Marshallese Time

I walk inside the ramshackle classroom. No other word really captures the state of this room. A list a verbs only partially remains on the board and students names with small pictures are now interspersed. All of the days work lies crumpled in a heap on the ground of the far corner. Five desks stand neatly in a line at the front of the room; with two white plastic chairs for the five teachers. Benches contour the crumbling cement walls and a grand ballroom floor-like space fills the center of the room. In the distance you can hear the ocean waves rolling over themselves onto the shore. The rocks tumble, making an exceptionally soothing sound. The faint breeze flows in through the ever-opened, rotting, wooden windows and touches each bead of sweat, just enough to create a cool, fresh sensation. Children’s voices echo in the distance; but not so much to overtake the serene sounds made by nature. The two sounds actually make a pleasant blend. I feel as though if I shut my eyes I could be listening to one of those nature sound tracks; only the chirping birds would be playing kids. I’m not sure that is a very good trade out…but it could work. There is not a single person near me to make a distraction; and all of the lively bodies that brought this room to life so shortly ago, are no more. It is just me…at my PTA meeting!!! This is the scene of my PTA meeting!!! The meeting started at 3 and it is now 3:30. Not a single person has shown up. Only me. I am not complaining…seeing how I have to speak Marshallese in front of 30 or so people…I am just observing the stark differences between a meeting in The RMI and a meeting in America. I am made fun of a lot, for still living on American time and actually being ready to do something when they say we will do it…not 2 and a half hours later. The Marshallese definitely have ‘island time’ down to a science. It is like they all know to arrive exactly an hour and a half late. Although something may be starting at 3…somehow everyone still knows to show up at the same time…it is just 4:30 and not 3. Why bother even say 3? Why not just say 4:30? …although that would really mean 6 to them. I just need to start adding 2 hours or so to every time they tell me.
Well, maybe I will sit here like this for 10 more minutes – or maybe an hour. Who knows? Only the patience for Marshallese time will tell.