Within one week of the start of 2012, I marked six months at site (coming up on eight months total in Fiji including training). There were many days, I must confess, that I wasn’t sure I’d make to the end of 2011 without throwing in the towel and hightailing it back to my old life. Many of the fellow volunteers who had arrived the year before advised us newbies to hang in there through the first six to nine months at site. They are notoriously the most challenging. I was told by more than a few that one day I’d wake up and realize I’d made it over "the hump." In my toughest moments, I couldn’t imagine that day was anytime soon.
But damn if they weren’t right! I can’t attribute the change to anything in particular. In fact, little has changed since just a month ago. The conditions are the same: same village, same people, same challenges of culture and language; same bure (Fijian hut) with frogs, mice, spiders, roaches and the occasional rat; same heat and humidity – actually hotter and stickier this time of year; same struggles with boredom and loneliness, and the frustrations of trying to get projects started and to motivate people used to living on “Fiji time;” same homesickness and missing my family and friends. But different state of mind.
Maybe I’ve relaxed more into village life. Maybe I’ve acclimated to the climate. Maybe I’ve embraced the culture more openly. Or maybe I’ve just become numb to the effects of it all. Maybe all of the above. In any case, this is a nice place to be as I start the new year and look down the road at the possibilities for 2012. This time last year I was only contemplating what this Peace Corps experience could be and was mostly occupied with the tremendous undertaking of packing up my old life and putting it on ice for two years. Looking back at the last six months of 2011, I shake my head and marvel at the all the things I’ve seen and done and felt. What will the next 12 months bring?
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Getting through the difficult days is probably easier when one is serving on a tropical island in the South Pacific. I wonder what Peace Corps Volunteers in, say, Africa do when they need to escape the struggles of service. I feel fortunate.
After a recent training, before returning to the village, I took a trip out to a tiny island just east of the main island. We launched from a landing just north of the capital city and rode almost an hour in a motor boat before arriving on a spit of an island that, on approaching, made me think, “my god, it’s Gilligan’s Ilse.”
The island solely contains one rustic little lodge with traditional style bures, a communal dining area (all meals provided), and simple shower and bathroom facilities. The entire perimeter of the island can be walked around in less than 15 minutes. I hopped in a kayak and paddled around the whole thing (easily done in high tide) in about 30 minutes. The snorkeling is fantastic! Fiji is famous for its coral reefs. The one just off this island was like sticking your head in an aquarium. I saw Nemo and many of his friends and relatives.
There is another similar island with another similar resort (even more rustic I’m told) quite near this one. On the second day, my fellow volunteer and I kayaked over to that island – took about one hour – beached our kayaks and hopped into the water for some more snorkeling. We had been told that it was even more spectacular than where we were staying. And it was! The coral formations were huge: floating above them was like flying over a city skyline of beautiful color and design. We could have stayed out there all day. But alas, the horizon was darkening with clouds and we needed to row back to our own little islet before the approaching storm arrived.
We paddled back and spent the evening sipping wine and watching the sunset. Before the rain took over the sky, we watched it turn from colors of blue and purple to blood red and orange.
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
So yes. Peace Corps can be extremely difficult amidst its many rewards. But really, don’t feel sorry for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment