Sicky Boo Boo

Last week was our first week back from Spring Break—rough transition. Since I’ve been here English class has been all about parts of speech, sentence diagramming, and creative writing assignments, hoping the concepts would sink in. They still aren’t forming coherent sentences. I only have four more weeks as their teachers. I was pretty discouraged by the end of the week. I have to keep reminding myself that English is not their first language and the only time they really speak English is to their teachers. But I like to think their Marshallese is very eloquent and grammatically correct. :)

One day, feeling confident, I introduced similes. We went over probably fifteen similes before I gave them the worksheet. They filled in blanks to form similes about different things: their best friend, their teacher, and their favorite food. My favorite: “Pizza is as warm and smelly as breath.” She got it! It’s a disgusting comparison, but she got it! These kids came up with some pretty crazy comparisons. Maybe one day in high school they will read a simile and it will click.

We have had these ASI (whatever that stands for) meetings the last few weeks. They are evangelistic meetings going on in several locations around the island and on Gugeegue. Each of us are to present two hour-long pre-made sermons for the high school students. I did mine on Thursday and on Friday night. They went fine. The whole thing is written out so it’s really easy, but speaking up front is not my thing. I would much rather lead out in a group craft or something. Haha! Too bad that wasn’t an option. :) I’m glad they are done though.

Thanks to the organization of my sweet mother, the sixth graders now have Tulsa Adventist Academy pen pals! :) On Friday they wrote their letters to the fifth and sixth graders. I told them how special TAA was to me, as I was a student there for eleven years. I told them I knew a few of the kids they would be writing to because they were in Kindergarten when I was in 8^th grade. On Wednesday afternoons, we would go and play with our Kindergarten buddies. I had the best buddy, Donavahn, so I made sure he’d get a good letter. I gave him Malvin—such a good little writer. His entire letter was about Jesus, “Hey Donavahn to you go to church every Sabbath day? and to you pray before you do anything? like going outside and play or before you eat and before you sleep ? And Donavahn when you are sick, please pray. I know that wherever you go God is always near you and near me and all people.” At the end, he goes, “And my question is what is your favorite N.B.A. team. Good luck Donavahn. Love your new friend, Malvin” I love him. A few of the kids seemed to be at a loss for words and finished their letters saying, “Love you! Miss you!” and, “Send me a picture of yourself so I can see your face.” Hope their new pen pals aren’t creeped out. I gave them stickers to put on their letters. Several of them put about three stickers on the letter and kept the rest for themselves. Selfish. They seemed to like the pen pal idea and it went well. I’m excited to get their letters back!

One of my students, Isobel, the girl that came to church several times, hasn’t been to school for three weeks. I know she’s dealing with a lot of things, and I’m sure there are more things I’m unaware of. As a kid, it’s easier to just ditch school and not deal with it. She made such great progress after she started coming to church. I know the devil is trying to get to her and discourage me. It makes me so sad. I think she will have to repeat sixth grade next year because of the absences. Please pray for her and that I will have an opportunity to help her.

On a happier note, on Sunday we went to Carlos Island for the day. We went snorkeling, which is cool and pretty until I start having shark attack thoughts. We were out by the drop off and I freaked out and swam back. I walked around and found some cool shells, satisfying the nerdy, rock-collecting little girl inside of me. We swam some more by the dock before heading home. Of course, I got sunburned. I already have some crazy tan lines. Before I left home I found a nice Ebeye-appropriate shirt at Old Navy; naturally, I bought six, one of each color. So now I have a really defined tan line from that shirt. I might regret that when I get home and wear a different shirt.

This week has been very dull for me. I’ve been at home sick, so I’m just cooped up in the apartment with the mice. I’m very ready to be well again. I might go find that cure for cancer guy and see what he can concoct for me. :) 

Littil came to visit me twice! Here it looks like I'm faking the whole sick thing. Ha!

Blake had the sixth graders write me notes at school. The notes are so sweet! They made my day(s). Haha here are a few, I couldn’t pick just one.

By the way, hill = heal

Looks like we found a new spelling word. :)

Dear Mrs. Karissa

We hope you will hill because we miss you because you are my teachers all your student will write letter to you because you are sick we hope that you will live because we are praying with our self. we pray and talk to Jesus for Karissa come to school. and teachers for us. I hope that you will hill in my pray. or all your students will praying and talk to Jesus for Karissa to come to school.

God blessed you

Lajutok

Dear Mrs. Karissa Knight

I hope you will hill because we love you and we miss you with all our hard and I will brayed to you so you will hill and I hope God blessed you on your way and what I saying is I love you any way I like to say that Lajutok Miss he just crieyd so much and I hope God will hill you in my pray so you can teach us all kind of things so we could be smart.

God blessed you

Rufos

Dear Mrs. Karissa

Hi I hope God will hill you so you can come and be a teacher. I am writeing letter to you so you can read it in life. In the Bible said God is with you and God is with all of us. This is your flower (next to it was a picture of a flower) We love you and miss you.

Joey

Dear Karissa

I’m sorry about you being sick. I always talk to Flora and Nathasha but I know God is with you when you are sick. I will pray for you so you can come back and teach us and I will not talk again. I will listen to you so you can get better and you will never sick again. I will obey you until you go back to Oklahoma I promise I will listen to you and obey you. And I will not talk to Nathasha and Flora again. I will not talk to them. That’s enough. May the Lord God bless you and your family and your friend and all your neighbor too.

Love you :)

Lovely urs

Kristy

(Several of the girls seemed to take my sickness as a weird threat and vowed to stop talking in class. Ha!)

Dear Miss Karissa

I hope you will get better soon we miss you so much and we had a fight in class, oh, and I really, really hope you get better really soon, and I will prey to Jesus that you will get better soon, hope you will come back and teach us again and all the six grade hope you’ll get bette. I’ll prey for you when you always get sick

I love you :)

Lovely your’s

Ngedikes

From Littil

Joey's flower :)

The B / P mix up... it's hilarious everytime!

From Ariana

I love these kids so much!!!

I only have five more weeks on Ebeye. My time here has gone by so quickly, yet I’ve learned so much. I hope these last few weeks don’t go by too fast. I am really going to miss it here!

P.S. I put up more pictures in the Spring Break post!