Storms been a brewing

It’s been a while since I’ve written; the reason being-life has been stormy seas, rough waters, low tides. The past 3 months have not been all rainbows and puppies as one’s Face Book pictures may suggest.

It started with the culture shock of coming back to 3rd world living after being in the salsa dancing, yoga doing, amazing food eating hedonistic pleasures of Melbourne. Followed by political/financial issues at work, multiple health issues (maybe a bacteria?, maybe a parasite?), followed by the worst blow of all, my best friend here, Zoe, was heading back to America for good. She gave it her best effort, but in the end she made the very challenging choice to leave, as she realized she was not going to be able to reach her fullest potential in Fiji. Zoe was my soft place to land at the end of a rough day. We spoke almost every night. She is the kind of person you click with immediately; you see life through the same set of glasses, you live by the same philosophies and she didn’t judge. She was a true soul sister.

AND then to top it all off, I have to move…..again…..my 4th time since I came to Lautoka. Sigh….

No one wants to read Peace Corps Fiji turned country song, but it would be a big fat, shit-hitting-the-fan lie if all I wrote about were pina coladas and sculpted Fijian men. So I’m doing my best to cope during the hard times, realizing that with my former coping mechanisms not around (yoga, salsa, family) one must deal with it in other means….I’m still figuring out what those are!

In other news: I have been chipping away at my CD & have almost all of the music lined up to practice & then hopefully record in late June. I recently wrote a song called “Hugs Not Drugs”. I was walking to the bus stand on my way to work & a guy had a shirt on that said that & I thought, “Yes, I will write a catchy tune that children all across Fiji will sing. They will stop sniffing glue & smoking weed & will run around hugging each other instead.” Perhaps that’s a smidge Utopian, but whatever, the song still rocks.

I’ve also decided it would be a good project to re-establish the library at my primary school. It’s a major project!! I love to read & there are resources in the US where I can get free books. Hopefully the teachers are on board & we can make it a success.

I recently wrote 3 chapters for a values based parenting guide. I felt TOTALLY hypocritical writing them because I don’t have kids! But my boss asked me to do it, so I did.

I finally found a great Hindi tutor! I go to their house every week, we chat and have tea, have my lesson & then eat dinner together. It’s awesome. They really love me, they treat me just like family except for wait on me like a regal guest. Its been 6 weeks now & my Hindi is definitely improving, a most challenging yet rewarding endeavor. I totally busted this kid walking past me talking to his friends in Hindi saying I was hot, hahahahah. Of course he didn’t know I understood & when I said thank you in Hindi he got totally embarrassed and was apologizing.

My most recent brain-child is to create a yoga DVD. PCV Fiji Yoga DVD! I enlisted a very talented video camera aficionado volunteer & we are going to record on the beach front outside their house (actually grass hut). It is going to be VERY basic & the point is that it can be used by volunteers themselves, by PC staff & for volunteers to use in their villages for wellness projects or women's groups etc. I also want to include a special feature of some basic things to do for kid’s yoga & some fun partner work as well as a simple 5-10 minute meditation. I hope to start working on it in Dec.

Finally, about a month ago I got a bike. I have never seen a woman riding a bike in my fair town, ever. So as I was blissfully joy-riding my bike down a dangerous pot hole ridden street a Fijian man running toward me, looked at me and said “freeeaaakkkyyyy”. Apparently no one else has ever seen a woman riding a bike in this city either. I am a spectacle! People literally stop what they are doing to watch me ride my bike. It’s hilarious! Maybe I’ll start a trend. Forget about bra burning, its women’s liberation through bicycle!