[Postal address at the bottom of this blog! ;)]
So, here I am, on Vorovoro, thousands of miles away from home and from most people I know. My family is growing by the week and I am calling this home. When we pass around the headland coming home from a day trip, I look longingly at my beach and village hidden in the trees, a warm feeling inside making me feel glad to be back... Leaving is going to hurt!
The Fijians make everyone so welcome, not only on Vorovoro but also in the villages we visit on Mali and the mainland. They open their hearts and homes to us and we become part of their families almost instantly! Respect goes a long way, and in what the Tribewanted project is doing here, this is gained straight away. Who could want for more... it is perhaps lucky that I don't have a bottomless pit of money, and that the TW team have put a maximum stay on the time a visitor can spend here, else I'd be tricky to remove...
Life has been good, and as the first month has passed each new day proves to be as good as the last. During the first month there have been some moments that have really stood out of course, but there are no bad days here, unless you choose to make one yourself! We've had a murder mystery party, brilliantly organised by Jo and Cathy for Dan's birthday, and the whole frogbombing incident which culminated in a ("Mickey Mouse") court hearing and punishment being metered out by Tui Mali himself (myself, an innocent bystander being 'gifted' a place on the workforce in the absence of one of the criminals, lol!). I was here for the Vorovoro Session, where the Mali choir came to Vorovoro to sing for us and to be professionally recorded for a TW download, along with the songs usually heard during the week on the island. I've visited village elder Leavi's farm and helped him dig and plant yams and now I've been to Api the boat captain's home on the mainland and helped him paint it. These are unique opportunitys in life, and I'm very happy to be here and have this chance to improve myself as a person. Long may it continue. Maybe I can magic some way up of staying here or returning... it's certainly in my heart and mind!
We also have countless small moments that are golden... too many to recall as I sit here in the ecotricity hut typing on my laptop, best to use my photos and comments to recall those where possible. Some things that have stood out these recent weeks and days... Emma leaving (sad day!), Greek ladys, Chewbacca, Bean Toes, My name is Jenniiiii, Oh my god (oh your god!), amaaaaazzin, many many grog sessions, songs, meke, Jim becoming project director for next year (ammmmaaaazzzzzin!), the guys arriving and realising Jales' dream of building a gym on the beach, it's called the Jim-nasium lol, walking the four peaks and running parts of it (fun!), reef snorkeling trips and encountering a MAHUUUUSIVE sturgeon with Emma and Benj whilst we were being followed by a small school of yellow fish, playing bad chess!, reading books!! (suddenly after many years of not reading, I'm a book eating machine. I've read Dice Man by Luke Rienhart, The Bourne Legacy and now reading Keith Allens autobiography, which is laugh-out-loud funny!) and not forgetting countless firepit talks and hammock wrestling... who needs television! This is real life and I love it. I'm making lots of new friends, and some of these friendships will hopefully continue on for some years to come.
I miss certain people who have been and left during my time, not least of all Emma, who arrived on the same day as me... hopefully she is having the time of her life now teaching kids hockey near to Nadi!
One bad day I had here, was when my ipod had an accidental wash in the sea... I've been so careful with my gadgets so far this year, and to lose it now is a hefty blow! It was only purchased to bring with me on this trip, and having used it countless evenings to get to sleep in noisy dorms and on flights and just to enjoy my favourite tunes, it is a big loss. Having only bought my laptop in Australia and of course, not backing any of my 1500 tunes up to it since buying it, it means I only have a few albums with me that I purchased online in New Zealand... bah! At least I did insure the thing, so hopefully I can get that cost back and try and pick another one up.
So, umm... check out my pics over on facebook. They are a sod to upload from the connection in Labasa when I get there, and there are lots more on my PC, but they give a good indication as to life here...
I've written a blog about a day out where a group of the tribe went the Api the boat captains house to paint it for him, as a way of saying thank you for the two years of excellent service he has provided to the project... it's over on the tribewanted site, so please click and read it and have a look around on the site. Joining is free and you can get involved on the forum with discussions about the island and how it is run and keep up to date on me, the project and even check out the profiles of those people staying on the island with me... go go go! Vinaka!
Laters
Sloggs :)
P.S. I found out today, on my visit to the mainland to upload this post, that my blog is the 28th most read on this site... a fact I find astonishing personally, but thanks to everyone for reading!!!
I'd love to know who you are, what you think of my blog or even how you came to find it... It would be great to hear from you in a comment on here or via email sl0ggs@gmail.com. I might not be able to reply to everyone very quickly as I only have a couple of hours online per week currently, but it would be great to hear your thoughts and find out who is reading... cheers! :)
P.P.S. My postal address is as follows... if you want to make a future chief happy, send sweets! But anything is welcome... heheheh! Thanks! Love ya!
Paul Sloggett
Tribewanted
PO Box 2760
Labasa
Fiji
