Cockroaches and Cannibals

Today was a bizzare day. I found out I am going to Fiji and my leader was a Cannibal before she became a Christian. There are about 50 people on my team(the biggest of the 3 teams.) Most of the time we've been doing orientation. Tonight as we started getting ready for bed, I saw a cockroach for the first time. It was about 4 inches long and really quick. Immediately it ran under our mini fridge and we couldn't find it. So we just put the fridge outside. I hope I don't find it crawling over me tonight. It is kinda freaky really. Tomorrow we will have the whole day free. Not sure what I'm going to do, maybe find a beach or try and get a frisbee game going on. I also found out my address is as follows:

Joel Oliver
University of the Nations
75-5851 Kuakini Hwy #431
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Arrived in Kona!

I arrived here this morning about 8 and it turns out I'm going to have 5 roomates. I was the first one to arrive here today, so I am unpacking and just wanted to report that I arrived safely. I have internet here and cell phone reception, so feel free to email me. I will be meeting all sorts of people the next few days...I'm excited.

Mahalo!

I did it! I arrived Hawai'i safe and sound. The plane ride was an extra hour due to head winds but I met up with my friend and today we're going snorkeling! It's so dang hot here! Everyone is calling it mild, but the 70s are hot to me...especially in December! I go to Kona to the DTS base tomorrow. Thank you all for your prayers.

Going to HAWAII!!!

Tomorrow I fly out to go to Hawaii!!! I'm so busy packing and figuring out what I might want most over the next 5 months, my head is spinnig! So if you think of me, shoot up a prayer for me to think clearly, pack properly, and be at peace. So much to do, so little time. If I said I would call you or see you and didn't, I apologize. I love you still, just slipped my mind or ran out of time. I'll let you know how I am once I'm settled in.

I hate goodbyes!

I'm moving back to P-town today, and although I love my hometown, it's hard to say good bye to five years' worth of memories. Mixed emotions today....(but I did hide a treasure map on Sehome Hill....can't wait til someone finds it...double checked it last night at 2am just in case...it's still there.)

Gingerbread Houses

Went home Thursday to pick up my dad's truck so I can move home on Monday. While I was there I saw my sister's 4th graders because they wanted to meet her "crazy brother." Afterwards we decided to build a Gingerbread Mansion. During this construction, we decided this was the first annual Gingerbread Mansion party. I am currently trying to attach a pic of it, but it might not show up. This was just one angle.

Today I typed out all my contacts in Microsoft Outlook. Not a big fan of the program, but I needed them all in one place because having them in a huge pile on my desk on a hundred different envelopes and napkins just wasn't going to work. Still missnig lots of details for some people, so if you did not get one of my letters, and you want one, could you email your address to me at JoelOliver@gmail.com I will get you one asap!

Snowshoes and Mountains

A carload of us went hiking on Tuesday up this here mountain on the left, and the picture on the right is from the top. I had never been snowshoing before. It was fun! Lots of work, but amazing! On the way up, we had to take lots of small steps because there was a lot of steep areas, but that made it really fun to sled down on the way back. It made me realize how much I'm going to miss the snow while I'm gone to Hawaii. Don't get me wrong, I'll love it there, but I'll just be missing the snow and all that comes with it. There's nothing like sledding down a 500 foot slope on you bum in a foot of powder! I'm sure Kona will have it's perks too...and I can't wait to find them out!

Oh Christmas Tree...

This last week a few of my roomates and I were at our friends' house. They were tired and went to bed, leaving us downstairs by ourselves. We decided it would be a shame to leave their house unaltered somehow, so after discussing what we would do while my roommates ate the advent calendar candy, we decided to take the Christmas tree on an adventure.

We started at 1:15 am by looking for keys, and after we found a set, we then got one of our roommate's truck and drove all over Bellingham as far north as the Canadian border with the tree taking pictures of it. (Let me tell you, the conversation with the border guards was EXTREMELY AWKWARD!!!...You try explaining to them that you stole someone's Christmas tree to take pictures of it under the peace arch at 4am and that is why you don't have your passport) Anyways, we returned it by 5:30am and then we went to the store and got all the pictures printed out and gave it to them as a graduation/Christmas present. (there was written commentary in the book)

HOWEVER, while we were watching Narnia on Friday, they decided to dump crumbs and salt all over our beds and shaving cream all over our bathroom. We gave them their gift regardless. So with all my friends leaving, I've been trying to find them all to say goodbye since I won't be seeing them for half a year at the soonest....As a result, no time to do laundry yet, so I'm in my sleeping bag again tonight.

25 Days to go!!!

No, I'm not talking about Christmas, so don't think that I've forgotten how to count. I am super stoked for my DTS to start!!! I have a lot of money yet to raise, and I have most of my letters sent out. I have complete faith that God will provide the rest of the funds.

As far as the snow goes, unfortunately it didn't pan out the way I hoped. We did get some snow, but not enough to successfully go sledding. We tried, but it was more like sledding in the mud. But we had fun throwing snowballs, playing football, and frolicing in the snow. However, now I am really sore and I have a ton of muddy clothes.