CLICK ON MY PICTURES LINK TO THE LEFT!!!

6 more days to site announcement!

Thank you mom, dad, and chris for the fabulous packages!!! I am uploading picture(s) as I type. Wow, they take a long time. I might fall asleep at this computer and then someone will steal everything I have so I better hurry this up! I am sad I don't have a few hours to upload pics on my blog but when I am out of training I will be able to do whatever I want and I will be spending more time on my blog. First and foremost, I need to tell you guys what I got on my first language exam. I scored a novice high. I only have one more level to reach before I am able to swear in. If i don't reach that level I have to wait and study one more week in Suva and swear in a week after everyone else. So sad if that happens. But I am on the right track. I have to reach intermediate low. So, far I can hold about a 5 minute conversation in Fijian. I am so impressed with myself. I never thought I would make it this far. It takes time and hard work but it is worth it!Oh, boy I wish I knew the fastest way to get pics on my blog and I lot of them. I should have taken a computer class before I left. I am just chosing pics I think people will most want to see I guess. I am trying to get more pics that i am in so you guys know that i still exist. I went to buy my cellphone today, but the store was closed. Yesterday (Friday), was a long but great day! I got my great language scores we have a new teacher and he is great. I am not always mad and frustrated and we did a village workshop on waste disposal and people actually showed up even the chief (ray charles). Our chief is so cool. Anyways, we are starting a proposal to recycle in out village. People are very interested and motivated to do this. We made some phone calls and did some research and found a way to help them out. It seemed to be pretty successful and people are asking questions and were excited. We did this pretty early as far as our project but we realyl want to do another one and check for progress before we leave our host village. They are going to be putting up three huge bags one with cans, plastic bottles, and tin cans. The village can recieve money for recycling and it's free bags and pickup. the problem we are trying to deal with now is the rest of the waste and figuring out ways to have fundraisers to get the money for that pick up, but the village can collect a few dollars from each family in the village every 3 to 4 months to pay for it. Which isn't bad. So we have about a month left in the village so we can still help out any questions and encourage people to do this before we go. We want to come back and visit and see that they are still recycling!Then I came home and Rusi was so happy because the tonka trucks Dad sent in the mail. They treat those toys like gold cause they are from the States. And mom the candy you sent was gone in one day. Amazing and what kelsey's Dad would say (Dad#2) FANTASTIC!Oh my gosh my pics are almost done. I hope they work. I can finally put pictures up on a regular basis. I might not have time to put captions with the pictures yet but I will in time. Sorry! Thank you for everyone responding to my blog. I love reading responses and seeing how everyone is doing.

We had Iron Chef day today and my team won! Now that i think about it I have been on the winning team for everything so far. Weird. Anyways I have pics of that and so on. I hope all is well and enjoy the pics!

In Suva!

I have figured out the way to get all my pictures on my blog, but this internet cafe that I am at right now is not letting me download my pics. The computer isn't working. But I think I might be able to sometime early next week. Mom I got your package the other day! Thank you so much. The candy in there is already gone. Everyone kept saying this candy came all the way from America and somehow that makes the candy taste better. I said it came the great state of West Virginia and everyone starts to sing country roads take me home. That is a very popular song here. We are working on 4 projects right now. Two for our village that we are living in right now. An environmental and health project. The Chief and the elders are asking us to do a two hour program talking about waste management because there is a river at the end of village that everyone throws their trash in. So, we are going to try to explain how that isn't good because people bathe, use the bathroom, and eat prawns and shrimp from there and they taste like polution. And then they want like intro to CPR because the other day we all went to a high Chief's funeral in a close by village and being on time we still waited an hour for it to start. While we were waiting an old man was sitting in front of us and stopped breathing. So, all the sudden all the Fijians stood up and didn't know what to do and started to hit his back and then we realized what was going on and they few of us that know CPR laid him down and cleared the airway and so on. The Fijians we amazed and was so grateful that we were there because they think that if we weren't there the man would have passed away. So, now that news that the whities (American-PeaceCorps) in town has saved a Fijian as spread through the whole district. Now, our village is asking for us to do a CPR program. Which Kiva and I will be doing in a few weeks.

Next Monday, I am teaching a class 8 of about 16 students in a local school about how important nutrition and physical activity is in our daily life. I have an hour to myself. I met the teacher yesterday and the kids they all seem really nice. The kids are really respectful here to adults and especially to foreigners. They call the teachers Madam. Oh yeah! But anyways, I am trying to think of what else has been happening. We had a scavenger hunt this morning in Suva and of course my group won and I had 4 slices of pep. pizza from Pizza Hut. Yummy! That's why I am in Suva right now. I have to head back to Nausori and my village around 4. I am going to be buying a cellphone soon and it is free for me for people from the US to call me. So, as soon as I get my number I will be posting it. Also, text messages will be great too. Phone cards are just too expensive.

So, how is everyone doing? Rebecca how was the wedding? I thought about you all day when it was the time you were to get married, it was like the next day afternoon here. We have least then 2 weeks til we find out our sites. This is a huge deal. that is all we talk about. We also have our mini LPI language test Tuesday so I am a bit nervous about that. My classes are getting better too by the way. The teacher my group had before is now gone and things are much much better. I am actually learning alot. I can't wait for people (Chris, Kels, AND MOM) to visit so i can show off my language skills!!! And show you the ropes. I can't wait to get my own place. I am excited and so scared at the same time because I have to trust others with my safety. I haven't had any problems so far! so that is good. I am very interested to see what kind of job I will be doing. I do know I want to be on the west or north sides of the islands because it is hotter and drier there. Suva and the eastern coast sucks cause it always rains. So remember July 4th is the day.

I already have plans for Christmas this year. My host mom wants me to go to the southern island to visit her family for Christmas. Her dad is the chief so I will be living it up in the village. I am excited at least I have some where to go. If I can remain calm til Chris gets here in November I will be doing good. I thought I would be getting to a point where things should not be shocking me anymore, but they do. I am gotten used to the bucket baths and the babies crying everymorning I wake up and to the food. But other things are always popping up that you don't expect. Like my taxi driver the other day literally almost ran over a child the other day and I was in tears and he acted like he had no idea he almost ended a life. He was like is everything okay? I was like what the hell man? I get really tired of people laughing at us because the language is coming out of our mouths and they are not used of it and they think it is weird so all they do is laugh and all I want is for them to respond to what I am saying correctly in Fijian. That really pisses me off because I am making an effort and I just get laughed in the face. Still haven't gotten over the eguality issues either. I believe that will be an ongoing battle for me. Especially in the villages. But I may not be placed in a village. well I must be going keep checking the blog lots of pics will be up soon and please leave comments. I live for those comments!!!!(and mail)

Picture!!!!

Right now this is the only one I could get! I am in Suva now at the Peace Corps head offic. It is so nice! We can use computers, a library, and clean bathrooms. Plus get all the free medicine we want. I love it. Suva is nice but crowded with people and he have to watch your back. We get our site announcements in 17 days! I can't wait for that day. Chris I am waiting to get your phone cards and I will be making a call. Thank you! I will also be purchasing a cellphone soon but it takes a few weeks to get the sim card registered for people in the U.S. to call me for free. All my incoming calls and texts will be free for me. That's the way to go. okay well I am going to try some more pics and I hope you like them. This pic is me and my group that lives in Draubuta village. I see them everyday and I love them.

Alrighty I can't get the picture uploaded I am not allowed to uplaod pictures in this internet cafe. I will try again later. I only have five more weeks left of training. thank god and then I will be able to talk to people more often and keep contact. I am really sorry I couldn't post those pictures that I have so far, but that will be my next goal to accomplish I promise. I hope all is well and I miss everyone,please send letters in the mail that is the best way of contact. Thank you!

5 more weeks left to go.....

Okay, well i just had my first pizza in like a month! so good! We went to a high chief's funeral today and it lasted like 3 hours. i fell asleep like 50 times. We had to dress up in black and not talk for 3 hours it was really hard. So, we were all depressed and decided to go to town to relieve some stress and get some american food, aka pizza. Well, last weekend i couldn't get to a computer because I made the mistake of showing my host mom how to make grill cheese sandwiches. I bought a block of cheese the other day because I had not had any chese in forever so i was just nawing on it and i had some left over so I gave it to my host mom. the other day she was like what should i use the rest of the cheese for and I was like grilled cheese baby! So i showed her and then I have to make 15 more for the rest of the village. then I showed her how to make a western nest egg (that's right mom). it was a huge hit !!! SO i had to make 12 of those so i was cooking all weekend. But the western nest eggs are a big hit in the village everyone is trying to make them. I love the fact that the only contribution I have made since I have been here has been the gift of cheese. My friend Kendall and I are going to be riding a riding a cow soon so that should end up interesting. I have been sick for like 8 days now as far as my stomuch goes but I am on antibotics so it should clear up soon. i hope. My language class still sucks but it should be resolved by monday. our days are so packed that I have no time to myself or to do anything productive. i have a picture that I am goin to try to upload but it has been pretty slow but it is a picture of me in a jaba (chamba) and the group of the coolest people i work with everyday. I love them! Okay i am going to try the pictures soon. I hope you enjoy.

In a Fijian village.....

Holy crap! I didn't think I was going to ever get to a computer again! Okay, so I currently am now living in a Fijian village. It's very different than what I am used to. My family is really cool. The group of trainees that are in my village are perfect. Their names are Kiva and Kendall from upstate New York, Dave from Pittsburgh, PA and Sylvia from L.A. They are really cool and they are a great support group. My host mom used to be a 8th grade school teacher but isn't anymore because the wages suck. My host Dad is my favorite he is a soldier in the Fiji Army. He as been all over the world. He is injured now so he is always home. I am struggling with the gender roles right now, but it's cool at my home because my host Dad likes to help out and doesn't make my host Mom do everything like everyone else. They don't have any kids but they have raised a few kids here and there. Right now they are raising a 3 year old boy named Rusi (Roosee). He is crazy and very violent little boy. I have bruises on my legs from him kicking me and one day I will kick back and he won't know what to do! He doesn't speak any english hnd hardly any Fijian. He just screams! Actually no one rally speaks English at all. Which is hard to understand anything that is going on. I am constantly getting laughed at. Rusi also enjoys watching me get dress and during my bucket baths he likes to peek through the wooden door. He always has snot running down his entire face and likes to go through my hair clamps. The other day I fell asleep on my bed while he was playing with all hair ties and I woke up with him running around crying because he got his finger stuck in my hair clamp. SO FUNNY! but anyways i don't have running water and the water is very limited I love waking up and seeing my grandma panties swinging in the wind to dry. Really builds up the confidence and I have managed to use only one bucket of water for my body and hair for a bath. Sometimes we have electricity and on my side on the room but not always. We have no phone and one channel on the TV if we have electricity. I am not crazy about the food but I eat. I haven't really been sick too much. I run everyday to get some time of exercise. I have lost some wait cause I feel like I am eating more fruit and not so much fat foods like pizza which I would die for right now! Or even just a slice of CHEESE! At first i was really struggling with the language but I am putting in some extra work and catching on. The last couple of days have been pretty rough and it's been hard being away from the people I love, but I can see the people of Fiji really need assistance from us some days that is the only thing that keeps me here cause me heart is in two states WV and NC. I am mailing some letters this week so keep an eye open people. Mail is my best way of communicating right now during training. When I move out on my own it will be easier to contact home. Two dates that are good to keep in mind are July 4th and July 24th. July 4th is our site announcements which will tell me where I will be living and working in Fiji for the next 2 years and July 24 is swearing-in ceremony where I actually become a volunteer. I can see why they say the Peace Corps isn't for everyone because this is hard. No joke about it. This is really one of the hardest things I have ever done. I can't believe some of the things I am dealing with. I really had a hard day on Sunday and Monday. WIth some church services and gender issues. Everywhere you go in the village there is rank, at church, home, community hall meeting, kitchen table (if you have one and my family sure doesn't). But you can't go any where with equality! there is no one place where everyone can be equal and I can't handle that too well. Even giving offering at church you have to give in order to your relationship to the Chief and by the way out chief is so chill. He look just like Ray Charles. He has something wrong with his eyes and has to wear sunglasses which is so taboo in a village but he is the chief so he can do whatever he wants I guess. But he makes me laugh because I just see him shooting up in the bathroom or something I don't know. Anyways, my family is last in rank so we have to wait to do everything last just because of birth right. That is so annoying to me. Why can't we all just give our offering at the same time. And then there is a man up at the head of the church sitting at a table counting all the money in front of everyone. He writes down how much each family gives. That was hard for me to grasp. Then the women do everything. They have to sit in the back of the room. Wash clothes, cook food, take care of the kids, and so on. But that is why I like my host Dad because he washes the dishes and helps cooking and I love him for that. If it wasn't for him I don't know what I would do. So, i am trying to get over these roles because right now since i am still new at the village i get special treatment but i know soon that will fade and I will be expected to take a woman's role in the village. And ya know I won't be able to keep my mouth shut. Anyways, I am also worried about the health stuff and I hope that they place me at a site that will be fitting for me as far as my background. and I would love to see the ocean soon. I have only seen it once and I am losing my tan here which who the heck loses a tan in Fiji? I guess only Peace Corps volunteers. But this Friday we have water safety at the beach and I can't wait even just to get out of a freakin' skirt for God's sake. Well, I am trying to think of more to say. I hope all is well. It's been hard and I know that it is only going to get harder soon. So, i have been thinking alot about home and feeling guilty for not being apart of people lives. I want to know what is going on. I hate this no contact to the outside world. But hopefully i can concentrate on my work here and not be so homesick for people and FOOD! My typical day though here is that I wake up at 7 am that's right folks 7AM and get ready and eat a huge breakfast. then walk 2 minutes to my community hall and have language from 8am to about 10am then morning tea which means more food. then talk about cross culture matters from 10:30 to noon then lunch. From one to sometimes five but usually earlier health tech and lectures and meeting different health people around fiji and learn about what they do in the health promotion in Fiji. Then come home usually run in the rain and take a buck bath and fight Rusi off my back and study my language and then dinner. Watch some TV with the fam then off to bed to write letters. Man the first night at my host families house I was so scared I fell asleep with my flashlight on in one hand and a whistle in the other. I didn't know the language the people and I knew I was in the middle of nowhere in Fiji. The rain here is crazy it rains so hard and fast and doe not STOP! It is hard sometimes because we are going to places where people have don't see Americans and I can feel the safety issues and the looks. But we are never alone we always have a native with us. But it is really hard. Most people I have met are very nice and usually try to get me to marry a Indian boy they might know. They are all about marrying one of us off. Not me though I'm taken. Going to town is quite the task and is very intemidating to me. It is chaos people are everywhere there is no such thing as personal space. I could feel sometimes the tension between the native Fijians and indo-Fijians (indians). I can't wait to go to Suva soon the capital and see the sights and the rest of Fiji. I will hopefully get some pics up of my fellow trainees and host family. You all are going to love Rusi! Well, I love you all and think about you all the time. Miss you!