Skiing and Skating with Polish Adventurers!

 Photo by Michal Bobruk

Last Wednesday (6th April) the 6th graders invited two Polish Polar Adventurers to join us skating and skiing on the sea ice. Norbert Pokorski and Michal Bobruk had just returned from attempting to cross the sea ice to Ellesmere Island. Unfortunately there was too much open water and they had to return to Qaanaaq.

Photo by Michal Bobruk

But this was good news for us! The 6th graders had fun showing off their skating skills and Ungaaq got some personal ski coaching from Norbert. We spoke a little English too.

 Photo by Michal Bobruk

When Norbert and Michal had to walk out to the airport, Ungaaq, Midtlaraq and Birgithe from the 5th grade walked with them. It is 5 kilometres from Qaanaaq to the airport.

 Photo by Michal Bobruk

But they all had fun along the way!

 Photo by Michal Bobruk

 Photo by Michal Bobruk

Michal and Norbert took some great photos and they emailed them to us as soon as they arrived in Poland.

Photo by Norbert Pokorski

Photo by Norbert Pokorski

We enjoyed spending time with Michal and Norbert and we hope they can return some time for more adventures. If you want to read more about their expedition you can follow the link to this page: Transarctic Polar Expeditions.

Photo by Michal Bobruk

Ava Atus Langrendsski diplom

Hans Peter og Ungaaq har arbejdet hårdt for at få deres langrendsski diplom. I de sidste par uger har mange børn stået på langrendsski, slev når vinden blæser i meget lav temperaturer. Hans Peter og Ungaaq er dog de første at gennemføre kravene for Avanersuup Atuarfias langrendsski forløb niveau 1.

Vi beklager billede kvalitet! J

Qimusserarnialeqaat atuartut

Qimusserartuni kisimik sukkanniupput, sukkanniunnerat assut pissanganarluartumik ingerlanneqarpoq. Imminnut assut naligiillutik sukkanniukkamik. Qimussernerat isorartussusaa 9-10km missaanniippoq.

 

 

 

 

Qimussernermi sukkanniunnermi:
Nr. 1 - Tabitha Simigaq & Josef Simigaq
Nr. 2 - Storm Petersen & Martha Qujaukitsoq.

Pokal-imik pinnapput, ujaminnatsinneqarlutillu aningaasanillu akissarsipput.

Fæstelavn!

The origin of Fæstelavn is not easy to explain - for an Englishman anyway. It is a typically Danish tradition where kids dress up in costume and line up to smash a wooden barrel full of sweets. The child who breaks the barrel is crowned king or queen. The one who breaks the very last piece of wood is also crowned.

There are prizes for the best costume too!

It was a big turnout on Saturday the 5th March with lots of fun for all the family. Slightly dangerous too with all that wood flying around! The day finished with fæstelavn cakes and hot chocolate for everybody. Thanks to Rasmine and Tukumeq for all their hard work!

Return of the Sun!

After four months without it, the sun returned on the 17th of February, but is was cloudy so we didn't see it. The girls of 5th grade Avanersuup Atuarfia braved the -25 C plus windchill to take some photos a few days later!

 

 

Communications with the outside world are important ... so we have to take turns to hold up the satellite dish!

The 4th graders were really nice to us and had hot chocolate ready for when we came back to school! Thanks guys (and Lone)!

It is good to see the sun again! :O)

Watching Bruce Parry "Arctic" in the Arctic

Today we watched the Greenland episode of Bruce Parry's "Arctic". Bruce was here in Qaanaaq in April 2010 and many of the children from school recognised themselves and their family in the programme.

 

The teachers were impressed with the programme and feel that it presented a sympathetic view of hunting as a challenging way of life in the modern age, rather than the typical view of "hunting is bad" that so many films have shown in the past. It was also encouraging to see that climate change was not the main or only focus and time was taken to see how much things cost in the shops, how difficult it can be to make sufficient money from hunting and the fact that hunters have to, and are ready to, adapt to changing conditions.

Shooting Star in Qaanaaq!