On Tuesday evening I had my first ever Steam Bath. What an experience that was! My coworker Yvette invited me over for a steam and dinner. It was about time I got in there! Turns out it's not quite like a sauna at home, everybody gets naked! I was quite surprised at first. I thought it was just a joke they played on the new intern. But as it turns out, that's how it's done. Native Alaskans used steam baths to cleanse themselves of toxins and the like, and well, clean themselves. Most people didn't have running water, so they created steam baths in order to bathe. A steam bath is a building constructed entirely of wood, and has 2 rooms, the prep room and the steam room. In the prep room is where you undress and get well, prepared. The steam room has benches all around and a large stove in the middle surrounded by rocks. On the stove is a basin of water (the hot water for bathing). You pour the hot water over the rocks to create the steam. Yvette adds essential oils to her rocks so it smells amazing and soothing. How the bath itself works is this: you head into the steam room, and fill your personal basin with water from the stove, and cold water to balance it all. Don't want to get scalded in there. Then you sit down on a bench, and cook. After steaming for about half an hour I was dying. But it was so relaxing. So after the initial steam, you head out into the prep room to cool down, and return your body temperature to normal so you don't pass out. Then you head back in, get a good sweat going, and wash yourself with a basin of water that you filled in the first part. Then out into the prep area to cool again, and realize how amazing it is that you're clean. Ladies, my hair has never been so soft. And any tension I had in my body was gone. I was jell-o.
After getting dressed again (man I wish I'd just brought pjs), we had dinner. Moose stroganoff! First time having moose ever. It was pretty good! Look at me trying all these new things: salmon burgers, dried salmon, moose stroganoff, and the list continues. Slowly I'm becoming Alaskan (well not really, but you get the idea).
On Wednesday I led my first ever kids program! And it was just about a flop. Only 4 kids showed up. Lame. But I was competing with one of the nicest days we've had out here, so I guess I understand. I put together a Leave No Trace program. Creating all the props for it was so fun!
To do the program, I first read off all the principles that I put on a poster:
1) Know before you go2) Choose the right path
3) Trash your trash
4) Leave what you find
5) Be careful with fire
6) Respect wildlife
7) Be kind to other visitors
And then explained what each principle means. After asking the kids if they knew of course.
Then we played a game called, "What Principle Am I?" Where I'd read off clues and the kids would have to guess. I got to use the laminater too, so that was fun!
Then we had a relay. Yvette and I had put together 2 backpacks. The right one to take on a hike, and the wrong one. And brought items that would be right/wrong to take with you. On one side of the lawn we had a cone, where the kids would start from, and where our 2 backpacks were. On the other side we had another cone and all the items we brought. The race was to fill the backpacks with the corresponding items. In the good backpack the kids were supposed to bring all the essentials. Matches (just the box don't worry), a water bottle, sunscreen, bug repellant, a light jacket, a bug hat, a warm hat, dried foods, etc. The other backpack was a canvas shoulder bag...not quite what you want to take on a hike. And the kids had to gather all the bad materials, like huge canned foods, things that needed to be prepared with an oven, pop cans, lotion, etc. Just stuff that ends up being a burden later on. It went pretty well! But I think if I did it again, I'd only have 2 good backpacks, and have a variety of good and bad items on the other side. It seemed like only half the kids really got the activity. And with only 4 kids, that didn't go so well.
Finally, as a gift to the kids, I had made out Leave No Trace cards to be kept with them at all times (yeah right, but the thought was there). It was a nice personal touch I'd say. So, at the end of the day at least some of the kids in Port Alsworth learned a valuable lesson. It was a pretty fun day.
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