Your Shiny Whites

I thought I would add some pictures of the nasty “Fijian grape” thingies with glue that we tried in the market in Suva.




Saturday, February 13, 2010



Caught an early bus back to Rakiraki. When I checked the mail I found a slip for another package from Mom! Yay! I ended up making it back to the village around sunset so other than unpacking and dinner I didn’t have time for much.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The first time ever for me to try fresh passionfruit! The first time I tried the flavor was in Fiji’s passionfruit ice cream of which I thoroughly enjoy! Today I walked to one of the settlements and one of the boys handed me a round yellow fruit a little larger than a golf ball. I took a bite out of each end and spit it out then devoured the rest of the fruit. It was sooo delicious!

Today, Sigatabu (everything prohibited), I decided to have a spiritual cleansing at a nearby reef. Technically I am supposed to respect the elders today by going to church service and not playing, singing, drinking, hiking, or really enjoying an entire day out of every week. I have decided that I will respect them by enjoying my day outside of the village. I just cannot sit inside my one bedroom house of sticks an entire day out of every week. It is just too boring and hot for that business. So, anyways, the reef I went to check out required a nice little swim across deep waters infested with upside-down jellyfish.


I knew that they were not the stinging kind, but it was still eerie. I had someone waiting on the coast for me to help guide me to the reef and make sure I was safe, but being out there alone, even on the reef, was intimidating.




After the nice salt bath, I decided it was time for a river cleansing. We headed to their watering hole, ate more passionfruit, and played around. Fiji is so relaxing and awe-inspiring. The trees support huge lingering vines while in the distance tall, angelic palm trees sway in the breeze. The water is crystal clear and drinkable teaming with prawn, fish, and eels. We stayed until it was too cold to bear any longer.



The boys’ bilibili arrived shortly after dinner (bele in lolo with tavioka), parking right up into the entrance to the water like a boat ramp at a lake. We boarded our raft and glided back towards the village. The sun was setting, leaving a genuinely enjoyable end to the day.


I learned a few things about the Fijians superstitious ways. There are three new ‘things prohibited’ I learned. For one, you are not allowed to whistle at night because it draws demons. Second, you are not supposed to yell in the village, I think because it is rude, but more likely started as a rule because it calls demons. Third, if a baby is sleeping at night you are not supposed to enter the house until you have sat outside for a while, waiting for the bad souls to pass, otherwise they follow you into the house. Hmmm, they seem to have kept the superstitious part of their culture/religion, but allowed Christianity to rule everything else. A little hypocritical, right? Oh, also, owls and snakes are bad omens/evil.

Monday, February 15, 2010

I did absolutely nothing today. Read a lot. Laundry. Cramps. Yep, that’s about it.



The men had their ‘work’ day today where they go around the village cutting grass, trees, fixing things, etc. They worked their butts off all day and the women cooked them lunch in the community hall. Personally I think the village is coming together nicely.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Well, February is half over and I don’t remember February 1st ever happening. Time is flying by! First thing this morning I raked up all of the grass the men cut around my house yesterday. Since our meeting last Monday it seems as if the village is much more organized and willing to work.

I did all of my laundry from Suva last week and around noon I passed a couple scraping coconuts to make Class B coconut oil. I caught them just in time and asked if they wanted to use their coconuts to make virgin coconut oil. Soon enough I was teaching them the process and explaining to them why you can’t use certain coconuts and why you add hot and cold water, etc. They were very receptive and excited to be learning! The layers will separate while they are sleeping tonight and I will show them the next few steps tomorrow!

We also had a women’s club meeting from about 5:30 – 7:30. We decided on prices to charge for sewing a sulu jaba or men’s shirt, where the money had been spent from the club’s funds, who was going to take over the committee, and how we are going to fundraise the next event. It turns out we will be joining with Luisa’s village for a two-village women’s fundraiser (ruarua na koro, soli ni marama). When my turn came around I said that I was going to quit giving the women’s club my money if it was going to used to buy kava, cigarettes, or food. My money is being given to help the women make a living such as sewing, virgin coconut oil, chicken coop, dishes for the community hall, or any other purpose that I believe in. When I am asked to give money towards buying a new pot I am more than happy, but not if some of my money will be spent on a drug.

Then, I taught them all how to brush their teeth with a new Colgate teaching aid! At went down with a huge applause, probably because they were getting free toothbrushes and toothpaste and I pulled out a prop of large teeth. It was a hoot! Next we discussed the virgin coconut oil again and they were all interested in my namesake and I teaching them before IHRDP brought Lua out. They are all anxious to know the process and decide if they are willing to do it full time. As soon as we start making profits, they will all be in! Let’s just keep the ball rolling.


Apo helping his mom make brooms.

Finally, the sun went down and I watched a few episodes of Glee. At first I was skeptical, but really, the tv show is quite entertaining. The acting could be a little more realistic, but the performances are interesting enough.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

I got a lot accomplished today! We continued with the virgin coconut oil training, separating, filtering, and sunning today. Almost done with the process! One more day of sunning and one more filter and we have pure virgin coconut oil! There was a great turnout of women who wanted to learn too. We were going to separate at 10 AM this morning and there were 5 women there ready to learn. Instead we separated at noon, with a turnout of 8 women! Then, as I am cleaning my dishes, my Na asks if she can start her own batch! We will start that tomorrow after town.



After the enthusiasm and interest from the women today I was inclined to draw a new step-by-step masterpiece of how to make the VCO. It is beautiful if I might so say myself. I added the new things my namesake had learned from the business owner in Nausori, so we should have a pretty good system going as soon as we have all of the supplies needed.


The women learning how to separate the layers and filter.

I also continued on with my Colgate lesson on ‘How to Care for Your Teeth”. The women are especially interested because there is a free toothbrush and toothpaste at the end of the talk. I am already out of toothbrushes and am going to have to get more from Suva. A success story! I have found the way to get women to come to meetings or workshops – FREE GIFTS! I used to go to those sales pitches just for the free dinner and possibility of a free MP3 player, I don’t blame them at all.



Anyways, had visitors, went around the village and visited with others, played with my baby (Ulamila), did lots of dishes and helped out in the kindergarten.











Busy day. I learned that the more I do each day, the happier I am and the more successful I feel. Hopefully it will cool off soon and the small chores I do each day won’t wear me out to the point of exhaustion.

I also got some REALLY GOOD NEWS! My sister and my mom are coming to see me in May! I could not ask for anything else for my birthday! I am soooo excited and ready to make once-in-their lifetime plans! Oh yay!


The boy!