Friday, July 18, 2008












Saturday updates... Last Saturday was a very good day indeed. In the morning I went diving for
mussels with some girls from the village in the Rewa river. It's one of the biggest rivers in Fiji and one of the least clean as well. I'm told bull sharks like to spawn in our part of the river but I won't believe it as long as I'm swimming in there. My nose got sunburned but now it went away. It felt really good to swim even though I didn't actually get any mussels. In the evening some of us went dancing with a bunch of the guys from the village. Let me say, dancing in Fiji with Fijians is a blast. There's no Madonna, but there is this "Damaged" song we heard somewhere around 5 times (between 3 clubs) that one night. "'Cause I'm damaged, so damaged, I don't know what to do. Said you'd never leave me said you'd always love me..." It's pretty terrible and great at the same time. Fijians are very touchy feely, which is odd because PDA is taboo.

This Saturday I'm recovering from a long night of yaqona drinking and trying to some stuff for my new place I'll be moving to next week. Check out the pictures on PHotobucket (if they work). Thanks for the package, Laura! Aunty Lani, I got your letter, too.

Pictures: top left, me in front of my host family's house. Top right, "Iron Chef Day" with my team and our meal: Satay peanut noodles Fiji style, veggies burgers, and enchiladas. My cheese withdrawal was semi-fulfilled. Bottom left, our village group doing a traditional meke dance about mongooses. Bottom right, me with the Sunday school class.

5 comments:

auntie lani said...

Hi Taylar. Thanks for the pictures. You blended in so well w/the children in the church. I could hardly pick you out. mmm satay noodles, are they good? Glad you got the card and letter. That was fast mail service.

Morgan said...

Those enchiladas look yummy. Did you hear I got a job?

Aunty Amy said...

Hi Taylar well you hve heard about all the rain we are getting, that lake delton is no longer a lake, brett wants to play football again and that the brewers are doing well. so what don't you know lets see ok Lindsey went to Costa Rica in June and really liked it very humid and she was glad to be home. All 3 girls are working at the same place a daycare in Sun prairie. Cannot beleive how fast the summer is going, soon we will be taking Emily and Amanda back to school. Lindsey had her senior pictures done and you can view them at suburbanstudio.com. Click on seniors then proofs. Click on lindseys name and her password is her name. they turned out really nice. i am having a hard time with her being a senior and next fall she wants to attend UW Oshkosh. Uncle Bobby and Amanda will be doing a Triathalon this weekend the MS 2 day bike ride next weekend Aug 2-3 and another tri in oshkosh the following weekend. Very determined people. Emily and I are still doing our cardio workout 3 days a week and either walking or going to the YMCA on the off days. Other than that not much else is new in our house. i am proud of you and what you are doing. i will post aother message again. in the meantime take care. oh i like the pictures you have posted on your page. keep them coming.

take care

Morgan said...

Hey Taylar,
Sorry I missed your call last nite, I would have liked to talk as I'm trying to plan a weekly lesson for my social studies class that will tie into your blog--also, would it be feasible to send you letters and have people write back? Do your people have the resources to do that? I'm still in the thinking stage of this, but wanted to give you a heads up. This could soon be an educational blog, too!

Laura said...

Hi Taylar--
Sounds like you are able to have some fun times over there.
We have had some beautiful weather, but the mosquitos still suck. I hate having to be inside by 7.
We spent a couples days in Lake Geneva this past week. It was real fun.
Scott should be back from California around the 14th. We will be glad to have him home.
I will be getting another package put together real soon.
Take care.
Love---The Ritchies