Three day weekend

Hafa Adai everyone! I'm sorry it has been a little while since I've updated my blog; the internet connection has been sketchy here lately. Occasionally I will have it, but lately it has been down often. Apparently the typhoon we had last weekend knocked out some of the main servers on the island and the main company, IT&E, has had trouble in fixing it. But since I have connection at the moment, I will try to update you on some of what has been going on recently.

First of all, I found an apartment! It is fairly close to the school and it is very nice. It is a one bedroom and is fully furnished. It is in a nice area away from the main road, and appears to be really safe. Unfortunatly I am not moved in yet. I have paid the utilities deposit, but apparently the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) is fairly corrupt and very slow to get things done. They said they'd have my power on by Friday, but the locals tell me not to expect it until Tuesday or Wednesday of this week at the earliest. So I am staying with Jake and Jackie until I can move in. I have been so blessed by them. They have just been so wonderful and helpful in getting me settled on the island.

Secondly, I am starting to teach my own two classes full time starting tomorrow (Tuesday). My school is on a block schedule and only has four periods in a day. The 1st period I will be observing my cooperating teacher, 2nd period I have a prep, and then 3rd and 4th periods I will have my own students. Those two classes will be separate of the classes my cooperating teacher is teaching. This is quite different than the way they do student teaching on the mainland, but actually I think I will like it this way. I really like the students at MHS; they are respectful and fun.

This three day weekend has been full of fun activities. On Friday, I went with friends to the Palms Resort to look at the missile hitting the moon. They have very large telescopes, and NASA said the dust cloud could be seen with a good telescope. Unfortunately, when we got there the resort told us the telescopes were on the wrong side of the building opposite the moon and we wouldn't be able to see anything. So we had to watch it on CNN in the lounge, and it was completely lame. But fortunately Friday at the resort was ladies night and we got cheap drinks and free food!

Yesterday after church J and J, Amanda, and I took some church kids to the beach where we played in the ocean for 5 hours. I put on gobs of sunscreen about every hour, and thankfully didn't get too burned except for a little on my shoulders. It was the first time I'd swum in the ocean and it was glorious. The water is so warm--so warm in fact that the locals tell me the water around Hawaii is freezing in comparison! The only thing I don't like--the mixing of salt water and contacts. Trust me, they don't mix well. I will learn in the future to take out my contacts and swim blind, or to wear goggles.

And today (Monday) I am going on a hike to Forbidden Island. I'm told it is a short (15-20 minute) hike but that it is difficult (vertical most of the way). It sounds very fun, however, and I am excited to go get more sun and fun. The rest of the afternoon though, will be spent preparing for class tomorrow. I will take pictures and upload some of them here.

I continue to love it here. No homesickness yet. The culture is very different in some aspects, but not so different that I feel completely out of my element. The locals are very friendly and accepting and I have felt very welcomed by the expatriate community and the church. I think it will be a very good place for me to live for a year or more.