things in the training village are completely different than life in vila. 2 weeks into training and so far i've learned to shower with a bucket, helped kill and cook a chicken, have started to speak bislama (sort of) and in the process have completely lost the ability to spell. oh, and i crave chocolate like mad.
and this is only the "baby step" into life in vanuatu. at any rate, the people of the training village are great. they've been extremely welcoming and have already invited us to take part in several of their rituals. so far, we have been invited to mourn with the widow of the deceased, were invited to the ceremony naming the new small chief and were even invited to a wedding ceremony on a neighboring island.
my host family is great. mama (38) and papa (36) are very proud of their culture and take the host parent role very seriously. both were very concerned when i developed a small cough. so concerned that i wasn't allowed to eat mangos for about a week (not sure what the mangos have to do with a cold but i wasn't about to ask...) they were both very proud when the cough cleared up, because obviously my abstinence from mangos cured me. at any rate, they are very sweet although it feels odd to be scolded by a woman 8 years my elder for not eating enough breakfast...
i have 3 host siblings, an 18 year old sister, a 12 year old brother and an 8 year old sister. the younger kids are hilarious and they have been my best language teachers (although i swear sometimes they are speaking french just to mess with me). my 18 year old sister is pretty busy as she gave birth to a baby girl 5 days after i arrived. it's been fun to have a fresh little nugget around the house...
i live in a house made of local materials (basically wood and coconut leaves) and yesterday i came back from the "shower" to find a chicken in my house. sometimes you have to laugh at your life...
that's about it for now but i will write more once i'm back in town. until then, please continue to write. it's been great to hear from everyone! miss you all!
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7 comments:
that sounds like sooo much fun, sort of..... we miss you back here in chicago, it's not the same without you here. i'm missing my hugging buddy :( it's ok though, because the next time i see you the hug will be FANTASTIC!! you know it. we miss you linds. be safe, have fun, and damnit take pictures.
sean
Woman!!! Your life sounds amazing!
Here is a little of what you've missed back here...
The day was wrapped up at the office with a secret game of dodgeball. Basically meaning people were throwing balls at passerbyers (yes I owe a quarter) and yelling "you're out".
Max bit my butt pretty hard attempting to get his toy.
Rock Band competition this month, I'm pretty sure my band will win.
I want to write you a letter but feel like I need to see into the future so it is more current by the time you get it.
Miss you a ton! I often sit in your office and wait for you to come back, but you never do. Kidding, but I do miss you.
Stay safe.
SAY
SOUNDS LIKE YOUR TYPE OF FUN. sPEAKING OF LANGUAGES BEANS HAS DEVELOPED ONE OF HER OWN. A MIXTURE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND WHO KNOWS WHAT? AUSTIN'S TEAM FINISHED THE YEAR DEFEATED BUT HE DID SCORE IN OUR LAST GAME. THATS ABOUT ALL THE FUN WE ARE HAVING HERE. NO CHICKENS TO BE KILLED THEY HAVE THEM AT GIANT EAGLE READY TO BE COOKED.
HAVE FUN
KEEP IN TOUCH
I WILL HAVE AUSTIN READ YOUR BLOG TO LANEY.
When life leaves you chickens in your hut...make Chicken Cake!
It sounds like you are having some amazing experiences. I can't wait to keep reading all these funny & entertaining posts about your new life on the islands. Hope you're having a blast!
:) Nikka
Bohemian Mac-City
Is this the real life, is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, you escaped from reality
Open your eyes, Look up to the skies and seeeeeeeeee
I’m just a po girl, I need me some sympathy
Anyway the wind blowssssssssss,
It always smells like fish…
To meeeeeeee
To meeeeeeeee
Mammmmaaaaa, Just killed a boar
Learned to hunt, to fish, to fight
Climb trees and bad snake bitesssssssss
Mammaaaaaaaaaaaa, We miss you so!
The drinks, the food, the laughs
You know WHO still has bad gassssss!!!!!
Mammaaaaaa, ohhhh ohhhhh ohhhh
Beef Jerkey and the worms
Ellie, Me and even Suz
Miss youuuuuu, ohhhhhhhhh
Too laaaaaaaaaaaaaate!
You’re alrea-dy gonnnnnneeeeeeee
Somewhere up in a tree?
Or teaching seniors how to speakkkkkkkkkk?????
Mammmmmmaaaa, Where are you nowwwwwwwww?
Un-der a banana treeeeeeeeee?
Maybe laying in your huttttt
Or putting aloe on your buttttttttttttttttt?????
Mamma, ohhhhh ohhhh ohhhh
You're new best friend is now a fish!
Remember us and salty cummmmmmmmm kisssssss?????
Chesterton…
Will have to wait
The smiles, food and braaaaaaaa-kes
Burgers, Tacos, Chicken, Fries, and all the Caaaaaaaaaaaa-kes
-----Piano Break-----
I see a lit-tle silhou-ette in the Palm Trees
Holy Shit, may be a Tiger
Jumping coons or spider!
----Pause-----
Where the hellllll-llll
(Where the he-llll)
Is my spray-yyyyy
(Is my spra-yyyyyyy)
I left it next to my mach-et-eeeeeeeeeeeeee
(eeeeee –eeeeee)
This is freakin frightening
Very, Very frightening
In my hutttt
(In my hutt)
There’s no roof
(There’s no roof)
Thunderstorms and lightning
Now I’m f’d, it’s striking
I’m just a white girl, nobody knows me
(She’s just a white girl from a white familyyyy)
Spending her life
Teaching seniors to speakkkkkk!
To speakkkkk
To Speakkkkkkkk
----Guitar Break----
Ohhhhhhh ohhhhhhhhhh ohhhhhhh
Ohhhhh yeah, ohhhhhhh yeah
Nothings really changing
Everyone can see
Nothing’s really changing
With meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Sorry, I didn't get to write you a letter yet. I figured this is the next best thing and if you get it by Christmas 2010 it might still be a good read?? Miss and love you long time lady!!!! Tash
Missed you other night online:( It is Halloween, we have 2 football players (OSU and Browns of course), a bat and a winerit (pirate as Reece would say it). The weather is awesome right now 60 degrees and the leaves are changing, but it will probably snow next week. In fact we had snow at the beginning of the week! Love and miss you, Mandy
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