16 April, 2003

Winding Down

The blizzard conditions continued throughout the night. I could feel the strong winds pounding against the school walls. The snow continued to reduce visibility to just a few meters. By morning the winds continued but the snow was reduced to blowing snow not new snow falling. Snowdrifts, several feet deep, have made many areas of the jagged, chunky sea ice appear to be a level field of freshly fallen snow.

Hunters did not go out yesterday nor was the plane able to arrive. But the weather did not prevent the students from arriving at school and for the most part it was business as usual on the island.

Although Lee and I are scheduled to leave tomorrow the weather will ultimately decide our departure date and time. We have spent most of the day organizing our equipment and gear anticipating a Thursday departure, talking to some of the local people and packing.

I am going to use the remaining part of this journal to continue posting the answers to more questions that were asked of the Diomede students by students from across the United States. Yesterday I posted the answers to questions one and two and today Iíll cover questions three through six. As with yesterdayís questions those students who wished their names not mentioned are listed as unknown.

Question Three

What kind of music do you listen to and what is your favorite?

I like rap and my favorite is EM - Unknown

I like pop, and dance music - Unknown

My favorite music is Eminem, 8 Mile - Travis

I listen to any kind of music but not to gospel, or country. Mostly I listen to rap. My favorite is Emenim - Unknown

I listen to all kinds of music. I like Fat Joe - Samantha

I listen to Eminem, Ja Rule, 50 Cent, DMX, and Jay-Z. My favorite is Eminem - Andrew

I listen to Marlyn Manson, Korn, Rom Zombie. My favorite is Marlyn Manson - Unknown

The music I listen to is soft rock, hard rock, rap, heavy metal, hip hop, Christian and some country. My favorites are Uncle Cracker, Kidrock, Backstreet Boys, Patsy Cline, Mariah Cary, Eminem, Linkin Park, Boyz II Men, Madonna, Red Hot Chile Peppers, Coldplay, Creed, Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Prince and Police - Unknown

Question Four

What is your favorite sport?

My favorite sport is Eskimo baseball, basketball, volleyball and dodge ball and warer ball - Unknown

Basketball, skiing, and our Eskimo sports - Mardy

Basketball - Unknown

Basketball - Travis

Basketball - Unknown

My favorite kind of sport is basketball and the Native Youth Olympics - Samantha

Basketball - Andrew

Basketball - Unknown

Question Five

What is your favorite non-native food?

My favorite white man food is pizza, hamburgers, fries and shrimp. My favorite Eskimo food is everything except liver, heart and ooshruq. Ooshruq is walrus flipper meat that is aged one or two years in a hole covered by rocks and plywood to keep it from getting dirty - Unknown

Ice cream - Unknown

Cheeseburgers - Unknown

Pizza and ice cream- Unknown

Fried rice - Samantha

Burger Kingís King Supreme burger - Andrew

Ice cream, pizza and hamburgers- Unknown

Question Six

What do you want to do when you graduate from high school?

Probably go to college then get a job - Unknown

Be the mayor of Little Diomede - Andrew

Go to college and medical school - Unknown

I don't know yet- Travis

Leave the island - Unknown

I'm not telling - Unknown

I want to find an all day work office on the island- Mardy

I don't really know. My family wants me to go to college but I don't have the grades for it - Unknown --

Ravens huddle during the storm opposite the wind.