Technological Issues

Dear Readers ,

As amazing as technology can be it can also be extremely frustrating. Before I left to head back to site I had set up my post to release 2 post every week for you all. Some how their was a glitch in the system and the post kicked out on the 19th of July. Which makes me sad!! I was completely unaware of it and as technology isn't something I have had a lot of exposure to in Vanuatu I wasn't able to fix it.

I am state side at the moment having a few surgeries on my jaw. (Fun story that was suppose to be up already). I will be looking into what happened and trying to resolve it as soon as possible.

I mainly wanted to let you all know I am alive and well.

In the mean time I have been able to upload some YouTube videos so feel free to go view them at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3SipeWv7JraJ_rjeS_xTyQ

You can see my home, the dogs as well as some silly songs with Coconuts.

Again I am so sorry I had no clue but then again I do live in a developing world so things like this are bound to happen.

On the plus side if you need to get up with me I do have a working phone and internet at the moment so I can answer any questions you might have about Peace Corps or Vanuatu. Feel free to e-mail me at Jumpn4vanuatu@gmail.com

Until Next Time!!
Jump In The Jungle

First Large Community Meeting

So the water pipe broke, and the source of the water is beginning to be spoiled, and not everyone has been paying their water fees. Which is 100 vt ( $1.00 US) but keep in mind that's a LOT of money here. So for 6 months the fee is 600 vt. This fee goes to maintain the pipes and since that hasn't been paid by everyone, the pipe hasn't been fixed yet.  Right now the water runs because it's a taped up job but it won't hold for long.  Part of this is also due to the community not meeting together. So today my counterpart called a huge community meeting.  This meeting was emotional for me because the people here are soft spoken most of the time and since the mamas are in a separate place, it makes it even harder to hear. Also people spoke in both language and bislama. I only know basic bislama so there were times I was completely lost.   Since this has so much to do with work Peace Corps has done and it's vital to my project (water seal toilets), I really wanted to understand.  

I only spoke up once and that was when the mamas opinions were asked and I shared what I heard and what I felt. But I said over and over it's not my opinion that counts, it's the community. There was a lot of discussion and a few cross words BUT in the end a plan was put into place and the fees hopefully will be enough to properly repair the pipe. 

It was interesting to see how things were handled.  After the meeting I had my counterpart give me a summary to make sure I understood the important things. 
It will be an interesting two years here, that is for sure :-)

Until next time

JumpInTheJungle

Rainy Saturday

So I woke up to rain Saturday, which meant the ground was muddy outside, which then means I stay close to home as I just haven't learned to walk on muddy mountains yet. So after breakfast (boiled ripe bananas with coconut milk and avocado) my sister and I then split open Nanaimbe (a nut), cleaned them, and then after setting the sweet aside to soak, we boiled them. Then one of the guys from the village came over and he and Papa made my solar box.  (A box to hold up the solar.)  While they did that I finished unpacking the last pile of things and now everything more or less has a spot in my house. I also put up a world map and photos.  I realized a few important people are missing so please send photos.  The kids loved looking at them, it made me smile. 

After the box was done and Mom and I flattened out the mats, it was time to go to the garden. (I bought seeds to plant salad and since it was raining they wanted to plant them) but me and my sister already had plans to make coconut oil before we knew about the garden so we stayed and it was a blast. We fought over me scratching the coconuts, she didn't want to let me do any of it, so we came up with a 2 by 2 rule where she scratched 2 then I scratched 2. After making the oil, which takes some time, we rested a little. I practiced knots and then got really bored and started to read.  Shortly after, my sister walked by and I talked her into trying Uno. We played 8 rounds and then decide 7 luck would be better. We played that for 2 hours and some other kids joined in and left along the way, some came and looked at the photos and map. It was fun. We finished up around half past five.

Papa was the first one back from the garden and he shared all he had planted and where. I'm excited to see how they grow. Then Mama came back and we started dinner. My sister and I tied island cabbage while Mom cleaned yam. I then milked a coconut over the cabbage and we put them on the fire to boil.  Then I went to swim (wash via a bucket) and came back and played silly games with my brother and one of his friends until dinner.

After dinner we showed everyone the coconut oil we made today and I headed to my place to get ready for bed.

I brushed my teeth, flossed, then washed my feet off again before I headed to bed. I then wrote this post and it's only 7:44pm and I'm fighting to keep my eyes open!

Wow how my life had changed and I say for the better!

Until next time
JumpInTheJungle

BEST Laplap Ever.

So for breakfast Mom made a yam laplap inside of bamboo. There was no coconut milk in it. It was just scratched yam roasted inside green bamboo, but man did it taste AMAZING! I think it's gonna become a staple over the next 2 years. I might make a video and show it to you next time.  Sooooooo yummy! 

Until next time

JumpInTheJungle

Shrimp....no, Craw Fish

So when we went down to the river, my brother and sister joined shortly behind. After they got there my little brother went on a hunt for crawfish. About 15 minutes later he came back empty handed.  My mom decided to try.  And over who knows how long, she tossed two big ones and one small one up on the rock by me.  My job was to keep them from going back into the river, which took more effort then I thought it would, but I managed. We went home with three crawfish which later my sister cooked for me in banana laplap. I wish I knew how to get them to stop giving me the best they have.  I'm honored, it but I don't want them not to enjoy things just because I'm around.  It's complicated some times. I tried to eat one and offer the other, but they wouldn't eat them. Finally, my mom ate the heads (which I don't like at all). But maybe a year from now I'll be the one catching them and cooking the

Until next time

JumpInTheJungle

River

So in the name of "exercise" (I plan on doing a lot of things under that reasoning) we walked down to the small river. And by down I do mean DOWN, like slight drop offs down. It took a bit of courage as downs are very hard on my knees and I'm still not 100% from my oral surgery BUT I did it even after falling down. We made it and it was a small running stream.  Mama was explaining to me how the mamas would have to do the walk in the soft mud during rainy season to get water to cook, to bathe, and to clean clothing and dishes. She said how grateful she was for the last Peace Corps and how much the water taps changed their lives. She told me about mamas who got injured, how people just wouldn't wash after a long day because of the hike. I honestly wish I could have recorded her standing in the stream talking about how, because of a Peace Corps volunteer, their lives were forever changed and the mamas were safer now. Jasmine, the previous volunteer here, truly changed this village and the lives of the people in it.  And, to be honest, mine! There is no way I could make that hike multiple times a day, as I know she did, and I'm so grateful she did. I'm also grateful for her hard work and determination.  

The walk to the river put a lot of things into perspective.  As now, the water system is starting to need repairs and fees are hard to collect in rainy season because no one comes to buy coco, or coconut flesh (copra), so no money is made.  But the day I arrived my counter part (the person I work directly with in the village) came to me and said, "Sunday we are having a water meeting, repairs need to be discussed!"  I was so happy and proud that I get to help sustain the work that Jasmine put in. Yay for second generation sites!!! Here's to seeing what I can do. 

Until next time

JumpInTheJungle

It's my birthday!!

So since it's my birthday I thought I would do 30 things I have learned turning 30 in the Peace Corps!!

1. I have learned I can do hard things.
2. I have learned I am only as old as I act! (Some day's I'm 2 some 40!!)
3. I have learned to laugh through the tears.
4. I have learned being present is worth so much more then just being there!
5. I have learned we need each other.
6. I have learned nothing happens when you try and do it all on your own.
7. I have learned life is NOT about me, it's about US, WE, & THEM.
8. I have learned hanging on to a rope isn't as fun as letting go some times.
9. I have learned dancing randomly is necessary for sanity.
10. I have learned falling is a part of getting places.
11. I have learned mud covered legs are OK it means you made the journey.
12. I have learned that I take myself to serious, no one else expects me to get it right the 1st time. .
13. I have learned physical letters are like hugs.
14. I have learned the world is much smaller then I ever thought.
15. I have learned we all want to know the WHY behind what we are asked to do.
16. I have learned the successes aren't always as important as the growth of failures.
17. I have learned what is said isn't as important as HOW it's said.
18. I have learned anger changes NOTHING!
19. I have learned I don't need things I need people.
20. I have learned people really just want to know you care.
21. I have learned dancing in the rain can cleans the soul.
22. I have learned if you really want it bad enough you will figure out a way to make it happen.
23. I have learned the sun is always there even if right now you can't see or feel it..
24. I have learned sometimes the heat from a dying fire is more effective then flames.
25. I have learned everyone has knowledge, slow down you never know what they might teach you.
26. I have learned there is always more then ONE answer to a problem!
27. I have learned the size of my waist has NOTHING to do with what I am capable of.
28. I have learned time is only how we judge moments of life!
29. I have learned that others opinions only matter if you let them.
30. I have learned that I still have so very much left to learn!