Things I wish I knew before I got here

Just a list of things that I think would be good to know for incoming PC Volunteers based on my own observations, or stuff I wish I knew ahead of time. Mind you these are just *my* opinions, I'm generalizing of course, YMMV.  :)


Generally Speaking

• Vanuatu is still a young country, trying to figure itself out, reconciling their traditional "village" mentality with the realities of a rapidly moving and developing world. It's a s-l-o-w process, but the people and the government are very receptive to input and are (for the most part) willing to learn.
• Generally speaking people in Vanuatu are very friendly and welcoming. They don't call this place the "Happiest Place on Earth" for nothing (Disney be damned).  They will randomly wave their hands and greet you, people will just give you stuff (usually something to eat) randomly. However keep in mind that you are still a foreigner here, and as a "Waet Man" you will be stared at and bombarded with rather intrusive (by our standards) questions about your life, your marital status, family, religion, financial situation, etc. Come prepared with canned answers, and tell them you're poor. lol

Weather

• Weather in the Summer is HOT & HUMID! You will sweat buckets so don't bother bringing thick cotton clothing; stick to thin cotton or Polyester, or Cotton-Polyester blend. Anything else will stick to your skin and will take forever to dry after washing.
• BUT it also gets surprisingly COLD here some nights, and in the Winter it's downright freezing (believe me your body will acclimate to Vanuatu temps and low 70s will give you shivers). Bring at least one sweater or hoodie (or buy one in town), jeans or leggings. It also rains ALOT when it does rain, but you can get cheap umbrellas and such here when you get access to town.

Peace Corps Post

• Peace Corps is VERY well respected here, close to celebrity status.
• There are 2 main groups of vols here, English/IT Instructors (Vanuatu Information Technology and English Literacy project) and Community Health.
• Port Vila is where the Peace Corps Office is. It's a VERY small town (may seem overwhelming the first time you visit though), but has most of the modern conveniences: 24x7 power, hotels, bars, restaurants, etc. Mind you this town is built primarily for Aus/NZ tourists, so you'll see alot of signs and tour operators scattered about. When you tire of eating island food and want some alcohol this place is an oasis.
• The Peace Corps Resource Center, which is basically an office adjacent to the staff office, is where PCVs come to unwind when in town. It's where you can find books, computers, a kitchen, (slow but usable) Wifi, an overstuffed fridge, couches to chill on, and is also where the mailboxes are. You can store important documents like passports at the office. It's the hub of PCV activity, and if you sit there long enough you will see everyone.  You also hear the weirdest conversations ever. We *occasionally* work there too ;)
• Letters/packages from the States take about a month or so to reach here via standard rates. If you have care packages mailed to you, confirm Customs here won't confiscate them (things like beef jerky, etc.).

Gender Issues

• The role of women here is still one of subservience to men; albeit those roles seem to be changing as a result of women entering the workforce and exposure to Western ideas, many such attitudeds persist, especially in the more "bush" areas.  Women may be subject to certain behavioral expectations by members of your village. This being a conservative Christian country will also mean women in villages will be expected to follow certain standards of modesty (no showing skin above the knee, etc.). However as a PCV, you are placed in a unique situation in that they will look to you for guidance by the women AND men in your village, even when they would not do so otherwise.
• For the women: alot of guys here got no game; i.e. they will be direct when expressing interest in you sexually. As anywhere be careful around groups of younger men (teens and up), as many do not work and just lounge around all day, and may see you as "fair game". Just as anywhere, you may be exposed to men propositioning you, and catcalls and groping incidents *do* happen so you need to keep your wits about you, especially in areas where alcohol is consumed. This is all stuff you will learn about in training.

Assignment

• Vanuatu has some of the most isolated PC sites in the world, and as such your experiences will vary widely depending on where, what island, what village, etc. you are eventually assigned to.  As such the level of your access to "civilization" will vary as well. Health vols are comparatively more likely to go where there is no (or not as much) electricity, except via solar or generator (again depending on where you go).
• You will be issued a cell phone (at least my group was, if not you can get them in town); I've been able to text/call *some* people in the States and coverage can be spotty depending on where you go. I brought a smartphone and it died the first week I was here. If you do bring one bring one that allows for a SIM card. They have this weird system where your account will expire if you don't "top up" (ie pay for more minutes) on your phone. Oh, and don't let Ni-Vans, even your host fam "borrow" your phone, even to look at it; they want to USE it to call someone, and YOU will end up paying for the minutes used.

What to Bring

• Bring only what you NEED, as other things you can find here, albeit at substandard quality. The town here is littered with Chinese-owned shops that sell Walmart-bargain-bin-quality products. You can find toiletries, cheap electronics (that break quickly), etc. so no need to bring those, and the Medical Office will supply you with a med kit. **HOWEVER** you will probably be sequestered at a training site/village for the first 1.5 months so get the "little things" to tide you over initially...and believe me, after the initial novelty wears off, it helps to have tastes/smells/sounds of home to stave off homesickness. There are certain stores in town that will sell some of the things that we get in the States, but they will be very expensive, even in USD.
  
  - Spices. People here don't eat alot of strongly-flavored food; they like their stuff bland, so you may wanna bring stuff like hot sauce (they sell them here but they're pricey and in not as much variety). Costco is your friend. And remember spices must be SEALED otherwise they can be confiscated at the airport.
  
  - HEADLAMP!! A *must*. And get a GOOD one, don't get a cheap one just to save a couple of bucks.
  
  - Rechargeable batteries for your electronics. They have batteries here but they die quick.
  
  - MP3 player / iPod. Believe me you will be dying to hear music from back home when you get here!
  
  - THIN cotton, polyester, or cotton-polyester blend clothing. Women will be expected to wear skirts and such. Bring flipflops. They may tell you to wear "dress clothes" to Staging, but that's just a one-time thing, trust me you won't be wearing those again anytime soon.
  
  - A sweater for the cold season.
  
  - Quick-drying towel.
  
  - Water bottle.  You can get one in town, but good to have for the initial period.
  
  - Bring a folding fan, since you will arrive when it's HOT, and it'll be a relief until you get acclimated.
  
  - Camera, waterproof is preferable.
  
  - A Kindle (or some kind of e-book reader) if you plan on doing alot of reading. There are books in the office you can borrow but it's a pain to carry if you read alot.
  
  - Computer. Many people brought laptops or netbooks, which may seem stupid if you get assigned to a site without reliable power, but they will be extremely useful when you are in town; good for blogging, watching movies, watching TV shows from the States (bring those too, we can trade!), Skyping fam & friends back home; it's a HUGE boost to your morale during those times when you need to talk to someone back home or watch something familiar. Peace Corps' Volunteer Report Forms and Annual Volunteer Survey are electronic, so you will need a computer for those too. The office has computers but they are slow as molasses, and no Skype. But keep in mind humidity is killer to computers, so keep them (and electronics in general) in dry bags or ziplocks with silica gel packets if you take it around outside.  Your trackpad/keyboard/USB ports are usually the first to crap out; my laptop keyboard died after a month so I use a USB keyboard now.  You can store your computer at the Office while you're at site since it's air-conditioned, but if you do take a laptop to site, be careful as the locals will come to you constantly to watch/copy movies and play games, so try not to flash it around if that bothers you.
  
  - Flash Drive. Even if you chose not to bring a computer, have one handy just in case. Be careful if you decide to buy it locally, I've found many are infected or die quickly. Some people have said they wished they brought an external hard drive (one of those portable ones that runs off the USB) to store their fave TV shows/movies.
  
  - Pocket knife/multi-tool (pref. with a bottle-opener if you're a beer drinker). But don't cut fish with it, it'll rust. True story.
  
  - Soap & shampoo. Bring one bar or a tiny bottle for the first week at least.  When we arrived they forgot to supply us so had to wash sans soap the first few days.
  
  - Juuuust thought I'd mention that porn, adult material and paraphernalia are illegal here...officially.  That's not to say people don't bring them, just sayin ;)
  
  

• PACK LIGHT! I know it's not so easy when you think that you're gonna be here 2 years, but there are a coupla things I brought that I wish I didn't, and some things broke within the first months I was here. Don't try to plan for ALL contingencies, if there is something you wish you brought after you get here, you can have them shipped to you.

Closing Thoughts

• If you're having problems, something is bothering you or you are unhappy, DON'T KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. The worst thing you can do is swallow it or try to plow through it alone.  The people who have had the worst service are the ones who decided to just "grin and bear it".  Remember, we're all in this together, and whatever anxiety, nervousness and insecurity you may feel from time to time (and you will), your fellow PCVs feel it too, though they may not show it or they joke about it. Look to your fellow PCVs for comfort and advice. Reach out when you need someone to talk to who can relate to what you are going through, because folks back home mean well but only other PCVs can truly *understand* what you are going through. If you are having problems with your site or wanna talk to a professional, talk to PC Support Staff, that's why they are there. You are willing to invest 2+ years of your life in a foreign country to help people and that's a HUGE commitment and sacrifice, and we get through it by leaning on each other from time to time.
• And finally: Remember, you're a volunteer...don't stress over little things or take on too much all at once. 27 months will go by fast, and by the time the first year is over, you will be like, "oh shit, I only have a year left, where did the time go??"  Live the experience, absorb your surroundings, and learn from the pitfalls.  You will be living where people back home would have to spend thousands to vacation to, so enjoy it! :)

9-Month Gush

As of July 6, 2013, I've been in this country for 9 months.  I can honestly say that it took me about 8 1/2 of those months to finally feel comfortable, adjusted, and content in my new home.  I can walk about without feeling like self-conscious, the villagers have gotten used to me, and I've gotten used to them.  After being here this long, here are some of my thoughts, observations, and feelings so far...

First off, I would have to say Vanuatu is probably one of the most gorgeous countries I have ever seen.  Being from Hawai'i I'm used to a tropical environment, but this place has a rugged beauty that is unique.  Waterfalls, lagoons, waterholes, beaches, etc. all seem to jump right out of scenes from "The Blue Lagoon".  I'm talking, I mean, it's ridiculous how beautiful this place is and I have barely even explored 1/100th of it.

The work.  I LUUUUUUUUV my job!

Teaching basic computers and applications to the kids is an amazing experience, as for them this is an all new adventure, and their energy energizes *me*.  Teaching computers to teachers has been interesting, as for them it's a scary monster that they are learning to tame.  Still need to do some documentation; a network diagram, an updated inventory list, acceptable use policy, etc. Being the sole tech supporty guy is also a challenge, but I love the fact that I have my own tech "empire" to do with as I please, to configure as I wish.  The work has been crazy because of the constant schedule changes, school closures due to a death in the village (and for a village as large as mine that can be quite often), inconsistent attendance, priority shifts, etc.  It's been crazy, tiring, frustrating, exciting, wonderful, rewarding, excruciating, stressful and relaxing all rolled up into one big emotional rubberband ball.  I am truly happy with what I'm doing, and once I complete the curricula for the year I will be able to spend more time working on my secondary projects and polishing up the stuff here in preparation for the next PCV who will come after I leave.

But the thing I want to focus on the most is the people...after all it's the people that make a country what it is.  Called Ni-Vans (short for "Ni-Vanuatu"), the people here are truly some of the friendliest people ever.  Random people would wave hello when you walk down the street. A bus driver would stop his bus on the side of the road to buy a sack of "gato" (basically frybread) and pass them out to the passengers on a whim...and people accept it like it's a normal everyday thing. A 5-minute small-talk with a stranger would inevitably lead to swapping phone numbers, inviting you over for kava and to go visit their homes for some food.  Small talk with a bus driver would result in him giving you a bunch of bananas.  It feels good to hear a random kid from my school, who isn't even a student of mine, yell out "Mista Ken! Mista Ken!" when they see me walking around. A little embarrassing though haha.

I would be walking to a bus stop in my village and some random guy would be on a "wokabaot", he smiles hello I say hello back, he asks me where I'm going, I tell him, and soon he's waiting at the bus stop with me, chatting me up.  After about 10 minutes of chit-chat the bus comes, and he invites me to his sister's wedding in a few days.

Simple. I think I just made a friend.

And when they hear you are in the Peace Corps, they are amazed and grateful at how someone would be willing to come to their little country, live among them for two years, learn their language, and help to better themselves and their lives.  I have never met a people so accepting of outsiders living among them, so shy when it comes to expressing themselves publicly yet so outgoing when sharing a laugh.

This rampant friendliness took some getting used to, and it's still hard not to feel a little weirded out by it, especially when I get recognized by someone who I had a conversation with for 3 minutes like two months ago.  I would be walking in the city, and they call out to me, and say "hey, mi no luk yu long taem! Yu gud?!" (hey, I haven't seen you for a long time, are you good?).  Of course I turn on my fakey-familiarity tone and act like "yeah good seeing you again" blah blah.  This has happened to me more times than I can count.  Being from Hawai'i, we have the "Aloha Spirit" as well, but I feel it's been tempered by American culture somewhat.  It's kind of nice to know that there is still such a strong support system here, that you are instantly "one of us" just because you're a human being, and help is only a handshake away.

On the one hand, however, part of me misses some of that anonymity of just being an anonymous stranger in a crowd, minding my own business.  But then again, I do see a stark contrast when I see the wealthy Australian tourists in Port Vila.  They're friendly, sure, but when they say "hello" it feels like it's from a place of formality, rather than from the HEART as it is when you talk to a Ni-Van.  So then I gravitate back to the Ni-Van way of living.

Alot of this friendliness and brotherly love that is so easily and openly expressed is wonderful, but it also scares me.  I'm scared for THEM.  There is an innocense and naivite among the people here that is unquestionably endearing, but could also bite them in the ass if they aren't careful.  As they become more open to ouside influences and they start to reap their rewards, the dark side of these influences also inevitably encroach into their world as well...drugs, alcohol abuse, stress, violence, materialism, STIs, etc. are already rearing its ugly head.  And the people here do the best they can to deal with it the way they know how; using traditional practices such as community-based intervention, "Sorry" ceremonies, etc. to try to minimize the damage that these influences may bring.  The problem with this approach is that it focuses on the symptoms without dealing with the underlying problems head-on: education, corruption, a national lack of self-esteem...

Oh God the self-esteem issues.  I have heard SO MANY TIMES about how "Black Man" (themselves) are incapable of doing what "White Man" (the rest of us) can do.  When a Ni-Van commits a crime, for example, it's because he's a "black man", never mind what socio-economic issues may have contributed to the person doing what he did!

There's a saying: "When so many people are trying to help you, you start to feel kinda helpless."

And that's what I see happening here...there are so many international aid organizations at work here...Peace Corps, Aus Aid, China Aid, JICA, missionaries, tourists from Australia visiting villages (including mine) to donate money and supplies.  While their hearts may be in the right place (and I include the Peace Corps in this criticism), it has created a culture of dependancy here, a thinking among the Ni-Vans that they can't do anything unless "Waet Man" gives it to them or does it for them.  Even the majority of the businesses in this country are owned by outsiders, not them.  They never look to their own people when they need a solution, they look to *us* first.  A fellow volunteer even told me how she had heard someone say that they want to follow the "Waet Man" into Heaven.

*Head Desk*

I really feel that the change in attitude and feelings of self-worth need to come from a deliberate attempt country-wide.This needs to be encouraged by their leaders; community leaders, village Chiefs, the government.  The ultimate goal for all of us outsider organizations should be to put ourselves out of business...that one day, this country won't need us anymore. That's what I hope to impart in my own small way...to show them what they are capable of, that they can possess the tools to do great things on their OWN.  That we "Waet Man" are no better than they are, that "Black Man" are just as capable, just as worthy of making a trip to Heaven without riding on our coat-tails.

I want those kids who call me "Mista Ken" to know that "Mista Ken" is not a celebrity, but just another guy, like them. I have my flaws, insecurities and weaknesses, just as they do.  And that in many ways, they are better than I could ever be.  The world needs countries like this, people like these. There is so much Ni-Vans can contribute to the world, to teach us things at a human-level.

I guess I'm starting to fall in love with this country.



But I still hate kava.

Signing off til nex time,

Aloha and a hui hou :)