Feels like home

It’s Friday and that means sausage sizzle day at Takitumu Primary School. So my first chore after peddling to school this morning was to place a boiled hot hog and splat of ketchup on a slice of white bread, and roll it up in a square of paper. Repeat 190 times. Each student pays $1NZ for the treat and the baskets of weenies are delivered to each class. The lunch bell sounds at 10 a.m., but this being the Cook Islands, it’s drumbeats from a wooden drum played by a different kid each day.
I spent most of today in the library, a converted classroom. The principal has waited 3 years for a pallet of donated books which finally arrived last week and so it’s up to us to number and stamp them all and glue sign-out slips and card envelopes to the back - all of which we have cut and pasted by hand. It’s has taken forever but means so much to the kids who are desperate for the new books.
As I was working and the mid-morning heat began to get to me, a lovely kid named Reece who has become my buddy came in and said “Auntie, you look so tired. Want me to help?” So I let him rubber stamp the school’s name in the front, which delighted him.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I asked him.
“A man,” he replied. He likes cartoons and ice cream and has to feed the pigs before he comes to school and he, like most of the kids here, is endlessly bright, curious, polite and quick to laugh. They’ve taught me all kinds of clapping games and songs and can hardly contain their excitement when we play.
After school, I hopped on my bike and road the secondary road into town, the inner road that follows the small farms with papaya trees, taro patches, breadfruit trees, and mango and bananas, the smells of gardenias filling the air and roosters crowing along the route. It’s so peaceful and lovely and like no place on earth. Paradise? If not, then close.
Last night all of us went to the home of our Global Volunteers leader here, Taiana, a spectacular woman. Her sister, June, was also there - June is the principal at Tai Ou Keo School, another place I’ve been working. Their mom fried delicious breadfruit slices in hot oil - so good and we had barbecued broadbill - a kind of swordfish - salads and bread, white wine a fruit salad for dessert. We all sat around a bit table and afterwards, June showed us all the different kinds of coconut and we tasted them and compared their flavours - from very young fruit to the creamy mature one that we are used to at home. And then June brought out her guitar and they sang haunting Maori melodies - and then a few choruses of You Are My Sunshine.
Today after school as I cycled through Aruva (the main town), I heard “Auntie!” It was two girls from my school and all they wanted to do was kiss my cheek and play clapping games. I feel at home here in a way a tourist never could.
Tonight, we head back to town for the ceremonial launch of the canoes for the Vaka Oe, the huge canoe races here. And tomorrow at 7:30, I fly to Aitutaki for the day.
Hope you are all well.
Metaki ma’ata
Linda

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