First I want to get the bad news out of the way. The black and white puppy that made an appearance in the last entry is dead from an “accident.” I didn’t ask what happened, because I’m not sure I want to know. The family offered me a puppy, and to their surprise I scooped up the runt of the group. I named her Amica (Ame-tha), which means sweet. As I walked back holding Amica, like a little baby in my arms, people in the village had a good laugh about my new friend. Once I was back at my bure I gave her a bath with flea shampoo I was able to purchase in Labasa and fed her rice & tuna. We napped most of the day, and I was the big spoon. Then when nighttime came around she was crying for her mamma. I tried telling her that I was her new mamma, and that she doesn’t know it yet, but she will love me and we’ll be best friends. Too creepy? Well she booked it back and I couldn’t find her in the night so I let her go. The next day after work I started the process over with bathing and feeding her, and I managed to get her to spend the night with me in my bure. Unfortunately, the following day Nau informed me that people in the village have been talking behind my back saying its weird how I am taking care of the dog. They think that it is affecting my work, and that I will bring diseases into the health center. Also, they don’t want me keeping the dog inside of the bure, because her having accidents inside will ruin the bamboo floors. I was crushed to hear that essentially they don’t want me to have a pet dog. I decided that it is too early in the game to lose their respect and that I shouldn’t fight this battle. I put Amica down and she started to prance back towards the direction of her mama. I dramatically called out her name and she came charging back to me. I said goodbye again, and when I tried calling her back to me she kept her pace. I cannot believe how much I adore her after only having her for three days. The next day I went to check on her and she already has a broken leg. The family that she lives with has a mentally challenged girl that plays with her very aggressively. I asked what happened to her leg and received no response. (Sigh) I wonder if she will still be alive when I return.
What if I tried telling my villagers about my past job working at a retail store that sold cloths, food, and toys for dogs and cats? That would be an interesting reaction. So far I think the hardest cultural aspect to adjust to, besides the food, is how animals are treated. In America cruelty to animals can be seen as a predisposition for criminal behavior. Whereas in third world countries laughing at an animal’s distress or pain is a stride of humor that can always be counted on for entertainment. It makes me sick watching someone kick something so defenseless.
After losing my puppy I went into town to stock up on supplies and make some phone calls. The cell phone service was down for about a week, because of hurricane Evan. The hurricane didn’t really do a lot of damage on my island, Vanua Levu, instead it hit Viti Levu pretty hard. As I’m checking my email I came across the disgusting news about the shooting in Connecticut. Anger and confusion rushed through me, but mostly a sadness that gave me goose bumps. Reading about the tragedy, outside of the United States and almost a week after it happened was an unexplainable grave feeling. A lot of the articles I came across brought up the issue of gun control. I used to think the saying, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” was corny but I see the meaning in it now. This sick man was going to gain access to that school with a weapon; there is no amount of regulation that could have stopped him. If any part of the “system” failed it was getting him mental help. Instead of him killing himself he set out to make history. The media should stop even mentioning who the shooter is so they don’t get their sick fame. School children used to be trained to duck and cover under desks to protect them from nuclear communist attacks, now American children are defenseless against school shootings. I remember sitting in college courses and my mind would drift to thinking about exit plans and what I would do if someone came in with a gun. What a crazy world we live in. My heart breaks thinking about what that community is going through.
I apologize for the heavy entries lately. Lets switch to the celebration component of this post. Jess and Tim came to visit me for Christmas. Christmas Eve we had boiled egg sandwiches with tomatoes, and wine. So fancy! On Christmas we went to the community lunch. There are probably around 300 people in my village from all the visitors for the holidays. You would think that maybe for special occasions they would mix up the menu. Nope, chop suey, dalo, rourou/waci, fish, the usual. My stomach just churned writing about it. Afterwards we went to the public swimming pool, it was swarmed with children playing tag on rocks before they would jump off into the water. Tim posted some photos on facebook. It is my favorite spot in Fiji so far. I mustered up the courage to jump out of one of the trees. “Funny how falling feels like flying, even for a little while.” The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. When I saw this holiday on the Fijian calendar I was immediately excited that they enjoyed the sport….wrong. Boxing day is simply another day celebrated with family and friends eating the same food and drinking grog. The public holiday originated in England and the day was for tradesmen to collect their Christmas boxes and gifts. What a let down.
Overall, Jess & Tim’s visit was very laid back and relaxing. I felt lazy yet anxious. It was my first Christmas where Bear and I didn’t come down my parent’s stairs. For Christmas I gave Bear the scuba suit that Mary & Ryan gave me for him at my going away party. I gave Nau and Epi a toaster. It was so priceless watching them open it and Epi reading the directions to her. We gathered around to wait and watch the trial toast. When it popped, like a jack in the box we all gasped with shock. Epi said they should switch the order of the meals so they can have toast for dinner, considering there isn’t electricity in the morning. Nau suggested toasting the bread at night and having it the next morning. They are quite the pair and always seem to give me a good chuckle.
I’m currently in Labasa and celebrated my New Years with Jess. After the clock struck midnight and it became 2013 Bear took off his scuba suit for the first time, because he wanted to go streaking. Instead I said it was bedtime. Jess and I barely made it to midnight, but we managed to sloth our way out to the porch to watch the fireworks. I’ll be returning to my village tomorrow. Hopefully I will get a chance to go to the post office and pick up my first package at this site! So the address does work:
P.O. Box 904
Savusavu, Fiji
If you sent something to the other address I gave you it will still make it to me, but I have to go to Savusavu to pick up packages through customs. I am going to try and stay in my village for the next 7 weeks until In-Service-Training (IST). I have been back and forth between Savusavu and Labasa for workshops and holidays so I haven’t been able to get a good flow going in the community. I think the interruptions are seriously blocking my capability in learning the dialect as well. Next time I write hopefully it will be all up beat! Everyone is experiencing his or her New Years right about meow, and I hope it’s a swell evening. I’m sticking to one new years resolution to make it realistic to obtain: Floss everyday 🙂
Peace Corps to Australian Nomad 