Photos may speak a thousand words but when they are posted on FaceBook they have usually been very carefully selected to not make myself look fat or to display an environment that is reality but ridiculously joyful. However, this obviously doesn’t cover the not-so-awesome behind the scenes moments. The ones where I miss my Mom and the comforts of the familiar and having my closest friends to talk me down are lacking. So in an effort to keep this Peace Corps experience a reflection of reality, but not too much of a bitch fest, here are a few examples.
I made sure no one took a photo of me to be posted to the Universe when I had a 101 degree fever, was sweating through clothes & shitting myself inside out for 2 full days. I surmise this sickness occurred because I regrettably did not wash a pear and carrot that I had eaten earlier that day. Lesson learned. Interestingly, I am finding the Indo-Fijians to be very superstitious as my host Mom was telling me that I was sick from too much admiration. She said I needed to put a black dot behind my ear to protect myself from people telling me how much they dig me. Interesting & duly noted.
There will be no photos of me when I woke from a horrible nightmare at 3:30am & couldn’t shake off the fear. Additionally, no photos will appear of me when I was on the cusp of utter emotional & mental bankruptcy after having several 14 hour days, language tests, homework & community presentations. I promise, that was not pretty. Alas, a few good night’s sleep & doing some shopping in Suva for my upcoming move to Lautoka, where I will be spending the next 2 years, did the trick to bring me out of my funk.
It is very interesting how I have witnessed myself reacting to certain things totally different & I know that the Fijian context has everything to do with it. For example, the pre-historic sized cockroaches that come out at night that climb on the counter while I brush my teeth..…not even phased. If this happened in the US I would have grabbed the heaviest object & splashed its guts straight away. Today when I was putting on my socks I noticed blood on the sole of my foot that had been acquired from the chicken that was killed the night before for dinner. Awesome. Or how about the spider that was in my bedroom that had the leg span of a softball…..no worries. My host sister says, don’t worry they have their own home. Okay then, hopefully it doesn’t make it through my mosquito net later. Not even the little mouse that was climbing down the light cord in my kitchen raised an alarm. Thankfully, I think I managed my expectations of Fijian creatures fairly well.
To keep this PC experience even remotely possible, focusing on the negative doesn’t do me any good. However, it reminds me that I have fortitude & really allows me to enjoy the pleasure of the good times. Like the “Indo-lovo-disco” we had last night as a going away for us here in the settlement. We had a traditional lovo……think Hawaiian luau-dig a pit, place in hot coals/rocks, chicken-fish-casava-dalo on top, cover it up, 1.5 hrs later, uncover & consume the deliciousness. We ate, danced & laughed. All of us, young and old; a cross-cultural, cross-gender, cross-age-range throw down.
A local tv station, Fiji 1, came around & filmed some volunteers in the villages while we were in class, yours truly starred on the 6:30pm news speaking Hindi. Right set (which means something like great, cool, good).
I especially enjoy walking down the long road in front of my house. It is lined with palm trees & since this a rural area, there are plenty of horses and cows moving around on the land. Sometimes it reminds me of the farm land in Ohio, I never expected that. The people that walk by are always saying Bula & ask me where I am going. Or sometimes I catch a few kids along the way & they come with.
I will be leaving the rural road behind me & moving to Lautoka town, the second largest city in Fiji. I am anxious to get settled in, learn where the markets are, practice my language, get to some serious cooking and start my work. I’m also planning my first trip to visit my friend in the Yasawa Islands, the location where the movie Blue lagoon was filmed. Right on.
Until next time.
Fir Milenga (see you again)
Love, Sara
My new address, i moved to Lautoka on July 7th
Sara Szunyogh
PO Box 4166
Lautoka, Fiji Islands
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