Friday, May 20, 2011

Culture shock!

Hello everyone.


I am doing well.  This is my 3rd day in Fiji.  We arrived on Thursday morning (which is really Wednesday for people in the states).  We bussed to another part of the island and stayed at a motel where we had a traditional welcoming cerimony called a Savusavu (say-voo say-voo) by the PC Fiji staff.  Following that we had several lectures on multiple items worth discussing. 

The following day was spent in the ocean where we learned that basically if it is not sand or water, don't touch it!  In addition, we went over boat safety and alittle bit of snorkeling.


The food is tremendously different hear.  We eat alot of root crops, one of the main ones being dalo which is less thick than a potato but still pretty tasteless.  Other items include alot of fruit, specifically mango and watermelon.  Life is good here.  Im trying not to be too overwelmed.  I ran this morning with some PC trainees which was alot of fun and I am getting to know everyone here although names are still a bit tough.  Fiji is a wonderful place and I feel that this is exactly where I need to be in my life at this time.

Again, thank you everyone for all your support.

Moce ("Moe-thaee")

Ben

Monday, May 16, 2011

Sitting in the Boise Airport

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the minor inconvienence the other day.  Google decided to have a stroke and erase my blog and first post. 

I am as we speak sitting in the Boise Airport (BOI) waiting to depart for LAX as of 10:52am.  I have said goodbye to at least one person for the last month now and although it has been difficult, I know that everyone is rooting for me to do great things on the other side of the world.  As I was waiting in line to get through security, I was right behind a guy by the name of Joe Coulter who I went to BK 9th grade.  He just got back from Chile with the Peace Corps and said it was the most amazing time in his life.  That made me feel a whole lot better.  Its a small word.  It seemed like just another confirmation that I was supposed to do this. 

I wanted to thank everyone for all they have done for me through the years.  I even got two phone calls this morning wishing me luck.  You have all meant so much to me.  However, now I should probably go and get ready to board so farewell for now (or how they say it in Fijian, Ni Sa Bula).

Ben