Two months, and I've been getting used to all the new sounds here. Herons make a sound like something in between a gurgle and a meow. Geckos chirping sound like something in between a giggle a screech. Frogs sound like nothing until you step on one barefoot in the middle of the night while going outside to get drinking water from the catchment, and then they sound like squish.
It was bound to happen.
School is going well. The Department of Education here has a secret stash of ukuleles, which was exciting to discover. They have since migrated to my classroom. I've instituted a rule that my non-music students may play the instruments before class, so most mornings I get serenaded before the school day starts.
Last Thursday the island celebrated Liberation Day with church, food, games, and canoe racing. My big contribution was racing in a canoe without capsizing. The racing is an all-day event, where hundreds of people take turns racing in 5 6-person canoes. While the races are going on, everyone else sings (and sometimes dances). It is pretty awesome. There is so much music everywhere.
Recently, I've felt like things have just begun to become normal (i.e. I am becoming more acquainted and used to everything here) until they stop being so. For example, yesterday I tried out a new laundromat a little further away from our house, and while waiting for my clothes to dry decided to go read on the beach. Walking to the beach, I found myself thinking, "wow, this is a long walk to the beach. I wonder if it's worth it," then stopped to remind myself that this long walk takes approximately six minutes.
Or coming home to hear our three-year old neighbor calling "Sameeea, Sameeea!" the way she usually does when I walk in or out of the house, and turning to see her standing naked on top of a car.
Or meeting the woman in charge of ukuleles and learning that her name is Mona Lisa.
Ok, time to grab my big anti-dog stick and head to school!
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