Kunik

Out of all the infamous "kisses" In the world, Today I experienced one that is now on the top of my list.
No..not this one...

umm..not quite this one either...:P

Here we go!
This Kiss is a traditional Inuit greeting called "Kunik" A Kunik is the pressing of "the nose and upper lip against the skin (commonly the cheeks or forehead) and breathing in."It's basically the equivalent of a kiss on the cheek to loved one in Western Society. I think it's a beautiful tradition and I will absorbe it into my future actions<3 ..but not in a creepy walk up and smell your face out of nowhere kind of way..haha..

p.s shout out! to Orange Coat!

And we'll all float anyway WELL!

Today is -2 but the wind is chilly. It's nice and sunny so I went for a little walk. I could actually wear my sneakers today! there are less and less slush and puddles everyday. Soon enough I get to breath in all that nice dust:) I'm sitting in my apartment and I can hear the neighbors carving. It's a really interesting and different thing to hear and see.

Other then that it's been slow in the life of Amanda.. trying to keep a good sleeping schedule and blocking out the sun..only at night though..bring it on during the day:)!!

Get Your Dog A Doghouse!!!

Cell phone, Sleep, Arctic Ventures, ghetto fight

I have an Awesome new cell phone and a 16hr shift on zero sleep,
and there was a Crazy ghetto fight on my street including flipped four wheelers, a man sliding down a hill on his face, and me laughing in the window. And the weather is getting better:)
Peace

PolarMan and Payday

I was walking to work today and I notice something fly inches away from my head. I look up and there were two little boys throwing rocks at me! I turned towards them and to thier surprise I yelled at them "DONT FLICK ROCKS AT ME!" they looked like they were going to piss temselfs..haha Then I continued to walk..walked pass PolarMan who later shows up at work to see the movie startreak and ingages in an intense conversation on how the Green Goblins mask was horrible in the Spiderman movies. He halled out his photo album that has pic of him in his superhero getup with the teletubies, Santaclause and then other pics of him with his imfumose shuvel. He also showed me a pics of his pet rats. Back to my walk to work...I met up with Mosha. A local who I think has a crush on me, or just really needs a friend. I met him on mothers day and found out that his mother is dead and his Dad doesn't really have anything to do with him. A scenario way too common up here. He said he made me a carving of a polarbear. He's a harmless guy who spends hrs loitering in the Frob Lobby. haha..
So then I arived at work and got all my work done in a couple of hrs. But guess what? Today Is a sweet day...why?
PAYDAY!
I can finally get a phone and some rubber boots.
So my choices in female rubber boots are ugly blue plad or animal print..haha.. I think I'm going with the animal print...wear some fishnets and a mini skirt with them..;P j/k!
It's going to be nice to be able to relax from her on out:)

It's Cold Again, It Looks Like Rain

How's the weather up there?

Tonight -6°C
Tue 1°C
Wed -3°C /-6°C
Thu -2°C /-8°C
Fri -2°C /-6°C
Sat 1°C /-5°C
Sun 1°C /-4°C

Getting there....

Send It Out To Sea..

"Surf...Rock...Band"...SPLASH!

The weather is getting warmer and the snow and ice are begining to melt. Everywhewre there are puddles of muddy water. Today I was on my way to work, had my headphones on, singing to Modestmouse and walked over what i thought was solid snow. No sir, it was not. I went knee deep in slush! I let out a few words and had to walk home and change my cloths quick and call a taxi to get to work on time. My roomie was laughing at me and I had to laugh too...if anyone was watching it must have been a fuuny sight.
So tonight the movie theater is playing Hanna Montana and there are screeming kids everywhere. But then the Cinima decided, Hey, we want to drive Amanda nuts and tell half the kids that it's sold out..Crying little girls all over the place...oh my head....
I had to redo my budget too. I didn't realize how much money I would be spending in taxi fees. I think I'll invest in some rubberboots and track my way though the mess. but I'm too chicken poop to walk home in the dark so that's at the very least 6.00 a day. It adds up.
Also, Thanks to everyone giving me great advice! It's helps so much. I love hearing stories from people who have already experinced the artic and Iqaluit. It's a very beauitiful place once you get the chance to sit back and experence it. I really can't compliane much. You know life is good when your hardest decition is weather you should buy some rubberboots or not :P

Slow Day Snow Day

Today was a clod and windy one. Woke up to the house windows shaking and I was not wanting to get up. I was so very cumfy and the thought of getting out of my warm bed to go out in the cold wasn't apealing. I got up and hopped in a taxi and was on my way to the Frob. As soon as I arived poor pregnant Carmen was up to her eyeballs with paperwork and check-ins and then it went DEAD.... I got an angry phone call from a jerk, got hit on by Steve again. He is a guy who NEVER remembers me and he gets drunk introduces himself a million times and then tells me he thinks I'm "Pretty hot ya know"..freak...was called a bitch today by a drunk local...but that's about all that happend. Oh! and Polar man was here to watch a movie so he was hanging out in the loby...For those of you who don'tknow who Polarman is here is a link.. http://www.superheroeslives.com/reallife/polarman_(2003).htm

Let it snow..

Tonight is my first night working alone. No more training for me. And it was slow. I had only two check ins and they both cancled. So I had all my work done early and was bored the last few hours. I'm looking into going dog sledding next week! A lot of people at work went and said it was a great time. I also have more pics to put up but the internet here is so bad that it wont load them. So I'll keep trying.
p.s It's snowing out lots tonight..20cm!

King of Carrot Flowers

Positive...

I feel like such a tool for getting so upset the other day. I think I was just really homesick but It's out of my system and I'm actually looking forward to the rest of the year!

Things I like about Iqaluit so far...

1) My Job- I absolutly love my job. I enjoy going to work everyday. I like the staff a lot. My manager (Paul) is really great. He's very upbeat and I like that.

2)My Apartment- I might have to sleep on the couch for now, BUT my roomies are great. I don't live in a party house. It's nice and quit...except for random livingroom dancing in the middle of the night in pj's and heals..haha

3)Something New- It's a new experence. and If you know me at all you know I get bored and need knew experences to keep me somewhat sane:) Dog sledding, sight seeing, ect..should be fun

4)I can pay off a lot of student loan debt- 12 thous. If my calculatons are correct.




Sweet.

Homesick

I have never missed St. John's more then I did tonight. I was so down and my friends were telling me all the things that were true but what I didn't want to hear... I miss the city. I miss the people. I miss the security. I never felt more homesick in my life... I miss internet that fucking works!..god damn it...the arctic is so fucking cold and It makes no sense to me why I have to run full force away from the things I want in order to get them. I like my job and I'm too stubborn to leave and I'm determined to make this a good time. I hope it gets better then this...not to sure it will though. You make your own fun here.. I'm not too much of a fan of drinking here. It's too depressing and I can see how it takes over the lives of the people in this town. there is too much time to think . I THINK that's the problem. Too much time inside your own head, evaluating your life over and over. I need to occupy myself with positive things. POSITIVE. nobody is positive. It's like it's sucked out of them. they just pass time, or, they are in decision mode..where am I going ....they all waste time here for a better brighter future...It's a fucked up purgatory. the arctic is no ones home, even the people who call it home seem to be lost. I miss a city that is welcoming. I miss a city that is safe and I have NEVER missed St. John's more then I did tonight.

I'm sorry, I'm just a little sad tonight...I'll be better tomorrow..

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mother's Day Nan, Mom and Alison!

hahaha!!!

"Sacrificing the Iqaluit Vergins"

So I didn't get ANY sleep..I was up all night because the next door neighbors were screaming and crying drunk. Then I had to get up early because I was supose to get my room done BUT they were too buisy and didn't show..ugh...BUT I don't care me and the peeps are going dancing!! and in the words of Leah-Anne"sacrificing the Iqaluit Vergins" whoo!!!

o.k..that's not right..gypped

so much for getting new carpet. It's not in my bosses budget so I'm only getting them cleaned..again...it didnt work the first time I'm not sure why he will think it will work this time??...ugh...
Looks like I'll be sleeping in the living room on the couch..and paying the same as everyone els...??no way..not going to happen. I'll write a letter to my manager to see what he can do...this sucks...
Me and the girls are going dancing tomorrow night. dance out 'dem stresses.. haha

2am

So It's 8:53am here and I couldn't sleep at all last night and I just woke up to BNAG BANG BANG!! on the door. I got a little freaked out and then whoever it was walked in! So, I'm in my bed FREAKING out oh my god there is someone in my house and I get up and it's the flipin' Nunistar guys who are doing my room. They were laughing at me...bastards..haha...
I also took a vid of the sky outside my bedroom window las night at 2am..

Here comes the sun again..

I ate some bad Chicken Alfredo yesterday..PUKE.. I got so sick and had to go home early. My roomie talked to the Nunastar peeps and we get to paint the apartment AND I get new carpet..yay! no more pee smell. I bought a new bedspread and new pillows in the brightest colors I could find. I tried to find curtains but they were all sold out in all the stores. I'm guessing it's because of the time of year. I have a sheet up in my window to block out the sun. It's not bad yet, but soon enough we will have up to 22? hrs of sun...crazy stuff, and today was -14..brrr....

My Apartment

Leah-Anne's room




Our awesome T.V


Sarah's Room
The gateway to hell..the closet in my room:)

My ugly room! I'm talking my boss into letting me paint it:)

White Row

Well I moved into my new apartment on "White Row". It's covered in the cheep 70's fake wood walls, my room smells like cat pee, and my neighbors beat each other up. BUT! we have a sweet huge T.V and lots of comfy couch space. I live literally a 4 min walk from the hotel but I have been warned to never walk home. So I wont. taxi's 4 min away might seem silly but I'm not willing to take the chance to get jumped. I never felt more like a minority in my life. I almost feel marked here for one being a female and for two being Caucasian. Don't get me wrong I don't think all Iqaluit is out to get me or anything haha, there are a lot of very nice locals including some of which I work with. But I still can't help but feel like a target.
Anyways, I had to walk to work today up the steepest most slippery hill of life and I sliped and almost feel and zipping by me were the chuckles of a local on a skidoo..thats right, laugh at the so obvious out of towner :P I might have grown up in rural Newfoundland, but I'm such a city girl.
Right now I'm sitting at the carabrew cafe and I'm an hr early for work..(I have been deemed "keener" by my boss)..and I'm getting ready to do 70 check ins, count cigs, calling cards, and cash, change shifts, put away keys, witness cash drops, print in house by room reports, print and prepare the full house arrivals for tomorrow (blah), send confirmation letters, do wake up calls, check in house guests for payments, phone limits, room charges, and dining room reports, do bucket check(blah) and then go home and sleep sleep sleep!
I hope everyone back home is doing well and they keep me updated on the news so I'm not out of the loop all together.
I'll post some pics of my apartment soon too...it's such a peace of shit..haha

First Day

Today I woke up and went for a walk around the town and it was so small it only took me and hour. I went into the local grocery stores just to have a look at the prices of food and such and I came to the conclusion that I will never afford it. I bought a box of Nutri-Grain bars and a case of pepsi and I paid 35.00 for it! The cost of living up here is insane. So, It looks like I will be walking in the snow for free hotel food bcs I aint paying all that money for it.
When I came back I had dinner with a couple of the girls who are signing their second year contracts. They were really nice to me and one of the girls are going to be my roommate starting tomorrow. I will also be living with a girl Sarah who I havnt really gotten the chance to talk to much yet.
After Dinner I got ready for work. And let me tell you It was a very interesting night. Mike trained me all night and the work is not hard, I just have to get use to some of the paperwork and the computer system. In the hotel there are a bunch of businesses and a bar and movie theater are two of the many. It's Sat. night and the lobby was packed the whole night with teenagers and drunks. The cops were called three times. Some guy tried to smash out the windows. A woman was crying hysterically in the lobby drunk. Another guy decided he wanted to smoke inside...it was a wild night. During all this, I'm trying to make reservations with people on the phone..haha...
But tomorrow I move from the hotel into my puke green ghetto apartment with my new roomies and It's brunch day (apparently a day to look forward too) ;)....
I love it here so far...no sarcasm I actually like it.

A note left to me by a co-worker that says: "Amanda, these (scarfs) are washed and STD free" ;P
Box of bars and pepsi= 35.00!!mmm..Dinner

Expensive?? Yep!

I just paid 2.25 for this bottle of diet coke...

Home Sweet Home

So I finally arrived! The hotel in Ottawa was ok but the staff were less then that and there was a guy in the room next to me who snored soo loud. I woke up at 5:30am and got a shower, threw on some cloths and took off for the airport. I wanted to get there early and good thing, they boarded the plane early! I had to lie to the airport staff so I could get my guitar on bored THEN It wouldnt fit in the overhead because the plane is old and small. so I had to cram it in the back of the plane between the wall and a seat. Let's just say the flight attendants wernt very pleased..but whatever, I got my way:)
So when I landed in Iqaluit a French Canadian named ..umm..I forget...Martin?..I think, was holding a sign for me. He was hilarious. He grabbed all my bags and we hopped in the Frobisher Inn company van and he showed me around the town and brought me to my hotel room. I have to stay in the hotel for 4 or 5 days until they get my room ready. So then I met the staff, including my manager Paul and everyone seems really nice so far. The hotel in insanely busy. In the lobby where I will be working there is a local theater, local swimming pool, local pharmacy, the poplar bar, a cafe and a convenience store.
So, right now I'm taking the time to catch up on some relaxation so I can be wide awake and ready to work tomorrow. Breakfast on the plane

My Hotel Room