Creativity Fair

 I've been trying to post this for days, but the pictures wouldn't load because of the flighty internet...so this is a week old, but that's ok.

The gym being set up for the event...

Before Christmas, the teachers at Palau SDA Elementary were told to start thinking about the Creativity Fair at the end of March.  Besides the Christmas play, the Creativity Fair is the biggest event at the school, and it consists of not just a classroom open-house to showcase students’ projects, but also a stage performance for each class.  It’s a big deal.

Even though I didn’t have anything to do for the Creativity Fair, I had a front-row seat to what everyone else was doing.  Performances had to be thought up and practiced, projects had to be assigned, and some classrooms were decorated according to a theme.  Fourth grade had an “Under the Sea” theme complete with marine life projects, fish taped to the walls, blue and green streamers in the windows, jellyfish made out of shower caps and string, and turtle silhouettes against a thin blue tablecloth taped to the ceiling.  First grade’s theme was “Community,” and the kids made projects about what they wanted to be when they grew up.  The classroom was decorated with city buildings, a road, a stoplight, clouds…in case you’re wondering, the teachers did most of the work.  Although for eighth grade, the students were able to make a large cardboard house with balloons for their adventure theme based on the Pixar film, “Up.”  Needless to say, this involved a lot of work.

1st grade

And then there were the performances.  Kindergarten was doing a short play performing the book, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”  1st grade acted out the life of Jesus to a beautiful song.  2^nd grade told the story of the Rainbow Fish that didn’t want to give away its beautiful scales, but found that in giving things away it gained friendship.  One 3rd grade sang a jaunty song about inventors in history (they had the same theme for their classroom), and the other 3^rd grade class produced a rendition of the song, “My Favorite Things” from “Sound of Music”.  4^th grade tapped and clapped and moved cups in time with the song, “Under the Sea,” and 5^th grade sang, “We are the World.”  6^th grade had a bell choir that produced a sweet version of, “Beauty and the Beast” (complete with two costumed singers for the main parts).  7^th grade (the one I taught earlier in the year!) did some dry-land synchronized swimming to the tune of “The Blue Danube”.  Imagine a class with a lot of almost-teenage boys pretending to do water ballet.  It was hilarious, and they knew it.  The other 7^th grade did an incredible shadow theater act for the song, “Colors of the Wind”.  And 8^th grade projected old yearbook pictures onto a curtain, and when the curtain was dropped they were posed in exactly the same positions.  I was one of the people who helped raise and lower the curtain.  Some of the students in 8^th grade have been at SDA since kindergarten, so there was a sharp contrast to the little girls smiling in the picture, and the big girls posing on stage.  (That performance actually made us cry as we were practicing it because the kids have changed so much, and they’ll be graduating to academy soon.)

Anyway, you get the idea.  It was a grand endeavor, but actually pulling off all of these performances took weeks of practice.  I subbed for 1^st and 3^rd grade a few days before the event, and it was not an easy task to get everyone in their places and doing their parts.  The teachers were stressed, the students were stressed, and people were working late hours preparing their classrooms, and getting sick as their tired immune systems surrendered to the germs that always lie in wait, ready to attack.  I tried to help out when I could.  

4th grade ocean projects

Finally the day arrived.  Classes had been practicing most of the week, and teachers had been staying at school into the night to prepare their rooms.  When the classroom showcase started at 5, I got some aho at the 5^th grade bake sale (aho is sweetened coconut milk with blobs of tapioca starch in it, served hot).  I visited Ms. Krissy’s 3^rd grade class where I listened to a student talk about the achievements and life of Thomas Edison.  I saw posters and dioramas and models about the solar system, the cell, ancient cultures, modern-day countries, careers, knot-tying, etc.  It was very impressive.  All that hard work paid off.

7th grade shadow theater

Self-explanatory

And then I got to see the kids do their acts that they had practiced for so long.  turned out to be a successful Creativity Fair, and it certainly showed a huge range of talent, work, and ingenuity.  I was so proud of the kids and teachers, and I think the parents were too.  They clapped and cheered and took pictures.

 

But I was probably taking as many pictures as those parents—not just of one kid, but of every class, because I don’t have a single kid in this school, but they’re all “my” kids.  All the teachers here call their classes, “my kids.”  I think we’re going to have a hard time leaving them when we get on the plane soon.  Has it really only been 8 months?  The kids know us, and give us hugs and presents.  We know them too, and care about them when they’re sick or sad.  We laugh together and talk to each other about our families.  We teach them about the world, about history and math and science.  We teach them about Jesus.  And in turn, they teach us about the world, about ourselves, and about Jesus too.  I think we’ve learned almost as much as they have, and I hope the experience has been as rewarding for them as it has been for us.  It’s hard to believe we’ll be leaving so many people behind when we go home—so many that we never knew before coming to this little island in the middle of the Pacific.  It makes me glad that we have so much technology to keep in contact.  And even if we don’t meet face to face again, I’m really hoping to see some familiar faces from Palau in Heaven.

P.S.

So here’s one thing I learned from the Creativity Fair, and I want to pass it on.  If you ever come as a student missionary to Palau, and you work as a teacher at the elementary school, do yourself a favor—start preparing for Creativity Fair before Christmas.  You’ll be glad you did.

Spring Break: Kayangel

Have you ever heard of the island of Kayangel?

Probably not.  I never had before coming to Palau. It's actually an atoll located north of the northernmost tip of Palau.  There are several islands included in it, and the biggest one is around 1.5 kilometers long.  With beaches, palm trees, and seashells, it's just a small tropical dot in the middle of the great Pacific ocean.  When we learned we were going there during spring break, I didn't know what to expect, but just the name seemed exotic and romantic.

We began our journey by traveling up through the Palau states...Airai, then Ngchesar, then Melekeok, then Ngiwal, then Ngaraard, all the way up to Ngarchelong.  It was a warm, overcast day with a breeze.  We saw jungle-carpeted hills, quick ocean views, and a young brown bull tethered by the road (that brought out our cameras quickly--cows are common in the U.S., but not on Palau).  Finally we arrived at the dock on the northern tip of the main island.  

The wind was strong when we began the voyage.  The waves were fairly high, and we had a somewhat wild ride getting there.  Plowing through the rolling waves, swooping up one side, being tossed in the air (literally) and landing with a heavy thud into the next valley.  It was more fun if you stood up and absorbed the shocks like you were skiing or surfing.  (Mr. Sanchez said the trip to Anguar last time was "ten times worse," and that everyone had gotten soaked head to toe, so I guess these waves were just ripples).  With the breeze against our faces, and unknown lands on the horizon, it felt like we were going on a real adventure again.  

Someone cried, "Look!" and pointed to the left, and we saw little fish skimming away over the waves like large blue moths.  The legendary flying fish.  Not one, but many sprang out of the water and glided away from the boat.  (I'm afraid they were very hard to take pictures of.)

Finally, we saw a faint haze of land on the starboard side of the boat.  As we got closer and closer, the land began to separate into several islands, and we saw beaches and palm trees beyond the turquoise-blue water.

 

Kayangel has less than 200 people on it, and I'm surprised it even has that many.  We arrived at the dock and waved hello to the few men who were hanging around. 

 

If you want to live on Kayangel, this could be your house

Monitor Lizard?

There were even fewer people here because many had gone to the mainland for a special week-long school event.  The 8 students on the island and their teachers were gone.  Kayangel was almost deserted except for a couple of pigs, some chickens, and what we thought was a monitor lizard.

Anybody home?

It didn't take us long to walk the length of most of the island

Kayangel has a lot of beaches

There were plenty of good shells

Kayangel School

 We walked a little ways, saw the school building (which was very nice), and then went shell-hunting on the beach.  We found a variety of cowries--yellow, lavender, tortoiseshell, and cream with dalmatian spots--plus cone shells, olive shells, top snails, cockleshells, wentletraps (I looked these up), and a bunch of hermit crabs that would not appreciate their intricate homes being taken.

 Then we decided to walk across to the island where we would picnic.  This involved fording the waist-deep ocean for several hundred feet, which felt even longer than it sounds, especially when you're stumbling over coral.

Yay!  Adventure in paradise!

This is how I really felt after slogging across the ocean from one island to the next

After our walk, shell hunt, and picnic, we decided to just head back since it was a long way back to Airai.  We got in the boat and had a much smoother ride back.  Though I wouldn't like to live on Kayangel, it was certainly worth coming.  Sandy beaches, palm trees, seashells, flying fish, and a wild boat ride...it was an adventure to remember.  It made me not only appreciate Palau's natural beauty all the more, but it made the main island seem more like home as we cruised back and saw its hazy hills in the distance...

We had a picnic on the beach and saw so many beautiful shells and some lovely flowers

Some of my favorites that I collected

It just makes you realize how diverse and gorgeous the world is.  There are so many different places, so many nooks and crannies and hidden treasures.  When you look at the shells, they're so perfect, detailed and artistic.  If you believe that God made everything, then you have to admit He is not only a superb artist, but He loves variety.  From snowflakes and mountains in Alaska, to rock formations and cactus flowers in the desert, to spring-green leaf buds and daffodils in Europe.  Chipmunks and chickadees to puffer fish and tropicbirds.  From the bizarre to the beautiful, from complex to comical...it never ceases to amaze you if you really take the time to explore.

And I don't think we'll ever see it all.  Kayangel was just a speck in the ocean, but it had so much to see.  Think how much more there is to see in the world...I think there will always be more to learn and discover and enjoy.  Hope you keep exploring, even if it's just in your own backyard. 

Spring Break: Rock Islands

Here are some pictures of our Rock Island trip this past week.  It was beautiful out, although some people got thoroughly sunburned because the sun was so bright.

It was a brilliant, scorching day

There are so many islands...some with beaches, some without

The endemic Rur flower

It was kind of a short trip, but we got to have a picnic on the beach, and I explored around the side of an island a little bit and found shells, Rur flowers, and a little cave.

Fish at "The Cemetery"

Also got to swim with fish again and I got some good videos of little fish swimming in the coral at the "Cemetery".  I wish I could post videos, but might not have enough wifi power.

Humphead wrasse!  They're big and they came close

The beautiful tropicbird

This is apparently called a White, Fairy, or Angel Tern

We got to see a lot of things even though we didn't go many places.  It gave me a new appreciation for Palau and all it has to offer.  It was also a welcome break and we had a lot of fun with everyone (most of the teachers, local and SMs, and some of the dorm kids came).  It was a welcome break from school.  I'm thankful to God for a relaxing and refreshing vacation--it was just what we needed.

Riding back as the sun sets

I'll try to post pictures of our trip to Kayangel soon...

Until next time...

Health Expo: Ngarchelong State

 The SDA churches in Palau are trying to do a health expo in each state of Palau, and a few weeks ago we had the first one in Ngarchelong (which is at the northernmost point on the main island).  The health expo was based on the NEWSTART program, so it had 8 stations teaching people about proper Nutrition, Exercise, Water use, Sunlight, Temperance, fresh Air, Rest, and Trust in God.  It was very well done.

We had the expo at the Ngarchelong Elementary school (the name Ngarchelong, by the way, seems to be pronounced "Ner-ah-long", since the "g" and "ch" are silent).

A lady even gave a cooking demonstration and made some gluten

Anyway, there weren't tons of people stopping by in Ngarchelong, but I think that the expo was appreciated.  There was a doctor on the site to look at people and advise them.  Another person was giving free massages.  We gave out recommendations for making healthy choices at the Temperance station (which was where I was).  Just like in the U.S., people struggle with alcohol and drug addictions (although there's more of a betel nut problem here than at home), as well as eating right and getting enough exercise, so we encouraged them to take care of their health.  Sadly, Palau is #1 on the world obesity list, followed by some other islands like Tonga and the Marshall Islands.  But that's what the health expo is trying to change!

It was a hot day, but there was plenty of water at the Water station, and people played baseball in the field afterward.  (I sat and sweated in the shade).  Interestingly, it had rained really heavily the day before, and some considered cancelling the expo, but one of the church ladies told me that they prayed and decided to go ahead, and it was a really lovely, sunny day when morning came.  All in all, it was a pretty good event, and I think there are plans to have more expos in different locations in the future.

And then there's another interesting development--a wellness center will be opening in Koror, Palau at the end of April.  There was a fundraising event held last week, and the goal is to have a reasonably-priced place where people can get good healthcare.  Doctors and students will come for mission trips to help patients, and while the focus of the center will be on dentistry and optometry, there will be a variety of services including help for depression, diabetes reversal, pediatrics, and a lot of other aspects of health.  It sounded really cool, actually.  Pray that these projects will help the people of Palau cultivate the best physical, mental, and spiritual health possible.

Sabbath Peleliu Trip

Ominous and inevitable rain on the horizon...

 We got to do a church service in Peleliu a few weeks ago.  Of course, Peleliu is in the Rock Islands, so this involved an hour-long boat ride from Koror, and unfortunately, it was raining the whole way there.

A wet arrival

 But the rain cleared out once we arrived, and we were able to change into our church clothes and do the service (surprise--we had to do the whole service, but at least it's all about God's glory, not putting on a performance, and He blessed)

Our stalwart Coach-Chaplain Corey giving the sermon

After the service, we had lunch and then a nice man named Edison drove us around the island in the back of a truck (thankfully it didn't rain again).  We got to see some of the sights we enjoyed over Christmas break, plus a couple of new ones.  And at one ocean point, we got to see some rays--maybe manta rays--frolicking (or whatever they were doing) in the shallows by the rocks.  That was cool.

Old WWII weaponry

Not your usual Sabbath afternoon walk

 Peleliu is small, but packed with WWII history.

And there's a bomb

By the Japanese WWII memorial

All in all, we had a good time, and it was an adventure.  Maybe not something you would want to do every week, but definitely something different from the normal routine.  Praise God for safe rides to and from Peleliu, for the nice church people and their hospitality, and for things we got to see.

Palau Culture: The Bai

 We got to visit a bai over Christmas vacation.  A bai is a traditional meeting house (sometimes for the community, sometimes for men only), and the one we visited was from the late 1800s, but has been kept up to this day.  This one was in Airai.  Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what it's like.

The beams depict different legends and symbols that are important to Palau

 

 

The spider is an important symbol in the bai (we also saw some real ones next to the paintings that were very big)

The rooster is also an important symbol (there were a lot of them on this bai--each one different)

We got to see not only the outside, but the inside of this bai.  It was really amazing--intricate, colorful, and rich with history and symbolism.  It made me realize what a unique culture there is here, even with the infusion of American, German, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese traditions.  Hope you enjoyed the pictures and understand a little more about Palau culture.  Until next time...

Sickness and Subbing

Last week was busy…at least for me.  Beginning on Monday, a mysterious illness started taking down people left and right.  First one SM got sick, then another and another…  That meant I had to sub for different grades when an elementary teacher had to stay home.  Altogether, I think 8 student missionaries got sick—some with a nasty but short-lived stomach bug, and some with a cold or virus.  One of the local teachers got sick too, but it was for a pull-out class so that just meant more recess time for the kids (at least that’s how I handled it…).  Thankfully, only two people stayed home at a time, so between the coach and I, we were able to cover for the missing teachers.

So this is how my week looked:

Tuesday—Spent Valentine’s Day subbing for the kindergarten class.  I didn’t manage to get a lesson plan, so we mainly played that day.  Made valentines, and parents handed out cupcakes at the end.  The kids were so cute…but I never knew so many tears could be shed over just one offhand comment or a misunderstanding.

Student 1:  “Ms. Hillary!  She called me stinky!”

I go over to the offender.  “What did you say to her?”

Student 2:  “She called me a stinkbrain first.”

 

Back to Student 1.  “Did you call her a stinkbrain?”  

Student 2: “I didn’t!  I was talking about the crane.”  She points to the crane doing construction across the street.

Me to Student 1.  “She was talking about the crane.  She didn’t even say you were a stinkbrain.  You shouldn’t call her stinky even if she did…”

Students 1 and 2:  “Sorry.”

Someone else starts crying.  “They won’t let me play with them…”

I go over to the group.  “Why won’t you let her play?”

“She can play with us.”

I call the student over.  “Come over and play.”

She’s still crying.  “No, I don’t want to!”

At least it’s only 4 hours of this.

Anyway, teaching that class made me think of how God must look at us sometimes.  We get bent out of shape over little things—somebody looks at us the wrong way, or our cupcake falls on the ground, and we get in a bad mood.  But it’s really not that big of a deal.  If we could see the bigger picture, life wouldn’t be such a rollercoaster.  Don’t make mountains out of molehills.

Playing in Kindergarten

Now I realize that the kids were asking me to fix the situation because I was the adult, and they trusted me to take care of it.  And actually, it was amazing how easy it was to clear things up (most of the time) with a few words of wisdom or a little pat on the back.  I guess we should be that quick to bring our problems to God, and that quick to accept His comfort and voice of reason and to let the issue go.  Short-term memory loss about little problems and disagreements can also make things a lot easier.  Many times, once I talked to the students about letting someone play with them, it was cleared up and they began playing happily together as if nothing had happened.

Wednesday—Two people are sick, and I’m teaching 1^st grade now.  They’re so cute, seriously.  Moments from the day included 8^th graders coming in to play with their little “brothers and sisters” for one class period, and one girl sobbing because her favorite 8^th-grader “left” her to go to class and she wouldn’t get to see him until after school.  Everything is a catastrophe when you’re that age…

Thursday—1^st grade again!  The kids were crazier today, or maybe it was just me.  They grabbed food from my lunch box, refused to do work, and were so loud I couldn’t hear myself talk sometimes.  

“I’m looking for quiet, good students to send to recess,” I tell them above the din, and a couple dash to their seats and try to look qualified.  

“Ms. Hillary!” one screams.  “I’m being quiet!”  

 

“Ms. Hillary!” bellows another.  “HE’S MAKING NOISE!” 

“Ms. Hirraly!”

“Ms. Hillapree!”

“Her name is Ms. Hillary!” yells my ESL student, who’s an expert now.

“Ms. Jen—I mean, Ms. Hillary!”

“Ms. Pillary…what’s your name?”

 There’s one who simply won’t stay in his seat, and that encourages others to run around with him.  I almost lose my keys under a grate.  One kid tries to pull down my skirt.  The girl who cried yesterday runs away to see her favorite 8^th-grader.  

When I send them off to computer class, I go into the library and pray.  And when I come back to the kids, I’m smiling.  Things might not be perfect, but God is there for me.  We’ll make I through…

At the end of the day I have them make get well cards for their teacher, Ms. Jen.

Two more people are sick.

Friday—All the teachers are back at school, making a valiant effort to be well.  Thankfully, even though they haven’t all recovered, it seems like they’re on the mend. 

I’m back in the library with my books.  It’s quiet.  I made it through.  I didn’t get sick.  I survived both kindergarten and 1^st grade.  I’m ready for Sabbath.

Keep praying for us.  There are so many little problems to deal with, so many tears to dry, so much drama, so many decisions to make when you’re dealing with a motley crew of 12 to 25 kids.  We need grace to be patient, kind, wise, and positive.  I’m glad we have a big God who knows us and our kids better than anyone.  

And I’m thankful we’re all feeling better now!

"From the end of the earth I will cry to you, when my heart is overwhelmed.  Lead me to the rock that is higher than I"  Psalm 61:1

"For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you."  Isaiah 41:13

"For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly."  Proverbs 2: