Communication Blues

A huge thanks to Randy for posting my last blog. When we came to the capital for medical interviews and shots, everybody was on the internet at once.. and the wireless in the peace corps office is already painfully slow. My computer decided to make my life difficult, and refused to connect to the network the entire time we were in Vila. So in the end I got one email sent. Spent a good hour in tears, but then washed the tears down with two cold Tuskas- the National beer here.

There is so much to say and not enough time and the fear that if I did have the chance to write it all down something will go horribly wrong and my computer will go kaputs as i press “post”….. that is one thing i have already become a Pro at- lowering my expectations.

This is our first “holiday”. An entire day off!! So of course our entire group chose to come to the Capital and binge on American-style food and internet. A few of my new friends and I are going to shop for pizza ingredients, and make pizza for our host families in Jenni’s host parent’s brick oven!

I just ate a stack of pancakes, coffee, COLD apple juice, and hashbrowns… I pretty much feel like a Queen. Now the internet is painfully slow, but I’m happy to be able to post at least a few pictures for all of you and a small update!

I go day-to-day not really having any control over my schedule, my diet, or my privacy. I am getting more and more comfortable in my village and with the language, Bislama, everyday. But I am also getting more and more excited about leaving in a week to visit a fellow volunteer on Malekula and a couple weeks after that being sworn in and finding out my permanent site! Some quiet will be nice after this storm of information, meetings, and technical classes we have all been submitted to.

I have to say, I LOVE the staff here. The nurse and doctor are so loving and laid back and easy to approach. The safety officer is also warm and easy to talk to. The country director is super genuine, down to earth, and really seems to care about our well-being and progress. My language trainers are super fun and fantastic at teaching the language in a way we can easily learn. All-in-all I feel really fortunate to be at this site and feel really safe and looked after.

Here is a photo of my kustom home. I am finally starting to make it through the night without having to wake up to pee. I thnk my nerves and stress were adding to my bladder malfunctioning- causing me to wake up 3-4 times every night for the first week or so.

I still have termites, ant, and lizzards living in my roof, and most recently heard a rat crawling around in the night. After hearing it crawl on top of my mosquito net and then prance across my floor, I came to the conclusion it couldn’t be any smaller than a 10 pound puppy dog.

I’m about to go down a pizza. Or a hamburger. And milkshake. Maybe all of the above.

I hope to be able to write more on our week in Vila following the close of training. So close!!

Love from Vanuatu!