Really Getting Into Things #4

Shortly after I got back in October I was on my way to Lenakel and me a young tourist at one of the bungalows along the way where I had to wait for an hour and a half. I started talking to her and asked her what brought her to Tanna. She had just finished a job in the Antarctic and was doing a little vacationing. Her name was Allison but told me to call her Sandwich. I remembered that my ex-stepson, Matt, had worked there for part of about 3 years and so, on the off chance that she might know him or know of him, I asked her. Not only did she know him, but he was one of her best friends there. Then she just looked at me, and asked me if my name was Sandra. How could she have known? It turns out Matt told her to look me up if she came to Vanuatu and had told her some good things about me. We spent the morning storying on as we rode in the truck. Amazing was all I could think. Amazing stuff does happen here and it is true the world is a very small place.

Lots of stories, lots of work too. I’ve learned how to make an island dress and have been teaching the mamas how to sew on hand crank sewing machines. To think that I remember some of that stuff from the Home Economics class I took in junior high school! I had lots of help from one mama, Juliet who has been sewing for many years. I made one skirt in a different way than the other mamas and she wanted to take it with her to Vila but a tourist bought it before I could give it to her. I’ve also taught some cooking workshops and that has been a lot of fun. I’ve learned how to make pizza with a manioc crust and ketsup for the sauce! One day I even spent 6 hours teaching mamas some new recipes, packed my bag and walked 2 hours to the volcano to catch a truck to Lenakel and spent the weekend there just to share time with a volunteer who was having his 23rd birthday. Sitting at the volcano, too tired to climb to the rim, I watched the lava missles come over the edge while the eruption popped my ears. I would have napped but for the company of 3 young ni-Van girls who just wanted to storian (story on).

I recently taught a workshop for managing family money and spend a lot of time just talking with people about their projects or doing one-on-one training in running their existing business. I’ve been working with one young man who was taking some upper level classes in preparation for becoming an accountant. Not only did he pass them but he did well enough to get admitted to Teachers College which takes less time and money to finish. Makes sense though since he was teaching classes 1 and 2 and the local primary school and this year is teaching classes 3 and 4.

I’m learning that I need help and all I need to do is ask because everyone is waiting for me to do that. If I want any kind of food, I just need to ask. I now go and talk with people just because I want to storian and not because I have some kind of work that needs to be done with them. When things aren’t working it isn’t because I haven’t done enough, it is because I can’t do it for them. It is hard being a facilitator when you’ve been a doer and yet I know if I do everything for them, when I leave nothing will last. So, I’ve learned to let go too. Let go of not getting a truck back to site, let go of the toilet caving in, let go of air conditioning and refrigeration and exquisite food. For lunch today I had 2 beef nems (kind of like an eggroll but much much greasier) and french fries. It was fast, it was hot and it was cheap. However, I did get a massage while I was here…. So I haven’t let go of everything or maybe it is just that I’m taking more care of me than before. I just know that I really don’t know anything any more.