Day 439 or Probability Factor of 1 to 1

Five to one against and falling. Four to one against and falling. Three to one. Two. One. Probability factor of one to one. We have normality, I repeat, we have normality. Anything you still can't cope with is therefore your own problem.

For those of you who were not aware, the last four and a half months our crew have been divided between those who were living on the ships, such as engineers, deckies, half of food service and other such people and those at Appelsbosh, such as teachers, families, bankers and others. Appelsbosh is a small abandoned college campus about three hours drive from the dock.

In preparation for our (hopefully) soon departure, the Appelboshians have returned!
There are people everywhere, all the time! We've gone, in the span of about less than two weeks from 80 to 120. Then in about two days the numbers jumped to 300!(And for those of you who are wondering, yes the dining room is slightly overwhelmed, it's okay, we'll get used to it! ...Someday...)

We've begun running the generators!!!! That means:

Lights;
Over the whole ship! All the time! Which means that wandering around late at night gives you the distinct feeling that you get when you've gone to get a glass of water at about midnight and have found someone has left the kitchen light on. Only you can't turn these off. Plus hallways now feel like day as apposed to small unlit caverns.

Dishwashers;
See previous blog entry.

Heaters;
To keep the food warm! As apposed to previous months when the hot food was kept upstairs till the last five minute to preserve internal temperature, (which resulted in a slightly panicked desperate attempt to put all food away and ready in five minutes while a long line of hard working guys stared at you with painfully hungry gazes.) We now can have to food down and ready! (Before the stares become unbearable.)

And, best of all

Air Conditioning;
I'm just going to say it again; AIR CONDITIONING!!!! My chocolate is now SOLID! I no long eat it with a spoon! Fans are obsolete! I have to use a REAL BLANKET if I don't wish to freeze! Ah, I never realized how wonderful the thick weight of a blanket feels when you climb into bed. (And being on top bunk, I literally mean 'climb'.)
Warm showers are now nice and welcomed. Pajamas are no longer despised because you no longer believe they are attempting to smother you in your sleep!

Things that will hopefully be up and running soon: Crew Galley, ice machines, the hospital and the library.

Things are coming back to normal. There is always someone awake, no matter what time it is. Children are running around, just this morning I had to dodge a remote control car. Dining room's full. Nurses are everywhere. Reception is now manned at all hours.

I've really enjoyed these last couple of months. I've enjoyed being a minority in a very small crew. I've enjoyed the atmosphere. I've enjoyed doing thing differently, because doing things the normal way isn't a option. I've enjoyed spending lazy weekend days in the IT office, the only air conditioned room I'm allowed access to.
Getting to know people I didn't before. I've enjoyed being surrounded by engineers and deckies, listening to conversations on things such as reactors, survival plans, alternate energy ideas, string theory and indestructible wedding rings.

But I'm really enjoying things returning to normal. The feeling of being part of something so big, bigger than just me. People everywhere, things going on. And before we know it, we'll be sailing!


Oh, and a cookie to who ever correctly guesses the quote at the beginning!

Day 431 or So Much Time...

Sometimes I amazed at how much time has past since I've been gone, since the day I left. Yeah, there are things that I missed, my brother turning both fourteen and now fifteen, Christmas (which felt like it never happened), friend's birthdays, winters, all gone.

I'm amazed at how much I've seen and done. I've sailed three times, once across the equator and once around the Cape of Good Hope, I've celebrated Christmas in both Tenerife and Swaziland, watched eye surgeries, meteor showers, held children in my arms who's lives have been changed by the surgeries that Mercy Ships provides. I've stayed up way to late with friends, hung out in African markets and orphanages, spent more hours in the dish room than I care to count.

I've done so much in only fourteen months.
Somehow I feel as though it's a very long time that's passed by very quickly.

Four months left, then I'll be on my way back to the states. That to me is just mind blowing.I'm so happy here, I can't really imagine anything else.
Somehow, I think in the back of my mind, I still expect to go home and it will be November 19, 2009.
Funny that.

Day 421 or Progress in the Dining Room!

Since we've been here in ship yard, our numbers on ship have dropped down to about seventy core members. Because of that, we've only been using about half the dining room, one line and (worst of all!!! But because of a small amount of power) have been washing all the dishes by hand!

After spending about four months with such a small group, it's been lots of fun watching as the people slowly branch futher and further into what used to be unused territory. We'll still quite short compared to our usual numbers, but it's fun to watch it gradually fill.

Today was the first day we've begun using both lines and boy was it nice to not have a que out the door! (Okay, so there aren't any doors there, but we were half expected someone to climb out the window!) We've finally had to adjust for the numbers!

And, most exciting of all in my opinion, we've finally got enough power to use the dishwashers!!!! And just it time! Compared to our usual 80 people, at lunch we've been serving up to 120! During field service, our lunch time numbers will be in the six hundreds!

It's been fun watching the dining room slowly return to normal.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, I'm really excited about the dishwashers!!!