WEEK 14 Nukunau transfer - culture stuff

Kam na bene ni Mauri! hey hey! This week has been lots of hard work. I'm working with my temporary comp until I go to the outer island Nukunau for about 1 more week ish I think.. I am very excited! My comp right now is this big Samoan dude that really isn't on top of things and has been out for a year, or really teaching me anything.. but it's good because it forced me to be the organized one and on top of things.. it's just not good because my language isn't really improving.. but when I go to the outer island Nikunau it's gonna be awesome. My comp there is this super cool black guy from papa New Guinea and I guess is super good at the language and works hard. I am probably going to be out there for at least like 4 months.. so I'll probably get fluent pretty quick. Also in Nikunau they speak so awesome. Their tone of voice is like super wavey/shakey/ and they kinda sing the language. Where I'm working right now(Betio) which is the bottom of Tarawa and kinda like the main town, there is this one guy we know from Nikunau and the way he speaks is so funny. I can't help but laugh.. its sooooo funny hahaha. So I'm probably going to get that accent which is awesome!! And out there I'm probably going to only eat fish and rice. Here we eat fish, rice, canned meat, chicken and bread and chips and more. But out there it is super ibook(an outer island) and they live more off the land, because they get less things shipped in. This language is super funny because hey use some English words in stores, here in Betio. They have tooth paste and the word for tooth paste is Colgate.. like the brand.. There is a lot of words like that which I think is pretty funny.

The other night we went to a boutaki(party)-we go to tons of parties here and it's awesome- and this dude danced for us. The parties here are much different that America.. but they are still awesome. Anyways, this guy did some legit cultural dancing for us and it was awesome!!

I'm still learning the culture. There is some weird random stuff that you wouldn't think is really offensive so you have to be careful for ex:

1) You can not walk in between a conversation! You have to walk around them, or if u can't go around them you have to duck down as far as you can and say matauninga(excuse me). It's pretty funny. Then they will say e maua( its open/free) then you proceed with going through.. but most of the time you can just go around. It's pretty funny.

2) When in a lesson you sit criss cross apple sauce and if your legs are killing and you stretch them during the lesson it's rude.. also if you point your toes at someone it's very rude. It's TABUAK(forbidden).

3) At dinner you HAVE to finish everything that you put on your plate if you don't they say they will get a stick and hit you, but they're joking.. but yea you gotta finish your plate, and your drink as well. Oh yea, and when we eat they give you a plate and a spoon, because you use your hands mostly.. the spoon is for the rice.. that's if they have spoons/ a plate.

4) Usually the guys here never wear shirts even like the old men.. they like never wear shirts.. doesn't matter how fat or saggy their belly is. But Kiribati people strongly believe that they cannot pray with out a shirt on. So they always put a shirt on for when we pray, then after the prayer they just take it off again, it's pretty funny.

5) People like to hang out next to big trees because they believe that good spirits are around the big trees. Like they usually set up volleyball nets next to big trees in the shade and stuff.

So thats a little of the culture for ya. it's pretty funny.

Holy crap last night me and another elder were having a deep conversation right next to the window screen(our house is always open because it's so hot all the time and for when the breeze comes).. we have no windows, just screens. And, out of no where this pig that's right next to the screen just starts screaming soooo freakin loud because dogs were killing it.. and we thought the screen was going to brake so we jumped up and ran to another part of our small house and waited for the pig to be dead. It was soo loud and funny/scary hahaha.

Anyways, this may be my last email for a while because idk if they have internet over there in Nikunau.. so till then just know that I'm learning the language, the culture, making people laugh and smile, and sharing the gospel and changing lifes by sharing the joy and happiness that the gospel brings.

I love and miss you all.

love,

-Elder Bowen

ps sorry for making your guys's eyeballs read this many words..

ps im adding some sick pics rn