Catching up...

I'm in Savusavu for a few days, catching up on some work. Been holed up in my dorm room or internet cafes for 2 days now - ready to get back to the island!

Uploading some photos to Flickr right now on another computer - check 'em out!!!! PHOTOS!!! They are in no particular order, and most are not even taken by us - I've borrowed them from friends because we are still without a decent camera. But it is definitely a peek into what our life has been these past 41/2 months!

Click HERE to read all about Hurricane Tomas and see photos. We are still working on cleanup, but the biggest part of the re-building is awaiting $$ - several thatch roofs need repair. As well as $$, we are waiting for the reeds that are used for the roof to grow again - the hurricane wiped them all out.

Going to post a more detailed update next, either later today or tomorrow. But I will leave you with a teaser of some exciting news... There is now a baby in Fiji named James Cahill Matanawa!

Loloma levu!

Sunshine on my shoulders.....

Bula Sia everyone!

Well, the storm has passed, and the sun has come back, and WOW! Our beautiful island has been beaten about by Thomas(Tomasi), and it will be some time before all of the trees and beautiful plants regain their full beauty. Our island family weathered wonderfully, and we all said a big MOCE!(Mow-they) to Tomasi as he blew off! There were some tense moments, but it already seems so far away, as the smiles are big, the bilos are full, and the chainsaw can be heard from each of the four peaks!

Many thanks to all who were holding us close in their hearts, and we miss everyone very much!

until next time.....

Cyclone Tomas

At this point, it looks like we will definitely be suffering a direct hit from Cyclone Tomas in the next 24 hours. The experts predict it will be a category 4 cyclone by the time it arrives, which is massive. The winds have already picked up, and the air feels like the rain is not far behind. Everyone is busy doing what they can to prepare the village and the island while they can.

i am taking comfort in the fact in the people of Vorovoro and nearby Mali Island have lived here for generations and through countless cyclones and storms and have never suffered major catastrophe. The villages are built right on the water's edge, and always weather the storms. I've heard it said that the reef that surrounds us acts as a protective barrier. When I asked Francis, the island matriarch, if her family ever left the island when a cyclone was coming, she just laughed and laughed. "No no no. We just stay right here on the island!" she replied. I've decided when Grandma Francis starts to worry, that's when i will worry.

So for now, we will just keep preparing - packing, nailing tarps, trimming trees, securing anything that can be secured. We may head into the mainland with the tribe members to weather the storm at Tui Mali's (Vorovoro and Mali's chief) mainland home, but we are still sorting that out. Please don't worry about us (that means you, Jackye, Jodie, and Mom!!!) and keep all of Fiji in your prayers over the next couple of days.

I will update this blog as soon as I possibly can after the storm.

Loloma Levu!

Just groovin' right along...

First off - Cyclone Tomas is headed our way. I just read an update that says it looks like we could be in for a direct hit, or a tropical depression in Vanuatu might pull the cyclone off course and we will just get residual effects. Either way, we will be okay, but are likely to me in for some very nasty weather. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and I will update as soon as I can!

So the days have melted into weeks and despite my best intentions, I haven’t written a decent blog update in quite some time. Time has a way of getting away from one here without leaving clues. And then, of course, there is the subject of a reliable internet connection - that’s always the wild card in whether a blog or photo will actually make it online!

Since arriving back from Suva, life has been blessedly uneventful. Jimmy’s recovery was slow, but now he is back to 100%. Fiji continues to test our immune systems (mostly Jimmy & the kids – not me! Knock wood…) – each week seems to bring a new mild ailment. Colds, runny tummies, mild fevers, rashes – nothing serious, but enough to be uncomfortable. I joke that we just cannot have all 5 of us well for more than two days in a row. Living in a foreign country closely within a transient community is just a veritable mixing pot of new and exciting germs and viruses unbeknownst to our bodies!

We feel like we are in the groove of our positions now, and feeling good about what we bring to the job and the project. The days move along smoothly, work gets done, kids get schooled, with plenty of time for conversation and laughs sprinkled throughout. We are never truly off the clock while on the island – at any moment we can be (and are) pulled away to answer questions, take care of a problem or situation, answer a phone call, attend a meeting, or attend a function where we understand not one word of what is said. The kids have had step up to a whole new level of patience and independence! But we have acclimated to this way of life, and despite being “on” all the time, we really enjoy our life here and the pace of life that is Fiji. We still have plenty on our daily “To Do” lists - life here certainly isn’t all beach and hammocks! The days are full of jobs waiting to be done. But gone is the overscheduled, frantic, time-is-a-vortex-and-is-sucking-me-in pace of our “old” life. Here, life has a rhythm that has allowed us to slowly find our own inner rhythm. Living outside, surrounded by spectacular beauty at every turn, it does something to change a person inside. I wonder sometimes how I can ever go back to living in a house again, with my spaces confined by walls and fences, where I never see the sun rise or set, and where the sounds of motorcycles and police sirens lull me to sleep instead of the waves, breezes, and the occasional (or not so occasional!!) screech of bats that are my lullabies now.

Living in community - eating, cooking, working, sharing, playing, side by side with others - feels natural to me, like how it is supposed to be. This project and this island attract amazing people - so many incredible connections have I been blessed to make! Conversations, exchanges, experiences that affirm me, grow me, stretch me, nurture me. And despite the transient nature of these special connections, I am not as sad as I thought I would be at having to say so many goodbyes. I think that is because I now have a deeper understanding of how we all weave in and out of each other’s lives, each adding our own unique thread to the fabric, making it stronger and more colorful than it was before.

As our days tumble into each other, each day resembling the one before but yet different, I am grateful for this time in this place. All the events and changes in our lives leading up to us being here are affirmed for me by how right it feels to be here. But at the same time, when our time here is done and it is time to turn our thoughts back to home, I know we will be ready. We will be ready to step back into our lives, into our home, into the arms of the people we love and miss so much. We have an amazing life waiting at home for us. Our time here is but an intermission, an interlude, a pause. And what comes next? Don’t know. And don’t need to know. There is so much freedom in that!

All I know is life will continue to unfold, probably in ways we can’t yet imagine, and though we will likely come to places where we are confused and scared, I know we will always be able to discern our path if we just remember how to listen. Life truly is a journey, and DAMN!!!!! It feels really good to be living it!

So our holiday off the island last week was wonderful in every way. On Wednesday we boarded the crowded bus for the 3 hour trek to Savusavu, then spent the next 3 days reading, playing, exploring, boulder hopping, playing in the hot springs, and kayaking before heading back home to the island on Sunday. It felt strange to be in a proper house - things like window screens, hot running water, ceiling fans were such a novelty! But we adjusted quickly and enjoyed every minute. Really wanted to share some pics from our holiday, but internet just isn't willing to do that for me today. I WILL get some uploaded to Flickr one way or another later this week. Big kudos to our boss and friend Ben for posting us his camera to use while we wait for the insurance to sort through replacing ours!

Loloma levu! (much love)

Loving the Fiji rain!

Hi all! Sorry for the lack of updates lately - been short of decent internet time as of late. Had several inquiries about our safety due to the tsunami that was predicted for Fiji as a result of the Chile's earthquake, and wanted to let everyone know that we are doing just peachy - nothing more here than a few funny waves. The sea looked and sounded very strange for a while - not so much that we would have even noticed it if we were new to the island, but those of us that live here could tell the difference.

Jimmy is completely well now, and aside from a runny tummy bug that went through last week, we've all been doing just fine! The rains have finally come - hallelujah! I have to cut this short now, because I am huddled in my coconut leaf/corrugated iron computer shack typing this and a mist of rain is blowing in on the puter.

We have plans to be off the island later this week, and I will post a proper update then, with pictures. We are taking a short family holiday off the island later in the week, so hopefully I can get some quality internet time in then. Very excited about this! We haven't been off the island together as a family since we arrived in Nov., and we are feeling ready for a bit of a break. Loving our jobs here, but the downsize is that there is never truly any "off" time unless you leave the island. So Savusavu, here we come!

Much love to everyone back home! Keep checking the blogs on the Tribewanted website as well - we try to put up a blog or two each week!

XOXO!

Jenny

Feeling good again!

Hello Everyone!
Jimmy here, just writing with a quick update on the island life!
Jenny and I just returned from a short stay in Suva, Fiji. There is a private hospital there, which I needed to visit after visiting the doctor here in Labasa. I had tonsillitis, and that turned into an infection that made all my joints ache, and my legs swell when I was on my feet. A 30 minute flight and a taxi ride later, we were in Suva and visiting another doc who did some blood tests, gave me a prescription, and said…”I’ve seen this before, take this, and you’ll be fine in a week!”
So here I am, 5 days later, feeling good, and well on my way back to 100%!
Suva was like stepping into another world compared to our Fijian home. Fast cars, traffic lights, even a shopping mall and a movie theatre! It was a nice place to visit, and Jenny and I especially enjoyed the lodge where we stayed. It was situated at the edge of the rain forest, with small cottages all arranged around a freshwater lake. Beautiful place, and there was even a restaurant where you could look out over the lake and feed the fish. We are planning a return trip so the kids can see the place.
While I’ve been sick, I have had so many people here caring for me. The family here on Vorovoro, along with the extended family on the neighboring island, and I even spent a night at the Chiefs house having my legs massaged by one of the local men. Everyone was doing their part to help, and I am glad to be well again, so I can begin to repay all of the well wishes.
Happy sledding to everyone back home, and know that we all miss everyone!

Until next time……..

Is it really Feb already??

Wow, it's been a fast month!

I've decided to each week introduce you to someone that we share our life with here in Fiji. This week is Jenny, or Bebe (pronounced bem-bay) as she goes by here. Bebe means butterfly, and it is a most suiting name for this colorful girl. She's from England, but lives in Spain (well, when she's not living in Fiji!) She came to the island as a tribe member one week after we arrived in June and was planning to stay for 3 weeks. Seven months later, she is still here - she took the position of Wavu (support staff), and then also filled in for my position Sept-Nov, until I arrived. She is currently working as our on island support staff, and has become a dear, dear friend. It was definitely not coincidence that put all of us on this island at the same time! She, Jimmy, and I share many of the same interests and beliefs - we are all never at a loss for something interesting to discuss. It really helps us all to support one another as well - we are all so much on the same page philosophically and spiritually. That' really so, so important when you are working as closely as we are. She's funny and energetic, insightful, sweet, hard working - known throughout the island for her prowess in the kitchen and innate knack for sensing when someone needs a cup of tea. The easy banter we have between us all keeps us laughing - a vital component to island life. She has easily become a part of our family. When her time to leave the island finally comes, it will be very hard letting her go. I can't imagine life on Vorovoro without Bebe!

Last week, Jimmy and I had a date night! Woo hoo! The first we’ve had since we arrived in Nov. We had a package that we needed to pick up in Savusavu, a lovely coastal town on the other side of Vanua Levu, so we left the kids here on the island in the good care of Bebe and treated ourselves to a night away. It is a 3 hour bus ride each way through the interior of Vanua Levu, and the scenery is breathtaking. As the bus wound its way through the lush forests, we tried to spot the waterfalls on the mountains we passed, and enjoyed the much, much cooler air of the mountains. When we arrived in Savusavu, we quickly picked up our package, hit the market for some simple, cheap foods - tinned fish, bread, pineapple, bananas, and chocolate (of course!!!), bought a few movies from the local pirate movie store (the only way to get movies here) and cozied up in an air conditioned (!!!!!!!) hotel room overlooking the harbor. Savusavu is well known for it’s beautiful landscape, but we decided to save sightseeing for another visit. Instead, we just relaxed and enjoyed the fresh showers, cool air conditioning, and the good company of each other. Very, very nice!

The glow of our mini-vacation didn’t last long though. Jimmy came down with tonsillitis not long after we got home. What started out as a bit of a sore throat quickly morphed into a full-blown infection that left his throat nearly swollen closed. He couldn’t talk or eat, and was in a great deal of pain. He tried a few Fijian remedies, but finally ended up at the doctor on Wednesday. She diagnosed him with tonsillitis, an abscessed tonsil, and a staph infection. Ick. So with some antibiotics in his system, he is now quickly on the mend. He was out and about working in the village yesterday, and went to town today. The Fijian illnesses here are really taking their toll on our immune systems these last few weeks. At home we are so rarely sick, and never sick enough to require medicine. Here’s to hoping that this is not a preview of how our entire year is going to be!