Close your eyes. Now imagine it is Friday. And pretend I am not so behind on my blog:
Today is a momentous occasion.
I am learning the prestigious art of bread care. Not necessarily the making of the bread but in my specific case the order in which it is taken out of the galley racks. I got a talking to today by Eddy the returned cook who takes his bread very seriously.
The bread is then placed in a terrifying machine. The Bread Cutter. With a quivering hand I pull the menacing black handle towards myself. The machine comes to life with bone-shaking roar as it opens it's great mouth. The doomed loaf is then placed in between this monster's jaws. I let the handle go. The now sliced bread slides out from the dark depths and then deposited with still shaking hands onto the buffet lines.
Today is a momentous occasion.
It has rained four straight days in Africa.
Today is a momentous occasion.
It is 8/8/08. The Olympics. I fought distraction all afternoon with the opening ceremonies playing on the televisions in the dining room. The entire thing was so awe inspiring. It was so artistic and rhythmic and and colorful. Every country's team entering with pride. And the outfits and the flags and the leaders of the countries there. I want those red dresses that the Chinese women got to wear.
Today is a momentous occasion.
I went to Mama Fasu's orphanage again and loved it. The children recognized me and I made a longer list of names to memorize. One of the little girls played a hand clapping game with me. In a sing song voice she sang with words so similar to the jump rope and hand clapping games we would play at home. We played hop scotch and they tried (unsuccessfully I might add) to teach me a game involving different teams and squares sketched in the dirt that people darted in and out of. This time Becca, our new team leader went with me. It was fun.
Today is a momentous occasion.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Splish Splash
We saw my cockroach friend again last night. I was already in bed desperately trying to fade off into sleep. I could hear Jessi, "oh my gosh it's on the curtain." And then all the others got involved and I could here them corralling it. "Oh, no now we have to move the stuff-ew, it's behind there-see it?" I could hear tons of shuffling and things scraping against the floor and someone mentioned a insect spray and for the next 10 minutes I heard them spraying and spraying and I could smell it and I was sure I was gonna be dead in the morning. And then I heard them all debating over which shoe to use and then them hitting the wall with the shoe. My cockroach friend is now in cockroach heaven.
I didn't realize I had been holding my breath untill I let it out in a huge relieved sigh. I touched the curtain around my bed appreciatively and snuggled deeper under the now familiar yellow duvet cover. I had a nightmare last night that my entire family had changed and everyone was sullen and bickering and no one was happy. I dreamt that Mom had suddenly started swearing and we had a huge fight and by the end of the dream I just wanted to be back on the Mercy Ship. I was so relieved to find I was indeed still here, and my family was still alive and happy.
As is now usual on my day offs I had missed the early breakfast. After grabbing a banana from the small kitchen in our room I had a wonderfully chocolatey cup of hot cocoa and watched the rain (yes, it's raining once again). But this time the rain makes me kind of happy. Happy to be inside in warmth smelling the coffee and chocolate from the Starbucks and hearing children play on the piano and hearing laughs from the lounge tables. For the first time I noticed how the windows on the ship have little ledges that make the rain splash up back ontot the glass. I suppose it makes up for not having ground outside to become muddy and full of puddles. That's what I miss. Big clean muddy puddles. I suppose it's rather an oxymoron, but you don't now dirty untill you've walked the streets of Liberia. the constant pelting of the rain gave the ocean this frosted look except for in certain areas. It almost looked like Our lake when it is almost frozen. It was neat.
The people are my sunshine. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support and I love you all and feel like in a way a piece of each of you is here with me.
I didn't realize I had been holding my breath untill I let it out in a huge relieved sigh. I touched the curtain around my bed appreciatively and snuggled deeper under the now familiar yellow duvet cover. I had a nightmare last night that my entire family had changed and everyone was sullen and bickering and no one was happy. I dreamt that Mom had suddenly started swearing and we had a huge fight and by the end of the dream I just wanted to be back on the Mercy Ship. I was so relieved to find I was indeed still here, and my family was still alive and happy.
As is now usual on my day offs I had missed the early breakfast. After grabbing a banana from the small kitchen in our room I had a wonderfully chocolatey cup of hot cocoa and watched the rain (yes, it's raining once again). But this time the rain makes me kind of happy. Happy to be inside in warmth smelling the coffee and chocolate from the Starbucks and hearing children play on the piano and hearing laughs from the lounge tables. For the first time I noticed how the windows on the ship have little ledges that make the rain splash up back ontot the glass. I suppose it makes up for not having ground outside to become muddy and full of puddles. That's what I miss. Big clean muddy puddles. I suppose it's rather an oxymoron, but you don't now dirty untill you've walked the streets of Liberia. the constant pelting of the rain gave the ocean this frosted look except for in certain areas. It almost looked like Our lake when it is almost frozen. It was neat.
The people are my sunshine. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support and I love you all and feel like in a way a piece of each of you is here with me.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Namesakes and marriage proposals
Today I awoke in that wonderful morning state of happy warmth and numbness. At 11:00am. :) I love days off. After having such a wonderful yesterday today seemed golden. I took a shower. They can only be two minutes long, so you just get used to turning it off and on allot. I had lunch and then went to Duahla Market again. This time with Katie and Sarah, our new roomate from England. Katie was shopping for her namesake; little two week old girl. The mother was much too shy to tell her what they needed so she got a list from the aunt. We searched around allot and eventually were able to find a baby bath that wasn't part of a package and was less than 30 US dollars. we also bought 3 cans of rice and a small bag of peppers and 5 cubes of soup flavoring and two baby wonzies. It's amazing how small everything seems here. They put spices in bags smaller than my pinkie finger. They treated me to a fried dough twist that the lady patted in a very course sugar. It tasted allot like a doughnut and was scrumptious. I also exchanged 5 US dollars for 315 LB dollars. They were purchasing lappas of cloth and some head scarves. But the exchange had totally thrown me off. Now I was suddenly paying hunddreds of dollars when I had been paying just a buck or two in US. It was dificult to gage whether or not something was too expensive. I felt more comfortable this time. I really started to appreciate. Every one saying hello. And the little children that all wanted to shake my had and give me high fives and the ione little girl in the market that reached up to touch my hair. We stopped at a shack to get sodas-they looked like 50's soda bottles just thinner. There was a little girl that jsut stood there and held my hand. It was so sweet. Katie got a marriage proposal. And there was one man who claimed to "always love Americans and British." He kept following us and told his "Auntie" that he was escorting us. At first it is very unnerving. But eventually you learn to simply apologize and say you need to go. So he proposed to Katie. We all looked at eachother-for a second-each of us thinking-what would you say?- Katie was good: "I am too young, my father doesn't want me to marry."
When I was at Duahla beach the little boys were telling me to come with them to marry one of the men. The only thing I could think to say was that my heart was already taken by God. "Do you have children?" Oh goodness...
Dad don't freak out, your baby girl's not about to come home with a boyfriend. Now Jordan is the one you should be worrying about. Tell him to e-mail me and Kayt too. I want ot hear more from them. Love you all so much-keep me updated!
When I was at Duahla beach the little boys were telling me to come with them to marry one of the men. The only thing I could think to say was that my heart was already taken by God. "Do you have children?" Oh goodness...
Dad don't freak out, your baby girl's not about to come home with a boyfriend. Now Jordan is the one you should be worrying about. Tell him to e-mail me and Kayt too. I want ot hear more from them. Love you all so much-keep me updated!
Fun Fun Fun
Blurry eyed and still half in my own little dream world, I arose, went through the motions of getting ready for the day and then headed towards the dining room. Before I knew it, the day was half past and running rapidly towards supper time. on our break between lunch and super, Jessi and I went to Jamaica street. She went to the tailors and bought lots of African food. We bought 3 huge coconuts. They were sold in a wheel barrow and a machete with a square end was used to hack off the skin untill the white meat was revealed. The man then tapped in a circle where the white part was. It made little cracking sounds. And suddenly it was open and filled with what looked like water. Jessi apparently had only gotten it for the meat. It felt ever so exotic drinking out of the coconut. All I needed was a grass skirt. We also got sweet bread and roasted plantains and casava root. We got back to the ship and had a little African feast. I wish I had taken some pictures, so you all could see. They would hand the food to us rapped in old newspapers. I drank the coconut juice but refrained from having any of the slimy looking meat. the bread was delicious and a casava root tasted like baked potatoes. And the plantains were delicious and sweet. It was all very new to me, but I loved it. It is much more like what I imagined the markekt to be like and I can see myself eventually being at home on this street just as Jessi was.
Later I rented some chickflicks from the on-ship library for that night. After rapidly changing back into pants and sneakers for work. I dashed up the steep stairs two at a time and then jumped five feet when John, from the other dining room team jumped out from behind the dining room door. Slightly disgruntled I proceeded to work one of the buffet lines. That's definitely my favorite job. I love greeting people and asking how their day went and sharing my food preferences with them and pointing out which sauces are spicey. We actually have really good food here. Last night it the shrimp cheese sauce with pasta. There was one old man who was not having a good day. "Is there food on the other side? More? Better?" Shrugging it off I wondered to the other side and said hello. "Well, if i don't die in 30 minutes, we'll know this food is safe." I had to laugh. I could just picture that scowling face on some southern porch calling everyone "varmits." But for the most part people are wonderful about it. Someone told me that it was the first time they had been greeted with a smiling face from behind the food line. It totally made my day. As staff I think it's important for us to really focus on the positive responses (although an occasional bad one is considered for the sake of humor.) After everyone had picked the shrimp out of the cheese sauce I began advertising it as the result of overfishing. :) It is so good to see people smile.
In Liberia people think it's rude if yoiu don't say hello to them every time you pass. On the ship though, people understand the cultural differences and tend to lean towards the American social rules. On the street people will say hello, or nod, or raise their eyebrows. Greetings are just a way of life. It's nice to be able to practice my greeting skills in the dining room. Although I'm hoping to vary it up a little bit. I need to get a little more creative. I think I've said, hello, and how are you and how was your day about a thousand times.
Last night was fun. Two girls (Lydia and Jessi) from our dining room team are leaving. Apparently they have a tradition when someone is leaving and it is their last day of work they get splashed with a bucket of water. It was awesome. We were all shrieking and screaming and splashing eachother. It was fun and I got soaked.
I checked with my roomates and invited a few girls over to watch the chick flicks I had borrowed on my laptop. Lydia and I have gotten fairly close. She at first seems very quiet and occasionally melancholy. But when we were both in dishes and dead tired we got really hyper and would start sing random songs using spooons as microphones. We shared favorite movies and books and had gotten sunburnt together on El Wau Beach. I'm gonna miss her allot. She had told me about the chick-flick watching escapades with her grandmother. How they would always watch them over a bowl of chocolates. I went up and bought some at the Star Bucks and we all had chocolate to go with our chick flicks. We watched How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days. It was hilarious, and very cute. What a wonderful, busy, tiring day.
Later I rented some chickflicks from the on-ship library for that night. After rapidly changing back into pants and sneakers for work. I dashed up the steep stairs two at a time and then jumped five feet when John, from the other dining room team jumped out from behind the dining room door. Slightly disgruntled I proceeded to work one of the buffet lines. That's definitely my favorite job. I love greeting people and asking how their day went and sharing my food preferences with them and pointing out which sauces are spicey. We actually have really good food here. Last night it the shrimp cheese sauce with pasta. There was one old man who was not having a good day. "Is there food on the other side? More? Better?" Shrugging it off I wondered to the other side and said hello. "Well, if i don't die in 30 minutes, we'll know this food is safe." I had to laugh. I could just picture that scowling face on some southern porch calling everyone "varmits." But for the most part people are wonderful about it. Someone told me that it was the first time they had been greeted with a smiling face from behind the food line. It totally made my day. As staff I think it's important for us to really focus on the positive responses (although an occasional bad one is considered for the sake of humor.) After everyone had picked the shrimp out of the cheese sauce I began advertising it as the result of overfishing. :) It is so good to see people smile.
In Liberia people think it's rude if yoiu don't say hello to them every time you pass. On the ship though, people understand the cultural differences and tend to lean towards the American social rules. On the street people will say hello, or nod, or raise their eyebrows. Greetings are just a way of life. It's nice to be able to practice my greeting skills in the dining room. Although I'm hoping to vary it up a little bit. I need to get a little more creative. I think I've said, hello, and how are you and how was your day about a thousand times.
Last night was fun. Two girls (Lydia and Jessi) from our dining room team are leaving. Apparently they have a tradition when someone is leaving and it is their last day of work they get splashed with a bucket of water. It was awesome. We were all shrieking and screaming and splashing eachother. It was fun and I got soaked.
I checked with my roomates and invited a few girls over to watch the chick flicks I had borrowed on my laptop. Lydia and I have gotten fairly close. She at first seems very quiet and occasionally melancholy. But when we were both in dishes and dead tired we got really hyper and would start sing random songs using spooons as microphones. We shared favorite movies and books and had gotten sunburnt together on El Wau Beach. I'm gonna miss her allot. She had told me about the chick-flick watching escapades with her grandmother. How they would always watch them over a bowl of chocolates. I went up and bought some at the Star Bucks and we all had chocolate to go with our chick flicks. We watched How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days. It was hilarious, and very cute. What a wonderful, busy, tiring day.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Uplifted
I once again went to The Pillar of Holy Fire Church that I visited last Sunday. I was wonderful. I left feeling refreshed and uplifted and deeply touched. This Sunday we arrived earlier than before. We heardthe children repeating verses after their Sundayschool teacher. A chorus of a million small vioces, raised to recite the same verse.
The drums were faster this Sunday and I sensed people bouncing a little more. The African worship songs are so simple and beautiful. The woman next to me, who has been on Mercy Hsips for quite a while was singing harmony.
I love the sermons, desperately trying to soak up all of it. Their pastor might struggle when reading the verses but God gives him these incredible sermons that always seem to relate directly to what I am dealing with that week. This one was on what to do when you're feeling down. (Do you remember my "Rain" post?)It was based on David's struggle. He writes: "As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longs after You." The pastor related this to the war years how every material thing they had ever relied on was ripped from them. They would go hunting and the deer would make great leaps and bounds and run and run and when it was finally tired it would splash and drink form a pool of whater with no regard whatsoever as to whether or not it was good water. That reminded me of how when we as humans are searching so fdesperately for something to fill that void in our lives, we go to practically anything. He sain we said we must RUN after God and thirst for Him. And we need to REMEMBER where we fell from our first love. And to stay humber by recognizing what He was brought us up out of. Finally, we will be RENEWED by putting all our trust in God and not the things of this world.
Afterwards we once again played with the children. One older girl rushed up to me ,"my friend!" She tried to give me her bracelet but I told her to wear it next Sunday, "that way I will see it and I will know it is you." I think I'm gonna make her a bracelet to bring next Sunday and maybe we can trade. All the little children clustered around me and held my hand and looked the bag that was a going away gift. Kaytlin sewed it and it is all covered in notes and verses. I carry it everywere since we always have to have our Meryc Ships ID card and room key. They were enamored with the buttons in one corner. I said good bye to all the children and promised to come back.
So here I am back on the ship, but happier despite the continued grey weather. I will soon be working in the dining room for super. We often trade hours when one of the others want to go on a small trip somewhere. I'm still deciding what I want to do on one of my work days.
Adios for now. I love you all and hope you enjoy the day God's made!
The drums were faster this Sunday and I sensed people bouncing a little more. The African worship songs are so simple and beautiful. The woman next to me, who has been on Mercy Hsips for quite a while was singing harmony.
I love the sermons, desperately trying to soak up all of it. Their pastor might struggle when reading the verses but God gives him these incredible sermons that always seem to relate directly to what I am dealing with that week. This one was on what to do when you're feeling down. (Do you remember my "Rain" post?)It was based on David's struggle. He writes: "As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longs after You." The pastor related this to the war years how every material thing they had ever relied on was ripped from them. They would go hunting and the deer would make great leaps and bounds and run and run and when it was finally tired it would splash and drink form a pool of whater with no regard whatsoever as to whether or not it was good water. That reminded me of how when we as humans are searching so fdesperately for something to fill that void in our lives, we go to practically anything. He sain we said we must RUN after God and thirst for Him. And we need to REMEMBER where we fell from our first love. And to stay humber by recognizing what He was brought us up out of. Finally, we will be RENEWED by putting all our trust in God and not the things of this world.
Afterwards we once again played with the children. One older girl rushed up to me ,"my friend!" She tried to give me her bracelet but I told her to wear it next Sunday, "that way I will see it and I will know it is you." I think I'm gonna make her a bracelet to bring next Sunday and maybe we can trade. All the little children clustered around me and held my hand and looked the bag that was a going away gift. Kaytlin sewed it and it is all covered in notes and verses. I carry it everywere since we always have to have our Meryc Ships ID card and room key. They were enamored with the buttons in one corner. I said good bye to all the children and promised to come back.
So here I am back on the ship, but happier despite the continued grey weather. I will soon be working in the dining room for super. We often trade hours when one of the others want to go on a small trip somewhere. I'm still deciding what I want to do on one of my work days.
Adios for now. I love you all and hope you enjoy the day God's made!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Rainy day
Today I woke up to the beep and buz of our room phone ringing and my two new roommates scrambling madly for the door as they realized they were late for orientation. After drifting off to sleep for a while, I woke once again and, still in a state of blissful sleepiness and warmth wondered towards the window. I pulled back those deep blue curtains that, although probably installed for a home look add nothing to the overly airconditioned coldness of our room.
Rain
Falling grey and steady from an unsympathetic sky. I watched with fascination as a larger baot was guided to a nearby dock bya smaller boat. Perhaps it is the novelty of being able to look out my window and see ships; I never fail to have a strange curiosity concerning them. It was with a twinge of jealousy that I regarded those ships and their sailors. We are not moving-no scanning the water for lights from other boats or watching the bow cut through the waves or feeling the thrill of not knowing water from sky. I supposed it would be rather romantic.
Rain
I talked to a sailor yesterday and was sorely dissapointed. He didn't look like a sailor. No weathered skin or rough countenance-no piercing blue eyes or, love for the sea, like you read about in the books.
Rain
I would have preffered some horrific thunderstorm-an amazing display of lightning. But it was Just rain. I suppose you can't say "just rain." It's like saying"just getting a tooth pulled" or "just sitting for hours on end fighting monotony." There are occasions where I do get the insane urge to get soaked and shivery and then go inside tyo curl up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa. But jthat would require Mom's big red chair and an uncooperative TV and seeing the rain drip off the eaves of our roof and a table scraped and colorful from years of children with markers and lots of steak dinners.
Rain
I am feeling rainy and grey. Claustrophobic and homesick. Yes, I am revelling in the misery of being in Africa, in the rain and having the time to pout about it. I might go walk in it. "Singin' in the rain...la..la...la"
Rain
Falling grey and steady from an unsympathetic sky. I watched with fascination as a larger baot was guided to a nearby dock bya smaller boat. Perhaps it is the novelty of being able to look out my window and see ships; I never fail to have a strange curiosity concerning them. It was with a twinge of jealousy that I regarded those ships and their sailors. We are not moving-no scanning the water for lights from other boats or watching the bow cut through the waves or feeling the thrill of not knowing water from sky. I supposed it would be rather romantic.
Rain
I talked to a sailor yesterday and was sorely dissapointed. He didn't look like a sailor. No weathered skin or rough countenance-no piercing blue eyes or, love for the sea, like you read about in the books.
Rain
I would have preffered some horrific thunderstorm-an amazing display of lightning. But it was Just rain. I suppose you can't say "just rain." It's like saying"just getting a tooth pulled" or "just sitting for hours on end fighting monotony." There are occasions where I do get the insane urge to get soaked and shivery and then go inside tyo curl up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa. But jthat would require Mom's big red chair and an uncooperative TV and seeing the rain drip off the eaves of our roof and a table scraped and colorful from years of children with markers and lots of steak dinners.
Rain
I am feeling rainy and grey. Claustrophobic and homesick. Yes, I am revelling in the misery of being in Africa, in the rain and having the time to pout about it. I might go walk in it. "Singin' in the rain...la..la...la"
Friday, August 1, 2008
BUGS GALORE
This morning I woke up to shrieks and yells from one of my roomates. "Aaaaah, eeeeeee-oh-my-gosh-o-my-gosh!" She had met my friend. I was pleasently acquainted with him about a week ago, but survived the introduction and thus we managed to be mutually indifferent to eachother-up untill now. The few I told regarded him as one of little consequence. So this morning we were all suddenly forced to admit his existance. We even named him. I think it was something like Lewis or George... he is about the size of my thumb and is an expert escape artist-to quick for us to catch. He is a shiny black cockroach.
I suppose being so intimately acquainted with a cocraoch could have positive aspects, but I have yet to find them. Although I must say I find him quite tolerable compared to our cereal lovers. Cockroaches are nice and big, easy to see if not find. Weavils are another story. We have a huge selection of food and about 5 choices of cereal each morning. There is a particular one that at first is unrecognizable as a cereal. It's a mix between the big shredded wheat bars and oatmeal that has been sitting in a bowl for a day or two. It's lovely. Anyways, we have to make sure that these cereals are filled every day for the next morning and the lots fell to me to refill this particular kind of cereal. I began in myown girlish way to open the first box-fumbling with the tab-and finally gave up on all pretence of having any idea what I was doing. I eventually managed to open the first box as well as the prestigeously wrapped packs of cereal. I stared at the lovely lump for a long time waiting for signs of movement. There was nothing-except for a few crumbs falling here and there. And then the first one decided to stick its ugly head out of its home of probably several years. Actually their heads are so small, you only really see them once one's entire body is crawling rapidly towards your fingers. The others followed. I was brave. No shrieking, no acrobatics, no big seen.
The next package I opened I noticed the ones swarming inside and over boxes before I even got to the individual packages. This time however, I was slightly wiser and proceeded to hold the box with thumb and forefinger as far away from my body as possible. Although it was a precarious position, I felt marginally safer, knowing that instead of instantly swarming all over me, the weevels would be foreced to proceed up my arm, thus giving me more time to observe and foil their efforts. The next boxes were carefully inspected for the tell tale holes of weavle housing developments within. I filled up a trashcan.
My skin is still crawling. I find myself forgiving my morning friend for being a cockroach.
I suppose being so intimately acquainted with a cocraoch could have positive aspects, but I have yet to find them. Although I must say I find him quite tolerable compared to our cereal lovers. Cockroaches are nice and big, easy to see if not find. Weavils are another story. We have a huge selection of food and about 5 choices of cereal each morning. There is a particular one that at first is unrecognizable as a cereal. It's a mix between the big shredded wheat bars and oatmeal that has been sitting in a bowl for a day or two. It's lovely. Anyways, we have to make sure that these cereals are filled every day for the next morning and the lots fell to me to refill this particular kind of cereal. I began in myown girlish way to open the first box-fumbling with the tab-and finally gave up on all pretence of having any idea what I was doing. I eventually managed to open the first box as well as the prestigeously wrapped packs of cereal. I stared at the lovely lump for a long time waiting for signs of movement. There was nothing-except for a few crumbs falling here and there. And then the first one decided to stick its ugly head out of its home of probably several years. Actually their heads are so small, you only really see them once one's entire body is crawling rapidly towards your fingers. The others followed. I was brave. No shrieking, no acrobatics, no big seen.
The next package I opened I noticed the ones swarming inside and over boxes before I even got to the individual packages. This time however, I was slightly wiser and proceeded to hold the box with thumb and forefinger as far away from my body as possible. Although it was a precarious position, I felt marginally safer, knowing that instead of instantly swarming all over me, the weevels would be foreced to proceed up my arm, thus giving me more time to observe and foil their efforts. The next boxes were carefully inspected for the tell tale holes of weavle housing developments within. I filled up a trashcan.
My skin is still crawling. I find myself forgiving my morning friend for being a cockroach.
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