Life Adventures
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Thanksgiving
One holiday down..two more to go.
I had a nice Thanksgiving. It was not what I expected it to be and made me realize how much I really miss my family, but it was a growing experience. And the break provided for lots of opportunities to ride my bike. I might be the only person who loses weight over Thanksgiving-40 miles on a bike will do that to ya!:) And I got to spend a lot of time with Kayla and Anna which was so nice!I wish I felt more full of holiday cheer, but honestly, I am just tired. And it just doesn’t feel like the holidays. My family and friends are far away. It’s hot and sunny here everyday, which I am not complaining about, but just doesn’t quite feel like Christmas. I did put up a Christmas bulletin board in my classroom, but that is the extent of my holiday decorations.It’s just hard. I am sure most people deal with this the first set of holidays they are away from home, but it has just hit me as I head into this time of year how truly lonely I feel on this island. I miss my friend Leah and her uncanny ability to just understand me. I miss Christmas shopping with my mom and being able to drink egg nog with my dad. I am sad that I will spend Christmas 7000 miles away from my love and best friend and one of the few people that actually puts up with my craziness!However, lest this post be completely depressing I am truly thankful for my family. They are the ultimate support group and I love them with all my heart. I am thankful for Anna and my new friend Kayla and for the times we have had laughing and cooking. I am thankful for the ability to run, bike, and breathe. and I am truly thankful for the opportunity to be stretched and grown. I am learning a lot and realizing what I value in life. I am thankful for Drew and the way he is there for me each and every day. and I am thankful for the people here in Saipan who have opened their lives and homes to me. -
Be Here Now
My mom pointed out something today that I have always known to be true. I struggle very much with just being wherever I am. I am always planning the next step. I have to know what is next. The next job, career choice, move etc. I don’t know why. I mean, I have been this way since I was very young. I usually have my summers figured out by October. I have never gone more than a week without a job. I have rarely ever not known the next step… until now.
I am here in Saipan and I can, for the first time in my life, say I have NO idea what the next step is. I have no clue what I want to do with my life. I change my mind about every 5 minutes and at the end of it, simply have no idea what is next. And I just wish I could figure out how to just be here. How to stop worrying about the future, or what’s next, or having a plan. So what I come home in May with no plan? Is that a bad thing? What if I don’t figure out what I want to do with my life for awhile? What if the things I am currently passionate about are not conducive to a career or a job? Is that really a big deal?I am trying to convince myself that it is not..it is not going to be easy and like my mom said, “maybe God took you to the other side of the world to teach you just that.”You May Also Like
Being Brave Everyday
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Transportation
I now have transportation here in Saipan!! I got a new….bike!!!!:) I have never been more excited about a purchase. You see, up to this point, I have been able to catch rides with the other teachers, but the longer we are here the more people get into their routines and it gets harder and harder to find rides for little things-like getting my hair cut. So I finally found a bike. I have been looking for one for awhile and I heard that a local store had them. The guy gave me a $50 discount and it ended up being $150. I felt that was a pretty decent price for a bike on a small island where other things can sometimes run astronomically expensive.I rode to my friend Amanda’s Sunday for breakfast, got my hair cut, and rode 6 miles yesterday!! Also, I have somehow managed to injure my knee and getting a bike is just the break from running it probably needs. (I am not one to usually rest for injuries) So needless to say I love having a bike!! -
Reality check
I live here.I was sitting on a ferry today heading to snorkel on a small island called Managaha when it just hit me. I live here. I am not visiting. I am not passing through. I am not a tourist (even though sometimes I act like one!). I actually live here. I have an address, an apartment, friends, a church, and a job. And yet everyday, I wake up to the smell of the ocean, spend my days teaching students from all over the world, and my weekends exploring the beauty of God’s creation. Pictures just don’t do it justice. It is absolutely the most beautiful place I have ever been. I am still in awe of the different blues in the ocean, how green the plants are, the beautiful flowers, the fish that come in every shape, color, and size you can imagine, and the amazing variety of people that call Saipan home. I absolutely love it. After a kinda rough week, it was just an awesome reminder that this is where I am supposed to be. Looking out at the beauty both above and below the water, I realized that this is not an opportunity that everyone gets nor that comes up everyday so I am going to enjoy it and live life to the fullest while I am here. I am going to throw myself into relationships and experiences and soak up the sun every chance I get. And as I sit in my bed and get ready to sleep, I can’t help but be thankful for each day that I am here. -
"You will gain 25 pounds in Saipan"
This was one of the first things that was told to me upon arrival to this island. I just laughed it off thinking, “No way.” However, this is the 3rd weekend in a row we have been invited to multiple cookouts. You see, in Saipan, people get together every weekend and have potlucks. Everyone brings something and you get together. You don’t even have to have a reason! I love it because I think it is such a beautiful picture of community. You see these cookouts always have the most wide array of people-locals, young, old, people from near and far, lawyers, teachers, housewives-you name it and you can probably find it at a Saipan BBQ. Which also means that there is ALWAYS an amazing amount of delicious food. Hence why I believe it is not entirely unlikely that one might gain 25 pounds. Just about everything revolves around eating. But as I think about it, I wish it was more like this back home. Why do we have to wait for holidays like Labor Day or birthdays to get together with friends? Can we not just enjoy eating a meal together just for the sake of sharing and fellowship? It’s the same way even during the week with my friend Anna. We eat together almost every night and while, food is not cheap here, we have just come up with a system that ensures that neither of us feel like we are contributing or spending more. We are able to enjoy each other’s company, save on leftovers, and no one is worse for the wear. I believe that this is a huge part of living in community. Sharing meals. I love this aspect of my life in Saipan. And I love looking around at the people I am sharing the meal with and knowing that there are not many other places where you could find such a random mix of people all enjoying each other’s company and eating each other’s food!
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Running and Sunning
So week three is down! Hard to believe we are heading into week four and that I have been here for almost six weeks. It feels much longer than that. I believe this is one of the few places in the world where time moves much slower. Perhaps it is because the weather is exactly the same everyday. Literally, it’s always around 85 and sunny and usually it rains at least once throughout the day. Everyday. Same thing. Which is amazing honestly because I hate cold weather so I am not at all complaining. It stays this way year round too which is even better.
I do not have a car in Saipan which I love because driving is among my least favorite activities. But because of that, I walk a lot. For example, yesterday, I walked to a local farmers market, ran 3.5 miles, walked to the beach, walked to a restaurant for lunch, walked to a pool, and walked to a different restaurant for dinner. Whew..makes me tired typing it out. Although, I should note that in all of that I probably only walked a little over 2 miles not counting my run. I notice that when I walk, I pay attention to so much more. I notice the trees and the flowers and the people and the buildings and of course, the ocean. Yesterday, I was just reminded once again of the creative God we serve. Everything was beautiful and as I was running, you could see at least three different colors in the ocean water. It was breathtaking.After my run, I spent the rest of the day hanging out in the sun. We didn’t have power most of the day, so outside it was. Thank goodness it didn’t rain! I read some more of my book and spent the day relaxing. An art form I am slowly learning to enjoy. Relaxing.But time to run! Write later. -
It’s Finally Starting to Feel Like Home
I got two more boxes today! I am only waiting on the final two, although, I can’t imagine what more I could need! I got the few decorations I sent myself today..mostly stuff from Africa, but it was nice to put stuff on my walls! So instead of huge white walls staring at me, a part of Africa is covering them. Which makes this feel a little more like home. I am getting settled in, organized, and back into a routine. My apartment is looking a little more like I live here and am not just visiting. Which also means it is slightly messy all the time, but it wouldn’t be mine if it wasn’t like that. 🙂
I have become good friends with one of the other new teachers-Anna. I am pretty sure God sent her here for me:) We eat dinner together at least three times a week and it’s becoming a more and more regular habit. Food here is expensive and neither of have microwaves so instead of trying to figure out what to do with leftovers we just both pitch in part of a meal and eat dinner together. The company is much better and I think it’s much closer to a Christ-like community. And we have spent the past two nights planning trips to Bali and Japan. It’s like having a partner in crime to travel with and to enjoy life with. Almost all of the other teachers are married so it is nice to have someone to share meals with, to go to the beach with, and to (hopefully) travel the world with. Plus we get along really well which is a major plus!I am getting more and more comfortable with teaching each day too. It’s not getting easier yet, but I am slowly learning lessons. Like explaining the activity before they turn on their computers or else I will have to explain it 15 more times. (I don’t even have 15 students!) and the importance of planning, but also being able to think quick with something doesn’t go as planned. My students are growing on me too. I have a feeling they are going to steal my heart before too long. Especially my younger ESL students.And I have taken up running again. Which is one reason I know this is becoming more like home and not just a vacation. Although, I will admit that teaching on an island is probably one of the sweetest deals you can get. Sure, it’s hard work..but to walk from your classroom to the beach in less than five minutes is an alright trade-off!So one month in and all is good:) -
No Walk in the Park..but perhaps a Walk on the Beach
So week two is almost done..thank goodness! Â
I have had a rough week and I am ready for a few days to re-focus and re-energize. To anyone who thinks being a teacher is easy, they are so wrong. And trust me, those few months off in the summer are so needed because the work of a teacher never ends. I am always planning, grading, writing notes or a test, and even when I think I am finished, I will run out of time in class or get done too soon and then have to re-arrange my whole plan. Â Â
I have realized this week how much of a perfectionist I am. Failure is just not an option in my life and therefore, when I feel like I don’t get it or am behind, I get frustrated. I mean, I am now on day 9 of teaching. That’s it..9 days under my belt of teaching on an island I have been on less than a month. I didn’t go to school to be a teacher and I have students that for the most part don’t speak English as a first language. Some of them barely speak English at all. I have 8 different classes everyday and have students from Kindergarten through 8th grade! So honestly, I realized that I am way too hard on myself. I mean, I haven’t killed any students or cried in front of them yet. I am working my butt off and doing the best job I can do. I just have to let myself learn and grow as a teacher. I will get the hang of it and get into a groove. So instead of stressing myself out over feeling like a failure, I need to recognize that God will give me the strength I need and that asking for help is not a sign of failure, but of wisdom.ÂOverall though, I love being a teacher! It is seriously one of the greatest jobs ever. And teaching on a beautiful tropical island is pretty good too:)Â -
Forbidden Island
(you get two posts today!)
So today we hiked to Forbidden Island. Aptly named because the locals believe that there are spirits living there and therefore will not go near it Although I believe it should have that name because of the hike to get there! My legs are going to be sore tomorrow! However, it was so worth it. We hiked down the side of a mountain basically..if you can imagine a mountain on and island..and then ended up at this small collection of caves and pools that you can swim and snorkel in. First of all, we hiked back into this cave and found a small pool of water you could swim in and another small pool filled with sea urchins! So cool-kinda scary, but cool. You can’t swim there because sea urchins can puncture through shoes! Then we hiked back out to this small pool where you can snorkel. First, I decided that an underwater camera may be my next purchase. I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful the fish were. And how many different kinds-I don’t think I have ever seen that many different kinds of fish..except at an aquarium. They were beautiful. It made me realize how creative of a God I serve. That He would create all these different beautiful fish. and as I sat in awe of the fish I looked around and saw a group of people-as different as you can imagine, all coming together to stand in awe of God’s creation. It was a beautiful picture.All of these experiences just draw me closer into the amazing God we serve. As I stand in awe of His creation, I can’t help but think that I want to praise Him with everything in me. Because truly, sometimes I feel that I can hear the rocks crying out. So may my voice be louder than the rocks and may God have all the glory as I explore His amazing creation! -
First Casualty
So I had an awesome weekend! I went hiking on Saturday with some of my new friends here! and Sunday spent all day site-seeing around the island. This included a trip to the Grotto. A cave of sorts that fills with water and you can swim in it. So of course, I had to jump in. and once I jumped in once, I needed a new challenge. I saw these kids scaling the rock wall on the side to jump in. Being scared of water, my first thought was not to follow them, but the more I watched, the more I wanted to jump. So a really nice local boy helped me up the rock wall to a cliff about 20 feet above the water. I was looking down thinking, “what did I do???” but there was no turning back. So in I jumped. With a whole gamut of spectators cheering me on! It was awesome!!!! The not awesome part is that I cut my hand climbing up the wall. It wasn’t that bad of a cut, I washed it out and by the evening looked like it was healing up nicely. But at about midnight, I woke up with a horrible pain in my hand..I kept waking up off and on throughout the night with this horrible pain in my hand and fingers. When my alarm went off, I looked at my hand and thought..”uh oh” But lunch time, it was red, swollen, and filled with pus. (sorry for the details) The office staff was concerned so I called in a favor from a dear friend and went off to the urgent care. The diagnosis-an infection. and possibly a serious one. So I am on heavy antibiotics for the next week and under strict orders to come back if it doesn’t get better soon. It’s crazy-you just have to be so much more careful here because bacteria lives on everything and most of the coral is really sharp. So first casualty of the trip..an infected hand. I promised the doctor I would TRY to not come back again..but no promises. I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie:)I posted a bunch of pictures on Facebook, but I will share the beauty with my blog readers as well!
