The Island of Serenity

Serenity is so named because of its peacefulness. Life here is very carefree and peaceful; hence the name Serenity. It has always been diverse and not at all racist.

I. Absolute and Relative Location

Serenity's relative location: The country is in an "other dimension" of the Melodic Universe. It lies in the Constance Ocean in the world of Bliss.

Serenity's absolute location: The main island's "heart" (center point) is at 32 PH and 78 LF. It extends into a small peninsula, called Accord.

II. Land

Serenity has one mountain range, which we call Sincerity. Its edges are not rocky or sharp; they're smooth and rounded. Sincerity has many mountain paths, perfect for hiking.

The five rivers on the Island are named Charity, Truth, Felicity, Tranquillity and Mercy. Each is quite long and branches out into a numerous amount of tributaries. Their waters are crystal blue and perfectly clear.

There are four forests on the Island of Serenity. They are Autumn, Spring, Winter, and Summer. They have lush vegetation and no dead leaves scatter along the ground, for the Keepers make sure the paths are clear.

The lakes, like the rivers, are like crystal. The water is ready for drinking. The six lakes on Serenity are Chastity, Harmony, Justice, Trinity, Modesty, and Purity.

The Island's beaches surround the rest of it. Each section of shoreline is called by the region it's located in. The five regions are Peace, Hope, Love, Faith, and the above named Accord.

III. Climate

The climate on Serenity varies greatly in different areas. On the plains, it's generally sunny, with a slight breeze. On the beaches, It's much warmer but more breezy. In the forests, the climate changes according to where you go. In Summer, it's warmer, and very sunny. In Spring, it's more breezy and green. Everything is new and fresh. The trees' leaves are golden, red, and fiery orange in Autumn, and the ground is covered with freshly fallen leaves. When visiting the Winter forest, be sure to bring a coat and skis because it's chilly and snow constantly falls!

IV. Points of Interest

If you're looking for a quiet, calm day with a friend or by yourself, spend the day in a forest clearing. You can picnic, hike, or just relax. For a social, fun-filled day, check out our beaches. The commercial beach is Hope Beach. The other three are exploration and relaxation beaches. Since the shoreline is rocky, this is a wonderful place to play and climb on! It's a great thing for kids to do when the adults are setting up a picnic or chatting.

Another place you might want to visit is the Enchanted Land. It's situated on Accord. Some say the flowers in this valley are worlds in themselves, and even enclose other universes. You may or may not choose to believe this legend, but, nonetheless, you will undoubtedly enjoy a visit to this splendid place. Near the tree roots are tiny villages, adorned with grass-thatched roofs and acorn door knockers. These are probably the work of elfin creatures.

V. Political System

The government in Serenity is not very complicated. There is no need for a Judicial System, for every citizen can be trusted. However, there is one judge for the country, whose purpose is to judge incoming visitors. If they are not to be trusted by everyone in Serenity, they are not let in. The judge is elected by the people of Serenity.

There are no true leaders of Serenity, for here everyone is equal. But people are in charge of different things. For instance, our judge is in charge of truth and honesty. The person in charge of trade and social contacts with surrounding countries is our Tascwsc, commonly called the "Tas".

VI. Economy

There are no offices or businesses on Serenity. People do work, both for pleasure and to obtain soulmarks. Soulmarks are our type of currency. The current rate is about ~1.00 to $4.00 in American money. ~ is the symbol for soulmarks, like $ is the sign for your dollars. Some jobs here include Gardenkeeper, Forestkeeper, Ferryperson, and Bankkeeper. Authors, Performers, and Photographers are also common. A salary for a Gardenkeeper is about ~50,000 per year. That's about $200,000 to you. Our years are about the same as yours, but ours have nothing to do with seasons or rotation as yours do. Our country doesn't have seasons as one-time-a-year things. As said before, each of our four forests represents a season.

People

VII. Ethnic Background

Every ethnic background is represented in Serenity, although there may not be equal amounts of each background. Sometimes it's difficult to determine one's ethnic background because we are often mixed. We take pride in our backgrounds, however, and keep detailed records of them.

VIII. Religion

Religious beliefs are irrelevant in social life, but we practice whichever belief we choose. We must choose a belief between ages 10 and 16. We may pick one or believe in our own theory. No pressure is on choosing. You may even decide on a religion totally separate from the rest of your family's.

IX. Life Expectancy

In Serenity, life expectancy is nonexistent. We are immortal. We could, however, leave Serenity to die, but only three people have done this since time began.

X. Food

We eat many different types of food, and have several ways of preparing each. We enjoy pasta, potatoes, corn, bread, cereal, cakes, ice cream, and others. We grow most of our vegetables. We trade for the others, and grains as well. We grow our own fruits, mostly in Spring and Summer. Fish are caught often. We boil, bake, fry, grill, broil, or stir-fry our food, or we eat it raw.

XI. Clothing

In Serenity, clothes are mostly short, but in Winter and sometimes Autumn we wear longer clothes. Dress is almost always casual. In Summer we are clothed in shorts and a T-shirt or short-sleeved shirt. It's usually about the same for Spring, but sometimes we wear a parka to keep us from the wind. In Autumn we wear jeans or other long pants and a short-sleeved shirt. We wear long, thick pants and long-sleeved shirts. This is usually accompanied by a coat and boots.

XII. Housing

Our housing is very simple. We usually have just bedrooms, a kitchen, and bathrooms (one for each bedroom). Sometimes there is a living room. We have public houses to visit and socialize.

XIII. Entertainment

Island Theatre is a spectacular theater where musicals, dramas, and concerts are held. Most of Serenity's people love to perform, and also watch others. Island Theatre is usually busy, so it seats 1,000,000 people. Such acclaimed productions as Fiddler on the Roof, The Secret Garden, Cats, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat have been performed here. As You Like It, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet are some of Island Theatre's accredited Shakespeare productions. The San Michele Art Gallery houses some of the finest paintings and photographs around. Other entertainment is provided by various street performers, including acrobats, clowns, magicians, and dancers. In addition, the Cirque de Paix (Circus of Peace), the resident circus, is a great location for kids and adults as well.

XIV. Language

No national language exists. Everyone can speak every language. Language and other early schooling is taught at an early age, partly through subconscious learning.

XV. Famous People in Serenity

We enjoy remembering and celebrating the great things people in Serenity have done and continue to do. Here we will recognize four of them and what they did.

* Mirabel Culliver-- she was the one to discover this wonderful land, but quite by accident!

* Kiah Fleming-- the first female judge of Serenity.

* Joshua Rutledge-- he helped to organize the Island Theatre. He continues to volunteer time there.

* Shea MacKenzie-- the first Irish settler in Serenity.

XVI. Education

Early schooling, i.e. the alphabets, numbers, colors, etc., is taught through subconscious learning. Some refer to it as "osmosis". Either messages are hidden in music or tapes are played during sleep.

Each child is tested for any learning disabilities or ADD. If it comes out positive, the children are treated. Then the children, now six, take an academic test. If it's passed, the kids go on to school. If it isn't, the kids are checked again for a disability. They are treated again. They retake the test. If it's passed, they go on to school. If it's not, they have more "osmosis". This process is repeated however many times is necessary.

At school, kids learn mathematics, languages, arts, physical fitness, health, and history/geography. Children must be fluent in all languages before graduating fifth grade.

XVII. Transportation and Communication

The people of Serenity get around by way of foot or tame lions. There are special saddlebags for carrying possessions with you while traveling, but otherwise you ride bareback.

We communicate by speech, but have the ability to tap into channels of telepathy. With telepathy, you can communicate with people from other countries, even other worlds! This is one of the ways we know of the Flower Worlds in the Enchanted Forest. We have connected with their spirits. Pretty neat, eh?

XVIII. Defense System

As we are a peaceful land, we have no use for firearms or any other form of violence. Our defense is a special force we are still researching the origin of. It's something we call "Soul Strength". When you pass the third layer of atmosphere, you are enclosed in a trance-like state. You cannot imagine attack or hate, or any kind of evil. Only goodness. Of course, we are a little more sensible. You pass the trance-like state after the second layer, and when you reach the first layer you're just normal. However, you don't want to hurt anyone. The citizens feel this way all the time. Very odd, indeed.

XIX. History

As far as we know, Serenity has been around forever. However, the initial discovery was made 200 years ago by Mirabel Culliver, a young American teen who mistakenly fell through a purple singularity. A purple singularity is similar to a black singularity (black hole) except that you can easily escape. Mirabel traveled back to New York and told her boyfriend, Cobb Crandall, about it. They spread the news around the world, telepathically and by media. Now the population is at 35 Million.

Mirabel was give the authority of naming all the landforms and regions. She decided to name these by values she hoped the people of Serenity would practice.

XX. Population Pr