Changing

We spent last weekend in town. It had been a month since we had seen any other palangis/ pcv's/ English speakers. Wow-even writing that it seems strange to me. Usually we make it a priority to see people more often than that....but this last month was full of extenuating circumstances. Anywho, needless to say, we were very eager to get to town and be with friends. We planned on staying Friday through Sunday night, but ended up staying until Monday. (we waited at the wharf Sunday evening for two hours-which honestly isn't a bad wait time. But when the boat got to town it was already dark, and as the boats have no lights on them and there was no moon, we were a little afraid. As luck would have it, the driver needed to refuel to be able to make it back, and, it being Sunday, the gas stations-along with every other business in town- were closed. All three of us Nuapapu teachers were stuck in town, so we didn't have school Monday.)

Friday night we shared a room with Ryan and Abby (the other married couple) and Harrison (because we love him that much) in a hostel in town.

We spent Saturday and Sunday night with Mandy, another volunteer, who doesn't live too far from town.

Mandy is going home for her sisters wedding next month. At the same time she is gone, my parents will be visiting here. We started to talk about change-if, or really, how and how much we've changed. And I think it's hard for us to gauge ourselves.....and even us volunteers to gauge each other-because life has been constant adjustments and changes these last , gosh, already 8 months. I am excited to sit down with two of my best friends, my mom and dad, and talk. I'm excited to do something I've done a million times, with people who have known me forever, and reflect on how I've changed.

I'd like to think I'm a little more laid back.
I'd like to think I'm a more independent wife.
I'd like to think I'm a little less sensitive.
I'd like to think I'm a little more open.
I'd like to think I'm a more willing friend.
I'd like to think I'm less vain, and a bit more simple.

I am most certainly more patient than ever. Than anyone. In the whole world. If there was a guinness book of world records for patience, Mark and I would hold the title.

But, certainly some changes are negative.

I'm a sloppy, unmannerly, and greedy eater.
I'm a sloppy, unmannerly, greasy dresser. Ha!
I'm beginning to be a sloppy, unmannerly, and dramatic english speaker.
I am, at times, less hopeful, more cynical, about this world and my dreams in it-about the reality of development and sustainable impacts in cross cultural work.


I guess only time will tell what we will take with us.