the start

The description of this blog was based on a few reoccurring thoughts- 1. the inability of my daily life to stop, even for good reason- most people would refer to this as the principle of "time," and 2. that timelessness is not the idea of immortality, but something felt by people who clearly have too much time on their hands.

The training process I just finished was 10 weeks long. Each incoming volunteer is assigned to a village (about 5 volunteers to every village). The villages were a 25-30 minute bus ride to Nausori- the closest town/small city. Needless to say that no one really lived "in the bush." But, as far as living the rural life- I, little ol' Kiva, lived vagalala (outside the village or literally, on its own). My house was about 6 minutes walk to the main (dirt) road. Crossing the road would put me in the village where I had language class.

Most days were as full as they could be, with 4 hours of language class (with one hour break for tea and nap- hey, its Fiji) and then health technical sessions for the second half of the day (with one hour break for tea- again, its Fiji). Every week we would have hub days were all programs (all 32 incoming volunteers) would come together. The programs were health (which also included youth) and environment (which also included business). These were days with combined sessions and the opportunity for the villages to show off their cooking/partying throwing abilities.

Blackness fell at 6 pm and no really left their houses after that. My evenings were spent playing rummy with my host sister, mom or dad (I became the master champ by the end) and watching old American and Australian tv shows (or movies, everything is called a movie).


saying goodbye to my host family- the transition from training to becoming a volunteer

my host dad and the chief of the village I was staying in

hehe...

Anyway, so here I am, living in the Lautoka area. I received an amazing assignment to work with the western division with the Ministry of Health. The Hub Sight (as they call it) is both a clinic and reproductive health promotion sight. There are big plans, but things move slow and get stuck in the "pipe-line." There is foreseeable traveling, and opportunity to carry out workshops all over western Fiji.

With that, my first day of work at the Hub Sight I arrive to find no counterpart. hmm, I say, hmm... I call her on my new and very sleek mobile phone. She explains that just last night she decided it would be a good time to take one week leave from work. Again, I say, hmmmm. I was able to meet a lot of people and eat some good curry with roti. Later today I will go for my first lesson in tennis- further explaination to these sotries I reserve for people who email me...

It's coming to the end of my first full day of work and I feel quite accomplished, and I was even able to have a mid day nap. Like I said, too much time on my hands.