Things here have been busy! Unexpectedly we have a basketball season now! Which is great, but is now taking up most of my free time and evenings. It makes my days longer, which is actually ok because I am getting to know my students, especially the ones on the team on a better and closer level.
Last weekend the JV’s both Xavier and Saram went to the island of Param for our Fall Retreat. Lin Yua and Tomi (two of our Jesuit novices) lead the retreat and it was so peaceful. It was a silent retreat from Friday night after dinner until 4pm on Saturday. It was actually just what I needed out of the retreat. I got a lot of thinking done and was really happy with how much I journaled and just thought about. Then we had fun, playing games, like Werewolf and 5 Crowns (two of our favorite games!). Sunday we had mass and then some of the children from the village took us around the island. It took about two hours to walk around the whole island and also found some WWII tanks which was really cool! We left Sunday around 3 and got back up to Home Sweet Xavier. Though it was a beautiful island it was nice to have a nice cold shower back at home.
This week went by pretty slow. I think because of the retreat I felt really myself again here. Sometimes depending on the day or the week, I just don’t feel like myself. But this was a really great week. However, I found out that my great Uncle Bob passed away, which was really sad. I think my Poppy is in my prayers more then ever now! He is just such an inspiration in my life and I only want the best for him and I know how much he misses my Grammie and how lonely he can get when he is by himself. I pray for him to be satisfied and taken care of every night. I just want him to be loved and cared for.
Peaches and I went down to Saram on Thursday to spend the night. We didn’t have school Friday because Wednesday was FSM Independence day and we moved our day off to celebrate to Friday so we would have a 3 day weekend. It was really relaxing and we got some shopping done in down town. Just the basics like combs and some snacks. We also ate at one of the restaurants there, we both got Ramen noodlesJ which was delicious. (Yes, we get Ramen noodles when we go out to dinner here!) Then we made the hike up, only a little over half way then got a ride up for the rest of the way.
Today (Saturday) we planned to climb on of the mountains, but it rained all day and decided not to. I hung out with the community a bit and also talked with some of the boys hanging out in the study hall. They really are really great kids. Sometimes I forgot how awesome they actually are, because they are just so bad in class, but really they so great and wonderful. I am blessed for having those kids in my life.
We also got 3 new pigs! (Xavier) and will have then until graduation until, the majority of the staff…eats them. haha But they are cute and though I will be upset to kill them, I think I understand how the culture here views them, as means to food and not pets. I think we need to respect that for them.
That about all I have this week. I have two basketball games on Monday and Wednesday which will be a lot of fun. Busy, but fun. So far we are 0-1 haha. We lost against the best team in the state so I guess we didn’t do that bad J The only good thing here is that they do love winning, but they really just enjoy the competitiveness and it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, which makes me a lot happier when we do lose J
But if anyone would like to help the school out below are things we are in need of:
Basketballs
Books-any books, just lots of books for our library!
School Supplies
Construction Paper
Tongue Depressors
Band Aides
Medical Masks
Computer paper
Computer Toner
And anything else you can think of just ask!
Love!
Em
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