New Beginnings

This post will be short since I am paying for internet now/using other peoples' computers. I will hopefully have my computer back in my hands by the new year. The ribelle, Randy Sylvester, at Majuro Computer Services said that he can upgrade my hard drive and fix it for a fraction of the cost that Apple would serve me with (not to mention the shipping back to America) so I am thankful for that. This unfortunate occurrence has turned into an opportunity of sorts.

The term finally ended this past week. I spent the first three days reviewing 10 weeks of grammar material. I decided to not have a reading final since I lost my grades and I did not feel up to making the students prepare something in such a sort time. While reading groups helped me teach reading techniques, it did not promote any kind of formal examination and since the teachers at the school truncated the term by two days, I decided that my gift to my kids would be no reading final. Suffice to say, they were happy with the gift. Instead, we spent the last week teaching "All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Both were extremely endearing to hear. Mandy taught both her students and mine how to sign "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and I taught the music. Our goal was to record the students doing both, but by the end of the week, the students wanted to go home more than be on youtube. It was a disappointment to Mandy and I, but we were also happy to be free of obligations. Our plans to "have it snow in the RMI" (read: have our students close their eyes and then throw really cold water balloons at them to start a water balloon fight) fell through for the same reason. Luckily, there is still snow in the US in January (though, for some reason, our students refused to believe this fact). After the test was over, I taught my students to make snowflakes which they loved. My classroom is now decorated completely by my students and I am very proud of that fact.

I have yet to grade the finals since I have been enjoying the break but I will be sure to let you know the stats when I do. Break has allowed me to hang out with the World Teach volunteers who have come in and talk about experiences in different parts of the RMI. Kristin Dewey and Jenna Cunningham have also come in, but they have been on Ejit with Justin and Alex and have not come to Majuro to spend any real time yet. I look forward to sharing experiences with them as well. Besides hanging out and talking, I have not done much with my break. I have been able to eat at some places that I have never been to and have been reading a lot but because I do not have my computer, my attempt to start my job search or start recording music for my new MMS acapella group or getting better at the guitar have all been stunted. Hopefully I will soon find something to occupy my time. Until then, I do like the break for not having to teach (on Sunday evening I had a revelation that I did not have to go to school on Monday and literally jumped for joy). The students needed the break but I think I might have needed it even more. I look forward to starting the new year with refreshed energy. I also think it will be great to have Professor Garrod, Dan Moore '10, and the Dartmouth undergrads coming on the study abroad program through the Education Department here in the Marshalls. They will be new to the island (well, with the exception of Garrod) and will need showing around and I plan on filling that role to the fullest.

Last Thrusday, The de Brueys family came to the RMI to pay their final respects to their son James. The family was greeted by many ribelles and Marshallese people at the airport. On Friday, the family went to the island where James was stationed to meet the Marshallese people that so loved James there. They said that they were overwhelmed by the response and kindness of the people here. On Thursday, there was a formal service behind MIR for all of the deceased followed by a dinner for the de Brueys family and the volunteers of Dartmouth and World Teach at Wallaby Downs, the Australian Navy outpost in the RMI. Surrounded by Anna and a few other volunteers I toasted that this dinner mark the end of bad news for all of us in this year and that it be the start of new wonders in the new year. I hope this wish holds true.

As a final note, a dear friend that I made in the RMI has left the island for good. Michael Honeth, a ribelle who has been here for a few years working for the EPA, was one of the first people to reach out to the other volunteers and I. He was extremely generous and friendly--in the true Marshallese spirit--and he will truly be missed. I hope he goes on to have many great adventures wherever life takes him.

My next post will be after Christmas, so I hope you all have incredibly merry holidays surrounded by those you love. Know that we are all thinking of you, missing you, and wishing we were home for Christmas from the Pacific.

Bar lo kom,

Andrew