~ you wear a parka
~ you are an Ace’s fan
~ you have been to H2Oasis
~ you have seen a moose cross the street
~ you get stuck in traffic on your way home
~ you enjoying snowboarding or skiing
~ you ride the People Mover
~ you go shopping downtown
~ you go to Saturday Market
~ you celebrate Fur Rendezvous
~ you have seen the start of the Iditarod
~ you have visited the animals at the zoo
~ have seen an Alaska Wild football game
~ you have been to Century 16 (the movie theater)
~ you have been to Bear’s Tooth or Moose’s Tooth
~ you have visited Ted Steven’s International Airport
~ you have been to a concert at the Sullivan Arena
~ you have been to the Alaska Native Heritage Center
~ you know who Snowzilla is
~ you have seen the ice sculptures
~ you have been to a Seawolves athletic event
~ you have participated in or seen the Running with the Reindeer

Highlights from our team's expectations for their exchange

see more on the Personal Profiles

Highlights from our team's thoughts about being a Cultural Ambassador

see more on the Personal Profiles

See our individual profiles for the full details:)

If you are hosting: Describe what you did to get ready for your guests arrival.:
1. We made welcome signs for the Kiana students.
2. We organized the pancake breakfast.
3. We had to brainstorm ideas/activities to plan.
4. We had to organize the gatherings.
5. We asked teachers if they would be willing to allow the Kiana students to join their classes for the week.
6. We contacted members of our community.
7. We arranged host families.
8. We found out what they wanted to do and attempted to organize those activities.
9. We made a move about our trip to Kiana to show the rest of our school.

If you are hosting: How do you feel about seeing your Sister School Ambassadors again?: If you are hosting: What are your first impressions of the visiting Cultural Ambassadors?:
Our first impressions included:
1. Being excited and happy
2. It was so wonderful to see them again.
3. We were joyful to be able to spend more time with them.
4. We were overwhelmed with all the activities and hosting the students.
5. We wish could have see everyone from Kiana.
6. It was relaxing to be with them again.
7. It was like we were “Old friends catching up”.

If you are hosting: What were the best moments of welcoming your visitors?:
1. The initial emotion of excitement, happiness and joyfulness.
2. The hugs, smiles and hellos.
3. The band playing songs for them when they arrived.
4. Eating and talking during breakfast.
5. Giving the Kiana ambassadors a tour of our school.
6. Taking a moment during the tour to play basketball.
If you are hosting: What are you most looking formward to doing now that your guests are here?: We are most looking forward to:
1. Going to H2Oasis
2. Playing games and hanging out at the pizza party.
3. The military tours and then tubing on the military base.
4. Building more friendships.

What we learned:
1. Sledding is very fun, but also very scary and dangerous.
2. We learned how to turn on a sled.
3. We learned that making new friends is very exciting, but it is sad to say goodbye.
4. We learned to be flexible and that we cannot control the weather so there is no need to get upset if plans don’t work out.

What we learned:
1. We learned how to set a wolverine trap.
2. There are many pieces of equipment needed to trap. Some examples include: special gloves, a shovel, setter, bait, bucket, and traps.
3. We learned how to do a moose call and it is best to hunt bulls during the month of September.
4. We also learned that being in the Alaska wilderness can be very dangerous and we should always be prepared to be out for a week.

What are some of the important things that you have learned about your Sister Schools culture from this visit?: We learned the following things:
• The electricity in Kiana is fueled by Diesel.
• The members of the community are very close and supportive of each other.
• Everyone knows everyone and they care about each other.
• The younger kids are still able to tell stories about their culture.
• Very welcoming community
• Each individual person knows “their story”.
• Their modes of transportation are walking and snow machining.
• They have technology such as computers and Internet.
• They have a very modernized clinic and updated medical equipment.
• Subsistence living is very hard work.
• It is very hard for a person in Kiana to leave the village to pursue other possibilities.

How do you think that this visit has changed how you think about yourself and your own culture?: This is how the visit has changed our thoughts about our culture:
• We don’t know “our story”.
• We are not as close and supportive with the people in our community.
• We are lazy when it comes to transportation. We just get in a car instead of walking.
• It is easier for us to get our food. We don’t have to hunt and gather it.
• Visiting Kiana makes us want to find out more about our history and “our story”.
• Life in Kiana is less stressful and hectic than our lives in Anchorage. We need to relax more.
• Living in Kiana is more peaceful, less noise. It is never quiet in Anchorage.
• In Anchorage, we don’t share as much and we are much more protective of our things. We are very territorial.
• People in Kiana buy things they need instead of what they want. In Anchorage, we buy anything we want and need. We are foolish with our money in Anchorage.

What are some of the important things that you have learned about your Sister Schools culture from this visit?: We learned the following:
• They are not as different from us as we thought at the beginning of the journey. We act the same, dress the same and think the same.
• When they buy something new they really treasure it and enjoy it.
• The students from Kiana are quieter and more reserved than the students at Begich.
• The Kiana ambassadors were initially overwhelmed to the noise and large crowds at Begich.
• They really appreciated the People Mover and were very excited to use it, while many people in Anchorage don’t even use it.
• The ambassadors from Kiana move at a slower pace and don’t worry about time and deadlines.

How do you think that this visit has changed how you think about yourself and your own culture?: This is how our thoughts have changed:
• We are very loud people.
• We talk very fast.
• Our lives are fast paced, we are always doing something.
• We are fortunate to travel to many places in the United States.
• We are not as appreciative of things; we take things for granted.
• We need many stimuli in our lives in order to be entertained.

1) What was the greatest thing about this exchange?: Great friendships
Being able to participate in this once in a lifetime journey
Experience rural life first hand
Understanding how people in rural Alaska survive (subsistence living)
2) If you could have changed one thing about your trip to your Sister School community, what would it be?: Make the exchange longer in rural Alaska
Allow more people to visit Rural Alaska

3) As you looked at your Sister School’s Destination Log, what did you notice about how your Sister School Cultural Ambassadors see your community?: We are very busy people.
We are loud and fast.
We are not as appreciative.
We are fun and outgoing.
We are creative
4) How does their perspective influence your view of your community?: We think random thoughts and are “out there”
We are wrapped up in our own little world.
We are very busy.
5) What are two things that you learned about your Sister School community’s culture as a result of your trip?: They are a very close knit and united community.
They are appreciative of all the little things in life.
6) How are the people in your Sister School community different than the people in your home community?: We are not as close knit or a community as they are.
We are more territorial of our property and they are more willing to share with others.
In Kiana, they are more exceptive of people, where we judge people.
7) What do you think the people of your Sister School community have most in common with the people in your community?: We were the same clothes.
We have the same perspectives on entertainment.
We both have the same future perspectives and careers such as being a doctor.
We use the same technology such as Ipods, cell phones and laptops.
8) During the exchange, when were the moments you felt most like you were being a Cultural Ambassador (i.e., sharing culture, learning culture, or building bridges)?: When we first arrived in Kiana and we were telling our stories.
Talking on the phone with the Kiana ambassadors before their visit to Begich.
Going to the mall with the Kiana ambassadors
Giving a one on one school tour of Begich
Gathering at an ambassador’s house for a pizza party and games
Hanging out on the playground after school in Kiana
9) Why do you think it’s important for students to be Cultural Ambassadors in Alaska?: Alaska has two different lifestyles in the way we get things and live.
Alaska is a huge state that covers lots of land and has many different cultures.
10) What are two things you learned about yourself by participating in this program?: It is easier to be more fun and outgoing than I thought.
I am very willing to try new things. I am very social.
I have a great sense of humor. I care that my guests have a good time and that they are comfortable.
I am shy and quiet when I am around new people.
It is easy for me to make new friends. I like to be the leader in the group.
11) What are two things you learned about your community?: Our community is big, loud and very busy. We are always on a schedule and are worried or stressed out about this schedule. We are very territorial and more selfish than people in rural Alaska. There is more pollution in urban communities.
12) What are some things you think that all Alaskans have in common?: We all love the land and appreciate it for it’s beauty.
We are all rich in culture in our own way.
Everyone has they own way of doing things. No one way is better than the other.
We understand the importance of education.
Generally people care about others and their way of life.