On the Hokey Pokey and Cold Showers....

You put your right arm in, you put your right arm out, you put your right arm in, and you soap it all about…. 

Pretty much, taking a shower in cold water is a lot like doing the Hokey Pokey. The only difference is, it takes a lot more courage to put your whole self in.Thankfully, the weather is so warm that you don't really notice. We have a wonderful avacado green bathroom, so that makes up for the cold water while showering.

 

This little fellow showed up in my bathroom the other morning. Not to worry though, the ants were trying to take him away.

My travels, post train, were long and arduous. I met up with the group of girls who will become my 'family' in this far country. During orientation in Portland, we climbed a mountain, dipped our feet in the Pacific, and took advantage of the local Bluegrass Festival. Monday, we took to the air, managing the numerous bags that contained all of our earthly belongings. We took turns watching luggage, trying to rest, and listening for our flight announcements. Few hours of sleep (three to be precise) and lots of security lines were the things that stood out to me most. Somehow, we ended up going through security for each of our four flights. God was merciful, however, and I got through without any difficulty.

 

 Rombutan: Delicious once that hairy outside is removed.

 Following our arrival, we spent a night at a nearby island resort/beach. It was beautiful, and good to recover from jet lag and bond with the other girls and some of our staff. We had 4-7 hours of orientation both days there, but in our free time we caught starfish, swam, napped, and got to know each other. If any of you come to visit me, I can now recommend an inexpensive little resort.

I am settling into a sweet little three bedroom house, complete with 8 other women. Our neighbor's chicken likes to visit us in the morning, and especially loves to climb into our windows. Her rooster really loves mornings, and he is trying to encourage the entire neighborhood to get up and enjoy them with him. Because it is light from about 5 am to 6 pm, mornings are actually a really good time to be awake. I'm loving it.

Our humble Kitchen area.

Various forms of transportation.

I'm still getting the hang of public transportation. Basically, everyone thinks that I want a ride on whatever they're driving, so when I walk places, I get beeped at constantly. Although pedestrians technically have the right of way, we are the smallest thing on the road (or even the sidewalk if there is one... It's fair game for most vehicles from my experience) so we have to watch our backs quite literally. That's a taste of some of my first impressions and experiences. Feel free to comment, ask questions, and request pictures of certain things. I'll do my best to please!