New Zealand Vacation!

Recently, I spent three weeks traveling the South Island in New Zealand with my fellow Peace Corps Volunteer and good buddy, Casey. Next to Tennessee but not within shouting distance, New Zealand is the most beautiful place I've traveled.

Just to give a brief outline of where we've been and what we did:

We enrolled with the organization WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) and once we left Christchurch, we worked on a farm in Palmerston for a few days. We were lucky to have such knowledgeable and hospitable hosts.

We hitched a ride to Dunedin where we stocked up on food/gear and bought passage on a bus to Te Anau. The following day, we began tramping on the Kepler Track. There were many notable happenings on this walk but one of interest was that I experienced snow for the first time in two years. Many contend that the Kepler Track is the second best in New Zealand (behind the Milford), which is known for it's "Great Walks." Take into account that the Milford Track leads to Milford Sound, which has been labeled "The Eighth Wonder of the World" but I don't figure the Kepler is far behind. We summitted two mountains including this one above Mount Luxmore and walked around 55 kilometers in 2 and a half days. It was exhilirating, exhausting, breathtaking and punishing.

We recuperated in Queenstown during Christmas and Boxer's Day. Ate at a fantastic burger joint called Fergburger, drank a few beers, rendezvoused with some other Peace Corps Volunteers and made a few new friends.

We continued on our journey with stops at Franz Josef where I saw the glacier in all of it's majesty and Westport before our scheduled WWOOFin' date in Granity. Granity is a small town with a whole lot of personality. A shirt at a local bar/restaurant read, "I lost my sanity... in Granity."

New Zealand is everything I've been told with awe-inspiring beauty, an eclectic blend of foods, entertainment around every corner and super-friendly Kiwis (New Zealanders).

Village/Project Happenings Continued

On Tuesday December 1st, Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary School's Principal stopped by my fale and handed me the 100ST for the computers. I was ecstatic and the next morning, I lugged two computers with keyboards and mice (?) to the school and set them up. For the time being, I hooked up a couple of old monitors they had that were used with their deceased computers. They worked great! Even though a lab isn't set up for a class, I was told that a few more computers would be ideal and that they will look into setting them up in the library for the school children to research using the Encarta Encyclopedia program and to just get a feel of using a computer. All the kids coming from Jim's village will have a heads up on the others because of Jim's computer class. There you go, homie! & once again, Max, you hooked us up. Much appreciative!

On my recent trip to Apia, I picked up the sewing machine grant check from New Zealand Aid, and I will pick up the materials we asked for today with the Women's Committee President, Mesepa, and translator extraordinaire, Lana, and place orders for the sewing machines. Here is the list of Aid we asked for and were generously funded by New Zealand Aid:

Descriptions QTY U/Price Total
Sewing Machines 7 350.00 2,450.00
Roller Fabrics 10 162.00 1620.00
Fabric Ink 15 27.00 405.00
Threads 20 5.80 116.00
Needles 10 6.80 60.00
Zippers 40 1.90 76.00
Hangers 20 4.50 90.00

Total: 4,817.00 ST

This is the end of the school year and each school has what is called a "Prize Giving." This is a big event, which is to celebrate the schoolchildren's studiousness by giving them gifts of school materials for the next year but mostly, candy that is taped together to form long necklaces that they rip apart and I eventually pick up during the Fatuvalu Roadside Beautification Committee's weekly trash pickup... Anyhow, it's a big event, so I'll type another blog post before I head down to New Zealand with my good buddy, Casey!

Village/Project Happenings

It's been a little while since I've posted with text and since I am volunteering 24/7 (Can't turn off. I'm a volunteer on a mission.), I've got a lot to cover!

I hope you've watched the videos posted below from my friends at the Mailelani Soap Company (You did great, Sylvie!). As I've mentioned before, I'm a big fan of their soap and their sustainable, eco-friendly business practices. I've been discussing with them ways to provide soap for the students at my schools. Leaving a bar on the sink isn't enough, because they tend to find their way off the school premises. Mailelani is willing to make large bars (a brick, even) of soap for the schools that can't easily walk off the school compound. From there, I've been thinking about it's placement (Can't set a big hunk of soap on the sink.), and my dad advised me on short notice to look into making a big soap-on-a-rope. I think it's a fantastic idea, because it's easy to hang, and most importantly, use. I am still up for any suggestions but I doubt you can top my dad. He's pretty sharp.

By way of my good friend Max and 100ST, I have two computers for Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary. As soon as the school committee gives me 100ST, I will be setting them up for them. We're still in need of a fan to cool the computers and I'd like Max to take a look at the two computers that they have that are inoperable but time is running out. I wish you'd stay another year, Max.

I received a phone call yesterday from the New Zealand embassy that the grant I submitted for sewing machines has been approved! I look forward to ordering the sewing machines and picking up the fabrics and various materials with the Women's Committee President soon.

With pineapples, mangoes and other fruits in season, I have recently begun to make fruit jams. My personal consumption of jam before this has been little to none. I don't buy any in the store, but I sure have eaten a lot recently. I've been looking into creating a fruit jam small business to show and explain to members of my host family. Upon consideration of the market and the inputs and outputs, I'd inevitably be in the red, so I will just consider them gifts and stock a few away for next year. That doesn't mean I've given up on a small business, though. I'm going to continue making chocolate in the hopes of creating chocolate bars for sale. More research is needed into processes, as well as equipment.

Mailelani Soap Co. Part 1

Mailelani Soap Co. Part 2

Mailelani Soap Co. Part 3

Cultural Exploration #3 Part 1