Trip to Malekula

"Halo evriwan," we're back from our last audit in Malekula, and our last traveling audit to the other islands.  Our flight over, was changed at the last minute, no surprise to us.  We ended up flying to Santo and sitting at the airport for two hours before flying fifteen minutes to Malekula.  It was fun though, there's a handicraft shop there at the airport, so I went over to see what they had, and to visit the cute gals that work there.  I was going to buy a shell from them, and they ended up giving me three.  They said, they had plenty at home, all they have to do is pull them out of the ocean!  The people are sooo sweet, you would love them.   It's so hard to say "tata" (goodbye).  We've been going to the different islands in Vanuatu and the country of Solomon, for almost a year and half, so we've formed dear friendships with some of them.

We stayed at a bungalow called Holiday Villas, the same place we stayed our first time to the island.  It has a little kitchette, separate bedroom, living area, bathroom.  Breakfast is provided,  there is a local restaurant that is open, but you have to make arrangements to eat there. We just brought ramen noodles and a few canned goods to make our own meals.  We like to stay there because we can walk to the district office where the audits are done.  You might remember the last time we were in Malekula, we got to ride out cyclone Hola, on the floor of a little restaurant, at the Almeltoro bungalow.  Can you believe that was six months ago?  We decided not to stay by the water this time!   Just kidding, it's not cyclone season, but we just wanted to be able to walk to the district office, and it's close staying at Holiday Villas.   It's so fun to meet with the same district presidents, branch presidents, and their clerks, time after time.  It's like seeing old friends. When we got checked in, we hurried and ate crackers, fruit and some eggs I had boiled and brought with us, then walked to the district office.  When we got there, three of the branch presidents and their clerks, and President Vanu were waiting for us.  Again, it was like greeting old friends.  I decided to go back to the bungalow and hang our clothes up, and set things up.  As I left to go back to the office, the little lady that checked us in told me to make sure we boiled the water before we drank it!!!  TOOO LATE.  I just prayed that I didn't get sick, luckily I haven't had any problems.  We've never had to boil it in the past.   We just bought our drinking water from the little store while we were there.   When I got back to the office,  I was hoping to find my friend, Floret, the district clerks wife, and sure enough here she came.  I all of the sudden heard this high pitch, funny, hollar they do.  We gave each other a big hug, she then put three shell necklaces she had made for me, around my neck, and gave me a bag of shells (nothing for Greg) Wah!   She doesn't know English and I only know "smol" Bislama, but we were able to communicate in our own awkward way.  I wanted to go to the handicraft market, so we  headed down the road.  When I was there six months ago,  I ordered a small, woven, mat (1'x2') with VANUATU woven in the middle.  These particular weavings are done on the island of Ambrym.  I was hoping I had given the weaver enough time, and sure enough it was there.  It is so beautiful, it's woven in natural and colored grasses.  The shop is cute, and has a good little business going.  I think there is a picture of it from the post in March.  They do special orders for people, and businesses around the islands.  I've seen things from Malekula in shops on the different islands.   There are ladies that weave bags, mats, fans, all kinds of things to sell.   It was fun to visit the ladies in the shop, they remembered me from the time before.   We visited for about an hour as they asked questions about America, and my family.  A fair amount of the younger generation know pretty good English, if they've had a chance to go to school.  It was sad to say good bye to them, I doubt we'll ever go back for a visit, it's too expensive, and too hard to get to.  When we got back to the office, all the men were getting ready to go to lunch.  We went to a little local restaurant that was just across the street.  Lunch consisted of a piece of fish, boiled veggies and a big pile of white rice.  It was pretty good, just a little too much rice.  Before we began to eat lunch, President Vanu thanked Greg and I for our service in Malekula.  Everyone knows an auditor is not the most favorite person anyone ever wants to see, but Greg always helped them to feel at ease, as he looked at their books, and gave them training and guidance.   We've grown to love the people so much.   Elder Johannson, an area seventy, here in the Pacific, gave the definition of an assistant area auditor as someone who comes in and shoots the wounded!  So funny!!  As we left the restaurant, I could see some activity a short distance away.  One of the guys told me they were processing kava.  He asked if I wanted to see what they were doing and take some pictures, of course I did!  There was a guy putting the kava root through a meat grinder.  It looked like cement coming through the grinder, all gray and gross looking.  I'm not sure what they do with it after that.  I think they just mix it with water and drink it, soon making them numb and high.  It's a nasty habit there in the islands. 

Floret had to get home, so we said good bye one last time.  She is such a character, I will never forget her.  After the three audits, we went back to the bungalow for the evening.  I'm so glad they have mosquito netting over and around the bed, not only for mosquitos, but for the gecko poop that drops from the roof!  So funny!    We also killed about three cockroaches before going to bed.  Yuck!  I must say,  island life is quite interesting.  Those things don't bother me like they used to.  When we woke up the next morning, a banana that was on the counter, was partially eaten.  We're pretty sure it was a rat because we found rat traps, unfortunately they weren't set. 

Two more audits were done that day, before lunch came.  They all planned to go to lunch again that afternoon at the same little restaurant, but we decided to pass on the rice, so we walked into their little town to look around.  There was this old building with a sign on it that said "nuts and oils."  There were trays of nuts drying in the sun.  We walked over to see what it was all about. There was a man from England there, that owned the business processing the oil from the nangai nut, which grows wild out in the bush.  The oil is used in cosmetics as a carrier (Estee Lauder company buys from him).  Back in the day, it was used to relieve arthritis and also as an antibiotic. It's used as a carrier in cosmetics these days.  He says it's starting to come back into use.  He gave me a good size bottle of it,  it's nice, not greasey.    I just mix a little with my moisturizer.  I'll be "glad tomus" to have it when I get home, and my face dries up!  He produces quite a bit, it was so interesting to learn about.  He pays the mamas and pikininis 395 vatu per kilo (2.3 lbs) for them, about $3.95 American.  The nuts are all over in their villages and out in the bush.  It's nice that the people have a way to get a little money.    When we finished visiting with him, we went back to the audits.   There was only one audit left, so it was done the next morning before we left to go back to Port Vila.  That morning we said good bye to President Vanu.  He speaks so fast, and it's hard to understand him sometimes, but it was a sweet farewell.  Like I say, we've become attached to these dear people. 

I have this little video on my phone that I took the winter before we came here that shows it snowing, with dogs playing in it, and my neighbor showeling it.  I show it to the people that have never seen snow before, and it's hard for them to comprehend.  I showed it to President Vanu, he was so amazed.  He asked me to email it to him.  I told him about our blog, and he wanted to be read it, so I got him all set up.  He is very curious and loves to learn about things.  We will never forget the sweet people on these islands.  We lovem tomus!  

We called Air Vanuatu to see if our flight was on time, of course it wasn't.  It was suppose to leave Malekula at 1:30, they moved it to 2:30.  We got to the airport at 1:00, the plane showed up and we left at 1:45.  Oh boy!  On the way back, we landed on another little island to pick a few more passengers up.  It's fun to land on grass runways!  We soon made it back to Port Vila.  It was nice to be back home in our little apartment.  We hope all is well at home, it won't belong before we're home again.  We lovem yu tomas!  Greg and Ann XO