New Ways to Think

I am sitting with the surf hitting the beach about 30 feet away and reflecting on the week. Later I will walk down to the school and post this. We are just a bit more settled and have learned some interesting cultural ways of the Island People.
I was helping make the casket of Geno on Wednesday and they were delayed because of not having a hammer. The school had received 4 new hammers last year and they had all been “borrowed” from the school. While the main builder went to “borrow” a hammer, the other helper explained to me what it means to “loan” something. If I borrow your saw, it is never expected that  I will return it to you! Rather, when you need it again, you must come and ask me if you can borrow MY saw. It would be considered very rude to say, “may I have my saw back.”  The problem is, if my neighbor sees I have a saw, he may ask to borrow “my” saw. In short order, what you thought was your saw may have many new “owners” in the next few days or weeks!  So....when you need to use a saw again, it will likely take you days to find one!!
After the burial of Geno there was a huge feast, or “last dinner.”  It reminded me very much of the funeral dinners we attended while living with the Couer d’ Alene Native American tribe in Idaho. So much food!! The dinner did not start until about 11:00 PM. Part of the reason every thing ran so late was the Tsunami warning that occurred in the morning delayed the casket builders and that delayed everything else. It was dark when the casket was lowered into the grave, which I am told is against the law and can result in a large fine to the family! Then again, there has never been a Tsunami warning in the history of the country!

Last evening a young man from the school came by our hut and was complaining of chest pain when he breathed in. As I listened to his heart and lungs I noted he seemed hot and his temperature was 104.2 F (39.2 C) with a rapid pulse of 120 at rest. Clearly he was sicker that he first appeared! We asked him several times if he had an infection anywhere on his body or symptoms of a cold. The answer was always no. It turned out we asked the wrong question--we should have asked if he had a boil and then the answer would have been yes!

The nurse here gave him “local medicine”  (No ne Fruit) and applied a charcoal poultice. Today we had to go find him as he did not come back to be seen as requested, He was better with a temp of only 101.4 and the pulse had come down to 112. The boil was much improved. He was now complaining that it hurt to breathe when he laid down. He was started on Motrin because his history now sounds like pericarditis (but no friction rub for you medical people.)  We’ll see how he is tomorrow, if we can find him!
Today we realized that the mice have discovered our temporary kitchen and are busy exploring our “refrigerator” and cupboard that the rats have previously chewed holes in the sides and doors of. It seems there is  to see who will eat the food first--the ants, the mice, the rats or you!!