Beaches and Birthdays...

We will have to have a picture here of the day we spent at the beach.

YES..it came through. No, I did not steal this picture from an add in a travel magazine...It was Nick's bday on Saturday so we collected 4 of his new friends, packed a lunch, crammed into a taxi, drove 45 minutes on a well traveled road, loaded into a boat with a beetle nut chewing captain, road another 20 minutes or so and arrived at this beautiful beach. We went snorkeling...I was swimming with Nemo and his friends, all except the sharks though I did keep an eye out for them. It is a strange world and a bit uncomfortable...I have no idea what I am supposed to be scared of so right at the moment I am nervous about everything that swims. There were these brilliant turquoise little bitty ones that I thought were very cute and could hardly do any harm so I swam a bit closer to those one. It was truly amazing. Nick said it was the best birthday ever...why not, we were at a warm tropical beach in a raggedy boys kind of country , exploring strange and wonderful new worlds, with PBJ for lunch. That's a good 11 year old birthday party.

I get to do this again this coming weekend. The whole of the high school, all 70 of us are going to spend 2 nights and 3 days on another beach about 45 minutes farther away then this one. I get to go because I am a HS teacher, it should be lots of fun though I am partial to showers before bed. We will see...

First week down...

Scott surprised us all on Wednesday when he had our Motor bike delivered to our front door. It seems that they like to make a production of this new purchase by bringing it to your front door for all your neighbors to see.

Nick was the first to go for a ride on this new bike, down the hill, through traffic, over the rickety bridge..you get the idea. When he returned and I was asking him about his trip he said quietly. " Mom, you know how I don't like it when things are going fast, so I was trying to remember Psalm 23 on the way down because I was getting scared".

So, I am wondering...how fast was Scott going that our son was thinking he was traveling in the shadows of death. Nick wants to get over his fears and bless his heart, even if he has to recite the Psalm every time he gets on the bike, he is getting on the bike. I was on next and no, Scott does not go fast , it is quite impossible to do anything fast here with the volume of traffic, people and road conditions. It is not quite as comfortable as an air conditioned car but much more convenient for the things Scott will be doing.

For me...I walk to school and walk home. I live at the school. It has been a great first week. Homework, learning new names, figuring how to make things interesting, walking home for lunch. It's all good !!!

They say Thank you....

As the students walk out of my class on the first day of school they said to me, "Thank you Mrs. Price". " You are welcome", I answer back. That's different ! I am not used to the whole idea that teachers are appreciated by their students. Makes me want to always do my best in every class all the time. I know, we all have our off days but what an amazing incentive.

Everyone seems to have fallen in love with school. IT is the first day and there isn't that much homework yet and everyone is still really nice, but love the start. Scott has been off in the jungle, quite literally in the jungle helping a team locate a boundary to a piece of property. They killed a death adder in the area not too long ago. As Scott is telling me this small detail I wonder aloud..." I wonder if they are deadly?, Well, Heidi...I don't think the name of the snake is "Comatose adder", or "Not Too Bad Adder"... Well, I am pleased to announce that they killed that snake and I am sure there are no others. They are careful, and they are aware and in reality, it is a jungle out there.

It is so fun to be teaching here....

This mountain...

This is the mountain that's in our back yard. It looks in this picture as it if is far away, but I took it when we were on the lake. It rises about 7000 feet and becomes an ever changing backdrop in the landscape of Sentani. So many of my memories are framed with this mountain in the scenery. So I wanted you to see it as well as enjoy it. It takes a while for me to upload pictures...So I will do it once in awhile and only if I get up early enough before the rest of the compound gets on the computer.

Maybe you can make out the outline of why it is called cyclops. It is supposed to look like a cyclops in repose. Can you see the face?

It is Sunday morning here in Papua, church will start in a few minutes and for some reason the prayer call was not made at 4AM. Maybe someone slept in but it was a wonderful silent morning for us to sleep in. Scott was up at 6:00 but that is sleeping in for him. I checked the weather in Lynden, it seems like you all are getting the rain a bit early this year. It is Sunday, so I am assuming it will be the hottest day in the week. I remember when I was in boarding school it was always the case. We could not swim and we had to take naps and write letters home...it was always the hottest day of the week.

Till next time...

Maaf...I am sorry

I have been having a hard time getting the pictures to download because the computer shuts down every time I try I will keep trying, I promise. Yesterday we had a wonderful experience and took a boat ride on Lake Sentani. All us newbies took the school on this trip and as we maneuvered our way around the lake and the houses on the lake the sun was setting in all its glory. What an evening. We waved at all the local children as they waved at us. We had slathered out bodies with insect repellent so nothing bit...it was a spectacular evening. We came back to the restaurant where all the teachers and their spouses had en evening out. The food was tasty and the entertainment were the rats that ran along the beams. Can't have everything :)

We have been having great conversation and beginning to learn the complexities of life here in Papua. How much has changed since I grew up here. I wish I could write it all down but I am processing the information and the sadness of how it is all unfolding. I have a 10 day view, so I know so little. I hope to know more and understand better what Papua is becoming.

Mijo and Scott celebrated their birthdays. Mijo missing her entourage of friends with every email written her...she has quite the collection of loyal friends and it is helping her in these few days before school starts.

I am getting prepared for school...prepared being the key word. The second weekend the whole high school will be spending 2 days at the beach...I like these field trips!!! Those high school students of mine....you want to be a senior here. We think we are busy in the States...these guys have quite the extensive schedules and extra curricular happenings. Fun to be a part of it all ....

Till next time....

Notes to self...

* When you travel to Abepura to buy a carpet for your very stark but wonderful abode, take money with you. You may not be able to get money out of the ATM that day because the rest of the population of Papua may have the same idea. You will stand in line in the hot sun next to a very old woman who not only chews beetle nut ( looks like tobacco chew except its blood red) but smokes unfiltered clove cigarettes. She was not aging as well as most Asian women do...

* Learn Indonesian as soon as possible, it would make for less mistakes, maybe not as many giggles and outright laughter.

* When the guy at the Jakarta airport tell you that your barang ( Stuff) will get there tomorrow, he really means a week. ( It all finally came yesterday)

* Buy from the vendors who come to your door even if you don't want anything they are selling. They work hard to get to your door and then put themselves out for you...they may even surprise you and give you a bouquet of flowers just because the want too.

* Dead spiders are just as scary as alive ones especially if they are HUGE !!!!

* You had better post some pictures soon or no one will read your posts anymore.

Red Number Days

Yesterday at 4AM the prayer call was not only louder but longer. So you lay in bed and wait for the call the be finished and wonder if this is the new alarm system you will have to adjust too. BUT, it is the ascension day of Mohamed so prayer times were more important and shops were closed.
It is a red number day for the Indonesians. Also for us, Scott and I have been married 5 years yesterday as well. For celebration we went to a Indonesian wedding reception in Abepura. We arrived at 6:30 PM, 15 minuted late, we did not start the reception until about 7:30. Even for the missionaries who have been here a long time, being on time is a hard habit to break. It would have been nice to be able to talk to each other but the music was so loud I had to keep telling Nick not to plug his ears.

I want to put some pictured on the computer but the cord that helps me do that is in our luggage which is somewhere between Jakarta and here. Scott and Nick have been living out of their hand luggage for almost a week now. Mijo and I brought our suitcases through so we were under limit but were also promised that the rest of our barang ( stuff) would arrive the next day....as you can see it has not been the case.

Scott has been given the green light to drive. This is good because we now have more mobility, scary because it is all so different. I am supposed to learn, somehow it is not on my priority list. We want to get a motor bike, that would be fun. You have to realize that the roads are small, there are no fast rules, everyone thinks they have the right of way, motor bikes assume you can always see them even if they don't look at on-coming traffic, there are no passing lanes, traffic signals or shoulders. I might just be a passenger for awhile.

We have orientation this week for school..we start on the 20th and go straight through with no breaks until Christmas...but then we also have 4 weeks for Christmas break. This gives the High schoolers here at boarding school a longer time with their families.

I am sure we will have quite a few red number days here in Papua, and not only because it is on the calender. I will be sure to let you know....

Arriving at Gate......

We have arrived...non-eventful everything. I have been reminded again and again how little I need to worry. It is a daunting flight and amazing in its length. We left on Saturday morning at 1:30 AM from San Fran and arrived here in Papua at 7:30 Am Tuesday morning. We have slept and woken up at strange hours. We went shopping yesterday for essentials...here in Indonesia you work in the Millions. 1 million rupiahs is about 100 dollars, there are a lot of zeros to deal with when you are looking at the price.
We live at the school, it is beautiful...the fans are going all the time, it is also a bit on the warm side. The cicaks (small lizard) make a wonderful clicking noise at night as the cicada's turn on their charm at 5:30PM. The Prayer calls from the Mosque wake us up at 4:30...and revelry from the military post at about 5:30. If we leave our toothbrushes out for too long they will be swarmed by the ants. Well, anything left out too long will be swarmed by ants. I tried to buy from a lady who came to the door our first night here. She laughed when I gave her all out money and gestured for her to take what we owe since I could not figure out what she wanted. She was kind and took only what she needed....I think. :)
It is surreal to be here...in so many ways I have no idea what to think. I am just soaking it in at the moment. Scott is a pro at all of this. He is not liking this adjustment time and wants to just get going with work and helping. He is quite amazing in his adaptability. The kids...are doing GREAT !! Nick has several friends and Mijo is calling the lizards cute.
I will post pictures as soon as I get them on the computer...Just wanted you all to know...we are here !!!!!

Last boarding call...

I never know in the moment if God really cares about lost purses because it is just a lost purse. BUT...what if that purse has all your credit cards and debit cards and it is the day before you are to leave the country for a year. Does He care about that? This is my conversation with Him as we are driving down the highway, I left my purse at the restaurant the night before and had not missed it till the morning after. Please God care for my purse and excuse my forgetfulness. Please, I do not want to pay the consequences of my stupidity...Please, please , please....

The good people at the restaurant had found it and my sister-in-law and niece retrieved it...

I never know in the moment if God really cares about safe airplane rides....Please God, please please please care for this airplane on this day on this journey.

I guess if He cares enough for my purse, maybe he cares about this airplane ride or whatever I or you can think of as we fill in the blank. As my faith is renewed every day in every situation from lost purses, airplane rides to being in Papua for a year, I can know He cares. I know it isn't that everything turns out the way I would want it too, but that in everything He cares.

A few more hours and we are on our way. We have a few things to pack yet but pretty much, we are set to go. I will be praying, I will be hoping for non-eventful everything, I also know God cares.

I will write as soon as I am able...