Turning the big ua hiva (29)!

This past weekend Ryan turned 29. We celebrated his birthday Tonga style. On Friday, our training staff managed to bring a big birthday cake to training. All 15 of us ate the whole thing in about 20 minutes. Hey... don't judge... you would too if you haven't had real chocolate or cake in a month :)




On Saturday, Ryan and I went to the capital to celebrate Ryan's birthday in style. For breakfast, we had vanilla lattes and muffins at a cafe. It was divine...unbelievable really.  Then, we wandered around, did some shopping and just enjoyed the sunshine that finally decided to stick around.
While there were no presents per say, I told Ryan I would buy him anything he wanted as long as it wasn't more that 20 pa'anga (PCVs are not exactly rolling in the pa'anga). After looking around at the market and various local shops, he declared he knew what he wanted. Drumroll, please. For his 29th, Ryan demanded I buy him a pretty new blue bucket. While you palangis might scoff at such a thing, a bucket is integral to water filtration, laundry and assisting with certain bathroom functions here in Tonga. Needless to say, he is very happy with his new gift and already eagerly awaiting what's to come on his 30th!

Ryan using his new bucket at our village watering hole!

After that, we found a restaurant that made "hamburgers" and sold ice cold beer. We had an amazing lunch of french fries, Tonga burgers, and Heinekens. Let's just say a simple beer almost brought us to tears.

The beer tasted almost too good...ALMOST.

We finished out the day with a hour twenty minute ride on our friendly neighborhood bus. This trip comes complete with remixed American music blaring so loud you actually feel deaf when you get off. Either that or we are just getting old!