Monthly Archives: August 2013

The title refers to what it seems that I say frequently on this trip.  I will return to this statement, but first…Lisa and I are being the motel nomads on this trip.  We have stayed in a cabin and two different motel rooms thus far and will be returning to a cabin for tomorrow night.  The motel is full, and even with moving nightly, we are quite lucky to have a place to sleep that is indoors.

OK, back to the story…we start out the day with a shamazing apple French toast made by one of the students.  We then begin to re-sort donations which required some expert teamwork and flexibility on the part of the students.  Even with such a big group we have a great dynamic among the students.  Couldn’t ask for more from them!  (Check out the “jazz hands” photos from sorting!).

After sorting we stopped by to check in with Rosie–she was quite busy with many visitors at the Singing Horse.  Our initial plan (i.e. “current plan”, which is very fluid) was to set up our health promotion activities in the parking lot of the pow wow.  Well, between Manderson and Wounded Knee, we passed a young couple walking with an infant on the road.  We pulled over, and Lisa and I got out to talk to them and offered them a stroller.  This road is the equivalent of a fairly busy, two-lane country road with no sidewalk.  The students got out and talked to the family, and after loading them up with supplies for their baby, we were approached by an older gentleman who was selling dreamcatchers.  After buying a dreamcatcher in a design that I had never seen, he asked us to go to visit a family who lived in a house in Lower (or Old) Wounded Knee Housing who have a lot of children.  We drove over and approached the family, and the students shined.  There were quite a few kids and some adults.  Our students had to prepare health promotion activities and materials prior to the trip so they had dental care supplies and information; physical activity information and exercise equipment; fire safety information; and handwashing information and supplies, as well as our requisite screenings for the adults.  We stayed with this family for an hour and a half, with other people approaching us.  The students loved the kids, and I loved seeing them having fun and giving their all.  The man that approached us was named Johnny High Hawk, and after our visit with the family, he spent further time with us talking about the history on the reservation and some of the Lakota traditions.  The students very much appreciated this extra information and interaction.

Since we spent so much time with this family, we did not get to the pow wow.  Half of the group went back to the motel to make dinner, and the other half went back to Rosie’s for a beading lesson.  The beading lesson was AWESOME!  I so much more appreciate the work that is put into the Lakota artwork now!  Verola, who works at Rosie’s and is also a Lakota Studies teacher, gave our lesson.  She was patient with us, and surprisingly we got going with it pretty quickly.  The students did great–all but one finished their bracelet within two hours.  Verola also shared some of her family history and more information about the Lakota culture.

Our time on the rez is passing so quickly.  I love it here, and I always consider it a privilege to be here.  Looking forward to tomorrow and making the ever-changing “current plan”.  🙂

Again, not sure where to start with this day.  Lisa and I decided that today would be a cultural day–a continuation of trying to orient the students to the rez and the amazing, beautiful people here.  We started with a visit to the Oglala Lakota College Historical Center.  They have an outstanding audio tour with art, photos, copies of treaties, etc.  We met a lady who was making her art and also selling it.  Her name was Cindy White Thunder, and her work was very beautiful and also very high quality.  I bought a necklace to give to one of our continued trip supporters and donors.  Some of the students were a bit surprised at the cost of the necklace, but after explaining that with the time that it took her to make the necklace (4 hours) and the cost of beads and supplies, she made less than $7 an hour for her work.  They got the point!

We visited the Oglala Lakota College Nursing Program also, and although I miss my friend Joan Nelson who retired in June, we received a warm welcome from the new director, Michelle Bruns.  After hearing about the college’s program and getting an idea of how their program is similar and also different from the one at Methodist, we traveled on to the Red Cloud Heritage Center.  A visit to the most beautiful church that I have ever seen and more amazement about the displayed artwork was part of this activity.

During our travels we stopped for gas at one of the few gas station/convenience stores on the reservation.  We did health promotion at the gas pump!  We gave a way 3 car seats during this stop and spoke to a very nice Native lady who works with a non-profit organization on the reservation.  I was so surprised to hear her say that she had heard that there were nursing students coming to the reservation!  Word is out!

We stopped by Rosie’s but didn’t get to see her because she is with family in the Black Hills, but spoke to Katherine and Viola.  Viola is caring for her sister’s 3 grandchildren, one of which has spina bifida and developmental issues.  We were able to fit her with some supplies and will have booster seats for her tomorrow (our initial van stock was depleted at Sharp’s Corner).

Next stop was the Oglala Lakota Tribal-wide Pow Wow in Pine Ridge.  Oh my gosh, just beautiful, amazing, and every other fantastic descriptor that you could use!

We have 18 students on this trip, and I finally know all of their names.  Today was the cement day–the day where it really starts to come together.  The students awe and amazement for our activities today–especially the pow wow–makes this trip worthwhile to me.  They are getting along as a group, not complaining about the van, and trying to soak up everything that the Lakota people have to offer.

Oh, and by the way, we learned that Johnny Depp is currently on the rez–I will definitely let you know if we see him!

NNot even sure where to start with this crazy day!  We left Sioux Falls around 9am this morning and made it to the Kyle, SD by 2:30pm.  This day’s drive is so much different than the previous day–so much beautiful scenery.  After a strained 15 minutes trying to check into the motel in Kyle (strained because I was initially told that there were only 2 cabins reserved for my party of 21!  More strain when I realized that the motel could not take my college-issued American Express).  Plenty of cabins and a different college credit card later, everyone had a room.  We relaxed for a very short time and then hauled to the Walmart in Chadron, Nebraska for supplies and a prescription pick-up for an ill student.  The picture posted of the clouds is on our way to Nebraska (a two hour trip).  On the way, I thought I saw a tornado–there appeared to be dust swirling under these very ominous clouds.  I stopped the van and was just seconds away from having my 14 passengers lie in the ditch, when someone realized that the dust was from a car traveling down a gravel road ahead.  OK, I know this sounds like a huge hallucination or delusion on my part, but I am TIRED and I SWEAR it appeared to be a tornado!!!!   I know that this will give the students lots to talk about–I am not sure that anyone will want to ride with me after this day!  At Walmart, we were able to get many items for our health promotion efforts–car seats, booster seats, baby items, strollers, etc.  We received so much more in cash donations than I ever expected.  The generosity of past students, current students, family members, friends, etc. is overwhelming.  Our student pitched in and worked as a team to get our shopping, loading, unloading, and stowing done.  I love to see this, and look forward to seeing them in action out in the community.  We have a big day planned for tomorrow so enough for now.