Culture day included a trip to the blue hole, checking out local shops, and ice cream on the porch.
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Today was our culture day, and we definitely had a blast. Even though a huge thunderstorm was looming, God provided and shielded us from the rain. I was definitely encouraged because I felt like today I connected more with the people in our group than on a normal youth group day. We went to “Blue” Hole and dove around in the green water. Even though we didn’t do a lot with the Bahamians around us I was still impacted by the numerous events that happened throughout the day.
I loved walking around the small mall and supporting locally owned shops, and learning Bahamian slang. Tingum was a new word that I learned and basically it means “thing.” For example, if you didn’t know what something was you would say, “Can you hand me that tingum.” etc.
We drove past what many call the “Mark of Dorian” which is definitely a sight that I will remember. The Mark of Dorian was basically everything that Hurricane Dorian left untouched. On the way there, all of the trees were just standing up and they just looked like little sticks out of the ground. We were surrounded by forests and greenery, making our surroundings look like a whole different place. You could notice the similarities, but it was a perfect example of how much damage Hurricane Dorian did.
We got ice cream after dinner and the place was someone’s house and you would order out of the person’s living room window. So as we were waiting, we all just fellowshipped and laughed on their front porch. The entire team has just grown so close together and I think it’s amazing because I never would have thought that this could happen in such a short amount of time. Abaco definitely changes people. Abaco is beautiful and the Abaconians reflect their home island. It’s not the type of place you just forget and shrug off. If you ever get the chance to come, it is truly a life-changing experience.