'Tools and Hardware' for $500 please....

Question: A necessity for Fiji Living.
Answer: What is a GIANT cane knife?
That is correct.

So I finally realized you can't exist without one of these. And YES it will be coming back with me to the states as a prized possession. Turns out you can't do a lot of things without them, those things including: cracking coconuts, cutting giant weed-trees, killing people, etc.

It's come to the point where 'yard work' has taken on a whole new level. No wonder the boys here are so jacked. I hope to register in the National Arm Wrestling Tournament 2011 when I return.

My house is coming along a lot better though...I've painted my walls with fun designs, put up pictures, and hanging deco's to make my house feel more home-y. It's taking a whole but it's getting there (also being the status of my spice collection- DG feels me on this)

In the meantime I've been compiling a few lists of ridiculous things I've heard/and now say ONLY because I am a. in Fiji and/or b. A volunteer...so please enjoy the following:

Things you would only hear a Volunteer say:
-What else do you do with your time? Existing takes time. -Sally
-What else do you keep in your shells? -Asked to Goldman
-Would you like some of my resources? -Christian
-Bugs are just apart of my life right now. -Goldman
-A kid took a dump on my front porch today. -Jewels
-I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts. -Me. (and I actually do!)

-I couldn't exist without eggplants. All vol's

-Also, you know you're a volunteer when you sleep with a can of bug spray beneath your sheets...like I do. :0)

Things you would only hear in Fiji:
-Oooh she/he's very smart with that. (they say this instead of 'you're good at something')
-Rubbish instead of Trash
-Torch instead of Flashlight (really, am I really holding a damn torch?)

-the pounding of the grog/yangona they drink there. It's a root plant they pound into powder, then mix with water, then drink. It looks and tastes like mud. quite the Fijian delicacy.

-the kissy noises Fijians are EXCELLENT at making. They do this to get someone's attention for anything. And somehow they can make it so loud you could hear them accross a busy road. I've been practicing but am not that good...I think it's because they all have giant lips here.

Also, something I feel like everyone might get a good laugh out of is the theme ideas for some paraphernalia the pcv's have decided to make:

T-SHirt ideas include:
Dalo Happens (google what Dalo is....not too tasty)
Dalo Happens, and so do parasites.
Worms happen.
(Is anyone seeing a trend? I feel like the real shirt idea should be:
'[Insert any disgusting skin disease here] Happens.')

We also want to make a bracelet that says 'WWSD' = What Would Sat Do?
Sat being our safety and security officer who WILL come a runnin' if need be. :0)

I thought you guys would enjoy those...it's little things like this that give you a better idea of life in Fiji.