D-Day

12-2-11

Ale, today is finally here. We learned our site placements and before I give it away, I'll describe to you how the production took place. Throughout all of training, we have been seperated into two group Community Health and Vital. CH has been living in a village called Mangalelu, and we have been in Tanoliu for Vital. But today, everyone met in Tanoliu and they closed the Peace Corps office, so there were a lot of people crowded into the village's community center.

At 1:00, everyone sat down and they immediatly started picking up these green envelopes and singing out the names of the villages, then the island, and then the volunteers name. So, there was an extra element of suspense while the site was being read, becuase you didn't know if they we're going to say your name at the end or not. On a side note, I just have to say for the most part I tried to stay calm and relaxed the whole day, but having your life pretty much completly out of your hands is a little rattling, to say the least. Anyway back to Site Placements. I would say that I was about the 11 person called. The Acting Country Director was the one who did my placement site, and I have to say that I was completly shocked. My site is here on the island of Efate; my village is about 15 minutes from Port Vila, the capital. My school is a primary school, and I will be living in teacher housing on the campus. Supposedly, I have 24/7 water and electricity, but I'll believe it when i see it. From pictures my new home looks super cute, and I am the first volunteer at the site so the house it brand new! Pictures will be coming. After everyone had been given a site, we went out to this large open space and they had mapped out the island of vanuatu on sheets of flip shart paper. Then we had to go to our islands and identify where our site will be and a few interesting facts about the area. I'll give more of a description of my assignment, housing, and site later.

After all the precidings, our village had their final kakae for us, which was very nice. There was fulap food, music, and some dancing.


Saturday, 12-3-11

Tofsy was our last full day, and I spent pratically all of it playing cards with the pikinni and hanging out with my family. Also, our water wasn't running in the beginning of the day, so I went and took a swim in a stream closap to my house; that is a fun memory that I will have forever. Later that night, my family and a few other families in our station area came together for a Final, final kakae. We roasted a full pig, had laplap, and an actual cake. really flas. Then our families presented us with some gifts: I got a new island dress, calico, lai's, and a starbucks mug. ha. Then Sunday morning came and we loaded the trucks and left the village; but before we could leave the whole community came and we stood in a line and they came one at a time to shake our hands and say goodbye. It was a really nice gesture. But Vila- with a hot shower, internet, tv, and american kakae- here I come!!