Its been an adventure

Graduation weekend and my time in Chuuk seems like such a long time ago now, but there is one final chapter from this story that I still have to write, so ergo - here we go!
One thing that is incredible about Chuuk SDA School is now the teachers can come together and make things happen. At the beginning of the year I was absolutely terrified when I learned that I would be the one to plan the entire graduation for my high school seniors. I thought to myself: This is too much! I don't know how to plan something this big! And, more than once: I have NO idea what I'm doing. But over time, as I continued to try to figure out exactly what to do, I was blown away by the support system that I had - the teachers that I had been learning to work with.
They knew what to do, who to talk to, and how to make a program that would go smoothly. And though I was still overly stressed and worried way too much, their confidence and knowledge inspired me to get things done. The initial 8th grade adviser and I had decided to combine the 8th grade and 12th grade graduation as an experiment this year, and so I had the opportunity to have somebody else to work with and shoulder the weight.
So here's to you, my fellow SDA teachers and SM's: You all are the best - I couldn't have done it without you! Thanks for being a constant inspiration for me!

A few 8th graders

My seniors <3

Graduation went well. There were the expected hiccups and ultra-late arrivals, but everybody got diplomas and random awards, and so I'd say it was a roaring success. We were able to come up with some of our own awards, and so I gave out quite a few, including a Gentleman's Award and a Miss Congeniality Award. Fun stuff, that! One thing that was great about planning a graduation was that I finally figured out how to correctly spell and pronounce Baccalaureate!
The small successes, haha!

Anyways, the teachers, my seniors, some church members, and the local workers all came together to give the church a new coat of paint, weave ferns and make flower decorations, and finalize speeches. Public speaking isn't many people's good friend, and I'm proud of the many students who gave their speeches during graduation - thanks for making eye contact! :) Soon enough, the graduates had moved their tassels, the reception was finished, and I was free to spend the last few hours of my birthday in bliss.

Last view of Chuuk

The next week was spent cleaning and organizing my teaching materials, heading to Lei-Side for a last hurrah, and packing up to go HOME! On May 29 I headed over to Kosrae for a few last days of island life, and then on June 1 we said our final goodbyes and were on our way home - back to dry heat, Wal-mart, and an endless supply of vegetables.
There was a part of me that thought that I might get some sleep during the 24 hour trip home, but that wasn't to be the case! As the island hopper made its way from Pohnpei to Honolulu, more and more SM's climbed aboard, and it was great to be able to start exchanging stories. We reached Hawaii, and my layover was spent going through customs, collecting my luggage, and checking everything back in again. On the flight from Honolulu though, we ran into a tiny hiccup. About an hour into the flight a voice came over the speakers asking if there was a paramedic or doctor on-board, and if they could identify themselves. A middle-aged gentleman seemed to be having difficulty breathing, and we ended up turning the plane around and heading back to Hawaii. We taxied to the gate, and after another 45 minutes or so we were back in the air. Most of the SM's I talked to during that time also took it in stride - the "it's chill" attitude was still very present. Thankfully, I wasn't met with any difficulties with catching my flight, and was even able to grab a bite to eat before climbing aboard the tiny plane on my last leg to home.

And... It's so GOOD to be home! A few close friends from WWU and my church had come to meet me at the airport, and that was so exciting. :) In Kosrae the girls and some local ladies had made some breadfruit chips, so I was able to share those with everybody and get some great reactions, haha!
The last few weeks I've spent catching up with friends and family, and doing so many of the things that I had so missed! Being jet lagged lasted for a bit over a week and I'm still getting cold in air conditioning... but I've had VEGETABLES and more salads in these two weeks than I had in the 10 months that I was gone.
Though my time in Chuuk was challenging, it was so rewarding as well! I'm glad that I went, and I pray that many more students are inspired to go to the islands next year - since they are in desperate need of teachers. (hint, hint.)

So here I am, at the end of my journey - and it's been an adventure. I am so thankful for all who have supported me throughout this past year in your prayers, or by sending me packages or words of encouragement.

There's only one thing left to say: Kinisou chapur. Thank-you very much to the islands that gave me a new perspective, taught me so much about life and how to be strong, gave me the courage to depend on others, and gave me the faith to put my trust in the God that never fails me.