Vanua Levu....A New Hope

I got to site safe and sound this past Saturday. The 12 hour boat ride to the Island was pretty rough, I think I'm still recovering. I got to Navakaka Saturday afternoon to find my house hadn't been worked on at all in the last two weeks. I'll be staying with the Turaganikoro and his family til then. Kind of sucks cause my bedroom has no door so I get Zero privacy and all my stuff is fair game for a 15 and 4 year old to rummage through when I'm not there. This is only the third day but I had to come into town because my stress levels are through the roof. Garret, a volunteer in Wailevu (about 2 hrs from me) also came into town so we got to bitch and moan to each other...makes ya feel better. And also, the Peace Corps gives you money for and strongly suggests you buy a cell phone here in Fiji. Having that phone and getting texts ad phone calls from the new volunteers has definately been a lifesaver these first few days.
I think my attitude has been all wrong since I got here in Vanua Levu. I admit I was pretty hung over and not happy about not having my own house, but either way, I need to step it up. Its surprising how little things, like a good meal in town, can boost your morale. At least I won't have to go home tonight and eat roro, ika and suli...again.
Anyways, I havent bought much stuff for my new unfinished home. Today I got a gas stove, a paid a little extra for it but lesson one living in Fiji - DO NOT buy the cheapest version because it is absoloute crap and will break upon first use. Other than that I got a weeks supply of tined meats, a kettle, some mosquito coils and some other odds and ends. I don't have to worry about much material stuff til I get into my house.
Other than my living situation (which is only temporary) I am enjoying myself. Tonight I will have to go drink grog with the men at the chiefs house. Talanoa is to "tell stories" and thats what you do around the Tanoa(grog bowl). I bet they make me sing them songs all night again. Apparently I have a horse now too. My counterpart and I were walking back from his pig farm out in the bush yesterday and we passed two horses tied to coconut trees. He said, "that black one is yours." And I said, "Sweeeet." I think the Peace Corps will want me to wear a helmet though so I'll have to get one of them before I go galloping off into the sunset.
I just realized I've only been swimming once since I've been here. Granted I was snorkling and it was awesome but I'm in the middle of the Pacific I should me swimming more.
Thats all for now I'm feeling flustered and thoughts are hard to form. I'm meeting back up with Garret for a drink or two before the 4:30 bus back home. Did I give out my cell number yet??

Ow, My Eye

In Suva cause I have a blocked tear duct in my right eye that got infected. No creams or pills so i'll have to ride it out. Kind of hurts.. Next week is the big week, we are swore in as volunteers next Thursday. Pretty Exciting stuff, just one more Language Interview stands in the way. There are still 32 FRE-6's, no ones gone home yet. We're goin for some kind of record.
I baked Oatmeal cookies for a Waste Management Workshop along with 4 other trainees in Vunivaivai. It was very informal, mostly drank yagona and ate the food we brought. All in all I think it was a success, maybe 30 people showed up. Just getting people to show up is gonna be the hardest part, so we've been told. I think we're doing it again on Sunday?
Well my eyeball is sore so I'm gonna head back to Vunivaivai. Tonight we head over to the Indian Settlement, Visama, for "culture night", whatever that may be. This last week will be a whirlwind of stuff before we all take off for our respective posts.
hope all is well back home

HI MOM!!

In two days we find out where our posts will be and then on Monday morning we depart with our counterparts (whom we will meet on sunday) to spend a week in our new homes. Next friday we return here to the Nausori area for another week or two of training...then we're off. Yay.
I am already getting sentimental over my host family, they've been pretty much the raddest bunch of people I could have hoped for. I feel silly to have been so nervous about all this peace corps business. You learn real quick to just take shit slow and easy here, which fits my personality, so i'm set tiko.
I'm not getting to anxious to find out where my post will be. I figure if i want to be in a certain area or on a certain island in fiji, i prolly wont get it. So if i just dont think about it i won't be let down. Not that i'd be let down anyway, i'm in Fiji for fucks sake.
HEY PEOPLE BACK HOME, how about some fucking mail, huh? I've only been getting letters from Ashley, even my parents have forgotten about me already. Strike that, I got an e-mail from my mom saying, "i have a package for you sitting on the kitchen table"....thanks maah. I come back in two years try to get it out before 2010, k?
I ran out of deodarant a week ago and that stuff is expensive here. Needless to say i've been doing a lot of laundry by hand this week.
I dont really have much to say, i had a tech sessions today in Vunivaivai (my homestay village) and then I hopped on a bus to Nausori town and now i'm in the internets. My brother Joe said we're having Roti for dinner so i'm headin back before my Ta, Atu-Stone, eats it all.

And I read your comment Mike, but I cant figure out how to send you a reply, so if you want to email me feel free. michael.mcglone1@gmail.com
Congratulations on your nomination.

Next time I'll tell you all about how many bilo's of grog it takes to wet your bed.