My new home and neighbors!

I haven't met them (my new neighbors) yet or seen this house in person but another volunteer in the region sent me this photo.

This is a very exciting time! I will wrap up training within the week and begin my transition to my new site: my home for the next 2 years.

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It's winter here under the equator. Of course, in Fiji, that means a "chilly" 85-90 degrees (F) during the day dropping down to maybe 75. Some of the locals wear sweaters at night. I'm still sweating most of the time. Winter also means dry season and we had been experiencing mostly dry/hot days for the past couple weeks. In fact, my village had water shortage problems a few days ago. Then, last night, a deluge.  I woke up to a flooded village - water up to the 2nd stair (of of 3). But I was slow... by the time I thought to take pictures, most of the water had receded.

Sadly, one of the old dogs in the village didn't survive the night (probably drowned in the down-pours) and I was an unfortunate witness to seeing a young boy drag him with a rope tied to one of his legs and slide his lifeless body into the stream by the piggery. From there, I hope, he's simply carried out to sea with the receding tide and flood waters.

I asked another young villager who I was talking to at this moment what date was today. He said June 26. Funny, I thought. I lost my Linus on June 25 two years ago. And, while it's June 26 here in Fiji, it's one day earlier at home.