Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1951-10-22

we nave hedges of hibiscus that
have been loaded with blossoms
since we came. The poincianna
tree in front of the house has
stopped blooming but there are
rows of spider lilies that lust
keep coming up all the time. Van.
da orchids are raised in gardens
like roses are at home. 1 have seen
one bug eaten rose bush that is
the pet and pride of one of the
teachers here on the campus. NV
favorite is the white ginger which
grows wild beside the roads up to-
ward the mountains and sends up
an almost gardenia-like fragrance
at night. We went to an orchid
show Sunday and didn't believe
half of what we saw. 1 never re-
allied that there are quite so many
kinds of orchids. And besides that.
they also have very sweet smell.
The co)ors ranged from white to
deepest reds, puppies, yellows and
greens. The flower that took the
best of the show had burnt or
ange petals and velvety red GEN.
ter. The sizes ranged from about
the size of mosquito to one
bloom which had a diameter of at
least a foot across.
Riding the Breakers
We go swimming on week
on the other side of the island at
an abandoned air field The surf
is good as rule, the beach is
very safe, and there are hardly
any people who go there. We are
getting the mack of body surfing
and have a good time riding the
breakers in on mattress covers
which we wet and fill with air.
We all got bad sunburn about
three weeks ago and I am still
peeling like an onion. Just can't
take all this sunshine.
Food Like Glue and Paste
The shops here are lots of fun
to browse around in. Actually the
stores are spread over the entire
city and there is no bona fide
shopping center. The markets are
usually operated and owned by
Chinese and the assortment of ar
ticles for sale range from furni-
ture, shoes, pottery, shrines, to
groceries including exotic things
like aged eggs wrapped in what
looks like dung and sea weeds
packaged in neat bundles, and all
sorts of dried fish, octopus, shrimp,
etc. Even the vegetables are not
recognizable. We eat papaya for
breakfast instead of grapefruit,
and since we have been eating at
the dining hall with the boys, we
have had our fill of rice. We
had poi one evening and the boys
ate quantities of the stuff 1t
looks and tastes like a combina-
ton of glue and paste. We were
told that one has to learn to like
it. This 1 believe. The materials
are beautiful A lot of it comes
from India and Japan and the
prints are out of this world for
color and assortment. Another
strange thing about the stores is
the large number of shoe stores
you see around and yet no one
wears shoes. Most of the men and
women wear Japanese style SAN
dals that can be bought in any
grocery store and the kids even go
to school barefoot OF course,
some of us still cling to habits
like wearing shoes. but no hats.
More Bugs.
AS for the bugs. well. we have
them. Not so much what l thought
would bother. but lots more. We
have cockroaches all over and no
matter whose house you visit,
there are cockroaches. They fly
here. The other night we were
sitting talking when saw what
l thought was mouse seurry
along the floor board. II turned
out to be cockroach about an
inch and half long. l have
pet spider under the sink with
whom l have struck IN noddiaS
2 &C sii;iaintance. We seem TO have
the mutual understanding that If
he doesn't bother me, viii leave