Home Sweet Home?

I’m here!! I made it to Chuuk!!!!!!! We touched down on Saturday (we loose a day in transit when crossing the international date line) and have been acquainting ourselves with the lay of the land since then. I’m still in disbelief that this is actually happening and am still desperately trying to figure out what to think and how to process it all. I’m in awe. I’m uncomfortable. I’m searching. I’m happy. I’m lonely……

I’m in awe because this place is ascetically gorgeous!!! Xavier High School is nestled in a hilltop that overlooks the lagoon on both sides. The school itself is built around remnants of a WWII Japanese communication tower. Thus, the walls are about a foot thick of concrete – and you can actually see the place on the roof where the building was bombed during an American ambush that left the entire Chuuk lagoon a diver’s haven. Being that we can see out across the water for miles – we’ve watched many a sunset already, we’ve stargazed like you wouldn’t believe and have just sat & watched rainstorms roll in from miles away. Last night we took out the telescope & a book of constellations and assumed nighttime jobs as little astronomers!! Seriously – there are more stars in this sky than you’ve ever seen in your life!!!!
A few days ago we went snorkeling – you’d think that we were swimming in some sort of artificially constructed tank in at the aquarium. The reef was like something out of Fining Nemo – and the fish – don’t even get me started……even cartoons couldn’t duplicate these colors!!! Yesterday we went hiking to the top of an old Japanese Lighthouse – that pretty much overlooked the entire island of Weno. The view was spectacular!!! It is so lush that you couldn’t even see houses down below – they were tucked away in the green…..the island would have seemed uninhabited if not for the voices, cries, songs and shouts of the people below. There was a little island boy who followed us up to the lighthouse -no shoes – and we ended up playing with him for hours…..we could not communicate with language – but it is simply beautiful how the word “play” seems to be universally understood.
The people here are amazing…..soo beautiful….when we go running in the mornings (YES – I am able to run here!!!!! A few of my community mates are runners – or aspire to be – so hopefully we’ll have a whole fleet running in the mornings!!!) everyone is up & about – waving – saying hello….soo friendly!! But their laughter – oh my goodness gracious – they are always laughing…and you know that there is so much beneath the surface – so much of their life’s tale that laughter does not even begin to accomplish – but they laugh like you wouldn’t believe.
I’m uncomfortable because it’s different – it’s a whole new world – everything is unfamiliar and requires an extensive amount of patience. As beautiful as this place is – it is equally as destitute. There is trash everywhere. The unemployment rate is something like 80%.....it’s just these two conflicting worlds that I can’t seem to reconcile just yet. The heat is something else that takes some getting used to – dripping sweat all of the time!! Oh it’s lovely!! And the typical dress is long skirts, or shorts down to the knee – and shirts – no shoulders showing….sooo it will require some getting used to!! The bugs are ha ha WONDERFUL!!! Flies, cockroaches, spiders, mosquitoes – geco’s!! And if you know how much I enjoy creepy crawling insects – you knowwww how much patience is being exerted daily!!!
I’m searching for comfort – for pieces of home – for something that will begin to make this place feel like home. I’m searching for a new identity – not knowing anyone or anything about this place – it’s like starting all over again – I need to find out who I am in light of where I am.
I am happy knowing this is exactly where I am supposed to be. I am happy knowing that my boundaries are being tested in ways I could never have imagined. I am happy that I have people around me like my community – AJ, Chris, Joe & Adrianne – and the wonderful staff here at Xavier to be a solid system of support and encouragement.
I am lonely in a world so far from all that is familiar. The language is a huge barrier. I want to get to know the culture & the people – but my inability to communicate poses a huge obstacle to doing so. I will admit that being a lil’ homesick makes it tougher as well – just missing people who know me – who understand who I am….. I know that will come if I give it time – but it is hard being in that space in between.

So we have a few more weeks of orientation/hanging out etc… we don’t start school until the 23rd and as of right now I’m still teaching freshman & sophomore lit – desperately trying to rekindle my love of reading and literature!!! I know there is sooo much more I want to write and say – but I’m just on sensory overload – there is so much to take in!! But know that I think of YOU often and your prayers and support is with me!!!

My Love

“I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun, not just because I can see Him, but because of Him, I can see everything else.” ~C.S. Lewis