Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Today was the first day of the kindy! We started off with a prayer session and a short Bible lesson. Then the kids were invited up to the front of the class room and were introduced to different stuffed animals, different sounds, songs, toys, and how to follow directions! They will learn so much as soon as we get supplies and a structured curriculum. If we had just waited until January… she would not feel so strapped for activities because she would have supplies to lead lessons with. The donation should be here soon though, which will help her a lot!
So the kindy started off with a good start! The rest of the day I rested, did laundry, read, slept, and cooked. Nothing too exciting.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Today I headed early in the morning over to a nearby settlement of about 6 houses. I was going to visit a friends’ father who has been sick. His entire body has been sore, probably because of the drugs he has taken/used over the years. He is only 60 years old, but his body feels like 80. I try to tell these boys around here to quick smoking, drinking rubbing alcohol, and sometimes even filtering shoe polish and drinking it. Urgh. Lots of explaining to do!
Anyways, after visiting the father the friend and I walked to his plantation planning to turn some soil and plant some cassava. Of course I found an amazing cliff that I wanted to climb nearby. Apparently I am not allowed to climb a mountain covered in rock and tall grasses alone. He bush cutted the trail in front of me as we climbed the rocks to the top. The view and wind were absolutely amazing. You could see all of the reefs, beaches, settlements, and cliffs from where we were. I just wish I had my camera. It was a very relaxing and exhilarating day! I ended up catching a boat back from the settlement to my village.
As I arrived at the village I noticed the nurse’s boat in front. She comes once a month to administer medicines to those who cannot afford to go to the doctor (called the ‘hospital’ here). I inquired about a village nurse since we have two previous nurses in the village. She said that all they are allowed to do is hand out panadol (Tylenol) and bandage cuts. So, practically useless. There really isn’t a need for a village nurse I don’t guess. That concludes the project of establishing a village nurse. Yay, one thing down, lots more to go. The rest of the day was cooking, relaxing, same ole, same ole.
Oh, tonight a friend from the village came over and told me about a Virgin Coconut seminar in Suva on Saturday. I have a Halloween party with all of the volunteers on Saturday night, but I think I can make it back in time. The VCO seminar is pretty important to the start of our potential future village business. I think I am going to try and head to Suva on Friday.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Today went to town. I did not get a lot done other than sign over the papers for the kindy donation! There are eight packages! Wow! I am so surprised at the generosity of the First Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) in Gainesville, Texas, USA. Aunt Sarah, Uncle Mark and the church have performed a miracle by sending so many supplies to our kindergarten.
Thank you so much for all of your donations, support, and prayers. I know the children will benefit from the supplies for years and years to come! I cannot wait to get them in the mail!
I did not do a lot in town today because of going to Suva tomorrow. I will have many opportunities to get what I need when I return from Suva.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Got up early today to pack and clean so that I can head out to Suva. We left at 9:30 AM from the village to catch a bus at 11:30 AM to Suva. The bus ride is about 4 hours down a bumpy, gravel/dirt road along beautiful mountains and forest. We ended up getting off in Nausori at my friends’ house. I stayed the night there visiting with a business man getting into the Virgin Coconut Oil business there in Nausori. He gave me several good ideas and advice on how to produce our own VCO within the village.
Picture from Pacific Harbour on November 16, 2009.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
I visited my friends’ family most of the early morning. We left for Suva around 8:30 AM so that we would make it to the seminar by 10:00 AM. I was supposed to buy John and Judy some corn chips from Cost-U-Less this morning (the only American grocery store in Fiji), but they were closing the store because some extension cords had fallen from the ceiling. So we headed on to the seminar. It was supposed to be a full house of 60 + people. Although, because this is Fiji and they had changed the date and time so many times, a lot of people did not get the message or already had plans with such short notice of the changes. Oh well, they can read everything she said in her manual on VCO production. It was really based on the nutritional benefits of coconuts. Of which I posted below:
Coconut Tree: The Tree of Life
Why is a coconut tree called “The Tree of Life”? Let’s all find out together.
The Coconut Tree is known to have many uses, from its roots to tips (leaves), from culinary to non-culinary. In the Philippines, the coconut tree is considered as the “Tree of Life”.
You must be wondering, why is that so? Allow me to cite the different parts of the coconut tree and its corresponding benefits and/or uses. Let’s start with…
1. Coconut Roots
Coconut roots are used as beverage, dye, mouthwash, and medicine for dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux). A frayed-out piece of root can also be used as a toothbrush.
2. Coconut Trunks
Coconut trunks, its hardy and durable wood is used for building small bridges, preferred for their straightness, strength and salt resistance. It is also used to make benches, tables, carvings, picutre frames, tables, tool boxes and construction materials, among others. Paper pulp can also be extracted from the coconut trunk and other woody parts of the tree.
3. Coconut Branches
Coconut branches (leaf petioles) are strong and flexible enough to make a switch (a flexible rod, typically used for corporal punishment).
4. Coconut Leaves
Coconut leaves can be woven to create effective roofing materials, or reed mats. It can also produce good quality paper pulp, midrib brooms, hats and mats, fruit trays, waste baskets, fans, beautiful midrib decors, lamp shades, placemats, and bags. The stiff leaflet midribs can also be used to make cooking skewers and kindling arrows. Dried coconut leaves can be burned to ash, which can be harvested for lime.
5. Coconut Fruit
Coconut fruit produces buko, often used for salads, halo-halo (crushed ice with sweetened fruit), sweets and pastries. The “sport fruit” of the coconut known as makapuno is primarily harvested in the Philippines. They are sold in jars as “gelatinous mutant coconut” cut into balls or strands. Considered a delightful delicacy and largely used for making preserves and ice-cream. It is possible for it not to be kept in storage and still, will not germinate.
6. Coconut Meat
Coconut meat is the thick white, fleshy substance found inside the coconut shell. It is edible and can be used fresh or dried in cooking. It can also be used to obtain coco flour, desiccated coconut, coconut milk, coconut chips, coconut candies, bukayo or local sweetened shredded coconut meat, latik copra and even, animal feeds.
7. Coconut Water
Coconut water provides an isotonic electrolyte balance, and is a highly nutritious food source. Uses of coconut water include: coconut water vinegar; coconut wine; production of the chewy, fiber-rich “nata”, good as a dessert and as a laxative; as a growth factor; and as a substitute for dextrose. It is also used to cure renal disorders. “Bukolysis” is the medical process of reducing or dissolving urinary stones from the urinary tract, using buko water from 7 to 9 months old coconuts. If you heard of “water therapy”, there is also such thing as “buko/coconut therapy”.
8. Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is made by processing grated coconut with hot water or milk, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds. It should not be confused with the coconut water mentioned above, and has a fat content of approximately 17%. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate out the milk. The milk is used to produce virgin coconut oil. It is a common ingredient in many tropical cuisines. In Thailand, coconut milk is the base of most Thai curries.
9. Coconut Oil
Copra is the dried coconut meat and, after further processing, is a source of high coconut oil content (as much as 64%). Coconut oil is the most readily digested, of all the fats, generally used in the world. Its chief competitors are soya bean oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil. It can be rapidly processed and extracted as a fully organic product from fresh coconut flesh, and used in many ways including as a medicine and in cosmetics, or as a direct replacement for diesel fuel. Virgin coconut oil is found superior to the oil extracted from copra for cosmetic purposes.
10. (Coconut) Apical Bud
Apical buds of adult plants are edible and are known as “palm-cabbage” or heart-of-palm. In the Philippines, it is known as ubod and considered one of the finest vegetables. It is considered a rare delicacy, as the act of harvesting the bud, could kill the palm. It can be served in many appetizing ways. Cubed in fairly large bits, makes a wonderful addition to Spanish rice, or in their long strips, to Arroz a la Cubana. It is also eaten in salads (mixed with mayonnaise or thousand island dressing), known as “Millionaire’s Salad”.
11. Coconut Infloresence
Out of the bud of the coconut tree’s infloresence is a fermented juice called coconut toddy or, in the Philippines, tuba. The principal uses of the toddy are: as fresh beverage; for producing alcoholic beverages; for producing vinegar; for making sugar; and as a source of yeast for making bread.
12. Coconut Husk
Coconut husks are made of bristle fiber (10%), mattress fiber (20%) and coir dust and shorts or wastes (70%). Coir is used in ropes, mats, brushes, caulking boats and as stuffing fibre; it is also used extensively in horticulture for making potting compost. The husk can be used for fuel and are a good source of charcoal. Dried half coconut shells with husks are used to buff wooden floors, making it clean and shiny (free from dusts). In the Philippines, it is known as “bunot”. Fresh inner coconut husk can be rubbed on the lens of snorkelling goggles to prevent fogging during use.
13. Coconut Shell
Coconut shell produces the core of the most saleable household products and fashion accessories that can be turned into lucrative, wide-selling cottage industries. In the Philippines, dried half shells are used as musical instrument in a folk dance called “Maglalatik”, a traditional dance about conflicts for coconut meat within the Spanish era. They are also used in theatres, banged together to create the sound effect of a horses’ hoofbeats. Half coconut shells may be deployed as an improvised bra, especially for comedic effect or theatrical purposes. Shirt buttons can be carved out of dried coconut shell. Coconut buttons are often used for Hawaiian Aloha shirts.
You see how amazing the coconut tree is? In fact, in the Philippines, it is considered as one of the major dollar earner industry that provides livelihood to most of the country’s population. Indeed, a Tree of Life!
And did you know that in World War II, coastwatcher scout Biuki Gasa was the first of two from the Solomon Islands to reach the shipwrecked, wounded, and exhausted crew of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 commanded by then, the future U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Gasa suggested, for lack of paper, delivering by dugout canoe, a message inscribed on a husked coconut shell. This coconut shell was later kept on the President’s desk, and is now, in the John F. Kennedy Library.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Last night I headed back towards home and stayed at a resort called Volivoli with all of the volunteers on the big island. There were about 20 of us staying together in backpackers dorms. We celebrated Halloween by dressing up in crazy Sulu Jabas (Traditional Fijian attire) or whatever we wanted. I was a taboo Fijian cook. Pretty much wore a swimsuit and a Vera Bradley apron. Real cute! Lol. Anyways, I stayed sober and the party went on as always. We jumped the bonfire, did cartwheels on the beach, and danced until 10:30. Yes, I guess because everyone started drinking at 1:00 PM they were dead tired very early into the night. So, everyone went to sleep, woke up this morning, had breakfast together at the restaurant and began separating to our villages around Viti Levu. I headed over to John and Judy’s house for a Terrioki Fish dinner. Judy is the best cook in Fiji (it does help that she is from Alabama and has lived in Texas for the last several years – she knows what is good)!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Previous trip with John, Judy, and volunteers to Nanu-I-Ra!
Today I stayed with Judy while John went to tend to bees all around Ra. Judy and I went to town. We had fun shopping together as we were in no hurry and treated like tourists (usually a bad thing, but today I did not mind). After getting our grocery’s we headed back to the village and made grilled cheese sandwiches, relaxed, took a nap by the pool, and took a hot shower! Never take hot water for granted. Cold showers are obnoxious.
Well, there were no boats back to my village today because of the weather, and it turns out my ride for tomorrow isn’t coming either because he was unable to collect the coconuts today to take to market tomorrow. So this means that I am stuck in the village for another night. Hopefully when Peace Corps comes on Wednesday we will have a boat hired to take me back. Urgh. I just feel like I am imposing on all of my friends on this side of the bay because I don’t have a boat. Sorry John and Judy! Thank you for your hospitality and friendship!
Watched Whale Rider tonight.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Today I got up bright and early to go with John, beekeeping. He is a genius when it comes to bees. He has been a beekeeper in the Ukraine, United States, Fiji, and I think Romania. He gives all of his time for free: ranging from seminars for beginners to specifics such as splitting hives. For four weeks he will be going to different villages all around Ra teaching them how to raise a queen, giving them queen cells, and teaching how to split their hives. A few months ago he went around to all of the villages teaching them how to raise bees, the daily duties of a beekeeper, how to extract, etc. He is also working with a Peace Corps Volunteer, Leslie, who goes with him to all of the villages and teaches as well. I should mention, he is a RPCV from Fiji, who served in a village very close to here about 20 years ago. Very intelligent man!
I ended up staying with John and Judy again tonight because of the bad weather and boat situation. We made chicken alfredo and grilled fresh okra that I picked from the farm today. We started to watch a movie, but of course I fell asleep within the first 5 minutes.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Finally headed to the boat-docking village and found two boats from my village throwing out their anchors to go to town. I stopped my Ta and told him Peace Corps was coming today to do a site visit and that we needed to hire him to take us to the village. He sent Pete on his way to sell the coconuts in town and I called Sis while I waited on Peace Corps. They showed up, we went to the village, did an isevusevu, visited for a while (answered about 35 questions), had tea, headed back to the boat-docking village, and Ta and I caught a ride to town with them. In town I headed straight to the post office to collect the donation from Gainesville, Texas! Between the help of two men and me, we carried the 7 boxes and one poster tube down to the carrier truck. For just 1 American Dollar the boxes and I safely traveled 15 km to the boat, where we loaded them and took them out to remote Fiji. The boxes are now in my bure waiting to be opened on Monday after school.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Today I woke up late, about 8:30AM, and headed up to help with the kindy. Most of the day I was in the Kindergarten storage room organizing the shelves so that all of the new supplies would have a designated location. I will probably be the responsible one for making sure it stays organized. The teacher just has too much to do each day, including walking back and forth from her settlement, about a 30 minute walk and taking all of the supplies in and out of the room for use each day. Hopefully soon we will have teacher’s quarters so that she does not have to travel so much.
Yesterday when Peace Corps visited they told me about “Life Skills Training” at the beginning of January. Our youth group just started back up two weeks ago (first time in about 2 years) and I know the manager of the group would definitely benefit from this training. So today I wrote my letter of interest/application so that he may go with me. Only ten volunteers are invited so hopefully my letter is good enough!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Today I woke up at 5:30 AM and started cooking. Go figure. I made this amazing pineapple syrup, although I was going for more of a pineapple jelly. Oh well. It tastes darn good on my pancakes and French toast. Anyways, went up to the kindy again today to help out. Hung several posters and played with the kids (and their old, worn out toys). Before heading up to the kindy I pulled all of my mats and mattresses out to sun. There have been several rainy days which started to make my house smell a little like mildew. All is better now. After kindy, the teacher and I talked about how everything was going. She is totally worn out each day and often takes a nap on the floor in the Kindergarten room after class. I could never do her job. The kids are way too high strung around here. Hopefully after they learn what each day in kindy is going to be like they will calm down and follow directions/orders. Until then they run around like chickens with their heads chopped off. Whew! The supplies we will open on Monday will help her a lot with lessons and activities to keep them busy. Right now she is just scrounging for the next thing to talk about or a different song to teach.
Later in the afternoon I wrote Mom, Sis, and Kate each a letter. You all should be getting them soon! Well, they won’t be mailed out until Thursday, so not too soon! Went to bed at like 8:00 PM because I turned off my lantern thinking that the boys were going to come back by my house and wake me up to go to Tata MaiMoli’s house… but they never woke me up. So, I slept all night with my door wide open, oh well.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Cooking in my kitchen!
Today I woke up early, made pancakes, ate with Tai, cleaned dishes, and began carrying boxes up to the kindergarten. I borrowed a hole-punch from the school and then visited a nearby house who gave me a papaya. Yum! I came back down and began organizing my next two months when Na asked me to help her make two cups of tea for the visitors. I did not even know we had any! It turns out one of them was from here, but living in a nearby village and the other one works for Mineral Resources of Fiji. He knows all about generators and came to look at ours. He spent about two hours wrapping the shrouded wires and cleaning up the fuse plate. All of his expertise and the generator is still broken. He is taking the motor for a week to see if he can get it fixed. It would be a miracle if we did not have to pay for the repairs! We are actually having a fundraising event this Friday to raise funds for the generator. If it is fixed for free or for a small price the rest of the money raised will be saved for future repairs, maintenance, and inspections! Wow, what a good plan! After tea with the visitors and pictures of him trying to fix the generator I cooked up some tuna fish salad and an amazing fruit salad of (kavika, papaya, pineapple, and banana), I headed to the trash pit to get rid of my plastics. It is impossible for me to pass plastic, glass, tin, and clothes and not pick them up. So I ended up spending about 1 hour cleaning up around “na qara” (the hole). When I came back home I was covered in “buno” (sweat) and “duka” (dirt). I showered and then went to find my missing cat and chickens. They were only 3 houses away, but that meant that I had to get the box, try very carefully to pick up the chicken and the seven chicks (yes, I think one got eaten or lost last night) without getting snapped at, and carry them to my house without the mom reaching over the edge of the box to snip my hands or head. Lol! The village definitely got some entertainment out of my crazy actions. Who cares, they already wonder about me. What is one more thing for them to talk about! Now, I am just sitting here trying to catch up on my blogs.
Towards the middle of November I am going to Peace Corps Training near Pacific Harbor on the Coral Coast. We have 4 days of Project and Design Management Workshop. I have asked the Turaganikoro to go with me, but his wife has been sick so I am not sure if he is up for leaving her. We will see. Anyways, I should turn my computer off, the battery is a precious thing.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Well, tomorrow we are opening the donation! I cannot wait to see the looks on the parents’ faces! Today I spent about 5 hours on laundry. Just washing it! Not including time to dry and hang. Ugh. I miss washing machines! I did not go to church, but instead listened to my ipod and told the village I was having church at my house. Hey, I was listening to Christian music. Good enough right? After church two different people brought me cooked prawns! So I ended up have prawns for lunch and dinner! Plus Mogli got the heads! Can’t beat that!
After doing laundry and lunch I took a good two hour nap. Good sleep! Then three of the women in the village came over and we played Uno and had tea. They taught me to soak the crackers in the tea and then put butter on them. It was almost like a thin sweet cake with sugar. I think it is the closest I am going to get to Jim N’ Nicks’ sweet rolls while I am here. Speaking of which, mom, can you get me a recipe that is similar to theirs? I will try and make them! After playing cards and washing dishes I took down my clothes, folded them, and then headed up the village to visit houses. I stopped at Bro Gata’s and visited with Bubu Rai and then went to Tata MaiMoli’s and visited with their family. On my way back down I stopped where the boys were smoking Fijian tobacco and one of them was holding a kitten very similar to Mogli, but a little bigger. I decided to bring her to my house, feed her, and see if she wants to stay. Na Na Ma does not want me to keep her because of the 8 new chickens. Mother’s always know best and I should probably listen to her advice since she was the one who gave the chickens to me. Animals are just so mistreated here that I want to take in the ones that are not cared for. We will play it by ear! Speaking of the chicken, she does not want to stay near my house so I chase after her and the babies every night to keep them safe in the kitchen. Mili told me today to tie a string to the mom’s leg to keep her close to the house until she understands that it is her new home. I feel bad about doing this, but to avoid chasing her, pissing her off, and getting snapped at I should probably try it. Sounds like sound advice! Well, I must start writing my Work Plans, oh, Peace Corps busy work…
Monday, November 9, 2009
The donation went very smoothly today! I explained to the students as well as their parents and several members of the community where the donations came from (exact city in Texas) which actually turned into a geography lesson. Then, the children were allowed to open the boxes and pull anything out they wanted to play with. Everyone was so delighted and the children could not believe their eyes. There were so many things that they had never dreamed of, plus a lot that they had no idea what to do with! Lol. They will soon learn what a ‘craft’ or ‘art’ is. I am ecstatic! They will actually be given the opportunity to use their imagination! The parents were also extremely thankful. I took this picture of the children holding up a “Vinaka Texas” (Thank you, Texas)!
They cannot wait to come to school tomorrow and play with the new things! Thank you so much First Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) in Gainesville, Texas, USA! Thank you to the Minister and his wife, Rev. Mark and Sarah Loewen, the Outreach Committee, and the congregation for all of your generosity and love! You all have done more for my community than you will ever know! We will get a big ‘thank you’ out to you as soon as possible! I really appreciate all that you have given in the name of the Lord. You all truly are Heaven Sent!
So after the opening of the donation we had a kindy committee meeting and then I headed to the nearby settlement to help build my bamboo raft. Well, when I got there the boys had already built it. Man! I wanted to learn how. Oh well, not I have my own raft and the only thing left is making paddles. Maybe this weekend at John and Judy’s! Tomorrow is a fundraising event for the Women’s club. It is only $2 which will go towards buying new pots and pans for the community hall. On Friday we have the big fundraising event for the generator. I have not had electricity since I moved to the village. So I am quite excited! Oh, and the Turaga ni koro agreed to go with me to my training next week! Yay! He will learn a lot and I will be able to have a pleasant time. My Ta has been making poor decisions lately, so I am glad that someone else is willing to go. Hmmm, time to sleep. Moce mada.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
This morning I helped out in the kindy until noon. Then, I took two of the children back to their nearby settlement to give their mother a break from walking back and forth. When we arrived she had lunch ready and a pineapple! I love free fruit! I ate and then headed back to the village. ----------------
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Today was quite an eventful day! I had breakfast and headed up to the kindy to give Sisi some pineapple, then headed up the hill to make a phone call to a friend in Nausori. I got the number for the Department of Energy, called, and found out that we are going to have to take our generator to Lautoka or Suva to get it fixed. They said after the generator is in the hands of the village it is no longer the DOE’s responsibility. I really wish they would help villages keep a $35,000 investment in working order. Otherwise all of that money goes to waste. But, what can you do. So our soli on Friday will raise $1000 to take the motor to Suva to be fixed! I do not know why it takes a Holiday season to make the village fix the electricity. Oh well, it has been quite pleasant using just a lantern!
Next, I walked towards Beqa Settlement where my bamboo raft (bilibili) was waiting! Saimone and I collected coconuts and tied them together before boarding my new craft and voyaging it to the village for its debut. She is a beauty! I am also going to make two paddles with John towards the beginning of December so that I can take my new love out to the tamboo reef! Oh, I am not sure I ever told my blog the name of my house: “Aurisese Balavu” which means Long Shorts. This is because the boys like to roll the bottom of their shorts up. They say it is the style. This is from the 80s in America, so I try to get the boys to unroll their silly looking shorts. Hence the name Long Shorts. So, I have now named my bamboo raft “Vinivo Lekaleka”, Short Dress. Lol. Sounds lame in American terms, but the Fijians get a kick out of it.
Sisi used the perfect word the other day for the Fijian language. It is poor. Very broad. If you want to say Thank you, Your welcome, Good, any many more - you use the word Vinaka. Who knows if you are trying to say the papaya is good or thank you for the papaya. You have to listen to the context, or observe the situation, or just guess. Very confusing sometimes. There are words like cula, which could mean the stick used to push a boat, a needle, or culacula is sewing.
Crown-of-Thorns Sea Star
Anyways, short Fijian language lesson. After beaching Vinivo Lekaleka I went up to my house to collect my 11 coconuts to make Virgin Coconut Oil with Marica. We spent about an hour scraping (kari niu), squeezing lolo, and mixing the coconut milk to prepare it to sit over night. As soon as we finished, the Turaga-ni-koro had his horse waiting for me to ride! He was so nervous that I did not know how to balance on a horse and that I would fall off. Well, just walking around on the horse I was fine. I tried to get her to run and she wouldn’t so Pio got on in front of me and we ran with her. Oh my goodness, thank God Pio was there for me to hold on to, because if I was alone I definitely would have fallen off. There are no saddles, so not a lot to grip on to and the ride was extremely bouncy. I wonder if I can find a good saddle in Fiji?
After my exciting horseback ride on the beach at sunset…lol… seriously though, I took a shower and visited several houses. Fiji really is a nice place to live; you just have to get over the cultural differences. They know how to have fun, joke, entertain, and give until they have nothing left for themselves. There are a lot of things to be learned from them!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Went to town, did lots of emailing. Talked to Mom on Skype for an hour.
The best part of my day… I got a package with new Tevas plus TWO PACKAGES FULL OF CANDY! Lol. Things that I cannot get here in Fiji. One was from Kim Knott, in Gadsden, AL. Thank you so much Kim for the letter, PICTURES, candy, new dice game, stickers, and crayons, etc. for the kindy! You truly are too generous! I miss you all so much. I am glad you are doing well in Gadsden!
The other package came from Teresa Hosey, in Hoover, AL. Oh my Teresa, my other mom. Thank you so much for thinking of my on Halloween! I love the card (it is now on my wall) and all of the amazing candy! The Butterfingers will always remind me of Jimbo and the Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups remind me of Justin. Oh, and the Peeps are soooo perfect for smores! My dad sent Graham Crackers about a month ago, but I did not have marshmellows to cook up the smores! You have given me the opportunity to teach Fijians an American Camping Lesson! Lol. They will LOVE the new treat! Thank you so much! Please tell the family I miss them terribly and I hope they are all doing well!
And thank you so much Mom for the new Tevas and air freshners. My house smells a bit like mildew because of the woven-mat-on-top-of-leaves construction. The dirt under the leaves does not help either. So the “new car” Little Trees are coming in handy! The Tevas fit great and I am currently wearing them it! Thank you for getting these things to me so fast!
So the ride home on the boat was miserable. Only because the waves were probably 5 feet and I just wanted to sleep. Very bumpy ride. I got to talk to Kate by text message and I called Dad just to say hi, so I got a few things accomplished. There was a lot more I needed to do.
Like call Aunt Sarah.
I am so sorry Aunt Sarah for the lack of communication. I have honestly not been to town in a week and a half. So pretty much since the donation arrived in Rakiraki and I picked it up. No electricity, no cell service, and a lack of money have hindered me from communicating with America in general. The village is very, very appreciative for the donation, more so than you can imagine. There just aren’t too many avenues to take to relay their gratitude. I will work on getting a thank you out to the congregation as soon as possible! Thank you sooo much for all that you do and have done!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Left the village today with Pio to attend Peace Corps training in Deuba. We hopped on the nicest bus in Fiji and headed to Suva for breakfast. In Suva we ate American food at KFC! Ok, the exclamation point is for the Pizza Hut pizza I stole from Lydia. It was much more amazing than the snackers I ordered. So anyways, sorry to talk about food so much, it is a rare occasion for me to get good food. We finally headed back to the bus station and hopped a bus to the Christian Camp. Upon arrival we picked a bunk bed, dropped our things, and headed to the beach across the street. One of the community partners and I walked to a nice, new resort owned by two men from Texas! Small world! I only got to speak to the new head cook though, who is from Brisbane, Australia. We came back to the camp and started a volleyball game. I went between swinging, taking pictures, and playing a little bit of volleyball. Lots of fun! Dinner, card games, then bed.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Today we covered goals, objectives, the criterion matrix, tasks, and timelines. Hmmm, hopefully the Turaganikoro is getting a lot out of it. We are definitely working together to write up a work plan for our virgin coconut oil business. After training we went to Pacific Harbor to shop, watched a meke, and I collected companies’ names that make products with Virgin Coconut Oil so that we can start searching for a market.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wow, another day of training. So Pio and I put together our project proposal today. I would really just call it a project plan, since we are not asking for grant money. It turns out we can start making VCO in the village on a small scale for around $130 Fijian… about $65 USD. Definitely doable! On our way back to Rakiraki on Friday we are planning to stop in Lautoka to search out some hard-core coconut scrapers. We should also look into empty 250 mL bottles for packaging the oil for sale. We are pretty excited! After training and presentations the volunteers played a little friendly sand volleyball. I am quite amazed at how well we all get along. We support each other, cheer each other on, enjoy telling stories, drinking a few beers, listening to music… really anything. All of the volunteers in rural Viti Levu are like a family! We are getting together again in Suva for Thanksgiving!
Speaking of Thanksgiving… those of you who would like to speak to me on Skype… I am going to try and be on Thanksgiving day (in America) around 3:00 PM to possibly 5:00 PM. I would love to feel a part of the festivities in each of your homes, so find me on Skype please!
I just got back from a night with a beer in hand, a bonfire on the beach, and good company! I cannot believe the U.S. Government sent me here to have this experience of a lifetime! Whether I am in the village teaching in the kindergarten, surfing the net in town for ways to do crab farming in a rural village, to hanging out with volunteers on a secluded beach telling good stories, I am elated to be here! Any of you would love Fiji! Come visit me!
I am starting to understand a lot of the Fijian customs and traditions. Most of them are just out of respect for elders. The no hats rule still gets me, as well as the women must wear a skirt rule, but these two taboos come from generations and generations doing the same things and Fijians being scared to change. Also the things they cook and the songs they sing: about 10 dishes and about 10 songs. You eat the same thing every day (fish and cassava), play the same songs on the guitar, and farm the same root crop, everyday.
