Gu for lukim iu!

This was the very warm welcome I received after arriving in Oceanside, Long Island Tuesday afternoon to meet with Bishop Chris at his father's house. 'Gu for lukim iu,' Bishop Chris translated, is Pijin for "good to see you" and it was reassuring to finally meet the person behind the countless emails back and forth over these past couple of months! Bishop Chris explained that Pijin is the most common language of the Solomon Islands; English is the third language learned by most people, after their tribal language (impressive since I only have English and a couple years of translating Latin under my belt!). I was excited to learn more phrases and Bishop Chris said I would pick up a little Pijin, though it would be much easier to understand it than actually speak it. 
While it was a convenient time for me to meet with Bishop Chris before I jetted off to the other side of the world, he has returned home for a completely different reason. At the end of the month he will be celebrating 25 years of being ordained and will return to PC to celebrate with a few other alums. I have come to find out that Bishop Chris was actually classmates with Father Shanley while at school and is well acquainted with many of the Dominicans on campus. He was made bishop of the Auki in the Solomon Islands in 2001 and often travels to the surrounding islands to stay connected to the people in the diocese (mode of transportation: a canoe!) 
Having worked with Sister Rose Mary and knowing her extreme organization, Bishop Chris guessed that I had plenty of activities already lined up for the Sydney portion of my trip and told me that the Solomons operated a little differently. My main activities while in Auki will be to live and work with three of the sisters in their day to day pastoral work, including visiting and teaching at the local school and making visits to the hospital and house calls. Life in the Solomons is simple, though from the photos he showed me, the chapel there is beautifully decorated and is open on all sides to allow for the warm weather. (It is tropical there year round, so it will also be a big contrast to the cooler winter climate in Sydney.) I will be arriving in the Solomons on July 26th after my stay in Sydney, although Bishop Chris doesn't return to the islands until a few days later. He will set up accommodations for my arrival and promises that everyone there is extremely welcoming and friendly. I'm looking forward to this generous hospitality, canoe rides, and of course, putting my Pijin practice to the test!