Soooo Sunday was Alise's birthday (one of my housemates) and I took her to Payless to get ice cream (the store where we get groceries). You can get 2 scoops there for $1.30!! Not bad. I finally bought a homemade hand fan too. I just drip and drip sweat in my classroom and it's helped a lot.
Yesterday (Monday) was your average day at school. I realized I was writing sentences on the board during English class about when women started wearing pants....hahahaha and the next group of sentences was about a pond freezing over and ice skating...I seriously considered whether I should make up my own sentences on the spot. Oh well!
So after school we went to gymnastics, and when we get back at 5:30pm we're sooo gross and sweaty. A bunch of guys were going out surfing and I've been wanting to try! So I asked Cameron (VP) if he would teach me, and he let me use one of his boards. So we got out there and I told him I had no clue what I was doing. He taught me how to paddle a little bit. Then he said, "Oh you're paddling really good let's go out." I'm pretty sure he was just itching to surf LOL I never realized how difficult paddling out is. I was SO tired!! Before I made it past where the wave breaks the biggest swell the guys have seen all season came crashing down on my head....yes I tried to duck dive but it was too powerful. Luckily I held onto my board but I didn't make it out before the next one thrashed me like your dirty underwear in the washer! I lost my board on that one....at least I had gum to stave off the salty taste right!? hahaha it was so NOT fun. But I got behind the waves and then I was too afraid to paddle back in! I really wanted to attempt to try and catch a wave but I was wasted. I was so exhausted by the time I got back in I went to bed at 9:15!
They chopped down all the old coconuts in the palm trees by the school so they don't fall on any little kids. So we had a coconut party and I drank and ate a fresh coconut.
Today I got up early and watched the sunrise. (Partly because I had to get up and do lesson plans since I went to bed so early.) But it was so beautiful. I love being by the ocean!! And the sunrise tonight was amazing too.
I got a couple more packages today too! I love getting packages. It's like a little taste of home. I just ordered a pizza here at the hotel and it was SO good! Reminded me of the good ole USA :)
Well I better start grading those papers!!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
I survived the first week!
Ahh the weekend. Where do I begin!? There's so much to tell about this week. Right now I'm sitting at the hotel waiting on my french toast MMM!
We have a lot of geckos (and cockroaches, etc.) in our apartments all the time and they make a little clicking noise. A bunch of us were talking about it and suddenly Zach (one of the SMs) says "What it's not rats??" Apparently he couldn't sleep at night because he thought there were rats in his room! haha This same guy also stepped through a weak spot in our vice principal's floor when we were having a going away dinner for the guys going to Jeh and Woja. So now there's a big hole in his TV room!
We started teaching the gymnastics class this week. Cameron (our VP) started the team last year (he used to be a gym-master) but he wasn't here this week so a few of us were in charge. It is really hot but we take a fan with us to the gym. It's funny because all the kids drink out of the same cup when we bring the cooler. They do that at the school too. I think it was Thursday after class when we got back to the school all hot and sweaty, and me, Tony and Alise all jumped into the ocean in our clothes. It is so nice having the ocean as our backyard! We saw the most brilliant rainbow I've ever seen too, from one end of the horizon to the other. It even reflected on the water. Supposedly there's some guys that play soccer here ever week, but I still haven't gotten to play yet! Hopefully I get to soon.
The funniest thing happened when I was here (at the hotel) on Friday after school. We were all sitting next to the window (which overlooks the ocean!) and an older gentleman with a nice black speedo walked by. I was skyping my parents who were lucky enough to see it! hahaha He kept walking back and forth and then sitting in a chair beside us and then standing up with chair marks on his legs....Alise said that was the most skin she's seen in a long time lol.
Friday morning in my class I was taking attendance when I felt a little tickle on my foot. Then it started crawling up my leg and I looked down to see a cockroach! Thankfully I didn't freak out in front of my class...and then Friday night before vespers I got out of the shower and our apartment was full of little bugs! The girls next door had them in their beds. We have no clue where they came from. They looked like little flying termites. It was so gross.
I also got a new kid on Wednesday who has never been to school before, and he's really shy. He came late and then after lunch he just ran away and didn't come back! Then his mom came and talked to me a little upset about him missing school. She explained they were paying a lot of money, he needs to learn, etc. Apparently he told his mom that I sent him home! I told her he never talked to me and she said to call her if there were any problems. So the next day he asked to use the restroom and ran away again! So I called her and she told me to tell his brother (who is in the high school). The poor kid is so shy! But Friday he stayed the whole day and I even got him to read out loud.
I love Friday nights here because I get showered and cleaned up, and then afterwards we go and set up my hammock and chill and look at the stars. It's so relaxing. Especially after teaching all week! God knew what He was doing when He made the Sabbath. We've had a good breeze the last couple of nights too. Apparently there is usually a better breeze, but lately it's been dead and hot.
Yesterday we had potluck at our principal's house and one of the filipino teachers made the best flan I've ever had!! MMM it was sooo good.
Well I have to go do lesson plans and grading :)
We have a lot of geckos (and cockroaches, etc.) in our apartments all the time and they make a little clicking noise. A bunch of us were talking about it and suddenly Zach (one of the SMs) says "What it's not rats??" Apparently he couldn't sleep at night because he thought there were rats in his room! haha This same guy also stepped through a weak spot in our vice principal's floor when we were having a going away dinner for the guys going to Jeh and Woja. So now there's a big hole in his TV room!
We started teaching the gymnastics class this week. Cameron (our VP) started the team last year (he used to be a gym-master) but he wasn't here this week so a few of us were in charge. It is really hot but we take a fan with us to the gym. It's funny because all the kids drink out of the same cup when we bring the cooler. They do that at the school too. I think it was Thursday after class when we got back to the school all hot and sweaty, and me, Tony and Alise all jumped into the ocean in our clothes. It is so nice having the ocean as our backyard! We saw the most brilliant rainbow I've ever seen too, from one end of the horizon to the other. It even reflected on the water. Supposedly there's some guys that play soccer here ever week, but I still haven't gotten to play yet! Hopefully I get to soon.
The funniest thing happened when I was here (at the hotel) on Friday after school. We were all sitting next to the window (which overlooks the ocean!) and an older gentleman with a nice black speedo walked by. I was skyping my parents who were lucky enough to see it! hahaha He kept walking back and forth and then sitting in a chair beside us and then standing up with chair marks on his legs....Alise said that was the most skin she's seen in a long time lol.
Friday morning in my class I was taking attendance when I felt a little tickle on my foot. Then it started crawling up my leg and I looked down to see a cockroach! Thankfully I didn't freak out in front of my class...and then Friday night before vespers I got out of the shower and our apartment was full of little bugs! The girls next door had them in their beds. We have no clue where they came from. They looked like little flying termites. It was so gross.
I also got a new kid on Wednesday who has never been to school before, and he's really shy. He came late and then after lunch he just ran away and didn't come back! Then his mom came and talked to me a little upset about him missing school. She explained they were paying a lot of money, he needs to learn, etc. Apparently he told his mom that I sent him home! I told her he never talked to me and she said to call her if there were any problems. So the next day he asked to use the restroom and ran away again! So I called her and she told me to tell his brother (who is in the high school). The poor kid is so shy! But Friday he stayed the whole day and I even got him to read out loud.
I love Friday nights here because I get showered and cleaned up, and then afterwards we go and set up my hammock and chill and look at the stars. It's so relaxing. Especially after teaching all week! God knew what He was doing when He made the Sabbath. We've had a good breeze the last couple of nights too. Apparently there is usually a better breeze, but lately it's been dead and hot.
Yesterday we had potluck at our principal's house and one of the filipino teachers made the best flan I've ever had!! MMM it was sooo good.
Well I have to go do lesson plans and grading :)
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Here I am...
It's Sunday before the first whole week! I have make lesson plans that I have no clue how to make... Yesterday we climbed on top of the roof of our apartment building for 3 hours and watched the sun go down and the stars come out. And then last night at 11:30pm some of us decided to go get in the ocean because we were so sweaty...it was so nice. Right now I'm at the hotel and I want to post pictures for everyone but it's so SLOW!! Hopefully I'll get some up soon. It was nice to just relax yesterday. We had the best potluck after church too...even though we didn't eat till almost 2:30pm hahaha all the SMs were dying. They had fresh coconuts and such good fruit salad MMMMM. Well I actually have to run to a meeting now. Yokwe!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Days 1 and 2 behind me
I was filled with so much anxiety on the first day of school! That could also be because I felt totally unprepared. This is because I'm a huge procrastinator and didn't plan my whole day out in detail which I should have. And also because we didn't do any curriculum on the first day...we were just supposed to meet the kids, have orientation and play games. Luckily it was only a half day because i was running out of things to do!
It is really scary because we haven't been told at all how to make lesson plans or record grades. And we aren't given books or curriculum. We just have to go in the book closet and pick out whatever we can find! And they say the kids are all on different levels and many of them are behind...but I think most of my kids are on approximately the same level.
I was expecting about 25 kids but I only had 16. I think total I'll have around 20. Thankfully the 2nd day was much better! My classroom is super HOT though!! It's right off the ocean so you'd think I'd have a good breeze but no.....we don't. The poor kids are just dripping sweat too. But I love them so much already. They range in ages from 9-14, and the little 9-year-old filipino boy is the smartest of them all! Genius filipinos....hahahahaha. I'm a little afraid that I'm not being strict enough, but my kids are pretty well-behaved and they listen to me (so far anyway!) so I'm not too worried. I actually had a lot of fun teaching today. When I get into the groove of things I know I'm going to LOVE IT!
HILARIOUS STORY---On the first day one of my boys (Peter) asked me if I was pregnant! BAHHAHAHAHAHA so funny....and no I haven't gained that much weight since I've been here.
Yesterday the VP (Cameron) took us all out to celebrate surviving the first day and we went bridge jumping into the ocean off the only bridge on the island. It was SOOO fun. Then we went snorkeling some and saw a couple sharks, bright blue starfish and an octopus and then we just went swimming in the waves off the pier. It was so relaxing...but then I stayed up till 1am chatting with people and making lesson plans for today. Today was also a shorter day so that was nice.
Cameron started a gymnastics team here at the school last year and I get to help coach it! So today he took us to the gym where he takes the kids and showed us around. Me, Lauren and Tony will be teaching the first week by ourselves since Cameron is going with some of the SMs to the outer islands. It's so dang hot in there but it'll be fun!!
We've been having problems with out water too. It was off one night and Cameron said "Oh, that's standard" like he always says...but it's been happening a lot recently! I went over 24 hours without a shower (GROSS!) and one of my apartment mates went almost 48 hours!! And the cockroaches are as friendly as ever....good times. Thank goodness the breeze finally came back last night. It's so hard to sleep here without it...
Thank the Lord for the Sabbath! Mark 2:27
It is really scary because we haven't been told at all how to make lesson plans or record grades. And we aren't given books or curriculum. We just have to go in the book closet and pick out whatever we can find! And they say the kids are all on different levels and many of them are behind...but I think most of my kids are on approximately the same level.
I was expecting about 25 kids but I only had 16. I think total I'll have around 20. Thankfully the 2nd day was much better! My classroom is super HOT though!! It's right off the ocean so you'd think I'd have a good breeze but no.....we don't. The poor kids are just dripping sweat too. But I love them so much already. They range in ages from 9-14, and the little 9-year-old filipino boy is the smartest of them all! Genius filipinos....hahahahaha. I'm a little afraid that I'm not being strict enough, but my kids are pretty well-behaved and they listen to me (so far anyway!) so I'm not too worried. I actually had a lot of fun teaching today. When I get into the groove of things I know I'm going to LOVE IT!
HILARIOUS STORY---On the first day one of my boys (Peter) asked me if I was pregnant! BAHHAHAHAHAHA so funny....and no I haven't gained that much weight since I've been here.
Yesterday the VP (Cameron) took us all out to celebrate surviving the first day and we went bridge jumping into the ocean off the only bridge on the island. It was SOOO fun. Then we went snorkeling some and saw a couple sharks, bright blue starfish and an octopus and then we just went swimming in the waves off the pier. It was so relaxing...but then I stayed up till 1am chatting with people and making lesson plans for today. Today was also a shorter day so that was nice.
Cameron started a gymnastics team here at the school last year and I get to help coach it! So today he took us to the gym where he takes the kids and showed us around. Me, Lauren and Tony will be teaching the first week by ourselves since Cameron is going with some of the SMs to the outer islands. It's so dang hot in there but it'll be fun!!
We've been having problems with out water too. It was off one night and Cameron said "Oh, that's standard" like he always says...but it's been happening a lot recently! I went over 24 hours without a shower (GROSS!) and one of my apartment mates went almost 48 hours!! And the cockroaches are as friendly as ever....good times. Thank goodness the breeze finally came back last night. It's so hard to sleep here without it...
Thank the Lord for the Sabbath! Mark 2:27
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
from student to teacher
I'm going to be a teacher YIKES! I feel so unprepared and clueless about this whole process. Trying to get into the mindset of a teacher is so foreign to me. Suddenly I'm trying to recall what my teachers used to do and what they must have been thinking. What a new perspective! I mean I guess I've taught gymnastics before, but this is a full-time job. And much more important for the kids. I hope the kids like and respect me, but more importantly I hope they see Jesus in me. That is what I'm here for anyway. School starts tomorrow morning!
About daily Marshallese life, well I bought a muu muu. Never thought I'd be able to say that...but I'm wearing it now. Pictures to come! hahaha I thought only fat old ladies wore these. The last two nights i've gone out to the rocks and watched the moon rise. It is so beautiful! It looks big on the horizon of the ocean too. Last night the stars were so brilliant. I guess it's been cloudy until now. I saw a few shooting stars too...my favorite. Two nights ago it was so hot with NO breeze whatsoever and I woke up in the middle of the night dripping sweat. I had to go get a drink from the fridge because i was feeling dehydrated from sweating so much. Then the next day I tried to take a shower in the morning but the water was out (which apparently happens every now and then) and then that night it went off AGAIN! So i went all day without a shower which is a very bad idea here. But thankfully I got one this morning. But I woke up with a huge cockroach on the wall over my bed. AHHH and a couple of the friendly flea-ridden dogs caught a rat last night. I guess these are all things you get used to.
About daily Marshallese life, well I bought a muu muu. Never thought I'd be able to say that...but I'm wearing it now. Pictures to come! hahaha I thought only fat old ladies wore these. The last two nights i've gone out to the rocks and watched the moon rise. It is so beautiful! It looks big on the horizon of the ocean too. Last night the stars were so brilliant. I guess it's been cloudy until now. I saw a few shooting stars too...my favorite. Two nights ago it was so hot with NO breeze whatsoever and I woke up in the middle of the night dripping sweat. I had to go get a drink from the fridge because i was feeling dehydrated from sweating so much. Then the next day I tried to take a shower in the morning but the water was out (which apparently happens every now and then) and then that night it went off AGAIN! So i went all day without a shower which is a very bad idea here. But thankfully I got one this morning. But I woke up with a huge cockroach on the wall over my bed. AHHH and a couple of the friendly flea-ridden dogs caught a rat last night. I guess these are all things you get used to.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Prepping for the year
Right now I'm watching the sunset here at the resort. We walked and I think we're going to catch a taxi back to the school for $1.00! Today we went through some of the textbooks trying to figure out what we're going to use. We finished cleaning and decorating our classrooms. Last night I was kicking a soccer ball around with some kids in my chacos and I went to kick really hard and hit a rock! I took a big chunk out of my big toe (pictures to come later :) and cracked my toenail. And then last night in my sleep I kicked the wall really hard and it woke me up hahahaha. Well it's still as hot as ever, but I think I'm going to end up loving it. Last night I went out and just gazed at the ocean and listened to the waves. I'm starting to get decent at playing the ukulele too! Last night we went over to the vice principal's house and watched Atlantis. Good times! He has the cutest little kitty named Vally (short for Valentine). Well time to get a good night's sleep.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Our first weekend
Today is Sunday and we're taking a lunch break here at the resort. Friday night we had our first vespers service in the church. The floor in the church is beautiful and we all took our shoes off. The dogs just walk in and out of the church as they please. The pastor from Jeh did the service and spoke in marshallese and english for us. Afterwards we went out to the rocks by the beach and sang songs and just chilled for awhile. Saturday we went to church...but didn't take our shoes off so I'm not really sure how that works yet. Then after church we were told we were going to a funeral. Apparently an elder asked us to come and so it's respectful to go. So we drove all the way to the Laura side of the island. We went to the funeral (which was in marshallese), paid our respects to the body and then went and visited the Laura SDA school, but nobody was there. On the way back (we were riding in the back of a little pick-up) our vice principal Cameron ran into a white couple he knows who are missionaries at Laura. We chatted for awhile with them and found out they've been here for 20 years! The drive back is about an hour and it poured rain on us in the back of the truck for part of the way. hahaha good times! In the gym we played a little volleyball/ping pong/soccer with the locals. It was hot but fun. And Cameron had had us over for dinner. Today we went to our classrooms and cleaned cleaned CLEANED! All kinds of bugs and cockroaches and dust and dirt. But they're starting to look good. I've met about 4 of my students now. I think I'll have 20-25 kids. We'll see!
-Nicole
-Nicole
Thursday, August 6, 2009
First Day
It is HOT! But it's a new feeling being able to look to the right or left and see deep blue ocean on both sides. We got off the plane and had to wait awhile for the bus/van thing to pick us up. It was the weirdest feeling seeing the plane take off again with everyone else! It's hard to believe I'm going to be here for ten months. It's a lot more crowded by the school than I had expected, and the school buildings are bright purple! I'm still in the moving in process in my upstairs apartment, but I can see the ocean right outside my window and feel the amazing breeze! I met my first student today! Her name is Sunbeam and she seems very sweet. A bunch of us went snorkeling too during high tide...it was a little rough but a lot of fun, plus it was nice to cool off after sweating buckets all day. We took our first big grocery trip too...we're probably gonna get sick these first couple of weeks but oh well! It's an adventure for sure. We have one week until school starts so hopefully I'll feel more prepared by then. Until then I'm just trusting God!
-Nicole
-Nicole
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Leaving Hawaii
Well, I must say my stay here in Hawaii has been rather blissful. The first afternoon we walked down to the beach. The first morning we went to the beach, and then went to a gorgeous lookout (Pali) for lunch. This morning we went and hiked up Diamond Head and watched the sunrise, and there was a rainbow in the middle of the ocean. Every night I've been sleeping outside on the porch here at the school because the breeze is absolutely amazing! We've had a few meetings and I've been getting to know a lot of the other SMs that are going with me. I'm so excited and nervous!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
The night before
Anyone who knows me won't be surprised that it's 6:34pm the night before and of course I'm making a blog instead of packing! Yeah I haven't started yet....but that's how I roll. My brain is overwhelmed with last-minute things to pick up and stuff I still need to do...and anytime I do get a second to rest all I can think of is how much I'm going to miss Southern and all my friends. But I know God has a huge adventure planned for me these next 10 months and I can't wait to see what's in store! I have a few slight ideas of what's ahead of me, but really I have no clue. All I know is I've been eating my heart out this week and enjoying my big comfy bed! I just want everyone to know I miss you already and your prayers are very much appreciated! I know God will bless.
See you soon,
Nicole
See you soon,
Nicole
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
