It's Been Quite a Week!

July 22, 2011

It’s Been Quite a Week!

I am not sure where to begin; this adventure is certainly more than I could ever have imagined! We’ve been here just a week so I suppose we’re still in the “honey-moon phase.” But still, it’s pretty darn incredible!  I’ll describe my typical day so far. I get up around 6:30 if my mind and body will let me sleep that long – I am still adjusting. I eat a light breakfast, dress in my long skirt and blouse and I am off to work. I drive with either Willard or my co-hort, Kathy, down the road to work. There are nine speed bumps on the two-lane road. We pass the airport and dodge children, pigs, dogs and chickens along the way. Many locals are already hanging out, casually sitting or standing by the side of the road. I can see the water on both sides. 20 minutes at about 35 mph and I am at school. There is no describing work because it is so different each day. The teachers aren’t here yet but there is plenty of interesting activity with the locals helping get our facility ready. I’ll save discussing work for another day. But because we aren’t in school yet, we are free to go out for lunch. The food is delicious; I have to keep reminding myself that this is a developing country when we are eating! Somewhere between 4:40 and 6:00 I head back to the house. Willard has the house in great shape and he has my dinner for me (not even lyin’!). I go into the house, change, and we head out the back door into the lagoon. Coming out I am completely refreshed. I shower, change into my muumuu (yes Phil, it’s back!) and we eat on the back porch watching the palm trees sway and the water roll. Then it’s time to come in, unwind, iron a new blouse and get ready for a new day. Life is good; God is good.

I need to mention the people. Their kindness is overwhelming. We were walking a beach last weekend, and I was looking for shells when out of nowhere a little girl of about 5 ran up with a beautiful shell for us. Another day we came home to find our yard raked. At school students are eager to please and run to open the door for me. When I tell people I am the principal of the Coop High School they treat me like royalty. We have been warmly accepted for being such an oddity. There are but a few Caucasians here and no other scotty dogs. I think the folks are fairly humored by us. They refer to us as ribelle, or foreigner. Children will yell “Yokwe ribelle!”  The literal translation means person with many clothes; it stems from the days of missionaries. We do have to watch our step because they are all watching. I was introduced to a lady the other day who told me she’d seen me in her store the day before. It was a gentle reminder that someone is observing everything we do!

It is Friday night and Willard is at a meeting for fishing – something about paying $40 a year to belong to a club that goes out and catches the big ones. Women can go too but I thought I’d let him figure it out first and I would enjoy a quiet evening in my tidy little house. I hope you are all well and that you actually catch a few of our rays soon!

Love to you - Becky