Craving Cree

Three weeks later, I am back in St. Paul, Alberta.

I have to say, I was not the diligent dude I set out to be. Life kind of just got in the way. But it appears the time off was beneficial in some unexpected ways.

Last term ended on a somewhat fatigued note, as a bunch of presentations came due in roughly the same 2-week time period. I returned to Winnipeg a bit fried.

While I gamely tried to pick up the books here and there, I guess I just tried to make the most of my 3 weeks at home instead.

Well, otakosihk (yesterday) nitotem Roberta and I decided we would try and say a dialogue we had learned in one of the immersion classes last term. It involved some classic 5W questions (i.e., who, what, where, when and why). I was reluctant to try because I thought I would forget most of it, but to my surprise, there the words were, ready to be spoken and understood. A pleasant surprise: geez, maybe dis Cree stuff is sinking in after all.

But what was most unexpected about being away from Nehiyawewin was how much I missed it. For the first time in a long time, I liked learning, and felt its absence. Yet, had I not left, I wonder if I would have appreciated it as much I now do. In this way, I had to leave it to see what it meant to me. Ain't that the way?

ekosi,
Rick

ps: nitotem Roberta challenged me to be blogging totally in Cree by the end of the school year. That was the plan, actually, but it too kind of slipped. And so I swear before all of you in cyberspace, I shall take up her challenge. Wapahki (tomorrow).