The staff was supposed to be at the school for normal worship at 7:30 AM. The students were supposed to be at the school by 8 AM (normal school time) so that there could be a run-through for the program. I was planning to have the juniors clean the classroom when they got to school, so I borrowed a broom and dustpan from the 8th grade classroom (my classroom doesn’t have either). As time passed and it was almost 9 AM, I got frustrated enough to clean the classroom myself and organized the classroom for the potluck after the program. While I was cleaning, one junior, Quinton, popped his head in the classroom to ask if any other juniors were there. When I said no, he left. After I was finished cleaning the classroom, Conny and Hemilson (junior and senior) came in carrying some food. I asked them to help me take the chairs down to the “auditorium” (three classrooms with the dividers taken down). After we finished I sent the guys to buy plates and utensils because no one was bringing them. 
One by one the juniors started showing up at the school. I was in the teachers’ workroom checking my email and waiting for something to happen. I walked around outside and then went up to my classroom. Some students were playing around on the guitar and ukulele. I walked around outside some more and then the prince got out of a taxi and came through the gate. It was now time to start the program, over an hour later than planned (it was supposed to start at 10:30, but the prince had to be at several other programs first). The program began with the pre-K class and went all the way through to the seniors. Grades pre-K to 5th did songs. Grades 6th through 12th did songs, dances, or plays, in different combinations. The 6th grade did a lot of dancing to the rhythm of an electric keyboard (which they had been practicing next door to my classroom for a week… my students were easily distracted). The juniors did a song and a play. I guess the play was about the bad effects of chewing betel (pronounced beetle) nut. Two guys, Danny and Quinton, wore dresses and acted like girls. I don’t really know what was happening because it was in Marshallese. (the picture is of the juniors)
One by one the juniors started showing up at the school. I was in the teachers’ workroom checking my email and waiting for something to happen. I walked around outside and then went up to my classroom. Some students were playing around on the guitar and ukulele. I walked around outside some more and then the prince got out of a taxi and came through the gate. It was now time to start the program, over an hour later than planned (it was supposed to start at 10:30, but the prince had to be at several other programs first). The program began with the pre-K class and went all the way through to the seniors. Grades pre-K to 5th did songs. Grades 6th through 12th did songs, dances, or plays, in different combinations. The 6th grade did a lot of dancing to the rhythm of an electric keyboard (which they had been practicing next door to my classroom for a week… my students were easily distracted). The juniors did a song and a play. I guess the play was about the bad effects of chewing betel (pronounced beetle) nut. Two guys, Danny and Quinton, wore dresses and acted like girls. I don’t really know what was happening because it was in Marshallese. (the picture is of the juniors)The program lasted for more that two hours. By the time the program was done, everyone was really hungry. I went with the juniors to the classroom, blessed the food, and started the potluck. Even though I had told the students to bring only chicken, beef or tuna if they were going to bring meat, they brought octopus, crab salad, and other random fish. I must say that the octopus looked really ugly (I forgot to take a picture). Needless to say, I did not eat a whole lot at the potluck. Slowly the students finished eating and the guys left, also leaving a mess. I talked with a couple of the girls for a while as they gathered up the sparse leftovers. After the girls left I surveyed the mess in my classroom. The students had apologized for not cleaning last night, but they still didn’t help clean up after potluck. I set about picking up trash and straightening the classroom. I asked a couple guys to help me carry the chairs back up to my classroom. After all the chairs and tables were neat and the trash taken out, I closed my classroom door and started crying. Part of it had to do with getting 3 hours of sleep the night before when the power came back on, and from being stressed and frustrated. I honestly wanted nothing more than to just go home. Anyway, I sat in my classroom for a little bit and then locked it to go check my email. I got an email from my mom saying that she was sending me some packages. That made me feel better. I packed up my stuff and headed to the post office to mail a letter and then went back to the apartment. I was feeling “blah” and did not feel like doing my lesson plans, so I asked Lorraine if she wanted to go to Triple J with me and get things for the weekend camping trip. After Triple J (and getting macadamia nut ice cream), we went to the school so Lorraine could get her water bottle. We saw a storm getting closer so we hurried back to the apartment. Fortunately, it didn’t rain until a while after we got back. I worked on lesson plans a little bit and got ready for bed. I was planning to go on the afternoon boat tomorrow so that I could get more things done in the morning and pack.
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