Changes

So, the changes have started :) After two months of living alone in a six-berth cabin, I finally have roommates and neighbors. Last week, I didn't realize that two people had moved in next door and so woke up early one morning to the sound of muffled voices. At first, being half asleep, I thought there was actually someone in my cabin - it took me a second to realize that it must be coming through the vents. The noise is not too bad between the rooms, but because I have not had anyone living around me the entire time I lived here, it takes getting used to. Then about 15 minutes later, the vacuum for the water in the bathroom started working and I was not sure if something was broken and it was just going a little crazy. Someone just fixed my shower and sink after a month of not working, so I was worried that something might already be wrong again. Because the two bathrooms share one system, every time someone uses water or flushes the toilet, the other cabin can hear it. It is not too bad once you get used to it and you keep the bathroom door closed, but the first time it happens, it is a little weird.

Two of my five roommates moved in a few days ago, sisters who come from Ohio as well - the Cleveland area. My bunkmate will move in tomorrow and two other girls will move in on Monday. I know that it will be full, but I hope that everyone has a good attitude about it. From what I have seen so far, I think there will be hard days, but everyone will be able to work through it. It is also hard for some people because they are moving from rooms on the ANA which are a bit larger. Even little shelves or drawers that they have may not fit into the space that we have now. A few of us who live on deck 3 were talking this afternoon at lunch and someone mentioned trying to have a 'deck party' sometime soon - like a block party that they have in the States. Just a chance to see who is living on the deck right now and be able to recognize who is who. People are constantly moving in and out here, but I think it would be a good start at trying to make a community here. We could do this on deck 3 because it has about a quarter of the people that many of the other decks have because the mid and aft sections of the deck are for the hospital. Hopfully we actually do something and not just talk about it.

Oh, I have heard that there are some good pictures and videos of the things that have been happening this past week online at the Mercy Ships website - check it out - www.mercyships.org. Just click on the USA flag and that will take you to the International site, which has the most info and video. This past week has had the arrival of the Africa Mercy in Liberia, last community meeting on the ANA, the president of Liberia visiting on Monday and the passing of the torch (from the ANA to the Africa Mercy) that happened Wednesday morning.