Welcome to the Peace Corps

Months after my nomination to serve in North Africa/The Middle East I received a phone call from Washington informing me that my program had filled and could I swim.

A few weeks later I was invited to serve in Fiji!  I never really believed it until they sent me the information for staging in LA and the itinerary for the flight to Nadi.  But here I am, nearly a month "in country."

After a one day orientation session in LA we boarded a non-stop flight to Nadi, Fiji.  Arriving at 5AM, we walked off the plane to be met by the Peace Corps country director for Fii who helped us pass immigration and customs.  A long bus ride took us to Pacific Harbor and another 2 day orientation, immunization and water safety session.  On the afternoon of the second day we packed up again, this time headed for four days of training in Nadave, a technical (mostly ag) school near Nausori.

With all of the whirlwind training sessions, new friends, new foods and new environment, I hardly noticed I was catching cold until it kicked me on my butt.  Instead of meeting my host family that first Monday, I was the first in my group to travel to Suva and the Peace Corps office.  The adventure was a bit wasted on me, though, as I slept through the whole thing!

A good rest was all I needed and I headed to my host family's home and back to training the next day.  Since then I've been living and studying in a Fijian village by the bend in the Rewa River just a few minutes drive from the "city" of Nausori.

More soon!  Happy Queen's Birthday!