Monday….Visiting The Schools….

August 4, 2008 — Fiji, gc4p, global classrooms for peace, rotary, Uncategorized

Happy Fijian Schoolkids in Wairiki

Today, Lorna from the Taveuni Rotary is taking us to visit all of the schools. We have five to visit. We want to start early and go to the farthest, so we go to Bouma first.

We have a driver named Tomasi whom I have nicknamed, “The Mayor”. He not only knows everyone on the island, he seems to greet everyone with a huge laugh that seems to say, “Hey you…..I’m still in stitches from that last time….heee heee…when….haaaa…haAAAHHAHHHH….remember??…AHHHHGHHHHAAAAA!!!!!!” Well, that’s Tomasi. We all love him.

Tomasi is charged with driving five white female teachers around his island and conversing with the tribal chiefs to request permission for us to enter the villages. He is perfect for the job. We make a stop to a local store while Lorna and Tomasi enter to purchase our collaborative gift to the chiefs……kava root. They come out with two elongated bundles of what looks like a decorative series of sticks tied with string. Very cool.

We enter the first village. We stop. We open the door to get out. He tells us, ” I think you women all should wait here in the van.”

The chief emerges from a dwelling. He hastily dons a sarong, like someone waking up and trying to find his glasses. They go into the central long-house. They do…….something. They call us in.

We sit on the floor cross-legged around the men. We have practiced this. Tomasi starts into what sounds like an animated dissertation on……….something important. It sounds like he is repeating ritual prayers, or memorized epic poetry…..or something. It is all in Fijian. We are all very humbled and impressed.

The chief is pleased. Tomasi crab-walks over to the chief scooting the root before him. The chief accepts it. We’re in.

We visit all five schools throughout the day. They are all different, and all wonderful, and all are looking forward for us to come and start teaching.

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