My new life

Sorry that I haven't been able to keep in contact with many of you very well. The bush is not making that a very easy task, but I am getting in the habit of letter writing. I sent letters to everyone who has given me their address (some may be on the way still), but if I don't have yours, and you would like to hear from me, let me know. Eventually it will get to me when I get back to a computer that has a working internet. I am unable to upload photos onto my site here, but I will work on that, because I know pictures are always better than words, but I'll do my best to tell you a little bit of what has been going on.
Most days are spent around my house and village. I have been working on making things like chairs and shelves for my house, and doing other normal chores like yardwork and washing clothes. Yardwork tools consist of only a machete, which is your best friend in the bush, and it should go everywhere with you. Washing my clothes entails scrambling down a sketchy trail to a stream and scrubbing my clothes on a rock. The other day I found a smooth and clean rock for doing laundry and though to myself, wow, this sure does make my life easy. Then I realized how much work it is compared to throwing everything into some magical maching in your house and pushing a button, but I think my way is more rewarding. Bathing is also done in the stream, which makes it really easy to wash your clothes and yourself at the same time. I've found that I only need one or two shirts and one pair of shorts. The idea of actually having different outfits is pretty crazy to my friends on Tanna. Besides doing chores, I also spend time storian with my family, climbing around the bush, or playing with animals. The village is like a farm pretty much. Dogs, cats, pigs, goats, and chickens are everywhere.
People in the area are getting more used to seeing me, although I still have close to celebrity status. Atleast kids no longer run and cry when they see me. Some are still a little afraid of my camera, although I don't know why. Most are fascinated when I take a picture at night using a flash. It normally causes people to either roll on the ground in laughter or break into applause. I still feel awkward at big gatherings. It's hard not to notice hundreds of people staring at you or kids poking you to see what white skin feels like.
The other day an older woman died in a neighboring village. As custom dictates, my family and I walked to the village to gather with others. It was an interesting cultural experience. I went to the nakamal (meeting area) with my papa and brother. Only men are allowed there, women go to the houses to cook. There were multiple fires burning, one for each of the neighboring villages, and men from the villages were gathered around their respective fire. One man would stand up to talk, offering an explanation of why the woman died. Then another man would talk, often repeating the same thing again. Most believe that she ran out of blood, but although I disagree, I stayed quiet. Men repeated themselves for the next 7 or 8 hours. Seeing as it wasn't the funnest thing, I left to find some food. I was presented part of a pig heart that was roasted in a bamboo shoot. Out of curtesy an curiousity I ate most of it. The rest I threw on the ground as fellow pigs at their old friend. Sort of morbid.
Most of the food is pretty good though, although it is taking some getting used to. I eat lots of yams pretty much, mixed in with all kinds of different fruits and vegetables. Sometimes for dinner I will have some kind of meat. Sometimes it's nice when it's dark while I'm eating dinner because I can't see how gross the food looks, but other times, I would really like to see what I was eating before I stick an unexpected organ into my mouth. The other day I came home after walking around in the bush and saw my brother had caught and killed a cat. I didn't think much of it and then me and my brothers left to climb a near by hill. We came back ready to eat dinner. I was handed my plate and ready to take my first bite when they told me that I would be enjoying yam with cat. I really wish they hadn't told me, I was hungry. I shoved some down, trying to atleast find meat to eat. The cat was just cut up and put into a pot, organs, bones, and all. I ate what I could, then threw the rest down by my side, where my cat finished the leftovers. Morbid once again. The next day I felt slightly sick. My sister says I was sick because I walked around too much, but I'm blaming it on the dead cat I ate that sat outside in the sun for hours.
Well, I don't have time for all of my stories, but what I like about Tanna is you never know when to expect them. Typically the days where nothing is happening is the most interesting, you just never know what you're going to get. Sometimes a small boy shoots a bird with his sling shot and then proceeds to use its body as a soccer ball, or perhaps the woman next to you is picking bugs out of her kids hair and sticking them in her mouth. Numerous earthquakes shake up the down time too, or a rumbling volcanoe from across the island fills the quiet spots.
Ok, well I need to go hitch a truck back to my village now, it's getting late and I don't feel like making the 8 hour walk. I'll try to get back on here and give you an update and photos as soon as possible.