I realize that I’m not the best blog-updater. However, this is only the third time that I’ve had internet access since I’ve been in Fiji, so I would like to offer that as an excuse that you can either completely dismiss or regard as semi-legitimate.
PRAISE: We found permanent apartments! If you don’t know, we’ve been staying in suitable but small temporary apartments until we could find something else. The girls and guys’ apartments are in the same complex, and they’re actually pretty nice. We moved in on Thursday (or Wednesday if you’re in the states:)). Since then, we’ve been unpacking and settling in- it’s incredible to finally not be living out of a suitcase!
The first night in our apartment!!! :)
What’s going on: We just finished two weeks of our bible classes. The classes weren’t like your normal physics or cell biology class, where you think “I think I would rather jump out my window right now than read one more page of this text”, but instead they were thought-provoking classes where I learned a lot! From last Sunday until Thursday, all of the Fijian Crusade staff, along with the six Americans, and some other regional staff, attended a conference about “equipping the next generation”. It was great worship, teaching, and vision casting on where ministry in the South Pacific has been and where it hopes to go.
Some initial thoughts about Fiji:
+ what excites me: I found a library the other day, it has some really great books on some of the plants in Fiji! Also, books on marine life and stars!
+what I wish I wouldn’t have brought: rainboots. Yes, it rains everyday here. But when I debuted by rainboots, I got some hilarious looks. My favorite remark: “Well, they’re not wrong, but they’re definitely interesting.”
+ what irritates me: When I’m walking (either by myself or with the girls), taxis will literally pull over and ask if we need a ride. The other day, I went on walk by myself, and FOUR taxis stopped for me. While I appreciate the kind gesture, if I wanted a taxi, I would have raised my arm and gotten one.
+what surprises me: I don’t really have a tan yet. I thought by now I’d be blending in with the natives.
+what I seriously cannot understand: pedestrians have no rights in Fiji. The taxi drivers are very nice if you’re in the vehicle with them. Otherwise, prepare to get yelled and honked at on a daily basis.
+what intrigues me: there’s a Chinese school just down the road from us. I want to check it out!
+what I wouldn’t have been able to survive the past two weeks without: BDC, code for Bad Dog Café. Currently, this is my favorite restaurant in Suva (very American food), and has been vital to my health after still being in the process of undergoing the slowest adjustment to new food ever known.
More to come!
What to pray for:
Rest. The day we arrived in Fiji, we had a dinner meeting and since then our schedules have been packed with classes and the conference (which was great but tiring). Now that we’re back and into our apartments, we have a week to regroup, rest, and explore Suva. Pray that this would be a restful week and that it would be good time to connect with the Lord.
The health of our team. We are a fiercely strong team, however almost everyone has faced some sort of illness over the past three weeks. Whether it’s a result of the new and interesting food, water, environment change, or your yearly tonsillitis, it can really bring our team down when one or more of us is sick.
My address (no pressure but if you want to send some love)
Kori Eberle
Gpo Box 19284
Suva, Fiji Islands
There was a random crazy rain shower the other day. We called it a monsoon and cyclone. We don't know the difference so we said both, even though I'm pretty sure it was just rain shower and was neither.
This little guy was hanging out in our bathroom the other day. No can do, mister. He had to go back outside. He was the lucky one, as a few days later, his second or third cousin accidentally got chopped in half when Mary tried to use a bowl to trap him on the wall.
We made some very yummy chocolate chip cookies the other day. Midway through, we had some oven problems. It turned off so I tried to turn the oven back on, but the oven door blew open with blue fire shooting out of it. Jenny and I almost got burned to death.
We had a really great "briefing" meeting thursday morning at our apartment. The directors, Koli and Jeanette, led the meeting, while some student leaders also gave us advice on how we'll go about ministry this year. It was very insightful and a great time to get to know everyone better!
