Suspended Animation

I promise that I'm not really that bad at this whole blogging thing. Really. I have good reasons for not posting very much. 1) My computer refuses to connect to the internet, and 2) I haven't had the cord to connect to my camera and download pictures. But, I'm on another computer. No pictures, but, you know, baby steps.

Whenever I read blogs, all I usually care about are interesting pictures, so I totally understand if you skip this post. I've been able to upload some pictures via my iTouch and Instagram. Oh boy, has that little guy been useful. Most of the time I turn it on and am all bummed out because it doesn't have a built-in network and you're basically dependent on Wi-Fi. But it connects to the internet where I'm staying, so I get to keep up on all of the important, world-shattering Facebook updates. Definitely my top priority. It also takes pictures and Instagram does all sorts of artsy things to them to make you look like an edgy, indie low-budget, high-art film maker or something. I love it. Lovelovelove it.

See? It has given you THIS. A picture mostly featuring my nose and a giant plant. Enjoy.

I arrived on Tuesday at 10:30 in the morning. My new roomate-to-be Laurie picked me up and we only got a little bit lost on the way from Honolulu to Kailua. And speaking of LOST, this whole island looks like Jurassic Park. I keep expecting the Others, or a Veloceraptor to jump out of the bushes. The freeway goes through the mountains (they run length-wise down the middle of the island), and gives you a spectacular view. Which none of you get to see because I did not take a picture. Sorry.

We stopped at the house where I'm staying for a couple weeks. I get a nice room off of the house and get to hang out with Tim and Karen and their little kids. It's great. The plan is to move into the condo on MONDAY and, believe me, we cannot wait.

Nancy, the Head of School, graciously lent us girls her car for several weeks, and in the few days before teacher training started, I got to explore (Laurie was busy and couldn't come)

This is the beach at Waimanalo, and, with the exception of the funky island, it looks very similar to Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach, both of which are about a mile from our condo. It's a rough life.

I went up to the North Shore, and spent most of the time in the car, but it was a beautiful drive along the coast. Us girls have already decided we're going back in the winter, when the North Shore hosts Triple Crown surfing events. I don't think I'll really believe there are such things as 30-ft waves until I see them.

We've had a busy week of teacher training. Up at 6am and busy until around 4pm. It's been a great time. For me, it's been a time of chilling out because I keep having waves of panic over curriculum and lesson planning. Slowly but surely, things are coming together, by the grace of God. I'm going to stop there and get back to work.

I just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive (if my incessant Facebook posting hadn't told you already). One more week of teacher training and then it's the real deal. Yipes.

Hope you all have a blessed week.

Your Hawaiian Word of the Week is: Pau. It's almost as common as aloha or mahalo. It means "done." For example, at the ATM today, as I took my receipt, the guy behind me asked, "Are you pau?"

LW