Apologies, again for the lack of posts these last few months - esp photos. My laptop just wasn't having any of it! But im home now, and will nodoubt see most of you at some stage, and photos will never be too far away im sure.

Its been pretty crazy coming back - loving the food, and smooth roads, and fast and easy customer service/internet/everything else that works smoothly. It has been FREEZING! I've really been suffering from that southerly wind that tends to blow straight throguh you - but its warmer today so im enjoying the warmth.

I wont runi the surprise of my last few months by putting stories up here- but i do look forward to seeing you again, and i hope you have a super christmas and a safe and restful break....see ya soon :)

the final update....

Well for the first half of the year, updates on my blog were fairly regular...not so this last half. I could blame it on my sick laptop which has only just been fixed to a workable standard; or the intermittent internet that we get here; or the telecommunications company which doesn't manage to get much (or any) praise from long-time residents; i could blame it on many things but i guess in reality i have just been a bit slack!!

But we're back now. Since Ben left I have just mainly been working (have kind of felt like all i do is work and sleep...) but its going well and things are happening whih is encouraging.

I have joined with youth group all year and last week we launched our album, all original songs such by us - it was good fun and a great honour to be a part of it (im known as "the only white girl...")We even made a dvd clip to promote the launch which went on the local tv station and after that people started recognising me in shops and stuff. Fine, except that the clip was REALLY bad! Think boyzone/westlife styles swaying and clicking and slowly walking towards the camera dancing.....yah.....

I am part way through cataloguing the library at work so i will hopefully have that all up and running by the time i leave. Fingers crossed. Only 2 more full weeks at work, then a few days in Santo checking it out, and then the last few days packing!! Its crazy - time is running out!

But i feel as though ive made the most of it - certainly got a lot planned for the last three weeks as well.

Simon left yesterday so now "mi wan nomo" (im alone). Ive got a collection of people staying the nights with me until a med student is moving in on wednesday. So thats exciting.

I spend time thinking now what i would do differently if i were to come again - things like learning how to play string band style guitar, learn one of the village languages, etc etc and what im going to do first when i get home - wim at the beach, lie on the grass for more than 30 secs and not get mauled by bitting ants, eat ice-cream, drink real milk, have real dairy products, buy lots of nuts, wash my clothes in a washing machine....its going to be exciting!

I fly into Invercargill Airport at 5.20pm or something like that on the 19th december so if you are round feel free to come say hi at home after that. I would love to see you!

I feel like theres so much to say but ill tell you in person and give you a real slide show when im back. Looking forward to it.

Ale, lukim yu

ben :)

man how cool was it havingben over?!? It was such a novelty waking up with family for 7 days in a row! It was such a special time :)

We went up to Sakao Island which was great to see again - we did some more sailing, paddled round in an outrigger, talked to a crazy french man (had been sailing solo for 3 years!), hung out in the village and then sailed home 30hours on board a friends yacht. It was awesome. Then we spent thew next few days at work and aaround some places close by. It was just so good to chat and laugh and hang out! Ill post pics when im at home (at work now so no gat photos). Ben did real good learning some language too!

2 months today till i come home! WOW!! Thats a bit scary. Work is going alright - busy which is good.

Thinking of everyone heaps and looking forward to summer with y'all.

Photos coming soon

Wan truk hemi capsidem! Wan truk hemi capsidem! That was the cry this morning at wortk when a cow truck rolled at a roundabout next to work! Immediately all offices were suddenly deserted as everyone twent to check out the stampeeding cows who were trying to get away (and did). I was left standing thinking about the picture i had in my head - a capsized truck (thinking more like a capsized dinghy) but eventually went to check it out when everyone else came back. And then several hours later - truk hemi stan-up bakagen! The truck is standing again, no cows inside.

Ive spent most of the week decorating the new library at work (ever since i was like 11 ive had idyllic ideas of being allowed to decorate a classroom....so finally ive got my chance - am loving it. We are having an official opening in a few weeks.

Have been thinking and discussing lots what development actually is. Or what good development is. Looking at how much money is wasted on aid programms, I sometimes think it would be far better to spend all that money, scrap all programs and then just send a coupple of kids to school in NZ, who can then come back as proper builders, doctors or whatever. Then at least you take a big step forward for a few kids, instead of offering the majority a watered down effort at stuff. Like there are so many agencies working for youth here that lots of youth get lifeskills workshops, (we breeded a generation of young people who understand workshop to mean free lunch and a certificate to be more important than actually applying skills) and now we have a huge number of kids, still unemployed with no real hope of a good job. Maybe it would be better if we just sent a few kids to university who could then get a steady income and job?? Dont know.

Very excited about benjamin coming in a few days. it wil lbe great. Will post some pics of goings-on soon.

Me

doogongs, dog bites, ballet and bagpipes.....

Here are some more pics from up at sakao, and at work. Sakao Island was the last place i expected to watch a fully kitted up scotsman strut his bagpipes amongst the coconut palms. It was a very funny sight. The locals were more than confused - asking "why cant i understand that whiteman??" (because he has a VERY strong scottish accent!) I had to explain the kilt was the island dress of scotland. I think they got the picture....

Theres a pic of a big mural i got the youth to do last week - they all did some pretty awesome squares. Very fun doing it. And some more general shots of around the place.

Work has been pretty busy which has been good. Im almost ready for the new library at work to be opened and used - im getting so excited about kids getting into reading!! The sad thing about coming home soon is ive just started to get really passionate about some new projects and i'll have to pass them on to whoever comes next...ah well. Thats life i guess. I'm organising some of our youth to get trained in ESOL type stuff to teach kids how to read which is pretty exciting as its something we have huge potential for but are not being particularly effective yet. Exciting times!

Fest Napuan is this weekend with 26 string bands, blackseeds, a number of hiphop groups, about 30 church choirs and numerous other acts to entertain us all weekend. So im hoping the rain stops (its been going for 3 days now, i guess the rainy season is here!!!). It should be a good weekend though.

Otherwise.....o i went diving with a doogong and gave him a bg pat - totally unreal interacting with something like that int he wild! Very cool. Lots have people have asked what a doogong is....like a dolphin crossed with a sealion with a really huge nose. Very cool. Very inquisitive.

And i got bitten by a dog the other night which was pretty exciting. It wasnt too bad but i did go to hospital just to be on the safe side. Its healing up well!

We also entered a short film int he inagural Vila Film Fest which won first place and me as best female actress!!! Haha, very fuin making and i surprised even myself with my stunning ballet ability...(not!)

Benjamin comes in 2 weeks!! Wow, so excited. Thinking of ya all - not long to go now :) God bless

Life has been getting increasingly busier this last week....some things ive been working on are starting to come together which is exciting and will hopefully be in place sometme soon.

Igot sick breifly but am better now so thats good. Am part way through my dive ticket too which is exciting. Am giong in a duathalon this weeknd just for fun - hopefully ill survive!

And i got given a small sailing dinghy which i have had out in the harbour a few times which has been good fun!

Otherwise, im just cruising along, still involved with everything and starting to feel like i dont have much time left. Its going very fast :(

Thinking of you all and starting to get alittle excited about seeing everyone again! I fly into NZ december 19th!

Another week...

Ha - i love youth work! Here are some pics of this week - A field trip on a boat sailing round the harbour (a 63ft lightweight catamaran that we sailed at 16 kts, speed record is 22 kts!!! The hull is 1.5 mm thick fibreglass with 25mm foam and then another 1.5 mm fibreglass - SOLID!!!)Hockey under the lunar ecclipse, the big mural ive got them all working on...and i think thats all....

Flip time is going so quick at the moment. I seem to be flying from one thing to the next.There seems much to say but ill leave it there for fear of rambling....email me if yuo want details!

Sakau Sailing School

South-west Malekula and the Maskelyne Islands is so remote! Its thick bush, and big swell coastlines, tiny islands surrounded by reefs and sandy beaches…..the villages are different to any close to Vila, or on the main islands. The people seem different too – much more gentle and sofly spoken than town kids, real chilled out and happy. All the mamas in the village woul,d sit under cocnut trees and weave mats most afternoons, the men were helping with the boat building and the young guys were with me learning about sailing and navigation….but so many politics in small villages! And the women were like the long lost forgotten tribe – they never got a mention, never got to eat with everyone else, and did all the work, including cooking for heaps of people without much thanks. Telling people about the setting sounds so idyllic, and it was, but the politics and relationships meant this tiny remote village in the Maskelynes was remarkably similar to other places, despite being so removed in materialistic terms.

The boys I had for sailing school were awesome. Always laughing, really cheeky but good fun. And so studious! They would copy down the notes on scrap paper and then write them up neatly at night in their books, and remembered everything we talked about! So we ended up going through the course material quite quickly because they seemed to hve such a good grasp on it all. They loved it though. So we’d do lessons in the morning and then sail all afternoon – it is a good life! Had a few high speed capsizes in the hobie-cat which was fun. It was awesome seeing their enjoyment when they realized the hobie was just a FAST sail canoe!

All the chiefs from a couple of villages around the place sat me down one afternoon on the beach and seriously tried talking me into ‘taking’ and Vanuatu man for a husband as it would increase the wisom and knowledge of their local community….after telling them I thought the white guys would learn just as much as them and them telling me in their culture they view their women as products which they try to ‘export’, I reconfirmed my decision NOT to get married this year (tough really….NOT). But they were actually trying to convince me to do it.

We ate lots of lobster, fish, coconuts, yam…..one night a HUGE killer avock mudcrab with pincers the size of my hand tried to eat me while I was innocently asleep on the deck…luckily I woke up and then had a fight with it trying to get it back in the bucket….

I had a few days overlap with Ross (he took over from me with the sailing school) so we successfully became the first white people to circumnavigate Sakau Island in a hobie cat! IT WAS FLIPPIN COOL!!! Had a good breeze, maybe 20 knots, and a few metres of swell and we sailed out the channel in the reef, INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN, and round, and then back in the next gap in the reef. Talk about a good adrenalin rush! If we’d capsized we would have been on the reef in no time, but of course that was the beauty of it all…..adventure a! (We had a VHF and people knew where we were….so don’t worry dad!!!)

Then last night we had all the boys out on the boat for tea, and we cooked them lamb fillets and chocolate cake, and they gave me a mat with my name woven in it and a cool bag, and made me feel special! It was such an awesome priveledge to be hanging with them for a few weeks!

Sleep is calling, but will update this again in the next few days for installment two on remote village life! Project MARC (who i was there with) stands for Medical Aid to Remote Communities. Its a cool set up.

Look forward to sharing more, and hearing about all YOUR adventures! Flick me an email :)

Hugs and blessings,
Miri

Round Island Relay

Well, it was an early start this morning in the support vechile for Wan Smolbag’s team in the Round Island Relay. This was stared when Vanuatu got Independence and 3 teams of 10 runners circled the island in a day, which until then, the villages had thought impossible, however, along the way they united all the villages in their journey. 27 years on its still going stong, with teams coming from New Caladonia, Australia and NZ. Our boys were in the lead (of the less competitive teams) for the first few legs but our girls in the team weren’t quite as strong so we ended coming in 3rd in the Mixed teams, and 10th overall which was pretty good! Overall time was 10hr, 15mins, I think the record is about 8.20 and there are still teams coming in now (several well over 13 hours now.) so they did really well…..especially considering most of them ran the gravel road in bare feet or jandals!!! It was amazing seeing the champion guys, doing 3 minute kms in bare feet along the gravel!!!!!!!!!!!! Crazy huh!!!

But a cool day – got a flattie, saw some good bush techniques of how to change a tire (!!!), the driver fell asleep at the wheel (it was a 4am start) and it was a super hot day so testing for all! Good to be involved though!

Festivities are well and truly underway now with all the stalls having big events during the days and nights (mamas running races, island dress competitions, hiphop comps, you name it, they got it!!) Tomorrow we’re having a hockey tournament out at work which will hopefully be fun and then Monday is actually Independence….no gat plan yet….

Then work on Tueday and sailing to the Maskelynes Islands on Wednesday to volunteer at a sailing school (wahoo!!) so am really looking forward to that! I love the fact im going on holiday from my tropical island to a tropical island……maybe this one will be a little bit closer to the paradise we all imagine…???

Will update more on the sailing soon, and more Independence stories!

Much love,

Miri

Opps, I meant they got Independance in 1980...this is the 27th celebration...

Independance

Well, its been a fairly quiet week here...Vanuatu celebrates Independance on July 30th. In 1989 they took charge, booted out the french and british and began forming their own identity. This is when the infamous String bands started as they wanted to foster a unique style of music to Vanuatu, the motto for the new coutry was "Long God yumi stanup" which pretty much means We believe in God, or we stand on God,which is why church and traditional regilious practises have been so well preserved! All schools teach RE, church is very well ingrained in the culture.

Each year though Independance celebrartions are HUGE and lots of bamboo stalls are being set up along the side of the roads where people will sell food to whoever is walking past....all the youth who usually come to the youth centre are busy constructing these stalls and im told for the next 2 weeks work will be dead as all the youth just walkabout in town, checking out everything thats happening! Ill put a photo in my next post when i get my camera back...

SO works quiet...otherwise life is good. Mum sent the dvd of my 21st so it was awesome to watch that and see everyones faces and be reminded of good times!!

I was meant to be biking around the island today for the next few days but last night we had a huge thunder and lightening storm and its raining again now so it was probably a good idea to put it off. But looking forward to when we do do it.

Still planning on the sailing school in the Maskelyne Islands sometime after next week (just gotta keep a lookout for the boat when it arrives int he harbour and then jump on board!!)

Hope all is well at home!
Much love and hugs, hope the Peak 2 Peak went great for everyone involved!!!

Here are a few more pics of the adventures with mum and dad....Mum crossed all cultural boundaries and joined the String Band for a song...it was awesome! Then some of the local boys hanging out at sunset, and me, with Mum and Dad last night for a nice tea out beside the boats...

Been back at work this week which has been good - Leina's away so it full-on!

On thursday I snuck away for the day and went round the island with and dad and some of the other vols who have work on the otherside...It was so cool to see the rest of the island!!! Some really nice beaches, nice bush...half of the island is covered in this creeper stuff which the americans brought in WW2 for camoflague....its works brilliantly, but doesn't let much else grow...

Saw turtles, a WW2 coke bottle museum (classic guy, speaking in an american accent, collecting glass bottles...), and sussed out some possible nap places for a circum-cycle-navigation next weekend!! If i make it through the first day, and then the first halfhour of the 2nd day Ill come back alive!! We're taking 3 days, me and 2 aussie vols so it should be cool!

Saw mum and dad off this morning, and then a big training ride....im starting to seize up...haha

The mighty Yasur Volcano

Facts about Tanna:
Home of the world's most accessible volcano
Home of local Vanuatu coffee (mum and dad saw a coffee tree....)
Over 20 languages throughout the island
Southern most port where yachties can clear customs (for vanuatu)
Has the best cultural tour in all the WORLD!!

Hey All!

Well, its been so fantastic having family here the last few weeks! My cuzzie Trina came for a week to do some filming for VSA which was awesome. She hung out at work with me and filmed what was happening, so that will go in a dvd to show schools, and unis about volunteering. Then Mum and Dad arrived and my much awaited week off work has been so much fun! Its been great showing mum and dad round, introducing them to my friends and workmates. I think they have enjoyed it too! I've managed to get to a few touristy places I hadn't been too so that was nice, some cool waterfalls and - most excitingly - Yasur Volcano on Tanna island!!!

Yasur Volcano -

We were met at the airport by a truck which took us to the other end of Tanna, lots of kids on the road, and small villages every so often. Eventually, we got to the ash fields at the base of the volcano which was such a different landscape. It was like being on the moon....or what the moon might look like....anyway, a quick stop at our jungle bungalows (thatch rooves, holey mossie nets, and damp dirty beds), then it was straight up the volcano for dusk. So we drove most of the way up and then walked the last wee bit right up to the crater rim. As the sun went down and it got darker the volcano became more and more impressive. We had a few really big explosions, which spat out huge bits of red hot rock into the air. It was the most impressive fireworks ever! And just unreal standing so close and hearing the thudding of the red hotr rocks as they hit the ground and you realised just how big they were! Any big explosion was followed by the sound a second or so later, along with a heat rush from the rocks. SO IMPRESSIVE!!! Good adrenalin rush!

The next morning we experienced the most scary/amusing.realistic cultural experience I've ever had, and probably will have. We were led through the bush and then left to make our own way, at which point several traditionally dressed men jumped out of the bushes and pretended we were the first white people they had seen. Complete with clubs, body paint and screaming, it was quite frightening! As we progressed through the bush they acted out how they caught pigs, made food, made fire (rubbing the sticks method), and how they made mats out of leaves....very impressive acting! They never slipped out of character, even as they were discussing which one of us would be the best option for eating...I think they were deciding on dad.....

The only regret is that we didnt stay longer! But a good taste of things to be experienced outside of Vila and the big city here.

My week off has gone far too quick but mum and dad are still here for another week which will be awesome.

More stories soon!

mi laekem...

Things I love....

1. Icecream
2. Cute island kids
3. Getting funding proposals approved
4. Having lunch with random people in Vanuatu (Malc's parents!!!!)
5. only 2 weeks til ma and pa come!

Well, other funding got approved so thats both my boys off to get formal qualifications!! Yes!!! It was awesome seeing how stoked they were to leanr they were ogingto uni! Very satisfying.

I met malcs gordons parents forthe first time int he weekend....in Vanuatu.....(is that wierd or what!!) So lovely to hang out with them, and get to know them, haha. Love it.

Gt another few weeks booked of being youth centre manager which is exciting! And am in the process of writing manuals for setting up the seasonal workers thing here. O and still trying to work something for computer class (but soon we'l have qualified tutors!!!)

Just a quick note today, but am alive! Just had another hockey session tonight which went well. And am really looking forward to seeing mum and dad!

Better go, but loving your emails and thoughts!

Right, blessings,
Miri

busi, busi

Pics - some pikininis from work (cute a!) and some of the kids at the completion of their opti sailing course.

Man,so much has happened in the last few weeks – its one of those phases where EVERYTHING seems to be happening at once…

The holiday camp idea has been down-sized to a morning programme due to the campsite not being available, which is cool. So we are going to do some games, and some health activities, and paint a big mural on one of the walls about youth issues! I’m excited! (hopefully it’l turn out somewhat like I’m imagining in my mind…)

I’ve managed to get funding for one youth to do some courses at uni here which is cool! So I’m going to sit with him sometime before I leave and try to remodel the computer classes. I’m hoping to integrate literacy and maths and pacidic studies etc into the computer syllabus so then the kids are learning two things once, instead of just playing games ALL day long. But that will take quite a bit of internet surfing finding resources and the like, so if anyone has secret websites that offer free resources – let me know!!

Am meeting with Rotary tomorrow to try and get some funding for our upcoming IT fixit man – hopefully that’s successful.

Then Thursday, its going to a meeting to present a proposal for a doco my cuz is hoping to come and make, all about Ni-Van values and culture, what its like to be a youth, how they express themselves through dance (we got a big hiphop comp comingup, and Vanuatus big music fest which they’ll be performing in…) and how volunteers are helping/learning from the whole process. So that’s interesting.

Leina has gone to Santo and left me with the keys for the centre (PARTY!!!) So its quite fun keeping things together, and trying to implement new systems (a registration system for each class, not as easy as it sounds).

Am making small progress on finding out info about the seasonal workers scheme, and what we need to do from this end to be a part of it. It will be very cool to set this up so fingers crossed we can get it al together.

An opportunity has come up to volunteer on an outer island at a sailing school for two weeks!!!!!!! This is the only place in Vanuatu they still sail their outrigger canoes to their gardens! Very isolated and supplies are dependant on ships which may or may not come. So they are running a month long sailing and boat building school. They are goingto build a 28ft Wharram Catamaran, and apparently I get to teach them sailing in Hobie Cats!! Man, so excited! So that’s very cool! Two weeks on village food will be interesting but hopefully i’ll cope!

Hockey is going well, Literacy is going well, Church is going great (have taught them another new Hillsong song for our Gospel mega-fest!!!)Oh yea.

But amping for this sailing school, and for seeing ma and pa soon, and for everything else that is going to come up.

SERIOUS SIDE - Have realised i may have done some things the hard way round...but thats good learning. The interesting thing with development is that people end up expecting hand-outs, or expecting someone to fund things for them. This isnt good. But then, coming to think of it, compared to them i had everything handed to me too as a kid. Hmmmm. Keeps me thinking anyway.(Point raised by the beautiful anna star, top effort i thought)

Development is also a bit like leading someone to know christ (sorry, if youre not into church you may laugh at this, if you are, youll know what I mean). You never know whether you are planting the seed, whether you are watering it, or whether you get to harvest it and see the results. Some of the things that seem to be coming together certainly havent come from me. I just get to take it the final steps. Likewise, I cant expect everything i start to be amazingly successful this year, but rather let it grow as time goes on....just some thoughts...

Well, will leave it there.

Ale olgeta,

Blessings,
Miri

Island Night

Well....country has made it to the pacific! We had an island fundraiser at church last night (good old sausage sizzle was awesome!) Heaps of different acts, some good choirs, some bad choirs, some string bands....one group did a dance to this hick country song. Haha it was awesome. They even had cowboy hats, and were doing line dancing type stuff. man i cracked up!

And saw my first group of pacific dancing girls - all shaking and swaying their hips which was pretty cute! (They were all little)But these guys really know how to have a lucrative fundraising night! so much food, and stuff. So cool to be involved and helping out!

Hopefully going to run a holiday camp for school kids in the next holidays which would be cool! Getting excited about possibilities!

Just wanted to post this picture up - arent they cute!!

More Pics

A few more pics - one of the dancers, and me with the young girls who I talked with.

"Naghol" - Land Diving

Hello!

Well had an exciting trip to Pentecost Island, home of the Land diving or "Naghol". This is true blue adrenelin junkie sport - think bungy without the bungy! Every year they build a huge vine tower and then all men hurl themselves off different levels with vines attached to their feet - why? To ensure a good yam harvest! Its also a coming of age thing for the boys so they have different levels, with the big man going from the very top. All the villagers stand around and chant and dance, the jumper reaches his hands heavenward (saying his prayers no doubt), claps a few times and then jumps! The vines are measured so their head touches the ground! Actually. They jump off and hit the ground! And if their vines isnt quite long enough then then get jolted backwards - looks sooo painful! And then then stand up, cut the vines off and limp away to join the dancers! Man, we're pansy in NZ!! (or sensible...)

They do it all in kastom dress - i've never been surrounded by so many practically naked men! Wow! The "nambas" is the kastom male dress - consists of a belt with a branch in the back to cover that side and a wee pouch for only one of the three on the front and everything else just hangs out! One poor guy lost his pouch as he landed so he got up and scampered off into the bushes to make a new one - arwkard!
And the females have just their grass skirts.

The dancing and chanting was a wee bit similar to Maori chants but pretty different too.

It was awesome getting to see another island - we hung out with another VSA who lives on Pentecost - its so isolated so he was stoked to see us all! aND just a grass runway so if it rains then you get stuck! And it rains about 90% of the time so we were real lucky! Wahoo!

It was handy being ableto speak some Bislama so I made a few friends with some of the young girls which was cool -so had a good chat about husbands and hobbies on the island...lol

So it was an awesome day - cool to see around, cool to see the naghol, and cool to meet more people! All the locals were sitting on the beach as we ate our lunch so we gave them some stuff - some ice from the bottles. It was unreal - i dont think they had ever seen ice before and they were holding it, andpassing it round, and sucking it, and looking at it....quite confused i think...and then we gave them some (precious) apple but they really weren't too impressed with that and just held it...but typical cute island kids! Loved having their photos taken and then looking at them. Lots of amazing coloured rocks on the beach too.

Yea - this place is cool! And been practising all night for performing a song at a scripture union combined schools service tomorrow morning so that should be fun! Me with 4 local friends from youth group so its fun.

Right, will email more later!
Love much, god bless,
Miri

Sailing!

Here are a few pics of the sailing kids, and the race last weekend...

Have had a good weekend, very quiet. Have been hanging out with youth group all day today practising for the album which starts getting recorded tomorrow night! Wahoo! Should be good!

And the yachts have started arriving from everywhere this weeek so i weent for a walk along the waterfront and checked them all out! Really nice place here when there are a few nice looking yachts in the harbour!

Prayer requests - that i would stay teachable! Im learning so much, i need to be like a big sponge to make good use of it all! And that God would continue to sustain and surprise me!

Love you all, miss you,
Miri

Olsem wanem?? Mi olraet. I'm always amazed when I'm teachin english how foreign my own language sounds! You know when you repeat a word over and over and it turns into just a sound - its like that when im trying to get them to say a new word. It has no meaning for them, so its just this wierd sound......sorry, random thought!

Had first opti session on saturday. The kids seemed to really enjoy it. We had about 5 knots on the lagoon so perfect for them to test out sailing! So i think they're all keen to come back again - which is great!

Sunday I was aboard a yacht for the weekly race which was awesome. Had a good 15=20kts and it was so good to be out on a boat again, feelin the wind, standing on the bow cruising through the waves! So looking forward to this sunday for the next race! Wahoo!

Had a ni-van who had been working in NZ come and isit me at work which was cool! He had been hanging out in Cromwell so he came to say hi from the Buxtons which was cool!

I saw a preview of Wan Smolbags new show the other day. It addresses domestic violence and black magic so it was really interesting to see. Some of my mamas who come to literacy class said how realistic it was to what their married life was like! Also told me that my marriage would be the same (i decided not to get married!!) But very cool to see, its a pretty powerful play - so hoping it goes down well with the public when its shown publically.

Hey thinking of y'all, hope its not getting too cold at home! We're down to 26 degrees and 70% humidity so its really plesant at the moment! Love it.

My friends!

Hey lovely people, sorry i havent updated for a few days, work has been sooo busy! And flip its a shock having to work all day after a fairly cruisey student life...but am excited to be achieving small (very small) victories, and am getting to know how I act under stress and frustration quite well which can only be a good thing...

Here are a few pics of around the place - Leina and I, and Joana (a youth)Joana is going to come to sailing lessons (wahoo!) so very excited about that!

Its school holidays this week, and somehow the word got out that we were running free computer classes so monday morning we were swamped with kids wanting to take classes - soo its been crazy busy trying to fit everyone in, and find enough tutors,and keep parents happy! Have had some positive feedback from the start of the youth committee and already have a HUGE list of things they want me to go through with them...so thatll keep me busy! Hockey games starting up next week which should be cool...literacy going well.....its all just happening!! But when theres so much on its crazy cos we are under staffed - well...if everyone did their bit and tunred up to things we might be right, but they dont so it means there one or two doing huge amounts, and the others do not much. So leina and I have been planning new approaches to running things to try ease some of the pressure. I guess its a good thing when classes are full...but busy!

Please pray that i would have wisdom in dealing with everything to make sure i do a good job with it all! I knowive got to learnalong the way but i dont want to let them down either, so im trying to get things right. But support for that would be much appreciated!

Hockey 1, Hockey 2...

These are a few pics from the hockey open day we had - a great success really. Formed some teams which will start a competition next week which is exciting. And sailing starts next saturday (wahoo!!)

Write more when im in a writing mood - love and hugs, me

kastom dancing and pasta...

Monday night I sung in an Island Night!! Youth Group were singing at a fundraiser night, so i was there too, swaying and clapping, and singing my bislama - a very fun night really! And they did kastom dancing which was cool to see. It was kinda of a mix of a haka type dance but with real retro dance moves in the middle of it, with flashing lights and upbeat chanting. Very cool to see!

Yesterday was Labour Day here so i did some relaxing, read a book, and went to Leinas house for tea. It was so nice to visit, to see where she lives. The girls we took to Easter Camp live next door to her and were keen to hang out again so we played some guitar and then ate together. I showed Leina how to cook Pasta and she loved it and was soo stoked (not sure if its a good thing...) so hopefully they wont eat that every night now! Funny though!

Shes gone to Santo (another island) for the week to visit the youth centre there (part of this one) so shes left me with all her keys, and instructions, and lists of things to do! So its good!

Taught youth group Mighty To Save (song by hillsong) which was cool the other night too. Good to be getting amongst it.

Anyway, hope you having a great day when you read this!
God bless,
Miri

New email addy!

Hey All,
Just a quick note to say I got a new email addy - miriwood@gmail.com

Look forward to your mail! Save the address now!

Blessings,
Miri

construction...

here are some more pics of the boys putting an internet cable in at work...and getting coconut palms to build a shelter to sell snacks at saturday morning sports!

Had classic talk about traffic light today (got none here) - trying to explain about green walking men and red stop men, and road rules. Interesting...!!

This week...

Alo!
Am having a good week - feel like ive been here long enough now to start sugegsting ways to improve things, and start tryingo ut some new things so thats an exciting place to be. Had the VSA programme manager for the Pacific here this week too which has been good to chat about how its all going.

Had ANZAC service this morning - was pretty cool, followed by a breakfast at the pub put on by the NZ and Auzzie high coms so that was a much better breakfast than usual! Had to explain the meaning of the poppy when i turned up at work - everyone thought it was cool!

These girls were given balloons by the VSA guy, and we played baloon hacky for a LONG time - they were just mesmerised by it - pretty fun. And they run round calling me teacha mideam which makes me laugh. (sorry...photo has disappeared...will try put it on tonight)

Opti sailing will start up in 2 weeks time with the first group of kids coming from the youth centre so its going to be fun to ge them in boats and teach them how to sail! And they super keen so im stoked that that is going ahead. Such a cool chance for them. And hearing murmerings about an outreach trip in december to another island which might be cool....otherwise looking at starting up a leadership development club for the youth here who help out with running the place - give them some training in organising, and thinking outside the square, and planning, and fun, and motivation, and goal setting, so im real excited about getting that up and running.

Must go now, but thinking of yas lots and am amazed to realise im getting almost as busy as i was at home....
Ale, lukim yu

babies!

o m goodness - check out the cuteness of this baby!!! Arggghhhh!!! I want one! A good friend from work has just had her baby - named her Dalila, and it was only 1.7kgs (smol smol) and look - so cute!!! So Annie (mama) is camping at out at the hospital until the baby is 2 kgs....it was such an amazing thing to hold a baby so small, to feel how light it was, how vulnerable and delicate, and cute, and man, life is precious! I was on a high for a while afterwards! (still am!) So photos are of Tom and Annie (mama and papa, both kids from work), and then of me, regina and annie (two close friends from work)at the hospital.

Also, some of feeding the fish while snorkeling the other day - but babies are so much more exciting! Wow, lol.

Also, a picture of mamas club. A friend from queenstown who was visiting came and took class which was a great learning experience for me (watching someone who knew what they were doing!). The mamas loved it so thats good!

Other random stories...

Had my first shell of Kava last night (you drink it from a coconut shell). Its a local relaxant drink - makes your minth and throat go numb which is quite wierd...and then you just feel really lazy. So it was good to try, tastes remarkably like muddy water (and looks like it), tasted awful but its over pretty quick so it was manageable!

I forgot to mention the storm that came through at easter camp - saturday night they had a talent quest (they love having items here, church can go for hours with different groups getting up to sing!!), Halfway through a huge rainstorm came through and they turned all the lights and sound equipment off as they tried to move it to more secure shelter. The group on stage kept singing anyway (were using guitars) but the rain was so heavy we couldnt hear them - so a guy in the audience go this own guitar, started playing and we had the loudest, most enthusiastic sing-a-long i have ever experienced. It was classic. All the while the roof was leaking and occassionally one of the tarps that was the roof would overflow, dumping a showerload of water on a poor victim - all of which caused much screaming, yelling and general good times!

Next week is Global Action Week and its focussing on education so we are making a whole lot of banners and organising human chains and questino sessions for the kids to askthe ministers why their school fees are so expensive, or other such things so thats exciting!

Will update more soon.

Easter adventures...

For photo captions see last paragraph!

Easter was always going to be an adventure. It rained solidly for the 12 hours before we left for camp which made travel and camping plans in question but the roads turned out to be ok and the campsite wasn’t flooded so it was alright!

We started with some extreme big truck 4WDing to get to a village, along this crazy tiny track into the bush. Then, once we got to the wharf we all packed into a boat and headed off into the dark night…still raining and halfway across the channel the driver throttled back, took off the engine cover and had a wee play round to try get the engine working better! I really wished I knew more about outboard motors then! Having decided there was nothing they could do we kept going. The wind slowly came up and we started surfing down the waves, in the dark, in an overloaded boat. But we arrived safely in the end, soaked but stoked to be in the middle of a real adventure!

The next few days were full of eating new and strange island fruits, A LOT of rice and bread (one morning we had bread, along with deep fried bread for breakfast??????) It was awesome to be at an easter camp – singing youth group songs and relaxing around the camp site. Quite similar to a camp in NZ, everyone in tents or in the dorms (bamboo frame covered in tarps with mats inside to sleep on). Big communal bush kitchen where everyone got meals from and they had speakers and activities and worship and talent nights and all the usual camp stuff. I could understand most of the sermons, and I knew some of the songs (not the ones in the local dialect) but I learnt a few more too which was cool. It really made me miss NZ actually, quite a different feel even though much was the same.

I stayed with a family in their house, which was really cool. I took my guitar so at night we sat round and sung songs that we all knew (old church songs) and on Sunday the papa asked if I wanted to climb the big hill behind the village. Naturally I jumped at the chance and off we went, jandals, slashing knives and handbags in tow (one of the other girls)! It was awesome to be hill climbing again! And great views from the top of lots of other islands so that was cool. Then did the most extreme bushbashing ever through thick jungle vines and muddy dirt. We climbed on top of the bushes and just tried to stay up as long as poss without falling through. Halfway down the guy sai we weren’t quite where we were meant to be and I imagined getting to the ocean eventually and having to walk for hours along the ricks, but we ended up not too far away from where we were supposed to me. I asked if the right way was an easier walk and he said no so not sure why it mattered that we weren’t in the right place!! Amazed at the strength of the girls feet who came with us – did the whole thing in bare feet! So when we got to the beach off came my sandals and I walked as long as I could before putting them back on (not very long at all!)

Then the boat trip back was even more crowded than the one there, with no freeway at al. Im stoked the sea was calm! Then we all piled into th back of a truck with our gear, food for the market and us and started the long drive back to town!

I love being in the village! Such a simple way of life and so family orientated – I was glad to eat different food and have a normal toilet when I got back though!

We ran a workshop on sat arvo about HIV/AIDS which was well received so that was cool too. I ate a coconut crab which was super tasty – a delicacy here. One at the market sells for a few thousand vatu ($50) so I was lucky that we found one on our walk and when they found out I hadn’t eaten one they insisted I eat it!

I was given an island name, which is kastom once you have lived here a while – Leiwia (lay-we-a) which means ‘the good girl’!! (Leina's a bit of a rebel so she calls me the good girl!) It was really nice just to be able to relax and understand people and get to know Leina better, as friends rather than boss/employee.

Sorry, super long but so much to say! Just loved being on an adventure and doing things outside of Vila. Straight back into it at work, real busy this week but its great to have had some time away.

The photos -one is making laplap - piling hot stones ontopto cook it. Leina is on the left.
One is sitting in the nakamal (village meeting place) preparing for the workshop. Leina is doing the peace sign!
One is me eating the cocnut crab with the kitchen and the family i stayed with in the background.
One is the truck heading back to vila.
One is the easter camp meeting place.

Alle, mi mas go nao. Mi hop se yu stret mo well. Mimi lok fored long toktok long yu. Bongwio! (ok, I must go now. I hope you are fine and well. I look forward to talking to you, Good night!)