Hello friends!
The last four months have been so interesting. I’ve felt such a range of emotions and there have been ups and downs but many more ups than downs. I’ve learned and experienced a ton already and reflecting on the past 4 months makes me realize how fortunate I am to be here.
First, my village is awesome. Amazing people with amazing senses of humor. I regularly have people laughing along with me, which is very comforting. None of my corny jokes have transcended the cultural barrier, but I'm finding my own way to make people laugh. Usually it just involves me being confused (sometimes baffled) by things that are second nature to the Ni-Vanuatu (clearing/planting gardens, cooking over fire, lighting a fire, using a bush knife, etc). Everyone has been very patient with me...speaking slowly and taking the time to explain everything about the village, community, and island. My host mama, in particular, is a very strong person and has been great about bringing me up to speed on some of the more sensitive cultural differences.
I've witnessed several custom ceremonies including marriages, brideprice payment ceremonies, circumcisions (ok, not the ACTUAL circumcision but all of the celebrations surrounding it), and several holidays. All have been very interesting and I get a little closer to the community and gain a better understanding of this culture with each one. Christmas was a difficult day but still an amazing experience. I literally got chills as we sat in the colorfully decorated church and the youth choir performed “Happy Christmas to You” (which is strikingly similar to Happy Birthday). The sun was shining, it was a gorgeous day, and I felt very loved and welcome in my community. Regardless, it just felt strange to not wake up with family on Christmas morning (for the first time in 30 years) and therefore, impossible to not feel a pang of homesickness. Alas, I survived and came away with a really unique experience.
New Year's was probably my favorite holiday on the island so far. West Ambrym (and many other places in Vanuatu) has a tradition of dancing “bonani” to wish each other good luck in the upcoming year. Basically, the people of the village go to neighboring villages dancing, singing, giving gifts and showering each other in baby powder. After about a week of this, the village has a party to close the old year and welcome the new. There is a big feast and then everyone “dances daylight” which means that they literally dance until the sun rises.
Aside from a touch of homesickness, the personal side of this experience has been great. I'm learning a ton about myself and becoming healthier, physically and mentally (I think). I'm very happy with my decision to join Peace Corps and excited about what the next 20 months hold.
The only real frustration about being here has been the work. People warned me that it would take time to get integrated and get to know who was who and that the pace would be slow, but I didn't realize it would be THIS slow. Meetings starting 2 hours late, long lunches, and inevitable distractions (weather, death in the family, etc) are the norm. It's quite an adjustment to come from a culture where starting on time is “late” and you practically define yourself by the progress on your to-do list. Culturally, there is just a huge difference in priorities. All things “business” take a backseat to all things family. Granted, this is how it should be but when everyone on the island is “family” there are a lot more distractions to hinder “business”.
The strange part of all this is that the Ni-Vanuatu are very hard working people. I've been to the garden and seen them busting tail in the heat (while I took a break in the shade after 5 minutes...it's HOT here!). I've seen them working the coconut plantations, hauling firewood, and carrying laundry 45 minutes to wash in the ocean. It's definitely a hard life and I don't hear anyone complaining.
One thing I’ve seen here is the lack of value placed on education in Vanuatu. Resources are limited across the board but especially at secondary schools and as a result, the kids are required to test into them. (Not many pass those tests.) Furthermore, many secondary schools are boarding schools, which are expensive. On West Ambrym, you have to board past year 6 (there’s not much within a 4 hour radius) and leave the island to school past year 10. It’s really frustrating to see how many hoops one would have to jump through just to get an education.
Business on the island is very basic. The only real source of income on the island is through shelling copra. Copra is the meat of a dry coconut cooked over a fire. It is exported for coconut oil production. It is very labor intensive and the price of copra is feeling the effects of the world economy and has gone down. For the most part, the people in the village don’t use much cash. In most custom ceremonies gifts of pigs, fowl, bananas, woven goods, or carvings are given. School fees are really the only cash necessity. As mentioned, secondary school fees can be expensive, but elementary school fees are minimal (the equivalent of $5 a term). However, people are becoming more interested in making money with the increased desire for certain goods (store bought food, fuel for generators, cell phones, clothing, etc).
I am helping to run an RTC (rural training center). An RTC is similar to a vocational school and we currently have carpentry and homecare classes. We hold monthly workshops on various things (crochet, cooking, business, tourism, etc). Because revenue sources are so limited, we try to encourage a custom economy. Basically, you can pay school fees with things other than cash (pigs, fowl, bananas, woven goods, carvings, etc).
I hope this gives you all a better idea of my life here. I definitely miss everyone and want to say thank you for all the support. Please keep the letters coming, it's great to hear from you!
