STAR DATE: 09.19.2009
It's the national birthday/ Independence Day here in St. Kitts and Nevis! Officially a country for 26 years! Unfortunately its also falls on a Saturday so no added day off from school this year.
The second week of school went well. I'm teaching students piano after school on Monday, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Ages 6-12 and how diverse they are! I realized that i truly love the thrill when a students learns and comprehends something after you teach them. What an amazing moment to share in the shaping of a mind. It is nice to have something planned everyday. When I am not helping or working at the Prep school I will hang out with friends at houses, or out at lunch, at the pool or beach. It's the best of both worlds really because I have the teachers and friends at the school and also V.I.P.'s (very important persons group/ Tag-a-Longs). The community of people here is rich in conversation and attitudes.
Being on the island I started to ask myself what did I used to do on Saturdays when we lived in Corvallis. I honestly had trouble remembering. Joe said I did homework and worked at the Starbucks and shopped. Wow. None of those things I do here now. This is a totally new place in life and world. I have no homework, besides the never ending lesson planning, I don't work on the weekends for once, and besides tourist or groceries there is no shopping. This Saturday morning we went to the beach and Josiah was going to meet the swim club to swim a few miles but I made him late. I was in a foul mood for some reason from the moment I woke up. Lame, I know. So instead we drove around the island. I had not gone on an island tour yet so it was relaxing driving, besides the potholes, and seeing the different sites of S. Kitts. Some parts are rural sugar cane fields, some villages, old forts, and of course beaches. We'd like to go surfing sometime but we have to find some boards first.
Last weekend we joined this trail hie/run club thing called the Harrier Hash. There were a ton of people, foreign and Kittian, and you could choose the walk or the run trails. We did the run and it was good thing because the hills were like running vertical up, up and up! We had a blast hiking through part of the island on cliffs, beaches, golf course and roads and we met some cool locals. Afterwards they had beer and hot dogs. I can't wait till the next Hash and when you come visit, family, I hope they'll have one that you can go. It totally reminded me of my siblings and their love of the out doors/sports.
I've realized I have been ranting and raving of all the wonderful things going on here and how comfortable and welcomed we've felt. That is very true and I am so thankful that it has been a easy transition but I do miss you and the ability to visit with you. I had some bad stomach problems also the first few weeks when i was trying to adjust myself to the tap water here. I thought, "let' just dig on in and try the water and get used to it". Yeah, bad idea. The campus water is fine and filtered but off campus, where we live, is just...different. It isn't as bad a Mexico I think but after I switched back to bottled water for a few days I felt way better. When we come home for Christmas remind me to bring back a water filter!
Another hard thing here is the ants. I don't know if its just the season but no matter how much I clean, sweep, and Bop (like Raid) the counters there will beitsy bitsy ants on the counters. Might just be the season, hopefully. I just don't like seeing them in the bedroom before I go to bed. Yuck! At least they're not the big yard ants which bite and hurt like a mother!
I wish I could give you a picture of how it feels; the salty lips from swimming, the glimpse of a mongoose running across the road, the smell of the crowded market. But you just have to come visit and see for yourself. That is a hard thing, knowing thanksgiving and my birthday I won't have you here to visit and give hugs. Call me sentimental but I do love a good birthday hug. (In case you forgot, it's November 22) =-) I can pick you up from the airport in a jiffy!
Skype is awesome so if you have it please add us;jakkiandjosiah. Let me know what's going on in your life too. It cheers me up to no equal when I hear from you!
Jak Attack
It's the national birthday/ Independence Day here in St. Kitts and Nevis! Officially a country for 26 years! Unfortunately its also falls on a Saturday so no added day off from school this year.
The second week of school went well. I'm teaching students piano after school on Monday, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Ages 6-12 and how diverse they are! I realized that i truly love the thrill when a students learns and comprehends something after you teach them. What an amazing moment to share in the shaping of a mind. It is nice to have something planned everyday. When I am not helping or working at the Prep school I will hang out with friends at houses, or out at lunch, at the pool or beach. It's the best of both worlds really because I have the teachers and friends at the school and also V.I.P.'s (very important persons group/ Tag-a-Longs). The community of people here is rich in conversation and attitudes.
Being on the island I started to ask myself what did I used to do on Saturdays when we lived in Corvallis. I honestly had trouble remembering. Joe said I did homework and worked at the Starbucks and shopped. Wow. None of those things I do here now. This is a totally new place in life and world. I have no homework, besides the never ending lesson planning, I don't work on the weekends for once, and besides tourist or groceries there is no shopping. This Saturday morning we went to the beach and Josiah was going to meet the swim club to swim a few miles but I made him late. I was in a foul mood for some reason from the moment I woke up. Lame, I know. So instead we drove around the island. I had not gone on an island tour yet so it was relaxing driving, besides the potholes, and seeing the different sites of S. Kitts. Some parts are rural sugar cane fields, some villages, old forts, and of course beaches. We'd like to go surfing sometime but we have to find some boards first.
Last weekend we joined this trail hie/run club thing called the Harrier Hash. There were a ton of people, foreign and Kittian, and you could choose the walk or the run trails. We did the run and it was good thing because the hills were like running vertical up, up and up! We had a blast hiking through part of the island on cliffs, beaches, golf course and roads and we met some cool locals. Afterwards they had beer and hot dogs. I can't wait till the next Hash and when you come visit, family, I hope they'll have one that you can go. It totally reminded me of my siblings and their love of the out doors/sports.
I've realized I have been ranting and raving of all the wonderful things going on here and how comfortable and welcomed we've felt. That is very true and I am so thankful that it has been a easy transition but I do miss you and the ability to visit with you. I had some bad stomach problems also the first few weeks when i was trying to adjust myself to the tap water here. I thought, "let' just dig on in and try the water and get used to it". Yeah, bad idea. The campus water is fine and filtered but off campus, where we live, is just...different. It isn't as bad a Mexico I think but after I switched back to bottled water for a few days I felt way better. When we come home for Christmas remind me to bring back a water filter!
Another hard thing here is the ants. I don't know if its just the season but no matter how much I clean, sweep, and Bop (like Raid) the counters there will beitsy bitsy ants on the counters. Might just be the season, hopefully. I just don't like seeing them in the bedroom before I go to bed. Yuck! At least they're not the big yard ants which bite and hurt like a mother!
I wish I could give you a picture of how it feels; the salty lips from swimming, the glimpse of a mongoose running across the road, the smell of the crowded market. But you just have to come visit and see for yourself. That is a hard thing, knowing thanksgiving and my birthday I won't have you here to visit and give hugs. Call me sentimental but I do love a good birthday hug. (In case you forgot, it's November 22) =-) I can pick you up from the airport in a jiffy!
Skype is awesome so if you have it please add us;jakkiandjosiah. Let me know what's going on in your life too. It cheers me up to no equal when I hear from you!
Jak Attack
Hey Jakki, I am glad that you adjusted life there. It is a little bit hard at the beginning. I had stomach problems when I first came to the States too. It is basically because of the difference of calcium percentage in the water. It takes a while for your body to adjust, then when you come back, it will probably take a while to adjust back too. Some people eat ants. It is said to be very rich in protein:)
ReplyDeleteJoe and I had a good laugh at that last line, Weiwei!
ReplyDelete