Sorority girls. Big guys. Gentle souls. Bad luck. Good luck. Chances. Little openings. Moving from A to B. A ride. Joy. Depth. Rocky trails. Emotional landscapes. I was at first surprised over how easy it was to be here, remember that? It was after two weeks. I have now been here three weeks. That is having passed the time you would usually spend on a holiday or so. I can see that, it is noticed. This week has been both about frustrations and deeply rewarding learning experiences. My classes and the professors teaching them are superb. So what it is about is Navajo lifestyle and philosophy, and studio art. I have already learnt so much, I am really looking forward to a full year, and what I will have gained by then. First of all, art so far has been mostly about drawing and painting, and acknowledging how the little I thought I knew really is nothing at all. Chuck Hitner, an interesting character who often reminds me of Greg, is our teacher and instructor in drawing and painting. First thing he did, was an hour speech about what art both is and is not. All those bright ideas of the existence of talent and artisticness he blew off straight away. I like that. I never thought I had much talent, but I do think I have something to say, is the basic idea that I can now build on with more confidence than before, thanks to Hitner. However I know that I tend to get my opinions better through by writing than making images. But I will try both. We have figure drawing and what I enjoy is the most, compared to Finland, is that he let’s and wants us to pin our own thoughts and lives onto the model. In my figure drawing course back home we were to strictly draw the model and make the proportions of the human body correct. Also the model was to be in the precise same position as between breaks. That is not realistic Hitner says! Humans are not evenly and perfectly proportioned, we move and beath and live, and I like that idea. There is truth in it. Even though my previous manners in painting or drawing a certain way have been blown off, I do notice that my many years of experience in studying art are serving me quite a bit of good. There’s a lot of kids there that seem sooo fresh, in every meaning of the world. Of course fresh is a good thing, but it seems that many are not that willing to yet try strange ideas, and to at least explore something new, even though it may feel wrong at first. And Hitner can be a bit intimidating at times… he’s obnoxious, loud and will tell you what is on his mind, regardless.. (Mind you, don’t let the last name fool ya. I keep mixing it up with Hugh Hefner for some odd reason!) So as you can see, this new way of learning art has been important to me. And you won’t believe it! In my drawing class I started chatting to a guy who said he was from Juneau… wow, but it gets better; we went to JDHS at the same time, when I was there he was a sophomore! Isn’t that unbelievable, the world really is such a tiny place! My Navajo classes, or the Diné (people), as they call themselves has been controversial. At last I am studying something I dreamt of a long time a go. There is great potential for disappointment. But I have matured a lot since then, and the romantic image I had of Indians still there. That’s what’s controversial, because this teacher that I have, is a Navajo lady in her sixties, a very educated woman, probably in literature and such, is making that image stronger I think. She is so happy all the time, but there seems to be something behind that.