another update

Hi-
Here I am again quickly trying to type away. I want to get some pictures up but I keep forgetting my camera cord. Today my host brother marika and I went to Suva. Hope to spend some more time there another day.

I'm in a village which has about 400 people in it. There are three other PC people in the village, too, and in all there are about 6 sites. We rotate villages for "hub-sites." We'll have language in the morning and in the afternoon we do technical training- so I'll learn about programs Fiji already has for conservation and environmental ed, etc. I'll be doing a lot of waste and sanitation stuff, including piggery locations and other pretty stuff. I'm excited because our training is all built around community participatory action.

The villages are all pretty special. When I told people about going to Fiji a lot of the comments were like, "oh white sandy beaches" and "oh that must be rough." let me tell you it's not all pretty beaches. The villages are very community oriented and everyone is willing to help out their neighbors. There are giant feasts where everyone chips in food and supplies. It's quite amazing to see people coming together so much. There is poverty in Fiji and the living conditions are nothing glamorous. The cities/towns are like most cities/towns: polluted, dirty, busy. Suva, for being the biggest city in the country, didn't have many tourists and there certainly weren't resorts. We do have a water safety training next week so we'll get to go to the ocean swimming!

Last night another village came to my village for a Methodist "rally" which meant after the service there were skits and songs and interpretive spiritual dancing. Then there was a giant feast and a "sevusevu," a traditional ceremony where yaqona root is presented and everyone thanks one another for coming. Having four Americans joining your celebration was exceptionally exciting for both villages, too!

Okay, all for now. Sorry it's not a big report but there's so much happening that it's hard to keep track of everything. Hope all is well and let me know if anything is happening in the States; I feel a little out of what's happening in the world!

And Alicia, I willd efinitely teach you all about boils. Apparently they're one of the most common ailments Volunteers get in Fiji! Not looking forward to those... Thanks for all your comments and support!

i'm alive

Bula, hello, from Viti! (Fiji)

Well, it's hot. And busy. I only have a few minutes in which to type so if this is crazy, bear with me. We should have more time Saturday, maybe, otherwise not until August when we're at our sites. Right now we're pre-pre service training- basic language classes and everything we need to know about PC. Today we learned about boils, scabies, diarrhea, and all that fun medical stuff. We eat a lot, and very heartily. Fiji is not quite the place for vegetarians, let me tell you, but I'm bearing with it.

Sunday was by far the best day so far. We went to a village a little ways from where we're staying for a traditional Methodist service where we sang a song and were sermoned at for a good 1.5 hours (i think it was closer to 2). Then we had a kava welcoming ceremony and a giant feast. yes, a giant feast. On the floor in two long rows. We ate with our hands and tried dish after dish after dish of fish, fruits, and other crazy concoctions that were really quite delicious.
The kids took us on a tour of their village (the largest on the Viti Levu island, which literally means Big Fiji) and were so happy to see us. It was quite an amazing experience.

Alright, all for now. I'll try to keep in touch but it will be difficult. Morgan, thanks for the reading lamp! So far I've read Love is a Mix Tape and recommend it to all my music lover friends.

ready, set, go...

Here I go to Fiji! I think I actually will remember this, now. I bid you all adieu and will see you from the South Pacific in a few days.