Christmas with the Carters

I left for Peace Corps staging only a few days before April and Stephen's twins, Cora and Caroline were born and 15 months later, I finally get to spend time with them. The girls were a little sick but happy to play with their Christmas gifts and to get to know Auntie Amy. I hope they remember me in a year! Here are a few Christmas pics and some from our time together.

Girls with beautiful Mommy

Me with sweet, adorable Cora...she's so laid back...not much phases her, much like Daddy.

Me with cute, outgoing Caroline...Miss Speedy and loves to be the center of attention

April and I with the girls...Cora's wondering why I'm so tan...it's summer over there!

This cold is brutal! Chicago is gonna be painful.

Daddy with Caroline

Santa can be scary.

April and Dee are amazing parents...twins are hard work! To see them feeding, playing, changing, holding, wiping, hugging, loving...x2. Wow. I am in awe of them. I look so forward to spoiling Cora and Caroline and being a part of their lives. Great times to come times two!

A letter home...thanks to those who supported A Basket for Change

A letter that my Mom gave out to those who bought a bag...an update on what I've been doing...

Hello from Vanuatu!

More (pronounced Mor-ay, hello in the language of Paama Island) from Vanuatu in the South Pacific! I am happy to report that I am doing well and have completed 15 months of a total 27 months of Peace Corps service. My end of service is December 2010...so one more year!

A little about what I am doing here…my primary job is to advise and work with the RTC or Rural Training Center which is a vocational school that teaches skills such as agriculture, business, home care (sewing, cooking) and carpentry to the community and to students after they’ve completed secondary school. I hope to bring computer and mechanics courses to the RTC by the end of my service. Secondary projects can range from teaching at the primary school (I teach English and Math to years 2 and 4) to conducting workshops about the environment, health and grant writing.

One particular secondary project I've been passionate about is A Basket for Change…another volunteer, Brianna Russell living in a nearby village and I conduct workshops with the women of Paama to teach them how to sew baskets (bags) out of calico known for their colorful island style prints. Along with helping them to determine costs, money management and quality, the women of Paama are given an opportunity to earn money for their children’s school fees as well as for foods that must be purchased. (They are subsistence farmers, growing most of their food.) Their average income each week is only about $1-$2 from selling produce at the local market. The mamas have been appreciative and proud to be able to earn money for their families.
Well, it’s been a difficult, humbling, amazing and enlightening journey thus far. The primitive and simple life here has its upsides and downsides and as much as I yearn for electricity, a running shower/toilet, ice cream and familiar faces…I realize I’ll miss island time and this slow pace of life one day when I am inundated with meetings and deadlines.

A few things I’ve reflected upon during my Peace Corps service…

☼ learn to embrace the difficult times…they can only make you stronger and can open doors to other opportunities

☼ slow down, breathe and take time to give thanks and remember to enjoy the view
☼ waste not, want not…we all should do our part to conserve, reuse and recycle

I’ve also realized more than ever that I am blessed to have amazing family and friends. Without the support, love and encouragement, I would have called it quits months ago. Thank you.

Peace and love,
amy

More black magic, ghosts and goblins

Further storian (chatting) with one of the teachers here on Paama and more tales about black magic come to light...The Ni-Vanuatu who practice black magic are chosen by a “secret society” which involves training and initiation in order to become granted admittance. Of the rituals, a new recruit must kill a close friend as well as eat their own excrement! Ewh!

As a member of this black magic fraternity, one has the power to kill someone by just thinking so, however in order to kill someone, you must also kill a relative or close friend...an eye for an eye, essentially.

There has been "scientific proof" claims my teacher friend...once an autopsy was performed on an individual thought to have been killed by black magic, the person’s insides were removed and in its place sand and leaves. True story.

Famili blong mi long Paama (My Paama Family)

I've posted pics and have written a little about my family here in Paama but now that it's been a year (Dec...WOW!) and I've settled into my life there, here's a little more about my family in Paama.

As I've mentioned, Papa Isaiah is a distinguished looking fella with white hair and beard, a big smile and enjoys storian (chatting)...most of which is about himself but I am happy to hear his stories. He had been a star soccer player and can take on 4 men in a bar brawl...probably more. He can cure you of ailments with a special brew of leaves and herbs. He's an enthusiastic supporter of the Vanuaku political party, loves kava and is a fisherman...as many of the men here are but he has a special gift many tell me and he's proven it...He sells one like this for only 600 vatu, equivalent to $6.00! How much do we pay...over $20 some places. He loves his kava, as I do but since Mama Eva is SDA (Seventh Day Adventist), I refrain from drinking too much out of respect for her. But when I do join him for a shell of kava, it's always a hoot when we stumble home together and are fed by Mama Eva.

Mama Eva...she is my saving grace here and a major reason why I've been able to survive and push through the difficult days. Generous, caring, a great cook and makes the perfect fire, she never asks for a thing...in contrast to my Mama from training and other Ni-Vanuatu who think "white man" are rich. (more on that later) She keeps the family running...goes to the garden, cooks, washes, takes care of the children (she has 3 small ones and 3 older who are away at school). The women here are so incredibly strong and amazing. (more on that later too)

Brother Thomas, 12 years old is quiet and easy going. Brother John, age 10, sweet, excels at soccer, sat with me when I first arrived while I unpacked and often visits me at my hut and removes dead rats from under my bed. Little sister Lisa is 4 is a sweetheart who is definitely the baby of the family.My BFF, Elsie...who is also my RTC Homecare teacher, and I spend quite a bit of time together. A mother of four, born in Pentecost (another island several plane ride hours away) came to Paama six years ago after marrying a man from Paama. Like most women here, once married, must leave their family to join the husband's family. Similar to the Chinese culture, families are extended...the grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc all reside together so Elsie not only takes care of her own household but also her in-laws. She too will make leaving Paama difficult.

A year ago, I was at my lowest...crying, feeling sorry for myself, wondering if I could really stay for two years and now a year later, I start to think about how sad it will be to leave these people...my Paama family.

Art Odyssey 2009 Port Vila, Vanuatu

One full moon, 38 artists, 14 performers and 200+ art pieces...Art Odyssey 2009 in Port Vila (the capital of Vanuatu) was a magical evening.Morgan (Vanuatu native) and Jani (Peace Corps Volunteer) put in a tremendous amount of energy and time organizing and planning the event...inviting local artists (which includes jewelry and other mixed media) to participate. Our youngest artist being 5 year old Freiya.
I arrived the week of the event to help out and it was hectic but of course I relished in all the planning...I was in heaven. I am missing so many pictures but we had some amazing performers from singing, monologues, poetry reading, karate, juggling and drum circle...it was otherworldly. Ben's freestyle rap with drum circle accompaniment was unbelievable.

Done. And Art Odyssey 2010 to be announced.

I survived malaria

It all began abruptly with an excruciating headache...one I've never experienced this intensely before. I waved it off as just a little bug. Then a fever proceeded. I spent a day resting and taking Tylenol. My body ached and a soreness was a constant in my spine/neck. I didn't know officially until I took a second malaria test that the faint though present pink bands on the test did indeed indicate that I had a mixed strand of malaria. Yikes. Malaria? I was pretty shocked...first that I didn't feel more horrible...body and headaches, fever and chills came and went but never debilitated me. How could I have malaria when I am so good about taking the weekly medication? Oh wait...Port Vila...I did forget ONCE and lesson learned...NEVER skip medication.

So, Amy had malaria...just an experience of my Peace Corps service. Good thing Paama is a wonderful place to spel (rest) and recover.

Viva Port Vila!

Living it up in Port Vila, the capital city of Vanuatu...enjoying the luxuries of tourists.

Sailing the ocean blue...the beautiful boat, Alvei An international crew from Canada, Germany, Italy & US delivers

medical supplies to outer islands and lives on board.

The crew invited volunteers (Peace Corps, Aus, NZ) and locals to join them for a day on board Alvei...diving off the sails, storian, eating, drinking and being merry...Ahoy matey!

Here is Mariko, Daisy and me. Mariko was a PCV several years ago and came back to work for the summer. She left that evening to go back to the States :(

Daisy and Steve (not pictured) have an NGO...specializing in disaster management, specifically volcanoes. They're volcanologists...super cool, right? They're heading to do some work in Fiji in a couple months. I've enjoyed hanging out with them in Vila.

Jani and Lizzie, volunteers based on Efate (Port Vila's island), have given the kids in Pango village a way to earn money for school fees by teaching them fire dancing. Here are some pics from a show they performed at a resort this weekend that I assisted them with lighting and putting out the fires. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.

My Mama in Paama...we survived!

Mom arrived on a sunny afternoon to Port Vila, the capital and was harrassed at airport customs...the reason? Racial profiling, darn it. She had brought over a couple suitcases full of t-shirts and goodies for my village as well as food for me and customs thought we would be selling them here. See, many of the shops here are owned by Chinese families so they assumed we were one of them and wanted to charge a 20,000 vatu (approx $200) import tax. Of course, I let him have it...explaining to him that I was a Peace Corps volunteer, living on the outer islands, giving my life to Vanuatu for 2 years, etc. He sent me back to talk to a "bigman" and I proceeded to spill the same sob story to him. After my persuasive speech, he gave in and let us go without paying. My mom's first taste of Vanuatu was certainly not a pleasant one but we got over it.

A few days in Port Vila indulging...then a 40 min plane ride to Paama. Shocked that we landed on a grass runway, we then trekked past a couple grazing cows and gawking families to the stone beach to await boat transport.



The boat dropped us off at Liro, the commercial center of Paama and we visited the Mama's market to purchase some produce. My mom was a great sport and shook hands with...everyone. We then headed to my house...here she is on the path up to it.

My Mamas


Mom at my front door donned in island dress!

Mom and I attended SDA church on Saturday

Mom was eager to take a canoe ride with my papa and

we even took the canoe to get to the airport...an hour paddle!

In front of the RTC, where I work

It was incredible to have my mom here to see where I am living and working. She comments about how this is the way people lived 100 years ago in China...well, her daughter is living that life now! Both my mom and dad will be paying me a visit here next year. Looking forward to that! I miss you DAD!

In other news...I'M COMING HOME TO VISIT FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!! :)

Life in Paama

RTC class

Alex teaching

RTC teachers and student building a bread oven That's my house on the left side on the hill

Alex, Brianna, Rob and I singing at church

The Tahi area futbol (soccer) team

View of Lepevi volcano from Paama. Brianna and I at the mama's market for an RTC fundraiser

Paama sunset

One of my favorite kids, Jamie

Kindie Day in June 26 and Children’s Day July 24
Special national holidays are set aside each year for kindergarten aged children in Vanuatu…the kids march and there are speeches, food and games. Children’s Day, likewise started with a march as the kids chant…SEL-USA (Selusa is the primary school name and means “to work together”) of course I loved the USA part. The kids were greeted with flowers and then swam in powder (see previous blog entry about what that means :-) We had a lunch of rice with foul (chicken), lap lap, fruit and then played games…balloon toss with plastic bags, tug-of-war, rice bag race…to name a few.