2nd Week in Suriname

I didn't find out that I was going to Suriname until Wednesday at 7pm.  I landed in Trinidad on Monday, November 15, got to the bed and breakfast around 2am, slept until 8am.  Tuesday, went to Mission Leadership Training.  Went proselyting from 5 to 9 that evening, then back to the bed and breakfast for food and sleep.  Wednesday, we went to the 2nd part of leadership training, then we went to the embassy to get visas.   Then we had a little introduction to the mission, they gave us our own debit cards, then we hopped on a big Caribbean Airlines 757 jet at 10pm and took the 1.25 hour flight to Suriname.  We had met up with Elder Tullis on our layover in Miami and we flew and lived together until Suriname.  We have to leave Suriname every 3 months to get our visas renewed.

The food here is fantastic, when it's not me building the cakes.  I've got Nutella for snacks, tuna, rice, etc., that can somehow become meals.  There is a place called Roopram Roti that is completely delicious.  I got some pumpkin roti there, and it blew me away.  The vegetables are not good, but the fruit makes up for it.  It's mango season right now.  I just need to learn how to shop here.

(I believe this is where the elders live.  Photo stolen with no permission from Elder Bell's Mission Blog - I don't even know who that fellow is - VaLene)

Elders Bell, Baker, Guinn, and myself all live in a sweet house.  It has a kitchen downstairs, and everything else upstairs.  We've got the whole thing to ourselves.

Dutch is coming.  I can now understand some, but not all people.  And not everything they say-more just the theme of what they say.  The buggy part is that in English, I know how to ask questions that will get the person to think what I want them to think.  In Dutch, I can only ask simple questions.  I don't yet know how to put the right inflections or words in to make it more useful.

Lots of rain this week, but every day we see the sun.  In leadership training, I felt so out of place because everyone was so dark.  I am a lot darker now.

Keep riding bikes and just know that these bikes are so so much worse than Huffers.  They would be better off using recycled garbage bags for bearings, than the metal used.

Suriname, Surprise!!

 I'm in Suriname, Paramaribo.  This place is nuts.  Lots of bike riding, and the drivers here actually can drive around cyclists!  It's such a relief.  The visa specialist here is a senior sister named Sister Ellison, and she worked some kind of tricks to get us into Suriname, but we will be driving to French Guiana quarterly to renew the limited use visas.  


I had a great flight down here, almost got stuck in Trinidad with the immigration people, but made it through alright.  There is not any food in this country!  I've only been eating Bacova, which is bananas.  They are only a dollar for 6!  Exchange rates here are in my favor,  $1US=$2.8 SA.  Back to the Bacova, it's one SA $ for 6 bananas, and they are completely delicious.  I bought a $10 pineapple too, which was simply incredible.  Besides the fruit though, I have no clue what to eat, and we've only been fed once, which I hope to change, because that seems to be the way to get good food.  


So far I've seen lots of animals.
Street dogs: Dogs that are just strays running around.  They aren't very interested in chasing people for the most part, only three have chased me.  The dogs here are small, about the size of our dog, but skinny.  I've seen a few rottweilers, but those are only at the rich houses.  
Lizards: A few big green ones, like 16 inches long.  They run fast and aren't very catch able
Frogs: plenty of frogs.  I haven't caught any yet, except the one that was playing in our drying dishes earlier this morning.  It was tiny though, most of the other ones are great biggies.  
Geckos:  Geckos are all over the walls and stuff of people's houses.  They run funny because their legs don't seem to separate very well.  The ones I've seen are yellow, hopefully I can find some other cooler ones. 
Parrots: The main parrots you will think of are the Macaw ones, they are big and red, or big and blue.  Most of the parrots however are green, and as big as a rock dove.  They are the more tamable ones though.
Sounds: when the sun goes down there is an entire chorus of various different animals singing, it's enjoyable I think.
Bugs: there aren't really very many bugs here.  No big mosquito issues like in Alabama.  There are lots of ants, but they are super tiny.  Not really an issue when you put your table in bowls of water so they can't climb up.  I've used dish soap to drown a number of them. 

It's pretty hot, even going into the rainy season.  Not nearly as hot as some of the days in Alabama, but always humid.  We have an "airco" unit in our bedrooms, but the rest of the house is wind cooled, or just toasty.  We have a whole house!  My Companion is named elder Bell.  He's from somewheres in Utah. He's a bowler, he's bowled a 300.  He's lost 40 lbs as a missionary so far.  He leaves the airco on all night so when I wake up, it's always freezing.  The shower water is tough, because the ground is still cool showering at 6:30am.  Everyone here is super super super tanned, I'm catching up quickly.  Even when wearing sunscreen. 

Elder Hulme with strange smile, and Elder Bell looking very relaxed

I'm pretty culture shocked but doing well. I'm glad to hear that Grandpa's funeral service went well.  I miss Alabama.  Quite a lot actually.  But it's going to be a brand new adventure and I'll make it work.  

Another Change

I received another e-mail today from President Holzapfel saying that they are now flying out this Monday, November 15, instead of Thursday.  Bon Voyage Elder Hulme!

Farewell Alabama

(VaLene talking here)  President Holzapfel called us today at 10:30am to say that the church has decided to send Elder Hulme and Elder Guinn to the West Indies mission, English speaking.  We assume they will be in Trinidad/Tobago, but we don't know for sure.  Other English-speaking islands in the West Indies mission include Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, and St. Vincent.  I don't know if their Visas for Suriname were ultimately denied, or if the mission folks just gave up on waiting.  I believe it was the latter.  I do not know if there is still a chance that they will get to Suriname and speak Dutch.

Click Map of the West Indies Mission to see all the countries and islands that are part of the mission.

Departure Date: Thursday, November 18
Depart Alabama 1:05pm
Arrive Miami, Florida 3:55pm
Depart Miami, Florida 6:50pm
Arrive Port of Spain 11:30pm

This will be exactly one week shy of his 8-month mission mark.  I can't wait to talk to him and find out how he feels about all of this.  We are very excited for him.  He did mention in a recent e-mail that if/when he leaves Alabama, he will likely experience mission-president-shock.  President Holzapfel seems to be one in a million.  Here is the e-mail that Pres. Holzapfel sent to the families, the bishops, the stake presidents, and to the elders.  And he included this photo from their recent zone conference.

Dear Elders Hulme and Guinn,

Here is your travel plan for November 18. We will arrange your departure interviews and dinner this coming weekend. Your efforts to prepare Elders Kirk and Chugg to take your responsibilities in the Ensley Branch will be appreciated. New zone leaders will be called before you leave. I ask you to visit with them as soon as we announce their assignment.

Thank you for your service in the mission. Your lives exemplify the kind of missionaries the Lord needs today to fulfill his purposes. Thank you for your inspired leadership as the Bessemer zone leaders. The recent conference you conducted was exceptional and training and discussions were most helpful. I commend you both for your dedication, obedience, and service.

Blessings, President Holzapfel

GOOD LUCK ELDER HULME AND ELDER GUINN!!!!!!

Sushi Chefs

Elder Hulme has now surpassed my cooking expertise.  Here's proof...

Elder Guinn chopping

rolling

  plating

 eating

Apparently, dressing up is an important part of sushi-making.