What Can You Learn in 2 Months?

When I stop to ponder the fact that I’ve been here in the jungles of Guyana for a little over two months now, it amazes me how I already feel at home. It already feels completely normal to tuck in my mosquito net every night before climbing into bed; to wake up at 5:30 in the morning to see the sun beginning to peak over the green canopy of jungle; to run barefoot through jungle trails; to see monkeys, macaws, and toucans in the wild; to fall asleep every night with peaceful quiet except for the typical jungle noises. In a little over nine weeks the group of 22 individuals living in this little jungle clearing already feel like my second family. In some ways I feel like I have barely arrived, while at the same time I feel almost as if I have been here for months already.
I was pondering some things I’ve learned since my arrival, in case you’re curious I decided to include a list…

~things usually do not turn out as expected, so don’t come with preconceived ideas
~how to cook for a large group of people, with limited ingredients, and still make it interesting and good
~jungle flies are a tenaciously pesky breed of insects
~when a local suggests a time to meet, add at least an hour to that time and don’t plan on arriving for another twenty minutes
~when baking bread in a Dutch oven check often since you can only guestimate the temperature (so far my record is having the bread baked and half burned in 8 minutes)
~walking 2 miles through the jungle carrying a full propane tank is a very bad idea
~to keep my suitcase zipped up or giant cockroaches will take up residence and poop everywhere
~the basics of how to operate a chain saw
~anytime a trip is planned someone will forget something important causing everyone to sit and wait while they go back for it
~the number of mosquitoes on any given night is inversely proportional to the amount of repellent readily available
~the difference between a water coconut and a dry coconut
~how to sleep comfortably at night in a hammock
~all trips will probably consist of about half the time spent waiting for something or someone
~when one must do all laundry by hand it is best to avoid hammering, cutting, or burning one’s hands as washing clothes becomes very painful
~don’t try to walk 5 miles to the next village in the morning intending to be back by 12:45 for class, most likely you’ll end up running most of the way back and still arriving late
~mosquito nets are a wonderful invention
~I actually talk quite slowly when compared to the local people
~to expect to be asked to do things for Sabbath school or church 10 minutes before I’m expected to do them
~the local phrase “just now” means anything but that
~the 3 most important things never to forget: toilet paper, a flashlight, and an umbrella
~not to be surprised when plans change

My life feels so complete right now. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling of knowing I’m exactly where God desires me to be.