might as well post more while I still have internet

I figure while I am stateside I might as well get in as much posting as possible, because once I journey to Vanuatu, I'm not sure how much posting I'll be doing.

For one, I found out that a distant relative of mine was the first senior citizen to enter the Peace Corps. Her name is Sue Sadow and she wrote a book about her experience called Into Africa. It is next on my book list. So I guess it runs in the family.

Let's see. I also found some roundtrip tickets to Vanuatu (Port Vila) from the east coast of the US for around $1500. So for all of you kids who were considering visiting but thought it was too expensive, think again! I found those specific ones on www.orbitz.com but I am guessing there are others out there too. However, I can't have any visitors until at least six months into me being there, and even better if it's later as long as it's not the last 3 months. I'm thinking the best time to visit will be next Jan-Feb (2009) because that will be my summer vacation, but if you're thinking of coming another time, that's cool too. Just let me know.

I suppose I can also update you on some info about what I know. I can't really remember what I have already said so this may be some repeats. I am going to Los Angeles for a 2 day staging on September 18th and then I'll arrive in New Zealand I think on September 21st. Then I think I go to Vanuatu shortly after that. I will be in the capital (Port Vila) for a few days where I will most likely have internet access. Then I'll be going to some rural village for training for 2 months. Sometime during that training I'll be going on a Walkabout where I will visit my future 2 year village. Then after training I'll go back to Port Vila for a few days where I'll buy my supplies that I'll need for life in the bush. When I move to my village, I'll be staying with a host family for 2 months while I get acclimated and then I think I'll move into my own grass hut!

So you can expect some sort of communication from me during the September - December period (maybe 2-3 times). Then once I'm in my village, not much internet (doubtful of any electricity at all) but whenever I go back to the capital I'll be able to update you then!

I can't really say that I know much of what I'll be doing. During training I'll be learning about safety, health, job specific training, culture training, and language (Bislama). But then once I go to my village, most likely they speak one of over 100 indigenous languages. And for 200,000 total people in the country, it makes Vanuatu the country with the most languages per person in the world. So should be interesting. The kids in school learn either French or English as a second language (depending on where in the country they are). Some of the islands were once controlled by France and some by England. I have heard that the kids know more English or French than the adults so we'll see. And hopefully my high school French will come back to me. I think it will especially after having a French camper in my cabin this year at Omega.


I think that may be all the updating for today. Two weeks from tomorrow I'll be leaving for LA so I'm sure there will be plenty more updates between now and then.