Short post

Sorry for not posting recently...there is much to write about but not enough time

Popular songs in the RMI:
Anything by Akon, especially I want to love you, Lonely, and Don't Matter
Rihanna, Umbrella
Whiskey Lullaby...some popular country song that i don't know about because I don't listen to country
Abba...who knew that they like abba here
Eminem, a lot of my students wish that they were Eminem
Britney Spears, a lot of my students wish they were Britney Spears
50 cent....enough said

Update

I saw my first dog poop on the ground...it was weird

Some musings...

Journals:
First, I want to thank our Heavenly Father (or God) for gracing us with this wonderful moment. Second I would like to tell you about…

It is apparent that a good number of students in the Marshall Islands have been conditioned to open papers with some form of the statement above. They always want to tell us teachers about their love for Jesus and asking God to bless us. Unfortunately these words of blessing and thanks are often off topic and are generally inappropriate for the given assignment.

Students here have also been conditioned to write journal entries in one particular way as well. If I ask a student what they did over the weekend 9 out of 10 the journal will have something along the lines of:
 "I woke up at [insert some arbitrary time] and then I washed my face. And then I went to the kitchen and got a plate and cup and I ate breakfast. And then I washed my plate and cup and I went to the bathroom to wash my face. And then I did my study and when I do my study no more I go to friends house and I [insert play sport, watch movie, go to the store to buy food or any other arbitrary activity here]. After I go home and eat dinner and then I go to my room and I go to sleep…" 
It is amazing how identical each of the journals can be when they are actually doing their own work. It is almost funny about the lack of creativity here. I have asked my students what makes them happy and why and they will tell me what they did that morning before school.

Dogs:
Dogs are a part of life here in the Marshall Islands. There are big dogs, little dogs, old dogs and puppies. Most of the dogs are malnourished and have some sort of open sores or growths on their bodies. Also I have never seen so many dog testicles or saggy dog teats in my life. I guess Bob Barker's message about getting your dog or cat spayed or neutered didn't make it here to the Marshall Islands.

The most amazing thing is that with all the dogs on island there is hardly any poop. I feel like I am in the Jack Black and Ben Stiller movie "Envy" where they continually ask, "Where does the poop go?"  Anyway Richard (a former WorldTeach who is still here on islands teaching and college counseling at MIHS) suggested that because the dogs never eat anything they never have to poop.

Taxis:
Taxis never have more than a gallon of gas in the tank at a time. Gas costs about $4.48/gallon and when a taxi driver goes to the gas station it will only ever had the gas attendant $3-$5. Because of this habit, every so often a taxi will run out of gas.  I guess this is not a real issue for anyone who is in the Marshall Islands because no one ever needs to be anyplace on time; things start when people get there.

The real issue is that at the gas stations people will be smoking, or they will fill a car with its engine still running, or people will use their cell phones next to the gas pump or they will fill a container other than a designated gas can. If there is a warning against doing something at a gas station or next to a gas pump I am sure the people in the Marshall Islands have done it and are probably doing right now.

Additionally, taxis have these elaborately decorated dashboards. They are often covered with a beach towel—sometimes adorned with the likes of Hello Kitty, flowers, or even a naked lady. The towel is kept in place by a number of push pins and on top of the towel you can often find photos or various forms of amimono (Marshallese handicrafts) or shells. The dashboards are cool to look at, but they are definitely one of a kind.

Other:
So, apparently I am known by people all over this island. I mean there is something like 30,000 people in Majuro and there seems to be a lot of people who know who I am, maybe not by name but by my physical characteristics. This is kind of disturbing and cool at the same time. For the most part people think I am a volunteer from Japan until they start talking to me, but even then it is hard for some people to believe that I am from the United States (especially my students who I have told that I am from the US but they continue to insist that I am from Japan or Korea or America Samoa or the Philippines).

I think I stand out because of my big hair. People are always telling me that they have seen me walking on the only road on the island. It is pretty interesting.

As volunteers in Majuro, living in the teachers' dorm, we do not have host families and thus lack a more integrated 'Marshallese experience.' As a result, WorldTeach has set us up with Marshallese sponsor families who we can go eat meals with, go to birthday parties with, and go to church with. In the process of setting up the families, where most families and volunteers were assigned to each other, I was told that my sponsor family specifically requested me. They wanted the volunteer with the 'big hair.' I don't know who my family is yet, but it is pretty cool to think that I was memorable/noticeable enough to someone that they would request to have me 'join their family.' We get to meet our families at a big party on October 20, so I am excited to find out who wanted me.

Photos

Check out some of my latest photos:





Or you can see all of them here:

Marshall Islands part 5