frustrated

/frΛsˈtreιtəd/ adj. 1 foiled, stopped, disappointed. 2 suffering from frustration; dissatisfied, agitated, and/or discontent because one is unable to perform an action or fulfill a desire.

I have had a pretty interesting week this week.

One of the classes has been studying “Ancient Civilisations” and were doing a unit on Greece. Inise, their teacher, asked if it would be all right if they could hold a mini Olympic Games, since the Greeks were the ones who started off the tradition. All the other teachers thought it was a great idea, and pretty soon all the classes were involved. “How about we divide the children up into country teams?” one of the others suggested. “They could each wear coloured t-shirts to show which country they’re from.” Some of the kids could even dress up in national costume! Then somebody suggested an opening ceremony with a march into the arena, and this was quickly followed with a torch relay and the lighting of the Olympic flame. Next the idea came up that their families and a prominent “chief guest” could be invited, which would really encourage the kids.

So on Thursday at lunch, they had a practice of the entry into the arena, which took a considerable amount of time!

Then on Friday, it was time for the Olympics! The kids all came in their country colours, and before long, there were flags being painted on cheeks and arms. A brightly coloured sulu was hung up over the stairs, and from nine o’clock to ten o’clock the teachers were making flower arrangements to place around the officials’ seating area, and getting the morning tea ready! The kids all lined up behind the school ready to march and the Olympic torch (which had been doused in kerosene) was waiting to be lit. The Sports Co-ordinator from the Fiji Disabled Persons Association was there to officially open the games. He gave a wonderful speech about how proud he was that the school put in so much effort, and how sports are good for your mind and your body, and how he was looking forward to the day when some of these students will travel overseas to represent Fiji in professional sports (I don’t think he realised that the kids were going to be playing games like Eat The Apple Off The String Without Using Your Hands, and Who Can Chow Through A Bowl Of Porridge The Fastest?)

Then it rained. No, poured. Absolutely bucketed down! We were all standing out in the cold and the wet. But it was still a great experience, and they had a great time. Needless to say, the poor kids were soaked through by lunchtime, and so the conclusion of the games, score tallying, and prize-giving ceremony has been postponed to next Friday. The saga continues …

We have made friends with the other Australian volunteers who live across the street from us. One of them, Alex, brought a keyboard with him, and was looking for someone to show him a bit, or maybe give him some lessons. So that should be pretty fun, I reckon. They’re a pretty cool bunch; in fact, all the volunteers I’ve met have been really friendly and supportive … It’s strange how you can just be thrown together with a completely random group of people and need to make new friends, and get on with your housemates, and it just seems to work. I’m not saying this has been the case for everyone, but I have certainly been blessed in terms of where I’m living, and the people I live with, and the friends I’ve made.

My e-mail account and internet connection has been painfully slow lately. They tell us it’s got something to do with that particular provider not having very good support in Fiji (or something). Last night I was on the ’net for more than an hour trying to access one e-mail message. But it’s been the same with all our mobile phones here too. Our provider ran a special, where you would get double the credit for the value you paid (if you pay $11, you get $22 worth of credit … this also means the more you pay, the more free credit you get). Unfortunately this means absolutely everybody in Fiji has wanted to “double up” and now you need to call at least six times before you have a chance of getting a dial tone. The network just seems to be overloaded. There was even a topical comment printed in the newspaper the other day. Two little guys were standing about two metres from each other, both on their mobile phones. One of them says, “I’m calling you!” and the other replies, “But it’s after 7pm … So I can’t hear you!” Anyway. There are some little frustrations here that we put up with.

Overall I’m doing well, and promise to send out some more personal e-mails to people as soon as I can.

Cheers,
Andy

culture

/ˈkΛltſə/ n. 1 the arts, customs, and habits that characterise a particular racial, religious, social or national group and which depend upon the human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. 2 the beliefs, values, behaviour and material objects that constitute a people’s way of life.

G’day everyone … or should I say, ni sa bula! The past week has been really good, and I have been able to settle in to work reasonably well. I feel as though I have much more of a sense of my place here and where I fit in. Getting to know the staff and the kids better has also helped to make me feel more comfortable.

I have also gradually been finding more and more out about the Fijian culture, which is fascinating. One of the best conversations I had was with Claudette, the head teacher at the school where I’m working. She gave me a whole heap of insight into Fijian traditions, including funerals, weddings, engagements, and the like. She talked a lot about the concept of tabu (pronounced /ˈta:mbu:/), which (from my Western way of understanding) is a restriction on eating something, or going somewhere, or doing something for a certain period of time. For instance, during some festivals or seasons, the ratu (chief) of a particular area can declare fishing tabu, and so you may have to go around to another part of the shore to catch your dinner. When different family groups get together, eating certain foods is tabu.

The interesting thing is the belief that breaking or disobeying the tabu can have dire consequences. Claudette told me about instances of people going fishing in a tabu area and being attacked by sharks, or choking while eating tabu food at a gathering. This is all very well, but it really interests me that these views prevail in a predominantly Christian country, and certainly at my work, which is a Christian school. How do you reconcile these beliefs in superstition and spirits with a belief in one God who has power over everything (including any other kind of spirits) and is the saviour of the world? It certainly is intriguing.

Anyway. I hadn’t meant to get so “preachy”! Here are some other, lighter, aspects of the Fijian culture or way-of-life which I wanted to share:

• 
  
  At the traffic lights, red means “stop,” green means “go,” and orange means “floor it, because you might still make it through in time”.



• 
  
  In the shops, the sales staff are very attentive. That is, they follow you around, about twenty centimetres behind you, until you decide to buy something. Then they’ll carry it to the cash registers for you.



• 
  
  People here actually greet each other in the street. This is really nice, and I’ve decided to milk it for all it’s worth; I’ve been making sure I say good morning to everyone!

This week I went to see a movie at the Alliance Française (yes, that’s right, there is a French cultural centre here in Suva! You can take French lessons, but also study Hindi and Fijian). It was called U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, and is a modern South African adaptation of Bizet’s opera, Carmen. It is sung entirely in Xhosa. If you are a fan of the original opera, I would recommend you to have a look if you get the chance.

That’ll do for now. I’m doing well, and am happy. Hope the same applies to you.
Andy

corporal punishment

/ˈko:prəl ˈpΛnιſmənt/ n. 1 the infliction of physical injury on someone convicted of committing a crime

My friend Copland (who was kind enough to phone me up this week) informed me that “blogs are like relationships … I promise to check your blog; you have to give me something in return.” So, in the interests of not losing any relationships, here is the next installment!

This is our house.

My room is the one second from the right. And don’t be deceived by the blazing light — for those of you who think I’ve been doing nothing but soaking up the sun in Suva, think again. It has been grey and rained for five out of seven days this week. One of my big purchases has been an umbrella. One of my big purchases when I get home will have to be some new shoes; the ones I’ve got here are pretty muddy now!

I have been working at school now for a week-and-a-half. I haven’t been testing any hearing yet, because the audiometer isn’t working, and I’m waiting for a replacement to arrive from Australia (it’ll be here next week). However, I have had an influx of broken hearing aids, so I haven’t been idle. It’s been good to get to know the kids and teachers at the school too. I’m getting more and more familiar with the surroundings too, and finding my way around. “Walk with purpose,” they tell us, trying to prevent us from being mugged. “Make it seem like you know where you’re going.” Actually knowing where you’re going is a big step towards achieving this goal.

Generally, it seems as though you just need to be sensible here when it comes to security (you know: don’t go walking alone at night, lock your doors, etc. etc.). However, we haven’t taken any chances, and this is just one part of our security system here at the house. I was going to say “one small part” but that would hardly be correct, would it? You know those police shows on TV, where they lock someone in the cells, and it makes that heavy, metallic, clanking sound, always with a foreboding air of finality? That’s the kind of noise we hear every time we leave the house!

For all you people in Australia (and I’m pretty sure the US, too), aren’t you glad you don’t get the cane any more at school? Today, as the kids were lining up for class, some of the older ones had — I suppose — been mucking up. So they were called out the front. Have you ever had a delicious meal, and made that lip-smacking noise with a kiss of your lips, while simultaneously pulling your closed fingers away from your mouth? Mwah! Well, that’s the hand shape these boys had to make. They were made to hold one hand in that position with the palm facing upwards. Then the teacher took a plank of wood — I’d say probably about four or five centimetres wide, and about a centimetre or two thick — and brought it down hard and fast on their fingertips. Thock! It was a bit surreal to watch, and actually a bit sickening to hear. It’s the first instance of punishment I’ve seen being doled out at the school … I’m hoping I don’t have to witness it too often.

Anyway. On that happy note, I’ll finish here, and I’ll try and update again really soon! Hope you’re all happy and healthy, and have all your knuckle joints in their proper alignment!

Cheers,
Andy

expatriate

/εks'peıtriət/, n. 1 one who has taken up residence in a foreign country.

Well, first of all I should apologise to those who have been checking this page in the hope of an update, but been bitterly disappointed. I have been pretty busy, and there haven’t been too many chances to access the ’net. But anyway.

Things are going really well. I have now been in Suva, Fiji for a little over one week. Mainly, I have been getting myself oriented with the other volunteers. I am flatting with two others, Wes and Janet, and this past week we have been having fun decking out our new digs. We had a table and some chairs, a few bed frames, and a stove, and that was about it. So it has been a fun experience buying everything else from scratch. We are still living the Spartan life, but hey, it’s all good. As soon as I work out how to do it, I’ll add a photo here so you know what our house looks like.

A lot of this week we have spent travelling in and out of Suva. The streets are pretty higgledy-piggledy, and it has taken a while to learn where the main landmarks are, but I’m sure I’ll get there slowly. I have noticed that there has been heaps of change since I was here in 1998. People are saying that things really started to change after the political coup six years ago. There are many new buildings I don’t recognise, but every now and then something will pop up, like the president’s house, the Hilton Special School, and (sad to say) the McDonald’s in town.

I am living just a short walk from the water, and there are some impressive looking mountains to the west. When the sun sets (if it’s not too cloudy) the scenery is beautiful. I haven’t had a good chance to take some photos yet, but when I get a nice one, I’ll put it on here for you to look at.

We have all had lots of taxi and bus rides. Both are interesting, and both have their pros and cons. For the moment, I’m catching two buses to work, which takes me about an hour. This is an exciting journey of open windows, exhaust fumes, the crowded Bus Stand, and blasting music (I could see the speakers moving violently, no exaggeration — I’m not kidding). On the positive side, it is just a little over $1 for a one-way journey.

One of the greatest things I have appreciated here is the chance to interact with the other volunteers — especially the ones who have already been here three months or more. Their advice has been invaluable, and their help has been fantastic. We were even invited to dinner with some of our neighbours a few days ago.

Anyway. That’ll do for now. I’ll keep you all up to date, and will write again when I get the chance. Thanks to everyone who’s written to me … keep them coming, because it’s been great to hear from you.