April 17

Looking out toward Male from Kudo Bandos.

Our group and other groups enjoying the ocean.

Our group on a boat for hire heading to the afternoon's outing.

PICNIC ISLAND

We made it out to the picnic island named something like Kudo Bandos. It means Little Bandos I think. It turns out it is next to the island I will teach at from tomorrow (Bandos) but it is open to the public only once a week since I believe the resort guests have access on other days to it. Sadly, I could tell that if there was a boat directly from my island, I could be at work within 30 minutes. But I have to take the 30 min. ferry to Male to catch another boat so it will be at least double the commute time. Oh well.

So, it was nice to meet many new people. There was a couple and baby from Zimbabwe. There was a single young woman (Sara) who is a travel magazine journalist who works here and her parents visiting from England. And another Maldivian couple and their child who are friends of Angie's. And I think everyone else I had met before: Piper, David, Jean, Matthea, Claudine, Remas, Shazu and their baby, Remas' sister, Joe, Angie and Bobby and their 2 kids, Yohn and Madeline from Sweeden or Switerland and their 2 kids. So, it was a large group of 29!

We ate a little that people had brought and swam. The reef was great there too. And, I saw another shark! But it was a small black-tipped fin reef shark. I didn't go out long since I just don't feel safe yet without an expert with me. When I swam with my student, he was constantly turning and watching all that was around us and knew what was what. So I felt very safe with him. I haven't learned how to turn and look around yet without filling my snorkel up! And I have no idea what I should be especially respectful to. But it was another tiring and enjoyable workout nonetheless.

I am still rocking back and forth almost 24 hours later from being in the water...I hope I stop doing that before the end of summer.

ROOMMATES

Matthea and Claudine will be staying another week. Claudine's flight to England was cancelled due to the volcano, so Matthea will stay behind with her too. I am sure her husband is not happy at all since I hear he is missing her.

FOOD

The nice restaurant on my island has an American breakfast that I tried. They don't know American. Corn Flakes in hot milk - yuck. But my South African friends say they never eat cereal in cold milk...I can't get used to it and I don't really like Corn Flakes anyways. It also comes with 4 (!!) pieces of toast, a chicken hot dog, and a fried egg. I never ate like that in America, but it is kind of normal, I guess?

I almost made a faux pas when asking what was in some "short eats" yesterday. I said, "Is it sau...?" and caught myself before I said "sausage". I keep forgetting there isn't pork here! I guess they may have assumed "chicken sausage" though...but I knew my intention. Everything is chicken, fish or some beef. I miss tofu...

WEATHER

I am tired of the sun. In Japan at least it was often cloudy with heat...so it seemed more bearable. I don't want rain really, but clouds would be great. I guess the desires of all the vacationers coming here outweigh my little wish.

My Maldivian umbrella already broke too...things just fall apart here it seems. My mattress pokes me. The furniture is cheap. My dish sponge fell apart. Etc...

CLASSES

I begin Bandos tomorrow. I will teach from Ventures 3 for the first time, so I wonder how they will be. I really dislike that the answers are written in my teacher's book on the student pages. I have to lay my book down next to students, so they can view the answers and I usually hold my book up to point to things. That is a negative about Ventures. In Interchange at least they put the answers on the opposing page which was a little more work for the teacher to find the answers, but very worth it in my opinion.