A-N Artists Talking Asked: “It would be great from our point of you if you were to make a special post in your blog to the issues around working abroad – anything that you think might be of interest to other artists and those involved in art today.”
RESPONSE 1 :
Working and living as a contract Teacher, who happens to be an artist, on-reserve in the subarctic has all sorts of challenges, so you need to be open minded and flexible. The great thing about Teaching is that everyday is different, and that is a huge key for me where there is alot of sameness.
The remote location is often the hardest thing to overcome in various ways that can be hard to be prepared for; if you haven’t been here before. It can creep up on you and become a breaker in terms of staying for any length of time. Technology isn’t always reliable or available. Alot of the time, T.V., phone, internet, connections are limited. Your support system is you, for the most part.
Movies, reading, outdoor activities become tiresome quickly, because of limitations as well. You have to take care of yourself, because no one else will, and know yourself to best cope with what can be the harshness of living in a new place that is remote.
There are tradeoffs, of course, to working in the north. As a Teacher, and artist, there are risks working with no union representation, no teacher pension coverage, and no worker security benefits. Every job provides different benefits and coverage, so check. While you might be paid a higher wage, the cost of groceries and travel are higher. The great thing is there is little to spend on any disposable income you may have. There is only one large grocery store, and a few small corner store-like shops in town.
Groceries, supplies, mail, equipment, must be ordered and fly-in.
The experience of the subarctic environment, nature, and people, is the trade off. You will be immersed in the ancestral culture of a people, and learn their ways, the community issues, politics, and how they survive a small remote, and sometimes insular, community.
