The beginning days

DAY 1
There were issues with getting four onto the flight to Port Vila since they were waitlisted so after several hours on the phone and bribing the counter attendant, they got on. I took the reigns on this and have since been called the “Mom” of the group. I know you are not surprised.

Once we arrived at Port Vila we entered through the “Vanuatu citizens and residents” line which really made it real for us. Again, I checked names off as all 21 of us received our 2 year Vanuatu resident visas. As each of us exited the airport, we were greeted by the country director, Eddie, Peace Corps staff and several volunteers. We were lei’ed with beautiful flowers, wrapped with a sarong and given a coconut to drink.

Piled into a couple buses (more like small vans but called buses) we were given a quick tour of Port Vila and headed to the hotel which we are to stay for the next week. We met some more staff, mostly who are native Ni Vanuatus and prepped with safety and security information. Still not showered or rested after the 20+ hour travel day, we were given the “kava talk” and headed to our first nakamal (kava bar). More on that later...

Day 2
There are 3 other PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees) who live in Chicago and we found a current PCV who took us at 8am to see the Cubs v. Cardinals game. We were ecstatic to get a little piece of the Wrigleyville energy clear across the Pacific.

Some of us spent the rest of the day at Hideaway Island and snorkeled. It’s a coral beach so it was rough on the feet but beautiful. There’s also an underwater postal box!

The country director, Eddie, invited us over for tea at his home that afternoon and his wife made a spread of cookies, breads and local fruits…so delicious.

You can only guess what some of us did that evening…kava, kava, kava!

Day 3
Training begins...culture, language, disaster, survival and so on...
Got 4 shots and start malaria pills later this week…a swell time.