Not looking in a mirror below the neck will do wonders for one’s self esteem.
I haven’t seen a full-length mirror since being in Vanuatu. It isn’t at all necessary when wearing oversized skirts and mismatched shirts everyday. My face doesn’t really need to see a mirror either, as it is an eclectic mishmash of granny glasses (my better pair drowned in a river), mismatched earrings (4 different varieties including a natangura seed gaged earring i carved) and rarely washed hair often braided by children.
Being called “fat fat” several times a week by several different people will also do wonders for one’s self esteem.
Actually, being called “fat” in Vanuatu is a true compliment and my mamas and apu’s often phrase it “fat fat good way.” Even so, this is one of those cultural differences in which should my sense of self and carefree spirit not been present in Vanuatu, I’m sure I would develop all kinds of eating disorders by now.
But I don’t.
I fully embraced local island kakae and having ‘bingo arms’ for the first time in my life. I’m not really sure what to do wit the little guys, apparently lying on a yoga mat sleeping and reading all day doesn’t help. I’m not really concerned; I just wanted to let you in on a little bit of my personal life. Future volunteers; prepare to be called fat to your face. And if you are especially skinny, prepare to be called “bone bone” knowing it is not a compliment.
Moving on.
The headmistress’s fowl was sneaking in to my house and laying eggs under my bed. This was a delightful surprise I discovered one day when se ran out of my bedroom squawking as I lay reading on my mat. I couldn’t figure out when she ninja’d in, but after some torchlight investigation I found five BIG eggs under my bed. Awesome! Eggs are so difficult to come by because the chickens mostly sneak off and lay tem in the bush.
tilt head to left photo being cranky
Speaking of chickens, my rooster SitSit as started crowing! I say this as a proud mamma because he is growing to be such a big ole pretty thang. He’s even begun mounting the lady fowl.
I tried cow tongue for the first time. Boiled, cleaned and fried wit bush beans over rice. Not bad. A bit tough from all the cookin’. I’d eat it again; especially if I wasn’t told what it was beforehand next time.
I made my own slingshot wit the help of a fourth grade boy. Just like all the locals, I hope to get good enough at it to shoot pigs who sneak in to my yard and someday even shoot flying foxes.
I’ve been carving the seed of a Natangura tree with my pocketknife. It is an extremely hard seed with the appearance of ivory when cut down and smoothed really well. A fellow volunteer has people in her village who carve as a fundraiser. I bought a chicken and a rooster to put on a necklace. I decided to try it out myself and have made some rather rough tusk like earrings.
Slingshots, seed carvings, daily fire making….. I’m practically a living boy scout.
A very terrible test photo…Nik and I are man Maewo…(carving on Nik’s necklace is a taro leaf)
