I have made some amazing memories since arriving here. Gosh, I don't even know where to begin. I was blessed enough to be taken fishing the very day I arrived by one of the villagers and his family; we’ve been very close ever since.
Which probably brings me to my fondest, albeit traumatic, memory. We went out fishing on the river and were all casting from the boat when I suddenly found my hook didn't come forward when I cast. Upon realizing something was wrong, I turned to find their 6th grade son standing there with my fish hook firmly lodged into his cheek. Needless to say, this was absolutely traumatic for me. For them, it was business as usual. We rode straight home; I sat quietly in tears while their son extended his gaze from the front of the boat facing me with my hook still firmly lodged in his cheek! Upon arrival, I told them I was going home. They asked me to come back out to keep fishing! Seriously! The next day, the student asked me "why did you go home? We went out and had a nice fire and ate fish! You missed out!" That was the moment I knew life on the Delta is just something different. Back home in the Lower 48 I would be waiting for my principal and union president to be giving me a sit- down.
The next day here in Goodnews, we were out fishing again like nothing happened, though I definitely made sure I did not cast anywhere near anyone. We were out for a few hours with very little luck with our catches when we finally stopped at a rock wall where we had seen several fish jumping. On my very first cast, I reeled in an enormous salmon; the biggest fish I have ever caught! I took it back to the boat, tossed it in the bucket and headed back to the spot where I had been. I immediately slipped, fell completely on my back into the river and nearly hit my head on the rocks- though I did come away with a bad bruise on my low back. Once again, I had forced us to head home for the second day in a row. I let the family keep the fish for their trouble, but their son just laughed and told me with a wink the next day at school that it was "karma for hooking me.” Within 24 hours I couldn’t go anywhere without someone in the village saying "so, I heard you got baptized in the river this weekend!"
Ahhhh...life in the Delta. :-) It has been the best experience of my life.
My next favorite memory is probably my first snowy sunset in the Bay. I took a photo with my son's little stuffed zebra "Robinson" who he sends with me on every one of my adventures. I sat there for over an hour and a half and just watched as the sun went down over the Bay and disappeared. This was sincerely one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
My advice to new teachers joining us is this...GO! No matter what the invitation is, GO! Experience every last possible thing you can from day one. Don't make excuses or allow yourself to get bogged down in the lesson planning and paper grading. Get out of your village.
Spend time with the locals and make yourself available. It is not an experience you will ever get again.
“Topher” Kinkead
December 4, 2021
Secondary Teacher in Goodnews Bay
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