The end.

>> Monday, May 25, 2009

I have decided to continue my blogging on a different blog. I figured since I am no longer in Majuro, a blog talking about me living on an Island is no longer applicable. (Nerdy sounding.) So head on over to http://carrie-elizabeth.blogspot.com/ and read about my culture shock and adjusting to normal life again... 


Also, thank you to all who supported me and loved me and sent me packages, letters, and notes of encouragement throughout this year. I can't believe it is already over!!! God has been so good in blessing me with Majuro. At first I hated it, but yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life. I miss everyone there terribly. All I can say is that God brought me through it, and I know he will bring me through many more tough times to come. Keep blogging, because I like reading what you guys have to say :) Hope to read from you soon. 

-Carrie

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Final Days

>> Monday, May 11, 2009

Twas the 14th of August
One girl full of fright
Could barely even get
Full sleep through the night

For when she awoke
Not a student she would be
This young girl would be teaching
A class of twenty-three!

Her nerves were on edge,
Her voice, low and wary,
The students blankly stared
As she said, “I’m Miss Carrie”

The minutes turned to hours
Until finally she could say
“Alright, we are done,
Class is finished for today.”

Days, they went by quickly
And months, they flew by, too
Until the young girl realized
All weeks were gone but two!

Now you’d think such a girl
Would be excited just by knowing
In just a mere two weeks
To home this girl was going

Instead this girl sits wishing
She had more time to stay
Because all of her young students
Could always make her day

These, children, how they managed
To crawl into her heart
And now to think of leaving them
Is tearing her apart

And it’s not just the students
No, the people changed her, too
She’s finishing what she knows
God called her here to do

And now this young girl can say
From her time in Majuro
She cannot wait for that time
To heaven we will go

Because she’ll see those faces
All smiling, bright, and clear
She’ll hug her dear, sweet students
Who taught her love this year.

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3 weeks..

>> Saturday, May 2, 2009

23 days to go. 

Life has been more upbeat around here. It seems like in the past few weeks, everyone has come together and bonded more. We have been having parties every Saturday night for the past 2 nights. Last week was kinda a "formal" theme, and last night was a Luau. We played some games and ate some good food. It's weird to think that next week will be our 3rd to last weekend.... It's blowing my mind. Last week we had a short week, and on Thursday we had a picnic. I have over 100 pictures from that, I gave my camera to my kids and they are quite the good photographers. I have a TON of grading to catch up on today, but I've been here at Tide Table with super fast internet, and it's hard to pull away... I haven't written in here for awhile, so I thought I would update you all... Things are winding down here, and I can't believe that this year is almost over. I am hoping to walk away from it all knowing that I made a difference. Things have gotten interesting with what is going to happen next year... I am praying about it and would appreciate some prayers as well. God has been good so far, and has blessed me with a great last few weeks. I hope that all of you are doing well and can't wait to see all of you soon! 

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April Updates

>> Saturday, April 18, 2009

I am sorry it's been awhile since I've updated you on life here in Majuro. Let's just say that if I were to say things have been hectic lately, it would be a drastic understatement. Spring Break has come and gone, and we now have 33 days or so until the last day of school. I am going to be here in Majuro until June 3, I fly into Hawaii and stay there until June 5, and then I am coming home! I cannot believe it has flown by this fast.... I am trying to soak up the last few days I have with my precious children. They make me smile. I am in love with the ocean. On our side, we have no sand, but I have been making trips to the other side of the island, Laura, and have had my share of sand. I am reading a book, and am still shaking the sand from between its pages. I also have had a good number of sunburns to prove my time in the sun. In fact, my neck and legs got a bit fried yesterday while we were in Laura. Grace, Elizabeth (my two apartment-mates), Evan, Travis, Scott, Matt, and I went to Laura to get away for a "mini-vacation" for the day. It was beautiful. I always love going out there. Matt teaches out there, and I can't say that I envy him too much. He gets the mosquitoes and lack of wind or breeze. I'll take my non-sandy, breezy ocean over his. It is nice to visit out there though. It's almost and hour drive to get from here to there, with 25 being the speed-limit on the one road that travels from Delap to Laura. Last night, we had a big storm. We haven't had one for a long time. The girls upstairs accidentally left their windows open, which overflowed and started leaking through the ceiling into our apartment around 11:30 or 12. The wind was so loud, and water was everywhere. We had to move our beds because it was dripping so much. After that, I couldn't sleep, so I sat in our kitchen for a few hours, willing the storm to stop so I could sleep again. Eventually, it stopped, and I got to sleep, but my body is getting in the habit of waking up early, around 6 or 6:15... so I was awake by then, got up, and went outside to enjoy the sunrise... 


This last week has been pretty hard, for reasons I won't really disclose in a blog, but I would be grateful for some prayers. :) I am just trying to soak these last few weeks in. Soak up the sun, soak in the love for the kids, and soak up the fun times with the other SMs. I am tired. Maybe I'll take a nap today. I hope that you are all enjoying your Sabbath :)

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Hot day!

>> Tuesday, March 24, 2009

It is hot. I mean, sweat running down your face, you’d-kill-for-some-ice-water-or-something-equally-cold hot. You’d think that I’d been running a marathon at the state I’m in. It’s laundry day here in Majuro. I stripped my sheets and threw virtually every piece of clothing I own in a bag and walked the few blocks to the Laundromat. Every time I walk to do laundry I almost always turn to Jaimie and say something along the lines of, “Whenever we walk this way I’m reminded we’re in another country.” She tires of me saying it so much, but allow me to paint you a picture. You walk out of SDA, past the small store where all of the students go right after school. “Hi Miss Carrie!” some of them yell, while other “cool” eighth graders refuse to acknowledge your existence (But hey, who wants to say hi to their teachers after school hours anyways? I know I didn’t). You pass about a million dogs, and the same amount of taxis drive by you. A smell wafts to your nose. You know you are about to pass the boxcar-sized dumpster in which all of that area dumps their trash. It isn’t abnormal to see children pawing through the garbage, in hopes of making a cardboard baseball glove or a water bottle treasure. Flies dart out in front of your face, being interrupted from their enjoyment of the dump. You walk past the graveyard, in which all bodies are buried above ground, with white crosses on each and every one. There are no ornate designs or shrines, merely lone plastic flowers that adorn the concrete. Occasionally you will see dogs urinating on a headstone or two, or a naked child basking in the sunrays, lying atop a grave. You continue your journey, past the turquoise house and the big, pot-hole-filled “baseball field”. You see adult women in their muumuus, lying in the sun on the ground. You see mothers singing to their naked two-year-old, and uniformed teenagers walking home from school. You see laundry strung from palm tree to palm tree, a colorful array of muumuus, t-shirts, and basketball shorts. You pass another dumpster, a ridiculously multi-colored house, a Mormon church, and a giant satellite. What only takes a few minutes seems like hours in the blistering sun. There is no wind, no relief to your dampened back.

The walk back, though, feels victorious! There is no burden of two week-old laundry to haul, your arms are free, your burden is lifted! The wind seems to have sprung from its hiding place, the leaves rustling to the rhythm of your steps. In a way, life is like my walk to the Laundromat. The journey is hard, blistering, and at times you just don’t want to go on. You want to drop your heavy bag on the ground and sit in the shade. But once you have dropped off your load, you can walk lighter, smile brighter, and look forward to the reward of clean laundry. In the same way, when we drop our burdens off at our heavenly Laundromat, our yoke is light, our hearts are happy, and we can walk away feeling renewed, looking forward to what we know is ahead.

As lame as it might sound, my trip to the Laundromat showed me an aspect I need to work on in my spiritual life. I get caught up in complaining, or letting things become huge ordeals. I allow myself to become molded into this cynical, unhappy person. Don’t fall into that trap. We are all who we are and where we are for a reason. Let my trip to the laundry be a lesson for you and learn to enjoy the little things, please. =) You’ll never know how much you can learn from a little thing. 

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Faces.

>> Monday, March 16, 2009

I sit here at my teacher’s desk in my classroom on a tiny speck in the middle of the ocean. I watch my students as they read their assignment. I was not qualified for this. I was not prepared to be thrown into a classroom and solely be responsible for these children’s knowledge intake for a year. I was scared. I was afraid. 8 months later, they have changed me. They accepted my lack of experience and my terrible teaching tactics and loved me. These 20 children have turned my world inside out and taught me probably more than I have taught them…

From Sunbeam I have learned that teaching can actually be fun, from Rolinda, I have learned that being a tomboy can be cool. From Pete I have learned that there will always be one or two students who listen the first time, every time. From Mase I have learned that kids will accept each other, even if they come in the middle of the year. From Ebilla I have learned not to give up on the students who seem far behind. From Leah I have learned that consistency and hard work always pays off. From Tim I have learned to smile and enjoy my job, and from Sechi I have learned to not take my talents for granted. From Billerine I have learned that one cannot split up best friends, from Andy I have learned that little does not mean least. From Peter I have learned patience… lots and lots of patience…. From Tino I have learned to be willing to give more of myself, from Dorcas I have learned to have better peripheral vision. From Neijen I have learned to enunciate more clearly, and from Romina I have learned that one can use their talents to help others. From Airi I have learned that even in 5th grade you can be an incredible artist, from Jamina I have learned that a sweet spirit and gracious attitude cannot go unnoticed. From Juslina I have learned that sometimes you have to reach past the exterior, and from Sherina I have learned that persistence is not always bad. From Kairirieta I have learned never to give up on your dreams, no matter how farfetched people tell you they are.

1 Island. 10 months. 20 faces. These 20 faces have changed my life, my world, and my future. Someday I hope you will get the chance to let 20 faces change you, too. 

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A poem.

>> Thursday, March 5, 2009

These voices keep telling me things I know aren't true
These voices keep pulling me farther away from you
These voices seem to hurt me deep to my core
These voices remind me of who I was before
These voices tell me I'm not good enough as me
These voices just won't seem to let me be
I am helpless as I try to prevent this attack
But each and every time these voices draw me back

I lived my life in misery as I gave these voices control
But I have a God who looks past my pain deep within my soul
Whose eyes see the person I am, and not who I used to be
Who gives strength to the weary, and helps the blind to see
My ears needed to be opened to the truth that lies within
I don’t need to live my life engulfed in my past sin
That truth has lifted me up and completely set me free
I am free to be God’s creation; I am free to be me

I wrote this a few months ago. Sometimes it's easy to listen to 'these voices', but I have chosen to rise above and listen to HIS voice. I "am beautifully and wonderfully made." That's pretty rockin'.

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A poem.




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>> Sunday, February 8, 2009

Well, world… I am entering into the real world a week from tomorrow. I’m not quite sure how I am going to react being in the states again. I’m going to see my older brother get married. I’m going to eat real Mexican food. I’m going to sleep in my own house, under my own roof, in my own bed. I am going to travel in a real car for more than 30 miles. I am going to see more than the same 20 white people every day. I will wear jeans and sweatshirts and embrace the chill of the winter. I will curl up and read a book in front of the fireplace. I will watch TV. I will be able to pick up the phone and hear my friend’s voices. I will smile, laugh, and drink it all in. And then… I’ll be coming back.

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January 23

>> Thursday, January 22, 2009


Remember Isabelle?

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A Calling

>> Thursday, January 15, 2009

In all of my searching and wanderings in life, from California to Washington to The Marshall Islands, looking for what I should do with my life, I have come to discover one thing: I want to help people. No, I don’t just want to help people. I have a desire to help people. It is programmed somewhere deep inside of me that I will do everything in my power to make sure others are happy. It is what I was designed for; it is my destiny.

For as long as I can remember, it has been my passion to help others. For whatever reason, in high school, it was as if people with the most problems befriended me and felt comfortable enough with me to tell me all of their problems. I always did what I could to help them out, and most of all, be an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, and a hand to hold in their times of need.

I remember one day, in high school, my senior year, I was struggling with what I was destined to do with my life. All of my friends seemed to have a career picked out for them, ready to move on and start college, beginning their lives without me. I felt left out. I had no clue what I wanted to do. I liked writing, I could be a writer, I thought. I like photography; maybe I’ll be a photographer. I like to talk with people, so I can be in PR. I remember praying, asking God what it was I was supposed to do with my life. The next day, four people came to me, talked to me and just needed someone to listen to them.

That was years ago, and here I am…. On a tiny dot in the middle of the ocean, and still having no clue what to do with my life. I have considered many options. Last year I had the intent of being a teacher, mostly because it was what many people In my family did, and I love kids. I feel like things have changed a little bit. I still love kids, but I’m not sure my mind could handle the same routine every day, five days a week, for a year.

Lately I have been praying about it, and again I am feeling called to change my major to counseling/psychology. I want to make a difference. I want to help students who have doubts, who have troubles, who have made decisions that are causing them distress. I want to be able to tell girls they are beautiful, and not to listen to what the world says of them. I want to help someone, somewhere, learn how to become who they are; children of God.

This I my passion, my calling.

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