/news/local/doc4826957485e7a577154878.txt?show_comments=true#commentdiv

Sunday our volunteer community was treated to a lunch at "Bette's Kitchen" which is a restaurant in a woman's (Bette's) home just outside Manderson... and it was a thank you from this woman named Pinky who is instrumental around the Rez in positive community development issues. We had a great time, and I always enjoy the moments we spend together, since community life as we know it is quickly coming to an end as well. I must also mention that two goodbyes in particular are going to be very difficult, and they are to my good friends Jackie and Katie. They are both returning home next year... and I will miss them dearly!!! Awe, I still don't allow myself to think about it much.

Yesterday I stayed home from school and basically slept the entire day. I have been borderline sick for awhile, but it finally hit home this weekend... and yesterday I could not talk AT ALL!!! So, I basically slept all day... yet had to meet with my boss and partner for this summer's camp work... and we toured various places on the Rez- where we will be working this summer, etc. It was actually really productive, despite the fact that I couldn't talk. :)

So, today here I am. Trying to converse with students, while they are thoroughly appreciating the fact that my voice sounds like an adolescent boy going through puberty. :) Or an old man who has smoked too much, either one. :)

I am signing off now. Hopefully I will be able to speak the next time I write- but you all wouldn't even know the difference, huh? :):)

Okay, much love from the heart of Emily.

Peace.

Hmm... Students.

2008-05-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hello again!

I apologize for this coming late once again, but my week has not been conducive to free-time writing, so here I am, subbing once again for 'dear freshman' and finally finding time to write!

My "hmm... students" title refers to my ambiguous feelings towards particular students right now. I rarely lose my temper- but I have to say, one student has completely tried my patience this week, and yesterday I finally yelled at him "You are never allowed in my office again!" loud enough for all neighboring classes to overhear. I really meant it too. Never shall he be allowed to enter my office- mainly because he doesn't seem to have the capacity to understand what is and is not okay to do (sneaking into my office and messing with documents on the computer is one thing, refusing to leave until I physically force his hand off my mouse is another)- and how to properly respond to authority. I know it is not only me. Actually all teachers share this sentiment, and he was kicked out twice already, but let back in on some technicality.

(one other difficult part of the situation- he holds a grudge better than almost anyone I know- he is boisterous and opinionated- AND somehow he has gained the affection and loyalty of several classmates.)

With all this said, my particular negative feelings toward this certain individual have been alleviated by the other wonderful students who give me so much hope and enjoyment. AND most of them who were present for this less-than-graceful moment in my office told me, "Don't worry about it- he annoys everyone, Emily." Other than this episode, I had a wonderful day.

My Lakota language final was last night- and it went well!!! I actually received an A on the written part- plus delivered a creative oral presentation, so I think I'm good to go! We also all contributed to an enchilada meal during the exam, which was fun and rather out of the norm for my experience of college finals... but I enjoy this new approach! :) I am so thankful to have taken the class, and I also made a friend throughout the semester- she's quite energetic and we have hung out a few times- and plan to continue!

Hmm, let's see. Oh yes, this week has been student council election week, with the voting taking place today, and speeches were on Tuesday. I thought they did a fantastic job, especially since they were all SO NERVOUS!!! I am proud of those that have chosen to run, and honestly, regardless of who wins, it's going to be a great Student Council next year!

Breaking News Story: Dominic, a freshman running for Sophomore Rep next year, just came into the freshman class I am subbing for and handed out breakfast burritos with a sign attached to each which reads, "Vote for Dominic" :) Isn't that great! In addition to handing out food (candy, burritos, who knows what else)... plenty of signs now decorate the halls. It is quite a festive time, honestly, and I love that the students are taking it seriously!

The school year is drawing to an end, with only three weeks of class left! Next week will be the final "after-school clubs" week, followed by a week with study hall offered, and then my 21st Century after-school program duties will be complete! (minus the paperwork involved).

Tomorrow we have an early out for the Staff Banquet, which will be in the Ramkota hotel in Rapid City- and I am quite excited for this. In addition to simply attending, I will also play 'hostess' and pass out the door prizes throughout the evening. Fun, huh? I've been told this is the 'Vanna White' position, only no letters to turn.

Dakota (a student introduced to you in a previous post) would like to say something: "I just said put me in your story, that's it!" A young man of few words, but possessive of a great chuckle.

I am feeling a bit relieved today and will even moreso this weekend, once student council elections are past- and I can concentrate on wrapping things up from this year and preparing for next fall. I will also be moving offices- to the upstairs for next year, so that sounds like an excellent task for my weight lifting students one day! :)

What else to say- I guess not much. I am only slightly distracted by freshman asking me (over and over again) the difference btw. "their" and "there" ; "mane" and "main" ; "lessen" and "lesson" Hmm, homonyms packets are due today, as you might imagine.

Okay, 'tis all for now. Thanks for tuning in. I am writing a story for the Rapid City Journal this week, about my Lakota language class, so I'll post a link next week!

Hope all is well for you- and I also pray that you do not encounter the type of student that drove me to screaming this week... although I suppose in some way (down the road) I shall perhaps be grateful for the experience. Honestly, I'm not right now. :)

Much love and smiles, as we enjoy the moisture God is granting the land,

Emily

PROM 2008

2008-04-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Senior Prom Queen & King: Ida & David

Junior Prom Princess and Prince: Juliana & Wade

The faculty 'stars' of the dance: Sarah, Robin, Leah, Me, Jess, Katie, Mandy

Alvin & I- looking pretty great for a picture!

A group of sophomore-senior sisters, cousins, and friends.

Sarah, Katie, Leah, and I. We enjoyed the evening together, beginning with a

meal at the Cottage!

Three freshman boys looking pretty spiffy!!!

Five fine-looking seniors! Lisa, Mando, Dylan, Ash, and Elaine

Saige & I- looking lovely.

Junior boys- Jeff, Lyle, Richard, David, and Ryan- loving the refreshments

I began typing this post yesterday, but as my hectic days would have me, I procrastinated on this blog, and thus am finishing a day late- today. Apologies.

(as typed yesterday) What? Another 8 days since I last posted?

Yes, that is in fact what is going through my mind just now, thinking about posting again. Somehow it is now May- which is also the final month of school! I am currently struck by this time phenomenon... and how quickly I shall have to say goodbye to 50 dear seniors & a number of fellow volunteers.

Yet I cannot get caught up in philosophizing the situation... for so many exciting adventures have taken place recently....

On Wednesday my Lakota class was good as usual. I hadn't studied much, but as I verbalized this before class began, our teacher gave us ample enough study time in order to do quite well on the quizzes. I am in the same "no-study" predicament today for class, but hopefully some time today will allow me to look over the Money & Foods chapters. Actually this is the last week of class before next week's final exam! (written and oral). I am looking forward to having Wednesdays free again, but I will miss class, as I always enjoy attending.

*Update from yesterday- we had a quite lively class period- w/ one of the students coming to class a bit inebriated...and he actually stayed the whole time (three weeks ago he came much more 'out of it' and was asked to leave)... so that brought a generally increased level of excitement, as you might imagine. Oh, and also I didn't really study as I mentioned, and guess what? Yes, I got a 60% on one of my quizzes. Yikes! Well, no fear- my other 12 quizzes have all been A's.... I'm not concerned. Yes- now all I have is a final left! and a 4 minute oral presentation. Perhaps I'll share with you some of my presentation when I prepare it.

Damian (a senior) and I just had a conversation about running over animals with my car- and he popped in again to ask if I had blogged about it. He suggests I do- so here goes: Once, I ran over a raccoon with my car- and another time I hit a flying pheasant with my windshield. That's all.

So I mentioned Prom in my last post- and I have to say, that has been a major theme of the past week...each evening after school the junior class and a few faculty members decorated, decorated, decorated. Since I have after-school program duties (which has been going extremely well lately, with high attendance and participation-a variety of new clubs have started: kickball, soccer, flag football, and yoga. Yey!) I was not able to be two places at once, but Friday evening we had a pizza/decorating party in the gym- and were ready for Saturday's Prom. The evening was beautiful, the grand march (although a royal mess to coordinate w/ people switching their dates three times in a week, and even a few couples switched three times in one hour!) went off with congratulations following.... and I had this goal of convincing people to dance. I was told prior to Prom that no one danced, and I thought this preposterous... so I vowed to get at least 7 people to dance w/ me at one time.... which finally happened when we all, led by the faculty enthusiasm, began a train of dancers, and at least a dozen kids joined in. I felt satisfied about accomplishing my goal (which I was held accountable to all night by a sophomore boy).

Whew, so after prom was over (and we all headed back into the snowy outside) we ended up taking 88 kids to post-prom at Evan's Plunge, an indoor water park/recreation area. After loading the busses, we realized the space situation was not favorable, so I rushed to get another bus- and we headed out with our two largest busses packed! What a fun time! No issues to speak of, the time flew, all reports of enjoyment, and a very pleased (and only slightly delirious) Emily when we finally returned to Red Cloud at 6:30am. :):)

I spent the rest of Sunday sleeping, cleaning, etc. Monday I came back to a hectic school environment. Catching up from everything I pushed aside for prom (including communication with friends- apologies if I haven't returned your call lately), organizing the various after-school details, subbing for a few teachers each day, and working on Student Council recruitment for next year. After yesterday I feel much more satisfied, because a number of solid applicants are now running for council. Hurray!!! Overall, nothing too eventful the past few days... tonight I plan on playing basketball with a group of random community members- which I know I will enjoy- however, I hurt my knee the last time I played, so I'm trying to be cautious- and that has made me hesitant thus far, but my housemate Mike tells me to stop being a wussy... so I shall play tonight. :):) (run-on sentence, I know :0)

So how about those pictures I posted???? That's right- colorful and fun, yeah?!!! :):)

Okay, I'm off for the day. Wait- no, not to confuse you, I'm still working- and I still have after- school program (today: study hall, yoga, soccer, ceramics, and handgames)... but I am only signing off for today. I hope you enjoy the pictures, and I also hope you forgive me for my delayed post. Thanks for tuning in.

Anyone reading this is currently brightening my day- just so you know. :)

Peace and love,

Emily

What Joy!

2008-04-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

What joy is found in life here at Pine Ridge....

Hi again! When I begin a post, I generally like to frame my words with my current mood, and I would have to say I am blissful today. Yep, and peaceful amidst flurry (after all, I AM wearing my "be in peace" t-shirt). :)

The last week has been quite refreshing, and I believe a few reasons exist: 1. I have kept busy enough to occupy my mind- and when occupied, my mindset is generally positive. 2. I have had enough down-time and prayer-time to be able to focus on others rather than myself. 3. I have been enjoying the beautiful weather this spring has granted. Yep. I'm a happy girl, with a little sunshiny color on my face!

Enough about me, so what does the Red Cloud story pond have to offer today? Well, a few spectacular stories, I must say....

Last Friday, the drama club presented their play called "Three Greek Myths..." which was a contemporary look at the stories of King Midas, Echo and Narcissus, and another guy who played the guitar and fell in love w/ a lady, leading him to Hades. Ha, yeah- brilliantly played by Elliot, I must add. The play was fantastic, with cameos from various teachers who filled the roles of a girl who had to leave last-minute. They presented for the school on Friday afternoon (unfortunately attendance was down- silly senior skip day)... and again in the evening. I went to both performances, and took pictures during the evening (perhaps I'll post them soon, along with some pics from a recent pow-wow. I imagine that would be interesting to most parties in my reading audience). Back on track... besides being available to congratulate the performers, pass out cake, give encouraging hugs, and take pictures- I felt my presence was most useful to provide laughs which prompted the audience to laugh as well- (at the humorous parts which were slightly hidden by occasional lack of voice projection). :):)

So, the Friday adventure at Red Cloud does not end with the play- although sufficient enough to be a good story, I realize- NO, in fact, my excitement level quickly increased when I realized (during my walk back home) that the dining hall was occupied by none other than a Middle School Dance!!! Yes, that's right, Emily immediately sprinted to the door, only to find it locked, making it necessary to jog around the building to the 'paying participants' entrance. Okay, so I cannot exactly explain my excitement with this great phenomenon of a middle school dance, because for one, I don't even know the kids- however, I did know the DJ (a Jesuit) and one other chaperon... so I walk briskly into this strobe-lighted, music-thumping atmosphere- only to realize that no one, I mean NO ONE, was dancing. Granted, I'm not a shy person, but this is a DANCE! :):) Ha, well I only stayed long enough to re-live some of my middle school dance memories- and gosh I have a few distinct moments forever etched into my memory!!! (picture Emily dancing with boys a head shorter than her) :)

Saturday seemed pretty uneventful, but we had a spur-of-the-afternoon cook-out with the volunteers, during which we were able to converse with a couple who are significant contributors to the Red Cloud funding. They were great, and it gave them a chance to see us 'volunteers' in real life. :) Ha, that sounds funny to me.

Sunday I unfortunately did something funky with my alarm... because I woke up during the time church would have been about to the 2nd reading of the liturgy... dang! And I was really looking forward to going! I hate when my life choices are controlled by silly alarms. Oh yes, a majority of the day I spent editing my brother-in-law's book, which is awesomely DONE now. Whew! And I had a glorious 4 to 5 miles walk out behind our campus, a space I had never before explored! In fact, I was only a few miles from Pine Ridge- on a hill I could see both water towers and miles of highway before entering Pine Ridge. New goal: walk the entire way to Pine Ridge using the back road... (don't worry, Mom,- it will be with comrades).

...random... I am having a difficult time concentrating on typing, because a housemate of mine is having a skype conversation with his family... Yep-distracting... (but all part of the communal living experience!!!) :)

Okay, Sunday night after our weekly CommuniTea time (clever, I know)... I was about to head to bed, when I overheard Erin mentioning something about a bus run in the morning- and when I checked with her, a memory of some small note written in my planner about a substitute morning bus run came flooding to mind. Oh my goodness!!! I really did thank God for Erin mentioning that... because without that- I'll paint the picture of what would have occurred.... "6:45am- the first children begin appearing outside their houses, waiting on a bus that would never come..." Instead, I get into the bus on time, stop at the place I am told a girl resides whom will help me with the rest of the route... only to find she isn't riding that day...GREAT! so off I go, down the road to who knows where (remember, I am substituting for a route of which I do not know any stops) and see a car coming toward me. Promising, I think, so I stop- and sure enough three kids get on the bus from that car... one of which is able to help me with the route. Granted, he was a half-asleep sophomore, but he only missed one stop (and they caught up with the bus by car in about a mile, saying "You forgot us!" as they entered). :) I only smiled and said, "Oops! I don't know this route." Yep, all the joys (and occasional) stresses of driving bus.

This week now is crazy with getting prepared for prom (which is a much bigger load on my time than previously anticipated)... but all in all, I LOVE school... even being busy. I am taking down all the couples' names for the grand march, collecting permission slips for the post-prom at Evans Plunge (up to 70 students so far)... and desperately trying to find a fellow bus driver for the 5-6am shift back to Red Cloud.

Ah, such a long post- and still more to say! I have had an abundant amount of patience thus far this week, which has been such a blessing! I have heard affirming comments from many students, which helps (okay, and I was asked to the prom by three senior boys)- but mostly I really think it's because I have been in a prayer-full mood, something I was taught in college- to be contemplative in the midst of activity. And all I can say is God must be a God of humor~ :)

Okay- that' about it. I promise to post pics soon, but maybe I'll have one big post full of many pics- prom, pow-wow, etc... :):)

Prom is coming- in a whirlwind- but my excitement rises with every swirl!!! :)

Emanating peace and exuberant joy through The One Who Made Us (that's a shout out to my brother-in-law and his recently edited book!)

Emily

Some of the Best...

2008-04-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

A group of senior guys- who all congregated for the photo. I think they enjoy being the center of attention! :)

Some seniors who hiked in the rain with Peter and I

After the hike, it only makes sense to jump into frigid water to 'cool down', right? :) (after this, several students jumped into a hot tub... temperature compensation, I suppose)

During a prayer circle, the students gathered and shared prayers as a class- before a dozen or so of us hiked up Bear Butte, located near Sturis, SD.

One group challenge involved piling 50 seniors on 10 chairs. They came.... close, I guess, but had a lot of fun trying. :)

It was Miya's birthday on Thursday and her family came to surprise her with a cake and ice cream...

A group of seniors pose once again- evidently the camera loves them!

"Leksi Alvin" (Uncle Alvin) the Lakota spirituality teacher is diligently writing notes to students (another major component of the retreat)

Other students writing their notes to classmates- and faculty... except Dylan, he's taking a break to give you all a sign of peace...two signs of peace!

Why do their faces keep appearing before the camera? I guess they enjoy the poses... since the second from the left actually smiles all the time, only not for pictures.

Today I shall reflect on some of the best students, the senior class of '08. For lack of better formatting skills, I have posted the pics first- and included captions to highlight some (not all) moments spend with this class...

This Wed-Fri I chaperoned the senior class on their spring retreat... and had an absolutely fantastic time!!! We all headed up to Storm Mountain (I believe my fourth retreat there, my sixth or seventh retreat total this year!) and despite the rainy weather and 35mph trek up the steep highway in a 72 passenger school bus loaded with students and travel gear, we successfully reached our destination and began what became a wonderful retreat experience!

At the prompting of a frequent reader, I decided to post some pictures of my time here... and I shall summarize by saying we had splendid laughter, serious heart-felt sharing, and plenty of good times and bonding experiences... yet the pictures are perhaps the most telling...

In other recent life events, I had a great weekend, mainly catching up from the weeks excitement at Storm Mountain, and reading some of the wonderful letters the seniors wrote to me. I also enjoyed catching up with several dear friends on Sunday via cell phone- thank goodness for free weekend minutes! :)

Monday and Tuesday were good days- actually the weather was in the mid-80s, and I simply adored walking into the brilliant sunshine. Makes any day good, but Monday was particularly good to be back in school after having been gone for 5 days... seeing the other classes makes me excited to be spending next year here- especially the junior class, with whom I am already quite close and will hopefully be able to experience another senior retreat with them!

Ah, so, class tonight again. I missed last weeks, for the retreat, and I think I should have studied way more than I did, but you know... I've begun lessening my over-achiever grip on this class, and quite frankly, it's a bit refreshing.

Alright, I am going to wrap up. Perhaps study some Lakota days and time phrases, and enjoy the Wednesday where (so far) I have NO SUBBING! :)

Thanks for tuning in. I enjoy being able to share, and I appreciate your attentiveness and at times endless interest in the place of Pine Ridge, and the Lakota people I have come to love.

Endless blessings through our Creator God,

Emily

PS- Damian (a treasured senior who was unable to attend the retreat) asks you this question: "What color are mirrors?" He is currently trying to figure this out. :):)

PPS- Chandler says, "Boo! That's like my trademark saying, man!" He's a frequent visitor to my office, and I thought he would make an enjoyable contribution to this post. :)

Weary Weather...and sad times...

2008-04-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another week on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

I don't mean to bring a negative spirit to this post, yet I must affirm that plenty of sadness has been evident this past week.

One primary reason for such sadness is the loss of a woman who was dear to many people at Red Cloud. The Dean of Student's wife just passed on from cancer, and their daughter is one of my students. I am really feeling bad for the family, and so many others who found this woman an inspiration... as an auntie, sister, co-worker. I attended her wake (and sung in a choir with other members from Red Cloud) on Sunday. This was the first wake I have experienced here, and a wake is quite a momentous time of remembrance. Several elaborate cakes filled the tables, and food of all sorts abounded. Also, many star quilts hung as a backdrop for tables filled with pictures and flowers. A few different drum groups sang songs, in addition to a group with a guitar and singer.... The Jesuits also led a Catholic prayer service, during which we sang our songs.

The funeral was yesterday, but I wasn't able to go, since not everybody could leave school and all. In addition to this sadness, other students have expressed sadness at losing loved ones, and I really feel for loss, even when it's someone I didn't know well. Also, a good friend of mine recently found out about her grandmother's cancer, which is terrible news. The weather has also not boosted spirits much, being snowy, sleeting, dreary, etc.

Yet, despite all the sadness, several happy moments have occurred to bring sunshine to the week. Last Wednesday we had Lakota class, and it was quite fun, with only 5 students. We practiced constructing compound sentences (using easy words, but still!) :) And I felt as if I am really getting the hang of it... at least for a 1st level course. I will not be able to attend class tomorrow, sadly... because I will be going on the senior class retreat! :) (I'm not sad about the retreat!)

On Friday I drove the bus for the handgame players and dancers to the T. W. O. powwow, which was a really great day. I enjoy watching our students dance- they bring such a grace and reverence into the dance, whether it's traditional, grass, fancy, or jingle. The handgame teams didn't perform as well as they had hoped, but most of the experience is simply being with other powwow students (from different schools)- which is what they all love.

I was able to spend a majority of the day with this fabulous sophomore girl who has so much spunk, and we really talked about deep issues, like friendship, what makes someone beautiful, and questions about the after-life. It is of course these types of conversations that entirely energize me! At the powwow I also met a Pine Ridge bus driver, who commented on seeing me drive as he passes on the highway- and he thought it was great to have a fellow bus driver who is friendly and waves! There you go- how little we know whom our actions are uplifting!

Saturday was a rather calm day (except for the wind as I ran Manderson a.k.a. 'hilly' road)- and Sunday we had a great spirituality meeting with all the volunteers, during which we read a portion of a book that reminded me of all my theological reading and inquiry during college. It was nice to be thinking about such things once again.

How could I forget! Yesterday we had a successful blood drive here, and if I might say so myself- it was also the most successful giving-blood episode of my life! :):) Granted, this simply means that everything went according to routine, yet for me, this is a rather uncommon happening. So, I just saved three lives yesterday, your regular, ordinary, every-day hero! :)

I am busy preparing today for the senior retreat, for which I will be a bus driver/ chaperone. I am more than excited to participate once again, as I also attended the fall senior retreat. Evidently, this one makes people cry- and several seniors are asking me I'll cry. I should refer them to any of you who have seen me deliver a meaning-filled speech in front of several people. Yikes, the tears do come!!!

I am off to lunch now. I hope and pray that you all might find God's grace more abundant than ever, as I am also re-learning to rely on the grace of God.

Much love,
Emily

Volunteer bonding...

2008-04-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

This week's excitement primarily revolves around the quality time we as volunteers have spent together recently.

I say this, because from Friday at 3:08pm until Tuesday at 10:08am, school did not meet. Surely one wouldn't assume weather-related issues at this time of year, but YES! Such is the case. Sunday evening the sky took on a gloomy appearance, and snow began falling lightly (as I was busy organizing my office from the overflow of the weekend's after-school program purchases- soccer balls, kick balls, footballs, yoga mats, etc.). The lightly-falling snow soon became thick, and on the eve of the final day in March, we obtained a large enough amount of snow and slick roads to call off school for Monday. Of course, most of us volunteers were exceedingly excited, despite the fact that logically, we know it's better if the students actually have school.

So, I spent Monday baking banana bread, creating cookies, and doing other activities which did not contain as much alliteration. :) I also worked on a few interviews for the Rapid City Journal, I worked out at the P. R. fitness center for a few hours- that's right, hours. :) And I helped make a really large amount of homemade pizza for a family-style volunteer dinner, during which we welcomed back our volunteer coordinator who has been on the road since before Easter for recruitment purposes.

The turkey mushroom pizza turned out alright, but the fun times spent laughing together as a community turned out to be way better. I was reminded by this low-key snow day how much I appreciate living in this community of volunteers (seriously, our interaction alone entertains us for several hours!), in addition to being in the larger community of Red Cloud campus. It truly is one of the best aspects of my time here. I am learning to love and appreciate the concept of community, so much so, that I really never wish to live alone. Nope, not unless I am the only one left on the globe. :)

So Monday turned out to be a pretty sunny day, yet come evening (eve of April Fool's Day), snow began falling once again.... and continued falling, falling, arising hope in yet another snow day. Turns out we had a late start because of risky road conditions, but we did have school.... which was good timing for the students, since it was also0- as I mentioned- April Fools. I do not exactly know if I should share each time I revealed my gullible self to these clever students, but let me say... on several occasions, I truly believed these students' April Fool's jokes.... For example, how am I suppose to react when a young girl (who has confided in me on a number of occasions regarding boy issues) tells me she's pregnant? Yeah! A not-so-funny joke, with a number of pregnancies already occurring in school. Most jokes were less severe, but equally as believable, and I have officially determined that I dislike April Fool's Day very very very much.

Ah, and today is Wednesday, with parent/teacher conferences tonight, and yet another quiz in Lakota Language. I am feeling rather 'professional' today, since I have on a crisp white button-up shirt with brown dress pants and heels. One of the students who enjoys commenting on my wardrobe suggested right away that I look professional, with my outfit and the fact that my hair is back with glasses. Actually, this is one aspect of the job I rarely comment on, and that is, my dress. I am basically free to wear whatever I'd like, which means that some days I show up wearing jeans and sneakers with a casually nice top. Other day, such as today, I look more 'teacher-like'... but all in all, I like the variety this position offers, even in terms of wardrobe choices! :)

Okay, this is about it for today. One more comment. I am excited for the prospective volunteers who may be coming/visiting campus shortly, and so if you happen to be one of them, please know that your interest excites me very much, as I shall be coming back next year and look forward to meeting you. Ha- what a random way of welcoming, huh?

Peace be yours, during these unpredictable weeks of sprinter (if confused, refer to last week's post).

Cheery smiles and slightly lethargic morning charm,
Emily

Spring?

2008-03-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday... and I have yet to write on the blog. Please don't think I'm forgetting, because this is clearly not the case. I have only been debating whether or not I have significant contributions this week... but honestly, the standard I have devised for myself does not warrant substantial life-changing information... (or at best, rarely) :) So here goes...

I begin with a question mark behind Spring... because it is not quite evident whether or not the weather has decided to embark on a new season. The temps today suggest it would rather remain in the "sprinter" faze. (I personally think this combination of words is clever and timely, considering that track season has now begun) :)

Speaking of running, I have been diligent in my exercising efforts the past few weeks, which has subsequently given me quite a bit of energy! This is a concept I have been reflecting on lately- the idea that we all have strengths within our very personalities... and I would consider a strength of mine to be 'energy.' The task I daily assume, therefore, is to channel my energy in positive directions, such as being attentive to the subtle needs and graces of the students I work with. Another tangent thought: I find my days are more fulfilling when I am able to cease worry and allow my faith in God to manage all the challenges of the day.

So, I previously wrote of my departure for Easter break, and I should mention that it was an enjoyable time spent with family and good friends. Perhaps a few of my highlights would be: 1. a wonderful and invigorating conversation with my mother, regarding my time here at Red Cloud. 2. Seeing and spending time with my friends Denise, Janice, and Nealy. 3. Being together with all my extended family for Easter Day.

Wow, funny how one can summarize so many beautiful hours in a few sentences. I think most of you realize the beauty of a break- so I will leave it at that. :)

Upon returning to Red Cloud on Tuesday, I had the satisfying feeling of peace as I entered the campus of Red Cloud. It really is beginning to feel like home- obviously in some different ways than my home in Arlington (which will also feel like home forever, in other ways). I feel as if I 'fit' into the atmosphere of Pine Ridge, a rather laid-back, simplistic, and realistic way of life. Granted, I don't think these aspects are unique to the Rez, but for its geographical location, I would say the environment definitely retains a unique & rather 'set-apart' feel. An interesting connection might be made in the choice of terms 'set-apart', which is the definition of the word 'holy'. Yeah, I could see the connection. For as much as the Pine Ridge Reservation consistently struggles with some extremely difficult conditions (precisely for their economic isolation), the Rez also possesses a richness, a sense of sacredness, of being 'holy.' Perhaps I cannot explain myself better than this, but I stand by this rather unexpected comparison.

Yesterday I entered the school building ready for whatever might come my way... and besides substituting for my friend Katie's Spanish class (don't worry, the students were not forced to listen to me stumble over Spanish words I can't pronounce... worksheets are the answer!) :)...I had a rather calm day. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the students after this extended break, and I look forward to a month with more days of school than days off! :)

My Lakota language class last night was a whole lot of fun! We played an alteration of 'charades'... involving the pronunciation of an action verb and a proceeding demonstration of the action... followed with large amounts of laughter from everyone else. Ha, yes- good bodily-kinesthetic learning taking place, that's for sure! :)

And here I sit, substituting once again for Katie (who is gone for a grad school visit)... with a whopping TWO students in class. :) The juniors are testing for ACT reasons, and the other three seniors in the class are gone on a basketball/college visit. Yep. 2 students. Sometimes life treats me roughly. :):)

Okay, I'm signing out- hopefully you are also experiencing peace in your lives... especially after this Easter season, a season of hope, renewal, and energy! :):)

Excited about the hope found in students' creativity and the springtime flowers,

Emily

It's Easter!

2008-03-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

I write this blog shortly before taking off for Easter vacation.... actually only an hour before departure...I am assuming super-speedy typing skills for this task...

What better way to begin this post than to relay a brief interaction with a senior student this morning- which really began my day on a good note. I came into my office, to be quickly joined by a number of students eager to eat the (slightly green) bananas. As I was sitting there chatting with a few students before school began for the day, a senior came to grab a banana and leave me with this: "My, Emily, you're looking radiant today." Ha! What a great compliment. I think I smiled a bit brighter all day, thinking to myself that I evidently looked radiant, I should be radiant! :)

This short story really characterizes my day in general- and the several days preceding today as well. It has been a wonderful week, I am feeling on top of things here in the office, despite the short 3-day weeks, and I am continuing to relish the great relationships I have with so many students here. I have definitely come a long way in terms of learning what type of interaction is best received from the students, while still maintaining the line of faculty/student structure. It's a never-ending art for all teachers here at Red Cloud.

I am both happy and sad to report that the boys received 3rd place in the State A Basketball tourney in Sioux Falls this past weekend. I am happy because 3rd place is a tremendous accomplishment which should be celebrated, yet I am sad because they had their hearts set on the championship trophy, and couldn't quite pull it off. -One of those games, you know, where things happened right for the other team and wrong for us. I particularly feel bad for the seniors who obviously have been taking it with a sense of loss, although they seem to be bouncing back quickly.

Another positive note in the high school: we just received word that 12 of our 13 applicants for the Gates scholarship (a need-based full-tuition scholarship for minority students to attend any college or university through the doctorate level) made it to the final round, which basically means they simply need to fill out some confirmation details and will receive the scholarship. Hurray!!!

'Tis the end of the 3rd quarter here at Red Cloud, which means that our school year is quickly coming to a close. I do not yet know how I feel about this, considering it is sometimes difficult to feel at all, when the immediate proximity of students overtakes all sense of reflection... Yet I will say this: when I think about saying goodbye to these seniors- and the sadness I encounter- I cannot help but think how difficult it will be for those faculty members who have known them for much longer than I. It's strange to be in this role as faculty vs. the role I am accustomed to, as student. I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the senior spring retreat, in which many tears are shed (I'm told) in saying goodbye and thinking toward the future.

I didn't mention that I also had the chance to catch up with some dear friends and family over the weekend, which was wonderful! My sister and brother-in-law just signed on their new house mortgage, and I was able to assist in moving their belongings. I am grateful for being in SD for many reasons, and one of which is being closer (than most volunteers) to home.

Another reason I feel it was a great decision to come here to Pine Ridge is the receptivity of students toward a native South Dakotan. Granted, I use the term native to imply I have never known another permanent home (not in regards to my ethnicity), yet in some miraculous way, it connects me with the students... and they all respond with "Oh, that's cool!" when I say I'm originally from Arlington, SD. Who knew, huh?

I haven't written recently about my weight lifting classes. Overall they have been doing really well. I have the football coach with me during the period of 19 guys (recall the crazy 7th period class of last semester?) and they maxed out on a few lifts this week. I was thus inspired to max out on my own bench press- which came to a whopping 105 pounds. There you are, real facts about the muscle capacity of Emily Fischer.

My time is quickly coming to an end. I shall thus depart toward that which I aspire to be a relaxing and family-filled Easter break. (I have been reading Jane Eyre, the reason behind my 'thus' and 'aspire') :) I wish you all a mighty, splendid, and peaceful Easter season- in whatever way you decide to celebrate.

Sending Christ's love from me, a girl in a pink shirt with a 'radiant' smile on her face,

Emily

Another short week...

2008-03-11T09:29:00.001-07:00

Judging by the length of my last reflection, I am perhaps being a bit too detailed for everyone's sake. I shall try to adjust my writing- although details are what I feel makes my life wonderful (and supposedly entertaining enough to provide a few good stories).

I am currently sitting here substituting for the physical science teacher, and I have Dakota with me right now. He wished to be included in this post, so here he is: Dakota. Now he reads this and says, "Ah, I was messing around, don't write 'he wished'." Not sure if you should believe that or not. (I still think he 'wished') :)

Today I am happy, I think it's because I was able to run outside yesterday! I was really excited to have the chance to run on the outside track by the fitness center- and what do you know, but I ran into (not literally) my friend Robin from church. We were able to walk together for awhile, and it was great to enjoy the afternoon in such a manner.

It is, as my title suggests, another short week for us at Red Cloud, as we are now preparing to travel to the Boys State A tournament in Sioux Falls. I am not sure of my ride yet, but it'll all work out....surely, right?

Yep, only one more day of school this week, then two more 3-day weeks to follow, since Easter break is quite a few days. Anyway- talk about something more exciting, Emily. Oh, yes... last weekend I was able to travel home for the girls' State A basketball tourney in Watertown, stay with my parents, and witness the girls play some good ball... and some not-so-good ball. Overall, they really had a great season, with a strong finish as 6th at state. They lost their first game to the eventual champions, West Central, and the score margin was similar to the championship game... so they have nothing to be ashamed of. (A fight did break out between some angry Red Cloud mothers, of which I am not happy to report, so I will leave it there. Bad way to end the season... and the girls were shocked... but a good welcome-home celebration hopefully mended some ill feelings.

I am smiling now. When I don't exactly know what else to write about, I try to describe how I am at that exact moment. There you go... a little chuckle to myself as I write this....

Ah, yes. My Lakota language class. Last week I ended up getting a good score again on my quiz, and tomorrow, guess what? That's right! (assuming you read minds).... I am having a mid-term exam. Hard to believe it's already at that point in the semester, but yes! We are to present a 2 minute speech in Lakota about anything we want. Mine's pretty good (reading over this, I once again chuckled to myself at the absurdity of this statement), I basically say the same sentence over and over again, substituting various family members names and descriptions. Hey! I'll give you a sample. (NOTE: If you are a native Lakota speaker and are reading this, please forgive the occasional mistake which might pop up unexpectedly) :)

Hau. Emily Fischer emaciyapi. Mahpi ya Luta Owayawa el wati. (Hi! My name is Emily Fischer. I live at Red Cloud Indian School) Wakalapi na mni wastewalaka. (I like coffee and water.) Atewaye kin Wayne Fischer eciyapi na Ina waye kin Melanie Fischer eciyapi. Arlington, SD el tipi. (My father's name is Wayne Fischer and my mother's name is Melanie Fischer. They live at Arlington, SD). THERE YOU GO! My first official Lakhota paragraph. I can always write more, but you must special request, in fear that this is dreadfully boring to some.

Okay, I guess there's not a whole lot coming to mind at present. I realized this weekend how appreciative I am of my parents, supporting and suggesting all my various activities throughout my school years, because I know I have definitely benefited from the many experiences- and not many kids here are able to have those opportunities. Little high-school flashback for me, explaining to my fellow volunteers all the random activities I participated in during high school. :):)

I do want to send out a generic (but extremely heart-felt) apology to any friends and/or family members who happen to be reading this and thinking.... "Hey, why isn't Emily using this time to call me? After all, it's been one and a half decades since I've spoken with her!" I know, although it might be a slight exaggeration to say it's been decades (come now,)... I do feel disconnected for some reason with dear ones, and I apologize! Perhaps when ball season ends, I will be better about that. Perhaps... but you're welcome to get on my case about it as well. I shall accept criticism regarding this matter. :)

Okay, sending much love, as I look forward to stepping out into the 60 degree weather to go start my bus! (notice: I did NOT say 'warm-up' the bus. Hurray!)

Smiles, and a sweetly slight cock of the head,
Emily

State Bound Again!

2008-03-05T18:52:00.000-08:00

What up?

(this is how I address several students. Although it may be difficult to envision me saying this naturally- it's quite the phenomenon- that I invite you to experience sometime!).

The good news of the week? Well, our boys basketball team, who have all been working tremendously hard- not only this season, but throughout the year- preparing for this moment, successfully attained what they set out for... a chance at the State A 2008 BB title. A little background information: basketball is the culmination of life and energy on the Rez (I believe I've mentioned this in previous blogs)... and last night, our boys team beat the #2 team in the state, St. Thomas More (2006 & 2007 state champions, at that)....The score was 55 to 54, or something close- with the outcome determined largely on accurate shooting from the free throw line. "Well done, Saders!" I say in my scratchy 'I yelled all day yesterday' voice.

I feel as if I'm leaving out the wonderful details which make stories worthwhile...so here are a few anecdotes (a term my housemate Mike enjoys using)... So Tuesday had been looming in my mind as a pretty event-filled day, and I was entirely accurate, only slightly underestimating the stress which would come w/ the day.... Ha, bet you're curious....

Yesterday (this being THE Tuesday)... I was busy planning good-luck packages for the boys' team (regional game) and the girls' team (leaving for state in Watertown) Oh yes, and I was also in charge of planning the pep rally for state)... this all in addition to a million and one random requests from students, generally related to the fan bus for the boys regional game. (One might never consider the necessary details and sometimes unnecessary requests created by students desiring to ride the fan bus- until one actually organizes the aforementioned fan bus). (AND- One might never realize how often a 'student activities' directors gets asked the question: "So, what do you DO all day?"). I smile and reassure myself that my position is entirely worthwhile, and students know seemingly little about organizational responsibility.

Sorry, that sounded wordy and academic... and quite frankly, this isn't a wordy and academic job. Here: TOO MANY STUDENTS, SOME COMPLAINING, MUCH CREATIVITY, LOTS OF EXCITEMENT...all fell into my lap Tuesday. So, I manage to pull off leading the pep rally minus a microphone (which came as I was finishing my final directions)... and yelling an entire roster of players above the perpetual claps of a 250 person crowd hurts the throat a bit, I must say.

One learning experience: don't trust the roster you hastily print off the website, because this roster may happen to omit a very wonderful girl (whom I also teach in weight-lifting). And so, after excitedly listing off and calling down (supposedly all) the players, I begin mentioning the coaches, at which time the head coach whispers this girl's name- and I immediately feel awful, announce her name of course (a few guys help out by chanting her name), and she initially refuses to come down, with tears filling her eyes. Way to go, Emily, perhaps one of the worst moments for this dear girl. I think she's only partially scarred by the experience, as I later explained the stupid (on my part) mishap...and she smiles graciously... but still! I did feel horrible.

Okay... on to the fan bus. We are all set at 8am Tuesday to take 45 students. 12pm, it becomes 50 students. 3pm, 55 students, 4:30pm- a fluctuation between 55 and 60 students (no stress involved here, of course) "Hey Emily! Can me and someone else ride the fan bus?" (1/2 hr. later) same person: "Emily, we want our money back. We have a ride." Yeah! I'm not busy at all, let me just take care of that for you! :):) Okay, honestly, it wasn't that bad, but managing the plans of (at least) 15 unsure students is not easy.

So, 5pm... we gather the last of the (54) students and head off to Rapid...oh, I haven't mentioned the horrible weather conditions. Yep, sure enough- Me, having relatively little concern for weather forecasts suddenly becomes aware that roads are NOT favorable. Yet we set off anyway.... Getting to the Civic Center is no problem, I haggle w/ a few rude fans who won't give up their seats for our Red Cloud students (by the way- these fans didn't even cheer. Just sat on their stubborn butts throughout the entire game... as I tried hard to keep my negative comments purely personal... while standing in the aisle of the bleachers, cheering my heart out).

AND WE WON. Overall a wonderful game. If you're entirely interested, I'm sure articles have been written elsewhere. I cheered and yelled a lot, as one might imagine, and I was blissfully clueless concerning the large amount of snow and ice that was forming on the roads outside. After the game I become aware of this potentially dangerous situation, speak with our concerned Superintendent (who happens to be great, by the way), and dedicate myself to careful and attentive driving (don't worry, I do in more favorable weather conditions as well). :) We make it to McDonalds to eat quickly before the long ride back, but not before enjoying the extraordinary debut of Emily's bus fishtailing. Ha, I did receive a few cheers from the students, who apparently noticed my mad maneuvering skills. :)

And the roads were slick. I was tired (but not extremely).... and along with one other fishtailing episode, we made it back safely to Red Cloud by the early time of 1:30am. EARLY in the MORNING that is! So, a two-hour late start was entirely welcome... YEY!

I just now spent a lot of time typing one story- precisely one day's worth. Gosh, I apologize if you're bored. I guess that's the story for the day- as I visualize all of you beginning to scan this blog like a text book, looking for anything interesting and letting the rest slide. Don't feel guilty, it's totally fine. I understand.

Highlights from the rest of the week. I still (somehow) am managing an A+ in Lakota Language... just aced another quiz today (on kinship terms... crazy stuff, I tell you!). I am packing up tonight to head to Watertown with Katie, John, and Peter (who all, by the way, happened to assist in chaperoning the fan bus last night!) for the girls' State A tournament. I am thoroughly excited, and my wonderful mom is preparing good food and clean sheets to sleep on! What more could I ask for?

I love the students. Oh yes, one great story I thought I'd share: So this sophomore, (we'll call her Sharon)... is quite the cool girl, helping me with Lakota, sharing her boy fears and dreams with me, and always commenting on my hair and clothing choices. Anyway- I introduced her to Natasha Bedingfield's song: "Single" about how great it is to be comfortable and confident being single. This was quite awhile ago, and we enjoyed it together for awhile- and her interest seemed to dissipate. However, in the last few weeks, I have enjoyed the (more than) daily moments in which Sharon will walk past me singing this song and dancing with enthusiasm, to which I respond with my own crazy dance move- and she erupts in giggles and heads off to class. I love these moments. (by the way, her 'boy drama' has calmed considerably, and I think she is ACTUALLY becoming okay with being 'single'!). See how my stories reveal the deep source of my joy with these students? Yep- that's right. Little things become meaningful with consistency and sincerity of relationships.

Yep, that's enough for now. I think this is a rather long blog, but I am a little late, I realize, so to you regular subscribers, I thank you and wish you God's blessings for remaining interested in my event-filled life here on the Pine Ridge.

Much love, like munching on Golden Oreos,

Emily

State Bound!!!

2008-02-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

Why hello- a bit late, I realize....

For which, I'm confident you'll forgive me, when I share about my day yesterday.... 2 essential points: 1. I took the student council to Custer for the 2nd half of our exchange experience. 2. I took a fan bus to Rapid for the girls' regional bball game, which THEY WON!!!!!

This past week has really been a bit of a blur, since I have felt so busy, a phenomenon I have been trying to avoid while being here. I have gathered this notion (from college) that being busy is different than having a full schedule. I generally have a full schedule here, what with my random jobs and all, yet I rarely feel 'busy', like the 'no time to think or process' busy. And unfortunately this week I have felt like that- mainly just Sunday through today....

On Friday I worked the concessions stand for the final boys' regular season b-ball game, which was a wonderful way to- again- smell like popcorn (I literally made popcorn for 2 1/2 hours straight!)... but the more exciting part is their overall excellent performance this season (only one loss), which is continuing on into playoffs. Do not confuse the girls' success with the boys'... because boys are still in districts playoffs (tomorrow's the championship between Custer and Red Cloud)... then on to regions, and if they win- STATE! The girls', now, have already obtained their place among the top eight in the state- with last night's victory! :) *Off to Watertown, SD for State, yeah yeah! My home country!

Saturday I spent a majority of the beautiful day outside, playing basketball (and beginning my career as a b-ball coach by teaching my housemate Erin a few tips!), going for a long walk and sinking into the mud while simultaneously shrieking with surprise and delight, and going for a hike through the snow-laden hills behind our campus. Overall, a beautiful day spent with friends and nature.

My co-volunteer Ben and I decided to head to Custer on Sunday (as if I wouldn't be getting enough travel in during the week's events) :) for a summer-job interview. We have decided to be the co-coordinators for a summer program which runs through Outlaw Ranch, in which we will 'host' various youth groups who will come to the reservation for a service/cultural immersion trip. I think it will work really well, particularly with my other plans of enjoying sista's wedding, and chaperoning Red Cloud seniors on a backpacking trip in Colorado! More on this later, of course.

After spending a weekend being active- and ignoring a bit of the coming week's details- I began what was a whirlwind of work on Monday. Some days- and I know you've all experienced them- really challenge me to stay focused on the positive, and Monday was one of them. Of course as you might imagine, I did find the positive (since that's how I roll) yet my day did not end until 11:30pm, when I scraped out the final caramel roll onto a paper plate for the student council trip the next morning....

*(One point of interest... Ken, the senior student body president, approached me Friday afternoon with an idea for student to raise money for the Hill City wrestler Dusty Swanson who became paralyzed at last week's regional wrestling tournament. Since our b-ball game was against Hill City, he suggested doing a 50/50 raffle for Dusty and his family; thus, we raised nearly $600 dollars, 1/2 of which we presented to Dusty with a card signed by several students. What a great and spontaneous act of generosity by the student body and crowd. These moments give me true hope.)

And I must say- apart from the massive headache from 3 1/2 hours of pounding rock music- the student council trip to Custer was a great success. (Yeah, um, Custer's a LOT different, but the exchange of ideas was valuable none-the-less). I did maybe leave (accidentally) one of my students at Red Cloud, but hey! 2 things going for me- 1. he didn't turn in a permission slip and 2. he wasn't on time. There you go! I'm in the clear. ;):)

The game last night was quite the event! We took a fan bus, which consisted of 34 students and 3 chaperone's, and actually the girls' were picked to lose to St. Thomas More- but they played hard and came out about 8 points on top... which means this will be their 2nd state showing in two consecutive years!!!

I think I will wrap this up, since I have yet to study (and finish the worksheet) for my Lakota class tonight... oops! Definitely not expecting a good score tonight! The material is covering relations vocabulary and sentences....and I must say- you'll be amazed to hear all the variations on 'grandfather,' 'aunt,' 'mother,' 'cousin,' etc.... all depending on the speaker's relationship to the person.

Yep- definitely gotta go. Until next time, may you find similar joy in reflecting on your life- and I'm always up to hearing your reflections as well!!!

Peace, Emily

Valentine's come and gone...

2008-02-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

Surprise!!! Cherished Photos!!!

(above) Sophomore playing handgames

Another sophomore (leaving out names on purpose) and I

Senior Pow-wow dancing (fancy shawl)

Junior posing with his dancing regalia

Wrestling team- we've bonded through weekend tourneys

Sophomore class president & bright girl.

Two former students (juniors)

Freshman & Sophomore Handgame players

Girls' basketball team (at Redfield)

Why hello!!! Yes, you are correct- I finally POSTED PICTURES!!! And being the nice person I am... the pictures come before the writing, thus allowing you the decision to simply look at the pictures or to delve further into the magical storyland of Red Cloud...

It is after-school today, and what? NO A. S. PROGRAM? Why? Well, I suppose a number of reasons, really.... but my main reaction is- who cares? I love an afternoon off!

So I thought it would be an afternoon off, yet it turns out when there is no structured program, students congregate in my office! (I must admit to enjoying this experience)... It gives me time to further understand and connect with a few students, yet it also leaves me less time to write my blog... which is one reason this will perhaps be truncated and finished later (bus #3 is sitting alone & cold right now, soon to be enjoying the presence of Emily and company)... but currently my office is hopping with a frequent visitor--- JESSE!

I commented a few weeks ago about this boy named Jesse who is planning on becoming an Iron-Chef...like the TV show, and he wanted me to say a few more things about him, so here goes.....

1. He is Superman, Batman, and Spiderman combined into one.

2. Because of my recent blog post, which thrusted him into fame (as he so believes)...he is officially too cool to talk to me.

3. 1/2 second after saying that, he adds that if I added a picture of him, I would receive more hits on my blogsite. :) (will do later)

4. He likes to eat apples.

There you go ladies and gentlemen.... Jesse Waters (which was also his decision to post his full name).... :) Soon-to-be, Mr. Everything.

I must say- it has truly been a good day. I came to school ready to accept whatever the students offered, in terms of issues, fun interaction, and the usual graces of the day... (I also pray each morning for grace to simply and authentically 'be' with these precious students). I don't mean to say precious as in 'pinch their cheeks' precious, rather, the type of 'they don't yet realize their worth' precious. Thus, I reflect on this past week, knowing that I am grateful for all aspects of this job, even the ones that are frustrating at times... since I am in the front lines of learning more about myself by way of interacting with Red Cloud students...

In no apparent order, here are the events of my past week... quite varied, yet continually meaningful and... well... fun!

It is now late evening, and I am continuing this post after another basketball game. I don't think I have exactly discussed how much basketball is the core of many things here at Red Cloud- social interaction, community togetherness, fundraising (I was asked three times tonight to buy a raffle ticket for propane), and school spirit. I worked at the concessions stand, and it is marvelous bonding time with juniors. I must say... they really do a fantastic job of tormenting me with their little tricks and such... to which I most often respond with genuine gullibleness. I think that's maybe not a word, but hopefully you understand, and if you're as gullible as me, you'll think it is! :)

I couldn't reflect on this week without mentioning the chaos that was Valentine's Day! I spoke last week about selling "crush-o-grams" which were a popular fundraiser, for sure! I sold out of them and began selling "kit-kat grams" (do with what you have, right?) :) Anyway- it was a success on almost all accounts... except for those whom made several comments all day about not receiving one- I did feel quite bad for those students. I also received a card from several different students- which were all hand-made and adorable!

Ah, and this past Saturday I went skiing for the first time in seven years. Yes, you may be chuckling to yourself as the mental image of me on the bunny slope fills your mind. However, I have a different picture for you to paint- and perhaps it is even better! So I get to the ski area, and as luck would have it... they are out of ski rentals for the day... until I coax my way into the front of the 'paper line'... (I think my friend Nicole actually made this happen)... anyway, I get skis just as the Rapid City power goes off, disenabling the ski lifts.... so Nicole and I are feeling ambitious- and decide to CLIMB the first slope I've been down in 7 years. I know, pretty impressive, right? Well, it was only 1/2 way up the bunny slope... ha.... yeah, but still! Climbing none-the-less. I skiid (I want to mention at this point that I always find it difficult to write the word 'ski' in various forms) down a total of 7 or so slopes... but it was super fun... and I was able to hang out a bit that night with some dear friends....

I will briefly skim over the fact that I also missed my exit on the interstate coming back- putting me well on my way to- what I believe was- Interior, Sd. HA. Speaking on your cell phone isn't all that great while driving. Enough Said.

Did I mention my hair smells like popcorn?

I need to finish up here soon, because I have this new goal of getting 9 hours of sleep a night this week. I feel as if I'm the best version of myself with that much sleep... and quite frankly, who doesn't want to be the best version of themselves, right?

I have another Lakota quiz in class tomorrow... and not wanting to brag, I'll briefly share that I receive more than a perfect score on my last week's quiz.... :):) (clearing throat, trying not to sound overly confident)... I did have some senior guys quiz me today on my Lakota for tomorrow- Yeah, I need to study.

Well, this about concludes what I would say is a rather random yet fun-filled rambling of Pine Ridge and the stories which are embedded in this experience of a lifetime.

Truly, gratefully, and- still smelling like popcorn,
Emily

Full & Fulfilling

2008-02-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

Why hello!!!

I write again from a slightly scattered, yet quickly calming mood.

Today has been quite the chaos! Partly due to my own fault, and partly circumstantial. HA! I shall begin backwards on recounting my week, since today must be recorded!

So yesterday we got out at 9:30am (wait, this is necessary to today's story, trust me)- such the full (1hr 20min) school day! :) I spent my time at school until 2pm, working on various projects, and enjoying some good chat time with fellow faculty... then worked out for awhile, made dinner, basically enjoying the down time... WELL. I find out shortly before going to bed that we would be having a late start today (I forgot to mention this all involves the accumulated snow outside). Good news, right? The story thus begins... (She sets the alarm for a luxurious 8am)

7:47am- Emily wake up on her own, only to fall asleep again.
7:51- 10:23am- Emily sleeps soundly, evidently through alarm, knocks on the door, and a phone call.
10:23am- Emily's cell phone rings...who would be calling this early in the morning?
10:25am- It occurs to Emily that she is EXTREMELY late to school. (which began at 10am)
10:32am- Emily makes it to school and having just checked her messages, realizes that some fellow teachers are gone for the day and cannot make it back (snow related once again) for school. Hence, Emily is suppose to sub again today.
10:35am- Some students are let out for the "women in science" trip planned for today- which Emily was also suppose to chaperone- to Rapid.
10:35-10:45am- Emily frantically pulls her things together, confirms she cannot sub, and tries finding the van to leave for Rapid.
10:45am- Emily returns unsuccessful from multiple trips outside looking for the van. Hmm, seems to have left without her.
11:16am- Emily begins subbing today...
12:30am- Returning to sub once again, Emily finds the ART ROOM FLOODED (with snow run-off).... The rest of the subbing is chaotic, in trying to find places for the students to go, things to occupy their time, and workable TV systems to watch an Art video.

Relatively unsuccessful on all accounts, Emily resigns to her office after school and celebrates the fact that she has sold over 40 Crush-0-Grams for Valentine's day in the midst of the chaos.

Ha, quite the day (or quite the 4 1/2 hours, that is!)- yet somehow wonderfully satisfying as well; when I'm not in control, I can choose to realize that, or fight it, and I think I did a little of both today....

Gosh, so much more to say (and bus #3 awaiting my keys), but basically this past weekend I had a volunteer retreat, during which I announced to the group that I have plans to stay on another year- more thoughts on this later.

Overall, a relatively splendid week, and tomorrow will be full as well, with Custer HS coming to visit, and my very first Lakota Language quiz! (need I mention I haven't studied yet?)

Alright, I shall be posting new pictures soon, of my students dancing at a Pow Wow and of various other things... However, they have yet to be put onto the computer.

One wonderful note... my office currently (WHAT?)...sorry, couldn't hear myself over the sound of the extractor!!! That's right, the snow run-off also seeped into my office, even though I am not by the outside, weird! My office is essentially 'room-locked' yet I still have a flooded carpet? Strange engineering!

Okay, I really must go, although I hate leaving a post feeling that so much is yet to be said. Perhaps my pictures will appear sooner than a week. I'd really like that, and maybe you would too! (and I've been told a picture is worth a thousand words) :)

Until my words meet your eyes once again,

Emily

February comes at last...

2008-02-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

It's February- actually, 5 days into February, which honestly is a little difficult to believe.

However, accepting this in faith, I shall proceed to explain the continual excitement which my past week here at Red Cloud involves...

I spoke last of anticipation regarding my Lakota Language course, and I am pleased to report that my mood upon returning from class was one of invigoration and excitement at the prospect of learning this difficult language! One reason I find this endeavor useful is the Lakota Language is the foundation of the culture- and by learning the various speech patterns, I shall hopefully also learn important aspects of the culture! :) Wish me luck!

I would like to introduce myself now... 'Emily Fischer emaciyapi ye' & the translation for Red Cloud Indian School is 'Mahpiya Luta Owayawa,' but I cannot remember how to put it together.... I'll work on that. I've basically learned some of the correct pronunciations and a few general grammatical rules, but it was an intense 2 1/2 hours of Lakhota, so basically I really don't know how much I've retained. I did review last night, however, and I really want to get pronunciation correct, that's my most immediate concern.

Oh yes, well- we have a changed situation here at Red Cloud- our volunteer coordinator recently resigned, and now Paddy will be taking over his position- which means our current full-time sub will be taking over Paddy's classes... leaving the rest of us (and me at a definite disadvantage w/ only 2 structured periods of the day) to fill more subbing positions. Ah, a bit frustrating yesterday (with a surprise day full of subbing- and a long list of items which remained un-accomplished), but the prospect seems more promising after a day of only subbing 2 periods... yes, my job has become a bit more hectic, yet entirely manageable- thus far!

I also received a surprise bus run this weekend, taking the wrestling team to Pierre and Fort Pierre for a tournament (Fri- Sat). The entire trip was fine- although the arrival back to campus was much later than expected... however I will forever count my blessings with a successful bus run after the recent bus-trauma we have been experiencing as a community! :)

A few blessed points of my bus driving this weekend involved the genuine appreciation and joy I sensed from the wrestlers. They are a wonderful group of guys, and in their own way, they all show me that they appreciate not only my (fabulous) bus driving skills, but also my (occasionally over-zealous) enthusiasm and support of the team. On the way to Pierre, we were jamming out to some tunes on the radio, and a commercial came on about sobriety checks, following which they all checked in with me to make sure- as the driver- I was doing okay! :)

One guy came up to help change the radio station, and in leaving he says, "Emily, you're doing a GREAT job of bus driving!" Awe, how wonderful to hear these much sought-after words! Another guy came up to talk a bit and give me a tootsie roll for my efforts. Still another gave me a hug on the way out, thanking me for driving. It's in these little moments that I do experience the grace of God- and I become consumed with an immense feeling of peaceful joy and reassurance that God is truly present in all my interaction with these (have I mentioned wonderful?) students! :):)

Speaking of wonderful students, one came into my office at this very moment, and just asked me "Hey, do you know I am a really great cook?" Well, no- I didn't, Jesse. "Yep, I'm one of the best cooks in my house- macaroni and cheeze, goulosh, spaghetti, taco salad, and gravy- gravy's easy!" ...Ha- thought you'd appreciate a tidbit of the many conversations which occur in this office daily.... Oh, he also just informed me he WILL be an 'Iron-Chef' someday (evidently it's a TV show)- and proceeds to explain that he would rather cook beef than seafood (because you don't see the cow's head, you only see the live lobsters and such)- and he challenged me to a cooking competition.

I hope that explains a bit why I love conversing with these brilliant-minded students, who despite their (at times) difficult situations, still aspire to the best... like cooking spaghetti on a TV show! :)

Sunday I enjoyed a nice run through the masses of snow which still cover the cross-country trail, but it was such a nice day- I couldn't help but feel invigorated by trudging through the shin-high snow! After what was a surprisingly relaxing weekend (w/ factoring in the bus driving and all)... I had a good Monday- well, for the most part good.... yet I suppose you know by now that I tend to find the good in all situations, so you can assume that Monday wasn't a GREAT day- but most likely an ordinary day.

The girls' b-ball team won a 70-30 victory over Hill City last night, and for once I was able to go simply as a spectator and fan, rather than a 'faculty on duty' person. I enjoy sitting in the student section and cheering really loudly, drawing several strange glances from younger kids who don't know me and my enthusiasm yet. The high schoolers do, evidently, b/c it doesn't faze them... :) I was able to convince some freshman girls to stand up with me for a cheer, though- and it gave me the impression that enthusiasm simply waits for a confident owner before it can spread.

Tonight I am planning to play b-ball in a scrimmage with the Oglala Lakota College girl's team. YIKES! To give you a preview of the quality play our team (of eclectic talent) will produce... some played b-ball in 4th grade, some in high school, and perhaps some none at all! :) YES! I'll let you know how it goes.

Okay, that's all for now, and good timing too, since #15 bus is calling my name! "Coming, oh sovereign activity run, coming!" Gosh, sometimes that's just how it is!

May much peace me yours as you also trudge through the snows of winter (although perhaps yours will not be for sheer enjoyment/exercise) :):)

Until my Lakota improves and I make this a bi-lingual site, Good-bye!
Emily

PS- I don't intent to suggest the aforementioned bi-lingualism shall occur ANY time soon. :)

2008-01-29T09:03:00.000-08:00

Well hello Again!!!

The time seems to fly beneath my excitable feet!

Not sure if that makes any sense, but I decided to try poetic devices (perhaps I should flee from this notion)....anyway... this week has been wonderful in many ways, and frightening in many others...

First of all, my time has been surprisingly full, even without the weight lifting classes to attend. Honestly, I miss that interaction with students on a consistent basis, particularly since it's a new group of guys and I am not able to see their first few weeks! Oh well, it was decided between Cory and I that I would regularly be a part of 5th period weights, since the class is 6 girls, and he feels uncomfortable w/ the class being in a rather remote location... just to be cautious (since no one else is around the gym at that time, like we had during 7th period guys last semester).... Anyway, that's exciting for me, as I am happy to be a part of that class (and the girls assured me they are as well).

So, with that to look forward to, I am glad to see Cory doing well in his student teaching. We really have worked together well, and his ideas are good, including a few more points of structure to the class. I feel much more confident about 2nd semester classes, and I think perhaps any confidence will be more than I had before beginning classes this year, since being a new teacher is incredibly intimidating! By the end of 1st semester, however, I felt quite close with the girls in my class, and I wrote them all a card, which I think they appreciated! (hmm, this occurred awhile back, but I think I forgot to mention it).

Alas, my news is not over.... as I have a bus episode to relay. Actually a few.... yet neither involve me as the driver, exactly. Okay- story #1: A few weeks ago I was sick so another volunteer agreed to take my bus run. At the last minute I checked in to see if she wanted me to drive, since I was capable, although not very well. She assured me it was fine- and I thought nothing of it, until she returned and I came to understand that she actually got stuck for about 45 minutes- and had an awful time of trying to get out, etc. I thought to myself, hmmm, lucky me, being sick and all.... :):)

Story #2: Last Friday I was driving to the Pow Wow (which I shall speak on further)... and I came upon what seemed like a bus accident just outside Red Cloud! I thought to myself- please don't be a Red Cloud bus!!! Yet sure enough, one of our busses was in the ditch (mind you, several cop cars surrounded the scene as well, adding to the suspense)...while another of our busses was pulling it out of the ditch. I was concerned for the driver, but I was also on a mission of sorts (again, will elaborate later)...so I couldn't turn around to be with this volunteer and hear the story... thus, I heard the story later: while driving back to Red Cloud, Amanda (name changed for privacy) drove the bus about 50 mph, clearly under the speed limit- yet all of the sudden came upon a BLACK HORSE running toward her on the highway! Amanda swerved to miss it, yet hit it anyway and proceeded down into the opposite-side ditch. WOW! I could not believe she hit a horse with a bus- not that it had anything to do with her fault, but why was a black horse on the highway? Your guess is as good as mine.

In other news, my 1st Lakota/Lakhota class on Wednesday ended up to be cancelled, since the instructor went to the wrong college site. hopefully this week he gets it right, I want to learn Lakhota!!! :) Also, I went to the Pow Wow on Friday in Pine Ridge, which was a wonderful time- it wasn't too packed, but several Red Cloud students and faculty were there, so it was great to be a part of it...and actually, I went in a special capacity (which is why I didn't have the option of turning back when I came upon the bus incident)... I went as a REPORTER! Yes, you may be asking- for whom? Well, the Rapid City Journal recently contacted me about reporting from the Pine Ridge area, and that is precisely what I will be doing.... in fact, my first article was about the hand games competition at the Powwow, and you will find it at this site:

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/01/26/news/local/doc479c1344677a3864261237.txt

I say this week has been wonderful, because of the many new opportunities which have been present, and also I am extremely grateful for my health, but the scary parts have also come along with the good, including the horse incident, which puts me on edge as I drive at night, and I was extremely nervous about my article which I submitted for the Sunday paper.

Overall I would say that I feel satisfied, since I spend my days doing what I love- interacting with people of all ages, particularly youth, planning and organizing various events, being available for random assignments, working out, spending down time with my housemates, and doing the occasional living room dance... when flooded with a surge of energy or excitement. You know me- and I assume this statement does not surprise you!

Okay, I am calling it quits for tonight. I shall go retrieve the van bus keys for tomorrow, since I will be going to the Treaty Council with my student council- oh so exciting! I shall report more later. This moment of the week always excites me, as I push the 'publish post' button and share my energetic, albeit random, happenings and thoughts.

Much peace be yours- and watch out for those black horses!
Emily

Well at last...

2008-01-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

What a difference having your health will make! My goodness, I feel so much better now that I am nearly over whatever dreadful virus took hold of my system this past month! And good thing, since I have much to tell....

Last week was a combination of trying to get well and enduring the anticipation which accompanies having good days, only to be reminded the next day of your continued illness. However, I am feeling my best yet, which is a wonderful way to enter this new semester.

Last week the students had the final week of 1st semester classes, including the highly anticipated semester finals!!! My week at school began pretty slowly, with my weight lifting classes maxing out for a final grade and after-school program consisting primarily of study hall...(which I happened to moderate two consecutive days, for lack of ambition in recruiting another faculty member). Tuesday came, and along with it- the possible idea of taking a fan bus to the Hanson Classic in Mitchell, SD (appx. 5 hours in a bus). Hmm, my initial reaction? Nope. Sorry guys. Yet after a conversation with the principal, and receiving his 'blessing' of sorts, I quickly worked out the necessary details and soon had a fan bus permission slip filtering through the mass of students. Needless to say, that- along with after-school program, sophomore student council re-elections, containing crazy boys the last week of weight lifting, new student council plans, and basketball games, I had a wonderfully productive and full week!!!

So I come to the point of sharing what is perhaps one of the most adventurous stories of my time here yet!!! Here goes.... All the necessary details were in place for our trip to Mitchell to cheer on our guys who happened to be playing a local rival, St. Thomas More of Rapid City, in the final 'capstone' game of the Hanson Classic. After securing what seemed like many unknowns concerning a possible sellout at the Corn Palace and number of students attending, etc., I felt good about our trip. Saturday morning I am warming the bus up in my warmest attire (yep, pretty darn cold here, at present), and have much excitement about this long day.... after all, it will totally be worth the trip- allowing a number of students to participate in the game, whereas otherwise they would not have the transportation to make it happen personally. Plus, I had spoken with my parents, and they managed to come out for the game as well- so bonus, right? I even snuck away from the crowd for dinner and conversation with my parents!

Turns out the bus ride there was great- a few stops later, we arrive on time in Mitchell to buy admittance for everyone, hurray! After waiting through a few games prior to ours (and enduring the chaos of limited seating), we finally find room in the student cheering section to watch the action up close (turns out all my scheming of how to sound authoritative when procuring seats for my fans in a sell-out crowd wasn't so necessary after all)... Anyway, the game was close, and the last four minutes were so nerve racking (for me, that is)...that I simply could NOT sit down. Our team won by a few points, our cheering section rocked, and all was well as we headed home....

You may be asking at this point...what, exactly is so adventurous about this story? Well, if this is you, then the excitement begins... My other driver Joe and I decide to split the trip home, so he agreed to drive the first portion of the trip, and I the second. We make our way on the interstate just fine, until about 1 1/2 hours outside Mitchell.... the bus begins to have issues. At first some minor things, like going more slowly up hills (and I'm well aware now that this simply happens in a school bus sometimes)...but I soon recall driving this way TO Mitchell, and not having any problems with hills. Okay, so we go a little further and the speed begins plummeting....as in, we are now going 25 mph. So, I make the executive decision to pull over the bus and I get out to inspect under the hood (I know, you may be slightly skeptical, but I was seemingly the most knowledgable adult present...remember me passing the 80 pt. bus inspection? Yep, that's right). Okay, although we found out what amounted to very little, we did attract several vehicles' attention, including the Red Cloud team bus, a very fortunate happening.

Knowing little about the fate of our bus, we get going once again as I make several phone calls to secure the relocation of our students....So the team bus graciously waited for us in Murdo, SD... and after we chugged along (our speed slightly increased after stopping...what a great idea, Emily!)... we finally made it to Murdo and sent the students on their way home. The excitement continued for me and the rest of the chaperones, as we tried putting additive to the fuel in order to 'de-wax' the fuel filter... but after waiting for awhile at the truck stop and cruising along the highway at a max speed of 35 mph, we decide to go back into Murdo and leave the bus there (on instruction from our bus garage manager, Linn). Most thankfully, Russ our dean of students happened to present in the mix and was able to give us exhausted and relieved chaperones a ride back to Red Cloud. As a capstone to the night, I shall say that we also got the car stuck in a snowbank AFTER arriving back to Red Cloud...and the driver's name shall remain anonymous! (it wasn't me!) :) All in all, it amounted to a pretty fantastic adventure, even after falling down laughing in a snowbank at 4 am.

Whew, little space to say much else- but I do have a few things to comment on, as you know- it's always a good time here in Pine Ridge! I shall be starting a Lakota Language class at the Pine Ridge OLC college center, and today's my first class!!! I am super pumped, as another co-worker Leah will be taking the class with me! And speaking of Leah (who teaches art)- I shall perhaps be participating in her sculpture class as well, 2nd period, what fun! AND one week from today, our student council will be traveling to the Treaty Council for the Reservation, which includes a visit from both senators and our SD representative... a good experience for the student council, and a great time off school for me! :):)

I believe that is about it- still managing to get details in place for the Custer HS exchange visit, and I am also adjusting these next several weeks to the idea of not having weight lifting class! Turns out my student activities roles actually do take up much of my time here- which is a wonderful thing...the days I am productive are the days I leave with a smile on my face.

I wish you all well- to whomever might be reading this- and for those who expected something yesterday, my apologies, thus far I haven't received any hate mail from a certain friend in Cali., so I think I'm alright. :)

Much love to you all- and if you ever have questions about Pine Ridge, do let me know, b/c sometimes I get so immersed in my daily routine, I forget that major happenings occur all around me here on the Rez. Okay, peace out!

Emily

Brighter days ahead.

2008-01-14T08:48:00.000-08:00

I have chosen to frame my current situation within a positive mindset.

See, I have been sick now for three weeks. I feel as if this is some unjust life circumstance, considering the fact that I lead an otherwise very healthy lifestyle. However, I realize that sickness is simply a test of patience, and although it has at times brought me to tears of frustration, I am overall quite positive about the situation (the situation being my sinusitis has transformed into bulging tonsils w/ white spots....hmmm).... so despite the 1/2 way closed off throat, I am feeling a bit better. :)

On to more important events in my life. I successfully managed an entire week of school upon coming back to Red Cloud. I recall writing last time about my hesitations, concerns about the level of reception from students, and my goodness, I should not have worried! The first morning I was back, students were waiting by my door to come in and speak with me about break- or whatever drama happened to be occuring in their lives. :) And of course I was immediately reminded of why I love this job so much! Despite being sick (and honestly, when you're sick, students are worried for you, it's great!)...the interaction with students was still great. One girl in particular I am extremely concerned about, which has been a little disheartening, yet it's also great to know that she continues to be honest with me.

Hmm, bus driving was a bit slow this week. Funny how I think about bus driving being a means toward really great stories- but none to speak of, really. Monday I had exactly 1 student to drive home (I know, feels a bit silly in a big 'ole bus w/ 1 student), yet it was fantastic, since I am close with her and we shared some much needed girl talk! :)

Oh yes, my new student teacher, Cory. He's really fun to have around, he asks good questions, observes while simultaneously planning his own class policies (which may be quite a bit different than mine, since he actually must make lesson plans, etc.) :) I like to have someone to share my weight room interactions with on a daily basis, and he is interested yet also fine with moments of no conversation, which is a blessing as well! Hmmm, gosh, I feel as if last week was a daze in many ways, since I was sick and not thinking 100% clearly. After school program, pretty great! I took the study hall on Thursday, and of course I love being there to hear the ranting of high schoolers, complaining about who knows what- instead of working on homework. It is a challenge I have, to balance chat time with true work time for those students who are failing (since....as you might imagine....the students who are failing often times do so b/c of their tendencies toward chatting!)

Oh, how could I forget!!! This weekend possesses a truly entertaining story from my Saturday excursion to Chadron. A few points to mention from Katie's experience: 1. Pharmacies need the Licence number of your doctor to process a prescription. 2. NO hair-cutting place in Chadron is open on the weekends. 3. Not all Super-Walmarts have hair-cutting facilities. Okay, on the entertaining, although less-informative part of my Saturday....

So a group of us 1st year teachers met up for dinner and a movie in Chadron, which was excellent time spent discussing the blessings and curses of various students :):):) Okay, no real curses were shared, just warnings.... anyway, we decide to go see "P.S. I love you"...which left me with a smile on my face, despite the mid-movie explosion which occurred directly behind me! So I'm sitting in my seat, enjoying the movie, when a funny part occurs, and some people laugh- while the guy behind me sounds as if he spits his drink out, since it's so funny. I think to myself, hmm, wasn't THAT funny....and turn around to see what stranger has an overly-sensitive sense of humor, when I realize that the guy wasn't actually spitting out his drink... rather, he was spewing out vomit!!!! Yikes! His look of surprise was confusing, as the vomit clearly smelled like alcohol, and I sit there a bit stunned, hoping beyond hope that when he stood up to leave and concurrently spewed a bit more- that it would NOT land on me! Despite the fact my shoes and bag felt wet (ended up being a psychological phenomenon, not reality)...I was just fine, moved seats, and proceeded to enjoy the rest of the movie. Hence, I ended with a smile on my face. Too bad that other puking guy wasn't smiling.

So, there you go. I don't think I've even been puked on during a roller coaster, let alone during a 'P.S. I love you' movie! Hey, it was a new experience, and being open minded, I shall take it for what it's worth.... a good story. :)

Anyway, I'm back here for another full week. It's the last week of the 1st semester, so my weight students are maxing out this week, getting graded on their improvement...an interesting thought, considering Xmas break caused most of their muscles to atrophy. Oops. Anyway, my first semester of real teaching nearly done. Whew, what a ride!

This is all for now. I cannot think of any other extremely interesting news. Our house received a new heater recently. Turns out a heater which quits every-other day needs to be replaced! Now my room smells like sulfer, or rotting mice, (similar odors). And the warmth from the heater now amplifies the smell. What a great thing! (Actually I'm being dramatic for the sake of writing, it's really not horrible....mostly....yeah).

Okay, calling it quits for lunch. I believe it's corndogs w/ tator tots! Who could ask for more...it's free! Thanks for tuning in to this weeks, "Pine Ridge reflections!!!"

Much love,
Emily

A fresh start...

2008-01-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

'Tis January 6th, and I am much overdue for a blog entry.

Sitting in my office here, preparing for the rush of students tomorrow, I am excited for the fresh start, but also a little leery of beginning again- and what that might bring. Have almost 3 weeks off makes me a little nervous that I will forget a name, or somehow forget how to interact with high schoolers. I think these are irrational fears, so I shall prompty forget them and focus on my excitement, whew, okay!

Although my break was both fulfilling and relaxing, I somehow managed to catch what we suspect (and tests shall confirm or deny shortly) to be the whooping cough, in addition to a sinus infection. Ah, so literally every day since Christmas now I have been dealing with the additional stress of illness, but amazingly so- I still had a wonderful time with family and friends over break... and other than raving about my students, I put little thought into school work... One idea I did procure over break, which I am thoroughly excited about, is a "would you rather" board... YES! I think this will be a great avenue for conversation with the students...they can add their ideas to the questions I ask, such as "would you rather be a monkey or a lion" and "would you rather be able to fly or read other people's thoughts?" Yes, I know- quite profound, really. :):)

It has been good to be back and see my fellow volunteers again... just last night I had a conversation with Rachel about our reflections over break, our undecidedness about a lot of personal choices, and our resolve to be more positive and faithful this second half. I really enjoy fresh starts, and this one in particular is exciting for me- here are a few of my ideas:

-Not eat as much fried foods (already broken, but hopefully redeemable)
-Take a Lakota Language class (and quickly learn the specifics of registering for that class)
-Speak only positive things of my co-workers and housemates
-Not spread my illness (yikes, it's considered a disease!)
-Read through the NRSV translation of Scripture
-Take care of myself physically and emotionally.

Okay, so you might be thinking "this is pretty boring stuff, Em- I mean, usually you have stories about students to share, or something of that nature"- but must I remind you that I have recently been on a 'siesta from school'; hence- no great student stories until...TOMORROW!!!

Um, I retract that last statement- I actually want to share with you a bit about my bus driving experience in Rapid City the weekend before Christmas. First of all, the wrestlers are a great bunch of students, and they made my time worthwhile. The first day they took it easy, practiced a bit and such, and after watching the guys' b-ball game in the evening, I was to pick them up behind the civic center. I stroll out to my bus, feeling pretty good about the day (minus the awfully cold weather)....only to find that the massive amount of space I had thought would be surrounding my bus only amounted to 2 feet in the front and 4 feet in the back. The front was blocked by a suburban, but the back was thankfully blocked by a car pulled in at an advantage angle. Thus, after resolving to NOT go inside and make a "move your car, please" announcement, I tested my maneuvering skills. After a few- perhaps several- pulling forward and reversals, I managed to successfully squeeze out of the space, WOW! Yes, I did feel pretty great about that, but more great about the lesson "Empty spaces WILL fill up with time- be cautious of where you park a bus."

Later that night when I was picking up the guys, the process took a whole lot longer than expected, and this security guy came to direct me into a parking space behind another bus to wait, so... as I am backing up to do a parallel parking job of sorts, a senior wrestler who is pretty 'tough' and not all that talkative, says to me as I'm backing up...in all seriousness..."Oh my gosh, aren't you scared? I'd be SO nervous if I were you right now!" It was a funny reminder that having a CDL somehow makes guys respect me more as a woman...and that I enjoy! The best part of the day came when two of the junior wrestlers exited the bus and to thank me for driving, they both gave me hugs!!! Awe, so sweet- which is sometimes necessary to counteract the several random trips back to the bus to unlock and re-lock (in nearly negative weather conditions). Hmm, all in all, a pretty wonderful experience.

Okay- this is it- I'm calling it quits on my rambling, for my housemate Katie is about to arrive and I would like to be home to greet her!

A few things to look forward to in my next post:

-hopefully I am well. (Okay, I'M looking forward to this) :)
-An update on my new student teacher friend, Corey
-Responses to the "would you rather" wall.

That's all for now, folks! May you experience the abudance of all life offers as 2008 begins in full swing for us all!

Emily Nicole

School is Done

2007-12-19T13:11:00.000-08:00

For another 2 1/2 weeks, that is.

Whew, I am wiping my brow, and trying to keep my eyes open as I finish this final day of school at Red Cloud. Ironically, as tired as I am, I have been getting plenty of sleep and exercising well, yet I think the drain of continual weeks on end is certainly catching up with me, and I dearly welcome a break...from everything (wow, not intended to sound like a suicide note or something, I just reread this sentence, yikes! It's not that bad, trust me!).

This past week the students have been extremely hyper... and a bit crazy as well, which makes me crazy in turn. I must say that 7th hour weight lifting is both my best time of the day and my worst...sometimes simultaneously. Those 15 boys certainly know a thing or two about entertaining/aggrevating/driving insane their teacher. In fact yesterday I specifically told them that their actions are making me not want to teach weight lifting next semester, and they all turned sweet on me, pleading that I remain their teacher. It was a bit of an ego boost, but at the same time, I said, "Well, then SHOW me that you can handle yourselves, b/c I cannot handle you!" Ha, I think it got through to them a bit, but with their energy level, they basically laughed it off and explained why they are being so hyper...as if I didn't know....

LNI has begun today- with the boys playing this morning and the girls this afternoon. The tournament is one of the largest entertainment draws all year for Rapid City, and yours truly is lucky enough to drive bus in all the mayhem which will be Rapid City this weekend. I am not driving until Friday morning, when the wrestlers take off to participate in their tournament. Oh you can imagine I will have quite the time escorting the wrestlers all around town... whew!

Some personal achievements this past week: I successfully cooked my first large turkey on Sunday- and it actually turned out really well!!! Also, I baked a not-as-successful birthday cake yesterday for my housemate Katie, but low and behold, a little frosting and creativity transformed the would-have-been-flop cake into a "Black Hills w/ Snow" masterpiece. Katie has a picture of it for proof. What can I say, my kitchen skills are improving by the day! :)

Hmm, I have been reflecting more lately on my blatant and ongoing admiration for these kids here at Red Cloud. Each day I find new treasures hidden within simple- or profound- conversations with the students. Last Friday I had a long conversation with a senior who is well advanced for his age, and I was learning so much about the Lakota history, the varying political perspectives on the Rez, and the interesting mixture of cultures which he has experienced- rather than speaking as a student, he nearly always speaks as a commentator on the life of a student, seeing his life through the perspective of one much further along the way of life, and this is incredible to me and well as gives me a wonderful conversation opportunity, since my passions lie in the adolescent development area.

My time here at Pine Ridge is nearly 1/2 finished for my initial commitment period, and I find it extremely difficult to fathom how quickly this time has passed. I plan to come back after break and continue my learning experience during the 2nd semester, although a few definite changes will occur in my schedule only a few weeks upon my return. More on that later.

For now, I shall leave with no promise of when I shall write next, as my time from here on out shall primarily be spent at home with friends and family- but perhaps I'll post another update on my experience at LNI- who knows what gems of a story might be lurking in the Mid 2 school bus during LNI!!!

Until next time, may I continue to express my gratitude at your continued and faithful reading of my adventure here in Pine Ridge, a place of evident beauty and intrigue.

All my pleasant wishes, Emily

It's Snow Wonder!

2007-12-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!!!

I write once again in a wonderful winter mood!

We received quite a few inches of snow last weekend, beginning on Thursday- and for some reason (which seems to be at odds with the winter depression phenomenon)... I find myself in very good spirits lately! This past Saturday I tromped (with the occasional frolick) through the snow, enjoying an afternoon of solidarity with nature. The grounds here and around the Red Cloud campus are quite conducive to establishing a peaceful state of mind.

I also have a scary winter story, for all those who enjoy the fact that I'm a bus driver. I must admit, on Thursday- I was NOT glad that I was a bus driver...in fact, I would have traded with just about any other position available, and here's why:

We had a normal winter day on Thursday- nothing particularly exciting to speak of, yet around 4pm it began to snow- but wait! First came the sleet. That's the unfortunate, yet necessary precursor to the winter conditions. Okay, so around 4:15 I receive a call at my office from Jenna, to say that we will be running after-school bus routes early, at 4:30 rather than 5:30. I am set to drive this particular day, so I do... I get the bus, and as the previous bus driver is returning late from his run, he hands me the keys and says, "Be careful, Emily, it's extremely slippery out there!" Well, great, I think to myself... my very first encounter with winter road conditions in a bus! So, as I ease out of my parking space and head to the Field House (to pick up the kids)...I realize the extend of 'slippery'- and it's not good!

The going is slow, with an occasional slippery stop- but the students are dropped off successfully, all until I enter the driveway of the 4th-to-last student to be dropped off. Actually, she made it home fine, it was the bus- as we tried to back out- which didn't fare so well. In the process of reversing, the bus takes a 90 degree turn (almost as if I were doing a 3-point turn, only without the 3-point turn...just ice). And so I sit perpendicular in the driveway for awhile, praying my little heart out... and some girls even get off the bus to see if pushing will help... no such luck with the back tires off the drive and in no way of catching grip. So- the brilliant Becky suggests that I turn my wheels a certain way and back up even further to get some grip....and sure enough- she was right! The bus trundled it's way back onto the pavement, and I was never as glad at that moment to actually BE ABLE to drive the bus. Whew, close call, God's goodness revealed. Definitely.

After that excitement, I realize that attempting to see the girls' first b-ball game in Kyle that same night is out of the question for me. So, I sit listening to the game on the radio- and they won! I am so proud of them, especially the girls I know well from weight lifting (who also happen to have received a good luck note with a granola bar attached from their weights teacher!) :) Thursday evening I also spent my time with three young kids, which is actually a treat for me, after being with high schoolers so much! It's not to say I prefer one above the other, just a variety of ages seems to best fit my personality. So, Bear, James, and Manny all ate dinner at the gray house, Manny beat me multiple times in different card games (despite the fact that his blessed 6 year-old self kept trying to help me win!)... And Erin and I drove home with them on icy roads- so, quite slowly in fact.

On Friday the school day was wonderful, and some friends and I ventured to Martin for the guys' first b-ball game of the season vs. Bennett County. The guys did really well, and I can tell the b-ball season fever has begun to infiltrate the veins of many students and faculty here. I am sure you will hear much more about the season as it unfolds.

On Sunday I brought John my housemate with me to the Episcopal church, and I again realized how grateful I am for this little church community. Robin is a friend of mine from church, and her weekly good cheer and questions always delight me and make me realize how much I appreciate simple kindness and smiles. I shall continue to read for them, in addition to possibly playing piano, if it works out that I am able to procure a keyboard of sorts over Christmas break... if you have any suggestions, I'm listening! :)

I think that's about it. And the time is drawing near for LNI, then Christmas break! Really only one week left of the first half (well, minus the 2 weeks once we return in January).... and I am feeling quite at peace here, enjoying simple conversations and such.

Oh, a few more happenings I forgot to mention. 1. I have no fruit this week, as a result of some misbehaviors occurring with smashing banana on the wall, etc.... 2. I am putting together (along with the student council) some poem and candy gifts for the faculty and students for Xmas... it's a pretty splendid little treat, really. :) 3. I will be having a student teacher next semester, for which I am really excited- and I was able to meet him yesterday. I think we'll get along well and have a great time exploring the policies of an effective weight room together. :)

Until next time, I wish you all a bit of God's joy- as you find it in various places.....

Much love, Emily

4 months in...

2007-12-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

And time continues to tick away....

Oh wait, that's the new clock I recently hung in my office, letting me know that I am clearly on a schedule- a rather relaxed, come in and chat awhile, definitely not hectic, schedule today. :)

And so I write, another blog entry, to appease myself, my friends reading periodically, and my family who takes an interest in my life events....

This past week has been one of most definite learning- I have learned that rules are a good and constructive component to a class, that cleaning the cottage makes my heart at peace, and that laundry is a bittersweet experience. Okay, the laundry wasn't that profound, but my other learning really has been. For instance, yesterday was the first day I seriously imposed certain policies in the weight room (although I must add it was not complete anarchy in prior weeks). The guys who were not in the room when the appropriate time came were marked unexcused tardy... I only allowed one person to the restroom at a time, meaning the line-up was long and impatient, thus hopefully provoking a more immediate return to class (for each student relieving himself).... they all lifted more diligently than most days, considering I threatened to write up those not lifting...and the best part of this excellent class period was the cleaning up afterward. One policy I also enforced is this: they must help with cleaning jobs once they are done with their lifting routines, so they were vacuuming, picking up weights, etc.... a truly beautiful sight. I haven't mentioned that I also spent last Thurs. and Fri. vacuuming the carpet, hoping to display my respect for the weight room and my hope for their additional respect.

So, now that I have a handle on the concept of enforcing rules- and I think the guys realize I'm serious, I have to work on being consistent the rest of the semester. In giving myself a little grace, I've realized that this is my very first time truly needing to create, implement, and enforce rules in a class setting, so I guess my learning is definitely more of the experiential kind, you know- three months into the time, I realize the necessity of certain policies. :) I'd assert that it's not a bad time frame, especially now since I can truthfully say I understand a bit more of the mentality of Red Cloud HS, including students, faculty, and administration. In any case, the learning of last week was not always pleasant, but as I'm learning time and again... worthwhile experiences are not always pleasant.

What else is happening- I baked and cleaned all weekend- which means that really I am becoming more domesticated than I would have previously admitted. However, when circumstances necessitate cleaning- and when desire necessitates baking.... those things come quite naturally to me... and it makes me excited to return home for the holidays!

Speaking of home, I've realized that it has been just over 4 months since I've been here, which means this is also the most time I've ever spent away from home in one stretch... even my study abroad experience lasted only 4 months... but I must say this is a bit different, since I have seen my family in Sioux Falls and that wasn't a possibility from England. (Side Note: Almost 2 years ago now would have been the approaching time of my departure to England... which seems so strange to comprehend!)

Last night I was editing my housemate Katie's resume for her, and I realized that in many ways I feel as if college happened so long ago... all the tutoring, late nights spent writing papers, random meetings to attend, dinner dates to plan and enjoy, and all the walking around campus, attending classes and chapel.... Gosh.... while I do miss certain aspects of my time at college, I am realizing that I have been well prepared to encounter this new environment of Pine Ridge- and have been embracing my time here as a result of the many experiences I have been given in the past.... so I guess I might say that my past has given me the capability of fully appreciating my present. And all thanks be to God for this time now in Pine Ridge.

Thus shall end my reflections today. I look forward to only two more weeks of class before I take off for the Lakota Nation Invitational...and then HOME for Xmas! If you're reading this and plan to be in the Brookings/Arlington area over break, I would most definitely like to meet up with you!

Sending my smiles from this humble office in this fantastic school on this complicated Reservation.

LOVE, Em

A bit late...

2007-11-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

Hello to my friends, especially to Kevin Sas... :)

As my good friend Sas reminded me, a few people actually do enjoy reading my blog, and when I miss an entry, I suppose it is somehow missed by others as well. Anyway, here I am, to share some of my random happenings....

The major events of the prior week do not really involve Pine Ridge (especially since 5 days were spent in and/or traveling to Boston)... but I shall remark on them nonetheless, considering my life transpires in more than one place...

Thanksgiving break was spent in Boston, with two dear friends Katie and Nealy. We really had a super time, and on Thanksgiving day we ate dinner with a random family of sorts. They attend the church in which Katie works, thus inviting Katie and her two poor friends to dinner! We had a great time hearing all the eccentric stories of their animals and life enjoyments, which created an entertaining and a bit strange atmosphere. The food was good and conversation was most definitely not lacking! :) Later I met some of Katie's new friends who attend seminary with her, and we enjoyed yet another entertaining evening full of stories from a former Emu farmer. :)

Friday we went to the Northern Massachusetts coast, visiting the coastal towns of Rockport and Newburyport. We took several photos, visited various shops, and ate a crab cake lunch overlooking the harbor. It was cold, yet invigorating, and we had a wonderful time together, driving all around the area and seeing the colors of fall, which have largely left Pine Ridge by this time (see, here is my Pine Ridge excerpt). :)

Saturday we went into Boston to walk the Freedom Trail (which I had vague recollections of doing with the family when I was 11 years old). Again, our cameras were our best friends, as we strolled down the extremely cold streets of Boston, occasionally pretending to be interested in the historical monuments. :) (okay, Katie actually was, and Nealy and I were as well- only slightly less often). The biggest climb of the day was the Bunker Hill monument, which is a mere 300 steps, ah- 300 steps which make my calves sore yet today, several days later! It was fun to experience all the sights of Boston, especially with my dear traveling partners, Katie and Nealy.

I ventured home early Sunday morning, and we arrived in Sioux Falls in time to have lunch with my sister and brother-in-law, and I also was able to visit my brother...which made for a somewhat family-time experience over Thanksgiving break, even though it doesn't compare to being home for Thanksgiving dinner and a new (hopefully) tradition of bingo, which I hear was a pretty great time.

After being back to Pine Ridge for three days, my jet lag is slowly wearing off, and I have had three extremely full and somewhat crazy days at school. We had an episode in the weight room involving a tube of shoe polish, several pencils, and a large (machine) weight stack. The story goes like this: Unbeknownst to Emily, one of her students evidently found the idea of smashing things in between weighted plates (on the machine) to be intriguing, thus creating a royal mess of white shoe polish and severly sliced pencil shreds. Emily, however, was not situated to see this event occur, so when complaints came to her the following day from the dean of students and the athletic director, she had nothing to say, for she didn't know what was going on)... but after a 2 day investigation, admin. has been figuring out who the culprit was, the guilty party has managed to somewhat clean it up, and I have been reminded a few times of how important my classroom management is, particularly in the weight room...which leads me to my next story, regarding how I've dealt with my students....

Today I had the brilliant idea of creating a 'Weight Training 101' sheet for the guys, and in addition to explaining and reviewing our 'respect' policy, I asked the guys to all write 150 words on why respect is an important value to learn and impliment in both the weight room and everyday life.... which was received with an unimaginable resistance, yet I became, perhaps for the first time ever, a real teacher- and made them all complete it, and in the process of showing I was 'for real'....I also managed to write a student up for disobedience.... I think he was under the impression that I wasn't really serious... oh but I was. It only takes so many 'talks' with the principal before I realize I have to take control.... and so I have, and my weights class will be performing a bit differently from here on out: example... when the students are finished with their routine for the day, I will assign each person to a particular cleaning job... which I'm confident will also go over well. :)

So, despite a few stressful setbacks, I still love life and am realizing that simply because something is difficult does not mean that it is not good- for actually I believe I will learn a great deal through this experience regarding the necessity of managing the behavioral tendencies of adolescent boys...regardless of how counter-intuitive this is with my personality.

I also have an infiltration of fruit flies currently, perhaps as a result of the massive amount of bananas which pass through my office daily, so if anyone has any great techniques (short of continually waving my arms to and fro)....do let me know! :)

One positive note (I'm sure there are many more that are currently clouded by my stress-oh, sure enough- I have thought of two positive notes)..... We have heat in our bedrooms for the first time this year- what a glorious blessing!

My second positive note is actually a bit more significant, and that is I was able to participate in a sweat/prayer service again on Monday, and it has been quite some time since I have gone to a sweat. It was a rather last minute decision, which is often the best way of going about things here- and I thorougly enjoyed the time spent praying with fellow Red Cloud faculty....and their relatives. Cleansing, for sure.

Okay, that is all for my ramblings today. If you choose to respond, I will certainly welcome it, and if you wish to offer a prayer on my behalf, I will most definitely welcome that as well.

Peace to you all, as we make our way into December- and begin gearing up for another holiday season!

Yours, Em

Thanksgiving

2007-11-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

Hello to everyone continuing to read my blog,
even after over three months time~

I am excited for Thanksgiving break, as I believe all students and faculty are.... and in particular, I am leaving for Boston in two days! My good friend Katie (from HS, not my housemate) lives there, and a mutual friend and I are headed her way to spend Thanksgiving. I will surely miss being home with family, but it will be great to reunite with Katie and Nealy!

Reflecting on this past week is quite appropriate, actually, considering our Saturday spent with fellow volunteers in a "day of reflection." Thus, I shall reflect on a larger scale of my time being here, since last week the routine of school went without much excitement....a few details first:

I helped judge artwork for the art teacher as she decides who's work to take to the Lakota Nation Invitational (Dec. 19-22), a huge event in Rapid, hosting 16 schools in various competitions, basketball tournament, wrestling tournament, handgames, knowledge bowl, Lakota Language competition, and Artwork- which is the reason I was judging in the first place. :)

As faculty, a group of us meets during the lunch hour once a week for a time of spiritual reflection and renewal, and this week we had a number of people, and the time together was quite beneficial....I have really come to appreciate this time, growing in knowledge of God, ourselves, and one another- particularly cool since it involves all faculty we work with on a daily basis.

And Saturday- we spent almost the entire (beautiful) day in honest reflection, listening to God, praying, and hearing from others regarding their experience thus far, and their emotional response to the change that has brought us all to be at Red Cloud. I found this time to be a beautiful opportunity to escape from a normal routine and simply think on- and pray about- my time here thus far. I have come to understand that the reasons I initially came out here are positive (learning more about the Lakota culture and serving youth)... yet I also came to realize and name a few ways which God is working, which I wasn't necessarily expecting-

I initially thought that I would be taking a 'break' from thinking theologically about everything (as I seemed prone to in college)... yet I realize now that my time and interaction with students thus far has been a wonderful chance for me to continue my theological reflection on youth ministry (as if I'll ever stop) :) in an environment in which youth are constantly present in my life....a place where stories are shared in abundance and hearts are open to conversation about real life issues.... and Saturday I realized fully for the first time how much this experience fulfills me, since I am able to be a part of the development of these students' lives- in so many ways- and this will only increase with time. Thus, God has been using this time to further validate how much I feel called to working with youth in the future- I am continually fascinated by adolescent development- particularly when it come to the integration of spirituality throughout all of life.

I have also come to realize this through my reflection: in the three and a half months that I've been here, I already am growing in many ways in my spiritual development- as a young person contemplating future ministry and my own relationship with God- I marvel at how a change of environment really requires new honesty in my faith commitment, and being willing to accept what God is doing... regardless of my own fears and uncertainties.

Ah, so plenty of reflection and relaxation this weekend has prepared me well to finish out these last two days of school and head into my travels with energy! :) I wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving...and may we all remember those less fortunate than ourselves as we also express our gratitude for what we have been given. God knows we all need gratefulness in our lives! :)

Much love, Emily

Time Flies...

2007-11-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

I reflect once again....

It has been a crazy week for me, really...

Here are some highlights since I last wrote:

Student-Teacher conferences! Let me tell you, I was actually a bit nervous- mainly because I really had no idea what to talk about in the chance that any parents actually came to talk about their students in weight lifting! Ha, I ended up speaking with the parents of 7 students (out of 20)...so not bad, really.... the first person to come in was a mom who was concerned her son wasn't very motivated, and she asked me to basically make him work harder, which I found strangely exciting. :) The other parents just wanted to touch base- and a few came in b/c I told their students I wanted them to....so they came in and sort of stood there, waiting for me to say something, and all I say is: "Well, your student lifts weights!" :) And they left. Ha, it was pretty funny....but the best part was getting to visit with the students who hung out in my room b/c of an athletic mtg. after conferences. One student even fixed my DVD player for me, how great to be the TV go-to woman now!

Junior Retreat! The junior retreat all in all was a big success, particularly according to Peter, who has been on several junior retreats and actually has something to compare it with....so I was pleased with that. The senior retreat was perhaps a bit more celebrated by the students, but I think the juniors warmed up to the experience once they were there...at first I thought it was going in a bad direction when my entire small group decided to share that their junior years all sucked! I was like, hmm...OKAY! But really I am learning that retreats are a great way for students to reflect on their experience, and particularly find what is positive about their year. I also had the good fortune to speak with three students on a really deep level during the retreat, and I feel more connected with the class as a whole. I also hiked a mountain and had a 'mountain top' experience! :) Ha, okay, it was only incredible because I love nature- and you can see a whole lot of it from that high up! The bus ride home was not so good (I drove).... but basically I'll leave the feel of the retreat positive in your minds and not speak about the dreadfull whining and complaints I nearly lost my temper over..... ;)

Weekend Fun! I enjoyed a nice Friday evening with my fellow volunteers, as we went to a coffee shop in Hot Springs- It is always nice to get away for awhile, even if it's an hour drive each way....I'm really getting used to that, and as I think of it in relation to my location growing up, it would be similar to traveling to Sioux Falls to do something, only without Brookings (or even all other smaller towns) around. Yep, I do a considerable amount of traveling here.....although I also enjoy just being here on the campus, spending some quality down time with the volunteers.... we can be quite crazy together, I must say- but we are bonding well, I think--- just in time for the impending cold winter months of staying inside, drinking tea, and playing board games (at least this is what I am hoping for). :)

The rest of the weekend was pretty relaxed- I attended the Episcopal church and actually read the 2nd reading (from 2 Thessalonians) for the congregation. I drove over with Peter Hill who is a fellow teacher in the high school, and it was great to feel a part of the congregation, going with someone I know AND knowing some of the people there now. We also enjoyed a large breakfast following the service, which is a pretty great tradition....giving me space to hear from long-time members of the Pine Ridge community on their experiences throughout the decades....what a story-rich community this place is! I cannot wait to hear more!

Following my day off yesterday to observe Veteran's Day.... I felt refreshed and prepared to be here at school once again. I came into my office today to the smell of ripe bananas! Yes, that is right- not one but TWO boxes of brown bananas awaited my smiling face... and without erasing the smile, I simply separated them and served them on my cart. Of course I expected the hundreds of wrinkled noses and judgmental comments which arose concerning the state of the bananas.... yet over 1/2 of them were eaten, some were dispersed for making banana bread, and the rest have yet to meet their fate. We shall see how much banana bread Katie and I can make! :)

I do have some exciting news...that is, I HAVE PICTURES..... my dear mother sent me the pictures she took while they visited, and I must say- I look pretty darn good in the drivers seat of a school bus! :) I hope you feel the same. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!

My Dad & I in front of a scenic view on Red Shirt Table Road

My Parents & I in front of the Cottage
A mini-me in between the church and school
Welcome to Red Cloud, everyone who enjoys a scary smile!
This is it...I mean the school bus, not me being Vanna White
The friendly face of a neighborhood bus driver- or, ME!
Working with Jose at the Halloween Carnival
My office!!! This is currently where I'm at! Weird.

Peace to you all as you orient yourself into this season of Thanksgiving! I give thanks today for the supportive and encouraging people you all are... thanks for keeping up with the blog... and may God grant you peace, in a miraculous way this week.

Love, Emily

I'm Back!

2007-11-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

Ha, didn't know I had gone?

Well, actually I did go somewhere for the weekend- Outlaw Ranch, for our staff retreat! This past week I had a great time at school, as we had a shortened week (not unlike most other weeks!) :) and I was able to look forward to the staff retreat...

b/f the staff retreat details, I must say that I had an extremely enjoyable Thursday- you know, the kind of day where you find yourself smiling for no reason (or every reason in the world)....and when everything falls into place better than expected and/or better than you could have planned? The kind of day in which I see God in all people, every situation. Thursday was a great day....

Which led into a wonderful retreat experience, lasting one day for most people, two days for the brave among us! My initial (and only) leadership involvement included leading ice breakers for the group, and after hours of googling and changing my mind, I decided upon "two truths and a lie" as a preferred icebreaker, which ended up to be quite successfull (at least according to those who enjoyed it....I suppose you don't hear as much negative feedback from friends, huh?) Anyway, glad to have that responsibility done, I thoroughly enjoyed the break-out sessions:

1. Stepping stones (during which we shared blessings and frustrations throughout our life, bringing us to Red Cloud).....a beautiful experience, really. 2. Tobacco ties prayer service....which I knew little about before participating, yet this again was a way in which I truly sensed God's presence- as we learned the significance of each color of tie (again, black, yellow, red, and white)....and the prayers which were offered for each color. Each person grabs a pinch or handful of tobacco and proceeds to pray for a variety of things, giving up control of each thing into the hands of TUNKASILA (Grandfather) God... and one by one each person contributes their tobacco prayers into one strip of cloth (and thus their concerns and control), which is tied up, smudged with sage, and laid in the shape of a circle, w/ each tie as 1/4 of the ring. This experience was a beautifully tactile way of connecting people and elements of nature together in prayer. 3. Emmaus walk- during which we meditated on the passage of Scripture from the Gospels, when the disciples unknowingly walked with Jesus on the road following his resurrection, and we proceeded to walk around the beautiful hills with a partner, discussing our place in life currently, our hopes and frustrations, etc.

We finished the retreat 'requirements' with Mass, which led into dinner, and after two hours of table conversation (quite hysterical table conversation, BTW) we played handgames, another Lakota game which is evidently one of the oldest traditions within Lakota culture. It primarily consists of two teams competing for 'sticks' which are taken back and forth among teams based on whether or not the other team correctly guesses which hand the colored 'bone' is in. Okay, this seems to be an extremely difficult task-that is, trying to explain handgames- but basically, you want to be good guessers (or have accurate intuition), so you can collect the other team's sticks, and win! :) if you are interested in specifics, ask me, and I shall do my best to share! It was a great time, even if I did suck quite horribly! :)

The next morning of the retreat we shared in a talking circle, each of about a dozen of us...concerning the blessings and brokenness of our lives... and I found this time together quite moving and wonderful....learning from one another, truly listening to the stories of our hearts.

I feel as if this blog is boring. Maybe because I'm starting to fall asleep or something... HA. I don't know....anyway, I have a story...

Today a girl named Cody came into my office to chat after school, and although I don't know her extremely well, she complimented me on my organization skills, and my excitement to do different activities- and she ends with, "I think you're really cool." I respond appropriately with, "I think you're pretty cool, too! I love this job, getting to meet you all."... She smiles broadly, and I realize that it is moments like this that I will cherish- for amidst the times of uncertainty about my being here, I know that students like Cody do take notice of a genuine heart, which reminds me that my time is well spent (as I have had little opportunity to doubt recently)....

I am ending this blog- because I'm not entirely sure that anything is making sense right now. I thank you for your wonderful response to my blogging, and for being willing to reflect with me on my time in Pine Ridge.

Hopefully my mind shall be a bit more sharp the next time I write, for I'd like to explain more of my perceptions of youth interaction at a later time.... Oh you just can't wait, I know.

Em

A New Quarter...

2007-10-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

And we are officially 1/4 finished with the school year. I know, that may seem trivial in the grand scheme of things, but I beg to differ...

Before I begin my thoughts concerning how I feel/what I've learned this far in, I wanted to mention my mailing address, in hopes that you will feel guilty and write me. :) Ha, no, actually a few people have asked for it recently....so here it is: 100 mission drive, Pine Ridge, SD 57770

Okay, I have realized a few things since being here, and I shall relay them in orderly fashion, for those who enjoy structured ideas:

* I am "turning over a new leaf for the new quarter" as I mentioned to a few of my weights students.... and Henry (always the funny guy) says, "Oh, so you mean you're going to be responsible?" Ha.... "Yes, Henry, I am now a responsible teacher." -which means that I am enforcing rules I did not previously enforce so strongly in the first quarter...basic things, really- which I am now more convinced are necessary for effective weight training (dressing in work-out clothes, remaining in the weight room, you know....slightly important details). :)

* I find my best connections with students, not only out of my desire and concerted effort to be a "reachable" faculty member, but moreso because I am genuinely interested in their lives... and ask questions because it matters to me what's going on in their lives.... what they care about, what they think- their ideas are amazing, and I am so fortunate to have the opportunity, time, and relationships to hear from them. Have I mentioned that this is a pretty great job? :) So many wonderful kids, so many brilliant/creative/cunning/charming personalities. And also a lot of pain. It's through conversations about normal life events that I am able to learn of their deep desires, but also of their deep hurts- expressed on the surface as 'ordinary' life issues. In many ways I find common ground simply by being honest with myself and the students. Honesty-(with boundaries)- it's been a theme word for me these past few months.

*My parents were out visiting me this weekend, taking in all the sights and sounds of Red Cloud, and the scenic drive to Rapid City. I felt fortunate to be able to introduce them to bits of the Lakota culture with I have encountered, in addition to showing them around my home, the school, and some of my bus routes.... :) Although in the plans, I was unable to drive bus with them, which would have been extremely cool. They met several of my students during the Halloween Festival, and they definitely got to experience a social event on the Rez- the Festival went off fine, with most everyone satisfied- therefore, I was satisfied!

As I look into this new quarter, I realize that time is flying by. WHAT? the first 9 weeks of school have come and gone? Although I would attest to the many developing relationships which have come thus far, it also seems as if I just got here....still much to learn, much to be grateful for, and much to share with you all. :) I shall keep this blog rather short, as I understand that really long blogs are occasionally difficult to handle in one sitting. :)

Thanks for being an interested audience...and for those who choose to post comments...I appreciate it, more than I often say. :)

Love, JOY, and peace on this BEAUTIFUL Monday afternoon. I shall take a walk- enjoy God's creation b/f the time comes when enjoying God's creation means bundling in several layers of cotton! :)

Sincerely your friend in Pine Ridge,
Emily

Day of adventure...

2007-10-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I just posted a few days ago, so please do not neglect that post, if you are only choosing to read one- however, today held quite the adventure for me, and I feel compelled to share....

I actually get out of bed on time. # 1 accomplishment. :) As I'm heading to the Jesuit Residence (Jes Rez) to pick up bus #14 keys, I see the sign which states another bus will be headed to Rapid (taking the seniors to a college fair).... AND no bus #14 keys, so I call for confirmation.... no Jenna (the transportation director). Awesome, okay- so I head out to the busses and meet a driver coming in from a morning run w/ bus #14 keys...saying he spoke w/ Linn (bus maintenance guru) who mentioned that bus #14 was IN FACT the bus we were to take (but needed to be re-fueled in order to make it to Rapid and back. Okay, so one more time to check w/ Jenna....still no Jenna. I decide to head to the HS, and mention to Lenny (who is a part of the senior trip) the bus situation. He confirms #14 and agrees to go get a gas card from Jenna (who is here by this time). Great! Problem solved, so after dropping off a few announcements, I pick up bus #14 and head over to the field house, back to my office to pick up some beloved fruit, and am ready and prepared when they ask me to take attendance for the senior class (not only bus driver, but chaperone also, evidently!)

We have (most) everyone and decide to head off to rapid...the ride seems to be going fairly well, and even as we enter Rapid, no big surprises- except OH CRAP. Railroads. They DO exist! :) Ha, a few screams later, I successfully stopped and opened the door, while some seniors say to me, "It doesn't matter- you passed by the ones before this!" Oh, right. Yeah, about that. OKAY. On to the Civic Center where the college fair is being held. I find a reasonable place to park, put the bus into neutral (wait- this is an important point to the story- I THOUGHT I put the bus into neutral)....and headed off to the fair...

The first booth I see is none other than.....you guessed it.... NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE. YES! I think to myself, "Hmm, perhaps I shall lure some students to check out the booth." so I begin perusing our brochures, and sure enough! one booklet has a big picture of ME on the Religion/Christian Ed. page....so I nonchalantly show a few students, who get really excited- but don't sign up. :( A few minutes later, I see some Red Cloud guys just standing around, so I come up to them and say, "Check out this page." They do, and say, "What? That's you? Wow, you're a celebrity! I need one of these.".... and after retrieving one, they both asked me to sign them....ha, wow, who knew college fairs were THAT great for posterity! :) I did actually show a few students to the booth w/out revealing my secret celebrity identity, and they were genuinely interested and signed up for more information, and later- while flipping through the booklet- came upon my picture and jokingly said, "Hey, that's you!" And I responded with, "Yep!" They look again and w/ disbelief in their eyes, Bailey say, "REALLY?" Chante says, "Yes, really, white people don't lie." HA, I enjoyed this comment, regardless of validity.

So, flying high on this celebrity status, I decide to go get the bus and pull it up, really smooth like, you know? It turns out the bus won't start. Great! I'm thinking to myself, what in the heck? When I tried to turn it over, a light flashed on saying, "water in fuel." My initial reaction was, "WHO put water in our fuel?" Ha, my second reaction was... CALL JENNA! And I did, although the call was lost somewhere in transfer....anyway- it ended up to be not necessary, because miraculously, I looked at my gears, and....hahaha....ummmm, yeah- I DO think I remember hearing something about the bus having to be in neutral to start....you know, minor details, really....

Luckily I had figured this out JUST in time, as the students all pile on, still probably marveling at the fact that I am a pretty BIG deal! :):) So, that secret's safe with you, right? You know, the whole, not-so-great-with-bus-common-sense secret? :)

As we head off to the Mall to eat, I might have- perhaps- clipped a curb on the way, no big deal, minus the ear-shattering screams from the back. Evidently it feels more uncomfortable to passengers in the back than to me in the front- who knew, huh? So we are at the mall, eating, nothing out of the ordinary- and we finally head back to Red Cloud- but I'm thinking- gosh, we're getting a little low on fuel here, perhaps I'll stop at the Water Hole, a convenience/gas station outside of Hermosa (great little town with- you guessed it- railroad tracks!) So I ask inside if my Shell card would work for fuel- and they assured me it would NOT. Great! I think to myself, perhaps there really is more fuel in there than I think! :) I can make it, surely.

About this time, a large man comes walking up angrily to my window and asks for the bus supervisor- um, I guess that's me? He says "We just got Clipped!" At first I think, "what is this guy talking about?" and I then seem to have a vague sense that perhaps he means "stolen from." yep, that's what he meant! :) So he demanded I come supervise my students (in addition to their just-implimented 3-at-a-time policy)...hmmm, which I learned from the girls who were strangely waiting outside the convenience store, even when I told them to hurry. The manager (who happened to be the large man) asked me to wait while he rewinds his security camera tapes- to prove that a guy stole a piece of candy. Okay, so I wait, and wait, and eventually he ushers me upstairs to their security center- yes, in a gas station- where I wait for him to flip through screen after screen, all having nothing to do w/ my students. Eventually he says, "Well, this camera is old, sorry I cannot find it for you, but I'm NOT making it up." I sorta stand there thinking- um, is he going to prosecute or something, b/c I'd really like to get going.

Of course I was generous w/ my apologies- and asked if there was anything I could do- so he says to me, "Well, just tell - whoever took something- you KNOW who you are- and your bus is NOT welcome here anymore." WONDERFUL NEWS. Okay, so I briefly relay the message to the students, emphasizing how unsure I am about this whole thing.... and then we're off, as the students yell out the windows of the bus, "RACISTS!!!!!!"

Ah, so, the fuel is slowing declining- and my attention to the gauge is slowing increasing- but apart from a few up-hill chugging battles (where the needle reaches an all-time-low for me at 'E') we were, cough, just fine! :) We arrived safely, only a few students commented on my curb check and railroad mishaps, and I returned the bus to come prepare for the after-school program (which, thank goodness, went really smoothly!)

Okay, that's a short story made long for you, thanks for listening. Trust me, many more days are filled with this type of extremely exciting adventure-ish-ness.... and today you have been a witness to one ordinary, eventful, humorous, and stressful day on the Rez. Yep, that's all she wrote!

Emily

Life in Full

2007-10-23T12:07:00.000-07:00

Hello to my generous listeners and supporters,

I am writing once again from my school office. Makes me sound official, I know, but do not be deceived. It is actually one of my schemes to make you think I am all business and no fun. Ha, well, okay, since I'm an honest person, I'll let you know that I actually do have quite a bit of fun here at Red Cloud! Take today for example, a litte taste into the life of Emily.....

Red Cloud hosts our first FB playoff game today, which means we had a 12:15pm out, and had only 1/2 our classes (w/ the others being tomorrow).... so I had my 5th & 7th weights classes today. I digress... after coming in the morning, followed into my office by some sophomore guys hoping to relax in my chair, I wrote an announcement, spoke w/ several students, explained a few times why I do not yet have fruit (which mysteriously appeared later in the day), and headed to the office to drop off the announcement- on the way I saw several faculty, whom I greeted in my usual cheery way before heading to the weight room to open the fieldhouse for the girls. We had 1 hour of lifting weights (the girls are taking maxes this week).... so 1 hr was way too long, except for lovely time to chat....about all sorts of things- like the VB game last night, expectations for the b-ball teams this year, random stories about weight lifting mishaps, and the fact that our heaters are extremely loud and will not shut off.

The story continues.... second hour of the day, I took my time running a few errands, I spoke w/ several students in the hallways, and entered attendance from last night's after-school program, before it was time again to head to 7th weights...during which it took all the firmness in me to get a few guys to finish their maxes, while most of them scrimmaged the freshman VB girls. By the way- this is an entertaining experience in itself.... because most of the guys are trying to impress the younger girls w/ their mad VB skills, while a majority of the girls don't even need the guys to try- b/c they simply ARE impressed with the fact that several junior and senior guys are playing VB against them...so, in a mixed fury of passion and intrique, pride and mistakes, a volleyball game becomes an outlet for the energy that infiltrates the lives of high school students. (wow, sorry- that became a rather bold statement regarding the lives of adolescents- sort of reminds me of papers I wrote in college or something- the academic spirit hasn't left me yet!!!). :)

Another excitement regarding weight lifting involves the horrible-sounding alarms which evidently signaled the fact that someone from the weight lifting room pulled a fire-alarm. I SWEAR it wasn't me. Oh, wait, I'm the teacher...yeah- so, "Did any of you pull the fire alarm?" Of course that's a stupid question, Emily, who in their right mind will confess, particularly as the Dean of Students has currently come to assess the situation. Hmmm, outside to wait out the alarm....and back inside, to be sent out once again, darn alarm. As the teacher, I suppose it is in my power to reprimand the culprit- but I really have a hard time believing a student can pull an alarm from beyond 10 feet away. Hmmm.... mysteries of Red Cloud inveiled.

Now this blog might begin sounding like my hour by hour (okay, minute by minute) agenda typed out....and for this I apologize, but sometimes it's fun to relive a normal day, for the sake of appreciating the simple. Last hour of the day I spent covering Paddy's study hall, which was overall enjoyable (I even brought in the fruit that was delivered to my door. I love this job). Okay, let's be honest, the only reason I chose to recount this day, is because it is most fresh in my memory, not because of anything particularly exciting, so don't be disappointed that my story does not have an incredible end- except for this: Two guys wrote quotes on my quote board yesterday, which I am thoroughly happy about. One writes, "Darkness does not exist. It is just a lack of light." Wow! And a second writes, "Stand up for what is right even if you are standing alone." Dang! That's pretty impressive for two sophomore boys, huh?

Okay, so I'll summarize a bit here. I really like it at Red Cloud. Today is our FB playoff game, tomorrow is the Halloween Carnival, faculty meetings, and a bus driver (insurance-mandated) meeting. Thursday I'm driving bus for the seniors to Rapid City all day, in addition to after-school program, and Friday my lovely parents are coming to visit! Life is full, most definitely, life is full.

I also will be attending the staff retreat next weekend, the junior retreat the weekend after that, and the sophomore retreat the following week. Whew! I guess you have to love retreats to handle this job! :) (or perhaps Emily is overly enthusiastic about retreats and thus gets asked to attend- every time. That's most likely a more accurate statement). What else is interesting here....OH....the student council retreat went really well, I heard many positive responses, and I believe the students truly engaged in some meaningful reflection concerning issues of social justice on the Rez. Also, we brainstormed several ways in which community service could be realized through the Student Council, and ended our time together with a few ghost stories and a hike to Potato Cave! What is Potato Cave you ask? Well, it is none other than the cave in which Jesuits formerly stored potatoes (during their years of self-sufficiency). Interesting notes on Red Cloud history.

Actually, I invite anyone desiring to receive a more in-depth taste of the Pine Ridge Reservation to simply give me a call, or email- and I would be happy to host you.... I understand a few people are seriously thinking of it, so please accept my encouragement to make that a reality! :)

Well, I had better prepare my winning spirit for the game today- it should be a good one, and it's so beautiful outside as well!

Much love to you all, wherever you find yourselves, into whatever mood this extended blog entry led you. (I know it's let me into the realization that I am not the best blogger) May you experience the peace and joy of Christ which is most definitely apparent within my many experiences here.

Em

Here I am...

2007-10-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

Ah, I say hello once again, from the extreme comfort of my after-hours office.

Whew, the past few days upon returning from Orange City, IA (which was a splendid trip, by the way) have been FULL. I am currently planning for our student council retreat for Thursday, a fan bus (which I'm driving) for Thursday's FB game against Todd County, and the Halloween festival which is coming next week! And I am continually hosting the variety of requests which are made to a student activity director- particularly one who agrees to accept a number of random tasks! :) I also spend a good deal of time correcting people regarding my actual role in various matters....

Example phone conversation: Bruce: "Yes, say, Emily, I have some Gates scholarship papers coming out of the printer here in the office....wondering what that's about." Emily: "Hmm, well Bruce, I have no idea about the Gates Scholarship papers coming out of the printer, but you may want to ask Gina, who is in charge of handling the Gates Scholarships." Example student interaction: Student, "Hey, can I come by and pick up the Upward Bound application from you Emily?" Emily, "Well, I have no idea about the Upward Bound application, but I wish I could help you." Student, "They said 'see Emily'." Emily: "Really?" Student, "No, JOSH." (at this point I will explain that on the Rez it is MORE than a fetish to say "JOSH" after everything- even when they are serious, but are unsure of the person's response. It's quite contagious as well- soon, I may insert an occasional "Josh." So, beware.

Ha, I actually look forward to those random encounters, because they remind me of how much I love this job- being involved in so many endeavors (either by choice or chance) and really feeling as if I am learning more about each department within the high school. Gosh, what did I do last week? Oh yes, I really enjoyed having a less hectic week in school (for the first time, I actually felt as if I had two minutes to spare- either to speak with and/or listen to students and faculty alike). The relational aspect of my job is my favorite. And those who know me probably are thinking I didn't even have to mention that...but I am, because I like relationships... :)

After leaving the football game at half-time on Friday (which my weights guys gave me heck for later), I headed toward Orange City, and realized it only takes about 6 hours from here. That's a random factoid which may never come in handy for anyone else...except for those lovely folks who are dying to come visit Red Cloud! :):) By the way, if anyone is interested in visiting- seriously- we have a guest quarters here and/or my cottage has guest rooms, so- no reason not to, huh? :) The tour's on me!

My time in Orange City was wonderful, seeing dear friends once again, catching up, and talking A LOT about my experience here- thanks to everyone who listened and at least seemed interested. :) I realized during my several discussions how much I love it here. I mean, I would seriously get giddy just speaking about the students, or my fellow volunteers, or the Rez in general. Obviously I have found Pine Ridge to be quite appealing- and I am beginning to think that it may have something to do with my innate sense of "relaxed timing"....or according to my family, "time in Emily's world."....ha, at least I have found myself using this excuse whenever I'm late...I simply say, "Well, it makes sense, considering I've been living on the Rez now for 2 1/2 months."

As if 2 1/2 months is a long time. I've only just begun! Gosh- in speaking with Matt Campbell today, I was reminded how quickly time does fly by here- with weeks full of school activities, and weekends full of weekend-filling activities, here we are in October. The middle, of October.

So much to look forward to. Another full slate of after-school activities tomorrow, the student council retreat and fan bus/game on Thursday, and Friday we have another huge Pow Wow here at school- for which I am prefecting. The weekend will bring adventures of its own, I'm sure. I feel inclined to mention that the most exciting part of any of my days in the simple fact that I am surrounded by so many wonderful people. Students kindly visit quite often (which my friend Mike suggests MAY have something to do w/ the fact that they don't like class, and my office is NOT class.)...so I'm working on that- trying to sort out which students should be in class. I guess it doesn't phase me as much as it should, yet I know other teachers need students in class. I just keep telling myself this, b/c as much as I enjoy their presence, they need to learn or something, you know, ...school.

A story for you, to follow up on the Jesse "You're my hero" story from awhile back. Today in my office he was trying to get a student to share the chair (while he should have been going back to class)- and he says, "You're my hero" to this student. And I say, "Jesse, it's time to go. I am already your hero anyway." He says, "No, that was just for that one day." :) Ha, I said...."alright, well, then you really have to go now." Guess what his response was... yep, he said, "JOSH." :):):) One example of the good times I have interacting with high schoolers.

My weight lifting class today was CRAZY. I could perhaps make that word even bigger to suggest the intense energy in the weight room. Some days I have to simply smile, remind myself that my brother definitely had similar energetic tendencies in high school, and pretend that they all remind me of my brother (whom I love and was able to see, along with my sister, brother-in-law, and parents last weekend). Anyway- each guy actually does remind me in some way of my brother- which I think has allowed me to have a healthy reaction to their 'antics.'

I am thinking this is most likely enough for today. Granted, I could potentially write forever, but I think that may in fact bore some of you, and I am interested in extending YOUR interest at least to next week's entry. :) Thanks for all your responses to my writing- in this manner, I feel closer to everyone who is far away.

Until the Great God of the Universe moves me to write again.

Peace, and Joy, and All those kind little gestures from friends and family that make living worthwhile,

Emily