This is Heidi's mom and there is a stamp shortage in the Marshall Islands but Heidi wants to keep you all updated and we thought this would be the best way to do it. She also didn't realize how much time it takes to write letters. She has never really had to write anything. All her school papers were done on the computer. We all can type 50 to 70 words a minute, but we can't write that fast. She said in one of the first letters "I guess I didn't think about mass communication without technology!
From her first letter:
Let me tell you how weird it was to skip Monday. I woke up, (Monday July 20) got on the plane in Honolulu, sat for 5 hours. Landed in Majuro and it was Tuesday!! Cool Stuff.
Anyway, I am already in love with this place.
Currently, I am sitting on some rocks on the lagoon side of our atol, 20 or so yards from the bright purple school house I now call home, writing to you.
If I look up or down the shore all I see are palm trees. Looking across the lagoon I see little specs of land covered in palm trees. It is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Of course, you have to look beyond the trash that unfortunately litters the very rocks I'm sitting on.
I had my first bug experience. We went to the lagoon and waded around to feel the bath warm water, and we got back and were sitting around and I noticed a bump on my foot that looked like a zit! So I examine it closer and realize there is a clear bug sticking out of it!!!! I picked it out and it looks fine now. I guess that's what's in store for the next year! Totally worth it!
I took my first bucket bath and had my first dishes duty. (we're in teams for the 4 weeks here and take turns cooking and cleaning) My bucket bath bath was actually very refreshing and I'm already looking forward to my next one! The water is cool, even close to cold, but it feels great! (side note from mom. This coming from the girl who wore sweat shirts in my house all summer)
I even took my "bath" after the sun went down and still thought it was comfortable.
From her first letter:
Let me tell you how weird it was to skip Monday. I woke up, (Monday July 20) got on the plane in Honolulu, sat for 5 hours. Landed in Majuro and it was Tuesday!! Cool Stuff.
Anyway, I am already in love with this place.
Currently, I am sitting on some rocks on the lagoon side of our atol, 20 or so yards from the bright purple school house I now call home, writing to you.
If I look up or down the shore all I see are palm trees. Looking across the lagoon I see little specs of land covered in palm trees. It is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Of course, you have to look beyond the trash that unfortunately litters the very rocks I'm sitting on.
I had my first bug experience. We went to the lagoon and waded around to feel the bath warm water, and we got back and were sitting around and I noticed a bump on my foot that looked like a zit! So I examine it closer and realize there is a clear bug sticking out of it!!!! I picked it out and it looks fine now. I guess that's what's in store for the next year! Totally worth it!
I took my first bucket bath and had my first dishes duty. (we're in teams for the 4 weeks here and take turns cooking and cleaning) My bucket bath bath was actually very refreshing and I'm already looking forward to my next one! The water is cool, even close to cold, but it feels great! (side note from mom. This coming from the girl who wore sweat shirts in my house all summer)
I even took my "bath" after the sun went down and still thought it was comfortable.
I'm no longer at the beach writing this, but I'm sitting outside under one of the only lights at the school thinking about sleeping tonight. It is so HOT and muggy in our room. Plus there 15 or so people sleeping in the room.
Thank you so much for creating this blog!! Heidi sounds good and it will be so fun to read about her adventures!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to keep us updated. I am so excited to hear more of Heidi's adventures!(She is such a great story teller!) Sounds like she is doing great so far.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI met Heidi when she interned at Linden McKinley HS in Columbus. I'm the counselor. I told her she was in for a big adventure - I spent 5 years on the island of Guam and had several students from the Marshall Islands. I'm proud of her though - pulling the bug from her foot is a good sign she's up for the challenge! Please send our best from Ohio - looking forward to more!!