The ship did come. It wound up arriving sometime in the early afternoon and I went down to the shore to wait for my stuff to be unloaded. They unload the ship via small boats while the ship is anchored a little ways away from the shore (in order to protect the reef). Anyway, I waited and waited (typical Vanuatu) and by the time it got dark around 6:30 my stuff had not arrived yet and also i hadn't eaten. Nonetheless I waited some more and then finally heard the news that the ship decided it was going to drop all the stuff of at one beach which is by another village. Therefore, my stuff did not come to where I was waiitng along with everyone else from my village. So one of the people who owns a boat in my village decided to go over to the other beach and start to transport anything for our village to our beach. This was about 9 pm. Maybe by 10 or 11:00 two of my 14 items that were put on the ship arrived. By 11:30 I just walked back up the cliff and went to sleep. The next morning I heard that the ship had worked throughout the night. Down by the water, 9 of my items had safely arrived so I moved them all on top of the cliff with the help of my brothers. It was exciting to get my stuff and unpack and see all the crap I thought I'd need. At least I got a bunch of books. This stuff on the ship was all my stuff that i had packed up on Ambae and stored in Vila until now. Lots of useless stuff, but that's okay. Anyway, the next day I went to check at the other beach to see if the rest of my stuff was there. I only found one box which meant that the other 4 things were missing. They're still missing. I've heard rumors that people have seen them but I've gone back to check and found nothing. Oh well. My gas for my cooking stove is among the missing so more over the fire cooking for me. I'm not sure where all this stuff is. It most likley got dropped off at another island by mistake which means I don't think I'll be seeing it again.
Anyway, lots of people who are from Futuna but are living in Vila came to Futuna on the ship so I've met lots of new people lately. Futuna is a fairly small island with not too many work opportunities, other than teacher, so if you want to work, you have to go to Vila or Tanna. It's probably best that way anyway, since I think if all the people of Futuna came to live on the island it'd be a little crowded. We had a few events surrounding the Christmas celebration. A new church in a neighboring village hosted its opening. An American missionary came to talk because he'd organized the donation of lots of money to help build the church. It was interesting to get another American's perspective on Futuna, but it also made me realize that now I have a lot more in common with the people I've made connections to here as opposed to some random American. I think when I first got here I thought the most important thing was to be able to talk to another American, but now that's not necessarily true.
After the church opening, the next main event was Christmas which included a church service in the new church and then a sort of talent show/ dance off type thing which included quite the variety of dances including Pacific style and Christian gospel of sorts. I'm not sure if I mentioned how the whole island of Futuna celebrates Christmas in just one village. Everyone from around the island goes to the one village where it is decorated to the max (mostly with various flowers) while the rest of the island remains completely unaffected by Christmas. On Futuna one of the main symbols of Christmastime in my opinion is watermelon. Watermelon season is in full boom and I think I eat watermelon almost every day. It's quite nice.
Anyway I think throughout this week there have been various programs involving singing and Bible study at the Christmas village, but the next time I'll head over there is for New Years Eve. Apparently we stay up all night singing or something. They like to sing here.
That's about all the news here. It's hot, which is nothing new. There has been intermittent rain which is also nothing new.
Anyway I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Ship Called Tomorrow
This ship that was supposed to come to Futuna still has not arrived. The story of its non-arrival sort of exemplifies Vanuatu. When I asked the people here what ship was coming they said "Tomorrow". I said "really?" and they said "yeah when you ask when it's leaving the answer is always tomorrow." Unfortunately this prophecy has come true. I first heard that the ship would be out on December 1st. December 1st came and went but no ship left (it would be coming from Vila the capital). Anyway since then this ship has made countless trips to other islands but none to Futuna yet. Then FINALLY they loaded it up for Futuna. It was full with passengers and cargo directed to Futuna. It left the wharf in Vila but unfortunately the police stopped it because it was too full. They made it return to the wharf and unload. Then it reloaded with only cargo for other islands and left. Apparently it is now en route back to Vila and its next trip will be for Futuna. We'll see when it happens. I'm sure the answer will be "tomorrow". The stores here are now done to scraps. This ship hopefully will come soon. I'm enjoying a lovely diet of roasted breadfruit and banana and boiled manioc until then.
This week also is a week long prayer group called Transformation. They are praying 24 hours a day all week. They are visiting everyone at their houses. Its really intense. Needless to say, I'm a little bored. On Sunday there will be a culmination by the opening of a brand new church in another village on the island. Apparently some American is coming tomorrow who gave money to build the church. Also the Prime Minister (who is from Futuna) should be arriving tomorrow. It should be an exciting day at the airport (and maybe I'll even get some mail)!
I realized I haven't written much about Bislama on my blog. Bislama is the National Language of Vanuatu (French and English are the official languages). Bislama is a sort of pidjin English/ French but has developed into its own language. Its similar to the pidjins of PNG and the Solomons. Anyway, it was super easy too learn since many words are just English in a different accent and also the vocabulary is very minimal. I think the best way to describe it is that I'll write something in it. Then you can try to read it. Its best if you try to read it outloud. Written Bislama is completely phonetic so just sound it out.
Vanuatu hemi gud. Mi laekem fulap samting long ples ia. I gat fulap kakae mo i minim se sipos sip i no kam long taem yu save kakae ol kakae we i gro nomo long aelan. Mi laekem se mi stap klosap long solwota. Yu wokabaot nomo mo yu kasem solwota. I hot be i no hot tumas. I neva kolkol. Mo tu i gud from se evri wan i wantem storian. I no gat tumas nara samting blong mekem i minim se yu mas storian nomo wetem ol narafala man. Wan las samting se mi laekem hemi se yu no spendem tumas mani long ples ia. Yu no save pem eni samting long stoa be i minim se yu no spendem eni mani. Hemia nomo.
Bislama once you hear it is really easy and I often find myself thinking in Bislama. It also has effected my English. I find it difficult to speak English without using only my Bislama vocabulary. For example, in Bislama the word "smol" (small) is used for any deriviation (little, tiny, small, miniscule- only one word smol). So when someone in Bislama says "yumi stap klosap?" i would answer "klosap smol". But in English this would be translated as "are we close?" "close small". Close small just isn't really appropriate in English. Other examples "Is it raining?" "small" in english doesn't really work. So hopefully when I'm reimmersed in English my English vocabulary will improve once again.
I'm slowly learning the local language but am totally not able to write a full paragraph in Futanese. I'll just leave you with:
Rufie Tabo- Good night
This week also is a week long prayer group called Transformation. They are praying 24 hours a day all week. They are visiting everyone at their houses. Its really intense. Needless to say, I'm a little bored. On Sunday there will be a culmination by the opening of a brand new church in another village on the island. Apparently some American is coming tomorrow who gave money to build the church. Also the Prime Minister (who is from Futuna) should be arriving tomorrow. It should be an exciting day at the airport (and maybe I'll even get some mail)!
I realized I haven't written much about Bislama on my blog. Bislama is the National Language of Vanuatu (French and English are the official languages). Bislama is a sort of pidjin English/ French but has developed into its own language. Its similar to the pidjins of PNG and the Solomons. Anyway, it was super easy too learn since many words are just English in a different accent and also the vocabulary is very minimal. I think the best way to describe it is that I'll write something in it. Then you can try to read it. Its best if you try to read it outloud. Written Bislama is completely phonetic so just sound it out.
Vanuatu hemi gud. Mi laekem fulap samting long ples ia. I gat fulap kakae mo i minim se sipos sip i no kam long taem yu save kakae ol kakae we i gro nomo long aelan. Mi laekem se mi stap klosap long solwota. Yu wokabaot nomo mo yu kasem solwota. I hot be i no hot tumas. I neva kolkol. Mo tu i gud from se evri wan i wantem storian. I no gat tumas nara samting blong mekem i minim se yu mas storian nomo wetem ol narafala man. Wan las samting se mi laekem hemi se yu no spendem tumas mani long ples ia. Yu no save pem eni samting long stoa be i minim se yu no spendem eni mani. Hemia nomo.
Bislama once you hear it is really easy and I often find myself thinking in Bislama. It also has effected my English. I find it difficult to speak English without using only my Bislama vocabulary. For example, in Bislama the word "smol" (small) is used for any deriviation (little, tiny, small, miniscule- only one word smol). So when someone in Bislama says "yumi stap klosap?" i would answer "klosap smol". But in English this would be translated as "are we close?" "close small". Close small just isn't really appropriate in English. Other examples "Is it raining?" "small" in english doesn't really work. So hopefully when I'm reimmersed in English my English vocabulary will improve once again.
I'm slowly learning the local language but am totally not able to write a full paragraph in Futanese. I'll just leave you with:
Rufie Tabo- Good night
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Okay, seriously, no more internet... I think
Today is the official last day of school in Vanuatu so after today I really don't think I'll have internet anymore.
Just to some up my activities since my last post. We did wind up going to the beach last Thursday which was Thanksgiving in the U.S. We were supposed to sing Christmas carols on the beach, but it started to rain so instead we did them inside the church. The next day however it was nice and sunny, in fact too sunny. In the morning we all went to the beach to catch some fish for a picnic. In order to catch fish at this specific beach, everyone stands in the water holding large sticks. You then proceed to beat on the water for hours with the sticks. Everyone stands in a circle around a tide pool. You start hitting the water at high tide to make the fish scared to pass you and when the water goes to low tide, all the fish are trapped in the pool. Anyway, about 2 hours into this activity I realize that I was being burned to a crisp by the sun and unfortunately my sunblock was no where near me. I got out of the water and stayed in the shade for the rest of the day, but I still wound up red as a lobster and confusing everyone, since they are not really familiar with the concept of sunburn. As the days progressed and my skin started peeling off, they were all quite worried, but I assured them it was typical of post-sunburn recooperation.
Anyway the rest of the week I have done not much. I have gone online a lot and watched a bunch of super random DVDs that are in the house. I've walked to the airport just to have something to do and I've been slowly learning the local language by interacting with my two year old sister who doesn't speak Bislama. I'm good at saying "no" and "come"- "Jigai" and "mai". We've also had lots of fun using Photo Booth on the iMac. The two year old just loves it. She's also been learning some new English and Bislama words. I enjoy that if I'm reading the news online she can correctly identify "Obama, President" and she is also good at saying "iPod" as about 4 people have ipods here. She likes to "talk" on the telephone to no one. At least it's entertainment. Recently she has been really into showering in the real shower whenever I go in. It's cute, unless I actually want to shower.
Okay that's all for now. I think I'll be going to the nearest island sometime during this school break just to go to the bank and buy a few things. The stores here are completely out of almost everything. There's supposed to be a ship coming, but every time they keep delaying when they'll actually come to Futuna since Futuna is so far out of the way. Now the stores are out of sugar and rice which are like 2 of the main imported foods that people like. Luckily we still can buy the 40 cent instant coffee, but it's just not that great without sugar. Yesterday someone who came in from Vila on the plane brought bread, and honestly it was so amazing. I hope when I go back, I can get that excited over a piece of bread!
Alright, seriously now, enough already, or in Futanese "Tao oji"!
Just to some up my activities since my last post. We did wind up going to the beach last Thursday which was Thanksgiving in the U.S. We were supposed to sing Christmas carols on the beach, but it started to rain so instead we did them inside the church. The next day however it was nice and sunny, in fact too sunny. In the morning we all went to the beach to catch some fish for a picnic. In order to catch fish at this specific beach, everyone stands in the water holding large sticks. You then proceed to beat on the water for hours with the sticks. Everyone stands in a circle around a tide pool. You start hitting the water at high tide to make the fish scared to pass you and when the water goes to low tide, all the fish are trapped in the pool. Anyway, about 2 hours into this activity I realize that I was being burned to a crisp by the sun and unfortunately my sunblock was no where near me. I got out of the water and stayed in the shade for the rest of the day, but I still wound up red as a lobster and confusing everyone, since they are not really familiar with the concept of sunburn. As the days progressed and my skin started peeling off, they were all quite worried, but I assured them it was typical of post-sunburn recooperation.
Anyway the rest of the week I have done not much. I have gone online a lot and watched a bunch of super random DVDs that are in the house. I've walked to the airport just to have something to do and I've been slowly learning the local language by interacting with my two year old sister who doesn't speak Bislama. I'm good at saying "no" and "come"- "Jigai" and "mai". We've also had lots of fun using Photo Booth on the iMac. The two year old just loves it. She's also been learning some new English and Bislama words. I enjoy that if I'm reading the news online she can correctly identify "Obama, President" and she is also good at saying "iPod" as about 4 people have ipods here. She likes to "talk" on the telephone to no one. At least it's entertainment. Recently she has been really into showering in the real shower whenever I go in. It's cute, unless I actually want to shower.
Okay that's all for now. I think I'll be going to the nearest island sometime during this school break just to go to the bank and buy a few things. The stores here are completely out of almost everything. There's supposed to be a ship coming, but every time they keep delaying when they'll actually come to Futuna since Futuna is so far out of the way. Now the stores are out of sugar and rice which are like 2 of the main imported foods that people like. Luckily we still can buy the 40 cent instant coffee, but it's just not that great without sugar. Yesterday someone who came in from Vila on the plane brought bread, and honestly it was so amazing. I hope when I go back, I can get that excited over a piece of bread!
Alright, seriously now, enough already, or in Futanese "Tao oji"!
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