Kimmirut, Nunavut

Well, three interviews later and I have been offered (and have accepted) a teaching position in Kimmirut, Nunavut. Kimmirut (formerly Lake Harbour) is in southern Baffin Island. It is an Inuit village of 411 people and is half an hour from Iqualuit by plane. They have the shortest runway in Nunavut and are only serviced by Twin Otter planes. Will be an interesting experience.
One of the things that impressed me about Kimmirut, aside from the fact that they wanted to hire me so obviously have excellent taste in teachers (kidding!) is that the principal reserved a spot for me at the daycare so that I was certain to have childcare when I got there. I thought that was an 'above and beyond' moment and I really appreciated it. It also reminded me that in small places like that, people are nice to each other without any ulterior motives. I missed that, living here in the Lower Mainland of BC, where people would probably walk over you if they saw you dying in the street.
So I am Kimmirut-bound in August! I will finally be a resident of the north again and will, at long last, get to see Nunavut. Before that, of course, I will be having my summer-long camping trip. I was planning on going across all of Canada to Newfoundland but now I will probably only make it as far as Manitoba. My sister has moved up the date to her wedding because my father is so desperately ill and she wants him to be able to attend. At this point, it is doubtful that he will be able to live through the summer and has decided to discontinue chemotherapy treatment because that is making him feel so awful all the time.
I will be blogging about our trip and look forward to the adventures ahead!

Disappointment and hope

Well I got the all important call/email that let me know my resume is competitive.  Whew!  It was from a school in Arctic Bay and the principal has an impressive resume of his own, including a teaching award for science teaching (intimidating!).  I was being interviewed for a science/math position. I was really excited about the idea of going to such a great place.

The interview went REALLY well. It was over an hour long and they asked extra questions after they were done the 13 they had planned, which I was being graded on.  However, at the end I mentioned that I was a single parent and then everything fell apart because THEY DON'T HAVE DAYCARE THERE.  Honestly, it was a problem I hadn't even considered.  I knew there might not be room in a daycare but never thought there might not actually be one.  So the interview ended with them being disappointed and me being disappointed and I'm sad that I wont be able to work with such an amazing, successful person.

That being said, I got another email today from Pangnirtung and they want an interview as well.  I feel a little better about being able to pass an interview now but still worry about the daycare issue in Nunavut.  Hopefully it's not all communities.  I did check out whether or not there was a daycare there and it seems like there is so that's hopeful.  As long as the daycare has room, I should be OK.

So I'm packing to go on my Crazy Cross-Canada Camping Trip, selling my stuff, and hoping SO MUCH that the right call, the right interview, will come before the end of the year. I would hate to have to give my month's notice in the middle of the summer to my principal now. She is so amazing and I respect her and don't wish to make her job more difficult.