…….Ok-we’ll have lamb!

Remember in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”…where John is telling the Aunt that he is a vegetarian and after a thoughtful pause the Aunt says….”OK- we’ll have lamb!”  Well that is life with many Fijians!  Bless their hearts…!
I am thoroughly convinced that their thoughts and actions are out of innocence as opposed to defiance or passive aggression. These really are very dear people …it’s just that there is a communication break down…somewhere.
 Today’s example:  The American way of direct communication does not work in Fiji. I have learned to leave articles and pamphlets around the office for a week or so before I present an idea. I watch as the staff pokes around, curiously reading them. My most recent goal is to inform them of recycling in our town. So, today they started asking me about it. The two men in our office had just cleared out a big pile of garbage-mostly cardboard boxes and I was explaining how -if they flattened them and tied them up, we could bring them to this recycling spot a few blocks from us.  They were very receptive and open to that…..so I thought… about 20 minutes latter…I was in a meeting with the branch managers and I smelled smoke.  I looked out the window and these two guys were burning the cardboard…..
OK- we’ll have lamb!
Another volunteer, on an island with the most beautiful white sandy beaches- as opposed to this big city I am living in…had this experience:
The villagers wanted a boat, so she was explaining all of the factors that needed to be addressed before they could get one. She spoke of the cost of the boat and the fuel and how much it would cost to operate it etc. A woman interrupted her with-
”We’ll worry about all that after we get the boat.”
OK- we’ll have lamb!
I’m sure I’ll be adding more of these as my two years unfold ...it sure does give me a good laugh!!  This place is a veritable-cultural anthropological gold mine!  I am in awe of all the variations of their culture and how it differs from ours!
We are not only on the other side of the earth… where the stars are different from the USA…and the seasons opposite…

They drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side.  Occasionally, I am offered a ride…the driver insists that I sit in the front as an honored guest …on the left side.  I cannot explain effectively how uncomfortable that is for me to sit in the ’driver’s seat’ with no steering wheel in front of me! 
Yes is no and visa versa…
In Fiji when you agree with someone you nod your head (up and down) and utter “Eh Eh” and when you disagree with them -you shake your head (sideways) and utter “aha”.
Fijians and Indo-Fijians do not like to say no to you-because they don’t want to disappoint you.  So when you ask them a question you cannot go by their first response, you have to approach the subject over time from many angles- to get the real truth. Intuition and reading people carefully and thoughtfully is a must to survive here!  If you compliment them on something they are wearing…you should be ready for them to give it to you!  These are a gentle and generous people who will give you almost anything they have-even though they have very little.  Very humbling experience and one of my ‘reasons’ for being here.
Here’s a cultural “Huh??!”……
For such a peaceful group of people…there is apparently a great deal of abuse.  There is a new law…that only principals can inflict corporal punishment on their students. A fellow PCV told of an incidence in a school-(that teaches peace and nonviolence) where a teacher called a young student up to the head of the class and slapped them hard on the face.
Every day now I am hearing of such acts toward children.
I am starting to work with the Ministry of Women.  One of the biggest problems they are addressing is violence against women and children. 
I will be addressing this in a Leadership seminar that I will be leading next month.  I am also attending a mens’ group addressing violence against women.   At least the abuse is coming out in the open now an discussed ,
so that is progress.  I know as Peace Corps volunteers we can make a big difference in this area…especially at this time…I believe the Fijians are ready to heal this and I know I am ready to work with them!
On a lighter note… Urban Fijians ‘dress-up’ when they go to villages but wear flip flops (because shoes left outside are often ‘borrowed’) and wear jeans and very casual clothing when they are in the cities.  The women wear fancy/heals when in the cities…where most of the long distance walking is done!
If a Fijian man is interested in a women (read: American women)  and she returns that interest…the whole village knows and is assuming they will be married.  If that woman changes her mind…they don’t just ‘go away’…they are very intent on that couple marrying!   Solution?….date men that no one knows…a complete loner (most everyone is related here in Fiji) 

One of my pet peeves has been when someone is shaking my hand and looking down or else where.  Well, in Fiji…that is a sign of respect- to NOT look into someone’s eyes! Especially men shaking hands with women.
In villages everyone wears long skirts- even the men.  In this urban settings you will often see most women wearing pants/jeans and men in skirts! 
I will attach a picture…I know you don’t believe me!
In both rural and urban homes most people sit on the floor-even if the have couches and chairs! 
Home owners smoking on their own driveway and throwing the butts and empty packs right there on their driveway!
There is about one dog per two people in my suburban neighborhood.
 All dogs roaming the street are in horrible shape-most just having given birth or limping from dog fights and hit by cars.  At night it sounds like we are living next to a kennel! The large Hindu population here believe  in nonviolence (not to harm animals)-Ahimsa -yet neglect their dogs!
 I am very determined to help with this problem and have met with the Ministry of  Agriculture (veterinarian) and spoken with the nearest SPCA  in the next town.
Fiji is made up of more than 300 Islands…yet many Fijians do not know how to swim, there are very few beaches (on the main Island) and very little fresh fish available to buy. (waters are over-fished)
Their drink of choice- grog is really abused and many are addicted to it- yet it is ‘tradition’. The effect is similar to weed …stoned and lack of any ambition.  With grog use they are loud in the beginning and become very sleepy ..with very little noise…with alcohol use one starts out quietly and soon become loud.
Enough anomalies……..

Listen to your heart that beats…and follow it with both your feet.

Meke...Fijian traditional dance

Can you find me?

St Peter's Church

Great Church

I have found a wonderful church...one that SomeOne has 'custom made'...it is Anglican...( Episcopalian)...and Baptist mixed with the best of both! There is a great band...drums, keyboard and two electric guitars and of course singers..it rocks..and the service  is only two hours long..which goes fast!!  Our priest is a Bishop!!!..and his wife is so much like Tina Turner...I expect her to start dancing and singing when she is up there preaching!!! After my second visit the congregation could not do enough for me...including picking me up and taking me home!

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.

Everything is done on the floor...here preparing dinner for 70-80 people!

Learning where I will be living for the next two years!

Setting the 'table' for 80 people

Pictures!!

            I have received my assignment...for the next two years! I will be living in Lautoka-on the main Island. Lautoka is the second largest city in Fiji and is one of the newer cities. It has a 4 plex movie theatre...good for those VERY hot days! I am working for a government organization that offers microloans to small businesses. Amongst other things- I will go out and find those businesses and/or help develop them. That is the plan..God is laughing...I am very happy with this assignment..I hear that I actually have hot water in my home! I move this Thursday. I am sad to leave my host family here...but I will come back to visit them-about 5-6 hours away.

This is who we are 'rubbing elbows' with!

The quality of people who work for the Peace Corps reads like a Who's Who! The man who heads up our security was in Kyiv, Ukraine - for ten Peace Corps posts in Eastern Europe,the Caucasus, Morocco and Jordon. He now covers five Pacific posts. Before that -he was a PC Medical Officer in Kazakhstan, Burkna Faso, China and Macedonia. He is a physician assistant trained in family medicine and psychiatry.(Master's Degree from University of Nebraska.) Besides the Peace Corps, much of his medical work has been at a native hospital in northern Alaska. He has had tours with NGOs in Somalia, South Sudan and as a forensic investigator for Physicians for Human Rights in Rwanda. He has served as a field safety and medical consultant on twelve research expeditions to Antarctica for the National Science Foundation. As a member of the Alaska Disaster Medical Assistance Team, he was deployed to the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. There's more...too much to write!! Kinda makes you feel like you've been sitting on your hands...all your life..huh??!!! He's probably in his early 60s and as humble and nice a man as you could meet!