I am now a Peace Corps Volunteer!!

Hello again from Vanuatu where I was officially sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer on Thanksgiving Day. For about eight of you who will be reading this who are former PC volunteers yourselves, I don’t have to say much about what a wonderful celebration this was. I only teared up once, when our director said, “I realize that many of you are spending your first Thanksgiving away from loved ones.” Our whole village was there along with Vila dignitaries like the Minister of Education. Also, many PC volunteers who were anywhere near the area came. Our host mamas had made new island dresses (basically mumus) and island shirts for us in matching calico, the Bislama word for any fabric. So there we were, all nineteen of us, dressed exactly alike, matching like I used to dress Amy and Rachel!! We had to repeat an oath to solemnly swear to defend the Constitution and our country with our raised right hands…and were told our oath is similar to the one Barak Obama will repeat as he is sworn in January. A huge feast was prepared, island food like laplap, manioc, yam, taro, bananas and pumpkin cooked in a variety of ways. This was followed by a string band playing island music and lots of dancing and drinking of kava, a rather disgusting-tasting, muddy-looking island favorite…non-alcoholic but offering some of the same effects. A fun time was had by all…and we are trainees no more!!

We were up bright and early the following day for an extremely long, drawn-out and teary good-bye with our host families and other members of the village. In fact, they formed a very, very long line and the nineteen of us walked along shaking each person’s hand and/or kissing them on both checks, French style. Then all of our belongings were loaded on the PC vehicles and we climbed into small buses for the 30 minute trip into Vila where we have been staying in a motel for the last week. Peace Corps gives this time to the volunteers to shop for the many things needed to be purchased to live in the various sites to which we have been assigned…many are going to remote places and need things like bush knives, kerosene lanterns, and containers for storing water. Since I have electricity, I have just located a bar-sized secondhand refrigerator though I am not talking about it much in front of the others for obvious reasons!! Most of our purchases can be bought with a “settling in” allowance of $300 that we each receive. Today, Friday here, only three of the volunteers are yet to leave for their islands…all will be gone by tomorrow. And then there’s me! And the other ten or so volunteers from previous groups that are either in or near-by Vila; I already know a few of them but they are all so YOUNG!! I have met several New Zealand volunteers my age and am meeting them for “happy hour” tonight at a waterfront bar, so don’t feel too sorry for me yet! I WILL find friends!

I had help moving my various bags, backpacks and sacks along with a futon, fan and a bookcase over to my island. Luckily the bench seats on the little boats can be removed so for $10 I had the whole boat…these boats normally hold from 5-15 people, depending on how many people are waiting for a ride. For instance, to get a ride from my island, Ifira, over to Vila, I take a 5 minute walk to the water and sit under a huge mango tree with others waiting to go…when a driver sees enough people waiting to make the trip worthwhile, usually at least 5, he will pull his tied up boat close to shore, then we take a few steps in the water and climb in…and off we go. Did I say that this trip costs $1.00 each way? Tonight will be my first official night in my little house…I am just guessing but I’d say my main room, with the bed, futon and bookshelves is about 12’ X 15’ and my kitchen is less than half that size. My toilet and shower are both outside, not far from my door, as is the water faucet. I have a table under my little covered, shaded area where I wash dishes…and where I just put a plastic chair, another purchase, for outside reading, such a necessity for me! By next week, I will have a cell phone…Vanuatu just in the last few months has inexpensive service and PC has a plan where we can talk to any staff or other volunteers for free.

I am very glad that I decided to bring my laptop for many obvious reasons, one being it provides my music (I uploaded a great deal of CDs before leaving and have been thrilled to receive some more from a few friends in “care packages”!) I also the possibility of watching movies so hint, hint, I would love to be sent some!! Other “care package” ideas for those who have been asking: sacks of walnuts or cashews, anything spicy like Hot Tamales (the candy though would I love the real things!!) or Cinnamon Gummy Bears or envelopes for adding flavors (like curry, spagetti, etc,) interesting newspaper articles, great new books that you have loved, surprises of any sort…and mostly letters, photos and emails to this gmail account!!! Just stay in touch…we are now beginning a very long and lonely period until school starts up again the end of January (it is summer vacation here) so any communication will be SO welcomed!! If you do ever send a padded envelope or a PO flat rate box or ?, be sure and mark it “educational materials” and keep the custom declaration low. And I promise that photos will be coming along soon!! Have a wonderful holiday season. I will be thinking of you all!!