tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46462800387277627832024-03-27T04:06:30.085-07:00Where in the world is Farfum? THE KINGDOM OF TONGAFollow my adventures with the US PEACE CORPS in the SOUTH PACIFICfladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-50013080862705781752011-10-28T06:57:00.000-07:002011-10-28T08:09:24.724-07:00My last days of school<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiey0tOtnyWJLWRtxl0um7YZ5TbKrI_kEkXoltlJPqb-61Le8s5CvwJ-yV-8KJv6wLN5omjRFqoDNw46tPa8PBu026E4PMALwCrt3nqy4T2UNpXTkzH5KaGTx199DEgD99Xs8OLcpr2EoCz/s400/IMG_9802.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668542585906357026" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: My last group photo with students, staff, and PTA members of Matamaka GPS.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >All good things must come to an end. </span></b>I was granted an early COS with my Peace Corps service in the Kingdom of Tonga. As a result, my COS date was moved to September 24, 2011.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" > It truly has been an honor and privilege to have worked in Matamaka for the two years.</span></b> I have learned so much about myself and about the Tongan culture. I couldn't have asked for more picturesque sight in the world! Matamaka GPS was surrounded by crystal clear blue water on three sides with 'Ovava trees perfected located to hang my hammock. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LP1J3aLkGpimYtceHv11KMi88TVdizsUyo6jHYOmX5DIjkXiBIzms-MZ-Qhg7xTjokWC0jo74RnmlWu0x-t8taNw9I3IvceAjz_88ZZs21KfqcX1dVod1Wt4HylXGhimqDgVOkEIz3HJ/s320/IMG_9927.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668546645225170322" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Faita: Malo 'aupito ngaue lahi fanau 'ako! 'Ofa 'atu lahi! Kauleka Matamaka mo e fuka 'amelika.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My last week of teaching was a bittersweet moment. I love the kids, but they also drive me bonkers half the time. I have pushed them so much with English in the past two years. I have seen significant improvement with their language development since my arrival to Matamaka. We have been hard at work preparing for the big Secondary Entrance Exam. Three out of the five class six students are passing the English portion of the exams. We still had another month to bring up the other two. Regardless, I am very optimistic they will all do very well on the exam.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8w_NoK33yhMa7aM9t8q3m_uJoUWOjORSWf25dWWujmf8w80_sl6LwYQbnBdBz5-sVDb1z7r3RL5v4Fgj6RNhr_ThIVrgBxHWuDpYSKr3XlrCmxM3O1Ygi300TmYv_woutKMo6I5ahd6wv/s320/IMG_9910.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668546637283930610" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqZC__WULlj25dHgxgllJvb-tVR-EL6LvA-1vttu88bg2B-j12KT0ITVaMyYfBXI25jbZo26D0STEmb5BMiRWOOifC6y0mJ1VXQSLu6FpSegFzWDl4mMtPkYegEL0W2B3Vdd5A6gFpdPH/s320/IMG_9920.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668546635425947282" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Who wants to do more sentence writing?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I dedicated my last week at Matamaka finishing up the last minute renovations at the library. This included trying to log all of the books and school materials in our new stock registry. Organizing all of the books on the new shelves has also been quite a task since we have SO many new materials. Pitisi and Ma'asi have been great with helping me with everything. I made sure I took enough photos with the kids before I left Matamaka. These were some of the highlights. I will follow up with another blog entry with actual leaving Matamaka as it deserve its own entry. What can I say? It was a challenging assignment, but also an amazing opportunity at the same time. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Thank you Matamaka GPS for everything! I will never forget all of the fond memories I had. </span></b></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAL7ZXFWYeBci4YLeinLOxZpYNZlDfssmlbrGbD3rMoyy1fKc-JCdUPGfogAJkHNpxNLCv2O4HPbQ9qTCsv-8rOC0i40YGs59mN1afHiY3D_TFUeMawoNCZcv-bkWblqleiSFALNh9Hj1r/s400/IMG_9939.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668547106493307538" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Ma'asi and Pitisi with the kids in front of the library. </div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-47296800386330942952011-10-28T06:13:00.000-07:002011-10-28T06:54:01.094-07:00Swimming with humpbacks!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NGNWlPFlmsfxDXC7lypXFeHfBapZDyN6xWFqjkQz6UF0D0uSm4pv41NkpTiaJD41NOKr-bUVLlGVGnyDcRAkW6tzKb1MSiqSE1nLKVbBr_kZpeE3GTPMLSC58hlWpv7nI3E-pXm9Bmu2/s320/IMG_9753.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668533643984485666" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Up close and personal with humpbacks!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I finally had the opportunity to check off "swimming with whales" off of my Tongan bucket list. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Considering the fact that Tonga is only one of three places in the whole world that permits whale operators let their guests take a quick dip with these breathtaking creatures, I HAD to do it before I left Tonga.</span></b> Of course, I went with my favorite boat operator Dive Vava'u. They are the only license whale watching operator with prior experience working with whales in other countries. In addition, the owners are both marine biologist so they very legit (I highly recommend their services). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlteGuzqUO9qxnMkArDHuFoCCwGfR3IEmrsrBtAat1qHxDPRmcU35JSUfE9QTCNUJUphbN6XeikjDerXR-Jd5zsnTC9qM9qjq4PGQ2HeReGc2VkzdKPYBXC7PsB-p-ZdRTiaX57fyl43F/s320/IMG_9774.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668533646430505218" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CrWeOFLSjgm8RedUe8c7dtF3_wsu3kgqI69pqaO1vjSo_1NvdrAiROZZxd4t2bwfgimBYmbblFnP3sXntuSYP4ShbEiiQbUnn97cnUwOuodr9SyoHQJmHVogRB5e8-aLa4sxzbip9K5q/s320/IMG_9770.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668533652949990338" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: More exciting whale pics</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Regardless, a bunch of PCVs and Japanese volunteers got together for the big event. It was pretty much all volunteers in the boat. We were all very excited when the day started to find some whales. However, we did not have any luck for the first two hours. We were getting a bit skeptical if we would even see ONE whale. All of sudden, they just popped out left and right! Our first "successful" swim was with a calf with its mum and male escort. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >IT WAS SO COOL!</span></b> Words cannot describe when you see these behemoth creature swim by you. It makes you feel like another small fish in the sea!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDXLrLCVtxEdPm_rgeLLVUY4Ja73OaS367-Pq5rZCPab6UEmXhroN-laRwMPS6wQkKuH1mgbZXm0wHHHUilbnbXe23cQigmV0w4yAFqMRUdrVg11rC7uFdpCrONagAXXbOLlxXGMg7Qzi/s320/IMG_9792.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668534359512798706" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Whales where you at?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At the end of the day, we all got to dive about three times each since we had a huge group. It was still a great day to share with the other volunteers. In addition, it was a Stephanie (another PCV) birthday--what a great way to spend your birthday eh? Lastly, before heading back to Neiafu, we stopped by Mariners Cave. Most of us were able to overcome the fear of diving 3-4 meters to an underwater cave. It was quite an adrenaline rush. Definitely recommend bringing fins and a guide. Not something to venture off on your own. Just another day in the life of a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tonga. Cheers!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZU5PrNEsFlRevd3aSholudN6T6BkLk5MTT-_IHXwtPuDapSr6fhBd_SF3irvXTv6As4PAkJPHJH4_36d1jxJKKwINW0O1Z5kqOVbob-Fflb-gT_sVu36MpOLR8LD7TkO2ui2LQ3JNrV56/s320/IMG_9745.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668533617007556738" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6TZ-qYOFuAoFGgNZst9yK2ZXct3vmC4hPEp296VwqLd0FVlJqR2EAuJhaj8HZR5c5F60SLDo1CJq14nDhvv3WtIZqOEHhQCwzAqg8DkpHuKgDSUsYUPohdT0w0MB5G0XWFRk-Cilgbin/s1600/IMG_9795.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6TZ-qYOFuAoFGgNZst9yK2ZXct3vmC4hPEp296VwqLd0FVlJqR2EAuJhaj8HZR5c5F60SLDo1CJq14nDhvv3WtIZqOEHhQCwzAqg8DkpHuKgDSUsYUPohdT0w0MB5G0XWFRk-Cilgbin/s320/IMG_9795.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668534360741551282" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: AMAZING!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-71017125851475287082011-10-27T08:24:00.000-07:002011-10-27T09:22:08.543-07:00Big Fish 2<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIx0-vFeYfxIUOYXm0sqPj-9AcdBj1_-zpyrClbt09-9-SkJzJhkQZ0bJG3wcUJ8Onbqts3vEzIT1_Dx2i9QmjjdvC-Y5ofZzOZ1FHwt17_KbrM5RM6X9WLk2jPBaL2e9-bltU0B54iAf/s320/IMG_9716.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668194761960387282" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The Fifita family of Matamaka with one of the two big sword fish they caught.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Looks like another successful day at sea. Two men from village went out to sea and caught these two massive bill fish off the island of Hunga. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Could not believe how a simple line and hook can catch one of these bad boys.</span></b> Of course everyone had to run to my house so I could take group shots with the fish. I, too had the opportunity to take some pics with the sea creatures. They are literally bigger than some of my class six students! I can only imagine how much money they made from meat at the fish market in Neiafu. Regardless, this just shows the type of game around the waters of Vava'u. So all you fish enthusiast get on down to Vava'u and start fishing! Cheers!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: Randomness at the beach with Matamaka GPS in the background.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnoopeS_rXuizrlf2CGVJzZbsOuXfZOXaxvbPtlXQukOsMbZ6EZgOk-iI_JTWiqyMFGTPUMMkfpt1NpImnmf48aKFD99okZVPDacdx3Hg3sEgUgwh2x68BbkkQSCcv6J4kXF8s6ODtUWm/s1600/IMG_9723.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnoopeS_rXuizrlf2CGVJzZbsOuXfZOXaxvbPtlXQukOsMbZ6EZgOk-iI_JTWiqyMFGTPUMMkfpt1NpImnmf48aKFD99okZVPDacdx3Hg3sEgUgwh2x68BbkkQSCcv6J4kXF8s6ODtUWm/s320/IMG_9723.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668198213513170082" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aZMBYQWNXgsDhBXKVEf0R8KYQS-Rg8d-0JerMEyQNlF_LyQv3FB5Amenv3By9PZYBV6uVfOWGtr62ckom2zwJmZUjjivOpAbY0FTXwKEpPqXwp0wwBTJ2VuIdPS8ZJ52Nq1jrxSZ4QGM/s1600/IMG_9722.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aZMBYQWNXgsDhBXKVEf0R8KYQS-Rg8d-0JerMEyQNlF_LyQv3FB5Amenv3By9PZYBV6uVfOWGtr62ckom2zwJmZUjjivOpAbY0FTXwKEpPqXwp0wwBTJ2VuIdPS8ZJ52Nq1jrxSZ4QGM/s320/IMG_9722.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668198210333978706" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yXCWdadUu_eho6yoCpMxmtuIpoCczS-SQLXersMNa98XHqpzHkkcfpOmHflYhcj84id8jKRr3dFag7mnV-wZy_2nRaPoRHuOu9NCJ6YdyuFJ6aoLpSUnGl85EeZkb73esHumQ7oVefk8/s1600/IMG_9712.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yXCWdadUu_eho6yoCpMxmtuIpoCczS-SQLXersMNa98XHqpzHkkcfpOmHflYhcj84id8jKRr3dFag7mnV-wZy_2nRaPoRHuOu9NCJ6YdyuFJ6aoLpSUnGl85EeZkb73esHumQ7oVefk8/s320/IMG_9712.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668194755029700946" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtn8WZa5i-_KKqlQM25r0SMqiUKsma55UGMpLFaYykgwHpKzFwyBDbcZeD4rMox8ZoLbIKiM0SJyomSycoXsw72i_QKqjA8HhV5a-ttBo9DlWvUH07N-o8PF7yzhNld5T3NQR58WJGCvQv/s1600/IMG_9701.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtn8WZa5i-_KKqlQM25r0SMqiUKsma55UGMpLFaYykgwHpKzFwyBDbcZeD4rMox8ZoLbIKiM0SJyomSycoXsw72i_QKqjA8HhV5a-ttBo9DlWvUH07N-o8PF7yzhNld5T3NQR58WJGCvQv/s320/IMG_9701.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668194752980956546" /></a><br /></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-50584705852764404072011-10-27T07:47:00.000-07:002011-10-27T08:19:08.559-07:00Last minute library fun<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOwt_mHicE8vQqh6kMpEwdzAXsVLRQExsIrzwRY_20hJszDlnSmRoznQHaN8KN1nRcp2pAnZbzEN8EZ3ep2igAqtf7uJ4GcD7TjXeXCbvowgk9X6Z-go8WQBSvhgfrXZ3T5c8IszhIeOr/s320/IMG_9661.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668184702166673954" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Painting the two new bookshelves for the library with Tina.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">My last month in Tonga was dedicated to the final renovation of adding two new bookshelves for the Matamaka GPS library. They were constructed by one of the PTA members and painted by me and my principal's family. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >The new shelves will accommodate the hundreds of new books we acquired from the US through donations by former Matamaka residents.</span></b> The library looks better than ever now with the new addition. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7n4PyfaJ416e-5QEHPxEPXsSS4cVlcZu6pjBY5gIWu1RN5plwWWQBuT0_FyVt1t15A1wOram8OHVRad5dBTovtZ-sotMKhgglbQn0sx6wMVKEFT7avtYQWQQeZxhf83FPDDbrytB1WLOX/s320/IMG_9696.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668184713668883186" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Night school at Matamaka GPS.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Furthermore, night school for the Class 6 Secondary Entrance Exam was in full swing. I normally take the first shift for the night and either Pitisi or Ma'asi do another subject for the second half of the night. It is amazing how these kids are so dedicated to coming school all the time. It could be partly that there is nothing else to do in the village, but heck its keeps us all busy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPfg2VPn3WELr3L83WfVtsHV2MwY_bZhU06_PZk5z2TtxDFyRM8menqBIqm7Orm9O3SaNWFEJnlixAyr1EsWl7QANYn9Y_0-mcNRI-XiNRPERRs2yM26ERptxGL18hnz0Fap02-7KTQIO/s320/IMG_9698.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668185737428499250" /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4k7Dcgu8cBb7sSQ9CHQ0LDgYXuufyhTlm3KrY1Yoopojwwyv6mJcgSxRWLKCLmpWEtm-7TvD3TRSDwZlWneYilX9V5Fp9PtJEqBoLuyNKS_4_vOdkfTeqSp15e9C6NIOGRXtqH1045gnM/s320/IMG_9699.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668185740878150610" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Fakakai. YUM!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Every so often one of the kids will bring me food. One of my favorite during the course of the two years is the sweet fakakai. It is basically flour or tapioca boiled into little ball and coated with sugar then stuck in the earth oven called 'umu. It is a nice tropical dessert type of meal, though most people call it dinner. It is carbs and sugar heaven. Not the most healthiest thing in the menu, but then again your in Tonga and that is last of your worry. My principal loves it too as you can from the picture!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7B-rO97c6IUIDLpfjVcKS28fXtW5RnH88TIXg-jMTSPfNCcA0gr2gzVcKOSZWdPcT-lNjRNV-ouM_1K_1qjBY8NRG4wgcVCbxYaC-SjI5CLtZhw1E3F6EdHbihk85IHae7XcFsHr5CWi/s1600/IMG_9700.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7B-rO97c6IUIDLpfjVcKS28fXtW5RnH88TIXg-jMTSPfNCcA0gr2gzVcKOSZWdPcT-lNjRNV-ouM_1K_1qjBY8NRG4wgcVCbxYaC-SjI5CLtZhw1E3F6EdHbihk85IHae7XcFsHr5CWi/s320/IMG_9700.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668185744098381106" /></a>PHOTO: Pitisi loving the food!</div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-70690289326948800972011-10-27T06:55:00.000-07:002011-10-27T07:43:44.318-07:00Exploring 'Eua<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCu9gBK7VYcZedye5VmkkFQgYL7EuG9ZEWJ1uJkyD0_vzkE0-C3-CZdrn1tMx6b1m-vp07xDrJRF15qrng6CDSoRsSUCAkIk_-SofYE0G14kuDMLLDBS7CIWAGQNpRvVC3-OOxDmoVDHs/s400/IMG_9622.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668173819445165490" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The famous land bridge of 'Eua that we couldn't find for the longest time. </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I finally had the opportunity to explore the enchanted island of ‘Eua. It truly is a unique destination. ‘Eua is very different than the other island groups of Tonga. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >It is the home to the only rainforest in the entire Kingdom and wild horses! </span></b>Yes, you read correctly—wild horses! Carolyn (PCV from Tailulu College—Vava’u) and I enjoyed a little weekend retreat and had the opportunity to visit the few Peace Corps Volunteers who live in ‘Eua.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0uh0v5ig3i01kM-actNsE8MMaXvX_ZqcWG2JMvJ4goKngZTHk3WMoJJlATxKL_AWkqULMFXNmzD3Sg5g9TmLp3iNWNjL-QmPNbof7pSHCnnA7ZmVIG0gMaSkcUQ5Bj9cUa0gVSnGLUk8/s320/IMG_9557.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668171488438573522" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zn5RsT9K2Ny2cjN3dLsiuu6zM22P4M-P9o20eMbknqna1j4fGvA6NwCT1fno55Y3ACbH8iiwfEo6RWm7X6LdU_44tC1bAg1Ol-EJ9AQ8kU-rNP_XgX2URoQPqUZqXJnIiP7vBxBZdcsD/s200/IMG_9556.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668178469545503330" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: Some of the scenes from the boat ride. </div><div><br /></div><div>The trip all started with a quick two hour boat ride from Nuku’alofa. We boarded the ship ‘Ikale (Eagle in English) and saw a couple of massive humpback whales en-route to ‘Eua. Being use to the island commute to Matamaka, it truly wasn’t bad boat ride—though others were over the rail most of the trip throwing up. Note to those with weak stomachs: bring some motion sickness medicine. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwQAAAq4MiZ_8LrDYTwbfx38mNhJ2HmkFRqJ4KUVUb0PQgBmLN5PM_Zm6kmFKwFT8EsBRMe10pdgDW36jNHj1FV148a6jdNRcEfOVVXnqdEHcidMs7vh839ywFPiyjf1rJHvGossYEqUa/s320/IMG_9563.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668171481177833042" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The 'Ikale</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Upon the first sight of ‘Eua, I could already tell it was beautiful in its own way. You could see huge cliffs all around the island. The main city of ‘Ohonua is a quaint little town. It has your typical local banks and the few local shops. Most supplies and food are available here, though fresh vegetables are limited unless shipped from Tongatapu.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Without any taxi service in the island, Carolyn and I attempted to walk to the Wesleyan High School where our PCV hosts are residing. We were told it would be about a one hour walk or so—not bad we thought. Wrong! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >The hill from the wharf to the main road nearly took our breath away. </span></b>We were so lucky a nice Samaritan offered us a lift to our final destination. For the record, ‘Eua is actually a lot bigger than you think on the map. Our host was a married couple from Oregon (though they are originally from the Alabama). They live in the Wesleyan High School compound. We enjoyed a delicious Mexican dinner conjured up by Breand with the help of our fresh vegetables. After dinner, we were pretty much pooped and spent the evening relaxing in their cozy house. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRDYrv2AH-uLnTvb7BJRB3gAdWuMGcMWiuAymesO026lnoRedZx5H_WWK5ms03Ab0arJFSSqAGmj2ss6Ry7KdAEE6jTjOPVj1J4WQrEEPCzVX_nyAB6CQ0gCktPNBqti9ZRtC8ZELWe8k/s320/IMG_9567.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668171500664604242" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPb-UTlhENR_P9W6bST16o6mfifD6ogdLV0SulYCQM02m5ypXHzNxSZBW6cpOyuaOYYdRmKjusLktOBpCLamY3IKvl85pDnPGRC_ULLLS0zk8dzUH_gXPtjCBXnV5F3hfrwZJFnabws5e0/s320/IMG_9565.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668171490373670434" />PHOTOS: Paul and Breand's house at the Wesleyan Campus in 'Eua. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Fully rested, we attempted to do a lot of hiking and exploring in the Southern end of ‘Eua. This is where the wild horses roam around free and the famous “land bridge” is located. On our hike, we documented the entire thing with video footage. It took us almost two hours to finally reach our destination! We were only able to hitch a ride for the last five minutes of the hike. The horses and cliffs were amazing! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >The scenery can be compared the highlands of Scotland but with a tropical twist. The view was absolutely breathtaking!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Then we got lost. Yes, lost. While trying to find the famous “land bridge” we for some reason followed the wrong marker sign and ended up hiking toward the rainforest until we could no longer hear the ocean. Disappointed we turned around, but luckily ran into a British friend we met on the ferry over to ‘Eua. She asked us how we missed the bridge. It turned out we were walking over it multiple times and never realized it! Wonk, wonk, wonk---FAIL. After following the correct marker trails, we found the lookout tower and WOW! Beautiful! We had a quick picnic from the food we brought. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF46noQp4Wqk2FlIskSu6PkkU0D_VpOLqjxrUdCeYcojBY4T-H5x5l7gi02ETYfRBEQM_-cmflMivVsrqO4AzxeWNy1Ig54F0qHGznZnBYTM76DxASbBA0137Q6LR45CNQX51dJsMYJwRF/s320/IMG_9580.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668172731239197970" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The cliffs at the southern end of the island. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Walking back to the Breand’s house, there were no cars forever. After hiking for an extra hour and a half the wrong direction, Carolyn and I were already exhausted. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >On top of it all we were short of water and sun gave no mercy. </span></b>We fortunately got a lift after walking for almost two hours back. By the time we arrived to Wesleyan compound we had hiked for a good six hours. Our legs were jello and exhausted.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfrYCTTdslUGJdlFmgri7jhtFmnwZGROB7Y-n99IopHzW-0WY5WLtx-ildUr5Nj4pIsfyvSKO56EGZ7Z5bqWnKJsLjzUWC2cJmidyNI5wdgdbBx0QU_VzC5b7gW8gUtN94l8paynqE1cD/s320/IMG_9593.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668172736394607666" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoO8VcjZrvQ8lwyizDt5f040YxAF2kg9AqJcLfeHifYWdxFM06yVIBl28simhHrqRkxYrEboEYNzND5qBhYJ-bOw4ShlC0fb3GEmD0ts2iu2cRW0tftlIVYLFvqXCoHQzqjXy8rQ5-mL-y/s320/IMG_9604.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668172742053165394" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: More highlights from 'Eua.</div><div><br /></div><div>The rest of the weekend we relaxed at another PCVs house at the 'Eua High School compound. We made some delicious Japanese tofu and homemade carrot cake. We were so tired from our hike on Saturday that we spent all day Sunday bumming around the school library to use the super fast internet. The weather was bit wet the day too, so a <i>malolo </i>day was very appropriate (rest day).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1JQBsAojtzAqWG3vZjQYiZEbed8-eNHlFw5rRjm3EUa4bUzQUc9EjtiQrD7mX45hQSat8J6LiUT-eE92aXACChp_0p4a6X0BUmdu9yPDGaQW_UrlITMeMSV93E_nO51F8yUwYAGu3cgM/s320/IMG_9646.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668172750485253074" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: 'Eua High School</div><div><br /></div><div>The boat ride back to Tongatapu was a bit tricky. The one ship leaves around 4:30/5:00 AM from the main wharf in 'Ohonua. However, you need to get to the ship early to secure a seat. As a result, Carolyn and I were up at 2:30 and got there at 3:00 AM. We were lucky to get a seat, but note to self: <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >BRING AN EXTRA FLEECE</span></b>. The weather was freezing! The boat is pretty open so you can't really hide from the wind anywhere. In the end, 'Eua was awesome and definitely worth a visit. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlcbjAp8Z8_b86NsQEoqHuZE8D6TJfOLxW8uJ0AaMYLeii_yJg-3uCGMfXxWjN6SVD2kJVU_VFHfZ51LjeHMuSt41jSxuKGxUV1VE_IJHhnqn1hB8moNegcp4W02oejefmkhb-ghVm474/s1600/IMG_9655.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlcbjAp8Z8_b86NsQEoqHuZE8D6TJfOLxW8uJ0AaMYLeii_yJg-3uCGMfXxWjN6SVD2kJVU_VFHfZ51LjeHMuSt41jSxuKGxUV1VE_IJHhnqn1hB8moNegcp4W02oejefmkhb-ghVm474/s320/IMG_9655.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668174207453575634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Some PCVs of 'Eua!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-55628070511861840062011-08-13T18:27:00.000-07:002011-08-13T21:45:37.621-07:00Close of Service Conference (YIPPEE!!!)<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanQB_D4q5nhJgJTtlbRoNn_XQz9xTbLfba1LVBTGiBAUSI7q9jcBbbJdPtc2JdG2T_OD6F-jXCGC0oESlESc6TKTsNTDoW7LJr2MlWH3sIRNDaIkAw-IINfo3EwMnECwY6JBDGJUBphM8/s1600/DSC02604.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanQB_D4q5nhJgJTtlbRoNn_XQz9xTbLfba1LVBTGiBAUSI7q9jcBbbJdPtc2JdG2T_OD6F-jXCGC0oESlESc6TKTsNTDoW7LJr2MlWH3sIRNDaIkAw-IINfo3EwMnECwY6JBDGJUBphM8/s400/DSC02604.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640547561615188482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Group photo of the PC Tonga COS Conference Group Pic.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >We made it!</span> </b>Group 75 just wrapped up our Close of Service (COS) conference in Tongatapu from August 9-11th. The event happened at the beautiful Liku'alofa Beach Resort on the Western Side of Tongatapu island. The entire conference will be the last time most of us volunteers will see each other before leaving Tonga. Our Programming Director also wrapped up her service in Tonga that same week. We have more than half of the original volunteers still here in Tonga (which is an amazing number for Tonga!).<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FMDtLwqGHQ26ik2gZYlMHC-VUDM4EY5UCruzLa4n9qRFVUFJKCIMId-AmFpEyMo5VYsK1NE94Znqp14oOj4oHPoWtHeOl76iLuKywEsIktLCR-gaT3CZXyFcOfVBkhYRAOezJOJKfXWn/s320/DSC02302.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640562258084725378" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK8DcjhiEIMxdkJ8aCVghqirnudL0LHVSLOKhp_XoNGwhY8xvq-5daSGt7CUJwL3j8XHsKCnU6wX84SILhLhuo8hNv3hbG-_rr2LDMmVK3nLRJiMkySTVKdFZXdcLRAJsBLKDHXdzkGy9/s320/DSC02711.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640565365149703042" />Photo: One of the sessions during the COS conference and candle light ceremony.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div>The COS conference provided important information about being a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV). Sessions were held concerning international job opportunities, reconnecting back to US culture, and other fairly important topics. We also received our estimated value of a return ticket to our home of record. I was amazed $100 TOP flight difference between Cedar Rapids, IA and people flying into LAX?!?! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Regardless, it was time to reflect and celebrate our service here in Tonga as it draws to a close.</span></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRYfAJPQQKlDYSYkXEOR3WAiYPXvsS-iRfK8ubV9-OK2NVRClEbWmiCvusCMiDnAWjp-SrthDPZwOAVTeJsnTRXNJUFJhe6gsrFE6ITAQCwflKU5db6crS0a6tePjkHK57OrDNEXJrQ-5/s320/DSC02636.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640552535303084738" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Team Fanga'e'olunga, the only village during PST that survived the entire two years. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>During the week we enjoyed a delightful Tongan floor show and buffet. The food was absolutely delicious. The resort offered an assortment of authentic Tongan dishes from the roasted pig to 'ota ika or raw fish. YUM! Throughout the week, the kitchen staff conjured up other scrumptious dishes from chicken curry to beef and mushrooms. Furthermore, the tree top bar at the resort offered a spectacular view of the ocean and classic South Pacific sunsets. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >We were lucky enough to see a few humpback whales swimming over the horizon on one of the days. </span></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVQS9q7ID0zgGbfrpZPBh92kCDmohRQcYZ9Oakqb0HjIh4n4pLUM2YBMhNuBWutVvktiQay5NFQwMDT3L2s1bflYMj0I7DtHfE8PBNoqBCPsZgvaN175t_yEIrp325HlV27P9UAZeuf8x/s320/DSC02585.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640526624861251954" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Team Vava'u Volunteers. From the top left going clockwise: Ashley- Melifihi College; Carolyn- Tailulu College; Dominica- 'Utungake GPS; Kelly- Channel College; Robert- Vava'u High School; and me- Matamaka GPS.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Now that COS is over, reality is starting to sink in. Most of PCVs will be in the process of finishing up our primary and secondary projects, packing up our houses, and saying our goodbyes very soon. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >It is mind boggling how fast the two years have flown by. </span></b>Yes, it seemed slow at many points, but I can't believe we've been here for so long. As for me, I have begun the process of job hunting. If anyone is interested in hiring a RPCV, particularly me, let me know :)</div><div>
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">****Photo credits to PCV John O'Malley of Tailulu College Ha'apai. Google "John outside the lines" for his PC blog.****</div><div><div>
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<br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-60698501442731541092011-08-13T18:14:00.000-07:002011-08-13T18:25:53.426-07:00Calculators<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://myphpscriptz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/calculator50.gif" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Wanted:</span></b> Calculators (anytype--new or used)</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Where: </b></span>Matamaka GPS, Kingdom of Tonga</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >When: </span></b>At your convenience</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >How:</span></b> Please send us any calculators to Matamaka GPS. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Addressed to:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Matamaka GPS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >C/O US PEACE CORPS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >P.O. BOX 136 </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Neiafu, Vava'u</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Kingdom of Tonga</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >SOUTH PACIFIC</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Why: </span></b>A special request from the head principal as we do not have a sufficient amount of calculators available to both staff and students. Any help would be much appreciated. Malo 'aupito. ***If mailing from the US, please use a standard flat rate box as it will be the cheapest option to mail stuff to Tonga. Malo 'aupito--'Ofa 'atu!</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-4700693291883881512011-08-13T15:33:00.000-07:002011-08-13T18:07:40.117-07:00Back to Matamaka! 23 months and going...<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GK9GK7I0SVPfvJtlLTCLbIUOABmQ1pwb16nBT4qtTwz_bFHh9Zs_HEQ9OMTBK1R5uOT3ve2EPg8fYv7JLhGpoY_6tVGZKZNK9xfWycQnPtesHCitU1TlMiqShtPC-2XyIcabsQpWTX6Z/s320/IMG_9513.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640480488654171250" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: My students preparing an awesome art project for the library.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am finally back in Tonga! The last month has been a roller coaster ride full of ups and downs, but in the end I am happy to back. I was officially "medically cleared" from Peace Corps Office of Medical Services the 29th of July and flew back to Tonga that next Sunday. The flight back was a bit crazy, since I almost missed my flight connection to LAX from Dallas. I had two minutes to make it to the D terminal and arrived to my gate with the gate door already closed and "Washington Dulles" on the TV monitor. I was lucky enough they were still fueling the airplane and they let me in. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >I loved how everyone stared me down for causing the plane to be delayed as I walked down the aisle to the back of the plane.</span></b> Woops.</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8d-WNGW6yXGGrILFuiFV2M2vkBh-D9jdA3k-4fp_k7aRXMt4LsmYQNocDyxKVS_00R9y8l_2atOzYxrNHHmiFlj-J_zWWY_WAm2nsxidgMvB9hZO38KYXnvniD-fKYLdRD6vmu2B1aGOS/s320/IMG_9516.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640487203753348722" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: Tina painting away.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The flight to Fiji and Tonga were more pleasant than going to America. My little TV screen actually worked and I wasn't sitting next to the toilets. A woman next to me named Sia was a Tongan and was very interested with the Peace Corps. She was nice enough to offer me a lift to the Peace Corps office in Nuku'alofa.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" > I had a nice package from 'Eseta Schaaf a Tongan residing in Salt Lake City, Utah. She had sent numerous school supplies and goodies. THANK YOU!!!! </span></b>In addition, she had informed me that she is doing fundraising project to help purchase recycling containers for VEPA--an environmental NGO in Vava'u. Good on her!</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJzlIv9GIXw6yfjU9X-cbNB_QPwTId6gAzGaJe9JrgIdSjFX99wgoUT6sFOQJulMDScIb_csNVvZmF-_eknmpdlmJU0xXbqCepeVdzzjt-uYL8qEX5HCpeBbCw8L4uCA6Lc5NIMDxEfpw/s320/IMG_9489.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640478455029219410" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: The new school supplies from Salt Lake City, UTAH</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of weeks ago, we also had some members of the Australian Police visit Matamaka GPS for motivational speech to the students to carry on with their studies in the future. One of the police officer was actually a Matamaka native who studied at Matamaka GPS a long time ago. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >During their visit they informed us that they are sponsoring five Class 6 students scholarships for their entire high school studies. </span></b>We only have four students graduating this year, so another person will chosen within the community. This is GREAT NEWS! </div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQc9gHtc_KdQNM25a2nzeFmMg2JoIBatL_-Mu1hNvEBJTfaLvr-XxeIgix0N-iCiVXjO6Q2IhFAPpImIla8jxPJUyFMbuxgKkEQDhaNHKAWv97zy3bjMRvXaVm-ERj77YScYfIejT86Bk/s320/IMG_9498.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640492203727252658" /><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: The students with the Aussie Police Officer.</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On another note, Ma'asi's older brothers Samiu and his two sons are visiting Vava'u. Samiu married a Japanese volunteer and they all currently reside in Japan. The two boys are so cute! They do not speak English and understand very little Tongan. It is amazing watching the Tongan kids interact with them. Sayonara!</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLARUNoSGxkeGTq4xCWiOI4CBDe2TiaiZlrLhe9MlUT_gZvi7pfTAqPE6kBNyTwn8F1iGhomZKzoTx75MtL9DQYsagIJdtsekIqocTk1SxdNugaWzBcCBQ_HD18YHT6PPW-oIpUW3g9b3O/s320/IMG_9506.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640489656500146898" /><div style="text-align: center;">Photos: The Japanese/Tongan boys and the students from Matamaka.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-41302466791538868182011-07-30T22:30:00.000-07:002011-07-30T22:44:18.045-07:00School Supplies from Virginia<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-Yyz9PLKIm1lmfkgfhwHcQexTTbzGNzCSg73gWf9HXLo55-fBXN4vewOThguybau6lag-5dGmeZHmQmaCLyRx9n-unR7l0BAWsoLNvg-N4qiJG7OQdIARCbG9yyYaSPdP5LJM_9Doiro/s400/IMG_9488.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635385317518982994" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Look at all of the school supplies</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >A special July shout out to Swantje Willms of Alington Virginia.</span></b> I received a very nice package full of school supplies for the children of GPS Matamaka. It all worked out very well after figuring out some shipping logistics to my home in Iowa instead to Tonga. Ended up saving on some international shipping. I plan on just packing it in my suitcase bound to Matamaka. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Thank you Swantje, it is people like you who help make a HUGE difference to the Peace Corps cause and for the promotion of international goodwill and friendship.</span></b> Malo 'aupito. Thank you very much. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrG0kVlTHCFZysy0TVURZ-hT7to5ymsd5tBxYlRX39iS5_vj7nXqUF_RNqxuomZgw7mE5RatlW6nTeEFCiCtQzcGQloImo5GyCHdngavXA2JcxRTegEf1lats4sKNA1mnGjNS1YNtieyI/s400/IMG_9484.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635385313426823090" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-90583581422551011282011-07-21T09:19:00.000-07:002011-07-21T12:57:49.614-07:00Random Videos from TONGAHere are some long awaited videos that I finally am able to share with everyone. I am still in America for a Peace Corps Medical Hold and will be returning to Tonga soon? who knows? Anyway, internet here in the US is SO MUCH MORE faster than Tonga! I hope you all enjoy them all. If anyone has any questions let me know. <div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>VIDEO ONE:</b> Sports Day 2011. Here are the kids on a rainy morning </div><div style="text-align: center;">with Tug-o-war in the rain. In Nuapapu Village. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzIkU3VX354GiaKWFMZijK8_Pq18lvEg9IPGSA2LQelnR_zMIYVXxfPFIh7lfiZvNL12EHA4oBK0goyXWw3TA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>VIDEO TWO:</b> Tug-o-war between the mothers during Sports Day 2011. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzDPwUjbJE-l_rTZnS4ZtD0PIJF4eyZGwoz0G3_OFe4nT-NBKZANch4ZG0zuFJFuevsmhkgRw1aJTTEwuPi6w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>VIDEO THREE:</b> Taking off on my first Navy helicopter ride off the USS CLEVELAND. Great Aerial shot of Vava'u.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dziwtqfOKj6NfB00dAMzT7J5lsbI9CK2LY4oWszzqM9Gi8FfzZikciAshEZXUzrE6XMMzjmuG3NJoS04L2L' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>VIDEO FOUR:</b> Over the island of Nuapapu and Lape.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy8tpGJRjj81W5tteY64_ObbukJ8yT8C4eSgwrBMwegVkXdRj2cf7eW2W0-NPG3MSJwxLLebeCHVSoWwVXq3g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>VIDEO FIVE: </b>Tongan sitting dance at the closing ceremony for the US NAVY MISSION in Neiafu, Vava'u</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx2X1E1e6t7T3Bd7NEvCT_xDp3rWd-XpLPplPLTh_nmipX13mwmzjFLwDWnrr8nKstcKfSToLxTex8czvWe' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>VIDEO SIX:</b> The Slide Show that I made for the completion</div><div style="text-align: center;"> of our training in 2009! It has been awhile!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxh8siLr_w92YvOL8Pkvzsq7SqvzKrw6YqWMnGkPWrByaRDohX38CGv-SkTOBG830uwiWTf6Gn7l1vQ6a-Cpg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-55788292969112689172011-07-10T13:57:00.000-07:002011-07-21T09:06:39.831-07:00Yamaneko Explores IOWA<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvedqj-ahFV83u9fp0hGfm7rMn3Aq1WGxfmKwWz82y26wsbPkD18iFYLblbY0-YIuUxE8F36aMnyGY6xCPUw78pWMUV5mS_07oCwuLuzmhPEt5FYe51-pB3KBZbK5fhjWNurrETVybDi-/s320/IMG_9358.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627831870213715698" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Yamaneko with the Des Moines Skyline in the background.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What is a Yamaneko? A fellow Japanese volunteer started making these personalized clay figurines to travel around the world. It is very similar to the traveling gnome concept. The Yamaneko symbolizes friendship and the ultimate goal is for people with Yamanekos to meet one another from different parts of the world. Toru, the JICA volunteer, has made hundreds of Yamanekos since he first started. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Each one is especially made with a unique serial number.</span></b> He even makes special edition Yamanekos like Ababacus edition or even a fiance Yamaneko. People with Yamanekos are suppose to take photos of it at unique places and are then submitted to Toru's Yamaneko blog/website. Currently, Yamanekos are all over the world. I am grateful that Iowa officially has its first Yamaneko! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">***I have been asked how people can get a hold of one of these Yamanekos. Unfortunately, you cannot buy one as they are free. However, Toru must personally give one to you. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTwsO-bwBZlbzdfkUJUvITOFcSin82-K4aFnrZcZKYSZ-LJ_0at1gCsJ-6wMGirC_-aS7TTxpA1L7C4gpqPCiV4pdsAV-sGTmKziZPVW8olGyd5ZTBP6Q9lsda8waPMTmv3v5AQJEKWq4/s1600/IMG_9369.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTwsO-bwBZlbzdfkUJUvITOFcSin82-K4aFnrZcZKYSZ-LJ_0at1gCsJ-6wMGirC_-aS7TTxpA1L7C4gpqPCiV4pdsAV-sGTmKziZPVW8olGyd5ZTBP6Q9lsda8waPMTmv3v5AQJEKWq4/s320/IMG_9369.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627831874258729042" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Yamaneko overlooking the Des Moines capitol building.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmxuAFP64oo4UMvqsPzuadbMtJ-7v18YgkUFj5c6jl5VDbU0ykTQMpOM03d2Zj0HZ6g-BIDKwix-PfvuqiVYCZpc69FwyvzwFauvOU1JldKgdAG2jyrTzwj-Ln5Nfg7Upq7sTsyJMj8yk/s1600/IMG_9338.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmxuAFP64oo4UMvqsPzuadbMtJ-7v18YgkUFj5c6jl5VDbU0ykTQMpOM03d2Zj0HZ6g-BIDKwix-PfvuqiVYCZpc69FwyvzwFauvOU1JldKgdAG2jyrTzwj-Ln5Nfg7Upq7sTsyJMj8yk/s320/IMG_9338.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627831862113049250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Yamaneko with the windmills of Western Iowa in the background.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytD5S0i3NSiFwBOspMpiiNeuWCF8q5zQPCQiiokydyZuef6_CoKlupjsOlqMs3XmHNkgtYZmwBcAAto-Dgqd0Ti32vxbOsqCJmggnVcjOBhn74lg3_mPVu4LNMplXnV2Yu-jwml18XpxO/s1600/IMG_9286.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytD5S0i3NSiFwBOspMpiiNeuWCF8q5zQPCQiiokydyZuef6_CoKlupjsOlqMs3XmHNkgtYZmwBcAAto-Dgqd0Ti32vxbOsqCJmggnVcjOBhn74lg3_mPVu4LNMplXnV2Yu-jwml18XpxO/s320/IMG_9286.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627831853561884594" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Yamaneko playing at a golf course near Harlan, Iowa.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">MORE YAMANEKO PICS TO COME!</div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-88383477969255577842011-07-10T13:40:00.000-07:002011-07-12T15:10:58.497-07:0012 hours in FIJI<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoSxiRMED9ApMxVDVI1YEwLakiRxAqib2MZLmogkWYqAyIrRqYjrW9Zf11a-W8U8btEkUda807Bc-Ld9tY9aCEsKp1I4ArsQIxaI8bxBg6-GP6SS7-nz5H4B6wWQ-p3X6oAV7bKbS71aE/s1600/IMG_9247.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoSxiRMED9ApMxVDVI1YEwLakiRxAqib2MZLmogkWYqAyIrRqYjrW9Zf11a-W8U8btEkUda807Bc-Ld9tY9aCEsKp1I4ArsQIxaI8bxBg6-GP6SS7-nz5H4B6wWQ-p3X6oAV7bKbS71aE/s400/IMG_9247.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628579806774671826" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The Sri Siva Subramaniya Hindu Temple in Nadi, FIJI</div><div><br /></div><div>Flying via Air Pacific to get back to the US, I had the opportunity to see a little bit of Fiji during my 12 hour lay over in Nadi for my flight to LAX. During the 1 1/2 flight from Nuku'alofa to Nadi, I was lucky to meet a few people who were also on their way to LAX. They were nice enough to offer if I would like to split a hotel room for the day with them. Why not? I now had some people to explore Nadi with. They were all from California and visited Tonga for the one of the royal families birthday party! <span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Crazy, how I ran into these people.</b> </span></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ca0abLUa2rLWIti8OEHJWdU86vUMq-aiaszV7w4RtOX3FHuQuepS1CKi_Gju2msH4ihgvQqvax-uh_pEYQe2iAx0ZYbKqGyJ000VxNlYC4o5J-STm_tXCTUoB11QjRCFCJjefueMlEE4/s320/IMG_9280.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627830406250351298" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuuiX0RY52CdI5rEb2Y0RLD5FYUquIMhrLNfr9ggAnclbDlxULhYPqz020s9y3jeWHNMBMgQVJIZ-9-NeJsH-83xYQPKyAvtxSg9zGK93wCtJ0GKzYDXh3tMr1bFx1q1qYtcufBGjZUUN/s320/IMG_9235.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627828663630708242" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The hotel pool and our suite room. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>We ended up getting a hotel room for the day at the Raffles Gateway Hotel. It was conveniently located near the airport. It had a nice swimming pool that I later had a chance to take a dip in before the long flight to LAX. After getting settled in at the hotel, we decided to go to town. My new friend Genesis had to do some shopping for some South Pacific handicrafts for a new Wellness Center his friend had opened up in California. We all ended up taking a shuttle to Jack's in downtown Nadi.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppeV3zjHyOLpGQfVtQLlRCCVuyNzfy7YNLQzxqUJPPnXKk7XsYDF5Q8vPr9sQfDzWdIjogZBVyWnWaj_9f2utn-pNvmXYzFbtWOhqdThgRSHhKNI8zf8r8tk-f0powVU1nHfQ48oZ79Ck/s320/IMG_9263.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627828691198692818" /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8s-CqZgPLeIm4CDmpOke2cRIbWFXA7tKu5NQZEYXTgPVmll_eXa_BJiD4wNWIhdkNTuDtIIMhSWs6MFbBLsrJkL8AaRM0ojcBO9wwmTCK68QN6UcF_ACQ_1LQIYD1su4xUmKq0Q9f0ns3/s320/IMG_9278.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627830427336685714" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Jack's and a McDonalds in Nadi.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Upon arriving to Jack's, I ended up buying a couple of items since their sales representatives were pretty convincing (plus they did give us a free ride--which we stopped by the Hindu temple pictured above for free). Afterwards, I was able to stop by the famous restaurant Saffron. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >They serve one of the best vegetable curry I had every tasted.</span></b> It was absolutely brilliant! Next, I simply just walked around the main street and was amazed at the amount of goods you can purchase in Fiji (so much better than Tonga). They even have a McDonalds!</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yQQ2Z1CXHxbZIiNa-_z2hrAkfxnpcgWABMvRxkpoa52wlS-bJjLQGoBUkXlb6bX1rhUxkOxpWCPC3bkAHXnr42tpqMnJaxqYP95V6b2zpMvo4KKh2TMl333lzQk4HFqaaYAylDiaPWfr/s320/IMG_9271.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627830416024615570" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Downtown Nadi.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The landscape in Fiji is by far so different than in Tonga. They actually have rivers, streams, and mountains. Economically, they had by far more stores and food options. Culturally, it is multi-ethnic society. The Indian-Fijian population is very prominent in Fiji. In the end, by the time we checked back in for flight to LAX I was well rested for my long journey home. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >The warm shower at the hotel was my first in six months--amazing!</span></b> I was grateful for all the people I met who made great travel companions. Best of luck to them all!</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7jDF4aHbgDCpnMCnCkHiB1oBcSyI0xC-z5Y3YUv4pp9GIgSHNCPUvejFGs6buNQRWJv_29LN4vB6c0vXl3fYv-Yib31lgii54iSeqs-062ORgEUmpeXf30F24miRcuLkrFed8u7DlqiF/s320/IMG_9281.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627830413835498962" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Me with the new people I met at dinner before our flight to LAX. </div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-11604433709161671122011-07-10T13:31:00.000-07:002011-07-12T14:15:09.293-07:00"Springbreak" Mala 2011<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgI8JTic_lGUO-CtCNrnJUVCK8fBh2zvEXMubhAwAd1LrwFrTTWUysOQOz6wpMD4eOVQmKSjZlKESH6kO1NZgRucRFeMvuviPOZxDweD_TkBGa3fsXiiSfqHInvx4RA3w-aAmlL6vwCMI/s400/270067_875425762701_11010298_42864431_3634484_n.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627824860629120530" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Group photo with the Aussies and PCVs at Mala. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I recently traveled to Mala Island with a bunch of PCVs and Aussie medical students to take some time off during our school break. We were lucky enough for the owner Nessa to invite us into his resort even though it was close at the time. He will pick you up for free with his boat from Talihau beach, which is a quick three minute boat ride across the small channel. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB9MemprfoDDJy5mGRt-SFEA2FLL1s-8TmAXQ9hxKWwUhQtv_pjtKrknD6iNUToB8p-fnhSc4caavk3c0zL1l7GJiAsKKCCJ-iDFDjdjzs9WwAGbHxdbKHJlyBwf_0Qq92-vbrvPqxN5M/s320/268392_875426062101_11010298_42864447_3048371_n.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627824999540719522" /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAkgME71H-kViGs3360tK8fKa16jYWVY_HGaP2h6ops1OT2EjDVwVJ8GisdP28jY39WBnQtZcFaugR6LOy3muQC7wL2Ag-mQ7yoczjthaUTiEesowYhX3X4fc2EVixACXs3_Pd0PYto1m/s320/263057_875426251721_11010298_42864456_3450955_n.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627824314357742978" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Cooking it up in the kitchen and the final product. 'Ifo 'aupito!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were all very surprised when Nessa offered up food from his kitchen. The cooks were not yet in the island, so as long as we did all the work it was alright. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >What did we do? We all dug in and prepared a delicious meal with hamburgers and potatoes/banana fries. </span></b>The resort had a legit kitchen with industrial size refrigerators and cooking equipment. It was quite a nice change from my little kitchen in Matamaka. By the time the food was all prepared, the sun was just beginning to set. It was a very picturesque scene! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxG5Jx_zkNbxZ4HucIh_IY_VYymoRKoAIlAzBQBoLqviZpfirfcdKub0d67sKSEBqVdyFLk3HJHJUkJdf1IbYSDaSQUO6Dy3J4-_bIEp4fmj-IkrHuR0fLF_o_dBsn0wT2ChKD7NRh4lt/s320/260507_875426351521_11010298_42864462_4644080_n.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627825170990689362" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Me serving the fries.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The resort plans to re-open in July and should be open for the rest of the tourist season this year. To learn more information about Mala Island Resort, check out Google "Tonga Holiday" and search for Mala Island. Prices are pretty reasonable and fairly accessible from the main island of Vava'u. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQERgvUTa3wFHw60OhE_kjVZHNs-Ni0HztwXUoLHAiYEKfILqoOjz84XKw3RoSmKemSye2-R1k0mGs2_5BZ2XJ1R3rcuTnIoYsQanZyASuR_XGrLQKajDBeEkkjuG7vivFazWCq7hyCho/s1600/263007_875426446331_11010298_42864467_5013801_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQERgvUTa3wFHw60OhE_kjVZHNs-Ni0HztwXUoLHAiYEKfILqoOjz84XKw3RoSmKemSye2-R1k0mGs2_5BZ2XJ1R3rcuTnIoYsQanZyASuR_XGrLQKajDBeEkkjuG7vivFazWCq7hyCho/s320/263007_875426446331_11010298_42864467_5013801_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627824697183744978" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Some of the girls posing for the camera.</div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-24406431511071808862011-07-10T12:50:00.000-07:002011-07-12T13:43:56.605-07:00Adventure day in Vava'u<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2c098OZWWSGDUwF91dasVHIWQPOvA3W-G9RaBlHmZnWc5vHO35UycOPaZEX6Vi3L9UIQ6Lg2r06owQplNe6ggNyCBq_fv4oDfYH4CoZ0dHWxD-dr2-1igJxQCI_xfH_Zf9y255Zyx3Hh/s1600/270167_875426810601_11010298_42864488_3458913_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2c098OZWWSGDUwF91dasVHIWQPOvA3W-G9RaBlHmZnWc5vHO35UycOPaZEX6Vi3L9UIQ6Lg2r06owQplNe6ggNyCBq_fv4oDfYH4CoZ0dHWxD-dr2-1igJxQCI_xfH_Zf9y255Zyx3Hh/s320/270167_875426810601_11010298_42864488_3458913_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627823938323746834" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Some PCVs and I preparing our bikes for our trip to Holonga. </div><div><br /></div><div>One of our fellow volunteers from Vava'u had a new opportunity come about and has decided to pursue her dreams. As a result, for those of left at Vava'u made sure she had an excellent last week in the Kingdom of Tonga (most of the PCVs went to New Zealand for a holiday). Most of us were on the school break so we had time to explore some sights around the main island of Vava'u lahi. We decided to go for a nice bike ride to Holonga where there was a beautiful outlook in the Northern end of the island. </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwOjpB710kWQ2jZ_gxFyagqZxUuCvSsKWiwnDRX5cHDOQnhYnHP0vQBS4I9XfJUKWA9lMgZQO9wdTpFbP8ceNH-KGnXTPqsr5XVRdQz4z8s1R-BKcB2RjQC75a3qG5efCEgqXxpRU3i3D/s320/IMG_9168.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627814734826974546" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Biking down the road.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>It took about forty minutes to an hour from Neiafu on our bikes. We lucked out by missing all the hard rain, but it made the trek from Holonga to the outlook almost an impossible task due to all of the mud. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >The wheels were barely turning! </span></b>By the time we made it to the outlook, it was absolutely breathtaking. It definitely was worth trekking through all of the mud. In addition, there were plenty of wild orange trees that you could snack on en route. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkxo3vCCINHfHVjMnRoEs8Sn7UywJpIoAyY3kE6m_or-4ZypBuBrFRFcrqH37yiboh69XW4FCqIWv_1RfCQvumsA83Al7LInGMgTyL1hrE8MCMCV1fF3Vh-z4o0KFpyiudt9eM-GpCiAM/s320/IMG_9174.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627814762992081730" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q3FpTtm-6vdINtVi3HbCPF-jVubTpDC0RVh2dpQseyX_KuAf8KfvZraZSGGKaJC8QYGfscNFBJyXXlOxPnfLAITFDY3eEI57M1ruAQztmX1ntVF6-OPCqN20dybrgCyz-MSlUM-hCPua/s320/IMG_9179.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627814752409790514" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The view from Holonga point and all of us before the picnic.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>After the taking some pictures and quick picnic at the look out, we headed down to the beach. This time we left our bikes on top of the hill, because the trail became too steep. There were some magnificent flora on the trek down with various wild birds singing throughout the entire trail. Some of them were pretty stunning and massive. At the bottom we enjoyed a refreshing beach for a couple of hours before the clouds started to turn gray. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >The beach was completely deserted. </span></b>The nearest village is a twenty minute hike, therefore it truly is an off-the-beaten path. The bike ride back to town was far easier as you were going down the hill. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRdknRctLExTlMoAhvI4rLVnA0KQXa9hInWmDJe3z1LK_h1b74dtKA2ECk8URcsYBZB5ubIpor5ACXsvVX95FYBWji0EosJGG89YetnTjWWRoh7xsKRk5Oe6dh0x_RQymzsAzG8l9BJ7E/s320/IMG_9193.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627814770709443282" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The hike down to the beach.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I highly recommend backpackers/travelers to Vava'u to check out Holonga point. A lot of the trail seems pretty sketchy, but it reality it is not. Just do not get off the trail. The trail ends at the look out point. To head down to the beach, there is small walking path before the main trail turns off. Cheers!</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVG9QCWph66wBCZTZricbSdTtUqJfFM5IHMtvmq3Zfbehm6jfX2v1-geYwAGU8_GP7c2jK_DXywt6I9pjBx5SwyH-98zvPb9OYsrHX_u6jLBoeZxUCvVXjXt45cYH_jFbi5VIG8K0excLN/s1600/IMG_9205.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVG9QCWph66wBCZTZricbSdTtUqJfFM5IHMtvmq3Zfbehm6jfX2v1-geYwAGU8_GP7c2jK_DXywt6I9pjBx5SwyH-98zvPb9OYsrHX_u6jLBoeZxUCvVXjXt45cYH_jFbi5VIG8K0excLN/s320/IMG_9205.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627823928450592930" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Beach picture. </div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-46650145777187727702011-07-10T12:46:00.000-07:002011-07-12T09:41:41.849-07:00PC Macedonia Postcards<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rfLFMBSP5XZ2M4Zs0cLhTZxcIUn2Im0mHoFEM7VUssY7LzvSOrostWw9HmUW3IXCEAiq4FDJTkwrjyfn0wPPtT034_jVETdcf3MbcOz19N5sDTEK0iZ-KzGmG5iQsHR1B5aTSKVHk84c/s1600/IMG_9166.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rfLFMBSP5XZ2M4Zs0cLhTZxcIUn2Im0mHoFEM7VUssY7LzvSOrostWw9HmUW3IXCEAiq4FDJTkwrjyfn0wPPtT034_jVETdcf3MbcOz19N5sDTEK0iZ-KzGmG5iQsHR1B5aTSKVHk84c/s400/IMG_9166.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627812972834160274" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Postcards from PC Macedonia</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >I just wanted to share some postcards that arrived from Macedonia by PCV Maggie Davies 08-11. </span></b>She found out about our Postcard Project through the Peace Corps publication of Peace Corps Times.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" > Her students in Kavadarci, Macedonia sent these beautiful cards.</span></b> She is one of many PCVs who have made connections with GPS Matamaka. PCVs from Thailand, South Africa, and other exotic places have made wrote to us in Tonga. My students will be preparing postcards from Tonga upon my arrival back to Matamaka. We are now in the final end of the Postcard Project as my service is slowly coming to its end. However, it is still not too late to send your postcard from your home country and we can still get them processed before I am finished. Cheers!</div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-11931762306040777462011-07-10T12:41:00.000-07:002011-07-12T09:30:59.603-07:00The Circus comes to Vava'u!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGiMCat3YMKUk73gScw1ZFBOvDy3wvwMMBpR9IdvXBw1lS6UFcyQq0eehyqbCjIuiOl5k-N6j7E5Lk43C4M_rVUJMXdvXSolZGLRb0jAAqvMkz1h4bQtMmGI1brUZCJdgnMSqS0GE9wL9/s320/IMG_9128.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627811894658072002" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The flying man.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Circus of Samoa performed for three days in Vava'u. I don't know if it was the first time the circus to ever come to Vava'u, but the people had a good laugh from the show. The circus didn't have any lions or elephants (what we would consider a "circus" in America), but it had plenty of acrobatics acts, magic tricks, and of course a clown. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >I was impressed with the eclectic cast for the show.</span></b> They had people as a far away as Brazil, Portugal, Colombia, and more! The show took place at the Melifihi hall in Neiafu. They closed off all of the windows to prevent people from peeking inside. Tickets were $5 to $10 TOP, which was quite a price for the average Tongan. Regardless, how often does a circus come to Vava'u?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRFAiZfgRXZDCKNaza7HA_aE2hI0VFTbNkoyCkS896Qc3h8kFC3UMchsthcj2dIIeRA2tjZ5JJuwfucmtaS126C8-Fa7mBaqYWn05h3wuj__JFYBrQi0UvDSgLyAiE44woKcs5lu_NYmX/s320/IMG_9118.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627811871537505426" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9P4v5sFYA_SBwWwZza58QhidCEGXUm9IXANdgaBzAoRYECAHBdp_X8bE0imgJggxpI8dfIZUtixSJnzrEGGsFSjUCQ4vM3XtotFtfmAos163gVmZIhDdRSxjDnsRbQCf9uAQJbXEdtBWa/s200/IMG_9157.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627812487021528402" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYsXN_i7HKV93KDKjxAE85ZDGcG0JtHBQmxU4K6tPi9my86QRRWMGTSGk3EuCQp6DW1-hhr0RUeBklxFjlbRFjgjPuGPmx5S8xgm2kujNNROWVwyoWL3hjIHcs2iaiFHPHb1BSmLYB_He/s200/IMG_9145.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627812482719339858" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbzhyfgAKvWQR7_a3EHaf8VqVJwQGOeYPa9BkSIiMfu__MopuWac1mqAqlnkDUMpaG-ddSfWvh8eulbP6KQMxWt5YhgSrqXvzG7ainoflehEOyKr0WpYswcujV74gLGDqqCNM7boB11Aa/s320/IMG_9122.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627811900477073938" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Circus randomness.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was "fortunate" enough to partake in the show even though I tried to hide when they pointed at me. Ughh. Did I tell you clowns freak me out? Anyway, they also had a cotton candy machine. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >I bought one which resulted to two days of stomach cramps. </span></b>Oh well. At the end of night, the circus was entertaining and I got a good laugh. They were off to Ha'apai next, followed by Fiji and other South Pacific countries before they are all done. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMmi1P40fkhM-0XskSEOh2LId2FOoRR-Fq6OxNrckY3kpHsFNXDcvW1OLFYUbpyQDEbCOFYbbUJ2FbpG-4EwvkSpwrzx6QwT-odVX8Fv2eY7C5-XRre4G6UZDmMHcuL3PRMJyGbyhB6Y9/s1600/IMG_9099.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMmi1P40fkhM-0XskSEOh2LId2FOoRR-Fq6OxNrckY3kpHsFNXDcvW1OLFYUbpyQDEbCOFYbbUJ2FbpG-4EwvkSpwrzx6QwT-odVX8Fv2eY7C5-XRre4G6UZDmMHcuL3PRMJyGbyhB6Y9/s320/IMG_9099.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627811881336661170" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The infamous cotton candy. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-78231838443576155692011-07-10T12:36:00.000-07:002011-07-12T09:09:13.310-07:00Hanging out at the beach with the kiddos<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AYubefW3Tx3km5ytE3-lXRqxvp40U3hkoeduLoIen8vaJjk1ssF4njmillXvNdwxrYzcm3yGJnZBPJw4XP77Q39vazyJ-gOwuPj2emFx5Voe-s0fZbB4jq40nduM1RGIrFsvZXaASLUv/s320/IMG_9070.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627810589169189570" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Me with the kids. </div><div><br /><div>The night before I left for Matamaka for my holiday, I hung out at the beach to watch the sunset when some of my students joined me to hangout. I had a great time taking pictures of them playing around. What a great way to enjoy the sunset for my last evening in Matamaka for awhile. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >They are all very photogenic and love to climb coconut trees! </span></b>These random photos were taken on Matamaka beach at the island of Nuapapu in the Kingdom of Tonga. Enjoy!<br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2dE3ivzpLCelHZEwJkwJ4I1D_WUK5PLfcYu4YL1AgOFJRQjZHfN2IFN_wrXkT9l2x7ViHNJ9Yd7M9qhtYnFyDT8d1dkfM5ERzkOcNf1MXlqucYQI7Qd1gO5icEfUcBymb9VN1fsFD9yU/s1600/IMG_9055.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2dE3ivzpLCelHZEwJkwJ4I1D_WUK5PLfcYu4YL1AgOFJRQjZHfN2IFN_wrXkT9l2x7ViHNJ9Yd7M9qhtYnFyDT8d1dkfM5ERzkOcNf1MXlqucYQI7Qd1gO5icEfUcBymb9VN1fsFD9yU/s320/IMG_9055.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627811103410262210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The amazing sunset in the heart of the South Pacific. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRph6oCeiDT-kXrqK6RtoB4wVeBoofWhAA4icN8Fq7IosLyW1mJ-Yg4wpXMOiz9zHRtE42X_0VgQVpQrq2tXUo7nHWLVcRJT-KcXQbRPCANHEoAbO_i0e2jV56s56ic3qCtvZUC1WumpCT/s1600/IMG_9050.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRph6oCeiDT-kXrqK6RtoB4wVeBoofWhAA4icN8Fq7IosLyW1mJ-Yg4wpXMOiz9zHRtE42X_0VgQVpQrq2tXUo7nHWLVcRJT-KcXQbRPCANHEoAbO_i0e2jV56s56ic3qCtvZUC1WumpCT/s320/IMG_9050.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627811088376922082" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The kids taking the popau or canoe out to visiting yacht to sell fruits and crafts. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMraDn7l_Ukmwml-XTd9T9hg8RjmZcTS8SRHWAdLtuzmVmtLZW8qG4KPNM3KTCKbth8g1e84Y_cC8Ei6b43ue8mHZF43DLuEuOr15C9t5LJVPzaSEp4VHrU_mBFaE3W8QDJfiDdOVd6UD/s1600/IMG_9056.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMraDn7l_Ukmwml-XTd9T9hg8RjmZcTS8SRHWAdLtuzmVmtLZW8qG4KPNM3KTCKbth8g1e84Y_cC8Ei6b43ue8mHZF43DLuEuOr15C9t5LJVPzaSEp4VHrU_mBFaE3W8QDJfiDdOVd6UD/s320/IMG_9056.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627811081237443346" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Lata climbing a coconut tree to show off to the other kids. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXsoRJ9ANAy9suLeYUuHMBCgE4HyO-XrlxdvqhyphenhyphenaHgYig3c_-24faF-fAw8pEh0nIo30Dm5rTViu2KjEOV71lbwuOO6Z6WIsqljNHq3fvrUmF6tAQDetltxD0jRBPqX8CF-3oZftrbfzd/s1600/IMG_9081.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXsoRJ9ANAy9suLeYUuHMBCgE4HyO-XrlxdvqhyphenhyphenaHgYig3c_-24faF-fAw8pEh0nIo30Dm5rTViu2KjEOV71lbwuOO6Z6WIsqljNHq3fvrUmF6tAQDetltxD0jRBPqX8CF-3oZftrbfzd/s320/IMG_9081.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627810608468459874" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Jumping around. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTC2ofZ9MrkJHbt21nXEKZjw1ug9B0vNkSuUIygYzI3-vBnBylf8bnRzr3JlCVjxY4Z0J4XeVzOAqiO1Guc3-XrrHB0QkkBg_CMplW4mbUV2cP31xTnHBZf-YcgPPmXDIh4nndyqeti3Y/s1600/IMG_9073.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTC2ofZ9MrkJHbt21nXEKZjw1ug9B0vNkSuUIygYzI3-vBnBylf8bnRzr3JlCVjxY4Z0J4XeVzOAqiO1Guc3-XrrHB0QkkBg_CMplW4mbUV2cP31xTnHBZf-YcgPPmXDIh4nndyqeti3Y/s320/IMG_9073.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627810596167492162" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Peni with his acrobatic skills. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-38152258061294811712011-07-10T12:28:00.000-07:002011-07-12T08:53:29.917-07:00Dive Trip Numbah 2<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6X_mZUvsrHc9ULKv7zrbISQyfZuWh45nVxlxinbsmKdeWfuazfnptG-c1NXxboO3p79R_5ogrW4W-AofffLmeju9rItbm9fGxZinby5cMCCyN6DPnjbJtdrvv4QL0EYepIVhGCgZYPX-l/s320/254375_675452725294_13302890_35915040_4603632_n.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627808893274584146" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The dive team before our first dive off of Hunga.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had another excellent opportunity for another dive with DIVE VAVA'U during the first week of the mid-year school break. A couple of PCVs and I chose Dive Vava'u again, because they're awesome and very reliable. Our first dive was off of the island of Hunga called Caddy Shack. There were a lot of small caves and tunnels that you can swim around in.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" > It was a bit scary at first due to the tight squeeze. Regardless, it was very cool and worth it. </span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7VkAzlBFLPxRrjdXZ04YOKP6Zjq0E3pAHtaMgwoTKaFjS-ZQ9NGXki8ec0SFr_JNrSPw4JQQ4fh-9gl8Oa4bHOcUiIxAqJSgnJQYXlu7WioZ0iyffiDEFipGyUxOQBmnhIIU4AJSy8YI/s320/259955_675452405934_13302890_35915033_4827960_n.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627809220008348194" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8162e-Q-fLdzC5BIUcDsSQJNqWwlZFPq_DKSZkvkNFbKHr9vOkE2Duh7P7I7VKwEZeR0-teVkfouUnWN2s8OmUvsE57NJqizm3MLfbQYzy9OQu9e-Wd7qr9LIFuiQbiS0u-lamPjDl0F/s320/264605_675452765214_13302890_35915042_7498234_n.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627809552699967458" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: Random diving pics. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our second dive was a small island just north of my island Nuapapu. The dive site was called Shark Tooth. There is a large cave underneath home to multiple sharks. It was so cool to watch them swim all around you. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Frightening at first, but at the same time it was very beautiful watching them swim so elegantly around you.</span></b> This dive site also has some rock formation that looks like a shark tooth, hence it name. At the end of the day, we had another successful dive trip in Vava'u. We look forward for our next dive trip at the end of July (woot woot)!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcXnDNxxg8G3NHkWK1vGwKez3sfpznGn0MRU7mQ-uq1J-MIGwt4Q_UZ2pHDa0PfjLDMnRJb8xouXCcq7pLgEJtVwP9hts7E-shut0qwu6UwbCzTnii6Klk4gb1sTOtwkWA8gU7lkovrMC/s320/IMG_9090.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627807910372081474" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The rescued baby turtle.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On a side note, Dive Vava'u rescued this baby turtle. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >A local taxi driver in Neiafu had it as a decoration on his dash board in a small container--wtf?!?!</span></b> Karen (the owner of Dive Vava'u) bought the baby turtle from the man and have been taking care of it at her dive shop. They plan on releasing the baby turtle when it is ready. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-23145598823452514892011-07-10T12:19:00.001-07:002011-07-12T08:28:16.205-07:00Donations from abroad<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjyYBpRC3Zot2TzptWv8K7RDW9jGpGm3pA9AC89kroH-Z9HrcJqPFESqju_2duTBhBxZ_30muJ7ig9BP94bxS5cBI0MkGFbkSsMYBH6Y8bH-MfFfb2rlU0tke9t7EOQanHKXSTB0xbMuJ/s320/IMG_9025.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627806062185821442" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Look at all of the new books!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Exciting news! GPS Matamaka received a cargo shipment from the United States full of hundreds of used children and adult books, a television, movies, a printer, a couple of used computers, a guitar, and a ton of random clothing. The cargo was a generous donation from the people of Matamaka who live in the US. The village had a reunion last December and the expats wanted to help out the village. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8lwIfZ8RVvNQT6oYFhLgJst3vGnBryIjTl1hUPx8S7M7oMh4nxeutx52sb8rjxKlVW0YJIoF6JaoiY_bb_cweSVdOIXLuUUA9lKzfBhJqT9eUCVmtbKa647udCfrVP1y-G6doVnTht5v/s320/IMG_9019.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627806030339507634" /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAX_nrAkxB7LcAjtmEOfeC0TogUcYl2VKExGrqSyynpnr7Sbh_Njb87PCBM6wUr9nYV_bU7MFrJRlY2XhQhOUzu1LFf2I4LYlZmLKooyp4maHZKsTF_5WJSublxw-oVQvnEA25wdbk0Dx/s320/IMG_9020.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627806042000721250" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The Matamaka town officer's boat and some of the children putting the new books away in the library. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >We literally had to use wheel barrels to transport all of the books to the school. </span></b>I was stunned at the amount of new materials for the kids. Our school could not accommodate to all of the new books, due to lack of books shelves. We are definitely going to need to order two or three new book shelves. As for the new television and computers, I did not have the opportunity to see if they work or not before I left for my holiday. All of the new materials were neatly put away in a corner of the library, because we were getting ready to close shop for the mid-year break. I look forward to organizing it all when I get back to Tonga. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKSGU9oafXFpj9tTzB7BxmAvLMQMY8KiWTgp_G0_jdq3jTJC7vOrRP8VJG8vSXwyi-0CsdAe8vxK6KbEcUn-ZwF9-CqbaTMfVK0N82pemeW48tNVmtXwoAg-edDr_QHRZ8sRxUsS-7bGX/s320/IMG_9027.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627806848128578194" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Ma'asi found this new outfit that he fell in love with.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Thank you for all of those who contributed to the school donations. We appreciate it dearly! </span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRLg358k9qYDs_ZcAFIRx5UBviyk_Hteh6TPZjEfjGvi0NEjXLEsG8k-7agd5NL9vrd7FoxHUZY7NrYy8kbBxaiqB9HyBGAEDF8gec-NzNNb_XErC8i5UqrADT5tIkSlY_dW2xo8IxBI_/s1600/IMG_9028.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRLg358k9qYDs_ZcAFIRx5UBviyk_Hteh6TPZjEfjGvi0NEjXLEsG8k-7agd5NL9vrd7FoxHUZY7NrYy8kbBxaiqB9HyBGAEDF8gec-NzNNb_XErC8i5UqrADT5tIkSlY_dW2xo8IxBI_/s320/IMG_9028.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627806857118020066" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: I'm pretty sure my students have done 70 out of the 101 ways to bug me. LOL.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9qojPHBp5uhgjIT9P2sKt879ocbSPR51duWMYL4JhB49fe4ZNzm2mAxbQANzk7pYkcPRd689OQ0eCq6ga70QK2SWU-noIiPUWpmX8tyrcArXX7vcWe7HnnvpxnV2ZoAlnRk9k_tlD0Rvv/s1600/IMG_9026.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9qojPHBp5uhgjIT9P2sKt879ocbSPR51duWMYL4JhB49fe4ZNzm2mAxbQANzk7pYkcPRd689OQ0eCq6ga70QK2SWU-noIiPUWpmX8tyrcArXX7vcWe7HnnvpxnV2ZoAlnRk9k_tlD0Rvv/s320/IMG_9026.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627806835168958482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: You can never have enough Jesus books in Tonga.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-34747306303930325592011-07-10T12:17:00.001-07:002011-07-11T14:52:52.218-07:00Where have my students gone?!?!<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSkdSgYQhRq3KFD8O6Vw1vRMHoBLYQafaKHeA9Ce2-QjgQkZQUWVMs-n1NGMPF5lvxhc3TOrVi4Wv5Q4e0NISBnwaHwaiCHNS2SzbvBXGBEFTEpAdWfBVhlcVewwAeDf13J-f8OW2V1pM/s320/IMG_9005.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627805389984579394" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >QUESTION: What do you think these two students are doing???</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Washing the assistant teachers laundry!</span></b> What the heck? I was teaching one day and was wondering where a couple of students have gone. I found them at back washing my co-teachers blankets with there feet! Cool, but disturbing at the same time. "Why are you not in class?" I asked. "We have to get it done because it has to dry before tonight, Feleti" one of the boys told me. <b style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); ">Apparently I didn't get the memo that it's alright to excuse students to do chores for teachers--This is just lovely and normal. </b>On a brighter note, they were pretty excited to wash the bed sheets. They asked if they could wash mine. No thanks, I prefer to wash my own sheets. Oh, Tonga....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVumzobTT9iX8KQXTedZjr84Mnkps8biyKaJO8ekX-pKh3Ql8oQXsOTkZLb6129xd4oT6rGq-mQu53n7EVEcPXprr6_Snc6tHEkbP8UySTyEBym4Ml6bNw0cfaYZzDMMakSZMPsZsT_SyM/s1600/IMG_9007.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVumzobTT9iX8KQXTedZjr84Mnkps8biyKaJO8ekX-pKh3Ql8oQXsOTkZLb6129xd4oT6rGq-mQu53n7EVEcPXprr6_Snc6tHEkbP8UySTyEBym4Ml6bNw0cfaYZzDMMakSZMPsZsT_SyM/s320/IMG_9007.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627805396832883266" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-4682833705213886802011-07-08T13:58:00.000-07:002011-07-11T14:43:06.025-07:00Weekend of HELL<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDJeQoc3CWfO3iOfVDJ6xxX9OHgWJhvx1wNL8sgjz8JyejeF1wtwNME0wwoKKeBkQ-FCAhRpmBjMcadzj_nc8QXYRqE69PS-O23135jpVbF5EzFSKA4waGRIF6qpCA9zSXUjOUK7exUb7/s1600/IMG_8964.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDJeQoc3CWfO3iOfVDJ6xxX9OHgWJhvx1wNL8sgjz8JyejeF1wtwNME0wwoKKeBkQ-FCAhRpmBjMcadzj_nc8QXYRqE69PS-O23135jpVbF5EzFSKA4waGRIF6qpCA9zSXUjOUK7exUb7/s320/IMG_8964.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628204586049907490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Photo: So if I ride a canoe on the main road, do I still need to wear my life jacket PC?</div><div><br /></div><div>Once upon a time in an outer-island village in Vava'u a Peace Corps Volunteer endured four days of terrential rain, an enormous boil, and an accidental house arrest. Oh wait, all of these things did happen, but to who? Oh wait, me.</div><div><br /></div><div>It all started on a "normal" Friday morning. The bright sunshine promised another beautiful day in the South Pacific. By 8 AM, all of the Tongan teaching staff had already boarded the last boat bound for the main city of Neaifu, while I was getting ready for school. This has been going on for awhile since,<i> putu </i>or funeral clearly takes precedent over the average Tongan day job. I am not required to "man" the school by myself, however the children are very eager to have English class and literally wait infront of my doorstep for me to wake up. As a result, I have a half day--which is better than no school.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQCKU_iJ2gpyQzluDiRio4IyiT-R8pqbmN3cdzqu100geOFFedHLqgcyiB2CU-UnQM-oW6LeLxd_5OcL1Zs-DUuIdwDxCnIIMi1eAGxKnUZtlsacY8Ovsj6w_bg2ELAMR4BT5b-x4nii8/s320/IMG_8943.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627089595724248978" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Rain washes the contents of this pit toilet (one of many) throughout the village.</div><div><br /></div><div>It all started with a sharp pain on the back of my left leg. At first, I thought it was a cut or a possible bruise. Ahh! It evolved into a ridiculous boil by the time morning school was over! FML. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Boils are nothing, but a pain in the ass.</span></b> It is technically an infected hair folicle. This would have been my second or third (I lost count) boil during my service. Medical services at my site is non-existent unless I risk it with a local Tongan herb woman. As a result, I just have to "ride it out."</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3cAgXinqoOkcPzi6fX8-Lq37KgR6KAjAVuID6ABwdk9PTLGXwvdZjpfUSmjZAlssq7U1oKtjMfce3RonTy7XrWCxnEGOUW2UtJckdh0OCmRshy_kGdii_-uLilPk7fHUjahfZ_MnpAit/s320/IMG_8982.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627103013441786770" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The boil on my left leg. One of many great souvenirs I will have from Tonga. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Still staying positve, I decided to do laundry. Laundry in Tonga is a workout. It consists of hours of strenuous handwashing and pumping of pipe tube inside a plastic tin. This doesn't include hauling water back and forth to rinse the washed clothing since I have no running water. Regardless, I finished all of my wash in record time of three and half hours! Great, eh? As soon as I hung the last of my clean clothes on the laundry line in front of my house, the clouds started to turn gray. Then it all started to go down hill...</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuh8MPnLm_-mllJ_MkHSUr8XjjpFHGgR69gjJ2IpbRkLwT2STPrdYdnK7oTkg2TZpTi2DgeypkYE0cGU-i3wKSJXWByNwEHYf7WTgUyFyAXmRk3J9SePZH_bFsj54flg3nMC4P0PNgnRU/s320/IMG_8977.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627094018665860258" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: All the random tins and pans on one side of my house.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The rain did not stop for a solid four days. Kid you not, four days of non-stop torrential downpour. My house on average leaks at two different spots. By the fourth day, I had run out of tins and pans to cover all the leaks and my boil made walking unbearable. On the final evening, I was woken up by one of the men in the village. My cellphone was out of battery since my solar panel had been down due to the lack of sun for multiple days. "Feleti, 'oku ke i'ai vai i loto?"--"Feleti, is there water inside?" I am thinking to myself, why in God's name would you ask if I have water in my house at 3:30 in the morning!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>By the time I got up, I walked around my house and realized there was something incredibly wrong. All the insects had infested entire house! "What the hell is going on?" I though to myself. I took my headlamp and try to see what was going on outside. All I saw was water! My house has become an island. All the insects in the area have taken refuge inside my house! Coastal flooding has flooded half of the village.</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCoY4CojvIqKZSxLRM9P2L6LhInxblpb93H-uXXnM-7J_2MP1y_Gyns-TnOaot36nkIBYb25pCRTSKGPzAXQGNTHxgewt_G7_FgLi7NeygOvALWKfo1WiQN-IVEJ2Mj43Cy4GxzCXbeEH/s320/IMG_8994.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627102992528391762" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrXxj77VWZV049IjxAwGsVAnvWolgTh42nD-KCakyOj15A5Ec1JshOi9E0ITy1y-N9bIFFVa3TEuIF81ikpmQ-DCyIBlJsoOSjg7i1gso-0uktpykLOEck-e9mCFqS3PFiHwKd8a3p0hf/s320/IMG_8992.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627102983405413218" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: The Wesleyan church at Matamaka after flood water retreated to the sea and my neighbors house. There house was underwater for a couple of days. Sad.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>My house is elevated about a foot and a half and the water was literally a half of an inch before spilling inside.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" > I tried to open my door, but it was blocked because the man that had woke me up decided it was best to put his lawn mower on my step even though it was already submerged (the logic there--I will never know). </span></b>As a result, I was stuck in my house. "This is not happening," I told myself as I hobbled around my house with a boil making a makeshift levy out of towels. By the time I finished placing all my significant belongings on chairs and my bed, it was almost six o'clock in the morning. I realized I left my camera at the school, but there was no way I could get there or walking in this water.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaagdTDJwFZyyAsYRF9Im0eg9zMuAHUSceLA_HlaSkJ05HtXctJXFnvXRNcvzTAz5CY6mcY_DvKuGdX7rKNclxEQwHQvmsBTgsEQ0dHCTY_oVYcuxQTgifQju15nd2ZnhoHwHfAcI-Jbn/s320/IMG_8956.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627094007668992162" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: My <i>sima vai </i>or water tank. You can see how high the water went. I had to use buckets to remove the water fro the valve. My neighbors says its not contaminated, but I highly doubt that. Oh boy...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The water finally began to recede around nine am. The villagers had dug out at trench to help drain the water to the sea, since the flood had no end at sight. A neighbor women came and helped me to unblock my door and I was set free. At the time, I had been dying to use the bathroom, so I hiked to the school and also grabbed my camera to document what the storm left. It had flooded churches, the town hall, and several homes. I was lucky the village drained the water in time, because my house would have been next.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" > A lot of pit toilets spilled over (including my own), so the village reeked.</span></b> It also flooded my water storage, which I had to manually drain out the water. By the time it stopped raining, everyone was out and about either playing in the water (eeks!) or cleaning out their flooded homes. What a mess!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: The trench dug up for the water to drain to the sea. PROS: drained the water from the homes. CONS: Contaminated the water with rubbish and human waste, soil erosion, and marine/coral destruction. Sad, just sad. For the first time, there was a "stream" in Matamaka. </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3S_6JiKfRQ9UE82bvzQY3Zfuj_kLZRxZ-PDdr6Lz70n54q-zafpsCb2roljNhtGEKPvZln-f2EpcMMf6PAusRlm5exZtWYRyuHj9GL-_cg6N_wB0MUL0zkaHuSImzQoRAh9M0NFPaDe6z/s320/IMG_8934.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627089574462997634" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRp1Ty3AP2dgIkusVwbL6788UwDQPVJ3VZbg178IsrtYkWhgjRe1T7DPg73Ggo2t_rqbFq9GGXkhBFxjGKVRRDo3FcHvlp4W3Eb7NPwGmDgI2vzyhDezwccb1zSWqgv5KfsuntUiPViFD/s1600/IMG_8953.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRp1Ty3AP2dgIkusVwbL6788UwDQPVJ3VZbg178IsrtYkWhgjRe1T7DPg73Ggo2t_rqbFq9GGXkhBFxjGKVRRDo3FcHvlp4W3Eb7NPwGmDgI2vzyhDezwccb1zSWqgv5KfsuntUiPViFD/s320/IMG_8953.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627093987692420898" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYgT3xgqBqYIy280QpQNHv17dUpD6Rcrg-2dkQxyOvxEZ-hdhuCsH7WnAOOpEULhNvYaFaEeX4EXTW-IUnfw5loRvutqBwfJEmaTDmWZPyOuZ8gEAfINjk3Gi4O6RVJL63_8wtPu6Y7HH/s1600/IMG_8937.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYgT3xgqBqYIy280QpQNHv17dUpD6Rcrg-2dkQxyOvxEZ-hdhuCsH7WnAOOpEULhNvYaFaEeX4EXTW-IUnfw5loRvutqBwfJEmaTDmWZPyOuZ8gEAfINjk3Gi4O6RVJL63_8wtPu6Y7HH/s320/IMG_8937.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627089586511148530" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-61894604013578596252011-07-08T13:50:00.000-07:002011-07-11T12:52:41.029-07:00Fuka Amelika<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiPn5nLZgshmjhXK8aNkb52DZYN5Ha1gHD801UC35A4YtAp-6AN1aRjRlSgYV2owWXxVqk6Iz9jMBQ5sTGcqHSpmfsfWNCuyT5kHi5yb61hzf47iuZJddeWsMhlV01bZ_c_pVkXHb5ait/s320/IMG_8914.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627087385500954466" /><div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Lata holding the proudly holding the American Flag on the roof (long story).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >During the school days when all of the Tongan teachers are MIA (missing in action), it automatically becomes "American Day" </span></b>at GPS Matamaka, since I am the only one running the entire school. The students unanimously vote to have the American flag fly next to the Tongan flag in front of the school. They would sing out the Tongan National anthem first followed by me singing the Star Spangled Banner. For some reason they love it when I sing (I'm not that great). Here are some photos of the kids posing with the US flag. In addition, here are the lyrics and links to the songs of the Tongan and US National anthems. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>TONGAN NATIONAL ANTHEM</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small; ">'E 'Otua Mafimafi,<br />Ko ho mau 'Eiki koe,<br />Ko Koe ko e falala 'anga,<br />Mo e 'ofa ki Tonga:<br />'Afio hifo 'emau lotu<br />Aia 'oku mau fai ni,<br />Mo ke tali ho mau loto<br />'O malu'i 'a Tupou.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small; ">LINK: </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc5DDGfyvxg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc5DDGfyvxg</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><b>THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small; "><br />Oh, say! can you see by the dawn's early light<br />What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;<br />Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,<br />O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?<br />And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,<br />Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:<br />Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave<br />O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">LINK: </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ETrr-XHBjE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ETrr-XHBjE</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: Flag randomness at GPS Matamaka</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzvtn6Eos52FwxmQFtxEoYCpxeIqWyQMgyukf5yuHvfU6zhpbyUrpOLXH2FpPpmN0ch4Ca61vJDZqiyn7z_uC7LvnseGKKqCLUBPOByfJUFGUHWZOgaLnLYXhKOGGEHR6ZBGKIq5wP1iV/s1600/IMG_8911.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzvtn6Eos52FwxmQFtxEoYCpxeIqWyQMgyukf5yuHvfU6zhpbyUrpOLXH2FpPpmN0ch4Ca61vJDZqiyn7z_uC7LvnseGKKqCLUBPOByfJUFGUHWZOgaLnLYXhKOGGEHR6ZBGKIq5wP1iV/s320/IMG_8911.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627087399187858322" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_5MqWPJdxiBj2EQW33oXsJl0IYODC33slwDIEYARWGIWZwNfx0T5csHXlMDDSxx3LMI2UqIqtBT_f5712kDPTuBvu7BqVSp_JZgUFTAMWh3NY7IVC8kvLXeeCoZvyQhq0Isohl8MEjEA/s1600/IMG_8916.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_5MqWPJdxiBj2EQW33oXsJl0IYODC33slwDIEYARWGIWZwNfx0T5csHXlMDDSxx3LMI2UqIqtBT_f5712kDPTuBvu7BqVSp_JZgUFTAMWh3NY7IVC8kvLXeeCoZvyQhq0Isohl8MEjEA/s320/IMG_8916.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627087393119081202" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-25961457143092220152011-07-08T13:28:00.000-07:002011-07-11T12:21:57.164-07:00What to do with the children?<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN0o6ql_OS3ygroP1Yc1upQmL1Nz4DzNKkFr3ZwBswe91aY-zL5UjLgCNvGWmYcRYdnRyn6sSpt-B-y57-5hDUZGoiBMKdIGQ8itCKfL2t_Ru7iCMxJ7z_IwatJHreN51QsP9bQBfQYh1/s320/IMG_8908.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627086238504127042" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The children taking a photo to their "strongest" bridge contest for the Class 1-3.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>First and foremost, I want to apologize to everyone for not posting anything for almost two months. I have been very busy at my working at Matamaka with very little time to spare waiting for internet to upload any new blogs. I am currently in IOWA (woot woot) for a short holiday and will be returning to Tonga. I will try to catch everyone up on what has happened since May, while I have the amazing high speed internet available (God Bless America!).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>***********</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nRSyvt7JwoKwZuLFHUc1tceHsiUnEV3QNb2-bHfwLKhPUyhII__zP-GKPPuUYJ-BYD4JzqAx38GugMHS5fTjspGcYMEhRb_mZen_HWBw6AAnKuEtK0BAhuZZ0o21r3ejG3nt6NvM1J13/s400/IMG_8899.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627085767864046642" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: What to do with the children? Cut out stamps...</div><div><br /></div><div>It may come to no surprise that funerals take precedent over most obligations in Tonga. This unfortunately includes your job. In addition, the trouble of living in a small island is that everyone is related to each other. What does that mean to me? <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >I end up playing substitute teacher for several weeks, while everyone goes off to attend their respective funerals.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>At first I was more than happy to "sit in" for a class, but then it got to be a habit. It's frustrating as a volunteer to hear your legally employed and paid counterpart talk about, "I'm going be gone for two weeks, but it's okay I have a Peace Corps to watch my class." Then their off. I am left with a classroom of kids with no lesson plans whatsoever that they have kindly prepared before hand. I am told it's a cultural thing and that I am just thinking like a <i>palangi</i>. "Just keep smiling," I keep telling myself...</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwDkFj7MO-e2zqnaGxvmCb1GOtr488swe2jhmurFs9Mx6UN5YIoU-ol3yKkAxwfSnMLb5M4l6iBu43nTHFPFPkw2rGVNCmRXvUmcCwHqikk6ct9_mf9jU0i-n70rwzjQ8dsZgqQBy3B8B/s320/IMG_8898.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627084572401233394" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: The kids cutting out some stamps.</div><div><br /></div><div>Regardless, the children still show up to school or literally sit outside the front steps of my house. They pretty much look forward to have me as their teacher rather than no teacher (which could possibly mean working in the bush all day). <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >"Oh, hell... someone ring the bell."</span></b> Then we're off. After a couple hours of Math and English, we started a collecting stamps from around the world that was graciously donated by Detlef of Leipzig, Germany to kill time. The kids cut them up from the envelope/paper and we place them in a box. The older kids then take tweezers to separate them later. We have also done bingo, watched movies from the laptops, coloring, reading, soccer, and pretty much everything in between to keep ourselves busy. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Just another wonderful reason why Tonga is Tonga....<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-80667633799997507282011-05-22T00:41:00.001-07:002011-05-22T00:54:07.099-07:00Make a REAL difference!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgyuB5sj1WMD1mFyWxMqDP4vWZT9bxbfq8bOT5rZqlGPCJgDaf09ks7R8Zysh77kzCQnGAZxBJgfxJlS-ZueX_tbFzEkKJvfO0elY7SvDDFUWHy6m-XcpWj-5dHQZYkHsdNq1wWB9l-hH/s1600/IMG_8849.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgyuB5sj1WMD1mFyWxMqDP4vWZT9bxbfq8bOT5rZqlGPCJgDaf09ks7R8Zysh77kzCQnGAZxBJgfxJlS-ZueX_tbFzEkKJvfO0elY7SvDDFUWHy6m-XcpWj-5dHQZYkHsdNq1wWB9l-hH/s320/IMG_8849.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609443681797628818" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: A bright rainbow over GPS Matamaka. </div><div><br /></div><div>We still have a long way to go to reach our goal to complete the GPS Matamaka School Infrastructure Upgrade. This is a joint partnership with the Peace Corps Partnership Program and people of Matamaka in Vava'u, Tonga. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >All donations are 100% tax-deductible to all US citizens/residents, but everyone from around the world can donate to the cause.</span></b> The GPS Matamaka School Infrastructure Upgrade is an excellent way for you to help the children of Tonga. A detailed description of the project from the Peace Corps Partnership Program website is available below. On behalf of everyone in Peace Corps Tonga and Vava'u, thank you very much for your support. Donations are accepted online at: <a href="https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=421-133">https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=421-133</a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: medium; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: medium; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i>School Infrastructure Upgrade</i></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b><br />The principle goals for this project are to repair and improve the physical infrastructure of the Government Primary School (GPS) of a small outer island in Tonga. This small island GPS received substantial damage after Cyclone Rene ravaged through Tonga in February 2010. The project comprises of three components: the repair of the fall school wall, the production of outdoor benches, and the construction of a reinforced concrete shed.<br /><br />The island's Parent Teachers Association (PTA), teaching staff and current Peace Corps Volunteer are working cohesively to ensure the long term sustainability of the proposed construction. Factors such as inclement weather, natural disaster, and maintenance have been factored into the construction. For example, the shed will be<br />assembled with reinforced concrete, versus tin roof siding material in order to sustain heavy winds and rain throughout the year. The PTA will be providing all of the cement, gravel, labor and transportation of all materials to the island, valued at $1,652.97 USD. The PCPP funds will cover the cement blocks, timber and other construction<br />materials valued at $2,781.70 USD.<br /><br />Upon completion of the fallen school wall, a special mural will be created to honor all those who helped make the School's Project a reality. Each donor will have a special cement block commemorated on their behalf with their home country flag. The Primary School has an active Postcard Project with participants in over 50 countries. Photos of the finished cement blocks, benches and shed shall be made available via the PCV's personal Blog.</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4646280038727762783.post-40888351888546824622011-05-22T00:02:00.000-07:002011-05-22T00:40:35.309-07:00Neiafu Fun Day 2011<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6R5V3aI_4Y1xBgUB7INRcGe799xsMpNGAm8SEdakLY0TQQF98Y80pi50dXNCkFDvtLujjSTCzAivdz3GozCHwkXU3PGv0vI2HNKcTLczFL9Ipky4HtxC16MaFK1NJmgrEm8Eq8HU2sKqH/s320/IMG_8873.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609433959683773890" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: Some of the kids (from Matamaka) playing one of the booths at the 2011 Fun Day. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>It's that time of year again, Library Fun Day 2011! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >It was another successful year for the library committee for the annual Fun Day as we raised $780.00 TOP.</span></b> All the proceeds go to support the financial costs to keep the library running and to have one full time librarian for the year. The library committee has two big fundraiser events every year, the Fun Day and the annual fundraiser dinner which usually takes place in August or September. Regardless, the Fun Day was an excellent opportunity for children and families to have a good time and win some prizes. Peace Corps Volunteers and other volunteers from the Vava'u community were present to help out at the event.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>We were very lucky this year as a lot of local businesses sponsored the event . I would say that was were most of the money came in from this year. These businesses include: Mounu Island Resort, Sunset Grill, Pafilios, Adventure Backpackers, Aquarium Cafe, and more (sorry I can't remember all of them at the top of my head). These business sponsored individual game stalls or provided supplies that helped make the event a success.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMfarGOAOXUsIW74y4yy15v98UFfrLF3hmB3w2eMDGeuXJNVA4zCCpRM_8lhUaNC_sKnQ5VZUBaYeJcCnSXORZtkfFst1kfp6bdeSRizRtrUGgUMretJ8dK-pVpoPlX3Kg29wkcmcOl5x/s320/IMG_8888.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609440530267533378" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wUHSDHAk4huDbzhNfNd2HBZIuhbxq8Yr5Y8vX_stfEm6HZjIERyu3KxCn2RGLOb1f098uA6I1jkcpsnJ663t1gwU8azKcaJES6PvRO52P3jwo8D3xaF_p4r0YK7XoOiVEj88GJWOXeD_/s320/IMG_8885.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609441951321508882" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRij7rH7sVwEr5ihGEELdki6y4eu5dTCfrM7-jPfJziOCrPLBqbEIw8e8_3Dg_L97LeDledOIoLfqyoK6gFmIdftFkNmX9LftenH_DKf4nQYEDmefe_d2x_qvLAvwQeH8nRUYqowgRkxVP/s200/IMG_8858.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609438150528725282" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCKD2iEKLbumosnMO2x4JYvVQOUIPB5ynXiqvjOpUz0clDj8WzMDR0as9dojw04Ypxd3hNq2rtsg3URVxuD8vUSMQ89YmMbTTeoq_nvCsrAzla4Q9nlMNcGKeXQjzfSXPHL2i-FGFHyg4/s320/IMG_8876.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609435750988799826" /><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: Various photos from the event </div><div><br /></div><div>Some of the game stalls this year were: gold, bean bag toss, ring toss, sponge throw, face painting, and more. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >A nice fat PIG pinata was also made for the children with nice puppet show to host the entire event--(not going to lie the puppet freaked me out a bit).</span></b> We also had a cake walk this year that we did not have last year. It took some explaining to the children with the rules, but it all worked out okay.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbfirVkV-Qeu2dFEsQf4VMTrNnmmKE06BNAF1qwGs5z0_JGsLog0P2NJBadKCRo5Ebbfx9I8j5jZe0LTP_zjtSO9CxUaKzWjeNrpzyB1velCWn2Bydyb8mIPekOFPOpoQWSCYJD2XQTNN/s320/IMG_8875.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609440538590220178" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzrJqhhTD9p70Xapf21M0PvTRhNpl3okAVCBWMStxbQidgQxBhof5wlj_hyphenhyphenz5NSOFV05o6HXjT6j2YwU0zWonSyx1OcqGYoohSn0VEeMcMNvuGWqNLEhjZ33-YuhnqwM-u-OPWAxJnHKD/s200/IMG_8871.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609438160343481266" /><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLd7m6X4kp8NeI1KW8MqxxBmM8p1CBfa2EgUi-P97FpgD3Na41vo9WuB0VjBsr_UJNkLiiUVMYmXuWMLupVYkR7tGcWAFCstJsEWCmPwdx55fbvy_HJAc3Tmz2VFF60CpACI0UQ2YMo_48/s320/IMG_8856.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609435746321388594" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">PHOTOS: Fun day 2011 </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, I was very impressed with the number of Tongans who volunteered their time to help with the event. "Normally," mostly<i> palangi</i>-foreigners help out at the event, but I was very proud of the number of Tongans at the event. Most of them were teachers or students at the University of South Pacific campus in Neaifu. Lastly, I was so excited to see some of my students from Matamaka to show up at the event. Ma'asi and I have have been hounding them all week to come and four came! woohoo! The Fun Day is something I will truly miss once I am finish here very soon!</div>fladromahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645950908044024262noreply@blogger.com0