Laura beach day

The first semester ended on Friday December 19th.  We wanted to celebrate the end of the first semester and just to start off our break right so we decided to go to Laura.  Each student/family was to bring some food (chicken, rice, or some other food) and 6 pack of soda. I decided to make my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies which I baked that morning after my run because I decided to go to the Christmas party.

I got to the school at 8 which was the time we were supposed to meet.  Some students and their families started trickling in.  We waited, waited, and waited for the bus.  I was getting frustrated because I was looking forward to swimming with the students.  The bus finally arrived at around noon.  We got in and hurried to Laura.  

Me and one of my students waiting for the bus.... 

While we were waiting for the bus, one of my students climbed the lightpost in front of the school.  She just turned 6 years old.. 

Another one of my student attempted to climb the lightpost... 

I was in the van that stopped along the way to pick up some students in Ajeltake.  When we arrived, a prayer was said and we ate.  Everyone was waiting for us to arrive.  We had BBQ chicken, rice, pasta, potato salad, sashimi, and breadfruit.  I ate and then swam with the students. I had so much fun interacting with the students and families outside of school. 

Christmas gifts I got from some families. 

Some of the early intervention families that I worked with attended as well.  Chinilla worked out transportation for them and brought food for them so they could see other deaf children and just have fun with us.  I think they enjoyed themselves.

Me with two of my students (Kindergarten class and Early Intervention)

Early Intervention families

I took one of the babies into the water with me.  No one told me that you are supposed to take the diaper off the baby before they enter the water, so the families laughed at me.  I took the diaper off and entered the water again to rinse him off. 

Everyone commented on how red my face was.  Yeah, that's what happens when you put a ribelle under the sun.  Haha. 

We left at 4:30 to drive back to school, dropping off families along the way.  I got home at 6:30.  I was very exhausted.  I cooked my dinner, took a shower and then tried to read my book but zonked out.  

Christmas parade part Ruo (two)

So last week's parade wasn't enough... The majuro area local government sponsored a second parade today.  This one was supposed to start at 10 am, but finally started at noon.  It seems that two hours is the going rate.  This time, I didn't wait outside for it to start.  I ate breakfast at a restaurant where I could keep an eye on the street and happened to walk back to the dorm when it started right around the house that one of my students live in so I watched the parade with the family.   

Parade starting

They sang along with the music

Santa made an appearance 

Of course there has to be a boat in the parade 

And a bulldozer!

Love her!

Christmas party

The Majuro Deaf School is on the campus of Marshall Islands High School. The high school had a Christmas party and invited us to join them.  At first, I didn't really want to go because I wanted to bake cookies for our big picnic the next day.  After talking to some people, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to experience some cultural events (which is what I really enjoy about being here).  I am glad I went.  

Some of the Special Education folks.  As you can see, I am a giant. 

The party was supposed to start at 6 so I showed up at 6, no one was there.  I watched the sunset and waited some more.  People started arriving around 7.  The party officially started at 7:30 (Island time you say?)

We started out with a prayer for the party, played some games and then dinner was finally served after saying another prayer. I was starving by that time. We had mostly Chinese food, along with Marshallese food.

One of the games that we played was fun to watch.  We all had to blow up a balloon then try to fit as many balloons into pantyhose.  

The music started and different groups including the special education group did a sing-a-long.  It was interesting to see how the different cultural groups sang.  There was a group of Philippines, Fijians,  Tuvalus, and of course Marshalls.  The Fijians sang and did a little dance.  I learned that the Marshallese will spray some coconut oil and put lotion on your face if they really like your singing.  The Fijians and Marshallese got that special treatment. 

We were getting tired so we left at around 10:30.  I ended up baking the cookies early on Friday.  

Doctor visit

So... Anyone who knows me well knows that I tend to get bronchitis in October.

Apparently being 5,000 miles away doesn't cure bronchitis.  In October, I got this bad cough, it went away after a few days so I didn't get it checked.  In November, I got this cough that came and went depending on the day, some days I didn't cough at all, other days I coughed often.  I mentioned it during my weekly check in to my field director and assistant field director.  The assistant field director recommended that I get it checked out with Dr. P especially since the doctor office would be closed during the break.  I had some time today so I went to the doctors office and guess what... Yep, bronchitis.... He gave me some medicine (1 pill 2x a day for 10 days) and I paid $17.50 and I was on my way.  The visit took less than 5 minutes. :-). This case of bronchitis does not feel like the usual bronchitis especially since the degree of my cough fluctuates.  Bad cough one day, no cough the next day.  No pain when coughing.  Interesting. 

This doctor has a good relationship with the field director and all world teach volunteers are recommended to go there because he is familiar with Americans.   The office looks like part of a home with one exam room and pharmacy.  The waiting room has a front desk and two sofas to have the homey feel I guess.  

So now I can say I went to the doctor's in Marshall Islands. :-)

Christmas parade

Today there was a Christmas parade hosted by the Majuro chamber of commerce.  The newspaper said it would start at 9 so I sat where I wanted to sit... And waited... And waited... And waited... Some decorated trucks drove the opposite way.  After a while, I decided I would go eat breakfast where I could keep an eye on the street.  When I was done with my breakfast, the parade came by.  It was 11 by that time.  Island time... :-)

The parade was about 20 pick up trucks long, some with a float behind it, some with people in the truck bed waving.

This truck had 4 people in the bed with speakers on top of the cab blasting music. 

Running after the candy!

People

One of the things that I enjoy about being in Marshall Islands is that I meet many new people.  

For example, today I was at the post office waiting for it to open.  A ribelle lady who I have seen around before with her 2 kids came to find that it was closed, asked me what time it was (close to opening time) then she started talking to me.  I told her I was deaf and gave her my iPhone to type to me, and she did with no problems.  She is from Idaho, her husband is from Brazil and he teaches at the college here, they move around a lot. She gave me her phone number to text if I ever need anything.

I like that:

1) ribelle people are not afraid to approach other ribelle people,

2) they are not afraid to communicate with me when I give them a different method to communicate,

And

3) we take care of each other. 

In America, everyone is out minding their own business or rushing through life so they don't take the opportunity to chat with other people. 

Marshallese people typically are shy around unfamiliar ribelles, and they tend to either say hi and giggle or just look at us when we are not looking at them and then look away when we look at them. The Marshallese people who are familiar with me almost always smile and wave hi when they see me, so I am usually walking down the street waving hi to everyone. 

Jasmi

I am sure that you noticed by now that I see a lot of cultural things during my home visits.  Well, here is another one. 

I went on a home visit, just as I was finishing up, the family used gestures to communicate with me.  They signed fish, pointed to their stove so I said ok.  The father is a fisherman (what male here isn't..) and they have given me fish to take home in the past.  Well, this time it was a bit different.  

The parents got up and went outside. They told me to stay inside.  Of course I was curious what was happening outside so I went outside after a while.  The father was sharpening his knife and washing fish. He had a box of maybe 5 fish in it.  The mother told me to go back inside and wait.  So I did.... 

The mother came inside with me, we chatted a bit and she started cooking the rice.  I asked her what was going on, she said "Jasmi" and when I gave her a puzzled look, she said wait.  So wait I did... 

The father gave me a plate with cleaned up fish; the head and tail cut off.  The fish's skin was cut diagonally to the bone so the top part of the meat was cut but still attached to the bone.  The mother told me to try it.  I took very little and tasted it.  I had never tried raw fish before so of course I was a bit nervous.  

We waited a bit more, she told me to add lemon and salt to the cut parts of the dish.  I did so with her guidance, then we waited... The rice was still cooking. 

I was getting worried because I had to get back to the office before 5 to pick up my stuff before it closed.  It was getting close to 4.  I was also wondering how I could eat it without something to drink.  I usually bring my water bottle, but of course the day I don't, I need it and it's not safe to drink unfiltered water. The family offered to buy me a drink, problem solved!

The rice was finally ready so they gave me some rice and we ate the fish with rice.  It wasn't too bad actually.  The lemon and salt softened the fish so it was  easy to take off and eat.  The taste of the fish went well with the lemon and salt so all the flavors blended together, making it taste good.  I ate the top half of the fish, the family gave me the bottom half to bring home and eat later. 

So... That is what Jasmi is!

By the way, I got to the office just in time before it closed.