No, we don't have the kind of help with education that is available in Canada.
Yes, conditions can be pretty deplorable on the reservation. The rez has the best of things and the worst of things. If you live away, you may find much better opportunities for jobs and good education (that's how H grew up, middle-class life but too disconnected from his people).
I got the benefit of knowing elders, learning about our culture, languages, the benefit of family helping family and everyone helping everyone (tribally-based thinking). I did experience a lot of the horrendous stuff, but my family really pushed education and I learned to read very early. I think I mentally escaped the sadness and difficulty by reading everything I could lay my hands on. I had gone through every book in our local library by the time I was 10 and so had to start sending away for books from inter-library loan program.
Most Natives, despite all the cards we are dealt, are very naturally intelligent and curious people. Given half a chance, we learn very quickly. I am primarily self-educated, and had only an 8th grade education (and at a pretty poor school at that). Later on, I decided to get a GED and try some college classes. The councelors at the college were amazed that I scored so high on the enterance tests that they wanted me to take an IQ test and I score quite high on that as well (145).
I had to go back in some areas to learn the basics in order to to well in college, but I still don't feel like I missed much from not going to high school.
After getting an education and learning job skills, I went back to work for my people to try to help, in my small way. These days, I see more help and encouragement for our youth to become educated and set their goals high, but there is still a big conflict in trying to do the dominant culture's idea of work/school hours and also trying to meet extended family,community, and spiritual obligations.
Even families that are not stuggling with multiple issues of alchololism, abuse, poverty, depression and a miriad of other dysfunctions have an uphill battle, but I can see many of the ways that H and I have broken many of the destructive patterns that have been part of our respective families for generations. Now, I hope we have the strength and determination to break destructive patterns with each other. Unfortunately, we didn't have such great role models for healthy relationships growing up.
