Chocolate Toads

Wow, I have not written in a really long time. I am so sorry. I have been quite busy! And no, the title has nothing to do with the post, except that, I wish all of the frogs in Fiji were chocolate, that would make me a happy camper!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Today I took all of my mats out of my house and removed all of the leaves underneath to replace them with dry leaves. A few small areas of my mats had begun to mold because they were sitting on top of wet soil and then wet leaves. The women in my village went to collect dead coconut leaves while I prepared the house for the new floor and sunned the mats. Now, I have a brand new floor, free of dust and very cushiony! Just lovely! Tomorrow morning I am headed to John and Leslie’s village to stay the night so that I can make it to our meeting on Sunday with the Peace Corps country director, her assistant, and our trainer from headquarters in Washington, D.C. A real meal from a hotel! Yes, and paid for by Peace Corps. I will take them up on that offer any day!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Well, we headed to Rakiraki first thing this morning to catch a ride with John and Judy (two ex-Patriots and previous Peace Corps volunteers) to their temporary house. They are currently renting a nice vacation home near my boat dock. So we helped the current Peace Corps volunteer, John, paint his newly built boat. We had amazing American food, including three pastas, tuna salad, and pancakes. Later in the day we took the boat out and went fishing at Nanu-i-ra Island. Of course, Lydia was the only one who caught anything worth eating, a white-spotted grouper. Since I am an impatient fisherwoman, I just kept getting my bait caught on the reef and gave up very quickly. Go figure. Anyways, we were treated like special guests and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

So, today we got up at the beach resort and headed to another beach resort, Voli Voli and had lunch with the country director and guests. The visit went well, I picked the wrong thing on the menu, and then I got to use the free internet! Wooo whooo! Soon I will be going there to talk to people on Skype… Friday nights in America for those of you that are interested in seeing my crazy self! Tonight I am back in John and Leslie’s village and we just finished eating Mexican food! Wow, I brought refried beans, corn, and cheese, then we all added in salsa, cilantro, yogurt, rice, and olives and made somewhat of a taco salad. Food, food, and more food talk. We get excited about not eating roro, dalo, tavioka, lolo, fish heads, and boiled dough.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Lydia and I were wanting a sundae, so in the pouring down rain she went to the store and bought cookies, then I went to the store and bought ice cream. We put the two together and enjoyed what we American’s call a sundae (their sundae is a mini tub of ice cream – no good). We decided to hire her Turaga-ni-koro to come and pick us up from the boat dock and take us back to her village. I had arranged with my Na to come and pick me up from Lydia’s village after she dropped the kids off at school. Well, guess what, she never took the kids to school. So, I am still in my village waiting until tomorrow for Nadau to drive by bringing coconuts to town. Au wawa (I wait). We made chili again, of which was too spicy, again. I ate all of her jam, go figure, I eat a lot of jelly in this country, a lot of sugar all around. Our plan was to catch our own dinner and then use their form of potato to make mashed potatoes. We waded out into the water in skirts with fishing line wrapped around a piece of wood, no luck… between our lack of fishing skills and our clam bait (which we collected ourselves) there were no fish in the ocean. Oh well. Spicy chili works too.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Boat never came. I drank some amazing cocoa and watched the sunrise, hoping Nadau’s boat would drive by. Nope, only the school boat, of which was going the wrong direction. Au wawa levu (I wait longer). I am determined to take a boat because I was promised two separate rides and neither of them have happened. I also brought my 35 pound backpack and my Chaco’s, which tear up my feet. Early this morning her village performed its weekly village clean-up. I helped by burning my neck in the sun picking up old clothes, glass, porcelain, and lots of batteries. Later in the afternoon, Lydia and I went snorkeling with a villager… Bubu Kesa! She has lived in Fiji all of her life and never snorkeled, much like Sisi, although, Bubu Kesa is more like 50 years old and has never seen the reef with her own eyes. She was so scared to put the mask on and swim into areas that she could not reach. We coaxed her into it and she enjoyed the little bits of coral she saw. Maybe next time we can show her the real beauty of our reefs! Right now Lydia is at a Community Meeting, discussing her village clean-up. I get to stay at her bure enjoying a good book and writing a blog. It is quite nice to not be responsible for sitting through a two hour bose (meeting).

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Boat never came. I was told that if we walked to the neighboring village then I could catch the boat with the preacher coming from my village. We decided to set off towards the church (45 minute walk). As we came up to the village I noticed there were no boats there from my village. Wow, I knew I was just going to have to walk at that point. Main problems, bad shoes, heavy pack, and the tide was coming back in. I set off immediately along the coast. About halfway home I began walking through knee deep water. By the time I reached home I was walking through waist deep water. I did not mind the tides as much as I minded my stupid Chaco’s that were slowly tearing up my feet. Of course, tonight I am mending my sores, basting them in Neosporin. This is why I avoid walking home. I am going to have to find a good pair of shoes for hiking long distances in mudflats, coastal waters, rocks, and forest. It is a beautiful walk though and I have the chance of stopping at various settlements to rest and visit. I love where I live!