Monday, November 18, 2013

Life in the Tropics

If you had asked during my first two weeks in Fiji, I would have told you that I was sure Fiji meant "outside sauna." It was HOT and very humid! I was tired a lot, some I'm sure from traveling, but I think the heat also made me exhausted. I went to bed early for the first week and slept in most days also. Felt like a bum, but I was SO tired! Now I've adjusted and it's helped that it has cooled off. Normally this time of year it would be getting hotter as we coming up on their hot season. But maybe the Lord knew this Alaskan girl can only handle so much heat! The past week it's been really breezy and cooler. Lots of rain also. Some people have been wearing coats and jackets, but not I. Still not cool enough for that. :) 

Life here has been interesting to say the least. Never have to worry about being lonely at least... there's always a lizard around somewhere to keep my company. I don't mind the lizards except for when they run across my foot unannounced while I'm taking a cold shower. Didn't scream, okay, so I yelled, but it was just a short, quiet yell. Just glad it wasn't the large spider that had watched me on a previous day. Then I probably would have screamed. My first night I arrived, I had gone to bed early on account of traveling for so many hours. Had just laid down on my bed (only about six inches off the floor), when I glanced over and saw a tiny mouse peeking through my doorway. I looked at him, he looked at me, then he ran off. I rolled over and went to sleep. 

Alaska is far from humid, so living in such humidity has been different. One of the biggest challenges is putting on mascara every morning. Each time, I pray that a sneeze won't sneak up on me for the first five minutes after application. If it does... well, time to start all over again. Sometimes I wonder what people would say if I left the black lines on my eyelids for the rest of the day... haha 

As for taxi rides, well some are uneventful and others.... last week we cooked up a huge meal at our house and had to take it to the church for dinner. There were five of us in a station wagon, plus the driver. They piled in and there was no room left on the back seat. I was the last one... "uh guys, where am I going to sit?" so I crawled in on top of the three girls' lap in the back seat. We barely got the car door closed. My head was practically touching the ceiling and I couldn't lay down across their laps, cause one girl had a pitcher of hot sweet and sour sauce behind my head and another girl had a cake and pan of meatballs near my lap. My abbs sure got a workout that day. You should have seen the looks we received from people on the street. Getting out when we reached our destination was interesting as well. We laughed and laughed about that trip. 

my house for the month

at the bus station

cooking dinner



dinner with my lovely friends

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Oh, Canada....


Vancouver was just as beautiful as last time I was there (in April). Jaime and I caught our bus on Thursday.... well to be truthful, we missed our scheduled bus Thursday morning, so had to sit and wait for the next bus at 1pm. We chilled in the lobby at the SeaTac Airport and just talked. And it was a blessing that we were on the 1pm bus, because at the border crossing we met a mutual friend! I overheard someone behind me talking and they mentioned an international event that I knew many people don't know about. So I turned around to get a look at said person and then I noticed the writing on his shirt. I introduced myself.... ok, actually I asked his name first and then I laughed and said "oh I know who you are." Then I introduced myself.  He was a good friend of one my awesome friends from BBTI. Cool way to finally meet someone. So for the rest of the ride until his stop, Jaime and I chatted with him. 


 We spent a lot of time out exploring Vancouver. Hannah was a great tour guide! Friday was a bit cloudy and drizzly, but Saturday was sunny and nice. Rain or shine tho, we went out and had a grand time. Granville Island was pretty cool. Lots of little shops and handicrafts. And food. :) I love food. 




The three of us had an awesome time! It had been five years since we had been together. I have seen Jaime numerous times since school and Hannah once; Hannah and Jaime have also seen each other, but not the three of us together. We gallivanted all around, traveled by sky train, were attacked by pigeons, drank lots of coffee, laughed, parked illegally, etc. 





good friends