A blog worthy weekend..

Ok so I have been struggling with being sick the last few weeks and have also developed some strange stomach bug where I am randomly nauseous all the time. (Not fun! Going to the doctor about it tomorrow, pray we can figure out what it is!) This has affected my sleep significantly, and well what I’m trying to get at is, I was really tired and very happy it was finally Sabbath. However, the SM’s decided to take a trip to Kapinga that afternoon. There went my restful Sabbath. Kapinga is pretty much a little community that is about five minutes away from the school and twenty seconds away from our church. The first time I saw Kapinga I was speechless. Their houses are mostly little huts, clothes are strung out all over to dry, kids are walking along the street with dirty little faces and usually half naked etc. lets just say it is a culture shock compared to America. Anyway, I decided to join the group regardless of my tired mind and body, and I am so glad that I did! It was more rejuvenating than any nap could have ever been, maybe not physically but definitely emotionally. I played with the most precious children for about an hour and a half straight. Haha a group of the SM’s were cleaning boils and cuts, another group was singing with kids and telling a story, and I was running around doing ninja moves with about six little boys. It was great, haha I had a little flock that was unbelievably delighted with the thought of me chasing them, so there I was of course running around, tickling away, and swinging these little guys around. Just when I thought the trip couldn’t get any better I saw a little girl, and she saw me. I’m pretty sure my heart now belongs to a three year old… I still don’t know her name but I wish I could take her home! I officially had a Kapinga koala bear :) She wrapped her arms and legs around me and would not let go. She only wore a little pink skirt, no shirt or shoes, and an adorable smile I couldn’t say no to in a million years. I don’t think she understood English because she never responded to anything I said in words just merely smiled or hugged me tighter. If my heart wasn’t bubbling with enough joy, laughter, and love already, we left. This entailed about fifty kids racing after our truck all the way down the street. A good Sabbath afternoon indeed. :) God’s children are so precious and there are so many out there just dying to be loved. I wish I could love them all…

Later that night a group of us played basketball, I don’t think knock out has ever been so tiring or sweat inducing. Haha I was DRIPPING. Then Joel and I played one on one forever. I may not have won basketball that night but I certainly won the water fight afterwards, he was soaked :)

The next morning Joel, Amy, and I took the Youth out for a ride around the Island. We decided to stop at anything and everything “Pohnpeian”. Therefore we would randomly stop to take pictures with flowers, bridges, trash, random people, etc. We went down to the beach, went swimming in a river, Joel and I had a sword fight with bamboo we found, things like that :) I ate rice, coconut, and banana for lunch, a very island day. Then that night Joel and I played our third game of tennis. I’m not going to lie, he kind of dominated lol, but I just pretended like I let him on purpose just to infuriate him as much as possible ;) Although I may have lost one of our eleven games, I still managed to come out of the evening victorious. We made a bet on a rally at the end of our game and due to my victory I will me enjoying a free coconut in the very near future..

Now it’s our last week before spring break. I can’t WAIT! Barbie and I already have a list started of activities for the week. They include a multitude of fun festivities ranging from sleep (ah ha ha) to dance parties, to wakeboarding, to scuba diving, to mud football, to exploring waterfalls, and to renting scooters for a day, to more epic sleep. SO looking forward to it!!!! I don’t want to leave this island…I can’t believe I’m going to be on a plane heading home in two months…

Tennis. America vs. Australia

So I have recently discovered Pohnpei’s tennis courts. For those of you picturing a beautiful green tennis floor that a tennis ball could actually bounce on, complete with a net and nicely drawn white boundary lines let me restate my previous statement. I have recently discovered Pohnpei’s loose dirt and gravel floor courts, complete with barely visible black tennis lines that are the wrong measurements and approximately 3/4ths of a net. Non-the-less it something one may hit a yellow tennis ball over and has recently provided much entertainment. One of the Australian SM’s Joel and I started playing this past week. For those of you who have had the privilege of witnessing my competitive side I have inherited from my father, you can imagine that I immediately was no longer playing a casual game of tennis for enjoyment, but competing to defend my country’s honor and dignity as a woman. Haha these matches have turned into approximately 90% smack talk and 10% tennis. I would also like to declare that the last two tennis outings have ended in a victory for the United States and all women who inhabit the beautiful country. Joel and I have to walk for about 10-15 minutes to reach the tennis courts. Usually these walks include chatter, laughter, and the occasional blow to the opponent’s country. I can say with a stifle of laughter that last night was a very quiet walk home. Apparently I know how to shut up Australians. :) After last night the stakes of our so called “friendly” games were raised. We have now started an official tennis tournament that will most likely last till the end of the year. The bet was made official last night. Whoever wins the best of eleven tennis matches will get to enjoy watching their opponent suffer much humilation. I’m going to win so let me just tell you what happens when Joel loses haha. Joel will have to take me out to dinner while wearing a t-shirt that reads in bold letters “American Girls Are Better” along with having to make a video wearing all red, white, and blue and holding an American flag proclaiming that America is better and then post it on his facebook for the entire world to see. Along with having to wear his “American Girls are Better” t-shirt once he is home in Australia for an entire day (with photo proof). This entire bet is switched for me, I would theoretically have to declare that Australia was better while wearing a t-shirt that says “Australian girls are better” etc. Clearly Australians aren’t very smart because Joel decided to add onto the bet even more. Saying that if he can beat me the next 5 matches in a row than I will have to wear my “Australian girls are better” t-shirt five days in a row. If I win the next three in a row (adding up to five in a row) however, then he has to wear his “American girls are better” t-shirt for the next five days straight. When will this boy learn? I’ll have to keep everyone updated on this heated tennis tournament. Poor Australia…I actually feel just a little bad… :)