Inspiration in short supply

So far...I have not seen the beauty that the travel posters show. I guess that is because we are sent here to work with the impoverished population. I realize that were I to keep my sensibilities…I must redefine beauty. The Santa Ynez Valley is absolutely beautiful… all the time..and I must continually remind myself why I am here.
At this very moment…listening to BBC..and Greg Mortenson is telling his story!! He is truly one of my greatest inspirations to join the Peace Corps. Three Cups of Tea…applies here too…most connections and important contacts are made over tea..which happens every day at 10am! There is indeed a lot of need. Even in this big city..most children jump off the bus with no shoes on. They do without so much. So here I am in my brand new house.. with no refrigerator or stove…but a new home…on a hill. Dogs roam the streets- often getting hit by cars and in fights. It often sounds like I live next to a kennel! Luckily- the dogs are not aggressive.. as long as you are not running. Smoke is often in the air…from garbage burning and sugar cane burning. Lautoka is the ‘Sugar City’. There is a railroad line that only moves the sugar cane from the farms to the factories. It appears that about 75% of this city is Indo-Fijian –they are hard workers, most of the businesses are run by Indians. They put a lot of emphasis on education. Many of them appear to be arrogant…they have a lot of pride- and beautiful posture. So after my hard training to learn Fijian…(I passed as an Intermediate/level one)….I now must learn some Hindi…but as they say here..No Worries! (sega na leqa) The Indian family that built my new house and live in a small house behind mine are VERY dear. The 10 and 14 year old girls are teaching me Hindi…while we play cards. Here is where I find beauty…in their smile, giggles and their enthusiasm to spend time with me. While I am around town-a sweet smile from the young girls..often brightens my down cast soooo you can imagine how happy I was to visit a vocational school today! All girls 12-24 years old and VERY happy to see me, as was the teacher. I could spend two years as their teacher…this is their wish! But I have to figure out how to serve many different groups. Many women are hungry for sewing lessons...which I will start tomorrow! Sewing machines are at a premium here...if anyone has any ideas how to get old Singer sewing machines here…please let me know!! I am really surprised how many women and girls do NOT know how to sew! Small businesses in general are quite ‘stale’…really lacking inspiration and creativity…all making the same couple of things. I remember in Bali…if the crafts people saw a design they liked on a tourist… by the next week you would see it on the racks! Magazines are $12-$25 and Fiji TV is mostly rugby…so I am digging deep for where these ladies can get some inspiration (besides from me!) I will focus on nature’s beauty and watching the tourist and what they are wearing. There are not a lot of tourists around my town though. It appears that creativity and inspiration are luxuries of the well to do...or at least those who have enough to eat each day.