The sports project is also going along well. Right now Javi and I are working with teachers in North Efate and their sports organization, NEPSSA, to plan tournaments and activities for the year. The basic plan is to have divisional tournaments, a North Efate Tournament for the division finalists, and then a North vs. South Efate Finals including an all star game for soccer and volleyball. We’re hoping to have at least 4 baseball teams that are able to compete in the North Efate Tournament too, and maybe have a North vs, South Efate baseball championship when the soccer and volleyball finals are going on. A lot of this depends on the teachers and their involvement in the organizing of the tournaments and teams so we are hoping for the best. Maybe all of these will happen before I leave here too (I’m thinking around mid-August).
At the end of this month we, a bunch of volunteers and I, are planning on holding a baseball carnival in Vila to kind of showcase the sport. The idea for it came from Javi as we planned on having another Vila vs. Ekipe match anyway and he figured it would be good to include some carnival-type stuff with it. So we’re going to have some games for kids and youth that test your skill in throwing, catching, and batting with prizes for winners. Javi is working on getting the word out through local papers and radio and we are hoping for a good turnout. The basic thinking is to recruit a bunch of kids and youth from Vila to start playing through showing them some attributes of the game and then showing them an actual game later in the day. Whatever turnout we get, it should be pretty fun.
Another cool thing with the sports project is that we got the go ahead to do a big workshop that Javi and I have been trying to do since around July of last year. The workshop is set to happen in the beginning of May, and we will be giving it to a group of teachers in North Efate. It will be a week-long workshop where we train the teachers basic First Aid (directed towards sports injuries), train the teachers to teach Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) in schools, and hold trainings on how to coach and referee baseball and Ultimate Frisbee. We will be working with the Vanuatu Red Cross to do the First Aid training and then we, Peace Corps Volunteers, will do the sports and ARH training. When we first were thinking of this workshop we just wanted to do sports training, but realized we would need to couple it with an activity like First Aid to get it the credibility it needs to go ahead. So very cool that we are going to be able to do this, and it should definitely help the popularity and organization for baseball and Ultimate. Going to be a bit of work, but should be a very worthwhile workshop.
So as I said earlier I’m thinking now that I’m going to depart Vanuatu in August. I was thinking of extending for a few months to close around December, but I’m starting to realize it’s time for me to go soon. Two years is a long time to spend away from family, friends, and your culture. I’m also ready to move on to something new. I have really loved my time here, and I will miss this place when I’m gone, but come the middle of this year I’ll be about ready to go back.
My close of service date is in the end of June, but I think I’m going to extend this for about a month so I can tie up some loose ends with projects, see out the sports tournaments, and maybe run in the Round Island Relay again in the end of July. I’m thinking of then, after I finish my service in late July, spending a couple weeks on Ambae followed by returning to the US. I was thinking of traveling or working in Australia or New Zealand for a couple months after I got done, but now I’m thinking I’m just going to go back. I guess money is probably my biggest reason for wanting to go straight back. I don’t have a lot of it and I’m going to need it to get going again in the US. I’d also like to get back to the US in summer so I don’t freeze my ass off and road tripping will not have to be done through snowstorms.
I guess, generally, I’m thinking of heading back and while making stops (definitely some longer ones with family) along the way work my way West across the country back to California. I’m thinking Cali would be a good place to transition to life America again. I guess once I get back it’s back to work where I can find it and starting down the road of grad school (studying for the GREs, checking out schools, etc.). Many things are uncertain yet, but I’m thinking August is when I’m going back, and the rest I’ll be working on in the next few months. I’ll let you guys know when I have more direction or details of where I’m going to try to stop in the US during the time I plan on road tripping.
A lot to think about and I am just trying to enjoy my time here before I leave, and get a few trips in within Vanuatu. In the beginning of next month a bunch of volunteers and I are planning on going to Pentecost Island to check out the land diving that happens every year at this time. This big event is where local men dive off high towers held only by vines, fastened at their ankles. They do it to ensure a good yam harvest, and it is where bungee jumping originated from (only this is much cooler and more dangerous than bungee jumping). I’m also going to be going to Tanna when my sister, Hannah, comes and visits where we’ll see the exploding volcano and some other cool custom stuff.
But, right now I’m just doing my thing in the village. Working, fishing when I can, and chilling out. Most things are pretty easy going and you get frustrated at others. Like today I grabbed my mouse only to find that a rat had chewed on the scroll wheel. Kind of strange, a rat chewed on my mouse! Ha Ha right? A guy from Pele that now lives in Vila came here, and left behind a weight bar and weights for me and some of the local guys to use. So I built a weight bench out of local wood and an existing sitting bench, and I use smaller weights with the bar to make it a curl bar. For the last month I’ve been able to lift which is nice as something to do and good exercise. Some of the local guys get a kick out of “training” too as they call it. I’m just hoping that the guy from Vila won’t try to reclaim it any time soon. If he does I’ll try to work out a deal to rent it at least until I’m out of here.
(This is a picture of my neighbor, oldfala Tom, flexing)
So as I was writing the last part this big boat, the “Fresh Cargo” just arrived on my island. This boat just started servicing Vanuatu with trips around to some islands in the country. From what I gather they also want to do a little near-Vila tourism packages too, and have chosen my island as a possible site. So today about 30 or so tourists just landed here as part of a trial to see how things go. There is already a day tour in place here, but I think my village isn’t used to getting this many tourists at one time (usually it’s between 4-15 tourists). Best of luck to them.
(This is a picture of the Fresh Cargo landing on Pele)
I think I’m going to walk down towards the boat in a little while just to ask the people that run the boat about charters as we, some volunteers and I, are trying to find out the cheapest way to get to Pentecost in April. The Fresh Cargo came up as a possible option so I think I’ll find out how much they charge.
Other stuff going on…Last Thursday was the national holiday of Chief’s Day so the village put on a ceremony to recognize all the hard work that chiefs do in the village. So my papa, the paramount chief, and Marias, a smaller chief were on hand to receive the ceremony. It started with a church service, then we had a ceremony in the farea or meeting hall, followed by a kava ceremony and food. Now, I believe I’ve blogged before about how drinking kava during the day is not always the best, but I’ll explain again here. When you drink kava you don’t like loud noises (like kids screaming) or bright light (like the sun) so kava is usually enjoyed in the evening. Furthermore, kava can make you pretty tired after a few hours after drinking if you drink during the day, you might as well write off your evening. This is somewhat akin to starting boozing in the morning and being totally useless by about 5pm. OK, so all that being said, one might wonder why someone would drink kava during the day. Well, usually it happens to be part of a ceremony so that the end of the ceremony ends in the custom of drinking kava together. During Chief’s Day such a ceremony took place with kava being served at around noon. Watson made the kava and he happened to make some stuff that kicked the ass of my whole village. I drank a couple shells and felt it “kick” and had to go lay down for a bit. Some people ended up puking, but all who drank were stoned as hell. Naturally we were all worthless come evening and some guys went to go drink again and tried to get me to go, but I had my fair share for the day.
(Here’s me before the kava started whooping me)
It was a good ceremony though, and at one point the chiefs asked me to take a picture with them and their wives so I did and got a couple good shots. I actually got my mama and papa to smile in a picture too by telling them a joke.
(A picture of my mama and papa)
(The other chief, Marias, and his wife Monique)
Not a whole lot new otherwise I think it’s about time for a swim as it’s pretty hot here. I’ll try to write a new blog soon.
