Frontier House: Official Proposal

Family Name:
Otteman
Occupations/Schools:
Langley Middle School

Open answer questions (attach additional pages. All questions must be answered.):
What attracted you to this project?
I am really interested in this time of life. I have read many books about it, and each time I am amazed by their strength. I think this would be a good thing for me too. It would help me to see how strong that I really am.
What hobbies and interests do you have?
Some of my interests include swimming, taking walks in the woods, and cooking. I have many others, but a lot of them wouldn't benefit me in this project. My life passion is animals, so I think that this would be useful.
What image do you have of pioneer living?
My image of pioneer life is very crude and hard. At the same time I see it as a pure life. Free of the twentieth century's crime and lies. I think that it would be very hard work, but in the end a good experience.
What's the most challenging thing you and your family (or group) have experienced?
We have experienced many challenging things. My dad grew up on a farm, and he was a major hard labor worker. He got up at 3 every morning to feed and do labor on the farm before school. He has also gone through a lot of mental hardships. My mother had a very terrible child hood. She had been taking care of her brothers and sisters for a long time. This has made her very strong. She also lived way out in the middle of no where in Oregon. She had learned to take care of herself, because she was by herself a lot. My sister and I have watched are family get betrayed, and hurt by the people we loved most. This has just brought us closer together as a family.
If you were chosen what do you think you would most miss about modern life?
I think that I would miss talking with my friends. They are very important to me, and I get lonely easily. I think I could do it though.
What qualities do you and your family have that make you suited to this experience?
Well my dad is a very hard worker. He does all the physical labor at my house and helps others with theirs. He chops our fire wood out in the woods. He also knows how to work on very little sleep. Every day he gets up at 3 am and works on airplanes until 5 pm. Than he gets home and does work around the house and at others people's houses until he goes to bed around 9 pm. He works as much as he can, sometimes 2 weeks in a row. And on his days off he pays bills and works around the house some more. It is very hard for him to keep still. My mom has worked at many different restaraunts as a chef. She knows what is okay to eat in the wild, and what is not. She has been doing this a long time so I know she is good at it. My sister is also a hard worker and she helps my dad a lot. I am the one that normally does cleaning and taking care of our animals.
What skills do you have that may help you?
I can work hard if needed. I am very good with animals, so I could milk the cows and feed them. My mom says that I am the most stubborn person she knows, if I set my mind on something I will get it done. I don't mind getting dirty, but I like to look nice. I really like the out doors. My sister and I used to play in the woods non stop. If I can help an animal in any way I will do it. No matter what.
What would you hope to get out of the experience?
I would hope to know that I could do this an survive. It would also make me look at my life very differently. I know that I am lucky, but I still think I don't understand how lucky I am.
What do you think will be the most difficult challenge of pioneer life?
I think that the biggest challenge for me would be doing the same thing over and over again. It would get boring after a while.
What skills would you like to learn from the experience?
I would like to learn to appreciate everything I have in my life. it would be cool to learn how to cook all the different food.
We'd like you to tell us:
What interests you about this project?
I like how true that it is to how the life was back than. They don't sugar coat anything. I would really get to see what it was like back than.
Do you have any concerns about your participation?
I would be scared to go out there. But I know I could last.
How much do you know about your family history -- do you have pioneer roots?
I don't know much about my family history because I am adopted. I do know that My dad's family has a lot of farmers in it though.
How did you hear about Frontier House?
My teacher, Mr. Berquist showed it too my class.

No More Cigarettes

Okay, so the biggest thing going on in my life lately is that my mom quit smoking. This is a really big deal at my house. Let's just say that my mom didn't have the best child hood. Not even a good one. Smoking to her wasn't only an addiction. It was a habit, a comfort, and the first steady thing she had ever had in her life. This sounds overly dramatic, but my mom's mother had started buying her cigarettes at age 13 in exchange for babysitting. So quitting for her really was a lot harder than for most people. She had been smoking for like 90% of her life time. For the first couple of days she used the patch. Than she decided that if she used the patch, she would still be putting nicotine in her body. if she used the patch, she would still have to go through withdrawal later. So she decided to go cold turkey. This was really hard on her, and for my family. Since her body was so used to the nicotine, when she quit it was very hard on her. She was having huge fits, and she actually admits that she didn't know who she was right than. It was very scary for all of us . Now she is doing much better and it has been about 9 days. It's really funny though because now she has her sense of smell back, and when she smells smoke she wrinkles her nose and says, "I can't believe I smelled like that!" She is one of the strongest people I know, and I am very proud of her.

To My Biological Father

Dear Stranger,

How could you not care?
Doesn't it ever cross your mind
that I am out here?
I have countless questions
for you.
But your not even around
for me to ask you one.
Don't you think you owe me
the courtesy of a phone call?
Even prisoners,
get that right.
In your mind,
I don't even seem
to deserve that.

After all the pain
you put me through,
I hope your hurting too.
Even that wouldn't be enough.
Because I didn't choose this.
You did.

All you thought to give me,
was a single photo.
And if I look into your eyes,
you don't even seem
happy there.
Whatever made you abandon me,
like worthless trash,
that didn't mean
anything to you,
couldn't have been as bad
as what it did to me,
when you left me.
I was only a baby,
so I don't remember you well.
All I have for you
is one last question.
Is that what you really wanted?

This Is Just to Say

Daddy,
I have ran away
and taken a plane
to Disney World.
As the plane flew across the sky,
like a giant white bird
I thought of you and smiled.
I have finally spread my wings
and flew away.

I know that you will miss
me but I needed to fly.
When you think of me,
like I hope you sometimes do
don't be sad.
This is what I wanted
and some where out there
I am having fun.
I will call you soon,
pinky swear. ; )