Laminating Machines and Caesar Salads

So I know I don't usually post things about what I'm actually doing here all that often, so this is dedicated to my family back home who say that I 'vacation way too much' ;0)

What I've been working on lately has been: the Sanatan Scrapbook, photo shown to the left, where we put all of our newspaper clippings, invitations, etc; Compost bin- still a work in progress, suppose to be painting it this week...but knowing Fiji, it'll be another week or two; Our Diwali Edition Newsletter, Diwali is their really big celebration: 'Festival of Lights' and similar to our Christmas; Facebook profile and group page for my organization in an effort to reach out to youth; Maintaining our website using googlesites... These are some of my main projects I've been working on among many other small, 'day-to-day' ones.


Laminating Machine Story
So we found this old, small laminating machine when
we shifted to our new office. Roshni was too scared to use it so I said
we'd bust it out and have a go at it, especially since we were in
desperate need of one to make our membership certificates (and were worried because we knew there was no money for one). Turns out
it's embarrassingly easy to laminate things. After our first laminated membership certificate came out...Roshni and I seriously did a happy dance in the office...it's the little things.

Random but goodie. This one I came across on my visit to Sigatoka town....
What the Typical Caesar Salad in Fiji consists of:
a salad mixed with an Italian + Mayonnaise dressing (barf), boiled chicken, and topped with a fried egg. wtf.

And the following are just typical realizations from life in Fiji. :0) Despite everything, I really do love this place. 

You know you've been in Fiji too long when:
-As you go to use the restroom, you go to pull your shorts up (instead of down) seeing as you wear skirts that often.
-You have conversations with yourself in the mirror, especially in a British accent (shoutout to my besties). 100% pathetic. 
-you don't get shocked when you see piles of ants carrying away your toenail clippings to feast on later.  That happened. [As a side note I think I really just have an ant problem...In fact, the other day I killed a giant spider and thought I'd keep it to send home to my little bro in an envelope. Next morning I woke up, and thought 'hey, where'd that dead spider go...I could have sworn I put it right here last night.' I then looked around for it on the floor thinking I had knocked it off the table or something. Nope. It was being carried away by a bunch of ravenous ants.]

Less is S'more

Tuli/Jewels showing them how it's done!

kids enjoying the s'mores

Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli, super proud of my guns!

Dancing to Footloose at Levuka's finest (only) Bar

Is this real? At the Bishop's Temple where the first Bishop is buried

After a 6 hour trip to get to Jewels island, Ovalaou, we started off the night right with Pizza and Fiji Bitter at the one (and only) club in Levuka town (the oldest town and previous capitol of Fiji). We definitely got the party started early (which I've noticed it's something that Volunteers just do- it's a mix btw having lost ALL shame and also going to bed early out of boredom/no sunlight). We managed to dance to footloose TWICE and didn't mind that we were the only ones on the dance floor (and also barefoot at that).

 After getting to Jewels village (super late...like 10pm) we still did our savusavu (customary when you enter a village as a visitor, you present them with the local grog as a gift for having you, some words are said, then you all partake in a few bowls of grog around the grog bowl). And despite being so tired and somehow slightly buzzed, we both still pounded about -6 bowls of grog, which I SERIOUSLY enjoyed. I forgot how much I really enjoy Fijian villages and their tight sense of communtiy, and Tuli's (Jewels') village was easy going and light hearted....which makes for all the better grog drinking. :0) 

Jewels and I slept HARD that night as we had both beer and Grog in the same night, but still woke up early the next morning to some chocolate chip pancakes and AMAZING snorkeling RIGHT OFF THE COAST aka her BACKYARD.  I see how she's practically living my dream (small hut, right off the shore, small village, random island, minimal electricity). *sigh* but then it's times like these where I have to tell myself 'hey, everywhere you go has its pros and cons'. And it really is true, and ultimately I know I'm meant to be where I am. And maybe it's good that I'm not there so when I visit other villages I can really appreciate it. SO, after yummy pancakes, great snorkeling (lots of soft coral, clown fish, swordfish, possible barracuda [at which point we turned around], etc) we just relaxed and made some deliciouso vegetarian sushi. Naptime was THE best as you could hear waves crashing against the shore and the coconut trees rustling in the wind...yes, paradise in a sense that it's beautiful. However not so much when you don't have that cabana boy to bring you your beer ;0)

So the next day was filled with LOTS of cooking, which we really enjoyed! It's been on Tuli and I's list to make homemade bagels in her makeshift oven when I came. And by gosh, we succeeded. We made perfect little bagel babies that we were so proud of. And later on that day we somehow churned out some french apple cake AND pumpkin ravioli. (see pictures above..I must admit, all that clothes washing has thoroughly paid off). It's times like these where you realize how much processed food Americans eat and how much more fun it is to try and make it yourself!

Later on that evening we made a campfire and made s'mores with a lot of the village kids. It was so funny to see how EXCITED they would get to make their own. Super cute. My favorite was Julie's friend, Laviti, who was a teenager from her vil that not only shared our American style enthusiasm for s'mores but also had on a shirt that said 'Less is S'more'. 100% Baller. And another little thing that gave me a chuckle was how the locals pronounced it...more of a sAh-more. cute.

And as a 'Goodbye Chandani! We'll miss you!' gift, what else could Ovalaou offer but over 113 mosquito and bed bug bites? Priceless. Turns out the sponge we borrowed from the neighbors for me to sleep on was infested with some extra critters who like to cuddle.  And I also have a new found respect for Tuli as I realized how rough the trip is back to the capital is for her. You have to wake up at 3am, be out by the road by 3:30am (in hopes the carrier doesn't come too early, which has happened in the past) and wait until your ride comes by at 4:30am-ish and takes you into town. Then the bus leaves at 5am which you stay on for an hour. Then the bus drives onto a ferry- which you can get up and walk around on but it's still only 6am and you're not really in the mood. After an hour on the ferry then it's back on the bus for another 1 1/2 hrs into town. Therefore a salute is in order to my good friend. :0) But it was worth it though because I had a really great time visiting Tuli's Village!

Can't really see them, but the bed bug bites are THERE