Well, a week and a day in, these are Emily's thoughts.

The first few days were rocky. When leaving the airport, and a few other times, I equated my thoughts to boarding a rollercoaster as a kid-at first you think you’re brave, then when you’re strapped in and there’s no turning back you think, “What have I gotten myself into? I can’t handle this.” But then you have the ride of your life, right?

Other thoughts of the first days included, “This will not be a convenient life.” Driving is slow because the roads are bad. The electricity and water are available only intermittently. My room seemed at first to be quite susceptible to geckos, even my bed. During the electricity-less hours the second night I got up to go to the bathroom and met a tarantula-sized spider. Our shower doesn’t work, so we bathe from buckets. At first, the toilet wasn’t flushing effectively. Almost all the lettuce and much of the other produce at the grocery looked rotten. The eggs we purchased expired in July. Katie’s comfort was, “It doesn’t get easier, it just becomes normal.”

While “inconvenience” was my impression of the place, “friendliness” was my impression of the people. Every church member on Sunday and a crowd at the airport greeted me with a big smile, a hug or a handshake, and said, “Welcome to Chuuk.” At the airport we were given flower maramars and leis. At church we were introduced and given shell leis.

Nic and Ana, the neighbors, and little Nico are a delight. Ana’s giggle makes me smile. The Chiles, are great as well-especially Linda is an inspiration, and we enjoyed a nice visit from Josh on Friday afternoon. Pearl, one of the teacher’s and a missionary from the Philippines, will be an intelligent and helpful friend as well-she already set to work mending a skirt of mine during the lunch hour.

Classes… “Wow!” Perhaps I am in way over my head. But God’s grace is sufficient for me and he has not called me to a task I cannot do through his strength, right? I want to SMILE more during class! J But I’m always frantically thinking how to simplify my instructions or keep one student from calling out while encouraging another student to speak up. The first day when I asked questions they mostly stared at me with blank faces. I gave them four very basic rules: Be seated. Be quiet. Be prepared. Be happy. Tips from Freedom Fire – hehe. So…how will I balance expressing my joy with managing the class by keeping respect? I want them to be excited. Alas, every teacher, especially of High School students has probably had the same dilemma.

Please, keep praying. For me. For them. For Katie. I think perhaps at first she thought I might be more of a burden than good company, since all my questions and ponderings were directed to her, and she would say, “Ask Director!” (i.e. Pat).