Buildings and Animals, etc.

Before I begin- Happy Fathers Day! Thank you to both our dads out there. We love you both so so much and appreciate everything you have done for us.

This posting is going to be a mix of things, which equals randomness. It's been a while since I have posted so I'm going to catch up. I want you all to see what is going on down here!! Ben has been busy studying, he had another mini test this week. And I completely sold everything at the bake sale!!!! Yay! I made carrot cookies with cream cheese, along with the regulars (mango coffee cake, and banana bread). They were amazing!! Maybe every once in a while I will post a recipe. I will try to post the recipe for these later. I have also started to teach English every Tuesday and Thursday night at church to locals. They are 20-40 year olds and mostly men. It is so much fun and it's always fun to see them randomly in town. It's nice to hear them remember my name or shout out "Hi Teacher". Although this last class day I tried to have a conversation with a few of them and realized that they probably have no idea what I am saying half the time. It took us forever to understand each other and talk about where they are from and how long they have been here. But they are always excited to learn. On Tuesday there was a blackout during class throughout the town and instead of jumping up and leaving (which is probably what everyone in America would do with excitement) everyone pulled out there cell phones (which have flashlights on them-wonderful!) and stayed for twenty minutes. It was really wonderful to experience that.

But to continue with this posting I want to talk about the pictures! So I'm going to jump to that (like I said, randomness). The picture above is of a lizard that was on the fence around our apartment. It wasn't cooperating with us, because there is a fan that flares out under its neck and we couldn't catch it with the camera. But it is still cool. Then a few weeks ago I was leaving the pool with some friends and we came across this awesome Caterpillar!!! They are huge! The head is pointing down my arm and the tail is where the antenna is sticking out. You can't see it very well, but they have about 10 stubby legs, like soup cans. I wish I knew more about them, but the fact that they are not poisonous is all that matters sometimes. (Thanks Jacquelle for the photo)


Now I know that this is not a great picture of me. But you have to see what amazing superman eyesight I have! Ben and I were walking back from a lecture that he just gave about splinting for Ross EMS and Wilderness club. He did an awesome job and there was a great turnout. There is an old crumbling mill building on campus that we pass on our way home and sitting on one of the rock walls was an iguana! It was monstrous and pretty exciting.

Can you see it?

There it is!!! BIG!!
So now I'm shifting to buildings. A lot of the buildings here are hut-like. It's dirty and people live in what they can. Some are decent, but I doubt there are more than two room and it doesn't look like they would have a bathroom in them. But the houses and buildings are cool and should be documented.

House at Tocauri Bay.

Part of the main street in Portsmouth.

Cricket field next to church. The yellow building on the corner is a snackette- where people get food. While I was taking this picture, it turns out there is a old white man that lives on the other corner. He was like, "Let me take a picture with you in it". Smiling I replied "oh, that's OK, I've got it." But in my head I'm thinking, "Creepy, what's a strange white man doing in the middle of nowhere?" It makes one think that maybe he's hiding out from the government, from selling drugs or killing someone (that's my mind jumping to conclusions). It was weird, though because white people don't live in Portsmouth, but apparently one does.

This is our awesome green church building. We have sacrament and classes on the second floor, primary and nursery (in the kitchen) on the first floor, and I think there is a business on the top. This is also where we have our English classes.

So last weekend we went out to eat with some friends at Blue Bay Restaurant. It's down an alley and is a restaurant right on the beach. It was really good, the fish was amazing! Ben got grilled Mahi Mahi and I got King Fish in curry. They bring out an appetizer of fried something-dough? And then side dishes of rice, veggies, a different kind of banana cheese like bread for everyone to share. Definitely yummy.

View from the restaurant.
Us at the restaurant. I know it's not an amazing picture, but I like it.


And finally my purchase of the month (or semester). I was taking the transport back from the market yesterday and there was an old man selling mats he made. It's a woven mat made out of dried leaves (palm leaves that are stripped?). I got it for 15 EC- which turns into about 6 dollars. I took this picture and when I showed it to Ben, he automatically said, " Well that looks like a blog picture." It totally is, because I'm proud of my purchase and want to show everyone.