The first week of orientation is officially complete! This may have been the longest week of my life. I already feel like I have been here for a month. (Unfortunately that 4-week marker isn’t coming very fast Phil…haha)

We are extremely culturally isolated in this orientation, and I think that it is making everything seem a bit harder than I originally expected. The fact that we are staying in classrooms with all ‘rebelles’ (that is what the Marshallese call Americans) and travel everywhere in a pack of 34, doesn’t exactly allow us to integrate ourselves into their culture very easily. Marshallese are very intimidated by Americans to begin with – so you put a pack of 34 together, and we are not the most inviting crowd ever.

The Marshallese children, however, are starting to take to us. They come and watch our classes all day through the window and play with us in the afternoons. You would think they would get bored just sitting in a doorway, or peaking in a window all day, but they love it. They sit there laughing and smiling the entire time, and run away giggling if one of us so much as waves. When class is done though, they all come running and try to practice every English word they know. It is really a fun way to try and learn a bit more Marshallese. They are the only ones patient enough to put up with our horrible accents and butchered words. The children aren’t the only one who practice all their English words though – the teenagers definitely practice all their words as well…and as you can imagine a teenager doesn’t try to learn all the appropriate and nice words first. They will usually begin with “Hello, Whatzup, I love you…sezy…” and so on. It was funny at first when you have a truck full of Marshallese riding to work all yelling 'I love you', but then the one guy in the back shouts out the inappropriate word and it ruins the fun of it. The majority of people here are so incredibly friendly though, and so, SO excited to see Americans, and it is a lot of fun walking through town and hearing excited Yakews the whole time, and having kids run out of their homes to run or walk beside you. They don’t really say much sometimes, they just like to walk and smile.

Aside from all the teaching classes and the language lessons, our days are pretty laid back. (But after all lessons and classes there really isn’t much time to do anything.) We are going to be coming in town every day from now until Saturday, so I will be able to start buying the lovely traditional mumus and guams that I have to wear for teaching. I am actually a little bit excited to get one of those! Hehe - I will have to pick out a cute one – if that exists…

Another good thing about going into town in getting a break from the traditional Marshallese food that we have been eating (or trying to at least). That hasn’t been going over so well. I am DEFINITELY going to have a hard time getting used to that…I have yet to find one thing besides rice that I like. I had my first canned meat experience last night – corned beef – and that was far from delicious. Raw salt fish that comes on a whole fish and you bite off yourself – that’s not good either. And smashed banana and coconut…that either. It tastes like barbeque smoke. Breadfruit – I have yet to find a way that I like it prepared. There is a lot more – but none of it really tastes that good to me. That will probably be my biggest adjustment when going to my outer island. I have been eating PB&J for virtually every meal; but trying to get used to it here and there because I know I won't have that option once I am in Arno.

Well, that is about all I have to tell you about right now. Some fun numbers to leave you with though:

Number of deaths last year in the Marshall Islands due to shark attacks: 1

Number of deaths last year in the Marshall Islands due to falling coconuts: 4

Cheapest price for 1 gallon of gas: $6.89

Price of gas on an outer island: $10.77

Number of cockroaches in my bed last night: 6

Number of rats we have in our kitchen: 3

Price of a standard basketball hoop: $1500

Price of a standard pair of jeans: $1.49

Average number of time per day it downpours: 4-7

Average length of downpour: :30-:60 seconds
(it is completely clear 2 minutes later)

Hope everyone is doing well still! Thinking about you all lots!

Love,
Taylor

PS…definitely send letters! I got my first one today and that definitely made my week! I am sure letters are going to be the best thing I have out here…so please please please send me letterssss