To work 2

On Friday I joined Provincial Tourism Officer Kevin at the official opening of two new tourist bungalows in a village half an hour north of Lakatoro. The bungalows are part of the Rural Economic Development Initiative that I work for and with both the SG and the planner absent, Jimmy engaged elsewhere and most importantly me the possessor of a digital camera, it was important I tag along, Kevin assured me. It was a wonderful day. We went in the Provincial Truck together with the President of the Provincial Council who was to do the official ribbon-cutting. Ceremonies in Vanuatu have a few inevitable ingredients: the hanging of flower chains around the necks of the invited guests, the opening prayer and short service, the singing of songs by a string band, the holding of speeches in which the appropriate people (mostly everbody present) are thanked, and eating of traditional ni-Vanuatu food especially Malekula laplap - which is good tucker!

The bungalows were great and the owner lovely. Earlier in the week he had come to the office to ask Kevin the names and such of the speakers, so that everybody could be properly introduced. But despite the fact that I personally wrote my info on a piece of paper, somebody had gotten confused somewhere along the line as I was duely introduced as 'Caroline from Oakland'. Ah well. Up I got on the stage and made a very, very short speech - in Bislama! I do admit that half of it was saying that I have only been in Vanuatu a month and speak just a little Bislama ("smol, smol Bislama, no more"), and the other half thanking this that and everyone for their contribution to the tourism industry in Malampa Province. Nevertheless, I was quite proud of myself for mustering the courage, and I am sure that people were pleased that I made the effort to address them in their own language.