Today at 1.51pm we are to hold 2 minutes silence in memory of those who have lost their lives in Christchurch. Our thoughts and prayers are with all involved.
I've learned recently the new terminology of 'Papa'a Time'. Papa'a being the Cook Island Maori equivalent of Pakeha (white person). You've all no doubt heard of island time, where time is a rather fluid concept, well papa'a time is a terminology used when 5 minutes MEANS 5 minutes. Having conducted a recent 2 day workshop I wondered why, after breaking for, what I thought was, a 15 minute morning tea break the participants started drifting back in after about 20 minutes. I was subtely told that I needed to specifiy that breaks were on Papa'a time. So when I indicated 30 minutes for lunch, I meant 30 minutes!
Mind you, and the reason they needed longer for morning tea is that the other oddity here is that the big meal of the day is had mid morning, not noonish. I was initially flabergasted when the locals would tuck into huge meals mid morning and said to myself that it's no wonder there is an obesity problem here. But apparently that's the norm. I do note that I certainly haven't been able to face a big breakfast waking in mid 20 degree heat, by come 10ish I'm starving!
Janine, a colleague Matt, and I competed in a mini triathalon on the weekend. It was a 200m swim, 8 km, cycle, and 2kn run - which sounds easy...doesn't it?! That's what I thought when we registered and thus I hadn't done any training. What I wasn't counting on was the heat at 2.00pm (race time) and how much older I am now than when I last did one! We also had to use my mountain bike which was like using a tractor in a drag race! The swim was ok, the cycle was tough, see previous, and the run was awful! Getting off the bike my legs felt like jelly and just would not work! And the heat was just oppressive and there were no water stations on the way. But we finished and now both Janine and I are keen to continue training and do something similar again. We both know we can do better! Janine has already agreed to do the 400m leg of a ladies tri in two weeks!.
Janine started work today. She is employed as a 'Reading Recovery' teacher at Te Uki Ou School 8.00 - 12.00 five days a week. The school is a private, fee paying school so is tidy and very well resourced in comparison to others on the island. It's a great foot in the door and we both hope it leads to a permanent teaching job. But conversely of course we had to send George and Emily off to daycare this morning and that was so sad. It's not their first time obviously but it is still traumatic for mum & dad - they didn't seem to mind too much! George will soon be running the place - or at least running amuck!
The red ants here are ferocious! They really do hurt when they bite and if food crumbs aren't immediately cleaned up they materialise out of nowhere in a flash! I was out visiting schools a few weeks back and at one Early Child Centre I saw a cockroach, obviously deceased, being transported whole by an army of ants. Quite a sight to behold! it reminded me of Gullivers Travels. As any good educationalist would do they called over the kids to witness it - they were fascinated.
We don't get alot of cockroaches at home as the geckhos and chickens keep them at bay. We've been told to encourage the wild chickens as they eat the huge centipedes that can do real damage if they bite you. Thus the multitude of chickens we have visit us are the best fed on all the island! We even put up with the cockadoodle dooing in the early hours of the morning.
We have discovered the joys of taro leaves. Janine, as always, has enquired into their preperation and cooking and experimented with great success! As we have learnt if they aren't cooked properly they can make your throat itchy, thus we must boil them twice. So why bother? Because they delicious, cheap and full of a range of vitamins and other stuff that's so good for you. Incidentally, we've been researching the various fruits and veges and coconuts are 75% saturated fat! More exercise required! Anyway, every Saturday at the markets Janine inquires of all the stall holders how to prepare their various wares - breadfruit, jackfruit, taro leaves etc. Once they know you're a local they're very forthcoming of advice. One woman told Janine to bring a pad and pen next week and take notes!
She's even taken to buying material and making clothing and other items (valances for the beds, plastic bag holders, car seat covers etc) that she's seen around the markets. Soon she'll be opening her own stall! She's so clever - it's no wonder I love you so much! Incidentally, the car seat covers are a must, what with the beach and rain and all and the kids allowed to be free-range within the car. We still keep Emily in a car seat though.
I now have to swat for a quiz night this Friday. I wonder if general knowledge is universal...
'Til later kia manuia
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
"...Just another day for you and me in Paradise..."
It's Sunday, the sun is shining, Millie is asleep, Josh and George are watching Tarzan on DVD, Janine is making home made Caneloni and Lasagne, and I am, obviously, writing this. However, I have just husked three coconuts, which now sit proudly on the kitchen window awaiting drinking and eating. More chest beating on my part! If I ever get shipped wrecked ala Tom Hanks in Castaway, at least I'll know how to survive...as long as I can find a long sharp steel bar!
Church this morning with Josh. The singing is inspiring and so uplifting. They have a live band and a wonderful choir. I might try and take my iPod next week and record it. The sermon was on loving thy neighbour and the priest mentioned how children can drive their parents up the wall. I hope Josh was listening!
Now having the the internet we have been skyping family in NZ and Australia which is fantastic. Even though we have Broadband the speed drops down to dial up speed between the hours of 7 - 5 Mon - Fri to cater for the business demand. We are happy to take what we can get!
Big rugby league day at the park over our back fence yesterday. We came home from town to find people in our yard watching the footy, trying to avoid paying the entrance fee. We shooed them off but had a whole family turn up a short time later, which we had to do the same to. Of course they all claimed to be relatives of the owner - seems everyone is related here - but we replied that since we were paying rent we had the right to ask them to leave. The landlords had said just that anyway. We thought we could charge them maybe!?
Janine has a job interview tomorrow (Monday) so fingers crossed for that!
Later this afternoon we off to the airport to watch the 'big' Air New Zealand flight come in. The setting is similar to Wellington's airport so we'll wait on the sea wall and watch it go overhead - it's the small things that mean so much here!
kia manuia to all, remember, we're on Skype so look us up!
Brendon
Church this morning with Josh. The singing is inspiring and so uplifting. They have a live band and a wonderful choir. I might try and take my iPod next week and record it. The sermon was on loving thy neighbour and the priest mentioned how children can drive their parents up the wall. I hope Josh was listening!
Now having the the internet we have been skyping family in NZ and Australia which is fantastic. Even though we have Broadband the speed drops down to dial up speed between the hours of 7 - 5 Mon - Fri to cater for the business demand. We are happy to take what we can get!
Big rugby league day at the park over our back fence yesterday. We came home from town to find people in our yard watching the footy, trying to avoid paying the entrance fee. We shooed them off but had a whole family turn up a short time later, which we had to do the same to. Of course they all claimed to be relatives of the owner - seems everyone is related here - but we replied that since we were paying rent we had the right to ask them to leave. The landlords had said just that anyway. We thought we could charge them maybe!?
Janine has a job interview tomorrow (Monday) so fingers crossed for that!
Later this afternoon we off to the airport to watch the 'big' Air New Zealand flight come in. The setting is similar to Wellington's airport so we'll wait on the sea wall and watch it go overhead - it's the small things that mean so much here!
kia manuia to all, remember, we're on Skype so look us up!
Brendon
Monday, February 14, 2011
...working hard for the money...
...Thursday and Friday saw my fellow Teaching & Learning advisors and I lead our first workshop. This one was for Trainee teachers and it was a huge success with positive feedback allround. It was on Lesson Planning, something experienced teachers don't tend to do anymore, but being newbies they need the foundations from which to be able to adlib and fly off the cuff. I really enjoyed teaching adults.
And in other news... I managed to husk my first coconut over the weekend! We bought a cane knife and I took to one of the many coconuts lying around our property. It wasn't pretty but we got the juice and the flesh so that's all that counts. I wasn't helped by Janine offering support by saying "The man on the tv does it with his teeth!" I didn't think of it at the time but I should have said "Yeah, but I'm sure he had to start somewhere!" What I did keep saying was "We need to sharpen this knife" There was much chest thumping and muscle flexing afterwards as I brought my family the fruits of my toil - Ah the great provider!
There wasn't much chest thumping however as I tried to get a wayward geckho off our bed Sunday morning. I managed to send it scurrying into my pillow case so I held it daintily with fore finger and thumb and took it outside where I carefully removed the pillow and shook it out onto the lawn. One day I'm going to brave enough to have one on me...but not just yet! For now they still give me the shivers! And last night was spent trying to chase a big moth out of the bedroom with Janine. God only knows what crawls over us during the night because I certainly sleep on top of the covers because of the heat. Best not to think of that I guess.
We had a filter put on our water inlet to the house, which is nice, but I'm having to go out and clean it every few days after a heavy rain as it gets clogged. And when it clogs the water pressure drops to nil. Twice now I've had to go outside mid shower in my towel and flush out the filter so I can finish my shower. All part of the experience!
Had a great get together with all the recent expat arrivals on Saturday on the beach. A very good time had by all. The kids are loving the water and both show no fear of leaping in head first. We need to be very vigilant! Sunday was also spent at the beach as it was a suprisingly fine weekend. I'm training for a mini triathalon on the 26th Feb so have enjoyed getting the swimming in. Trying to convince Janine to join us.
Janine and I hired a babysitter on Friday night and went out for a lovely meal to the Kikau Hut. Really nice setting and beautiful dinner. We had raw fish and Baked cambert for starters and kebabs and a curry for mains. Despite one of Janine's kebabs being raw it was still a most pleasent, relaxing evening! We were both discussing how we thought we recognised the waitress. Turns out she is also the office administrator at Nukutere College - Josh's school. It is not uncommon for people, especially teachers to have several jobs. The cost of living is slightly higher than NZ but salaries are much lower. Our babysitter seemingly didn't want to leave when we arrived home so we had to make some subtle hints! Josh advised us that she went around the house taking pictures! Her explanation was that as a relative of the landlord she was admiring the work they had done to the place! Wierd.
The TV adds here are hilarious - real home jobs! TV is the equivalent of a local news paper back in NZ with seemingly any Tom, Dick, or Harry able to put anything on. So we get adds for their equivalent of our 4 squares, unvailings of someones headstone, what seems like a private car sale etc. And the spelling is often incorrect - very funny! Sugar Bowels! Dinning Sets... All good fun.
As the TV One news is the only TV program we watch, apart from sport, we have taken to watching the Breaking Bad series on computer. A great show! Otherwise we have been playing various games, with Janine often kicking my arse in speed! But I get my revenge in Buzz!
Well the clock on the wall says... well it actually says 9.30 but it is actually 12.49pm and I must get back to work. As for the clock, knowing how things get done around here, it will be sometime before a battery is sourced to get it going again! Incidentally, I've learnt over the course of our workshop that if want punctuality you need to specifiy 'papa'ha time' (spelling?), that's 'white man's time', otherwise those 15 minute teabreaks drag onto 30... Not that I'm complaining.
Kia manuia to you all until next time.
And in other news... I managed to husk my first coconut over the weekend! We bought a cane knife and I took to one of the many coconuts lying around our property. It wasn't pretty but we got the juice and the flesh so that's all that counts. I wasn't helped by Janine offering support by saying "The man on the tv does it with his teeth!" I didn't think of it at the time but I should have said "Yeah, but I'm sure he had to start somewhere!" What I did keep saying was "We need to sharpen this knife" There was much chest thumping and muscle flexing afterwards as I brought my family the fruits of my toil - Ah the great provider!
There wasn't much chest thumping however as I tried to get a wayward geckho off our bed Sunday morning. I managed to send it scurrying into my pillow case so I held it daintily with fore finger and thumb and took it outside where I carefully removed the pillow and shook it out onto the lawn. One day I'm going to brave enough to have one on me...but not just yet! For now they still give me the shivers! And last night was spent trying to chase a big moth out of the bedroom with Janine. God only knows what crawls over us during the night because I certainly sleep on top of the covers because of the heat. Best not to think of that I guess.
We had a filter put on our water inlet to the house, which is nice, but I'm having to go out and clean it every few days after a heavy rain as it gets clogged. And when it clogs the water pressure drops to nil. Twice now I've had to go outside mid shower in my towel and flush out the filter so I can finish my shower. All part of the experience!
Had a great get together with all the recent expat arrivals on Saturday on the beach. A very good time had by all. The kids are loving the water and both show no fear of leaping in head first. We need to be very vigilant! Sunday was also spent at the beach as it was a suprisingly fine weekend. I'm training for a mini triathalon on the 26th Feb so have enjoyed getting the swimming in. Trying to convince Janine to join us.
Janine and I hired a babysitter on Friday night and went out for a lovely meal to the Kikau Hut. Really nice setting and beautiful dinner. We had raw fish and Baked cambert for starters and kebabs and a curry for mains. Despite one of Janine's kebabs being raw it was still a most pleasent, relaxing evening! We were both discussing how we thought we recognised the waitress. Turns out she is also the office administrator at Nukutere College - Josh's school. It is not uncommon for people, especially teachers to have several jobs. The cost of living is slightly higher than NZ but salaries are much lower. Our babysitter seemingly didn't want to leave when we arrived home so we had to make some subtle hints! Josh advised us that she went around the house taking pictures! Her explanation was that as a relative of the landlord she was admiring the work they had done to the place! Wierd.
The TV adds here are hilarious - real home jobs! TV is the equivalent of a local news paper back in NZ with seemingly any Tom, Dick, or Harry able to put anything on. So we get adds for their equivalent of our 4 squares, unvailings of someones headstone, what seems like a private car sale etc. And the spelling is often incorrect - very funny! Sugar Bowels! Dinning Sets... All good fun.
As the TV One news is the only TV program we watch, apart from sport, we have taken to watching the Breaking Bad series on computer. A great show! Otherwise we have been playing various games, with Janine often kicking my arse in speed! But I get my revenge in Buzz!
Well the clock on the wall says... well it actually says 9.30 but it is actually 12.49pm and I must get back to work. As for the clock, knowing how things get done around here, it will be sometime before a battery is sourced to get it going again! Incidentally, I've learnt over the course of our workshop that if want punctuality you need to specifiy 'papa'ha time' (spelling?), that's 'white man's time', otherwise those 15 minute teabreaks drag onto 30... Not that I'm complaining.
Kia manuia to you all until next time.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
strange but true...
Reading the Cook Island News I note with some alarm that Malawi is planning to outlaw flatulence in public. Mental note to self never to go there... The accompanying photo showed a chap with a handkerchief to his nose and face - hilarious! Perhaps they should look at their diet! I wonder how they plan to police that particular law!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Yes I'm still here...
...but with no phone or internet at home yet you wouldn't know it! The things we take fro granted these days... But it would still be great to catch up with the outside world. We love the TV1 network news late at night here to keep up to date with the goings on back home. The only issue you never really know for certain when it's going to be on as it appears they don't have a schedule - more the whims and fancies of the guy at the station! Do have internat at work but lunch times are taken up with trips to town to sort out one thing or another - at the moment it's the bank, it's been 3 weeks and still no ATM cards! The phone will be next. The shops and businesses, including my work, all finish at 4.00 so there's so little time to do anything.
Anyway - works good, we had a crab crawling along the office floor the other day; the new house is good, the weather is hot... I could go on but will fill you all in in the near future when time permits. For now just know that the Raro Fiebigs are well and happy and will get in touch asap - and in Rarotonga that could be anytime from now till Christmas! Till later take care.
Anyway - works good, we had a crab crawling along the office floor the other day; the new house is good, the weather is hot... I could go on but will fill you all in in the near future when time permits. For now just know that the Raro Fiebigs are well and happy and will get in touch asap - and in Rarotonga that could be anytime from now till Christmas! Till later take care.
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