6:00 am - woken up by heavy rains and strong wind

6:30 am - power goes out

7:00 am - watched a banana tree blow over

7:30 am - rearranged living room so furniture wouldn't get soaked

9:00 am - storm is finished

9:30 am - swept out leaves and water from my house

10:00 am - started reading a book about a Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia, mood is lifted

11:30 am - neighbors bring me breadfruit from a tree that blew over

1:00 pm - walked around town with some friends

5:00 pm - returned home with a sunburn. oiaue.

7:30 pm - dinner by candlelight

8:00 pm - continued to read Mongolia book using headlamp

9:00 pm - bedtime

the end.

Three weeks and counting...three weeks of wet, windy, nasty weather. Three weeks of wet laundry, muddy feet and lots of time indoors. Also, this is peak cyclone season, so we are on alert for cyclone warnings and possible consolidation. Oiaue.

In other news, last week was the beginning of school, although not the beginning of classes. The students at the catering school came in to fill out their school applications and scholarship forms to help pay for their school fees. The teaching staff had meetings with officers from the Free Wesleyan Church offices in Tongatapu, updating us on changes for the 2012 school year. Next week will be our first week with the students. We will start with orientation and field trips to local hospitality establishments.

The beginning of school also marks the beginning of track and field season. I may try my hand at coaching again this year, although coaches are more often found socializing under the mango trees as opposed to actually helping students. If this is the case, I am more than happy to help coach =)

Outside of school, I have been hanging out with my fellow town folks, Dominica and a new Australian volunteer, Jessica. We take advantage of our close proximity to town by eating lots of ice cream and buying lots of DVDs. Good times in Vava'u!

Hello everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates lately, but now that I'm back at my site I should be able to start blogging again.

To wrap up my time in America, I spent a couple days giving presentations about Tonga. I spoke to classes at Highland Middle School, Reynolds High School, and the Sunday School classes of St. Mark's, all of which were great audiences. I loved sharing my stories, and I hope others enjoyed them, too.

When I arrived back in Tonga, I attended a training session with the rest of Group 76. It was great to see all of the other volunteers from different islands and catch up.

Now that I'm back in Vava'u, I'm just cleaning my house and getting ready to start school. Next Monday, we begin planning week and the following week is the first week of school. I'm excited to get back to school, see all of the Mailefihi staff, and meet the new students.

Here's to a great 2012!

Family, food, malls, cars, cold, food, Christmas, food, friends, travel, beer, food. America is a little overwhelming! However, it feels so great to be home and I could not be happier to see my friends and family.

Wishing everyone a merry Christmas and joyful new year!

Here in Tonga, the holidays are now in full swing. Not only is Christmas quickly approaching, but last week was graduation which marked the official end of school. In other words, in Tonga it is summer break and Christmas at the same time! How fabulous is that? This magical combination means that the past couple weeks have been lots of fun.

The first holiday celebration I attended in Tonga was our Peace Corps Thanksgiving dinner. We were able to track down all the traditional Thanksgiving foods; turkey from Tongatapu, stuffing and cranberry sauce from America, homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, pumpkin pie, and apple pie. Yum! Also, it was great to spend some time with my Peace Corps family.

Last Tuesday was our Christmas program at school. Even though it's still November, Tongan schools usually do a Christmas program early before summer break begins. Each class was responsible for preparing a Christmas tree. Most classes brought in regular old trees with branches and leaves because pine trees are non-existent in Tonga. Even though most weren't traditional Christmas trees, they still looked beautiful with all of the garland, ornaments, and balloons. The program also included lots of Christmas songs. My favorite was "The 12 days of Christmas" performed by Class 1 and Class 2. So cute!

The most recent celebration was our graduation ceremony on Thursday. It was very different than most graduations I've attended in America. There were the usual speeches and announcements of the top students, but there was also lots of music, tons of candy necklaces and money as gifts from students' families, and a table full of prizes. It was also my first time attending a ceremony where I had students graduating. I was so proud of them all! Now it's time to travel, relax, and visit with family and friends. Happy holidays everyone!

Yesterday was on of the last events of the 2011 school year at Mailefihi, a farewell picnic for the teachers who will be leaving next year. As of right now, there are 4 teachers leaving next year, one of them being my neighbor and fellow PCV Ashley. Next week there will be an announcement for all the Wesleyan schools about the "hiki fiako" or relocation of teachers. That means that many of our teachers will be moving to teach at Wesleyan schools on different islands in Tonga. However, we will also be getting many new teachers next year. I'm curious to see what the 2012 staff will be!

Anyway, I think that the picnic yesterday was a fantastic way to say goodbye to the teachers who are leaving. It was a gorgeous day with lots of sunshine and a wonderful island breeze. At the beach, we had a stunning view of some outer islands and the open ocean beyond. There was plenty to do including volleyball, cards, swimming and naturally tons of food. My favorite was eating all the fresh pineapple and watermelon...perfect picnic food!

Along with this end of the year event, we had a Christmas program on Friday, our last Sunday church service with students and teachers today, a upcoming candlelight march on Tuesday, and the graduation ceremony on Thursday. We are so close to being finished, and then I'm so looking forward to my travels in December! Until then, I will be found enjoying the beautiful beaches of Tonga and some delicious island food.

It's official. I have the coolest job ever. For the past two and a half weeks, my students have been doing their final assessments. Each student had to prepare an appetizer, a main, and a dessert. My job was to grade their work in the kitchen; cleanliness, hygiene, proper methods, correct uniform, use of knives, etc. After grading their work, I also got to assist with taste testing. Yum.

I was very impressed with the food the students prepared. Here are some example menus:

- Tempura, fish and chips, brownies- Lobster cocktail, lobster bombay, banana split- Chef's salad, fish curry, pineapple fritters- Sushimi, stuffed chicken, tropical fruit salad- Green salad, polynesian fish, banana foster

It was all delicious, and I had a super fun two weeks. Now, that the assessments are finished, the students have choir practice and cleaning everyday until graduation on November 24th. After that, some travels around the islands and America here I come! Can't wait!

Halloween is not a big holiday in Tonga. In fact, no one really celebrates except the tourists and expats who live here. But today thanks to a fellow volunteer, Ashley, some of the class one and class two students got to experience Halloween for the first time.

As part of their English lesson this week, these students learned how to say "trick or treat" and "thank you, happy Halloween". They also made butterfly and lion masks as their costumes, and learned to say either "I am a butterfly" or "I am a lion". The kids walked over to my classroom, decked out in their masks and carrying plastic bags. When they arrived, they knocked or my door and said "trick or treat" in their best English. A couple kids got ahead of themselves, and when I opened the door shouted "I am a lion". Regardless of what they said, they all did a great job and were rewarded with lollipops, a pencil, a toothbrush, and silly bands.

Happy Halloween!

This week I was able to attend not just one, but two weddings! I still do not understand all of the elements of a Tongan wedding, but I will try to explain the things that I do understand. Also, there are many parts of the pre-wedding rituals that I don't know, so I will just stick to the day of.

Most Tongan weddings are done in two parts. First, the couple goes to the courthouse and to a minister to fill out all of the official paperwork for a wedding. For this part, only close family and friends attend. The second part is the couple's Sapate Taha (first Sunday). This is the first Sunday they attend church as a married couple. Lots of family and friends attend, and there is a big feast after the service.

The first wedding I attended this week was a mix of palangi and Tongan, which made for a super fun day. This couple was leaving for Australia the day after the wedding, so instead of a big celebration on Sunday after church, they did it all on the same day. There were lots of things that I am used to at wedding; exchanging rings, saying vows, cutting the wedding cake, bridesmaids and groomsmen, etc. However, it was undeniably a Tongan wedding, too. There were flower necklaces, gifts of traditional Tongan mats, roasted pigs, Tongan dances, etc. It was a great time!

The second wedding wasn't an actual wedding ceremony, just the Sunday service. At the service, the couple sat in the front, wearing white clothes with lots of fancy mats covered in shells, beads, and feathers. Their clothes were so beautiful! After church, we went to a huge feast at the groom's house. During the feast, there were fakamalo speeches (thank-you speeches) from many family members. During these speeches they offered well-wishes and advice for the new couple.

I'm so thankful I got to be a part of these weddings, they were super interesting. I have at least one more Tongan wedding to attend soon...the wedding of my friends Pa and Ashley in December. Can't wait!

First year in Tonga was excellent. Here are some highlights!

Arrival of Group 76 in Tonga.

My training group.

Swearing-in ceremony.

My house in Vava'u.

My class from Pouono Catering and Hospitality School.

Dancing a traditional Tongan dance, the ta'uolunga.

Riding in a U.S. Navy helicopter.

The king and queen of Aloha Night.

My dad came to visit!!!

Celebrating the anniversary of Mailefihi Siu'ilikutapu College.

Kelana Social Night 2011.

Go 'Ikale Tahi go!

Group 76 Vava'u crew. 'Ofa atu!

A few months ago I posted an entry about the importance of rugby in Tonga. Well, one post was not enough because this past month has shown me that Tonga is even more obsessed with rugby than I originally thought. The Rugby World Cup started earlier this month, and I never anticipated the team spirit that would encompass the entire country of Tonga.

Tonga played in the opening game of the World Cup this year against New Zealand. At school, we were told to wear red to support the Tonga national team, the Ikale Tahi (Sea Eagles). Not only were the people at school wearing red, but everyone was wearing red that day. There were tons of spontaneous parades, all the high school bands played in town, and every person made sure to find a t.v. to watch the game. Unfortunately, Tonga lost to the All Blacks, but it did not lessen the excitement surrounding the event.

Last night was Tonga’s last game in the World Cup. The Ikale Tahi had too many losses to advance to the quarterfinals, but they certainly went out in style. The pulled off an incredible win over France, which was the biggest upset of this year’s World Cup. The after match celebrations here in Vava’u were fabulous. Tons of people got into vehicles and drove around beeping horns and blasting music. Those without vehicles watched from the street, cheering and dancing. There were fireworks being set off from the back of a truck, water being tossed on the crowd, and lots of make-shift drums. Even the police and fire vehicles joined in the celebrations, circling around town with their sirens blaring.

I had so much fun celebrating Tonga’s win last night. It helped me appreciate the pride that goes into everything Tongans do; supporting the Ikale Tahi, singing in church choirs, welcoming visitors. The list goes on, but I hope I can also learn to do things with just as much pride and enthusiasm.

Go Ikale Tahi Go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhNstkapatg - watch this first!

Not to brag, but Camp GLOW Vava’u 2011 was fantastic! 28 girls attended camp and spent the week learning, developing leadership skills, and enjoying camp. Our camp director, Kelly, did a wonderful job organizing the camp which was a big part of the success. We were also very fortunate to have great counselors, junior counselors, and camp moms.

Camp started on Monday with lots of fun activities. There were ice breakers, poster painting, relay races, and sports. It was awesome to finally meet all of the campers after all of the promotion, fundraising, and planning we did.

Tuesday there were sessions about women's health, HIV/AIDs, and environmental education. In the afternoon, we did a rotation of tie-dye, sports, and games. The tie-dye shirts turned out great! Then there was a hike up Mt. Talau and a surprise ice cream party.

Wednesday there were lots of educational sessions; sexual harassment, domestic violence, critical thinking, and decision making. Wednesday evening we took a trip to the beach where did a beach clean-up, bbq, and campfire.

Thursday was focused on careers, so in the morning the girls went out into town to shadow women in different industries. In the afternoon there was a career panel and the girls had time to practice for the closing ceremony performances.

Friday was the last of the educational sessions. The girls learned about anger management, drug and alcohol abuse, and budgeting and savings. We ended on Friday night with a dance party. It was lots of fun!

Saturday was our final day, so we basically prepared for the closing ceremonies, took lots of pictures in our tie-dye shirts, and said good-byes. The closing ceremonies turned out well. The performances the girls prepared were great and there was lots of yummy food.

Overall, Camp GLOW was awesome...can't wait for next year!

This week there were several exciting celebrations; Ashley’s 24th birthday and the anniversary of Mailefihi Siulikutapu college.

For Ashley’s birthday, I worked with Ashley’s fiancé, Pa, to plan the surprise party. We decided all of the guests would get together and then Pa would bring Ashley when we were ready. Despite the fact that Pa called me twice while he was walking to the party with Ashley, she had no idea and was genuinely surprised. We then enjoyed some yummy cake, chips, chocolates, and biscuits. Ifo aupito!

The other big celebration was our school’s anniversary. It turned out to be an all-day event, and included church, food, music and dancing. We started in the morning with a church service. Several teachers read scripture and hymns, the brass band accompanied the singing, and the President of Education gave the message. Next we moved over to the school hall for the feast. I got lucky and was able to sit at a front table where the honored guests sit. Therefore, I had the best food such as lasagna, pizza, sweet and sour chicken, pasta crab salad and, of course, roasted pig. During the feast there were the usual speeches, but we also had lots of dancing for entertainment. I took part in a group ta’olunga with my class from the catering school. There were also sitting dances, line dances and some disco, too. Quite an exciting day!

Picking up where I left off last post, dad’s next activity was a dinner at my house. Some of my Tongan girlfriends came over to cook and the two other volunteers from my school, Sean and Ashley, came over, too. We had lots of yummy food like crab salad, beef with pele, papaya, roast chicken, fried rice, and bananas in coconut milk. It was also nice for my dad to meet some of my non-peace corps friends.

Later that evening, we went to see the fakaleiti show. For those of you who don’t know, fakaleitis are Tonga boys who are raised as girls. Some of the boys grow up and begin dressing like men, but others continue to dress and act like women. I convinced my dad to go see the show because it truly is a unique cultural experience.

Thursday was my weekly music class at the kindergarten, always a highlight of the week. Friday another volunteer, Kalo, invited us to a concert for her church. This concert was a fundraiser, so there were lots of prepared dances. Some were to contemporary worship songs and others were traditional Tongan dances. There were also several skits that were very entertaining.

Saturday was our adventure to motu (an outer island). In typical Tongan style, we went to the wharf to find a boat and none of the boats were going to the island we wanted. We shopped around at the market for a while we tried to figure out what to do. Thankfully I spotted someone from the island and asked him if a boat was coming, and he told us one would be coming shortly. After a while the boat came and we were loaded on along with some of the villagers and lots of food for Sunday lunch. We arrived in Nuapapu and went to see Farfum, the peace corps volunteer at that site. Farfum and his principal showed us their school and gave us a tour of their village. I was happy my dad got to see an outer village where life is very different from life in town. The only electricity comes from solar panels and generators, and most people only have water from the rain water tanks. Also, there are no cars, only horses. It makes Transfer seem like a booming metropolis.

Sunday we went to church at the Catholic church with my boyfriend. After church, we had lunch at his house with his family. There was lot of fantastic food and it was fun to eat faka-Tonga; the whole family sitting on the floor.

During dad’s last week here I was teaching, so he spent lots of time helping do things around my house and relaxing. His big project was painting my shower floor…it looks great! He also helped with dishes and laundry, which was much appreciated. Also during the week we played volleyball, went to a baptism, ate at a Tongan restaurant, and went to trivia night. However, I think dad’s favorite part of the week was teaching music at the kindergarten. He taught them a new song, and a McDonald family classic, “Down by the Bay”.

For dad’s last day, we had a lunch that my co-teachers and students prepared at the catering school. It was a nice way for them to say goodbye, and they also generously brought many Tongan gifts for dad to take back to America like jewelry, tapa cloth, fans, and a map of Vava’u. After lunch, dad and I watched some soccer, which was very entertaining. I always got in trouble for laughing at Wesley’s soccer games, but here in Tonga laughter is part of the game. Dad and I had quite a few good laughs during the game. Friday night a few people game over to my house for dinner. Then dad spent his last night listening to the dogs, pigs, and roosters, probably one part of Tonga he will not miss.

Saturday morning it was time to say goodbye. We had our last cinnamon rolls from the bakery for breakfast at the airport, and then dad took off for his long journey back to America. It was hard for me to see him leave, but I take comfort in the fact that I will be returning to America for Christmas this year, and I will have the opportunity to see my whole family. It was awesome having a visitor here, and I hope there will be many more in the future!

After flying from Cleveland to L.A. to Fiji to Nuku'alofa, my dad arrived here in beautiful Vava'u on July 26th. He came with a suitcase marked "very heavy" and a handful of Tongan words, ready to experience my life here in Peace Corps Tonga.

The first couple days dad was here, we spent a lot of time relaxing, allowing him to adjust to the new time zone. We went to morning assembly at my school and saw some classrooms. We also walked around town, stopping at places like the wharf, the Peace Corps office, and some shops.

Friday was our first adventure...whale watching! Unfortunately, the waters were especially rough which resulted in some people on our boat getting seasick. Thankfully, dad and I took motion sickness pills in the morning and went the whole day without getting sick. We were able to see quite a few whales throughout the day, which was fantastic! We also stopped at an island for lunch and some snorkeling. Some people attempted to get in the water to swim with the whales, but were not successful. Maybe next time!

Saturday we took a trip out to one of the resort islands, Mala. We spent the day kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking around the island. It was a gorgeous day, and gave us the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beautiful island.

Sunday was an important day at my church because it was the last Sunday for our boy's head tutor before he leaves for Tongatapu. All the students and teachers attended church, and the school band provided accompaniment for the music. I borrowed some Tongan clothes from my neighbors for dad...he looked great! Sunday afternoon we went for a drive to some beaches on the island and just made it back for the afternoon church service. After church, there was a dinner for the head tutor, so dad experienced a Tongan feast. He tried some raw fish, octopus, and, of course, roasted pig!

Monday was a public holiday, so in the morning we went to one of the lookout points. It was a little bit of a hike, but the view of the cliffs and beaches is well worth it. After that, we went to the beach for a picnic and some swimming. Finally, Monday night we celebrated a volunteer's birthday with some pizza and drinks and a local restaurant.

After a busy weekend, Tuesday we just relaxed and did some laundry. However Tuesday night was a momentous occasion...dad's first time drinking kava! He went to the local police and fire station, enjoying the Tongan music and lots of joking.

Today we hiked to the top of Mt. Talau, the highest point of Vava'u. We saw some fantastic views of Neiafu, the harbor, and the outer islands. It was a little hot, but a nice adventure.

More things to come next week!

This weekend was the end of rugby season, and I think I would be leaving out a significant part of Tongan culture if I didn't dedicate at least one blog post to the topic.

Tongans love rugby. It is probably the equivalent of American football in most parts of the U.S., but only the parts with crazy, die-hard fans who paint their bodies for games and fall into deep depressions at the end of the season. Our entire school schedule was switched because of rugby practices, I've heard rugby mentioned in church sermons and we are having a huge feast for our rugby team next week. It's a big deal.

Anyway, I enjoyed rugby season here in Tonga. At the school games, the students do lots of fun cheers and it is a big social event. The village games are a great way to spend an afternoon on Saturdays after shopping at the market. I still don't appreicate everything about rugby (i.e. it can be very violent) nor do I understand all the finer points of the game (scrums are endlessly confusing), but I do appreciate the school spirit and community spirit the game brings to Tongan. Although the schools and villages have finished their seasons, the Rugby World Cup starts soon, where the whole country will be rooting for Tongan national team. You can be sure I will be cheering for the Ikale Tonga team too!

After a fabulous month of June, it is time to return to school, fundraising, meetings, music classes, and the like. I think my recent holidays caused me to unknowingly embrace island time. Suddenly I find myself strolling over to school 15 minutes late and feeling strong resentment over the fact that I cannot take an after lunch nap. My morning crossword time is severely lacking and I can't take day trips to the beach. How frustrating.

Anyway, having so much free time on my hands recently did give me a lot of time to think about why I am here in Tonga and the things going on in America. I missed some big events that happened at home during the month of June; my little sister's high school graduation, a close friend's wedding, road trips. Even though I was able to see plenty of pictures, hear stories on skype, and get updates on facebook, I was still sad to miss these important occasions.

But rather than dwell on these missed opportunities, I instead choose to focus on the opportunities I have here. I work at an amazing school, the people of Tonga are lovely, and I am learning new things everyday. I am truly blessed to be here, even though I don't have time to finish my crosswords in the morning. There are plenty of exciting things coming up soon...a big catering event for my school, my dad's visit, and Camp GLOW. And for those of you who know me well in America, you know that I honestly like to stay busy and stay involved. I am excited for the work that is ahead and all the things this new month will bring!

During the first two weeks of June, my students from the catering school were working in local restaurants doing their practical work experience. The last two weeks are the mid-year school break, so I have had lots of free time this month for adventuring. Here are some of my favorites!

1. Camping on a deserted island

To celebrate several birthdays, most of the Peace Corps volunteers in Vava’u, a few Tongan friends, and a friend from New Zealand took a trip out to a little island called Vaka’eitu. Local stories about this island say that the village that used to be there relocated because it is haunted. A former chief found his wife cheating on him with another man and murdered her. Now her spirit haunts the island. Despite the stories, we had a great time there swimming, playing volleyball, and hanging out around our beach bonfire.

2. The Magic Circus of Samoa

Last week, Vava’u hosted a travelling circus from Samoa that has been visiting all the different island groups of Tonga. Some of the acts included juggling, tightrope walking, clowns, trapeze, and magic tricks. Unfortunately no animals since they don’t travel very well on the boat. At one point, I was called up on stage and I was serenaded by a dwarf clown. Definitely a unique experience!

3. Aloha Night

Last weekend, my boyfriend invited me to a social night hosted by the Catholic youth. The theme for the dance was “Aloha Night”, so we had matching, Hawaiian-themed clothes made for the event. It was much more formal that I anticipated. There was an opening processional march and a waltz competition. However, the youth are very fond of disco (western-style dancing) so there was plenty of that too. My boyfriend and I won two awards: best clothing and king and queen. I have to keep practicing my waltz so next year we can win that one too!

4. Mala Island

Mala is a small resort island, only a 5 minute boat ride from the beach on the main island. A lovely family stays there; a Serbian man, Tongan wife, and 3 beautiful children with a 4th on the way soon. We went to spend the day swimming and relaxing and hopefully enjoying some yummy food. When we inquired about food, the owner replied, “You can use the kitchen. You are Peace Corps, figure it out!” So, that’s exactly what we did. We cooked an awesome dinner and enjoyed our food as we watched the sunset.

5. Holonga

Last Thursday, I went with Ashley, Farfum, Carolyn, and Sephora on a bike trip to Holonga look-out point and beach. We rode bikes most of the way there (about a 45 minute ride) with the exception of some rather large hills. We then hiked up to the look-out point, which is an incredible view of the ocean and surrounding cliffs and beaches. We had a photo shoot and picnic at the top. Our next stop was the beach where we got to swim and cool off after lots of fakamalohisino (exercise). One the journey back we got a bit dirty. Well, actually we were covered in mud. Regardless, it was a fabulous day and it reminded me of the beauty of Tonga.

Next adventure...my dad in Tonga!!!!! I can't wait =)

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps, so countries around the world are celebrating in a variety of ways. In Tonga, the volunteers and staff on the main island had a big event where several past volunteers shared their stories and lots of important people made speeches. Here in Vava'u, we are a little more chill, so we had some less formal celebrations. Our first event was a clean-up at the Neiafu market. The Vava'u volunteers, several Peace Corps staff members, a couple University of the South Pacific Students, and some Tongan children all participated.

Part 2 of our celebration was a dinner at a local restaurant. We invited our Tongan counterparts to come to share in our evening as well. Our country director gave a speech about Peace Corps in Tonga, and volunteers and counterparts shared about the experiences with Peace Corps. There were so many positive stories...it was really encouraging! Hopefully there will be many more years of Peace Corps and many more postive stories to share.

One of my most recent discoveries in Tonga is something called kaukau tuitui. In Tongan, kaukau means to shower and tuitui is a small nut. In order to use the tuitui to clean yourself, there are several steps. 1. take a hammer to crack open the nuts 2. use a knife to get the nut out from inside the shell 3. put the chunks of tuitui in your mouth 4. chew together with good-smelling leaves (usually cinnamon) 5. use the finished product as a soap, rubbing out all the dirt from your skin. It's a great exfoliant!

Camp GLOW (Girl's Leading Our World) is a camp that many Peace Corps countries run which promotes leadership among girls. Our Camp GLOW is going to be held in September, and we still have lots of fundraising to do. Please help us meet our goals! Check out this website for more information and how you can donate. Feel free to contact me with any questions!

https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=421-128

This Saturday morning was fun day at the Vava'u public library...woooo! Fun day consists of lots of carnival games, food, and music. There are lots of local businesses that sponsor the event and the food and games also raise money. I helped out at the food table selling some yummy baked goods. There was also a cake walk and a pinata. The kids had a great time and the volunteers had fun, too!

Some other fun activities that started recently are the college rugby and netball games. Rugby is the sport of choice in Tonga, and it seems like the whole island comes out to watch the games. Rugby is really important to the boys because it offers opportunities for them to get scholarships and jobs overseas. They take it very seriously! The girls play a sport called netball which is a combination of basketball and handball. Players shoot baskets, but there is no dribbling and you can't run when you have the ball. It looks really fun, even though I have yet to attempt playing. Both the rugby and netball games are very fun to watch, and I'm excited to see which school wins the championship this year.

Another exciting event that just started in Vava'u is the annual Church of Tonga conference. Members of that church from all the islands groups, Australia, New Zealand, and America have gathered for a week long conference. Everyday there are church services, meetings, and tons and tons of food.

A quick update on my music class...they now know 3 notes on their recorders! Perhaps soon they will learn a song. Or perhaps not, hahaha.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms reading, especially my mom. Ofa lahi atu (lots of love to you)!

A quick note about last week's entry; children's Sunday, or "Faka Me" in Tongan, is held the first Sunday in May every year. The children do the scripture readings, songs, and prayers...basically everything except the sermon. All the kids did a fantastic job!

This Sunday was Sapate Fa'e a.k.a. Mother's Day. To celebrate, Tongans do almost everything the same as American families. The moms are given gifts and honored during the church services. The only difference is that Tongan moms receive flower and candy necklaces. We don't usually have flower necklaces in Pennsylvania!

This week in school, I taught a unit about diversity. It was a challenging topic to cover because Tonga is such a homogeneous society. Racially there is little diversity, and the same is true for religious diversity. However, we also covered topics like age, special needs, and gender, all of which the students experience on a daily basis.

One of the interesting subjects we talked about was the gender roles of Tonga's third gender, fakaleitis. Check out this website for an explanation of fakaleiti: http://www.tongaatoz.com/f.html There are many fakaleitis working in the hospitality industry, and it is likely the students will work with them in the future. We talked about showing respect for our co-workers, regardless of gender, age, religion, or any other area of diversity.

Another fun class that I started teaching recently is a music class at a kindergarten. We are learning to play recorders, which can be a little painful on the eardrums at times. However, the kids are adorable, and I really enjoy teaching them. I also get to sing all the fun songs my mom and dad taught me growing up..."Little Bunny Foo-Foo" and "The Beehive" are two favorites!

This is my Easter day in Tonga:

1. Woke up and ate my Daffin's chocolate Easter egg from Marge for breakfast. Yum.

2. Went to church at 10:00. Sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today", in Tongan of course, but it brought me back to all my previous Easters at Zions and St. Mark's

3. Visited with a friend who is going to school on the main island. We chatted about boys, travel, school, and other delightful things.

4. Went to eat lunch with the kids from the church who are having a camp this weekend.

5. Skyped with the family in America.

6. Went to church at 4:00. Sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" again. After all, you only sing it one day a year, so why not sing it twice?

7. Returned to the camp for dinner. It is starting to cool off at night now, so I wore a scarf. First time I have ever worn a scarf in Tonga.

8. Wrote this blogpost and reflected on a lovely Easter day.

Happy Easter everyone!

This Wednesday, the U.S. Navy (along with a Coast Guard ship, some Marines, Australian volunteers, and New Zealand volunteers) arrived in Vava'u as part of the Pacific Partnership program. For more details on the awesome work they will be doing here and in the 4 other Pacific nations they will visit, check out this page: www.facebook.com/pacificpartnership Thursday afternoon, my friend and fellow Peace Corps volunteer Sephora did a radio show where she interviewed some of the officers from the Navy. They invited her out to the ship for a dinner that night and she invited me to join her. Along with the Peace Corps Tonga country director, Sephora and I went out for a fantastic dinner where we got to eat delicious food, listen to the navy band, and mingle with sailors. Friday morning all of the Peace Corps volunteers in Vava'u returned to the U.S.S. Cleveland for a tour of the ship. It was really interesting to see things like the sleeping quarters and the dining rooms. It's hard to imagine living on a boat like that for such a long time!

The best part of the tour was the trip back to town...we got to ride back to the island in a helicopter! It was my first trip in a helicopter, and it was really exciting. They left the doors open for us, and the view was incredible!

Saturday morning was a concert with the Navy band at the wharf. They also asked three of the high school bands to play, and my school, Mailefihi was one of the bands playing. I was asked to do a tau'olunga dance while our band was playing. What I failed to realize is that dancing in the sun while covered in coconut oil would result in a nasty sunburn. Luckily this burn wasn't as bad as some I've had in the past...those of you who have vactioned with me may remember some of those. I spent the rest of Saturday afternoon watching rugby in town. The village teams started playing last weekend and will continue to play for about another two months. It is fun to watch, but rather scary at times. I can't even count how many injuries there were during the two games that I watched!

This week is my school break, so I'll have lots of time to catch up on my reading and work on secondary projects. I'm also hoping to get my teeth checked by some Navy dentists. I hope everyone has a Happy Easter!

6 months in Tonga....wow! It has been half a year since I arrived in this tiny island nation. Half a year since I last saw my family. Half a year since I last ate Taco Bell. But seriously, it is a wonderful feeling to know that I have made it this far, and I am sure there are great things to come in the months ahead. Last week was a pleasant reminder of all the amazing things that Peace Corps volunteers are doing here in Tonga. All of us from Group 76 were reunited in Nuku'alofa for our In-Service Training (IST). We covered many topics including funding opportunities, Tongan language classes, environmental issues, etc., but by far the best part of the week was seeing all the other volunteers. It was fantastic to hear their stories. Many volunteers have opened up libraries at their schools, started after school programs, made close friends in their communities, and much more. We shared stories about teaching, about living in different island groups, and lots of funny anecdotes about life in Tonga. While in Nuku'alofa, I also did a lot of shopping. They have a great market with lots of second-hand clothes, jewelry, handicrafts, fruits, vegetables, and other miscellaneous things. I found some great clothes, new sunglasses, and some things for my house. I was even able to find lots of apple items (I have a slight obsession with apples). I bought an apple shirt, an apple candle, apple soap, and apple body spray. The only thing that would've made it better would have been having mom, Rachel, and Kristen with me...I miss my shopping buddies! This week I will be back in school teaching a unit on dealing with problem customers. There are lots of activities and role plays, so it should be fun! Also, the U.S. Navy is coming on Wednesday with approximately 600 sailors and volunteers as part of a program called the Pacific Partnership. They will be provided medical services, working on engineering projects, and playing sports with the school children. It should be a fun week!

As some of you reading this know, one of my favorite activities is asking the question "What was the best & worst parts of your day?" It is quite a popular discussion at the McDonald family dinner table. Using that theme, I decided to list just a few of the best parts of Tonga and the worst parts of Tonga. As an extra treat, there is a video at the end of the Mailefihi tent at sports day. Enjoy!

Best:

-making pizza with friends

-beach dance parties

-learning Tongan legends

-reading in my hammock

-school spirit

-singing in the church choir

-piano lessons

-Mailefihi sports

-care packages from home

-listening to Tongans play guitar

Worst:

-students playing recorders in the room next to my classroom

-cold showers

-ants

-being asked to serve kava every weekend

-sunburn

-not always being able to understand the language

-sweating

-roosters

-washing laundry by hand

-dogs coming in my house

-cats coming in my house

-pigs coming in my house

Thanks to everyone for all the prayers and concerns during the recent earthquake and tsunami. Tonga was under a warning for the tsunami, but fortunately it did not hit our islands. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Japan as they continue the rescue and clean-up efforts.

The past two weekends I have been very fortunate in being able to travel to two of the outer islands, Eu'eiki and Matamaka. To get to the outer islands, Tongans travel in small motor boats. Armed with my Peace Corps issued life jacket, I gladly take these boats out to islands that offer gorgeous scenery, relaxation, and lots of adventures. The first island, Eu'eiki, is home to a resort that is open from about May to September. During our weekend there we played volleyball, swam, walked the beach, and napped. Some people were more adventurous than me and went kayaking and fishing. Regardless, it was a fun weekend for everyone and a nice break from work now that school is starting to get busy.

The other island that I visited is Matamaka, where one of my fellow Peace Corps volunteers, Farfum, lives. His village is tiny, not even 100 people live there. Also, he lives in a house without electricity and running water. Visiting him certainly made me appreciate my house! However, his island is a beautiful and peaceful place, and I was very happy to be able to experience how he lives. Here are just a couple more pics from his island...enjoy!

Yesterday was an exciting day at Pouono Catering and Hospitality School...our very first catering event. It was for a workshop being held at the high school with about 20 people. We developed a menu for morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea which consisted of mostly Tongan food. Some of the food included puaka tuna (roast pig), sweet and sour chicken, chocolate cake, pizza, and ika fakapaku (fried fish). The workshop attendees were very impressed with the work the students did, and I was also very proud of them. The biggest crisis of the day was realizing we forgot to buy straws so that people could drink from the coconuts, but other than that things were great. I hope it is an indication that the rest of the year will only get better!

Last weekend was an important one for our school. Friday night was a dinner to welcome the new teachers and prefects. All the teachers, prefects, and families were there along with piles and piles of food. After eating, the school band and dancers provided some entertainment. Ashley and I learned a tau'olunga dance (the traditional Tongan dance for single women) to perform. However, we learned the verses the night before and the chorus that very morning. We definitely did not have enough practice, and ended up forgetting parts of our routine! Luckily, during the dances audience members come up and put money on the dancers. So when we forgot our moves we could just blame it on the fact that people were trying to put money on us and we got distracted. Regardless, the Tongans appreciated our efforts, even if we weren't as good as the Tongan girls.

Last Sunday was an event for our school called "Sapate Taha" or "First Sunday". All of the teachers and students attend the morning church service and the minister blesses the new school year. Sean and I, being new teachers this year, were asked to read scripture. Unlike last time I read in church, this time I just read in English. Since I was a reader, I got to wear a very nice ta'ovala (the woven mats worn around the waist) and lots of accessories. I also had a brand new puletaha (dress) made from blue fabric that is our school color. My co-teacher Moala gave it to me as a gift, which was very sweet. It continues to amaze me that the Tongan people are so kind and giving. As a further example, for lunch on Sunday a family brought a whole carload of food to my house. Two of my Tongan friends, Sean, Ashley, and I shared a delicious Tongan meal courtesy of their generosity.

Lastly, happy birthday to my mom, I hope you had a wonderful day! 'Ofa atu!

Here are some recent pictures...my late night feast, fields trips with my class, and the island, Eueiki.

One of the most unique features of Tongan culture and society is that Tonga is the last remaining Polynesian kingdom. Tonga was one of the few island nations that was never colonized. Therefore the monarchy was able to remain intact throughout the 20th century when many other countries adopted new government structures. Although there have been many governmental reforms recently, such as the very first democratically elected government, the royal family still retains power and respect in Tonga.

Last weekend, one of the princesses was in Vava'u on a visit. Before the band from my school went to Australia last year, she wrote a letter on their behalf requesting that their visas were granted. As a thank you to her for this favor our band took a trip over to the hotel where she was staying to put on a performance. Many of the teachers from the school also attended with gifts of food and mats. After a very formal ceremony where a kava stick was presented, leaders from the school addressed the princess, prayers were said, and hymns were sung, the band began their performance. Some of the other teachers began to get up and ta'alunga ( perform the Tongan style of dancing). During one of the songs, Ashley and I were encouraged to get up and dance, too. Although I was extremely nervous to attempt Tongan dancing in front of the princess, I begrudgingly got up and started dancing with Ashley. Unfortunately, the princess requested that we move up to the front where she could see us better. Ashley was able to bust out some stellar dance moves, but I basically stood and clapped the entire time. Regardless, all the Tongans were very appreciative of our efforts and we did get a good amount of pa'anga as well!

The following day was one of the best days I have spent in Tonga thus far. I was very fortunate to be able to take a trip to Eu'eiki, one of the small, outer islands. Vava'u has one main island called Vava'u lahi, and many smaller islands that are part of the entire island group. Living on the main island is great because I am close to all the restuarants and shops, but the outer islands have white sand beaches, great snorkeling and diving, and lots of peace and quiet. This island in particular has a great beach adjacent to a resort comprised of traditional Tongan fales (huts). We spent a lovely day sailing there and had a great afternoon visiting, relaxing on the beach, and eating some wonderful food. Another highlight was sailing back into the harbor at night. We were able to lay out on the deck and look at the stars as we returned home. It was an awesome way to end the day.

Yesterday, I went to the wharf to pick up a chair that I bought in December in Nuku'alofa. Honestly, I was dreading my return to the wharf. If I could give the wharf a nickname it would be "home of the world's deadliest forklift drivers". You have to be extra alert at the wharf or you could easily end up with a half ton crate of supplies dropped on your head. It's rather terrifying. Luckily I survived and was able to retrieve my chair, which is now a wonderful addition to my living room.

Last week was not only the beginning of school, but also the return of a large group of students and teachers from a band trip to Australia. The group was flying to Nuku'alofa, then taking the ferry back up to Vava'u. Their return was scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, but the hurricane delayed the boats. It was finally confirmed that they would be returning on Thursday. Our school was planning a kai pola (feast) once the boat arrived. Throughout the day, the time of arrival kept getting pushed back later and later. First it was 5 p.m., then 11 p.m, and finally 2 a.m.! You would assume since the boat was arriving so late that the feast would have to be postponed until the following day. But no, it was decided that the feast would be held once everyone was off the boat as it was orginally polanned. Therefore, at 4 a.m. I was feasting on roasted pig, pizza, sweet and sour chicken, sausage, and fried chicken. Eating was one thing, but listening to the fakamalos (thank you speeches) for the next hour and a half proved rather difficult. Heads were down on the tables all around as kids and adults alike dozed off. Admittedly, I may have been part of that group at one point during the night. I was quite happy to return to my bed around 6 a.m. and call it a night!

On Sunday, I once again joined a family from our church for Sunday lunch. There is a group of girls about my age, including another Peace Corps Volunteer, Ashley, who are good friends and have been kindly inviting me to hang out with them. After eating a dlicious lunch and visiting for a bit, a van came by to pick us up. I hopped in, planning on returning to my house for my other favorite Sunday activity, napping. However, as we started driving, I realized we were headed through town, which is the opposite direction from my house. Confused, I asked where we were going. Turns out we were going to the beach to hang out. It was a nice, relaxing afternoon at the beach, but it taught me to ask where vehicles are taking me before assuming the destination!

With all of the students and teachers back from Australia, school is now in full swing. Monday and Tuesday were spent doing orientation and cleaning the school buildings and grounds. For the rest of the week, the catering students are taking field trips to local businesses. We are going to restuarants, a hotel, a bakery, and the market. It is essential for the students to see these businesses because many of them have never eaten at a restaurant or stayed at a hotel. Before we begin studying the catering and hospitality industry, it is good for them to see examples firsthand. Next week we start our first unit, and the students will start preparing for the inter-house track and field competition. I may try to channel my Jr. High track experience and coach the throwers...maybe.

This week was another first for me in Tonga...my first cyclone! However, after many phone calls, alerts, speculation, and predictions, my very first Tongan cyclone turned south and completely missed our island. I suppose I should be thankful, but after all the hype it was a bit of a let down. I will just have to wait a bit longer to experience a cyclone, but I am sure there will be ample opportunities over the next two years.

Last weekend (before all the cyclone warnings), our church took a big group of people to the beach for a kai tunu (picnic). It was a gorgeous day, and we set up under a nice big tent. There was sooooo much food. My job was to serve the chicken and hot dogs. There was a giant plastic bin full of steaming meat that I reached into over and over, dutifully piling it on the already overflowing plates of food. It was not very sanitary or visually appealing, but it got the job done. After eating, we spent the afternoon enjoying the beautiful water. Sunday afternoon I was invited to eat lunch with a family from church, so I spent some time visiting and enjoying a free meal. It was nice to be welcomed into their home so openly. It always amazes me how Tongans readily accept new people into their homes. It is one of my favorite things about Tonga! Tomorrow is my first day with students, we have an assembly in the morning and then cleaning afterwards. I can't wait to meet the students I will be working with this year. I've already met a few, and they seem great. Here's to the start of a fabulous school year!

When I wrote yesterday, I may have been slightly preemptive in saying that I was starting "work". While it is true that yesterday was the beginning of planning week for my school, there was actually very little work involved. Our meetings were scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m., but they really started around 10:30 a.m. The first hour and a half were just a church service with a couple hymns and a message from our minister. After that, it was time for lunch. We spent about a half hour eating butter and spaghetti sandwiches and then regrouped for the afternoon meeting. The deputy principal passed out lists of the teachers and their departments, welcomed the new teachers, and dismissed us to work in our respective departments. I met for a bit with my co-teacher at the catering school, and was back at my house by 1:30. Overall, not a bad first day. After returning to my house, I had the power company come out and fix my electricity. It was nice to have my fans back!

Anyway, I won't actually be teaching for at least a couple weeks because our school has a week of cleaning and orientation, and then I will just be doing observation for a while. Perhaps by March I will actually be teaching.

So a few other random things I thought of since yesterday...my school colors are yet again blue and white. It seems that royal blue is following me everywhere I go. RHS, CWRU, and now Pouono. Perhaps it will be an easy way to narrow down my choice of grad schools someday!

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful Christmas cards. I ended up receiving most of them in January, but it was so nice to hear from so many church friends and family members. I'm looking forward to receiving some birthday cards soon that are still in transit!

I was very fortunate to have another volunteer who was visiting America bring back a new laptop for me after mine died, so now I have a brand new little netbook. The most exciting part is now I can skype with family and friends. If you have a skype account, let me know...I would love to chat.

Fruit and vegetables are only available seasonally here in Tonga, and one of the newest additions to the market is avocado. I'm looking for a tasty guacamole recipe if anyone has one they would like to share.

Finally, here are a couple pics from the last few weeks. A banana bread that was attacked by a rogue cat, hanging out at Brandon's house in Tu'anuku, and a rainbow at my school.

Today is my very first day of work! It is strange to think I will actually have a regular schedule soon. I've been getting quite used to my days of reading, singing, and napping.

This first week is just a planning week, so all the staff at my school will be meeting to do introductions, figure out schedules, and work within their respective departments. I will be working with my co-teacher, Moala, to start planning at the catering and hospitality school. Next week will be orientation and cleaning with the students, and then classes will actually begin.

Last night was a first for me in Tonga...I spent the night without electricity. For some unknown reason, the power at my house cut out while all my neighbors still had their power. It was kind of enjoyable laying in bed reading by candlelight until I saw a giant spider on my wall. Hopefully it gets fixed today because one night of giant spiders in the dark was enough for me!

Like I said earlier, my past several weeks I have been doing a lot of reading, choir rehearsals, napping, and the like. I have also been to several feasts, a few picnics, read scripture in church (in Tongan!), and served kava. I am slowly learning how to use my gas oven. I have made a couple decent banana breads and a yummy chocolate cake with peanut butter icing.

I hope everyone is staying nice and warm at home...drink some hot chocolate and have a snowball fight for me!

The last week has been full of lots of celebrations for me...a Peace Corps Christmas party, New Year's, and my birthday!

Since most of us needed to stay in our communities on Christmas day, we decided to postpone our palangi Christmas celebration until the 29th. The 8 of us who were in Vava'u at the time met up at the Peace Corps office and had a gift exchange and cooked dinner. We made some awesome bruschetta and pasta complete with real mozzarella cheese.

On New Year's Eve, a group of us met up to go to dinner and celebrate my birthday a bit early. My birthday fell on a Sunday this year, and it is nearly impossible to do anything on a Sunday in Tonga. Therefore, we decided a joint New Year's/birthday would work. The other PCVs got me a lovely chocolate cake, and my friend Stephanie got me a couple cans of Diet Dr. Pepper. After dinner, we went over to the Mermaid where we spent the rest of the night dancing and welcoming 2011.

New Year's Day was remarkably similar to New Year's in the U.S. I spend a large part of the day napping and reading, and then had a delicious dinner of pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes. It was almost like being back in PA!

Now that the holidays are over, I am getting more involved in community activities. I have been attending VEPA (Vava'u Environmental Protection Agency) meetings, going to CrossFit classes in the mornings at a local restaurant, and attending a lot of church events. This week is "uike lotu" or "week of prayer", so there is church several times everyday. I have been attending the 5:30 pm service as opposed to the 5:00 am service.

2011 is off to a amazing start, and I am sure there are lots of wonderful things to come. Wishing everyone a joyful and blessed New Year!

Merry Christmas from Tonga! Christmas in Tonga was a lot different than what I am used to in America. Christmas morning I woke up and opened a gift from my co-teacher, Moala. She gave me a chocolate bar...quite a treat in Tonga! Next I went to church, where I sang in the choir for the first time. We sang a medley of popular Christmas songs like "Joy to the World" and "O Come All Ye Faithful". I had no trouble with the notes, but it was a little tricky singing them in Tongan when I am so accustomed to the English. After church, my neighbor, Fou, took myself, her daughter (also named Fou), her mother-in-law, and Sean to the beach for a picnic. I spent the afternoon relaxing, eating, and doing crossword puzzles. For dinner, a couple other Peace Corps Volunteers came to my house and we celebrated with a very untraditional meal of chicken, salad, and fruit. It was delicious!

Yesterday was a Sunday, so I went to church again. As I was looking for a seat, I was not sure if I should sit with the choir again. One of the ladies motioned me over, so I joined the alto section, assuming we would sing the same piece we sang on Christmas day. When it came time for the choir to sing, I stood up with everyone else. However, no one seemed to have any music, which was a bit strange. When the director cued us in, I was surprised to hear the familiar sounds of the "Hallelujah Chorus"! I did my best to sing along, but I was completely lost during the verses, which were all in Tongan. Definitely not my best choir performance.

Yesterday afternoon, I got to chat with my family at home. It was so nice to hear everyone's voices! Later, I took advantage of the fact that no one is allowed to work on Sundays and spent some quality time in my hammock reading and napping. There's not a whole lot on my agenda for this week, so I expect lots of the same. Loving the island life!

Check out the mail tab for my new Vava'u address!

It's official...last week I was sworn-in as a Peace Corps volunteer. We had a great ceremony which included our group taking the Peace Corps oath, the singing of the American national anthem, the singing of the Tongan national anthem, traditional Tongan dances, and, as with any Tongan event, some good food. Here is a pciture of me after I accepted my language certificate and pin.

Going back a couple weeks (since I haven't posted any updates lately), there were some really awesome thing I got to do in Ha'apai before leaving for site. One awesome event was our Peace Corps culture day. Each village was responsible for learning a Tongan dance, cooking a Tongan dish and an American dish, and practicing another art form (song, skit, poem, etc.). Our village did the maulu'ulu (the sitting dance), read poetry, and cooked lots of good food like vai siane (cooked bananas), otai (mango punch), ota paka (crab salad), and pancakes. It was also really neat to see everything the other villages had prepared.

The following day, those of us in Fotua attended a putu (funeral). A putu is usually held at the home of the deceased (sometimes at a church). There are several days of preparation for cooking and cleaning before the acutual event. My host mother was gone for several days helping out. The day of, people start going early in the morning and usually stay until late afternoon. All day, there is singing outside of the house and a constant supply of food. People bring gifts of mats and cloth which they take inside the house to present to the family. Once you enter the house, you lay down your gift, kneel at the body, and then kiss the body. I only stayed for a few hours, but I was glad to experience this unique event. That Saturday was supposed to be my last day in Ha'apai, but our flight was cancelled due to rain. We spent the weekend at a guesthouse, and flew to Vava'u on Monday for a week of attachement. I spent one day at my site, and then three days with a current volunteer. The current volunteers did a great job of introducing us to Vava'u. We spent one day at the beach, one day touring the island, explored town, and went to a couple restaurants. Here is a picture of the Vava'u crew (minus Farfum and Ashley).

After our short stay in Vava'u, we went back to Nuku'alofa to wrap-up training, swear-in, and do lots of shopping for our houses. Finally, after two and a half months of waiting, it was time to move to site! I am now happily moved in to my adorable house. I have to wait a couple days for the rest of my stuff to arrive on the boat, but I have been busy shopping, cleaning, and meeting new people. I start teaching at the end of January, so I have some time to practice my Tongan, get to know my community, plan for teaching, and relax. I am looking forward to a great couple of weeks! Here are some pictures of my new house to end with.

The last several weeks, we have switched focus from language to technical training. The other two business trainees and I have had the privilege of meeting many local business owners. We also conducted a training session last week for some guest house owners. We led a discussion of business needs in Tonga and presented the concept of a mission statement. Our participants told us it was the first interactive training they have attended. It was sometimes difficult to illicit their participation, but it was encouraging when they did show interest and develop their own ideas. It was also great practice for any training I might hold at my future site. Some other things I have been doing lately include lots of dancing, sports practices, song practice, and of course, plenty of beach time. Every weekend for the past month there has been a Mormon dance in a nearby village. Mormon dances are much different than any dance I’ve been to in America. For one, if a boy wants to dance with you, they come up to where you are sitting and do a little bow. There is no conversation involved; you simply go out on the dance floor, stand at least 5 feet apart, and essentially dance by yourself. The exception is the slow songs during which couples waltz. Anyway, I think they are a blast. Another common event is ako hiva, choir practice. Recently there was a big Mormon conference, so our island had a combined church choir that rehearsed almost every night leading up to the event. As a side note, I swear I am not becoming Mormon, I’ll only be going to Mormon events for one more week. Anyway, it was great being able to participate in a real choir…they used even used dynamics! It also helped me practice reading Tongan music. I now understand the number system (it just coordinates with the scale of the key signature starting at 3 and going up to 9), but I’m still working on rhythms. I am sure I will learn soon.Finally, I have been playing some Tongan sports lately. I tried netball (although I wouldn't really call it netball since there were no nets) and touch rugby. I wasn't particularly good at either game, but it was lots of fun. I only have a couple days left here in Ha'apai, and then I will be heading to Vava'u for a week checking out my site and shadowing a current volunteer. I can't wait to check it out!

The other day I was chatting with some Peace Corps friends, and we realized that we are beginning to forget some of the things that are different about our lives in Tonga. So for my own benefit and in order to show that I am not just on vacation for 2 years, here are some of the differences between Tonga and America: · Suto (hitchhiking) is our main method of transportation. · I take bucket baths with fresh water every day because any running water is salty. · Someone from my host family accompanies me whenever I want to walk somewhere. · There are dogs, pigs, cats, and chickens in my backyard.· School is cancelled when there is too much rain. · We get a break for taimi ti (tea time) around 10:00 each day.· Most afternoons there are rugby games in the field across from my house. · Dances are the main social activity every weekend. · Catholics are the most liberal church.· The beach is always a short walk away. · There are 3 or 4 cockroaches that live in my bathroom.· There are no t.v. channels, our t.v. is just for watching movies. · We have a Playstation and a Playstation2, but no games. · My host mom spends all day weaving while my host dad spends his days in the bush. · The act of giving is more important than what is given. · There is a child crying approximately every 5 minutes, but they are usually just faking. · There is only instant coffee. · Root crops take place of salads.· Guys can do what they want. · Mosquito bites are an everyday occurrence. · Music is everywhere…choirs, cell phones, speaker systems, etc.· I wear sandals every day.· My host family eats dog. · It is never below 60 degrees.So, those are all the things I can think of now. I'm sure I will discover more over the next 2 years! Lastly, here are a few recent pics:

I am over half way through training! My Tongan is getting slightly better. It will take me a couple more months before I can actually have substantial conversations, but I have mastered the basics. I can introduce myself, talk about my family, explain different foods, and comment on the weather. My Tongan name is Lose (pronounced low-say), and I will often hear people asking “Fefe Lose? (Lose, how are you?)” as I walk around the village. I can usually have a small conversation in those scenarios, which is exciting! I have been very involved in church activities lately. Next weekend is a big conference, so there have been lots of choir practices to prepare for it. I had a scary moment at one of the rehearsals when the choir director came up to me and asked if I sang “solo”. I was nervous that he was asking if I would sing by myself, so I immediately said no. When he looked disappointed, my host sister explained to me that he was only asking if I would sing soprano, to which I agreed. Turns out the Tongan word for soprano is “solo” and the word for solo is “sola”. Good to know for future reference! Last weekend, I went to a big church dance. Several young men had just returned from their Mormon mission in America, so lots of people came out to celebrate. To honor them, families went up and gave them leis made out of various things like flowers, candy, garland, oranges, and even potato chips! The leis were stacked so high you could barely see their faces by the time everyone was finished. Afterwards, the family shared the treats with everyone at the dance. A couple preliminary observations about church here in Tonga are that people cry a lot and they make do with what they have available. In reference to the crying, it is very common occurrence. At church this Sunday, anyone from the congregation was invited to go up and share their testimony. At least 5 or 6 of the speakers cried during their talks. It is just a natural thing for them to do. Regarding making do with what they have, Tongans lack many of the aspects of worship that Americans would find essential. There are no bulletins, water is used during communion instead of wine or grape juice, and all the songs are sung a capella. Yet this does not detract from the service, there are just less frills in church. It’s actually kind of nice. Lastly, I put up some more pictures on facebook…here is the link to check them out! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2107691&id=15508380&l=b592b53b87

Drum roll please…………… I will be working at Pouono Technical College in Nieafu, Vava’u! My job includes teaching customer service, hospitality, and cooking. From what I understand, my responsibilities will be mostly geared toward the business end and will have very little to do with cooking. Given that my favorite meal in college was cereal, it is probably for the best. However, I can muster up some tasty desserts when I put my mind to it, so perhaps I can contribute something! I am very excited about my site placement…I think that teaching will be fantastic and Vava’u sounds wonderful. There are plenty of things to do such as hiking, diving, caving, restaurants, and more. Not to mention many of the resorts are in Vava’u, so hopefully that will entice lots of people to come visit. Also, the group of people heading to Vava’u is pretty awesome, and I think we will have a lot of fun together. Some other exciting things from this week include my first time serving kava, going to a Mormon dance, and attending missionale at the Wesleyan Church. Serving kava was a vastly different experience than the kava ceremony that Peace Corps had for us when we first arrived. As the toua, a woman is responsible for stirring the kava and filling the coconut shells to be passed around the circle. Usually, the guy sitting to the left of the toua is the one who tries to win her affection. Unfortunately, my potential moa (boyfriend) was only 18 and had awful hair. Not to mention the fact that he didn’t speak English, sigh. My favorite part of going to kava was when they brought out a couple guitars and a ukulele, and began to sing. It was great! Missionale is an event held by many of the churches in Tonga as their annual fundraiser. At the service we attended, members of the congregation would go up one by one and present their monetary donations. In between each individual donation, a collection plate would be passed around and we would sing a hymn. At the end, the names of the individuals and the amounts they gave were announced along with the grand total. I wonder what percentage of the donations were given out of Christian love and what percentage were from the social pressure of having your name announced? After the service, there was a huge feast complete with roast pigs, fish (raw and cooked), root crops, crab, chicken, noodles, cakes, hot dogs, eggs, and lots of soda. You could barely see the table there was so much food! After experiencing kai mate (lit: eat until you die), we spent a relaxing afternoon at the beach. This week and next I will continue with language training in my village, and then I will start technical training. Additionally, I have some culture assignments to do such as weaving my own kiekie and learning a Tongan dance. And hopefully I will learn some cooking skills while I am at it!

It’s hard to believe that I have been at my home stay for almost 2 weeks now! My host family is wonderful…I couldn’t ask for more hospitable people. There are 11 people in my house, my host parents, 4 girls about my age, 2 boys my age, and 3 kids. My host sister, Manu, is also 22 and she is awesome. She speaks English, so she is able to translate for me. Also, the kids are adorable. Vika is 5, Mote is 3 and Luce is 1. They are also great for helping me practice Tongan. If they give me a confused look, I know I said something wrong!

My host family has been great about including me in a lot of recent events. For one, I got to attend a Tongan choir practice. It was interesting for me because their music used a number system instead of the normal music notation. It was definitely good practice for learning intervals. Also, they are loud! Their dynamics could use a little work.

Another event I attended was a hulahula (dance). The music they played was about a 50/50 split of Tongan music and American music. My host sisters are awesome dancers, and I had a good time with them. Speaking of music, the music they play at my house is very interesting. They have a bizarre mix of contemporary Christian, traditional Tongan, American pop, and rap music. I love the contrast of “Shout to the Lord” and Lil Wayne. One night I got to watch some music videos, including “Ice Cream Paint Job”. Yessssss!

Rugby is an extremely popular sport in Tonga, so last weekend I went with some of my host family and a few trainees to watch some games in town. I don’t completely understand the game yet, but I am sure I will figure it out eventually. I might even try playing a little bit…my host sister plays on a team and she said I could practice with them. Luckily they just play touch, not tackle!

Although I’ve been able to do some really fun things, most of my time so far has been spent in class learning Tongan. In my village there are 3 other trainees and we have language classes together Monday through Thursday. On Fridays our whole group of 26 gets together for training regarding safety, medical, etc. When we aren’t in class, we usually head to the beach to cool off and study. At night, my village has been watching a lot of “Arrested Development”.

At the end of this week, I will find out my site placement. This includes where I will be working and what my job will be….exciting stuff! From what I already know, I think I will be teaching at a tertiary school somewhere in the island group of Vava’u. But that could easily change, so I have to wait until Thursday to find out for sure. Only a couple more days!!!

Here are a couple pics (there are some more on facebook)...group 76 arriving at the airport, a sunset, and my Tongan attire!

I made it to Ha'apai where I will be staying until December with my host family. They are wonderful and treat me like a princess! I have pink mosquito net and everything. They also feed me soooooooo much food. Luckily we walk a lot and swim, so I get a lot of excercise.

Hopefully I can post this weekend with a longer update. I am thinking of all my family at home...love you lots!

I made it! I started in L.A. at staging, which is essentially orientation before arriving in country. Our Tonga group held staging with the group heading to Samoa, so there ended up being close to 50 of us. It was an interesting group of people from all over the U.S. We had some good discussions about what to expect over the next two years and how to handle a variety of situations.

Tuesday night we all headed to the airport with a crazy amount of luggage! Luckily my bags were within the weight limits. From L.A., it was a little over 10 hours to Apia, the capital of Samoa. The craziest part of the trip was that it was Wednesday morning in Samoa when we arrived, then after an hour flight we arrived in Tonga Thursday morning. Silly International Date Line.

Thursday was our first day of Pre-Service training. First, we were given an overview of our assignment, the Tonga Expanded Community Education Project. After that, we were formally welcomed to Tonga with a traditional kava ceremony. Kava is a drink in South Pacific that acts as a muscle relaxer and is served at important events and social gatherings. We only had a small amount, so I didn’t feel any of the effects. I personally thought it tasted like dirty, gritty water. However, it was a really awesome to participate. After the kava ceremony, we saw some traditional Tonga dance and had a BBQ.

Friday was a long day with a lot of sessions. We covered health and medical policies, security tips, intro to the Tongan language, and met some current volunteers. It was a lot to take in, but things that will be very helpful in the future. I also got a dog chaser, which is a fantastic little device that emits sonic waves to scare away dogs. My fear of being attacked by dogs is now greatly alleviated!

Today we started our morning with a fashion show of appropriate Tongan dress. For work and church, I will be wearing long skirts and shirts with sleeves. I will also wear a kiekie, a belt with woven strips. For casual wear, women still dress conservatively. Capris are sometimes acceptable, but usually women cover up capris and shorts with a lavalava (sarong) when they are in public. Bascially, the more conservative, the better!

The next part of our day was water safety training. It was cold and rainy, which wasn’t the best day for water training, but we made the best of it. Water training brought back bad memories of swimming lessons back in the day, but it wasn’t as terrible as I thought. We got to wear a life vest the entire time for one. Also we learned a lot of cool techniques for groups to work together in an emergency. Awesome team bonding!

After water training, some of us went out into town. We are staying in Nuku’alofa, the capital, so it has a fairly big market and some shops. At a shop I bought some fabric for a lavalava, and at the market I bought a fresh coconut. Although I’m not a huge fan of the coconut meat, I really like the coconut milk!

Tomorrow is Sunday, so we will be attending church, which is an extremely important aspect of Tongan life. I can’t wait to hear a Tongan choir, I hear they are fantastic! It is illegal to do most anything on Sunday, so tomorrow afternoon and evening will most likely be spent practicing some Tongan and relaxing with other trainees. Monday and Tuesday we will be visiting sites in Nuku’alofa. I know I am going to a bank in Tonga with the other volunteers and a few other places. Wednesday is our last day in the city. We leave for Ha’apai, a smaller island group north of Tongatapu. Apparently life is much different in Ha’apai, since is it much more remote and much smaller. Wednesday I will also meet my host family and start getting to know the people in my village.

Overall, I am sooooo excited to finally be here! The friendly islands seem like a wonderful place. Please send me letters and emails because I miss everyone at home. Check the tab at the top for my address! Hopefully next week I can post some more updates!

Toki Sio!

The last few weeks have been wonderful, but now it is time to finally say goodbye. It is great to know that I have such a wonderful support system at home. Thanks to everyone for being so amazing! To all my friends and family in Transfer, Cleveland, Coraopolis, Durham, Ann Arbor, Louisville, Philadelphia, Columbus, Erie, and everywhere else, I already miss you!

This weekend was absolutely perfect. I got to eat great food, sing with my family, play trivial pursuit, take lots of pictures, and giggle. Hopefully I can also do some of those things in Tonga. Perhaps they will even find my headlamp as humorous as I do?

Well, I have my suitcases waiting by the door, and I am off to L.A. in the morning. Wish me luck...Toki sio!