Friday was our last day on the rez. I never like to blog after I’m home because, well, it just isn’t the same as writing in the moment. Our last day was quite hectic though so it is my only option for capturing Friday’s happenings and feelings.
There was no health promotion topic planned for Friday by Britin and Ashley, beyond sharing a story about maintaining who you are while reaching for your goals and celebrating with the distribution of prom dresses, dress shirts, and neckties. Even though we weren’t teaching anything, we wanted to go back to the alternative classroom to say thanks to the students and teachers for welcoming us all week. Ashley and Britin had the brilliant idea of sharing our leftover breakfast items with the class as part of the thank you. We brought cereal, apples, bananas, and yogurt for the group, along with more giveaways. After a group photo, we headed back to the Lakota Prairie restaurant for one more order of fried pickles and ranch. I never eat fried pickles anywhere but there–they are always delicious!
The cabin has looked like there was a formal-wear explosion all week with prom dresses hanging everywhere (there are no closets in the cabin). With 50 prom dresses, approximately 7 dress shirts, and a bag of neckties, plus jewelry, shoes, and other items, we rolled into the high school, setting up in the foyer again next to the gym and the security office. Before I could even get in the door after parking the rental, Britin and Ashley had already given a dress away and had girls in the bathroom trying on others. The excitement and smiles were so great to see. Britin and Ashley worked hard to give each girl attention, help them find something that suited their style, give encouragement, and even helped them get their dresses on if needed. So much fun! The girls got lots of hugs, photos, and even requests to be Facebook friends. We now know many of the students by first name, and I look forward to being back in August and looking for these new friends dancing at the pow wow. The hugs are especially meaningful–it is a sign that we are more than just acquaintances; as an acquaintance, a hand shake would be the appropriate gesture. We were able to give away all but about 15 dresses, two dress shirts, and a few ties. One of the high school teachers kept the leftovers to share with some of the girls not present on Friday. We really didn’t want to leave but knew that we had to eventually.
We left Friday night at 6pm and drove straight through again. I usually need 1-2 weeks to recuperate from a trip–there is always so much to process. But, alas, Spring Break is over as of tomorrow. As I return to work, I can’t help but feel blessed for these experiences, new friends, and the privilege of doing this very small bit to encourage safety at Little Wound during prom. Wopila!
Nursing Students at Pine Ridge 