Thanks to those kind people who pointed out that the
blog referred to sanity pads. As
suggested, I think sanity pads would be a great invention wherever you are and
whatever you’re doing. But alas, it was
actually referring to sanitary pads for women and girls, which come to think of
it, sanity pads and sanitary pads could be interchangeable names for them. I bet you didn't expect to be reading about
that first up, but life here can get a little like Groundhog Day so anything
out of the ordinary you run with.
The other week I found what could be a very good
dive boat, if not a little slow. I had
seen it a while ago but this time I actually checked it out and climbed on
board to see what it was like. It is
located behind one of the big hotels on the atoll. It is a small aluminium barge with good deck
space and it even has a big shaded area (mostly above the engine). I have no idea who the owner is but I have
left my name and number if he is interested.
I know I will have to follow it up regularly, but it looks promising if
I can actually get some information on it.
Everybody is now back from their Christmas/ New
Year breaks and a new lot of volunteers are due in a few weeks. Between arrivals and departures there are
lots of welcome and farewell things happening, mainly farewells. We have acquired a bread maker and a pasta
maker. No, not in the same machine, it
is two different machines, but the same machine is not a bad idea or has
somebody already invented that? All we
need to do is learn how to use them both.
I am really looking forward to some proper fresh bread. My bread was proper bread he just got very fussy. What am I
saying he has always been fussy!!!!
When we came back after New Year I discovered that
the local telecommunications provider is ripping me off. Sound familiar to anywhere else in the
world? Every so often I lose 20c. Not too much I hear you say, but in the last
four weeks it is over $12. Not bad if you
can get away with it. I have gone in to
battle with the telco, and I am making headway, although it is in very small
steps. The disappointing thing is that
the telco provider is a monopoly, so the only alternative is not to use the
phone or internet - not likely. Out of
interest I decided to check Denise's phone usage and it was no great surprise
when I discovered she was also losing money - $1 in 24hrs. The first challenge is to stop the excess
charges on both mine and Denise's phones, and then see what compensation I can
get. I have made it my personal
challenge to get this resolved. Like a dog with a bone!
Bus record. So far the record for the number of
passengers on a 15 seat bus in Kiribati is 25.
It was a bit of a squeeze and the air conditioning struggled but we made
it without incident which is always a good thing. I am sure I saw this number bettered in
Arusha.
The other day the trip home was interrupted by
another flat tyre. Again it took the
driver a while to realise and by the time he stopped the tyre was chewed
up. I could feel it was flat about 1km
before we actually stopped and you would think "professional drivers"
would know when they have a flat. As
everyone got out of the bus they stood around looking at the flat tyre. When I got out I said "It's flat, now
where's the spare?" A spare, what a
novel idea. As you can probably guess,
no spare or tools. After that quick
discussion I noticed everyone had started walking. We were still about 12kms from my stop, so
off I went. Not 30 seconds later a car
beeped and pulled over, it was Denise. I
was actually looking forward to the walk, but accepted the lift anyway. Denise even made me sit in the back as she
already had a passenger and she wasn’t giving me any other choice. I offered other bus passengers a lift as we
still had one spare seat but they all declined.
As I write this piece of the blog on my way to work
there is a terrible knocking and grinding noise coming from under me in the
back of the bus, and it's not a flat tyre or me before you comment. My guess is we will make it, but who
knows. We made it and it didn't surprise
me when we got the same bus on the way home with the same noises and we made
that trip as well. Who needs
mechanics...sorry Baz, we still need you.
Hint to Lisa, check when the cars need a service. Hint to everyone else, remind Lisa as she
probably won't read this.
I have been after a specific book that has been
recommended on the war and its impact on Kiribati. Denise got loaned a book that I am now
reading. It has a fantastic forward and
beginning giving the best description of Kiribati I have ever read, both
historically and geographically. This
book is Gilbert Islands in WWII by Peter McQuarrie.
The book I am after is Conflict in Kiribati - A History of the Second World War but when I
looked online it was over $100 for a paperback - not likely. I will see if I can borrow a copy, but if
anyone finds it for under $30 let me know as we have visitors coming who can
bring it over with them.
Title: Conflict in Kiribati - A History of the
Second World War
Author: Peter McQuarrie
ISBN: 1-877175-21-8
So do I tell him or
just wait and see if he notices. I have found another site for this book which
has turned out to be in Christchurch. Now to see if they will deliver to
Kiribati.
An example of how things happen here. An email invitation
was sent out by my big boss at 12:50pm to request everybody be on buses at 2pm
for a presentation at the other end of the atoll that was to start at 3pm. I got out at 2pm and the first bus left at
2.20pm. As I knew it would run late I
decided to pick up the car on the way so I could escape on time to make it back
for sports at 5.30pm.
The bus dropped me off to get our car at 3pm and
the bus still had 20mins drive to get to the presentation. I made it by 3.30pm and the thing had just
started. I was all ready for speeches in
i-Kiribati but instead I walked in to the basketball stadium to discover about
200 locals on the floor just starting a basic yoga class. The first hint of organised exercise for the local
population I have seen since arriving.
Come to think of it, this would be a shock in most workplaces anywhere.
What was the reason for all this? It was the launch of a Government Get Fit
program that definitely wouldn't go astray in Kiribati.
After yoga there was light cardio workout, well I
called it light compared to what I like to do, but it definitely raised a
sweat, and that was followed by stretching.
I loved it, but not sure about the mix of a white shirt, sweat, and a
not so clean floor.
I thought I was the only non-local there, but I did
find one other at the end who also enjoys exercise. At the end I went up and congratulated the
organisers and discovered that this is supposed to be a weekly thing in all
Government workplaces. I will be
interested to see how that goes.
I spoke to the big boss about it the next day and
offered my support and assistance to get it going, so we will wait and see.
On Friday Denise and I had the privilege of
attending a function at the Special School here in Kiribati. I called it a privilege as the kids and staff
made us both feel special and there was not one dry eye amongst any of the six
guests.
The kids, who were led by their passionate
teachers, put on a show that was inspiring, beautiful and their joy in
presenting the shows was infectious.
Each group did a song/dance and everyone just enjoyed every moment.
The function was a farewell to a couple we have
become good friends with. I actually
gate crashed as I had a donation of educational material from an Australian
company to present to the school. I
thought my local boss was doing OK with her speech until I heard her take a
quick breath. I looked across and saw
tears streaming down her face as well.
The school runs off aid grants and corporate
support and it is currently looking for financial assistance to build a new wing
to provide employment skills in the areas of industrial arts and sewing. I am hoping somebody knows of a company that
could help and if you do please ask them to consider this opportunity. If any of you get the opportunity to visit I
recommend a visit to the Special School.
There have been a couple for events that have had
me excited and some that have made me cry. And as anyone can tell you from our
children’s school days, I was not the person to sit beside because I made
everyone cry.
On the 10th February, the US
Air Force came to town in a C17 Globe Master. Holy crap it was massive!! The plane, with a number of servicemen and
women came to repatriate the remains of soldiers from the 76-hour war in
Tarawa. As part of a small group of civilians,
we were able to attend the ceremony for the soldiers; these included the
e-Kiribati personnel who had worked on the excavation of the servicemen’s
remains. Very solemn.
After all the formalities had been done,
it was time for the plane to take off. This plane taxied to end of the runway,
turned around and was in the air in no time using a third of the runway to get airborne.
Absolutely fantastic!! Once in the air it banked around so that it
could do a fly by. I was stoked!! I was so excited Papa Pete told me I was a
cheap date! Hmm I will see about that.
The hard part of the fortnight was saying
goodbye to our dear friends. They had so
many things that still needed to be done for Kiribati. So the farewell was like a hand over for us;
The Special School has now become our passion too, not that it wasn’t before. It is difficult to understand why people with disabilities
smile a lot; well in Kiribati. They have
touched our hearts.
So on that note
It’s over and out from
Us
