'lets take out the rubbish, eh?'

alright. i have to let it be known. i love writing of my time. But i have to let it be know, for my sake. More is happening in one day of my life on this ship then seems to have happened in the last year of my life. I can't write it all down. when I sit to write an entry i feel overwelmed. I want you to know everything. But the truth of the matter is, you can't. I face facts. I will tell you what i tell you. I want to share it all so bad, but i'd be here for weeks and then i'd waste my time and have none left to experience. that would be no good. that would be rubbish, as my trainer and co-worker, Corina, would say. Corina is from germany and i am enthralled by her accent. She's quite lovely. When she asked me if i could help her with the trash, she said very beautifully, 'you mind taking out the rubbish with me?', all complete in german style. Corina is about 27 and trained me today in much of the work that i will be doing over the next year. She moves to another department next week, before we sail to Cape Town, and i'll be taking over her position as Placement Facilitator. She showed me my office today and encouraged me to decorate it any way i wanted. It's insane, they treat me like a woman over here...i feel so small, only 18, you know? I also work with a boy named Steven. He's probably around 25. Oh man. He's from England and he dresses like an englander in every way, if you can imagine that. His office is right beside mine, on the other side of the wall. He's constantly playing loud missy elliott or celine dion tunes on his ipod. He'll throw in some gospel choir, and then a reading of the 23rd pslam. THis morning he belted out in this wonderfully hillarious brittish voice, 'I BELIEVE THAT THE HEART WILL GO ON'. He raves about Mcdonalds and made a paper chain and banner for the bank lady's(Vangie) 38th birthday.

Right now, we're docked in East London for repairs. Next monday we sail for Cape Town where we'll do support raising and staff recruiting for three weeks. Then we'll pull the anchor in and head out for our two week exursion to Liberia where we'll spend 7 months in outreach. There, all crew members are able to be very much involved with the liberian children. We are encourged to "adopt" a patient in the wards. Every day, we go down to visit them for a time since their families tend to live miles away. We also can sign up to watch surgeries that are performed in the wards, which i really want to do...it will be intense though. i don't know.

My jobs crazy. I feel very inadequate and young and that i may never be of help. Pray that God will give me peace and understanding. Almost everyone asks you what department you're in and when they hear me answer 'human resources', they're so surprised. 'Wow..thats a fancy important job. How'd you get that? Well good luck, you're the backbone of the ship.'
yeah. so im the backbone. I'm fearful and intimidated. pray that i'll understand.
Sam started his job today also. He works in the 'galley', which is another term for the kitchen. He's the assitent cook! yeah man. if you ask me, thats the most important job. He works about 4 days a week for 11 hrs a day. (!) Tonight as we sat down for dinner, we had this excellent corn bread and hamburger something or other. I lifted a spoonful into my mouth and looked at Sam with surprise, half jokingly commenting, 'ha. did you make this?' It was so spicy and he had been talking about his love for spices. Sam laughed and to my surprise, nodded yes. 'yeah man, we were dumping in every spice there was back there...isn't it good'. gave me a laugh. meals oughta be good with sam back in the galley this year.

after dinner, i wanted nothing more then to crash on my bed. hanv't taken any naps yet. very strange. No headaches either...which is stranger. Signe and Anna asked me if i wanted to catch a movie with them along with 5 guys as body gaurds, so we weren't in danger. I was tired but decided to go, a good oppertunity to meet my ship family. I am amazed and feel quite the stupid american when i get out in the town. I'm so surprised by everything. Prices, wealth, rules, cars, customs, weather, new words. Everything is dirt cheap here..yet their malls are as nice as ours. On a friday night in East London, South Africa, i went out to a very nice intalian resurant, saw a movie(bewitched) with the biggest screen i've ever laid eyes on, and then went out for hot choclate in a very well to do drink/coffee kinda place. Heres my price. All that...5 hours of entertainment for $6!!! I am blown away.

The photos are of my crew mates. The blonde is Signe and the girl with long hair, is anna. SHe's from Holland and has a romanian kind of accent. She's marrying a man from Kentucky next August. The boy on the right is Torbjoern. He's from Norway, like Signe. Signe was glad to find a fellow norwegion. I told her sam and i are just awed by all the different accents and languages...so she and toubjoern talked norwegian back and forth for a bit for out entertainment. She's so relieved to have someone that speaks her own language. She told me, she gets so frusterated because theres so much she wants to say but her communication is very limited. She seems to speak perfect english but it's hard for her. Theres so much thought involved to form just one sentence. Yes, it must be nice to find a fellow norwegian.