Saturday, October 31, 2009

Inuvik Post

My inbox has been flooded recently with people asking me about Northern etiquette. I don't think I've been here long enough to know all the ins and outs of proper social decorum but I have learned a few things. For starters, it's often mandatory to remove your shoes when entering a building. My place of work requires students and staff to leave outdoor footwear in the lobby. Yesterday I went to the health clinic for the H1N1 vaccination and the same rule applied. As such, it's not uncommon to see people walking around with bare feet or to spy a lone toe sticking out of a sock. This custom makes sense as peoples' shoes often leave an unsightly slurry regardless of the time of year. However, I don't think I'll ever get used to, or enjoy, walking around in my socks when I would normally be wearing shoes.


Some recent inexcusable excuses:
- hungover
- sister going into delivery (this happened on Monday, the student missed the rest of the week)
- student took son to get H1N1 shot, doctor told student she had to stay home because she could be a carrier

2 comments:

Jeff said...

Being Hungover is too a good excuse!

The MediaMentor said...

In some parts of the Eastern Arctic (Nunavut & Nunavuik) its often the case that visiter will not take their parkas off...