Oh wow - I haven't written since August! That’s a bit poor form! Sorry. I guess I have gotten so used to life on the island that less and less things strike me as 'something to write home about'. As well as the fact that my time in Vila is spent on different things now. Well, the school year is finished up, it was a mad crazy dash to the finish line with lots of things left in disarray. We had a hap-hazard farewell and everyone sort of dissipated, which was a bit sad, as some of the year 8 students will be off to different islands for year 9 so I won’t see them again. I have worked most closely with the year 8 this term in preparation for their exams. These exams are quite major, as they decide both wether the student gets into year 9 and also what school they get into. Kind of like our Tertiary Entrance Ranking
Now that the exams are over and done with and the school has closed for the year the teachers have headed back to their home islands for Christmas. The village is in what they call “Christmas lazy” mode and most people spend a good portion of the day sitting underneath coconut palms sleeping and chatting with friends. There is a lot of sleeping going on, which I must say, really works for me at the end of such a crazy school year.
We have spent lots of time crashing around the bush collecting firewood, ready for the Christmas feasts. My papa is currently on the look out for a pig to kill and madly trying to finish the renovation on the bathroom in preparation for the arrival of a very honoured guest. Mum! Jo-mo is heading over to Vanuatu on Dec 22nd to experience a village Christmas. I’m looking forward to it myself. I’m told it involves lots of church, fancy island dresses and general laying about eating. Sounds great!

hello folks! sorry to have been so quiet for so long! the last few times i have been into villa i have been pressed for time and unable to sit down and blog. So much to do! There always seems to be heaps of photocopying/shopping/showering type stuff to get out of the way :) I have just come back form a four day sport carnival where about 1000 kids (60 odd from my school) camped out at a massive school on the main island Efate and played round robin sports. CRAZY fun. What a hoot - way cooler than school camp - lots of fun and cheering and getting sun burned. I could not believe it - no tantrums, no homesick kids, no whyning, just fun and games. Our school did really well and i spent lots of time just chilling with kids and their parents who came along to support.
Im living with my family in the village full time now because there was a freaky scary guy hanging around my house where i have been living alone. Ill keep the house for when people come to stay with me but my Papa wasnt happy with me being there on my own when this dude is hanging about. So thats fun! this week there were ten of us in the house, though there is only usually 8 - my mama and papa, eldest sister and her two children (4yrs and 3 mnths) my youngest sister, my brother, two cousins and myself. Plus two cats and a dog. Never a dull moment :) Its nice having kids in the house thoug, makes it feel more like home. Im on school holidays for a week, then back to the gringing stone - and this term will be a big one. Ill be going to the top of the volcano to spend a week with the teachers at the school up there as well as a week on the neighbouring island Pele to help out there. Plus it is the big eams for the year 8 classes so they will be boearding at the school and well be running nightly study sessions and etra classes. these eams are a massive deal for the kids because they decide weather or not they can continue onto yr 9, as well as which school they get accepted to. Will be very intense i anticipate.
In other news, i have started to learn to weave, which is cool as can be, as well as fire twirling, skipping stones and various other games that have no name. I am getting ecited about coming home fore a brief visit and Sarahs wedding. So much fun to be had. Hope everyone is well and happy and having a good time
xoxo
flick

G'day gals and guys! Hope everyone is well! Im back in Villa for a few days - came to attend the wedding of one of the Australian Volunteers. I love weddings and this was an ace mix of Vanuatu custom and Traditional western wedding stuff. Very cool, with lots of dancing. Ill be heading back to the island monday to celebrate my birthday with my island family, My Mama is making 'punia' which is root-vegetables from the garden, covered in coconut milk and wrapped in banana leaves, roasted in hot stones. YUM! Its fantastic celebration food and I cant wait :) You just open up the package and lay it out on a mat on the ground, and everyone sits in a circle around the package and tucks in! Interactive, communal food. Fantastic!
x
F

Excitement! People are coming here to visit me! I could not be more pumped, and please ANYONE take this opportunity to discover vauatu, it is amazing and I can give you the total insiders tour :) Also pumped because yeaterday i went shopping and brought things i WANTED instead of things i need. Very cool. I bought two chairs and a candelabra! I realise that a candelabra seems quite excessive, but in fact, when you have no electricity, its quite a fancy version of practicality!

Oh and BTW for those of you who occasionally call or message, my number now has an extra two 7's so its 00116787764386.

Hey kids! sorry about the absense of updates here, i have just done a five week stint in the village and have only just got into Villa and got access to the net. All is well. Its fantastic to have running water and electricity again as well as being able to talk english and eat western food. I had an episode of homesickness about two weeks ago and Im continuing to recover. While on the island I made a top five of things that I miss about Australia, in no particular order they were a. wearing jeans b. swearing c. drinking/talkingabout red wine d. philisophical conversation / freedom to hold an opinion different to that od the majority e. sitting on the couch. So there it is, and on top of all that is, of course, family and friends. Im really greatful to those people who send messages, call and write, because even though i can not alwayse read or respond quickly its really nice to hear news from home. As far as news on the island is concerned, it is getting "col-col" which means that the weather has become quite mild and dry, and thus everyone complains of the cold. I personally think it is perfect. My little brother has head lice, and refuses to cut his fro, my 2 year old cousin has come to live with the family for a month, and my Papa has decided that he loves my cooking and randomly invited me to come for dinner (to cook dinner) which i secretly love. I have introduced to the family the wonders of garlic, pasta, tomato and hamburgers as well as vietnamese cold rolls. My mama continues to trust me wih increasing amounts of responsibilities around the house (culturaly, quite and honour) I help make Lap-Lap, scratch the coconut to make milk and fry bananas. Im not yt allowed to boil the rice or go to the garden to collect things. She must be sure that i can do it without messing it up before she can hand over chores.

At my own house, I have dug out and built a garden, built a fence around the garden to protect it from the wind off the sea, and planted seeds. As i dont have any pots i have taken to rolling down the sides of doubled up plastic shopping bags and filling them with soil. Some of the seedlings like corn and beetroot were quick to sprout so i have transplanted them to the garden. Everyone watches with great amusement as i faf around in the garen digging and getting dirty. I have very little idea what im doing so it's all an experiment for me and all very amusing to the villagers!!

PS, You can send me post to P O Box 5066 Pt Villa, Vanuatu - one of the other volunteers checks it for me and can pass on aything sent. My mobile number here is 0011 678 64386