More about Fiji

Sorry I got cut off last time. I'm back in town today for a little while today. Still no pictures. I think the pictures will have to wait till the end of training because I don't like getting my computer out in front of my family.

Food

The traditional Fijian food is pretty bland. Mostly starches: dalo (also known as taro) and tavioka (also known as cassava, yuka, tapioca, etc.). They also eat a lot of fish and chicken when they can afford it. Vegetables aren't usually a part of meals except for rourou which is the cooked leaf of the dalo plant. Luckily, I was able to explain to my host family that I prefer to eat vegetarian food. They have a pretty good understanding of what that is because there are plenty of Indo-Fijians that are vegetarian. Actually, my family decided that they would become vegetarian too while I'm staying with them. They understand that vegetables are healthy and they've even told me that they feel healthier since they started eating them. Also because of the Indo-Fijian population, they know how to make curry and roti other good Indian foods so I've been eating really well.

Dress

Since I live in the village, I have to dress very conservatively. This means a wearing a skirt that goes below my knees and a shirt that covers my shoulders. I often wear a sulu (in other parts of the pacific it's called a sarong) and for special occasions I wear a flowery sulu with a matching shirt called a jaba (pronounced "chamba"). Men often wear sulus too, and when they dress up they wear "pocket sulus" which are tailored to look like dress pants that men in the US wear. When I'm in town, women are allowed to wear jeans and tank tops just like in the US.

Church

Fiji has definately been changed by the missionaries. Most native Fijians are Methodists with some Assembly of God, Seventh Day, Catholic, and a few other denominations. My village only has the one Methodist church which has services every day and three times on Sundays. Also, many families have devotion in their homes twice a day at four in the morning and at seven at night. All of this was very scary to me when I first got to the village. Especially because the only white people that have ever stayed in this village before were Methodist missionaries from Australia and New Zealand that come a couple times of year to give money to the church. So natrually everyone thought we were missionaries too and I think some people were trying to impress us with how religious they are. It took some time and lots of explaing but I think most people in the village understand who we are now and since then my family doesn't act nearly as religious as they did when I got here. I go with them to church once on Sundays and we pray before each meal and that's about it. It's really not too bad.

Traditions

Well, it looks like I have to go again so I'll continue next time I'm in town. Please send me messages and don't forget about snail mail! Other people have gotten letters from home and they've all taken about one to two weeks to get here which isn't that bad so don't be afraid to send those letters! I'll definately write you back! Until next time...