Summer of the Whales

Summer for most people was at least two weeks; summer for you was six months! You normally didn't have a problem with a long break from school. This time though your parents had gone a little to far, this time you had to go across the ocean and visit some friend your mom set you up with. A pen pal wasn't it? You haven't spoken to that person in forever you forgot because you've been so busy with everything else! Seems your mom didn't forget and now your going out there to spend six months.

"Mom, what am I going to do? There is no electricity out there! No TV, no outlets, no computer, nothing!" you sighed exasperated and flopped onto your bed.

"Stop acting like such a diva." your mother responded from the hall shaking her head. She leaned on the doorway looking at you. "Your not even packed, please try to put more effort into this. It would be a good experience, besides I already paid for the plane ticket and Atka's mother said they set up your room already."

"Atka." you mumbled into your pillow.

"Its Inuit for Guardian Spirit, if you don't want to call her by her Inuit name, you can just call her by her American name, Casey." your mother said then turned to leave. "Please pack and try not to forget anything."

"Yes mom, I will." you start pushing yourself up off your bed.

"By the way, its really cold in Greenland, so you'll need to pack warm things. And I bought you a parka, you better wear it." your mother shook a finger at you then left the hall.

Groaning you rolled your eyes and tossed your suitcase onto the bed and flung it open. Your mom already helped you with what you should bring, you just had to put it into the suitcase. Your mind started going over everything you figured you'd have to do.

1. Live in an igloo: They look neat but they are really cold.
2. Get to school by dog sled: That didn't seem like such a bad idea.
3. Eat weird things you've never heard of: Lets just hope you don't keel over.
4. Go whaling and get swallowed by a whale: Yeah lets NOT think of that one.

Sighing you finished packing by then and made sure you had what you absolutely needed, no use for a PSP if it died there was no way to charge it. That excludes your cellphone too. Mom is just going to have to deal with letters and snail mail.

Picking up your suitcase which was surprisingly heavier then you thought you toted it to the door of your room and got caught in the doorway. Grunting you pulled through the door and went down the hall trying hard not to knock anything off the walls.

"Mom! I'm ready to go!" you yelled down the stairs. Then let go of the suitcase, it landed on the last three steps and thudded noisily down them.

"Really! Was it absolutely necessary to toss your suitcase down the stairs?!" your mother demanded placing her hands on her hips.

You fought back from laughing. "Sorry mom." and tromped down the stairs hopping the last two over the suitcase then picked it up. "Can I say good-bye to my friends one more time?"

Your mother looked at her wrist watch and sighed. "I suppose. There are a few more minutes until we have to be out the door."

You set down your suitcase and ran to the phone dialing up your buddies. Lucky for you, you knew how to add calls so you could talk to more then one friend at a time. They sounded excited over the line and wished you well asking for things brought back from Greenland.

"Okay, well I have to go for now alright? Cya in six months!" you hung up the phone then and hopped off the stool. "I'm ready to go now mom!"

Picking up your suitcase you marched out to the car and tossed it into the back seat then climbed in. Your mother followed you and got into the driver side. "It's going to be okay sweetheart, it will probably be really fun."

The reassuring words helped you feel calmer, then the car started and drove off. You stared out the window watching the normal scenery pass by and your eyes got heavy, you took a nap as your mom drove to the airport. Once there she woke you up and helped you catch your plane. She gave you a hug and a kiss on the cheek then waved good bye as you went through the gate to your plane. You stopped and turned around waving small before disappearing.

"It wont be forever. It will just feel like it." you sighed and found your seat.
Another long ride and plenty of time to sleep, strange people around you didn't bother you because they kept to themselves. By late evening a flight attendant woke you, the warming smile on her face and soft words made you feel safe. You got up groggily and gathered your bag from the top baggage compartment since it was small enough to take on with you.

Coming out of the plane the sunlight nearly blinded you, there wasn't an airport here and you had to come off the stairs. Being careful not to slip you walked down them griping the rail. There was a lot of brightly colored buildings and cars, all covered in a thick layer of snow.

"No way, these places have got to have electricity." you stated.

But your mother never said anything about Atka and her family living in one of these homes. Your mind started drifting off to igloos again.

"Heeey!!"

A voice drew your attention and you looked to see a dark haired girl running your way. Startled by her enthusiasm you weren't expecting her to hug you and almost drew back. Wait a minute maybe this was Atka, you looked down at her.

"Casey? Um.. I mean Atka right?" you flinched slightly. It would be odd calling her that.

"Yeah that's me, you can call me either." Atka smiled up at you.

Atka was a rather beautiful Inuit specimen, round smooth face and a flat nose, dark eyes that sparkled and long black hair that at the moment was free. She had a furred parka on, with matching pants and boots. Her hands gloved she looked very warm. "Come on I have a sled waiting for you."

"Sled?" Oh great. I am going to have to stay in an igloo! You picked up your bag and followed after Atka being careful to walk in the snow. Of course there was a patch of ice you didn't see and it took your feet out from underneath you. Thump! Flat on your back you stared up at the bright sky and groaned this is not starting out so well.

Then Atka's face appeared above yours. "You should try chucking your feet."

"Chucking? I can't throw my feet!" you got up slowly.

"No no, maybe not the right word." Atka seemed to think a moment. "Like this." she said and moved with a motion like she was planting her feet every step and picking her way.
"Oh." you watched and tried to follow her footsteps.

In no time you were on stronger packed ice and where able to walk more steadily. Atka lead you over to the dogs that where waiting to pull the sled. There was more then eight of them and you counted at least twelve dogs.

"Why so many?" you asked as she set your suitcase onto the sled.

"I was not sure how many bags you brought with you. More dogs have stronger pull." Atka stood on the back. "Get on." she motioned smiling.

Nervously you climbed onto the sled and got tucked under a warm fur blanket by Atka you settled down. This wasn't so bad. Thanks to mom for buying the parka or you'd be pretty frozen.

"So you don't live in the... village?" you asked looking back and up at her.

"No we don't, we live near the ocean though. It's very nice." she said and pushed off clicking to her dogs.

"Do you live in an igloo?" you asked feeling your cheeks heat up when she started laughing.

"I live in a house." Atka responded. "Did your mother say I lived in an igloo?"

"No.. I just thought that..." you started feeling your stomach turning over.

"That is the old ways, though a lot of us still do live in them. Don't worry, you'll like it at my house." calling out to her dogs Atka pushed the sled to go faster with her foot. "Almost home."

It seemed like a long way. Besides yards and yards of snow, there were also herds of caribou and musk oxen. They looked like large weird shaggy beasts but thanks to your biology class you knew what they were.

Finally the dogs came over a ridge and you could see a small looking house in the distance. It looked warm and welcoming with light pooling out of the front door and windows. Your fingers and nose were cold and red, you couldn't wait to get inside the house. Atka helped you off the sled and picked up your suitcase then lead you inside. Her brother you guessed, came out to take care of all the dogs.

You stood and watched him a moment before following Atka into the house, you tapped the snow off your boots at the door and walked inside. It was most definatly warm inside, the home made of wood like a modern log cabin. So much for an igloo!

"Wow." you breathed and pulled back your hood then took off your knitted hat.

Your nose and cheeks were pink from the trip to the house, the smell of food filled your nostrils and you could feel your mouth watering. You were hungry especially since you skipped out on the plane food.

A short round woman suddenly came up to you and grabbed Atka's arm, before shaking your hand. She spoke to Atka in the language she knew, you figured Atka would translate.

"Greetings! I'm Ahnah, Im Atka's mother." Atka said looking at her mom. She listened to Ahnah speaking more before translating again. "Welcome to our home, we hope you like it here. Food is on the table." Atka grinned and took your wrist. "Come on lets go eat I'm starving!"

A smile came to your face and you pulled off your parka, you still wore a sweater underneath and a shirt under that. You followed Atka to the table and sat down, what looked like steak and potatoes had your mouth watering again.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, so.. I wont." you cut into the tender meat and took a bite.
The expression on your face must of made Atka laugh, because she did. "You don't like it, you must not eat it. Spit it out." she said and took a bit of her own meat. "Not all American's like walrus."

"W-walrus?!" you swallowed after disposing of what you had in your mouth. You felt the need to push your plate away, but you really didn't want to offend Ahnah.

"Well not all of us eat what you eat." Atka shrugged. "Want milk and bread instead?"
You blinked at the small rhyme then looked at the meat, it wasn't so bad really. Just different. "No, I'll keep it." you cut another slice of meat and took a bite chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. "Its not so bad."

"You'll get used to it." Atka said taking another bite then.

After dinner you took a bath in the small tub and dried off then followed Atka upstairs to the loft where there were five beds. "We all sleep up here? Where are the separate rooms?" you asked.

"No separate rooms, this is a one room house. We don't have enough money for something bigger and there is just us." Atka said referencing her mother, father, brother, her and now you.

"Oh I see." you said looking at the beds set up. "So... which one is mine?"

Atka pointed to a bed near the window. "That one there." then she climbed onto her own bed.

"Don't you feel a little weird about no privacy?" you asked tucking yourself into your bed.

"No. I've known them my whole life, we have curtains anyway. And mother and father rise early, and when Yakone gets up he goes and changes in the bathroom." Atka explained then yawned.

Her yawning caused you to yawn in response and you turned to look out the window. Your eyes feeling heavy slowly drooping from the quiet of the night. Tomorrow was going to be a new day, and the first time learning the Inuit ways.