The third day on our tour was packed. We started the day with a visit to the elementary school here on Kwajalein Island.We had an entire school assembly where we introduced ourselves and talked a little bit about what we do off the field. After hearing everyone talk I was once again reminded what a diverse group we have represented across the NFL. Then we got to go in each classroom and talk to the kids. We got a lot of thoughtful questions and it was nice to get to know the kids and faculty during our visit.
Titans cheerleader Julia embarks on her third day of supporting U.S. troops with Armed Forces Entertainment in the Pacific Islands.
We then departed for our helicopter ride and it was amazing. We went to a neighboring island of Rio. On the helicopter ride we got to see several other islands that are occupied by the Marshallese people. We were able to see two shipwrecks from WWII and we learned a lot about the history of the area. Once we landed in Rio we went to a meet-adn-greet appearance at the only restaurant on the island. Rio is an adult-only island because they don't have the infrastructure for children, so the workers that have families fly in every day to work and then fly back to Kwaj.
We got a tour of the island and were even able to spend an hour on the beach before we headed back. Even though the Marshall islands are known for their sharks, I embraced my fears and actually took a kayak out with my roommate Jacqui. We got back before dark and had a wonderful dinner with several of the local people on the island. One of the people I met at dinner was a nurse named Debbie from Knoxville, Tenn. She is also the designated caterer on the small island and her cooking represented Tennessee very well (her coconut shrimp and hummus was out of this world)!! Some of the ladies at the table said because they only get fresh fruits and vegetables in once a week, sometimes food is more of a currency than money. Knowing that it made our meal even more meaningful.
Members of the Coast Guard got in today as well and we met several of them after dinner. We are headed to bed now and resting up for a full day tomorrow of cheer clinic and visits with the troops.
Good night!
