I Sit and Ruminate.

Well, I usually consider myself to be a very self aware type but occasionally I realize that something has been going on in my head that I didn't know about. Recently, I've noticed that I was probably experiencing what is commonly known as "culture shock". Honeymoon period..."isn't this wonderful!" Second phase..."well, I signed up and I guess I'll just make the best of it." Third phase..."OMG, I can't stand it here, I want to go home!!" I think I might have just reached the Fourth and final stage..."OK, there's bugs, but they're not so bad. It's hot...but I can live with that. Organization?? Time schedules?? When it happens, it happens."

Since drying out hundreds of books which were drenched in the cyclone we have now received 3 times the amount of books we originally got from the school library in the San Franciso area which closed. I have spent the last 3 weeks sorting these into various categories and piling the text books on the floor around the edges of the shelves in the library. The texts were supposed to be taken by the dept. heads and put into their classrooms or offices or other work spaces. This was to happen this week and so far on Thursday, about 3 dept. heads have come in, looked the text books over, left with 2 or 3 books each and not returned. I have piles of text books with an average weight of 2 lbs apiece...reaching above my head and many students using the library, all in danger of being buried alive under bookslides. Oh well!

Today I went to speak to the principal and deputy principal with the message that the library would be closed until the text books were removed. The response was that the "late coming students could move the text books in the morning". Thank goodness there is a room available to take them to. The task will take at least the whole morning with a contingent of 10 or more boys working non-stop...we'll see how that progresses.

My next project is burning of trash...first I have to locate a steel drum which is not already filled with garbage and therefore too heavy to move. I have given up on other ways of getting rid of mouldy papers and books in the numerous storage areas here at the school. There seems to be some aversion to getting rid of anything, no matter how decrepit, useless or old. The arsonist in me is coming to the forefront! Nice, clean, fire....gone! Perhaps tomorrow I will bring a couple of weiners to roast for lunch, set up a pail of water nearby and host a bonfire.

Another interesting note...completely off topic, is the range of prices for various goods here in Tonga. One example is my search for a hammer to put up some signs in the library. A local hardware store was selling them for $70 TOP (Tongan Dollars) which is approximately $37.00 Cdn. I decided I'd use a rock but was able to borrow a hammer after all. Shortly thereafter I was browsing thru another store and guess what...hammers were $7.50 TOP...about $4.00 Cdn. There is no rythme or reason for this, it's simply the luck of the draw. In one store you can buy something for half the price the same item sells for in a different store. After awhile you learn where to buy what. I really feel sorry for the tourists.

So, the weather has turned much nicer. The South Pacific winter is beginning thank goodness and it is more like the Canadian summer, not so humid or hot and you can sleep at night without waking covered in sweat.

The dogs which numbered four have been reduced by two...both puppies have gone. One was "put down" because it had hip displasia...the hip joint came out of the socket continually until the poor thing was unable to get up and the other was given away to a young lad who probably cooked it. The dogs here are seen as wild scavengers I guess...the way we would look at squirrels or raccoons. No one bothers to feed them and most are better off dead. I worried about my lack of compassion for the puppy with the hip problem for about 2 minutes recently when I watched it struggling but realized that the best I could wish for it was that it would die soon. My wish was granted when the managers of the place finally took it to the vet and had it put out of it's misery. A sorry commentary on the changes one experiences in a different culture.

When I think about the books we have from the states I wonder what the children here think of when reading "Black Beauty, Lassie Come Home, The Incredible Journey" and all the other great animal stories we read as kids. We tend to think of the animals as pets and anthropomorphicize (look it up on google) them. The Tongans see them as being able to take care of themselves or possibily as source of protein. In our rich society we can afford to have animals as pets. Here there are no pets or not among the Tongans anyway. They are busy feeding themselves and their families and the financially secure ones probably remember when they were poorer.

Enough for now...best to all, Penny