Since it's Easter, and a time for renewal and resurrection... it's feeling kind of like spring time here in Iqaluit, if you can believe it! The temperature now is hovering around -18 to -20, and for some incredible reason, some of the snow is starting to melt (I dunno, I always learned in school that the freezing point of water is 0 degrees, but hey, what do I know?)... It's very strange, seeing icicles dripping, and mud puddles, and, for crying out loud, actual dirt pathways for the first time since I've been here, but being bundled up, hood and all, b/c it is still cold out... it's a bit confusing... (however, don't get me wrong: there is still A LOT of snow out here; I've only seen two small mud puddles)
Someone was actually surprised to know that there are taxicabs up here. They thought I was riding around in a sled (:P not to name any names :) )... Well, the very fact that there is enough business to keep two taxicab companies going is probably something, however, there are cabs. Obviously, vehicles are pretty expensive (especially when you figure the transportation costs up here: there are no dealerships up here, per se... people buy their cars down south and then work to transport them up here. The cheapest way is by sealift in the summer time; apparently fleets of cars that people have ordered during the past year finally make it through the bay. If people really really need a car or a skidoo quickly, they either buy it used in town, or, if they've got the cash flow, they fly in the vehicle... that's nutty! Sometimes it costs more than the actually vehicle to fly it in!)... lots of people drive around in skidoos, carrying around their babies in amautis and slinging a few kids in the back. Mostly, people drive trucks and SUVs (probably one of the few places I can imagine it's justifiable to be driving massive vehicles... Tim, you'd have a field day :P ) However, I have seen a Penny lookalike on the streets! I cannot believe that a poor little Toyota Echo survives up here! :)
Anyways, about the taxis. Fares are a flat rate of $5. It doesn't matter where you go in town: $5. One night when it was -70 outside, I took a cab the distance of a block rather than freezing and dying half way. It can get pretty expensive for people who depend on the cabs to help them get their kids to schoo, then to work, then to grocery shopping and home again... that's one reason why people have a hard time to finally get the money together to get their own car, especially if they're spending $40 a day just to get two parents and two kids back and forth from work and school.
On another note, as I was earlier complaining about the incredibly poor oral hygiene in children b/c of pop consumption, alcohol consumption actually is not as big of a problem up here. Most of the Nunavut communities have chosen to be completely dry. Here in Iqaluit, there are several bars and restos that sell alcohol (and that's only b/c it's the capital), but no LCBO-type stores at all. This, I think, has helped the communities by at least reducing the number of alcohol-related injuried and problems. I guess it's kind of hard to gauge. On the other hand, I have seen a lot more binge drinkers that totally go on a HUGE bender when someone imports a whole lot to share with their friends. Also, it makes me that much more angry at all the spousal abuse that I see, since there's a LOT of it out here, and the stupid louts don't even have the 'excuse' of alcohol for their behaviour... grrr... grrrr... OK that's another heartache that I've been having to deal with out here that I'm just not going to start on today.... getting off soapbox now...
I've been very confused as to how timing kind of works out here. There's an Arctic Bible Conference that I'm supposed to be volunteering at this coming week, with people coming from all over, from Siberia to Greenland. However, no one can really tell me when things are really starting, or when I need to be anywhere, or what the final date of the conference is. They've told me to just 'show up'... now, seeing as I don't even have a good idea as to what time, let alone what day, I should be showing up, this is a bit confusing... sigh... I suppose it's just my western worldview of time-centredness that's getting in the way... well, at least I know (I think... uh, I hope...) -where- it's taking place... uh, maybe... uh, I guess we'll see if I end up at this conference or not...
Love you!
julia
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