November 17, 2008

The Journey

There have been current volunteers in the training village and they have been wonderful... technical training for teacher trainers, IT and RTC (Rural Training Centers, that’s me) There are three girls who have also taught us book making, sewing, cooking and other creative activities…it has been such a release and so refreshing. Therapy. It will help me get through the next two years.

Janey, one of the trainers has been a blessing. She’s in her 30’s, from ATL, yoga instructor and we have similar paths. We’ve been doing yoga and talking about the “spiritual journey” that Peace Corps can be. I’m sorry if this is cheesy for some of you to read but I’ve come to realize that not only am I here to help the Rural Training Center and my new community but I am here for me…to find my inner self, to absorb, think, read, write, meditate, pray and create. What I do each day is my choice instead of being dictated by my Outlook calendar. I must embrace it. This won’t be easy and of course my physical wimpy-ness may be my downfall!

And then there is Dominique who has shown us an amazing side of Vanuatu...the bountiful and enormous Pacific Ocean is her playground. We snorkel and she points out all the sea -life...starfish, huge clams, sea turtle and even sharks. AND kava. She is the co-chair of the kava guild and gave us the official intro to the kava world. Thank you, Dom.

Mark my words, despite breakdowns, I will get through these two years. There, I said it. I have to say that getting emails from you all are so wonderful…my sanity is revived and my mental stability balanced. Thank you.

We are sworn in officially as Peace Corps Volunteers on Thanksgiving, then a few days in Port Vila to buy things for our site, enjoy the city, take showers, use the internet and eat ICE CREAM! I believe I leave for Tahi, Paama on December 2 and the two years will finally begin…ready or not.

So, what am I doing here?

So, more details about what I will be doing work-wise. I will be supporting Edward Harris the Vaum Rural Training Center Manager with teaching, operations, recruitment of students (there are none!), teacher training and other income generating projects. The RTC was started in 2005 by Jamie, a past volunteer and since then there has been another teacher but following him, two trainees who went to wokabaot but ETed (early termination) afterwards for various reasons. So…the RTC has not had students for over a year it needs some maintenance. The walls are cinder block grey and too dark…so I hope to paint them white as my first project.

The RTC is essentially a vocational school for the community and school drop outs to learn skills that can be used to sustain the local economy/village. Classes offered include carpentry, business skills, home care (cooking/nutrition, sewing) and mechanics (although we don’t have a teacher yet). I still need to figure out how mechanics works since there are no cars on the island…just boat engines and a few generators. I also didn’t notice much equipment so resources are limited. There is an association that supports RTCs called VRDTCA (they call it vodka essentially :) with teacher modules and how to obtain funding. Graduated RTC students then get certificates from VRDTCA that can be used to strengthen their resume.

Edward and I will be visiting nearby villages to recruit students and I also want to survey locals on what is needed.

We are learning about income generating projects next week and I already plan to do a sewing workshop. I also want to look into a faol (chicken) project in order to build a hen house for chickens to lay eggs and then sell them at the mama’s market along with the crafts from sewing. There is a nearby fisheries board that has an ice machine so that local fishermen can get money for their fresh catches which are flown to Port Vila for sale. There’s also a need for awareness workshops to encourage kava, sandlewood and vanilla growing but it’s more long term. Kava takes 3-5 years to grow!

Sorry, I rambled but I am pumped about the opportunity at the RTC. More on it once I am at site.

OHBAMA!!!!!

Read Obama’s victory speech at Grant Park…to think it was just blocks away from my office downtown! One part made me cry...Not only did he speak to me as a proud American but he says…“And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores…to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.” The moment that I heard Obama won was in Tahi, Paama…drinking a shell of kava with my host papa and my counterpart walks over with a static-y radio tuned to Air Vanuatu. It was night, there were no lights, just the stars and crescent moon above looking down at my story. It was surreal.

I have loved the emails I’ve received about your elections experiences. Both Timeri and Rob out there bringing in the votes! So proud of you for your commitment! I drink a shell to you!

November 7, 2008

Paama...home sweaty home

First a little about Paama...

It is a small mountainous island of only 32 sq km. It's of volcanic origin as is most of the South Pacific with five mountains that run the length of Paama. 21 villages comprise Paama and Tahi, the village in which I will be living is on the side of a cliff with a small view of the Pacific Ocean and black sand beach with about 100 inhabitants. Economic activities include farming (yam, island cabbage, manioc, taro and banana), bread bakers, kava and fishing.

There are no motor vehicles…only walking on Paama which is great…less pollution! There are no cell phones yet but there is talk of a provider coming soon to Paama. I will have a land line close to my work/home and possibly a satellite phone so I can make/get calls! Yay. Mom, start researching phone cards to call Tahi, Paama.


Liro is the closest "big village" in which there is a mama's market and some small stores though only open on Tuesdays and Fridays. Julie, another PCV is currently living there now but she is leaving as soon as I get there :( There is one Registered Nurse and one policeman in Liro.

My counterpart is Edward Harris, the Rural Training Center (RTC) manager. The training center has two classrooms and has courses in carpentry, mechanics, home care, business studies and English. I will be assisting Edward to evaluate, implement and monitor the business practices of the programs as well as with grant writing/sourcing funds, teacher efficiency, team teaching and marketing classes to other villages. There is a list of 14 duties but I won't bore you with them now…

Took a small 8 seater puddle jumper airplane to Paama. The pubescent Australian pilot even read the paper while the plane was on autopilot! Pics to come to prove it. The 45 minute flight is inspiring with views of Lepevi volcano, expansive reefs and bushy stalks of broccoli top islands. We landed on a short grass runway...man it was crazy but safe. When I arrived to Paama, there was a short walk on the black sand beach with warm grey and burgundy lava rocks and cow chomping nearby. We boarded a boat which took us to Tahi, my village...about a 15 min boat ride away. My counterpart Edward Harris greeted us and we were welcomed at my host family's house.

My host papa Asyiah is a fisherman (we ate fresh fish daily), involved with local politics and knows custom medicine...usually this involves using a special local leaf (not what you think... more details to come). They talk Bislama only so I get about 70% of the conversation at this point. He loves to storian (story-on i.e. chat) and he had much to share. Eva is host mama, generous and sweet then daughter, Lisa (age 4), a couple cousin brothers and cousin sisters. Leweia (age 28) will definitely be my tawi (ie buddy) and we laugh and poke fun of each other. There's 2 little bros (age 7 and 11). I also have another cousin sister Carlene (age 17) who just helps Leweia in the garden.

Carlene and I took a walk inland toward a few other villages and we walked no more than about 40 minutes and she turns to tell me that this was her first time ever in that village! I about fell out. After traveling thousands of miles, taking a 12+ hours flight...she had never been to this nearby village just a quarter of a mile away. wow.

We then headed to the shore and climbed boulders along the ocean to reach her family's village. All of these villages were quiet and most people were up in their gardens. Houses range from some cement/cinder semi-modern houses to custom houses similar to where I live in my training village. There are separate enclosed structures which are kitchens marked by dark and sooty walls from the open fires for cooking. They also use earth ovens where hot lava rocks (similar to charcoal) are placed in a wide hole in the ground, then food that is being cooked (usually lap lap or meat) is laid over the rocks and then rocks over the food. A sink is made up of two xlarge wide bowls that are filled and dumped each time...one for washing and the other for rinsing. Most villages either have a rain tank where water is collected and stored or water from a spring. I have a spigot with drinkable spring water luckily.

So my host family fed me well...fresh cucumbers, the sweetest pineapple I've ever tasted, cabbage salad, lap lap (more on that later), catch of the day fish, chicken and rice. They were wonderful and will be my saving grace...

My first Peace Corps breakdown happened during this visit...mosquitos were relentless that day, the heat was sweltering, I was dirty, amongst new people speaking another language (they have their own dialect, Paamese), a few issues with my house and just overwelmed. While I was melting and scratching away, I called my mom and dad to check in. My dad tells me that he hopes I am not suffering and that I can come home if I wanted. This was the first point that I considered it. Tried April to wish her a happy birthday but didn't catch her. Called Hagan's house and just broke down...she eased my insecurities but this was my first test, my first bump in the road and I am still here...it just jarred my sanity and I know that it will not be the last.

On a happier note, when I flew back to Port Vila, I got to stay the night and go out with some current volunteers. Some of who are COSing (close of service) and returning home...to talk to them is to envy them. Not just because they are going home but because they made it. All 27 months. We had kava, went to a nice waterfront bar, talked and danced the night away. Late night food too. Bedtime at 230a. This has been the latest I've been out my entire time here! Shut eye is usually by 930.

Today we went to Le Lagun, a resort hotel with several overlapping pools, view of the lagoon, drinks, food, ICE and hot shower. Not but 12 hours ago, I was sitting with my host papa and counterpart having a shell of kava listening to a static radio, staring up at the southern stars and realizing a clossal event was happening on the other side of the world. Obama is president. It was a surreal moment.

So, I jammed alot in here...thanks for reading. It's therapeutic to get it out. A few other volunteers just got back and we are sharing stories in the PC office...not wanting to go back to our training village. (driver Matthew is asleep)

Thanks for those who hollared on facebook...the support is keeping me on track. I will have some time in the city in a week on Saturday then swearing in on Thanksgiving. After that we have a few days in the city to prepare for our departure to our sites early Dec where we will be until March when we have Early Service Conference (ESC).

Missing home...

Bislama language lesson 2

We are actually extremely lucky that the language here is Bislama...a quick history lesson (courtesy of Wiki) During the period known as Blackbirding, in the 1870s and 1880s, hundreds of thousands of Pacific islanders were enslaved and forced to work on plantations mainly in Queensland,Australia and Fiji. With several languages being spoken in these plantations, a pidgin was formed, combining English vocabulary with grammatical structures typical of languages in the region.

More than 95% of Bislama words are of English origin; the remainder combines a few dozen words from French, as well as some vocabulary inherited from various local languages. Since the influence of these vernacular languages is low on the vocabulary side you basically have to be very descriptive and use the 50 word Bislama vocab to get to the point.

For example, there are plenty of synonyms in English...pretty, beautiful, gorgeous, cute...all various degrees but in Bislama it's "gat kala" (got color).

Here are some other ones...

Yufella i stap go.
You (plural) are going.

Hemi gat bel.
She is pregnant.

Hemi gat gris.
He/She is fat.

Hemi gat sit sit wota.
He/She has diarrhea.

That time of the month

The ladies of our group had a special session with our female language trainer about "that time of the month" better known here as "sik mun" (sick moon). First off, women do not handle/prepare food during this time, only what she is eating because it will make men sick if she does. Ha. Guess it is a good thing if women can get out of cooking for a few days. Also, they claim that men can look into a woman's eyes and know when that time is! Really, they believe that. I mean this screams out Vegas act or TV talk show…bring a Ni Van male onto stage and have him point to every woman in the audience who have their period! Ha.