Well, after this weekend, I just had to write another big email
telling everyone about the adventures. We all went camping on one of the outer
islands here--called Ant, and it was the most amazing place I've ever
been. Picture a tropical paradise scene in your head and that was it, if not
better. We left kind of late friday afternoon after classes, with our one
big boat and two little 20 ft. fishing boats loaded down with luggage and
people. Riding two hours in a boat sounded a little daunting--especially
if those of you who know me well recall my proneness to get motion sick, but
I made it just fine! I rode on the bigger boat, in the front the entire
time, just so that I wouldn't have to stand in the back where the surf sprayed
up and where I couldn't see and figured I would get motion sick. After
skirting the edges of the reefs around Pohnpei, we hit the open ocean, and
swells about 4 feet high. Now we're all thinking this is a crazy roller coaster
ride to be sure, going up and down these waves (especially those in the
little motor boats), but then Mr. B told us that it was nothing compared
to the 20 foot swells he was in when a typhoon hit. CRAZY. I think I'd die
just looking at waves that big. It was pretty fun though once we figured we
weren't going to tip over or anything (though it felt like it at times)
and we got to see a gorgeous sunset as we neared the island. We didn't land
and get unloaded till after dark, then set up camp and just hit the hay for
the night.
Sabbath we spent relaxing and enjoying the scenery to the fullest. We were staying on the end of the island, where there's a little open spot to have tarps and hammocks and such, and there was a little beach. We explored the island a bit, went snorkeling, took naps in the hammocks, and just enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and company. After two trips out snorkeling I had seen two sting rays, a sea turtle, two reef sharks (one of which came entirely too close, and we decided we ought to leave his territory alone), lots of fish, and many other interesting things.
By Sunday I got to see many many more sharks (I'll share that story in just a minute), squid, and a couple of baracuda (scariest looking fish I've seen). Well Saturday night hit the peak of excitement and scariness for me. I actually went out with a group after sundown to go spear fishing. If any of you have ever done that, which I'm not sure anyone has, it is crazy and exciting and scary all at once. I didn't have a spear, it was dark, and there were sharks EVERYWHERE out there past the breakers where we'd snorkeled earlier. Some swam directly below me only like 4 or 5 feet away!...VERY slowly! I just kept praying they'd swim away. I tried to stay with people that had brighter lights, and spears--helping them find fish. But I finally asked one of the guys if I could borrow his spear, because I wanted to try it myself. The spears are really simple--just a long shaft with three prongs at the end, and a bungee type cord at the other that you have looped around your wrist and hold onto. All you have to do is slide your hand up the shaft as far as the bungee cord will tighten, and then get close to a fish and let it go and it shoots out, but is still hooked onto your wrist. I missed the first couple of tries, but after only about 3 minutes I got a fish! You have to take it out of the water immediately or the sharks will be after you, so I held the spear out of the water and went in search of Mr. Benjamin so he could take it off, kill it all the way, and add it to his string of fish everyone contributed to. The one I got was just a little Snapper, but it was still neat to be able to have done that. And we took all the fish back to be eaten later. (someone took a picture, and I'll try to send it sometime) Well some people's headlamps started going out, so most of us headed back in.
A few stayed out there, and later we heard an interesting story from Mr. Benjamin--that one of the guys had speared a fish, but it had gotten away and started swimming for the surface. Well, another of the guys still out there went after it, an easy target, but little did he know that a shark was right behind him!! Mr. B didn't tell him till later, but he actually speared the shark so it would go away! I'm glad I was gone for that. We made it back to shore safe and sound (it's incredibly easy to get disoriented out there in the dark) and after chit chatting and sharing our adventures we crashed for the night. Sunday we slept in a little later (about 8!), snorkeled a bit again, then packed up and headed back. The ride home wasn't quite as eventful as the ride there, but it was nice because of the sunshine. Except now I'm just a bit burned. Not too bad considering the amount of sun I saw and how close we are to the equator though. Then tonight a bunch of us went out to eat at a restaurant called SouthPark. It's actually pretty nice, and we enjoyed ourselves. The weekend was a great break.
Well now that you all are wondering what part of missionary goes with all this play time, I'll just let you know how the rest of my week of work actually went. I gave my first math test to my kids on thursday, and though some of them did really well (a few 100 percents), it was so hard for me to write C's, D's, and even one or two F's on papers. I just don't want these kids to fail for anything!! But I can't do the work for them, and I think one of them just doesn't belong in my class at all--I think he should be in maybe 6th instead. I'm not sure what to do with him actually. But all in all it was a good week. There are ups and downs to every day. I feel like I'm getting to know them all a little better. I keep a pretty structured classroom, but it's hard for me to discipline the kids when they talk or anything. I'll say their name and warn them to pay attention, but writing their names on the board (the true discipline plan) is hard, so I don't do it much. I've gotten to talk to a bunch of my kids after school on many days, so that's been fun, and I get some feedback on my teaching. Most of them have said that it's been good so far and they understand stuff when I teach it, so I'm feeling optimistic and hoping that I'm doing some good. I tried to get the kids to sing with me on Thursday morning, but without a guitar (I don't know many songs yet) and them being so self consious, it was basically me singing a solo. Ha ha. Maybe I'll try again with the guitar. If not, then I guess they just don't want to sing. No more solos for me.
Well anyway, I do believe I need to get to bed. Between the rocking motion that is still going on inside my head from being on the boat, and the amount of sun my poor body saw today, I'm spent. Another week of classes is coming, and I need all the help I can get. I hope that all of you back home and spread across the country are doing well! I'd like to hear from you, if I haven't already.
In His Service,
Lindsey
Website by McDonald Road SDA Church