Thursday, October 6, 2011
Two posts in one week?! I know, crazy! So I thought I would describe a little better where I live since most of you haven't been out here yet. First of all, everything is so green! Palm trees grow here along with breadfruit trees, mango, papaya, banana, and coconut trees too. There are all kinds of flowers everywhere that I just don't know the names for yet but fill the spaces with pinks and reds and oranges. Up the hill from my house you can see the ocean off in the distance and if it is a clear day you can also see Aunu'u - another island that is close by. There are mountains right behind my house and we have to go up them to get to my school. Finding things here is rather interesting mainly because there are no street names and houses don't have numbers on them. Not only is the island not on a grid but it is not even close to being laid out logically. Most roads that you see look like dirt roads that you would not want to be on but in fact lead to whole villages tucked away out of sight from the main road. To give directions you really have to know the area well because it literally is like "turn left at that big dead tree" or "do you know where _____ is? It is right by that." Since I don't know the area very well most of these directions are lost on me but the longer I've been here the more that these make sense. Good thing I never learned which way is north because it would do me no good here! LOL! You can't mail something to someone's house as there is no postal service to your house. Everything goes to the post office and you can go and pick up your mail only if they are currently open. Right now that is the only thing I hate about living here - these post office hours are the most frustrating I've ever dealt with! If someone wants to know where you live you tell them your village first and then you describe what landmarks/stores/buildings you live near. Then you figure out if they know that landmark/store/building so that they can picture what your house looks like. If they can't picture what you are describing you have to start again describing something else that is nearby. Just in case you ever need to find my house, I live between the Small Business Development Center and a Mormon church building. My house is white and there is usually a sign in front telling about the other spots for rent near me. So stop by, it's easy to get to - just head for Mesepa and look for the big tree : ).
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