Better Birthday Gifts

Now that I am super poor, birthday gifts are difficult.  I try to be the fun/cool aunt who always gets the best presents, but now I feel toys are overrated.  This year (well, month really) I decided to do things a little differently.  For my nephew's 8th birthday I wrote him a letter, telling him all the reasons I love him, and for my sister's 35th birthday, I planted her a coconut tree.

I really like the tree planting idea & there are tons of coconuts all around my house for me to plant.

From now on, my nephews and niece will be getting a different kind of birthday gift.  They will probably hate it for a few years, but hopefully they will appreciate it one day.


g

Housegirl

I made an important decision this week to get a housegirl aka- someone to clean my house for me.  I've been putting this off because I felt like it would be lazy of me to have someone else clean for me.  But then I considered the following factors:
1. I teach aerobics 3 nights a week, so I only get home before 7pm once a week.
2. I do not want to spend my Friday, Saturday & Sunday cleaning
3. Its MEGA dusty in Fiji & I'm allergic.  Every time I clean, I get sick - I constantly have a cold, its annoying.
4. Some people here enjoy cleaning
5. I am happy to pay someone to do a job I don't want to do, and they need the extra weekly income.

I asked the housegirl at my office is she knew anyone who could clean my house once a week & she quickly offered.  She has free time 10am-1pm each day, so she can go to my house during that time.

My house looked great! she did my laundry, folded my clean laundry off the line.  I can really get used to this.

The best part is how excited she is to help me out.  She said to me "I know you asked me if I knew anyone, but I just had to keep you for myself" and then once we got to the house she said "OH Yes, I will clean your house."

love it!

g

Fiji me kam kerega

Some of my fellow PCVs have described me as one of the busiest volunteers.  As luck would have it I was placed with a very motivated organization who wants to use my knowledge in any and every way possible.  I enjoy having lots going on in my life, so this works for me.  But I have also found that if I have lots to do, I don't want to do any of it!

Crap on my desk

Here are a few things on my plate:

1. Develop a research department for the school 

2. Conduct bi-weekly continuing education sessions for the nursing school staff

3. Work with the new librarian on on-line resources - trying to get an Ebscohost subscription

4. Assist the midwifery school with the safe motherhood initiative

5. Complete Health Survey report & present findings 

6. Exercise workshop for villages

7. Come up with new aerobics routines
8. Other things I can't remember right now.....

Today was the first Continuing Education session with the staff.  I've never done any peer education with adults, so it was interesting! The meeting was to start at 2, people came between 2:30 and 2:45 - but once we got into it, we had a good time.  The traditional way of conducting meetings here is b.o.r.i.n.g. - no one talks except the leaders, people are afraid to say what they are thinking & keep their ideas to themselves.  I know research is a topic that scares people a bit, since it seems intimidating -so I decided to change it up a bit.

We did brainstorming on 4 topics

I did a short power point presentation

And we talked about our areas of interest around research

After the session, one of the teachers stopped me & said:
"Usually when I hear research, I turn off my ears, but you made it fun & good. I really liked that."  
Hooray!!! I think it helps that I get excited about research, so my excitement builds momentum & brings other people in (at least that is my hope).  I will use more non-formal education techniques, because if not - research can be boring!

Everyone had some really great ideas & I am excited to work on this project for the next year!

g