New Job

Three weeks ago, I gave my two week notice for my recycling job.  Last Friday, the 20th, was my last day (although I didn't actually work that day because I had the cold).  For about a week and a half ish I had a cold that was miserable.  It's difficult when two of my classes involve a lot of talking and I really don't want to speak at all.

Monday I was supposed to officially start work at the Alaska Native Language Center (a wing of the Brooks building on campus), but I couldn't because the professor I work with couldn't get in town because of the freezing rain.  I also had no classes that day, which was kinda nice as it was a day off, but also a little boring because I had gotten all my homework done already over the weekend.

Tuesday it somewhat started.  It was decided that I would start in Aleut because the professor that was here (the other one who studies Athabaskan languages was stuck Anchorage) is very interested in that language and its dialects (Eastern, Atkan, and Attuan).  I was given the spreadsheet with which to fill topics, words, glosses of those words, dialects that use those words (and if there is a difference in pronunciation), and times from which the words were attested.

At first I understood well the theory behind what our goal was: to document words in various Alaskan languages.  Unfortunately, I didn't actually know the process of parsing the dictionary's entries and putting the information on a spreadsheet.

Eventually through trial and error and asking the professor what she wanted and how she wanted the info, I developed a system I think works.  I think this is how it should look:

The columns above are Topic, Aleut Entry, Aleut Root (this one's blank and I'm not sure what I can put in here), General Gloss, Eastern, Eastern Gloss, Atkan, Atkan Gloss, Attuan, Attuan Gloss.  You can click on the screenshot for a bigger view.

(I don't prefer to use IE, but Google gives me trouble when I have two different Gmail accounts open in the same browser).

I'm not currently really able to get twenty hours a week.  I end up running into issues too often to get there, and I'm not sure how to manage my time to include that many hours in addition to what I already do.  So I'd really like to get those twenty hours but I'm nervous about it negatively affecting my schedule.

Hot Springs and Internship

On the sixth, my friends and I went to the Chena Hot Springs where we got to enjoy 106 degree water and -35 degree air above.  The water was very relaxing and enjoyable.  Our hair turned white with frost and became brittle and made it feel very crinkly and solid.

After making and eating some sandwiches, we drove over to the hot springs.  When we got inside we changed into swimming gear.  Some of us warmed up in an indoor hot tub before venturing out into a hallway that led to the springs.  The walls were covered in ice because of all the water nearby and the freezing temperatures.  That was the closest I'll probably ever get to joining the 40 below club.  The moment my feet touched the water my first instinct was to get my entire body into the water because I was really cold.  So I sort of slid down the ramp that led to the springs because the water was so nice.  The floor was gravel and the sides were big rocks, which gave it a very natural feel.  It was so steamy you could only see a few feet in front of  you unless the wind was blowing it away. Unfortunately my phone is not water proof, and the spring was covered in steam, so there weren't really any good pictures to be taken.

Ice skating pond.  Most of the instructions or signs were also written in Japanese because a lot of people come to this resort from Japan.

Us going to get Ice Cream.  Before we left, one of my friends forgot a spoon to eat his ice cream on the way, so he ran back to grab one.  On the way he saw some tourists bundled up in the style of A Christmas Story, yet he was just wearing a sweater.  Living in Alaska makes such a difference in cold tolerance.

Big snowman we took a group picture at.

also,

I got an internship, or at least I'm pretty sure I should be getting one.  I'll be working with two doctors documenting Eskimo-Aleut and Na-Dene languages.  We will be going through dictionaries to create a full database of basic vocabulary of the languages under those families.  I've already given my two week notice for the recycling job.

Currently, the job would last until Jun 30th.  My professors, however, have already sent in a request for a grant from the National Science Foundation that would continue the internship for years. Furthermore, I may also apply for an Ursa undergraduate summer study grant which would fund a summer of research.

This all likely means I won't be coming home this summer, at least for more than 1-2 weeks.

It made me feel really good when my professor, Dr. Berge, said I was currently the most qualified person for the job.

also,

It's a paid internship, which apparently is unheard of for an undergraduate to get.

So, prayers answered!