August 1 - Still here..

Yesterday was our "last day" in Lambubu, but of course, it really wasn't. During the day, we packed, said goodbyes (which we've said again, and again, and will probably say at least two more times) and then we had a wonderful surprise - Dora invited us to share a meal at her house across the street. They have been such amazing neighbors!! She made us three cakes (because she knows we like her cake best) and had prepared a speech which brought us to tears, again. I've met a lot of people here and I'll never forget anyone in this community, but I'll REALLY never forget this family. They have touched my heart in a way that I didn't realize was possible, and their kindness succeeded in melting this ice queen into nothing but a pile of salty tears.

Clockwise from left: Samuel, Dave, Ivan, Becca, Noela, Elizabeth, Me, Bruno (hiding behind some hands) and Christopher.

Afterwards we went back to the field, but as I expected, it was even worse than on Sunday - not a safe place, and I was really concerned for Becca's mom and for Nandia. Becca punched a drunk man who grabbed her, and Dave's dad was embarrassingly shitfaced. I really, really wanted to be there to laugh and dance and party, and was jealous that Dave got to do that, but it was a bad scene and geting worse quickly. So we (the girls) went home and hung out by the fire with the host moms (Note: this is when Liesa asked our mothers if they wanted to shit on the fire, instead of sit around the fire...) It was lovely and nice and I wish I had more nights so that I could do this again.

Johnston, Tony, Robert David and Dave celebrating Vanuatu's 26th Independence Day.

Today we found out that we were not leaving today, as originally (but not really originally) planned, but instead on Thursday, by PLANE! Plane plane plane plane plane! I'm pretty damn thrilled - not only do I not have to take that godforsaken cargo boat again, but I get to view Malekula from the sky. I feel awful for the Lalinda group, who caught the boat this morning. *



*Anne, Jacqui, MC and the others took the big cargo boat from Ambrym to Vila. The cargo of the day happened to be pigs and cows. When the van dropped us off at the scout hall after our brief flight from Malekula, many hugs were exchanged, as good friends had been separated for six weeks. "You guys don't smell as bad as we did after we got off our boat," they said. Whoops...