Dodgeball, swearing, teaching and lots of coconuts!

I have been here for over 3 weeks now and it’s starting to feel like home to me. As strange as that is. I used to be so grossed out when grown women would make snot rockets (when they blow their nose forcefully, without a Kleenex, into the air) but now I’m only semi-grossed out. I play dodge ball with all the kids, young and old and you think they’d be afraid to hit their teacher, not my kids. I’m becoming more relaxed about walking around the island because I know where to go now. I know the good deals, what sketchy corners to avoid, and the locals recognize me, it’s a nice feeling. Re-reading my last few sentences about being relaxed and walking around, I can see some of my family friend adults and my parents getting a little nervous. So to calm any unsettled nerves, which are understandable, most of the time I walk with others or a dog, and I am not supposed to walk alone at night, so it’s all good!

On a different subject I swore at a little boy the other day. “What?! You swore at a little boy?” Apparently I did, haha.I know, I’m a horrible person. In my defense though, I was not aware it was a swear. I was helping him with math and he was getting distracted so I tried to get his attention by clicking with my tongue, and apparently that’s super bad, and is known as a swear word. He looked at me as if I had just hit him, and I asked him what? And he whines, “Missah…..” Also, when you call someone over to you, you have to call them with your palm facing down, or it’s very suggestive…I know, yuck... I have slipped up on that a few times in the beginning and gotten many confused and also interested looks..After I realized that it was starting to be a problem, I trained myself to flip my hand when I call, and now it seems so natural. I can’t imagine calling someone with my palm up. You Americans are weird…Speaking of Americans, I saw some American military people in a car! I was so surprised my jaw dropped! They honked at me while I was walking down the street as a friendly greeting, basically saying, “I can relate to your skin tone.” I didn’t look right away and then they did it again, so I looked. There, in the truck, were American military men! You never, well hardly ever see any Americans in Ebeye. The military base is called Kwadjalen. It is about a 35 minute boat ride away and that’s where all the Americans are. Not in Ebeye.  It was crazy!

Almost as Crazy as Carlos island! Last week the staff from Ebeye SDA school went camping on Carlos island…it is about 50 minutes away. It was so nice, so beautiful! I learned sweet survival skills. I can retrieve a coconut (from the ground or a low branch…haha) and pull out the nearest machete and I hack at it like a warrior. After I am able to cut it open, I drink the water. After the water is all gone, or I decide it’s too much and pour it on the ground, I then hack at the same spot until it breaks open. I cut a spoon out of the thick layer so I am able to scoop out the meat of the coconut. And I feast. I ate so many coconuts last weekend. I also climbed a huge, Japanese war ship from WWII and jumped off of it. It was so liberating! J On the way back I rode on the head of the ship, literally, whoever was driving didn’t care.  The principle and another teacher did it with me as well. I saw my first dolphins. Dolphins! They’re real :D Don’t see those too often in Chicago.

Another subject change! Dinggae mosquitoes. These mosquitoes if they bite you, you will get really sick. Many people in Majuro had to be sent home last semester from them. We have them all over here. Just floating around like no ones business. Thankfully none of us have gotten bit yet. We all however all have the flu right now. Making teaching a little more difficult when I sound like Pee Wee Herman.

Teaching has gotten a lot better! The kids acknowledge me as their full time teacher and respect me as that... I finally know all their names! Now I can stop mumbling when I’m trying to call one over. “Hey you, jrgbibgiug” *confused look from the child…It is hard though because they have such unique names! “Bed, Wi Wi, Shampound, Mo Mo, Jimeko, Breetcher” I decided to jump on the assigned seats train, and it seem to be working a little bit better. I don’t remember if when I was their age I was that disturbed about sitting next to the opposite gender that I would cry, but..I don’t know. I am also more comfortable with disciplining them when they need it. I have this thing where whenever they begin to get a little wily, I walk to the corner of the chalkboard and draw a big box. That big box will be filled with names…names of kids that will stay after class. So whenever I draw that box, they all quiet down…then immediately start up again. So I neglect the left side of the classroom because I always write down names. Almost half the class has to stay every day, it’s pretty ridiculous. You would think they would have sour feelings towards me after that, but before they leave the classroom, they all line up to me and we do our “secret second grade handshake”. It’s cool J. Oh, you know how teachers have that one look they do that immediately quiets everyone up, or makes them feel really guilty? Hahah. I finally got it down!! I’m so excited. Okay, story! Ready? Well, today I left my assistant (an older Marshallese woman that helps translate and quiet the kids if I need) in the classroom and I went out to make copies. I was only gone a few minutes and I come back in and everyone was going crazy. I walk up the aisle to the front of the room and give them “the look”. Worked like a charm! They all shooshed each other and apologized right away. Wearing the teacher pants! Waddup? Haha. Okay, I sound like an evil teacher, so let me tell you some uplifting moments. So like I mentioned in my last blog, I have many kids who can’t count on their fingers. Well, that number has reduced to about one that I know of! It’s the best feeling in the world. I was kneeling by one of my students desk helping him while the other kids were out for recess and he turns to me and says, “3 weeks ago, my mom says I don’t know how to count my fingers..now she is very happy that Ms. Em came and I can add numbers now.” Did you read that? He can add! He can add double numbers! 24+36! He can do that! He still has trouble reading and many other things, but it’s a step by step process..

 I have made up a lot of songs and sayings that the kids love to use. “First one flys, second one dives” adding tens. I’ve taught them Camp Au Sable songs. “Milk, I am a C, Everlasting love…” They just smile so big and it fills me with so much compassion when I look at them. They still have so much learning to do and I already know a few that I will need to hold back from 3^rd grade, if nothing changes. They have a very hard time learning, a very hard time. They have so much energy making it hard for them to concentrate, and the rest don’t care about listening. There are a few that really want to learn and they are, and there are some that want to learn but are struggling and it makes them very embarrassed. They are all at different levels.

There’s been a few  different struggles I’ve had since I’ve been here. I get so restless sometimes, especially at night. I want to go running in the morning or at night when I have free time, just by myself, before the sun comes up and it gets super hot…but can’t when I’m alone and it’s dark out, because there’s a bunch of men in every corner and alley way, apparently they are nocturnal and don’t need sleep…it’s weird…haha. A more serious/ personal struggle I’ve had are just self struggles. Being in this environment and dealing with the same people every day regularly, you see a lot of things about yourself, that you don’t like. Things you want to change, need to improve, how you’re perceived, how you should care less about some stuff and more about other things, things you need to grow in…etc. It’s a very humbling and vulnerable feeling…You no longer have any walls to hide behind, because everything and everyone is unfamiliar to you..This is character building. Though it is sometimes painful, I know it’s necessary.  Everyone needs this sometime in their life, to know who they really are and what they stand for, or if they stand for anything. There is not a limit on growth. And I believe God is not done showing me the work He has yet to do in my life.  But, my biggest struggle(lol) is not having Taco Bell!  Man, could I go for some good old T-bell and Chipotle sometime within the next few months. But, don’t try to send any, that wouldn’t turn out too good...ahh writing about it makes me want some even more…Or at least taco bell sauce…mmmm.. Next time I come to live in Ebeye, I will remember to open a Chipotle business here.

I do miss my family; my sisters, parents, friends, boyfriend. But I see my purpose here, and care so much about these kids and their future, so much about showing them the love of Jesus, that homesickness does not override nor will I allow it to hinder my motivation. “ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” 2 Cor 12:9.