*We have tried to train our kids to be really quiet when they wake up, so they don\u2019t wake the others up.\u00a0 So when they wake up, they climb into our bed.\u00a0 Now our bed is a little smaller than a double bed\u2026so every morning, we have 4 people in our bed!!\u00a0 Cozy!!<\/p>\n
*We have found that we did not pack enough warm clothes at night.\u00a0 It is FREEZING!\u00a0 At least we are learning this now, so we can prepare for our own tribe.<\/p>\n
*WE use a twin tub washer to wash our clothes.\u00a0 It\u2019s a combination of the old days of washing and wringing out your clothes, and the modern days where we have automatic.\u00a0 Now most of you won\u2019t be able to relate to this, but we hang our clothes up on the line to dry!\u00a0 Most days, it gets cloudy by noon and our clothes don\u2019t dry.<\/p>\n
*We have a working toilet, but there is a saying to conserve water: \u201cIf it\u2019s yellow, let it mellow.\u00a0 If it\u2019s brown, flush it down!<\/p>\n Now for some other things about this culture:<\/p>\n *Kakaruk- This is the pidgin word for rooster.\u00a0 Most of you are like us and thought that roosters crow as the sun comes up.\u00a0 That\u2019s true, but they also crow alllll the time\u2026especially when our kids are sleeping.\u00a0 So they come right outside our window and crow at 4 in the morning forever!\u00a0 And then they crow during our kids\u2019 nap!\u00a0 One time, BJ picked up a rock and was about to \u201ctoss\u201d it over in the general direction of the rooster.\u00a0 Then, the owner came over to talk to BJ and was telling him that was his rooster.\u00a0 BJ slyly put the rock behind his back!!<\/p>\n *Do you remember what \u201csusu\u201d is in pidgin?\u00a0 Well, women nurse their kids all the time, and they don\u2019t use coverups!\u00a0 Any time their kids come to them, they nurse them.\u00a0 It has become just a normal thing\u2026almost.<\/p>\n *The people here wash in the rivers, creeks, or waterfall.\u00a0 It\u2019s a little different than M adang, because they could immerse in the ocean.\u00a0 So they are a little dirtier here!<\/p>\n *People grow their food in gardens, which consist of sweet potato, taro, pumpkins, and greens.\u00a0 They are so nice and bring us food all the time!\u00a0 And you cannot throw it away, or it\u2019s offensive!\u00a0 So we give it to the kids or I have a friend who said I could secretly give it to her if I don\u2019t want it!<\/p>\n *Last thing, we have to hike everywhere.\u00a0 The terrain is very hilly here.\u00a0 It\u2019s quite beautiful!\u00a0 We had to hike 30 minutes to a friend\u2019s house the other night in the rain.\u00a0 We also have to hike there and back to church\u202630 minutes\u2026and I assure you\u2026it\u2019s up hill both ways!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/bj-sanders\/files\/2014\/07\/IMG_1883.jpg\" "\\"IMG_1883\\"")
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