18 October 2007

Hello Everybody bakegen,

So in the first 36 hours that I've been off the island, I've managed to break my toe (the right pinky toe) and not be able to function doors properly. But I think I'm figuring out how things in the big city work, although slowly. My island skills are really superb, my bush knife skills, eating in the dark skills, cooking in the dark skills, weeding skills (but unlike Napoleon Dynamite, I'm not working on my bow hunting skills, that's for the next three months).

When I first got out to Epi, Elaine, the volunteer before me was still there. It was great to have her there to teach me as much as she could and I was able to ask any questions that I thought of. The first week, Elaine was running her last workshop in the village, on how to make a compost toilet, so within days I was an expert on mixing cement and making cinder blocks, then putting the whole thing together. The second week, Elaine's last, we were very busy saying goodbye, having ceremonies, and moving her out while moving me in. On the day Elaine flew out, most of our family (I suddenly have a lot more mamas and papas, aunties and uncles) jumped on the truck to take Elaine to the airport. And then there was one...

The first few weeks were after Elaine left were a little uncomfortable. When I first got out to Epi, Elaine was there to speak English to me to make sure I understood what was going on, translating if necessary. She also knew who everybody was, and I was learning slowly. But after she left I was really on my own. Or so I thought. My Mama Emma is great, and she made sure I was eating and doing things everyday. I arranged with the chiefs to eat with a different family everyday, so for breakfast, lunch and supper I ate with the same family, and then moved to the next house the day after. The mornings were a little awkward, because we were just meeting each other, lunches were a little better, and then by supper, I had amazing conversations, explaining to people in my village why it can be dark in Malvasi and day anywhere in America. It usually involved using my fists to show how the earth revolved around the sun while rotating. I'm not sure how many people actually understood what I was trying to explain, but I think after the sixth time of explaining, I got pretty good. I also had amazing conversations about camels and how one rides them, dinosaurs, Lake Michigan being like the ocean, and snow.

I didn't think I'd have the chance so early to see other parts of my island, but I've already visited the east side, staying with Kristin, another volunteer from my group, and even went down to the southern tip to do some site development (we met with a village and had a village meeting) with one of my trainers. But other than that, I've pretty much stayed in Malvasi, learning as much as I could about the people. After eating with so many families, the children are certainly more comfortable with me. At first they were a little scared because I was strange to them, but now children love to come by and visit my house. Thankfully, my mom sent so coloring books and pencils & crayons, so when I didn't know how to keep entertaining the children, we would go outside and color. I think all the kids in the village have come to see me at some point, and it's gotten to the point where the pictures these kids produce and don't want to bring home with them have filled up the walls in my kitchen. At the most, I've had about 20 people (kids and adults) hanging out at my house (yes, the adults were coloring, too, but they also looked at my old NewsWeeks), but usually it's more around 10.

Besides being a pikinini magnet, I spend a little time working in my garden. I have a lot of lettuce that's growing as well as tomatoes and some root crops. I'm very thankful for the lettuce, because during the kakae program when I ate with families, I ate a lot of yams, manioc, and kumala. It was all very good, but I was very happy to add vegetables. I also spend a lot of time "living", washing clothes, cooking, cleaning my house. It's definitely more work than I thought it would be!

Well, I think I've rambled on enough. It's so nice to do it in English! Unfortunately, I can't send pictures right now because of the slow internet here and because I also forgot my memory stick at the place where I'm staying, but expect another email soon!

And of course, the shameless plea for mail (I really do answer them!)

Stephanie Oegema/Volentia blong Pis Kops
Malvasi Vilej
c/o Rovo Bay Post
Epi Aelan
Vanuatu, Southwest Pacific Ocean

Ale, mi lavem yufala tumas,
Steph

Disclaimer: (Peace Corps likes us to add this part, just in case, you know?)
Anything said or interpreted from this communication and others are based on the experiences of myself and nobody else. All Peace Corps' experiences are different because all Peace Corps Volunteers are different and work in different areas. Please understand that whatever I write is coming from me, not Peace Corps, Peace Corps Vanuatu, the Republic of Vanuatu, or any other organization, group, or individual.