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Published: March 1st 2011
Well, after my last entry, I decided to take a walk to the Hot Bread Company where I heard they sold these sausage roll pastry things. O...M...G!!! Yeah, they were so good I had two! Thank god I did not discover these earlier in my trip! To explain, its a lamb sausage in a croissant like pastry. Or, a little slice of heaven in a roll! I've had several since my discovery...
Thursday night I went home with Teacher Shavin to her home and had dinner. It was SOOOO good! I met her 14 yr old son and played with her 4 yr old daughter, Crystal. She's also in the kindy with us, so I see her every day, but all day at school she was talking about me going to her house. Some of the other kids proceeded to ask me to go to their house as well. Oops! Crystal also invited me to come to her birthday party...which is in July. I explained that I would not be here in July, that I'd be back home. She thought for a moment and said, you have to come back. I said that I probably wouldn't be able to do that. She thought again and said, then I'll go with you. I laughed out loud. Her mom found this pretty funny too! We had lamb and noddles and dalo and french fries and wine for dinner! Shavin's husband is a teacher at the high school and very funny. I stayed at their home until 9 pm and really enjoyed the whole evening. Crystal and I watched Tom & Jerry cartoons, her favorite, and blew bubbles. I talked school work with her son Jared and how high school is not going to be fun with Dad as his teacher. Her whole family was a special treat and I cherished the evening!
Friday at school turned out to be a very special day. To my surprise, there was a party. Every Friday, the morning and afternoon kids come for the morning session and then all leave at 11:30 and then the teachers have a planning session in the afternoon. Well today, we were having sports day. The parents were there and as we were getting ready to take the kids outside teach Ester pulls me aside and says, there is a surprise for you. The parents have cooked food and whatnot and want to thank you for coming to the school. I was shocked. She said that I might want to think about something that I'd like to say. I said, of course. The games outside started, soccer, sack races, I was teaching frisbee (big hit), musical chairs, ect. It was all good fun. Then, the food started. I was seated at a table and in front of me was a cake made by one of the mom's, her son Samu told her earlier in the week that she needed to cook a cake for me. It said Farwell Teacher Courtney. I almost started crying right there. Then, one of the father's and president of the newly (the previous week) PTA stood up and thanked me for coming. He talked about how all of the children have enjoyed my help and that the experience will be with them for a lifetime and that the parents have enjoyed meeting me as well and see that their children have grown. I was so shocked. I'm not actually teaching anything in the classroom just interacting a lot and playing with the kids and working on basic things so its not something I see as life changing for them. I was fighting back tears the whole time. They presented me with a traditional Fijian lai of sorts. Its made of ribbon and thinned out wood strips that are then painted on. It's beautiful and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get it home without messing it up. I then had to say a few words and first thanked the kids for teaching me so much and brightening my life and then thanked the parents for their warm hospitality and for teaching me so much about the Fijian culture and extending a hand into their lives. Then I started crying. So I quickly finished up with a I will never forget this and I hope to come back to visit in future years. From here, the father stood back up and explained that they would not sing the Fijian farewell song. All the parents started singing and it was so beautiful. And more tears...boy I've become a softy! It was such a moving experience. I will never forget any of it. This has been such a special month in my life. I am so thankful that I was able to make this happen. I later opened my gift and the parents had taken up a collection to buy me a sulu (surong) that has the Fiji flag on it and a t-shirt that says I (heart) Fiji. I LOVE THEM BOTH!!! These people don't have much and they all came together to not only make food but to give me gifts. So touching! I was also giving a couple of necklaces from the boys. They also went home and told mom/dad that they needed to get a special gift for me. And I'm tearing up as I write this...
After school finished up, I departed for Suva. I was meeting up with Andrea, the 19 yr old volunteer from Switzerland. She wanted to go with me to Pacific Harbor. This is the first time she's left the country on her own so I don't think she's too keen on traveling about alone. I was more than happy to take her along. We met up at the central bus station and then we asked around to find the bus to Pacific Harbor. After finding a nice man to assist us, we were on the big bus with not only windows, but AC! What a treat!!! We sat in the very back of the bus. Thinking this was going to be a comfortable ride, we were excited. How wrong were we! They pack people into this bus just like on the regular city buses and the 5 seats across the back was quickly seating 6. We figured it wouldn't be too bad since it was about an hours ride. Well, about 15 min into the drive I notice that my feet and lower legs are really hot, then my bum is really hot, like a car seat warmer is on...I ask Andrea and she's experiencing the same thing. The lady next to me keeps saying, its so hot, its so hot. Um, yeah, we were sitting on the engine and it didn't matter how much AC the vent blew out, we were screwed. So the bus was cramped and for us, very hot! LOL Oh well, we arrived safe and sound which was the most important :-) We checked into the Uprising Resort and as it turns out, they did not have Andrea's reservation correct. After a few mins they say, well, we can't put you in the big dorm (20 beds) but we can put you in the small dorm (8 beds) and we'll move your friend (me) to stay there with you. I was like, Great! The small dorm was in a bure (hut like building) and had a fabulous outdoor shower! I cherished this!!! It was so much fun and felt so good! The water was cold but it was the perfect way to cool off! The resort sits on a nice beach but nothing outstanding and the water was not very clear and not good for snorkeling. Therefore, this is a 2 night max kind of place in my opinion. We arrived, put on our suits and hit the sand. Both of us were very happy to be out of our city locations on relaxing on the beach. As if my life has been that stressful...lol! I was originally planning to do this white water kayaking trip on Saturday but they called earlier in the day to tell me that not enough people had signed up so they were cancelling the trip. I could have upgraded to another tour but it was a 12 hour long thing and started at 6:45 am. Here's the thing about Fiji...it beckons you to relax, move slow and take it easy. So I decided that I'll save all my adventure trips for Australia and NZ :-) On Friday night we had a good dinner (lamb burger, I was so happy!) and met Amber. She's 27 and traveling alone for 2 months in Fiji and from the UK. She was great! I felt like I'd met a fellow kindred spirit. She too has quick her job and is happy as can be traveling around the country. I was very happy to meet her and we proceeded to watch some rugby, drink some beers and chat with Stick, our bartender, and fight off a couple of very drunk and not so funny locals. Poor guys were so drunk they couldn't even talk. Poor Andrea kept saying, everyone seems so old! She did end up getting a few free drinks so I think that made her happy :-) Amber headed for a phone call from home and Andrea held down the fort at the bar. That's when we met Richard and Bill. Two locals but they didn't sound local. More like South African. I was being polite but about 20 min into the conversation I stopped believing most of what they were saying. Richard apparently sells real estate on the island mostly to Aussies and American's. Ok. Then Bill, oh Bill. He didn't want to tell us what he did. He said we'd never believe him. Um, ok. So I play along. I had 4 guesses to get it and then they were going to tell me. I guessed scuba instructor, painter, wood carver and something else absurd. If you can believe it, it was none of those. Then Bill says, since you're not going to believe me when I tell you what are you going to give me? Huh, Bill...that doesn't even make sense! I think Bill thought I'd been drinking for a long time and was not too smart. Again, for entertainment purposes, I play along and explain, Bill if I don't believe you, you'll never know because I'll say I believe you. This flies over his head and he repeats his previous statement. After about 2 min of the back and forth I've lost complete interest and tell him so. He's like no really, I'll tell you. I said, actually at this point I don't really care. They ordered us a round of drinks, I told Stick we didn't want them. He poured them anyway. I looked at Andrea and said I was done, she agreed. We walked away and laughed the whole way back to the dorm. I found out the next day that he's apparently an airline pilot for a Saudi Arabian airliner. Who the hell knows if this is true. I didn't wait around for him on Saturday to find out. LOL
I slept like a log in the dorm. It was quite full, but everyone was very quiet which was great. On Saturday I slept in and when I woke, I immediately put on my swim suit. Andrea and I headed to breakfast and I was so excited to see fresh fruits, pastries and rolls and tea! Again, another heavenly meal. At this point, it doesn't take much to make me happy. Andrea and I then settle into a couple of bean bag chairs in the lawn area near a coconut tree. I literally am there all day till 5 pm. This is Fiji Time! I finished off my book (Basket Case by Carl Haissen - the funniest one yet and my favorite of them all so far! Thanks again Uncle Joe!). Randomly I'd snap off some photos. Andrea split a salad for lunch with fresh tuna on it. Amazing! I also popped for the banana cake (yum!) and watched some more rugby. Then back to our bean bags and more relaxing. It was the perfect afternoon until I got hit with a coconut. What makes this even funnier is that 4 yrs ago a coconut fell out of a tree and smashed up my windshield in my car and ever since then I look up before I park my car in FL. Well, even today, as we slid out of the sun and into the shade of the tree I looked up and thought about it but was like, oh come on, what are the odds. Apparently higher than I thought. I am happy to report that it was a very small coconut and that it landed on my shin so the pain was not too great. But I promptly moved to avoid the larger ones...
Dinner was good again and Amber joined up with us. We were sitting at a small table and watching rugby. I was happily drinking my Vomu beer when I spotted two of the other volunteers. The boys from the UK, Joe and Simon, also 19. Again, so happy to have met Amber!!! The boys join us and all sort of laughter follows. They spent the day at a resort down the way and apparently, out of boredom, started writing in the sand. This quickly turned into creating things in the sand which quickly turned into them having some sort of battle and creating the new of New Pakistan. Don't ask, I still don't understand, but over beers, this whole story was hilarious. Wrong in so many ways, but hilarious. Oh to understand the minds of 19 yr old men! AFter our round of drinks, the boys decide they want to get this huge tower like thing of beer. See the photo...it was like circa 1997 and spring break for me. This is what happens when you hang out with 19 year olds! After this, I called it a night and hit the dorm.
Sunday morning was early. I planned to catch an early bus back to Suva so that I could go to teacher Ester's house for lunch. She invited me and the other two teachers were also planning to attend. I was super excited! I got up around 7:15 and sorted out all my stuff in my bad and then headed up to the main building for another wonderful breakfast. Andrea met me up there and decided to return to Suva as well. After breakfast when we were checking out, the boys showed up. Joe says, um yeah we don't know how to catch the bus back and thought it best to travel with you. I seriously felt like the mother hen. The best part is, I had no clue. I was literally making it all up as I went along. The front desk said that you just go out to the main road and flag the bus down. So that was my plan. As it turns out, it was not too hard. We waited about 10 min before seeing one and then hopped on. Andrea and I were smart this time and did not sit in the back! The ride back took almost 2 hr. No joke. The driver was all over the place. We kept going off the main road. He backed up and turned around 3 times. I was cracking up! I sat with Simon on the bus who talked the whole time and asked me all sorts of questions. He's at a sponge stage in his life. I know because I've done the same. He asked all sorts of things about living in the US, politics, religion, fate, destiny, the UK, marriage, college (he's applied to several in the US), and so on. It was actually a really fun conversation and he's a really cool kid. He'll go far!
Finally back in Suva and I say farewell to Andrea. I will not see her again before I leave. I tel the boys I'll see them this week and hop onto the bus heading towards Nausori. Teacher Ester's house is on that way and I'm to get off at Kinoya. I sit by the driver and ask him to help me out. Its not as if Fiji uses a lot of signage. Teacher Ester meets me at the bus stop with her brother in law and his car. I'm very excited to see her. She's such a wonderful giving person. Such a big heart! She's taught me so much!!! We go back to her home which is quit large by very simple. She lives there with her husband, son, daughter (she's only there on weekends because she's at the nursing college during the week), her sister and her sister's 3 sons. Its a busy place with lots of people to talk to and I love it. I learn a little bit about everyone in her family and they are all so nice! Her son works for the government and really likes his job. He's 24 and doing very well. He's soft spoken but later in the day we chat quit a bit about rugby and since they have satellite TV he asks me all about US football and wrestling. Turns out he's seen it on ESPN and really liked it. Since my dad was a coach and I was around the sport all my life, I'm happy to chat about it. Life is so odd...who would have thought! Her daughter is amazing. She showed me her room and we talked make-up, accessories and shoes! She is hoping to take her nursing career and be able to work in another country. Her dream is Dubai. We talked a lot about traveling and she has big dreams. I think she'll pull it off. The traditional Indian culture says that children have to live at home until they get married. Ester is not of the belief that they need to do that anymore. She said that shes' been encouraging her daughter to work hard and follow her own path and take her time in life. I can see that Ester likes the idea of things not being to traditional but she still stresses family values and things. I agree with her. She says, its nice that you are able to work and live on your own and people don't gossip about it and there's nothing wrong with it. It was a cool exchange and her daughter is going to gain so much more having parents that help her through life rather than push her in a direction. Ester's sister is a riot! She's off today to India for a 6 month trip. Its the first time she's leaving Fiji in her life and she's in her 50s. I was so excited for her. I know she's going to have a blast. I ended up having lunch and dinner at the house and stayed until 7 pm. Teach Shavin and her family joined us for the lunch part of the day and that was great fun! I drank a little kava with the two husbands. They laughed as I made my ick face. I swear, the taste of that stuff never gets better. It was a beautiful day overall and I'll remember it always! Ester's daughter had on a Oklahoma University t-shirt. her uncle sent it to her. I'm going to have to send her an FSU one now...just so she is wearing the colors of a good school! LOL
Overall, my weekend was amazing. I slept so hard last night that I was late to school this morning. Easter laughed when I said it was all because my tummy was so full of her good food. School today was great! I wore my new sulu outfit, a gift from Teacher Ester and one of the mom's. It's so pretty! And its orange. I love it!!! I also got a few more gifts from the children. They are so thoughtful. Memories for my lifetime!
Wednesday is my last day at school. On Thursday I travel to Nadi and then out to the islands for the weekend. Then on Monday I fly to Australia. Its all gone so quickly...definitely could have stayed here for another month!
PS - again, can't get photos to upload. Somethings up with the internet here. I'll try to get a blog out with some photos soon.
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Elise
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How sweet!
CJ, How sweet your school and the families there are! You must now know how much of a difference you've made in those children's and their families' lives! They are such good people to be so appreciative! Makes me so happy for you! So glad you had such a fun weekend!! And the coconut story had me laughing out loud! Love and miss you tons!!! Can't wait to hear about more of your adventures!!! :)