It went to Nuuk, Greenland and back to Seattle, Washington. It was waiting for me intact when I arrived home. The little stuffed polar bears that a couple classrooms sent with me were safely inside. Limited availability of certain foods, of course, can be an issue for some people with the disguised blessing of scarcity of junk foods. I observe the groups and the whole as its members interrelate and the coping skills that unfold.
Events mark the passage of time and celebrations build cohesion.
Yes, even the Blue Nose Initiation fulfilled a valuable function. Teamwork is defined. Nowhere else have I experienced the reality of the interconnectedness of all peoples as vividly as I have living in remote and isolated conditions. Our survival, our well being, our happiness hinge upon the roles of individuals as they connect to the goals and purposes of the existence of the larger group. Perhaps you can see it more clearly than I can from your objective reading of my journals.