Scholarships

Scholarships

I’m just about done with the two scholarships I am working on. It’s been a valuable experience in reflection, improving my writing skills, and has helped me identify professional allies.

I realize now that it is surprising how much I have done at BTC this year. I have also identified my weaknesses. I don’t have working medical experience. I haven’t done any organized volunteer activity. I plan to rectify these things by volunteering for WAHA, a local health non-profit. I am struggling to get a driver license. I didn’t mention how I am trying to make friends and get acquainted with Bellingham. I have reflected on how my experiences will help me in nursing, which is giving me a greater conviction to the career. I have a more positive view of the government after receiving the Pell Grant. I learned valuable lessons in communication in Japan.

I realize my english needs improvement. I want to improve my writing skills, as recommended my Dad and lei. I am planning on attending Toastmasters clubs, including one that is held on the Lummi reservation. There are writing groups at the bookstore I will attend. I will keep up this blog more frequently. I will start this process earlier, little by little. It was hard to do this scholarship when I was so busy with school. Studying for the english part of the ATI-TEAS test, the placement test into the Nursing program will help me improve my english skills.

I had my scholarship reviewed by the Writing Center, dad, lei, my advisor twice, coach, a worksource staff member, and a classmate, most recently. I invited a classmate to get some coffee with me at Black Drop, a local coffeehouse. We talked about a range of issues from the brain to DNA to evolution, to nursing, to me casually asking for his advice about my scholarship. It was really helpful.

I’m supposed to be on a school break. I was at school yesterday, and the PTK adviser tells me, Kai, schools over. This scholarship was my main project during this break. I’ve read two books, one on Male Nursing, another on Nursing Assistant Care. I also went to the Stommish festival. It is strange to have nothing planned, like I would every moment during school. I reached out to do gardening work, but that position was taken. I want to work in the call  center, but it’s changing administration. I want to work as a CNA, but I have to wait until I get my license. I want to volunteer, but I don’t know what my schedule will be like.

Career Plan

Goal: Nurse Practitioner in Hawaii with Mom
Education:
BTC: Certified Nursing Assistant
BTC: Registered Nurse (RN) AA degree.
WWU: Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN)
UW: Masters, (Family) Nurse Practitioner (ARNP/FNP)
UW: Doctorate, Nursing (DNP)
Work:
CNA: Shuksan Health Care
RN: PeaceHealth
NP: Unity Care
DNP: Teach in Hawaii
DNP: Dean of UH Manoa
Housing
Get House for self and everyone
Ho bra! no more waiting for the boat

Lhaq’temish: Lummi, or People of the Sea

I recently went to a Indigenous led conference called Vine Deloria Conference at the Northwest Indian College. Signing up last minute, I got the OK to get the 100 dollars paid by some diversity fund from my school. I met familiar faces, S, who is a Lummi RN, who tries to incorporate native science to her practice, T, her partner, who has been for his life a commercial fisherman, as well as C, who has been famous locally by tying herself to a tugboat in protest of fossil fuels. The day finished off with a dinner of Gaaw, Herring Roe on kelp, a chewy specialty me and dad can appreciate, fresh from BC from the Heiltsuk Nation. During the meal, I met a woman who I told I wanted to get more involved. She told me to come at 10am tommorow to participate in a sweat. “We used to sweat every day”. “I’m white, is that ok?.” Yes, my dad is white. Does this kind of thing happen often? No, few people come to these things. I came the next day and the fire was raging. It was started at 8am, and one man has been doing it, a student that is older and returning at NWIC for the past few months. Adjacent to the fire was the temporary shelter: a dome of intertwined sticks covered with blankets, with a dirt floor, and a pit in the middle for hot rocks. Water was prepared to be poured on the rocks as we entered in and steamed up the inside. Cedar was sprinkled on and we could smell it’s aroma. I’m going to speak from the heart, the elder said. “Grandson, pour the water”, he said to another student, though he is not his grandson. “Ho e oh e oh ey ey…” It became nearly impossible to breath, and we soon all got out. We repeated this three times. The fourth time a native at Western, a tribal coordinator, saw and joined us and stripped down from his business suit. He led the singing in different chants, and talked of the significance of each of our entrances. He thanked the ancestors. I felt refreshed after. Smoky, moist, dirty, and barefoot, I returned to the conference and it was fine. I talked in the circle about needing to have this connection, but at the same time, it is a 20 mile bike ride into the county with no bike lanes in the morning, and it is tough in the sweat. Then, to satisfy my appetite, there was a seafood dinner of crab, salmon, halibut, and prawns. I am glad to be active in some native goings on here. Other things I’ve done included:

Bring back Tokitae Home
Lummi Youth Canoe Family Maori Send off
Fundraiser for Uni’sto’ten
Dance Fundraiser for Uni’sto’ten
Pipeline Discussion @ NWIC

It is close to a community, but I am still seeking one. A classmate asked me point blank, What is your story? It made me reflect.

Future Topics:
Health
Housing
Income
Food
Healthcare
Work
School
..
Naked Bike Ride
Kayak trip
A night
Visit Canada
Sushi
Bellingham
Relationships
Moving
Activism
Reconnections