Tonga Day-to-Day



Couple's day at the National Zoo before leaving
Me*Doug ~ Emily*Will

 Three-weeks into my life and work in Tonga, things are settling in, and settling down. The surrounding beauty is becoming more common place, and I am struck by the alien colours I see in my own photos of Niger. My home of 18 months has turned back into the Martian landscape I saw from the airplane in 2009, though I feel like I just left.







Afterhours Ministry workers



The “9-to-5” is working its way into my bloodstream and I like the structure. My first “project” will be done tomorrow and will be ready for report on Monday. I have been updating our NGO/Stakeholders database for the past two weeks. The list was last updated in 2007, and was long overdue for some cleaning. I have been sent on goose-chase phone calls, met with relevant women’s development organizations, and emailed the rest. I have battled with Excel to strike disconnected numbers and invalid email addresses, have made once active NGOs disappear from the record, and have scouted out new organizations. What did I learn from this exercise: Nobody knows what the other is up to! It has been a great introduction to the inner workings of my office, the offices of those we contacted, and the layout of my new town. In addition to the database update, I have been working on project proposals my counterparts hope to submit within the next month. It is a nice change from Niger to have working deadlines, and to see the end of my little work “projects”. I am excited to figure out my next few months once the database is done.



My social life is slowly picking up. The volunteers in the capital are somewhat isolated in their activities (a PC trend I feel) but I am gradually getting to know my American and Tongan neighbours. I am getting used to a real house that has about six living spaces; as compared to my two-room mud brick…Bungalow…shall I say? I miss having a cat around for company, but my landlady has an ancient dog that hangs out on my front porch. He is a flea-bag but a comfort to see when I come home. I am learning how to feed myself well, I have Tongan lessons with another Response volunteer every Thursday evening, and I look forward to making my first trip to the beach.



Yes, that’s right! Nuku’alofa is regrettably NOT on the beach-side of the island! There is a small island in the Nuku’alofa harbor where tourists go, and I have not had the chance to get on the boat and check it out! So much for beach corps! It will happen someday, hopefully before my mother comes to visit me in July.  Her visit should be fantastic as apparently most of the things there are to enjoy about Tonga happen/occur in July!  Cultural festivals, Miss Tonga pagent, bluewhale watching, etc.  My office is already primed for my mom's visit and it should be no problem to take vacation time to visit some of the other islands!

That is the extent of my life here in Tonga. Pretty boring so far, but I know it will pick up! I feel time rushing forward, but unlike in Niger, I don’t care to slow it down this time. I have already been broken from my true Peace Corps family, and I see this experience in Tonga as a work opportunity, a nice buffer between Niger and resuming life in America. I have so much to look forward to at the end of my time here that the going-home is not scary like it would have been. All of the anxiety PCVs go through during their last three months of service happened to me in about one week in Morocco…I feel like I have done my time, and Tonga is an amazing bonus!

This rainbow was sai 'aupito (very nice)