Counting Down

With not a whole lot to do this weekend, I've finally had to face the fact that in less than two months, I will pretty much say goodbye to the internet, video games, my family & friends, hot water, and electricity in general. Don't forget, this doesn't only apply to such frivolous uses of electricity like video games and dish washers, this also includes incandescent lighting, and his more shameful unattractive brother, fluorescent lighting.

On the other hand, I will be saying hello to coral reefs, sharks, sea snakes, kava, crystalline blue waters, beaches, Melanesian people, and yams. Lots and lots of yams. For those of you asking yourself, "Joe, where exactly in Africa is Vanuatu located?" The answer is, it's not. Neither is Tuvalu or Kiribati.

Vanuatu Fun Facts

Where is it?: The Pacific Islands, near Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
How big is it?: Not very.
How many people are there?: Not many (approx. 215,000).
Do they speak a lot of languages?: Funny you would ask that. Yes, they do. Fortunately they mainly concentrate on Bislama, French and English, so I'll be okay.
Can I come visit you and bask in the tropical paradise, with you as my guide?: Of course, contact me for more details.

If you have any other questions, ask me! I don't know very much now, aside from reading Getting Stoned with Savages, a travel/humor book that is partially about the island. But, I hope to have a few more points-of-interest down before I go, and then I'll learn everything else from there.

PS. If you send me a care package while I'm there, particularly well packaged candies, I will be forever indebted to you.

(Life) Goals

Today at lunch, Amy B. suggested that I am, in fact, going to Gilligan's Island and should consider the following goals:

1. Make a coconut radio.
2. Start a banana cream pie business.
3. And the rest.

I'll just hollow out a coconut and put a shortwave radio inside. Also, I believe they have quite a lot of bananas, and coconut milk might substitute for cream, though I doubt it sets up. You can forget about topping it with a meringue.

In other news, I've decided that since I have a salaried position and I am in need of supplies for the next 2+ years, I'm going to outfit myself like the biggest 'DB-frat-boy-on-vacay' that ever washed up on the shores of Vanuatu. Everyone agrees that my mirrored aviators, DSLR, board shorts and baseball cap are fit for the finest kegger.

Invitation

I received an invitation today to serve in Vanuatu from November 2009 - November 2011 working for the United States Peace Corps as well as a host country entity. The specific program is titled REACH: Resource Stewardship, Enterprise Promotion, Agriculture and Community Health and my position is Small Enterprise Development Advisor. From here I have ten days to review the information and call and confirm that I am still interested in serving.

Orientation is in Los Angeles on September 12, 2009. This means Alex and Becky in California need to be on high alert in case I have some spare time. I hear LA has a good Korea town. I'd eat samgyopssal and not even complain about it's likely contribution to an early death.

Ode to a very special friend

I just heard this morning that Cocoa Murphy, the little lhasa apso that has consistently rejected my love for the last 14 or so years, is no longer with us. Since the family is geographically dispersed I figured here is as good a place as any to put up a memorial. For Cocoa, I decided to let her star in her very own episode of "animals, close up, with a wide angle lens."

She was a good dog. I will miss you, little baby girl...

Points of interest...

Erin and her dad are here right now, and the trip has gone splendidly. The timing couldn't have worked out better, and I've finally gotten to see all the major sights of the city. I will dedicate a post just to her visit when I get all the pictures.
After years of putting it off, I finally got a Buddha for my bedside. This was after hours upon hours of going in and out of antique shops looking for the right color, weight, hand position, etc. I knew if I couldn't find it in the bronze Buddha district in Seoul, then there was never going to be a bedside Buddha for Joe. The street salesman told me "its from Tibet, original not copy, bring you love love, good spirit good love." DEAL.

Also, I had to give a speech in Korean class this week. In my defense, I accidentally left my notebook at home before I went to deliver it, so I had to scrawl some notes on my day-planner before I went up and rely on my poor memory, hence all the "ums." They are laughing, because I said that my teacher is the best, beautiful, and smart.