Three Years On Statia: October 2012

Things, Things and more Things,

Jase’s class had his first assembly of the year and he was asked to read the students a story and ask the assembled students some questions about the story to see if they were paying attention. He did very well and was quite proud of how he did. Poor kid couldn’t really hear the reply of the students because he has a hard time hearing for some reason, which we can’t figure out. We will have to look into that when we get home.

During Todd’s school break we had some very kind offers from a couple friends who wanted to lend us a hand on the house. They came one morning for a few hours and Todd up them to work :). Thanks a ton Steve and Andy!

The girls think that rollerblading in and around our house is pretty awesome and they have created their own track! They can go through the house around the porch toward and through the garage and through the front door. It pretty fun to watch them go around and around. Here they are skating with Sarah.

The girls also got some super fun play food from friends leaving the island and set up this amazing restaurant- with their friend Niz! Saad came by the restaurant with his fancy pink Hello Kitty purse to make a purchase! The girls thought it was hilarious! Saad is always so sweet with the kids – we love him lots. I tried to sneak up on them to get this picture!

Some random nights of sunsets! You never get board of watching these!

Jellyfish, Jellyfish! There are jellyfish is the water near Statia but the usually ones are itty-bitty tiny things that you can barely see in the water. And if you touch one it will give you a good little zap and be sore for a while, and more than likely red, but not to bad. Courtney did get one trapped in her suit once – so tiny we couldn’t see it – but it gave her a pretty big welt on her belly. But we, nor the island, have ever seen Jelly fish like these.

They came in with Tropical Storm Issac trapped in the ton of seaweed that also came to the island with the storm. A lot of them were dead, but there were still a fair amount still alive. We went to the beach a little while after the storm and saw a friend of ours Marissa and her boyfriend Devin collecting Jellyfish. At first we weren’t sure what they were doing, but then we all started to help them find and collect these beautiful creatures who had an unlucky run in with the tropical storm. We only looked for the dead ones - you could just tell after a while by the way they were awkwardly floating in the water. Although Katie picked one up that still had a little bit of zap left in it but nothing to worry her or me. We did see some live ones and stayed clear. It was a nice day at the beach that day. Its always fun to have a new adventure!

Courtney had her assembly day, always involving some fun SDA songs and the raising of the Statian flag! Courtney was proud to be able to raise it with Miqure and Tr. Sharon that day!

Jase had one of his buddies Julian over to hang out for a bit! We had his little brother Jayzel come along for some fun too. Julian was one of Jases friends that moved into the high school this year from the SDA School.

We decided to spoil the kids! After Debbie graciously giving Jase Mathews old bike a while ago, and Katie always wanting to ride one, or both of them wanting to go on a bike ride together (with one bike?) we finally – on the school container coming the island – had some bikes on there for the kids! Todd and with the help of some good buddies – Saad & Joel (thank you, thank you!) – put them together. It was a GREAT surprise and a great bike ride that night!!

Jase says, "It was awesome! It was just a regular day. I came home from school and there was a bike just right there for me! I didn't see it coming at all!"

We had the best get together at the park the other week! With Debbie, the brains behind the whole thing, we got together with Anike, and the Hunter kids – Justus & Savannah – and had a fantastic wiener roast play date! I absolutely love the picture of Courtney and Savannah! Court LOVES Savannah and you can see the pure joy in her face getting to hold her hand, walk in the park, and having her undivided attention! What a fun afternoon! We have to do it again soon ladies!

Friends, Friends! Our friend and neighbor Adolfus. He is a sweet boy with a sad story. Seeing is mother for the first time in 8 year – being only about 14 himself – this summer, he said it was amazing! He lives right by us with his grandmother – whose husband passed not long ago. We’ve been able to take him to the beach a couple of times but besides that lets just say we pretty much never see the whites of his eyes out of his house. But we saw him again! And he was able to spend an hour playing with Jase this day!

Date night!! This was a pretty fun date night with Grant and Angie Hunter. It was a date of nighttime fishing with flashlights and ‘special’ fishing rods! Unfortunately the water was cloudy and there was pretty much not a fish in the sea!!! – Which was disappointing because I wanted to get something, however we did see a sleeping turtle lodged under a rock, accompanied by being cold and the seasickness I always get. Blah – I never throw up but just feel gross, it’s kind of annoying. Todd never gets cold, and the Hunters were enjoying just being out in the water. I guess we are getting too spoiled after being on the island for as long as we have because Todd and I came out after just a bit and visited with some local fishermen Todd knows. But it was a great night just to get out and have fun with some new friends!

Laundry, Laundry dayz! There is always laundry to do here and with drying it always on the line sometimes it can take days to dry your closes depending on the weather, or if you can run out there and save it before the rain, or if you forget it before the evening cool sets in and dampens your clothes again, or if there is not enough wind and sun and so on and so on. But here I actually got some little helpers to lend me a hand and snuck this first picture and got the rest.

Yes it was my birthday and I am now the ripe old age of 35 – still young though right with a few wrinkles starting. It really was a fantastic day, with bike rides, homemade spa by the girls, cake making with the girls and a yummy cake from my sweet friend Debbie, swimming with the kids in the pool in the dark with glow sticks – super fun!, Todd got me an iPhone, which is way cooler than I though but the most bestest part was that he is sent me to meet up with my sister Christa who went on a cruise and stopping in St. Maarten for a day! I met her there on October 3^rd! The best day EVER. – which I will be talking about in the next blog – got to catch myself up ;)

Hope made spa by the girls!

With going to medical school here it is sometime a real sacrifice for those who leave family behind to try and study to become a Doctor. One of our sweet friends on the island going to school has decided it was in her best interest, and the interest of her family and soon to be husband, that she return home and concentrate on them. Anjali has been a wonderful friend to our whole family, and her friends thought it would be a wonderful idea to throw her a last minute party with her and her closest friends to say goodbye. She will be missed.

Anjali and her best friend Nikki.

Todd cooked and cooked, and he cooked Indian food. Some people might be thinking he used all premade mixes in a box, but he only used a box for one dish, the rest were all him! Nikki said, “Your cooking puts many brown people to shame!” It was hilarious! Love those girls!

The ladies – around the circle left to right – Camille, Sharifa, Anjali, Daksha, Nikki, Megan and Iman.

The men – same way – J.R., Todd, Dr. Mansour, Robin, Pallav, Saad, and Steve.

It was a wonderful night and everyone wishes Anjali all the best!

There is a volunteer for STENAPA who organized an event to try and bring awareness to the local people of the island about their island, how to protect it and what STENAPA truly does. There are some locals who feel they are just making stupid rules - but don’t truly understand the importants of the rules. For instance only fishing in the designated area’s which is pretty much around the whole island except this one part to give the fish an area to re-populate. On St. Kitts they never designated an area for repopulation and they have actually over fished their fish and now fishermen make their way to Statia water. So it is very important not to fish in the reserve area to keep the waters here health and full of fish. Although there are people who still fish here!! Sand mining – destroys the beaches but also the nests of turtle eggs on the beach. Killing and eating the Antillean Iguanas when there are only a few Islands in the Caribbean that house them and the Antillean Iguana is on a dangerous path towards becoming extinct. So there were some very interesting points brought across at how to save and protect their island. There was a fairly good turn out – compared to what they were expecting – and they hope somebody was listening.

There were some great activities for the kids to participate in coloring contests, quiz’s for prizes, free pan flits and hiking books (which I’m excited about), information on garbage, sales of T-shirts and other STENAPA items and of course food sales. It really was very well done and the kids had a fantastic time. Courtney even had some artwork displayed from her afternoon school group.

Here she is with Tr. Chris who runs the group!