"WHY ARE YOU SO BIG?"

That's what one curious little third grader asked me this week during lunch. I couldn't do anything but just crack up laughing! How do you answer a question like that? After I regained my composure, I told him that I was once just as small as he was and then as I got older, I began to get taller and someday he will start to get taller as well. I don't think that answer satisfied him at all because he repeated his question again, with a little more emphasis on the word BIG as if I didn't understand him the first time. I don't know if that's the best one I've heard so far. It's a toss up between that one and: "You're WAY BIGGER than my dad!!" God, I love these kids!

I guess I should have started this post by saying Ya'et'eeh. It is a greeting in Navajo. It has various meanings, but is used for the most part to say hello. It's great that a lot of kids still speak their language and we say the pledge in English and then in Navajo. It's very intersting to hear and I'm in the process of trying to get the pledge down. I have a 4th grader that I've started to meet with once a week and I found out that he loves to speak Navajo and that's how I got him to open up by being my new teacher. Let's just hope that he's teaching me the right words! hahaha!

Family is very important to the Navajo and they are a culture that is very matriarchal. When meeting with parents, it is the women who do all the talking and have a final say so as to what happens within their family. I think this is so cool and totally not what I expected. Not only do the Navajo continue to pass on their language to their children, but some continue to live in traditional houses called Hogans.

Some of the hogans are very traditional like the ones above, but I've also seen some that are very modern and have siding like most houses. A lot of the children live with their grandparents during the week in hogans because their parents have left to work in other towns.

Everyone has asked what MY housing looks like. All the staff live in trailers located at the top of a hill overlooking the town. I have a two bedroom/two bathroom (#20) that is much more space than I'm used to. You can see more pictures at http://s295.photobucket.com/albums/mm154/quidama/?action=view&current=KIDS2.jpg.

OH! Almost forgot the best part (Lisa and Maddie will be proud, I hope), the superintendent made me head of the counseling department for all three schools and he wants me to create a guidance curriculum for the district to use!! I was suprised and excited and downright in shock! What a great challenge for a first time counselor. Talk about PRESSURE!!!

Looks like I'll be updating my blog every Friday. Hope you guys are enjoying a taste of my life on the rez! Hugs and kisses to everyone.

Love Melissa