A weekend together

Well most of the volunteers on Malakula, the island I'll be serving on, all came in this weekend and man oh man has it been crazy! We've cooked burgers with fries (yummers) and we've done what is called a kava crawl (This is where you start at one nakamal and drink a few shell's of kava, walk or truck to another one, then finish the night at another one.) This morning we walked to the saltwater and swam for a few hours even during an intense raining storm, which we then walked home in. It was amazing because for the first time since coming here we felt cold! Now we are sitting around sharing photos and stories about home and our site visits. Later tonight there will be more kava and a great meal again before we head back to our training villages for another 3 weeks of language and cultural training. The nice thing is all the community health people will be together.  At our previous one we were separated and only saw each other one day a week.

I feel like some of these things are short BUT hey some news is better then no news right?  Well most times. Any way, how are you all doing? I would love to hear from you. (PS hearing from you means letters because it's really the only way here)

Until Next Time

Jump in the Jungle

First Dead

In Vanuatu, when someone dies, it's called a dead.  It's a LOT more then a funeral back in the states and is unlike ANYTHING I've ever dealt with before.  My first Dead was a tough one though because it was a fellow peace corps volunteer's Mama.

Her mama was laid to rest the day before we could come, but upon arrival the first thing I heard was crying.  But not a soft cry, it was wailing! The custom, as far as I understand right now (remember I'm new here), is that they grab your arm and weep loudly, saying sorry. Also there was a room full of women crying and praying. I guess it's where the body was before it was placed in the ground. You also shake hands with everyone; kind of like a viewing back home. Another similarity to southern funerals is everyone eats and everyone brings food. But the difference here is things like beef are mainly used for deads & marrieds (weddings). Another difference from the states is the fact that deads last some time with ceremonies at different times up until the annual mark of the death.

I'm sure I'll experience more and when I have been to a few I will be able to explain them a little better I hope.

Until next time

 Jump in the Jungle

The Road Up!

A worry of mine since I got to Vanuatu is not being fit enough to handle some of the muddy roads. Meri showed me just how much of a reality that would be! Walking around in back county bush roads proved to be a struggle for me, both physically and even more so emotionally.  So when finding out the road to my village was 4 times as long as the road in Meri I wanted nothing more then 3 dry days so the truck could make it up. Well 3 dry days turned into 3 down pours and even though we chartered the truck (which is beyond freaking expensive! Think $200) the truck got stuck in the mud after 15 minutes.  Leaving us a 2 hour hike in the rain to get to the village. But man what a hike! One of the guys went and got us a banana leaf.  Custom umbrella. It was funny and after a while more of a headache; so I ditched mine and just enjoyed the feeling of the rain on me. But after two AMAZING hours I was in Womul! Kelsey and I laughed so hard on the way up. It was one of the coolest Valentines Days I've ever had! Maybe I'll walk it next year on Valentines day to help settle someone into their new site, like the previous volunteer here in Womul did for Kelsey. Gotta love the circles life brings sometimes.

PS I have no signal for anything up here in the village so if you're emailing me I'll see it in a few months.  If you write me a letter I will see it in a month *hint hint hint*

Until next time

Jump In the Jungle

The Dead of Night

I was in Mantavant at Laura's house on walkabout week and at midnight I woke up wide awake with the song "Putting on the Ritz" playing in my head. If you don't know this song I'm so sorry!  YouTube it immediately! Any who, that's the song I would put on repeat the last week I was home driving around in my mom's car.  I fought to go back to sleep as that morning was going to be a very very long but fun day.  (I get to meet some of G26, the group who came a year before us). Any way I just couldn't sleep so I FINALLY pulled myself from under the  mosquito net and out of Laura's amazing hammock and went to the small house aka toilet (which hers is a cool hole in the ground.  It's shaped like the lock a skeleton key would go in. Man oh man how my standard for cool toilets has changed!)

So after doing what had to be done I felt like I really needed to call home and talk with my mom. The call went close to this:

Hi mom! 

Hi baby (I love that no matter how old I am I'm always my momma's baby) 

Mom what's wrong? I can't sleep and I feel like something is wrong!

Well things are going well but Mia (my oldest sister who is very prego at the moment) is in the hospital. 

Ok, Why?

Just monitoring the baby, trying to keep them both safe. (My mom is amazing at telling me just enough without worrying me badly)

Ok, how are you?

I'm doing good

I'm sorry I don't call more.  It's hard and costly.

I know baby, I love you.

I love you too Mom.

I'll talk to you later.

Ok love you.  Bye

I share all that with you for 3 reasons:

#1: I don't have signal at my site in Womul,  I couldn't have called if I was up there. 

#2: I shouldn't have had the credit to call but a very good friend figured out how to top up my phone credit so I could and I didn't know it until I went to make the call. ( A million THANKS!)

#3: It's so reassuring to me to know that I can be so very far away from my family and know just when I need to call and the way is provided for me to do so. I call those my tender mercies and I'm sure the next 2+ years will be filled with them.

By the way, I'm adding to the info page a way to top me up, if you do decide to do it (which you so don't have too) it's best to do it Wednesday or Thursday U.S. time frame and 1000 VT (about $10) because most times they are running a special to double the credit.  Here's the website: https://online-top-up.digicelgroup.com/en-VU/signup/  Use the number: 6785422075

Until next time

Jump in the Jungle

Information overload

I really love this article because it shows how the basic things become so appreciated!!

Also, her blog is cool!

Abby's 5 Things I Couldn't Live Without. In a few months I'll make my list!

http://abbyexplores.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-five-things-i-couldnt-live-without.html


Until Next Time!
JumpInTheJungle

First Rain/Swim

So in Vanuatu they call washing your body swimming. The other night I was playing classic Jenny: getting stuff done for others that no one asked me to get but I figured it would be easier then 6 people trying to figure it out. As I was walking up and down the hill bare foot, to prevent falling as easily (note I didn't say not to fall as I know that is wishful thinking at this point), I was covered in mud and walking all around the village.  To some I looked crazy; others tough and cool; my sister just laughed and helped me finish my tasks. After, she looks at me and says, "Well, you wanna finish swimming in the rain?" To which I said, half joking, "sure," since by this point I looked like an island rat. She brings me a bucket, soap, and a towel and says, "I think I'll do the same tonight."  We laughed as I picked up the container and started pouring cold water on myself.  But in that moment I didn't feel cold, I didn't feel sore, I didn't feel any negativity at all.  It's like the water cascading over me like a waterfall, aided by the rain, washed away both the mud and stress. It was amazing to wash in the rain and I think it will always be a favorite of mine.

First Fall

Friday marked 4 days in a row of rain and mud. So far I have been okay, but today my shoes were so covered in mud they just kept walking after I stopped and I landed ass first in the mud in my Sunday dress. (By Sunday dress I mean the only one I hadn't stained by this point because I was only wearing it to church and back) BUT it rained for 2 days so none of my other clothes were dry yet :/ That dress now has a nice brown spot on the butt and the bottom hem looks like a picture from Sense & Sensibility. The trim was earth color instead of its normal pink and white.  To top off the event, I did it right in front of the other volunteers before class.  My sister saw it across the village, so she came about 5 minutes later to check on me.