Watch the Walk

 ... or debate. Or something. Our local English curriculum has three levels, with the third level requiring a much higher level of communication than the first two. So a locally-run program recently decided to add a "Level 2+" class between levels 2 and 3 so students are better prepared to get the most they can out of Level 3. For several years now, we've included a group skit as part of the final exam for Level 3 English classes. So how can you add an extra portion to the Level 2+ exam? The answer they decided on: ENGLISH DEBATES! Well, I'm familiar with formal debating-- you have teams, you research your topic, prepare your arguments, and when the time comes, you defend your ideas with logic, fervor, and respect for the other side. (okay okay, I'm not talking about political debates, I'm talking debate club or academic debates) So on Sunday we were invited to observe and help grade the first ever English debates on this island. It was intense, ...

A road becomes a river I love a good rainy day. There's something peaceful about being inside while listening to the rain, or walking in the rain with an umbrella as the water rushes around you. Here on Clove Island it's rainy season right now, that season where the clouds close in for days at a time (a welcome break from the broiling sun), bringing rainstorms, thunder and lightning. The rain has a way of changing things though. Societal obligations change when it's raining. It's not uncommon for someone to call and say that the rain has "closed them in" so they won't make it to whatever had been planned for a particular hour. Classes continue, but sometimes the timing of a rainstorm can cause half the class to skip or be late. Social visits are timed around the rain. And sometimes people get stuck places. The visitor that was just dropping by will instead stay for a couple of hours, eating with you, taking a nap, and just waiting for...

The farmer tore up the receipt and threw it on the ground. Sheo dug into his backpack, pulled out a fold of bills, and took the biggest bill out of the wad. He forced it into the farmer's hand, declaring loudly for all to hear, "Let the record stand that I have never stolen anything and I have never cheated anyone!" He stormed off, still fuming as he strode down the trail. What was it all about? We wanted to visit the island's only lake. And the farmers had decided that we needed to pay 5 euros each to visit. Five euros? To walk up the path all the farmers take to go to their fields and sit by the lake? And wait, they're only charging the white people? We suggested an alternate price that was more in keeping with local customs. They laughed, "That's what students pay!" Interesting that now they're saying that students pay, when before they said it was only white people who had to pay. We went up next to the lake and discus...

I don't often go to the beach. Sometimes it's just too much work to get there and back when all I want to do is avoid the world. But my cousin was visiting and a beach day seemed appropriate.  I stretched out in the sun, reading a book with not a care in the world. A shadow fell across my face. I looked up at a young teenage boy who evidently wanted to speak with me. But he only wanted to speak French, no matter how many times I asked him to switch to the island language. He had only one speed-- fast-- and only one grammar style-- bad. Why did we have to talk, anyway? I had a book and was trying to get some sun. He had a soccer ball and was wanting to play soccer. Oh. Duh. He wants to play soccer. And I'm in the middle of the beach. Sigh. So I moved. They set up their goalposts and started their game. I resigned myself to sitting in the shade again. And such is life here. The beach isn't mine, it's ours. And the sooner I realize that, the faster I move f...

A little boy who will grow up One teenager entered my house, followed by eight young boys, aged 7-10. They had a happy energy as they swarmed the table and requested water.  "We heard there was a fight after the soccer game, so we went to go beat up some people from M-town." "See my weapon? I was trying to hit the other boys with it." One eight year-old grinned as he hefted the solid metal bar in his hand. I told him to give the weapon to me, setting it outside the door and informing him he could retrieve it when he left. Lemur! But then I wanted to talk with the boys about it a bit. I first addressed the weapon-wielder: "Look at your heart, my friend. You want to hit people with an iron bar because of a soccer game? If you hate other people, how can you say that you love God, who made them? Be careful, hating is easy, but Jesus says to love our enemies, not just our friends." He looked a little abashed. His friends giggled a little that ...

 A house goes up in a week. The trash is cleared from the street. A new rule is instituted in government. An alcoholic declares he doesn't want to drink anymore. What do these all have in common? Change. We all want change of some sort. Sometimes we want to change ourselves, sometimes we want to change others, and sometimes we want to change our environment, but rarely do we find ourselves in a state of perfection and surrounded by perfection. So we desire change. House hunting- a change It's not difficult to change things for a short amount of time. You start an exercise routine and are faithful for a week. You convince your housemate that they need to wash their dishes and they do that for a week. You clean up the neighborhood with all your neighbors and it stays clean for... well... less than a week. Because long-term change is hard. Babies change But we still want change. We want heart change. We believe that the best changes start with th...

Just like Americans, islanders vary when it comes to their experience with other cultures and understanding the differences between places in the world. During a class on "hospitality and hosting" recently, we were talking about what it means to be a good host in local culture and what it means to be a good guest. I asked what a good host should do, and they were a little quiet, so I primed the discussion with some questions... Should the host say hello? YES!!! Should the host give their guest something to drink? YES!!! Of course! Should the host wash the guest's feet? NO!!! (with looks of confusion-- who in their right mind would do that?) We discussed some more of what it meant to host well, then moved on to being a good guest. Should the guest bring a gift? Maybe... sometimes? If there's a new baby, you should bring a gift. What sort of gift should you bring? "A live chicken!" said Sia, as the classroom burst into laughter. Sia was surp...