You have ever eaten pizza while watching a movie at the Bear Tooth.
You have ever been to the 5th Avenue Mall more than once.
You play outside when it is below 0 degrees.
You have ever climbed Flat top.
You think it is normal that the Dimond Mall has no “a” in “Dimond.”
You have ever swam indoors at H2Oasis.
You walk outside with your hair wet in the morning then no doubt it will freeze and be icy

You might be from St. George if...

You walk almost everywhere you go!
You have your classes down by the dock.
You have a seal plant in town.
You only have 1 grocery store!
You can find seal teeth on the beach.
You are a part of an Aleut dance group.
The weather changes every 10 minutes!

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

If you are hosting: Describe what you did to get ready for your guests arrival.: We came up with a list of all of the fun activities that we wanted to do with our sister school and they gave us ideas of what they wanted to do. We found people to host group dinners. We also found host families for everyone to stay with. We also planned a welcoming committee to meet our guests at the airport.
If you are hosting: How do you feel about seeing your Sister School Ambassadors again?: We were excited to see them again, but they weren't able to come because the trip got cancelled. We are hoping to reconnect via videoconferencing or through email/chatting. Most of the St. George students come to Anchorage frequently, so there is a good chance of reconnecting.
If you are hosting: What were the best moments of welcoming your visitors?: N/A
If you are hosting: What are you most looking formward to doing now that your guests are here?: We were mostly looking forward to just seeing them again.

What we learned.

1.They used machines to prepare/clean seal furs
2.The reason Alaska was purchased was because of the Pribilof islands
3.Seal fur is super valuable because it is really thick and soft

What we learned.

One we learned that everything they get is brought by plane so if the plane doesn't come they don't get their supplies. Two their arrival time for stuff isn't always reliable. The postal worker may have to get up at night to get the mail if it isn't delivered on time.

What we learned.

We learned the blubber dance and the otter dance. We learned that blubbering was how they took the blubber off of the seal skins. We learned that in St. George, the tradition of Aleut dance faded for a while and then the group that does it now brought it back.

1) What was the greatest thing about this exchange?: Being able to see a new place. The whole thing was really fun and cool to do. We liked meeting new people that we may not have met otherwise.
2) If you could have changed one thing about your trip to your Sister School community, what would it be?: To stay longer, since we had to leave early.
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?: They did not fill out their destination log, but based on what they said while we were visiting: Some thought cities were scary and were worried about bullies at our schools. Someone also said they were worried about getting lost.
4) How does their perspective influence your view of your community?: It doesn't really change how we think about our community. We think it is fun and can protect people if they are worried.
5) What are two things that you learned about your Sister School community’s culture as a result of your trip?: They have more birds and other wildlife, not just seals. They have just as much technology as we have in the city.
6) How are the people in your Sister School community different than the people in your home community?: They interact as a community more than city people do. They get excited when visitors come to the island. They do a lot of things outdoors - walk everywhere instead of driving.
7) What do you think the people of your Sister School community have most in common with the people in your community?: They like a lot of the same things - electronics (satellite TV, Wii, videogames, etc.)
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)?: At the play with the polar bears, at the community dinner, and talking with our host families.
9) Why do you think it’s important for students to be Cultural Ambassadors in Alaska?: Because the children are the future and maybe we can carry on information to get rid of stereotypes and carry on traditions.
10) What are two things you learned about yourself by participating in this program?: Moises- I like whale meat, but it is a strong taste. I learned how to cooperate with people better.
Tiffany - I do not act like the average teenager. I like all of the native foods - that is a privilege.
Lettie - I am a nice person. I can live without an iPod for a week.
Heather- I learned that I really enjoy the slow pace of a village. I appreciate the community feel of St. George.
11) What are two things you learned about your community?: It is humongous compared to St. George and food is so much cheaper here!
12) What are some things you think that all Alaskans have in common?: We all live in Alaska. We all have the same history. We all have the same needs. We are all people!