I feel like I'm letting down the readers of this blog while simultaneously fulfilling the very reasons they peruse these pages. The last month+ has been incredibly hectic. No, not just hectic vis a vis the island lifestyle; although I get to occasionally take in a sunset like the one above (that's right, son!), my days have been the busiest since I was student teaching by day and bartending by night. Enough of the self pity and onto the show...
The last 4 weeks have been a mash-up of finals, 120 new students at the high school, a new semester teaching at the college, a large-scale cultural exchange including the group I advise, looking for a gig during the 2012-2013 school year, and the peak of the high school basketball season. Some days are filled with grading. Others with lesson planning. Other still with figuring out how to beat a 3-2 zone defense, or applying to schools in Europe, or dealing with several last-second crises regarding the Refaluwasch Cultural Club. While we're on the subject:
*The students in this photo have consented to having this photo shown on this blog*
This is the calm before the storm. Once again, the RCC kids KILLED it with their dancing at a student assembly, and again at a "thank you" party for a school in Japan that left the island yesterday. All of those head-dresses and capes are woven from coconut leaves, and it takes these kids about 30 minutes to go from street clothes to full garb. The reception that they get from fellow locals and administrators and big-wigs and exchange students is amazing. I have been made an honorary Refaluwasch, which isn't a difficult adjustment. Surely you can see the resemblance between Chief Aghurubw (Ahg-or-oh-boo) and myself:
Who knew the Chief was a Bama fan?
The basketball season has less than 3 weeks left (we're 4-1, baby!), as we have one game this week against a private school (see: 2012 Charlotte Bobcats) and one game each against our rival public schools next week until the playoffs. I'm not certain whether or not I will coach any sport this spring, however if I do it will absolutely be golf. I mean...being on an oceanside golf course for a few hours per week isn't exactly a burden. A quick guide to those of you who are wondering what coaching is like:
-Coaching golf: Spitting through your teeth. You either know how to do it or you don't. It's that simple.
-Coaching baseball: Being a traffic cop at a seldom-used intersection. You let some things slide, and you're extremely hard on other transgressions.
-Coaching basketball: Making a pork roast. Fantastic if done correctly, however once you mess things up, there's no coming back. Hopefully I'm at about 140 degrees and have some time on my side.
While Saipan is awesome I feel as though teaching and living in another part of the world couldn't possibly be a bad thing. I've learned so much about the ways that different people live their life and the world as a whole in the last 20 months that I'd like to find another place with new lessons/food/people/culture for the next school year. I guess it's one of those "we'll see" situations where things have a way of working themselves out. A peek behind the curtain would reveal my job searches/applications in Europe and the Caribbean, however I'm not ruling anything out for next year. Suffice it to say, I may be pulling a Lebron and announcing "The Decision" on this blog or Facebook within the coming months.
I've been alternately enjoying and missing the most recent iteration of the Minnesota Timberwolves. While box scores and post-game recaps aren't the worst way to go through life, I truly miss out on the experience. NHL heads who have nothing other than the ghost of Andrew Brunette's goal (seriously, that was like nine years ago) please jump on the bandwagon now.
BONUS ROUND!!!!
-Ipads are the ONLY tablets. The others are emperors waiting to be called out for lack of clothing.
-New food recipe: Saipan Bruschetta:
1 Baguette
4 Cloves Garlic
6 Tomatoes
1 large handful of basil from your yard (maybe 1 cup?)
3 "glugs" of olive oil
4 shakes salt
Another 4 shakes of salt
6 shakes of pepper
1/3 of one of those mozzarella balls cubed (1/4" cubes)
Slice the baguette into 1" round pieces. Butter those mofos and bake them for 10 minutes at 350.
Mince the garlic and basil. I said MINCE. Smaller than that. Yeah, smaller. It's not really your fault, you need a better knife.
Combine the basil/garlic combo with the olive oil in a bowl. Add the cheese and mix. Then add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Not enough salt? Add more. Not enough pepper? Figure it out.
Serves 6 as an appetizer or 2 as a "meal".
-Saipan Car-Related Moment of the Month: The moped was leaking gas (I believe 1/4 of the island knew and/or told me about it) and I decided to bring that fact to the attention of the folks who owned the place that is renting it to me. Honest-to-god: No questions asked, no big deal, just a replacement scooter and a new key. $150 per month for guaranteed transportation from my doorstep to anywhere on the island is starting to look cheap.
-I am already realizing the effect that leaving Saipan will have on me. People at home are humble-bragging about the 40 degree temps in February, yet I haven't seen a day under 70 (high or low temp) in TWO YEARS. Hey Minnesota folks: Remember how last winter was awful and this winter seems great? Imagine it being better than this year. Much better. Like...imagine taking a photo like this on February 19th as I did:
MN: "Well, we've only had about 6 inches of snow this winter".
ME: I've had zero, son.
MN: "It's been in the 30's and 40's for most of the winter here"
ME: It's been in the mid-70's to mid-80's this winter-spring-summer-fall-decade-millenium here, son.
Again, it's difficult to ascertain the benefits of living in a warm climate for long periods of time until you've done it. Once you have lived the shorts/sandals life it's difficult to come back. I'm not some beer snob talking trash about Grain Belt because I love the Triple Bock Belgian Rye Wheat Barley Malted Molasses Pilsner. I'm talking about the honest-to-god happiness that comes from waking up in a place where it never, ever gets cold. One more time for those of you scoring at home:
During the winter (regardless of your "love of the seasons"), almost every other living thing gets the hell out of there. Birds fly south. River fish swim south. Landlocked mammals hibernate or chew their way into your walls and insulation to stay alive for a few months. Bugs (who will inevitably inherit the Earth) f*cking DIE. Yet humans, for some strange reason, think that living through below-zero temps and walking across icy sidewalks and shoveling driveways and brushing off windshields and repeatedly applying Carmex makes them "hearty" or "tough". I'm not saying it's the wrong way to go through life, I'm simply suggesting that there are other ways.
-I realize I am missing a ton of birthdays and anniversaries and the like. Please let me make them up to all of you in a few months when I am back in the US.
Until the next one...
