Going Home

Some of you may have heard of all the difficulties I have had in getting into my apartment because of lack of power. Well, it was finally turned on and I am moving in tonight! I had already moved over a lot of stuff that I wasn't using at Jake and Jackie's, but I am taking over the last load this evening. I think once I move in, it will really feel like I belong here.

I am coming to really love this island, but there are some cultural things that I just have to wonder at. For instance, the utilities corporation had my power on several days ago, but for some reason, it still wouldn't turn on in my apartment. For over two days I've kept calling the landlord about it, and she told me the building maintenance man was trying to figure it out. When I finally got a hold of the maintenance man about my power to ask him why it was still not on, we had a conversation that went kind of like this. "Do you know why the power is not on yet?" "Yes, ma'am. " Long pause. "So...is it fixable?" Yes. I find this morning main outside breaker not on." "Can you turn it on?" "Yes...when you want me turn it on?"

When you found the problem!!!! It is not that the maintenance man is dumb or lacks proper English, it was his culture and way of taking things as they come. I am finding that people here don't do much unless you get in their face or call on the phone a hundred times. Oh, well. I am not mad; frankly it kind of amuses me. I suppose this is a good lesson for me to learn to chill out occasionally.

I am finding that as I face some of these cultural issues that I truly am flexible. And I am so thankful for that. When I do feel frustration, I try to remember the verses about not worrying. Worrying is not going to help the situation; it will just make me more stressed. I can't change some things--so I need to just go along with them.

Although different, I am finding little things about this place that I appreciate more and more every day. Not only am I surrounded by one of God's most gorgeous creations, I am also surrounded by friendly, open people to whom materialism isn't even an option. I like this simple life.