Random Notes and Events

First and foremost, Happy Graduation to my little sis! I can’t believe you’re out of high school now…wow. Think of all the fun things we can do now without having to have you play hooky all the time? Sorry I couldn’t be there for the big day, but I do believe I strapped a king size mattress and box spring to the top of my beloved Saab and drove it from Capitol Hill to Everett on Hwy 99 in the rain no less as an early graduation present. We’ll go to a concert or something cool when I get back as an after-graduation present. Congratulations!!


Secondly, the women’s committee president’s daughter had a baby and they named it Elisa! It’s not an uncommon occurrence for Peace Corps here. It’s the ol’ namesake routine. Some volunteers find it irritating because it’s a ploy to get you to buy stuff for the baby. You know, like Pampers and clothes and things. I’ve never bought baby clothes for anyone, so it was fun to buy a tiny little dress for little Elisa. Another Peace Corps had two brothers named after him. The first baby took his first name and the second baby took his last name. Unfortunately, the volunteers name is Igor Popstefanija.

Finally, school has started up again and it’s the busiest term out of the three. All the students are studying for fall exams. I’ve started a phonics program in the morning before school to help students who are in year 7 and 8 who are still having trouble reading. Alli, Emilie and I get together every weekend and have a sleepover, usually in Emilie’s village because it’s so close to town. The new library book donations from Darien Book Aid have arrived and I’m excited to add them to our meager stack at Vaipu’a Primary. Water Charity in California funded a small grant to plant 80 fruit trees inside our school grounds for healthier lunches and I’m excited to have a tree-planting day with the kids. My cousin Jami and I have started penpal-ing our students back and fourth as a cultural exchange activity and the kids are jazzed about hearing from their friends in the U.S.

Kittten head is getting big and as soon as I get her fixed (not easy to do here) I’ll let her out to play with the pigs and chase the chickens. Until then, the position is being filled by yours truly