Settling In

We finally have WiFi in our house! It's been difficult to keep this updated because I don't make it to the library every day, but I should be better now.

Friday was my first full day without a car or any transportation. I'll just say that I'm gonna have killer leg muscles after a few months of living here! It's one of those "uphill both ways" type of places. There's no getting around it.

This is an idea of how far we are from everything:

1 mile to church (22 minute walk)
1.2 miles to the gym and movie theater (27 minute walk)
.5 miles to Kmart, the laundromat, our P.O. Box, Subway, etc. (12 minute walk)
.3 miles to McDonalds (7 minute walk)
.4 miles to PriceSmart/PriceMart, aka, Costco (9 minute walk)
.6 miles to St. Thomas Regional Library (17 minute walk)
2.2 miles to Coki Beach (we take a safari bus -10 minutes- but if we were ambitious, it would be a 50 minute walk!)
Again, a mile isn't far to walk, but uphill in the humidity, it feels like 2!

Friday was also my first day by myself since arriving on the island. Trent and Casey went to work at 7 am, and I spent the day job seeking (sort of), getting more stuff from the store, and visiting the library. I love the library! It is so quiet and up on a hill, apart from the world.

After Trent and Casey got off of work, we walked to the gym so they could begin a membership there. It was a strenuous walk because it is uphill all the way and we decided to walk the first leg of the trip on the side between a wall and many cars so there were a lot of fumes and hot air. Needless to say, we've learned to stay on the sidewalks as much as possible!

On Saturday, I made a trip to the Humane Society to give them an application and a resume. Luckily, the safari buses drive that way so I'll be getting a ride in the future. It was doable, but very hot and tiring. While there, I checked out some of the animals and saw some interesting things you don't see at a normal pet shelter! I also found a little used book shop and a second hand store. On my way back home, I stopped at PriceSmart (Costco equivalent) for a few items and a 99 cent waffle cone. I was really blessed to be met by some members of my church who gave me a ride home. It can be nice to live in a small community!

           
Sunday, Trent and Casey weren't able to start their shifts later or get the day off, sadly, so I walked to church by myself. I thought it would be cool enough, but it was HOT! I'll definitely be taking the safari bus for trips like that. Church was lovely, we had SO many visitors, including two ladies from another church who just wanted to see what it was like at our church. I stayed after for choir practice and got a ride home, which was so nice! The members here are amazing. I have always loved LDS Branches.
For the rest of the day, I got to talk to my family, relax in a hammock on my back patio, and study the Relief Society lesson for next Sunday because I was asked to teach!. Trent and Casey went to the beach after work, but I just wanted to relax (it was getting later and I'd been walking around all week so it was nice not to have to go anywhere!)

Monday was Casey's day off. She and Trent got up at 5 am to walk to the gym, and after she and Trent napped and Trent left for work, Casey and I went to the laundromat. It isn't very far -0.5 miles, 12 minutes- but with big bags of laundry, it was hard work! Luckily -and I know you're going to laugh- someone conveniently left a shopping cart on the sidewalk near our house. So we put our bags of laundry and pushed it to the laundromat. (I promise we left it at the mall:)
After laundry and lunch at Subway, we went to Kmart and ran into our landlord's wife. She was very kind and gave us a ride to a hole-in-the-wall place to look for some things and a ride back home. I cannot say enough how much we have been blessed by the good people God has put into our lives. Every time we tell the members of our branch how amazing our landlord is, they tell us that we are very lucky because that is a rare find on this island, as nice as everyone is! Maybe I just think everyone is so nice because I've only met the nice people!
Later, after running our errands, we walked to the church for Family Home Evening. Single adults, empty nesters, and young newbies -like Casey and I- were all there for a simple, spiritual lesson, yummy dinner, and a fun game. We got to eat spaghetti, which was lucky for Casey because she has been craving some, and we don't have any way to make it at home (i.e. no pots, pans, stove, fridge, etc.) Trent had to work, so he sadly missed out.

So, everything is alright. I still don't have a job yet, but I've been applying so hopefully I'll get something soon. It is a beautiful place. There are so many plants and animals that I love so much! There are palm trees I've never seen before and so many fruit trees, papaya, banana, mango, and coconut, just to name a few. The animals are very entertaining, though sometimes weird and noisy. The frogs chirp for about an hour before bed and we have a couple of little geckos that hang out on our porch ceiling at night, looking for dinner. There are so many chickens, some beautiful egrets, and Mourning Doves (which I love because they sound like home.) The iguanas are a little frightening (huge and look like dragons!), but they're pretty good about staying out of the way. I am a little anxious about a giant, fuzzy spider I saw dead on the sidewalk, but hopefully I'll never encounter a live one! There are cows that feed in the brush, and I'm pretty sure I saw a mongoose. Best of all, we have a little friend who visits us every night. Casey named her Pepper Jack, and she really likes to eat fresh coconut, which is good because we don't have anything else to spare!

                                                                         



All in all, life is good. Better than good, it is amazing. I know that a week ago I didn't feel the same way at all, but this is how I hoped to feel. I have such a strong love for my Heavenly Father who has provided me with so many comforts and joys. I know that others are not so blessed and I hope that I can find many ways to share what I have with those others. I know that when you pray, He listens to you individually, and answers when and how only He can. I have felt His love directly and through others. He is the only way I have made it through all of this. He is the only way we can make it through this life with our hearts and minds full and intact. (Alma 32:21)