So they used to eat people?

My host brother told me a story of how life used to be in Fiji and I thought I'd relay it onto you.

my village has poles from where homes called bures were used as foundational poles in olden times stood.In order to get that wood to this village which was surrounded by water was to roll them on top of people. These people were called the kaisi and were considered to be at the bottom of the hierarchy system in Fiji.Needless to say they died as a result of huge pieces of lumber being rolled on top of their bodies.then when the carpenters needed to make sure the poles were level inside the ground they had the kaisi hold the pole in place in the ground.When the pole was level the kaisi were buried in the pole as to ensure that the pole did not shift. Also, they were the lucky ones to be chosen as meals for the chief whenever he felt for food.There is an actual spot where the kaisi people would be strung up by their legs so that the chief could inspect them and choose which one he wanted to eat.Then Christian missionaries slowly came into the picture and changed that all around, thank goodness.

So what do you do exactly?

So many of you must be thinking to yourself... self what in the world is Janis doing in Fiji. I thought she was supposed to be saving the world but it looks like she's on a joy ride.On the contrary I am in the early stages of a 7 week training for my permanent placement. I am living with a host family in a village. My days are spent learning Fijian, learning how to create and tend a garden and learning different information about the culture,political and social structure of Fiji.

Alot goes into learning how to integrate seamlessly into the community in order to have the support of your village in order to get projects off the ground quicker.It's all an overload of information for me but it's going to be useful in the long run when I have o actually do it on my own.Also, I am living with a host family in order to learn how to be able to tend to doing basic tasks when I get to my permanent placement. I will learn how to use public transport,cook outdoors or on kerosene stoves,conserve water,keep my food safely away from rats, cockroaches,mosquitos and lizards and most importantly how to wash my clothes by hand.It's nice living with my Fijian family, they are so willing to teach me things and to open their culture up to me.

For Jamaicans, those who know a Jamaican and Dr. Stephanie

My friend Dr. Stephanie had said it may be difficult for Fijians to understand that even though I am American I was born and raised in Jamaica. So far the people I've told understand and get very excited.Apparently Fijians love all things Jamaican including but not limited to Jimmy Cliff, Bob MArley and Usain Bolt.My host brother even mentioned that he was watching the Fijian news and and they were covering the riots going on in JA over the controversy of the don being sent to US to stand trial for a range of charges.

" We likkle but we tallawer"

Life of A Black American/Jamaican in Fiji

Thoughts of my skin colour and how I would be accepted never really crossed my mind. I think I figured that Peace cOrps wouldn't place me in a place where In would be targeted adverseley because of my skin colour.Then another volunteer in my group brought this up to me.She had been slightly worried since she is Indian and there have been tensions in FIji between Fijian natives and the Indian population there. SInce then I thought that maybe Peace COrps may have a session where they will address those racial concerns.So far though I have just had conversations with a few seasoned volunteers and staff about the topic.From what I gather Fijians mostly think that all Americans are White Europeans. The few that do grasp that AMerica is multi-cultural base their views of Blacks from movies they watch. So inevitably it's based on movies they're going to be familiarized with the n-word.I have been told that Fijians may call me that innocently but they are open enough for me to tell them the true history of the word. So far the "worst" thing I've been called is Black American.I am interested to see though how it goes.
PS Apparently one of the host family's dogs for another volunteer is called n-word.

so where do you live now...Fiji!!!

I got into Fiji on the 20th .the flight was okay I slept for a while then watched movies on my own personal t.v. the airplane provides.when I actually landed in Fiji and looked all around me I was thinking man I live in Fiji now! So cool.Our first activity in Fiji was a sevusevu which is a traditional welcome ceremony. I am told that nothing can be done without having the traditional sevusevu.The sevusevu consists of the Peace Corps staff and the new Peace Corps volunteers meeting all together in a room. The new volunteers have someone offer a gift of a root crop to the staff which they accept and then afterward a special drink is offered to everyone to take part in.Then we had tea time and apparently Fiji has tea time like everyday twice a day. I can get used to having 5 meals a day instead of my usual two.
After tea we had our open water training which was wonderful because the water felt so good, the sun was shining at the right temperature and we got to relax.I've been doing a lot of relaxing here in Fiji.Since then we've been doing Language training and learning the policies and procedures of Peace Corps.My fellow volunteers (about 35 of us) are wonderful [people ,laid back and very supportive of one another. I feel like whatever we need we try to help each other out with.I know those qualities will come in handy as we get more immersed in Fiji life.
The one thing that takes me aback in all of this is how wonderful the weather is and the scenery, it makes me mellow out so much.For those who know my wild and crazy side will be surprised by how mellow I am down here.Everything is just so calming and soothing.

Read this if you are Jamaican:
On another note my uncle and I had said that since Jamaicans are practically all over the world that I should look out for any Jamaican people or things that you would associate as Jamaican.So far I have found out that Digicel is offered here. Courts has a few stores here and I just walked past a dread at the bus stop about 10 mins ago.So there will be pictures and i'm sure more Jamaican incidents to come.

Peace and Blessings

A taste of Fiji

So over the weekend I had the pleasure of getting a taste of Fiji from two Peace Corps Volunteers, Josh and Pravin. Nivtali ( I'm sorry if I botched your name) was also there for the ride, all these things being new to her also.I was happliy surprised to be presented with my first sulu. This garment which is basically a wrap that people in fiji wear is very comfy and I can definitely see myself wearing them all day everyday and possibly swearing off jeans or any other garment for my lower body.After we all got into our sulus we had a grog session. Sitting on an imbe (floor mat) my hosts walked me through a traditional grog session and were pointed out the do's and donts.I guess the highlight was the actual drink.I thought it would taste just how it looked, like muddy water, but somehow it managed to taste a little worse than that.I didn't expect the tingly feeling in my tongue and the subsequent numbness of it.
Afterwards I was treated to a wonderful meal of cassava, fried fish, fish in coconut milk, indian rice and some spicy dahl.The food was wonderful and it really helped in taking away the taste of the grog.Many compliments to the chefs.
I am happy to say that these Peace Corps volunteers were very warm and welcoming and so open to sharing their experiences with me.It truly makes me 100 times more excited to experience Fiji and form bonds with my fellow FRE 8's and most importantly with the Fijian people that I will meet.
One story that I feel compelled to tell is that of the PCV and the rat. Josh I hope I to tell this story even as half as good as you told it.
Our PCV was coming back from a training session in the city and needless to say after about a 6 hour trip back by foot and bus he was exhasuted and ready to take a much deserved rest.Upon arriving home he is greeted to a rat scurrying all over his bed which has a mosquito net covering it.Unfortunately for the rat which was a bit longer than the distantce from your elbow to the tips of your finger was not aware of the rule that if any animal gets inside the perimeter of the mosquito net it must die.So he takes a pillow case, covers the rat with it and holds it down with his hands and then smashes it to death with his fist.He then picks up the half dead rat( with his bare hands) and throws it outside into the yard.I hope one day I can have nerves of steel like you, or I could settle for a neighbor who would come and do that for me.

BTY- he threw away the pillow case.

Go tell your peeps..I am going to fiji!

Yesterday I got an update from the Peace Corps about my flight information.Every new piece of information I get is like Christmas!!! So excited about this whole new chapter I will be embarking on.First of course I will be flying out of Chicago then head over to Los Angeles to meet the entire Peace Corps that's going to Fiji. We fly out of LAX and have the pleasure of taking a 10 hr and 40 min flight.Hopefully the inflight movies are good and it won't hurt if the person I sit next to has a great personality ad takes their personal hygeine seriously.
As of right now I have been able to get in contact with about 9 other people who will be going with me to Fiji.I know the group is going to be about triple that and I can't wait to meet everyone in person.