Tid Bits

For starter, I've heard a few complaints that people were not able to make comments.  Since I’m new to the world of blogging I’m quite clueless about it, but I did go into the setting and changed it so everyone can comment which is something I was not aware that I needed to do.  Long story short anyone can now make comments if they’d like to.

Secondly, there is still no start date for the sanitation project but last I heard it will start this summer sometime around July.  Until then I’m just hanging out and keeping busy.

So here’s all the tid bits of my life in the last week or so…

I did not go to the West Coast as planned because another opportunity came up to go to Rabaul (in East New Britain province), but that fell through.  I’ll make my way to the West Coast to catch up with Monica and GIlmay at some point in the near future.  I did, however, go to the market and sell buai. Lucy, the woman I sold buai with, made me introduce myself in Pigin to every person who approached the table.  She then explained to all the ladies around us that I wanted to learn Pigin and they joined in on it.  I was made to introduce myself to more people than I can remember.  One man asked how much the buai was then he asked how much for me.  Lucy told him 20,000 Kina (1 Kina is about 50 cents USD).  I was very upset by this and corrected her by telling the man my bride price was 5 million Kina.  Everyone got a kick out of that except his wife who walked up and introduced herself with a half amused half annoyed tone.  Oops!  Below is a picture of Bongo at the market selling buai.  Now, the back story of Bongo.  At my surprise going away party my uncle and Papa gave me Bongo and said to take pictures with him everywhere I go.  Pictures of Bongo will end up on the blog periodically.  It’s grown into a bit of a project and I’ve been told to write children’s books of Bongo’s adventures… we’ll see about that.

In hopes of becoming more independent I purchased a bike.  It’s a single speed, back peddle breaks bicycle… fancy, I know.  On my first ride the peddle fell off just as I was pushing down on it.  This led to a bit of a fall, but thankfully other than a bit of soreness I escaped unscathed.  While walking the rest of the way into town with my bike rolling along next to me a man asked if I needed help.  He then went and got the tools needed to fix the bike and not only put my peddle back on, but he also tightened the other peddle and my seat to ensure I did not have any problems with them in the future.  I offered to pay him, but he refused.  The bike worked great after that for about 4 days and then I went to ride it into town again.  Just as I got off the deck and out onto the driveway it began raining so I turned around and went back to the deck until the rain subsided.  Then just as I got off the deck a second time and out onto the driveway my chain locked making it impossible to peddle.  Once again I returned to the deck.  Apparently the chain of my new bike needs grease. So I hitched a ride into town.  A few days later I had my chain greased and all was well… that is, until I went to ride it.  The chain locked again and after a different man on the side of the road fixed it I went to peddle away and the plastic peddle broke in half.  Thankfully there was a small metal peg sticking out that worked as a peddle and I was able to make it home on my bike.  So much for my attempt at independence.

Last time I was here I made it 2 months without being eaten alive by mosquitoes.  This time I have not been so lucky.  I was using mosquito coils at night which produce a smoke that deters mosquitoes, but I was having some problems with my asthma and decided between the smoke and the cat, the smoke I could get rid of and thus began my search through the house for a mosquito net.  I found it and went to set it up but the rope connected to each corner was too short and thus began the search for rope, twine, yarn, something to suspend my mozzie net.  Nada.  I couldn’t find anything that would work until I came across a box of paperclips.  That’s right folks in true MacGyver style I fashioned myself a rope of paperclips and it has worked spectacularly.  Take that mozzies!  Haven’t had a bite since… well, I haven’t gotten bitten AT NIGHT since then.  Unfortunately, I can’t walk around in the safety of my mesh cage to avoid mosquitoes.

A group of expat moms asked me to teach their children sign language.  For the last two Wednesdays I’ve gotten together with the kids and have attempted to teach them American Sign Language.  It’s a bit difficult because the kids range in age from 19 months to about 11 or 12 and it’s basically playtime with me teaching them the signs for whatever they’re doing.  It takes me back to my preschool days.  I’ve been asked by a couple of the moms to work one-on-one with their kids rather than a group setting which I think would be far more beneficial for the learning process, but they’ll lose the social part of it. 

I think the last thing I have to share is the most incredible sunset I’ve seen.  Last week I went with some friends to Nusa Island (about a 3 minute boat ride form where I’m at… it’s super close) to have lunch and hang out on the beach for the afternoon.  On the way back we witnessed the most amazing sunset I’ve ever seen.  The sky closest to the sun was the most brilliant shades of yellow and orange and as the sky shifted away from the sun the colors became vibrant pinks and purples.  The whole sky was alight with various colors.  Then, as if that were brilliant enough, three dolphins popped out of the water with the sunset as their backdrop.  THEN, they swam up to the bow of the boat and led us part way up to the dock.  In-credible!  Nothing more to say than that… incredible!