Summer Break Baby!

Well, this week marks our first official week of summer break. We had our last day of school with students Friday and school will not resume until February. Ryan and I plan to use our two months preparing for the new school year and working with our new language tutor, Tuki, to strengthen our Tongan before we officially begin a new school year.  

Ryan and I had the opportunity to go to the Western district all school faiva (concert) where our schools performed their Christmas dances. It was incredibly festive and cute as hell :) At these events, men drink kava the whole time and women prepare the children. The two sexes very rarely mix at large events. This means Ryan and I separate as well. Ryan's place is to sit with the town officers, church officers and principals and drink kava, while completely ignoring the show. I sat with the women, helped them get kids ready, and took family pictures for the women who wanted them to mail to families overseas for Christmas. I also ate and drank my bodyweight in Tongan kool-aid and cookies. Well.... the kids were doing it, so when in Rome.....

                                               

 

On Saturday Ryan and I decided to do something about the jungle that was our yard. Tongans take pride in meticulously maintaining their yards, and ours had become the eyesore of the neighborhood. Yardwork here is digging out your burn pit, picking up the ample garbage that blew into your yard, "mowing" the yard with your machete (GO RYAN), pruning trees, and sweeping all the debris in the yard into a pile to burn. This took Ryan and I the better part of a day. It was shocking how exhausted we were at the end.  During our work, I went into the front yard to sweep the lawn with the broom while Ryan said he would prune the trees in the back. When I came back a bit later, I found my husband smiling like an idiot. My mouth dropped open. "Pruning the trees" had turned into Ryan chopping them down COMPLETELY (Look Dad... someone has the same affliction as you.) The beautiful red trees that reminded me of fall back home... gone. "What the hell!?" I stammered out. Ryan replied, "Now we have a much better view." His punishment? He had to make my last batch of banana bread while I cooled off. It was actually the best loaf of the day.  

 

P.S.- Notice my husband's pretty purple gloves and pretty pink baking pan. I put these in here for you Kappy :)

                                                     

                                                                                                     

Finally, my principal invited Ryan and I to his house for Sunday lu.  Upon arrival, Ryan and I learned that Sunday lu was in fact attending a relative's wedding. Yep, nothing here is EVER what we plan. At the wedding, Ryan and I were sat in a place of honor right up front with the bride's family near the head table. My principal's family sat all the way in the back. We were thanked in speeches for being there. We had never met the bride and groom but they had to share the spotlight on their special day with some palangis. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but everyone was very kind.  It was also very interesting to see a Tongan wedding. There is not a special ceremony, but everyone who is being married by the church can only do so on certain Sundays. They come to the service all dressed up, participate in the Bible readings, and are married at the close of the service. Two couples were married at the service we attended. After 2 more hours of church, 1 hour of stuffing our faces, and 3 HOURS of speeches we were sent home with Tongan party favors.  Holy Crap.  This is what a plate of food at a feast looks like. Ahhh feasting :)