Training

Well its been a little while since the last time I got into Vila and there’s so much to say so here’s some random going-ons. My host family is great! My little brother, Kaumara, 7, makes me laugh every morning (the picture is Kaumara w/ Mama, and the picture took about 10 minutes to load so its the only one so far), but my Mama says “Every morning hemi mekem mi kros!” Basically, he gets into trouble or has some new excuse to not go to school every day. Russell, 9, on the other hand is a shy boy who is a good student, likes school, and knows some of his times tables already.
My Bislama is coming around really well, and last night I was trading drinking stories with my extended family. I would talk about funny things happening when people were drunk on the sauce while they told me funny drunk-on-kava stories. Last night as she was trying to fall asleep, Dominique, who stays with my Auntie, overheard one of the stories I told in Bislama . This morning she told me she laughed her ass off and told me I had to tell her the story in English. Some of you guys know it. It was the one where me, Mark, and Rembert drove down to SF for spring break and Remmy was out of control. Kevin if it wasn’t your birthday we would have left you on the side of the 101!
So the last two Sundays I went to church with my host family. I know this is hard to believe for some of you (me & church). The first time I went I saw one kid slug the hell out of another kid right in the middle of the service. I had to try my best not to burst out laughing. Later, a man in front of me fell asleep and everyone around me was laughing for a good ten minutes! They said he drank too much kava the night before.
So, I found out where I’m going for the next two years last week! I will be about an hour from the capital on a small island called Pele working on Coastal resources Management of a Marine Protected Area. The island is only a 30 minute boat ride from the training village so I will be able to keep up ties with the best host family ever. I will be taking over for a vol who has served now for 5 years and has earned god-like status around here. We were told earlier that this position was open and a few of us said that we wanted it. The job sounds awesome, the place has nice beaches and a conservation area already up and running, and I’m so close to the city and Peace Corps HQ. Its gonna entail filling some pretty big shoes as Chris, the guy I’m replacing, has really done some great things. But, I’m really up for the challenge and want to put my own twist on the project. During the interview they told me I really fit the profile of someone that jives well with many people and has a good sense of creativity needed for the project. It was definitely very encouraging to hear. So there it is, stoked to say the least!
So here’s some random funny stories: My brother, Russel, got his shorts eaten by a rat while he was wearing them about a week ago. I guess he wiped his hands off on his shorts after dinner and while he slept a rat decided to dine. As the story goes Russel woke up, called out for a lantern, and when my Mama asked him if he was alright he said yes. Evidently, he was so tired that he refused help, went back to sleep, and let the rat eat his shorts. The next morning we (my family and I) laughed our asses off.
So, a couple of nights ago, I was asleep and one of my arms went numb while I was sleeping. Some bug must have landed on my neck so I swatted it with my dead arm. Dreaming and feeling the pressure of a warm something with the weight of say, a rat, I smacked my dead hand with my own hand, giving myself a partial fat lip, and then tried to throw the rat (hand) with the same dead hand. I think I woke up about the time I pseudo-released the rat with the dead hand. Then, I yelled out “Bigfala Rat!” (huge rat in Bislama). It took me a couple minutes to figure out that it was my hand and not a rat that landed on my neck. Needless to say, everybody I told the next day got a good laugh out of that one. Since that day though, I’ve had a couple nights where I’ve thrown books at rats that tried to get in my stuff. I don’t even have any food in there!
Training has been going well. Most of it is pretty boring but there have been some good sessions where we learned some pertinent info. Today we went to some posh resort in Vila for all-Vol where as the name implies all volunteers in Vanuatu congregate for 3 days and have workshops. After the vols retire to their beachfront rooms that all include plasma TVs and hot tubs. We, the trainees on the other hand, only spent one day here and and have to head back in an an hour. But, we have plans to make the bus ride back the booze cruise. We're not allowed to drink during training but we have been hittin the kava a little bit. All the trainees are pretty psyched about going to all Vol next year. Wawaweewa, sexy time!
Two days ago, another vol and I taught some of the local kids how to play baseball. We used a hand chiseled bat made by Javier and a few tennis balls. Great success! The kids picked it up quick. They were getting the lead runner, sometimes holding up on flys, and some of the kids can really wail on the ball. One kid, Evan, is a natural. He's about 10 and has near perfect throwing mechanics and slugs the ball. He's my new project. Look out MLB!! Anyway, we had a blast playing and the kids asked us when we'd play again. Saturday we're going to teach the teenagers....more prospects.
Yesterday all of us had to give presentations in Bislama in front of the village on something instructional. I taught them how to play "Bones" (dominoes). I had a few Mamas tell me they understood the game pretty well...always good to hear you're just not spitting jibberish out the mouth. Anyway gots to go noaia (now). Ito, Bong wio (bye, good night in the local language i'll be speaking soon)