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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Peleka7 |
Posted - Feb 24 2009 : 03:57:04
Aloha Brian, Les, Amy and all...
First is apologies to Brian for not sending pics as promised. They are finally on the way and you should have them in a few days.
I'm back in the Marshall's again, after Fiji a trip through Vanuatu, Kiribati then here. No words, or pictures can describe the immense feeling of being home amongst these gentle people. The beauty of these places are also indescribable, so much of nature come together in perfection. I am in awe each day.
Everything is fine on board, repairs underway now that I have come to a place where there is a mail system and I can order parts...(Les is probably real happy, me less so). This is considered the "off season", time to get out of the south pacific due to cyclones. I continue to cruise by coming north to the Marshall Islands. I travel to the capital island of Majuro, order parts, check my mail, get on the internet then sail out again after a few days. I spend much of my time on Tobal Island, Aur Atoll, where electricity hasn't been discovered yet but the warmth and friendship of the Marshallese are given freely to all. I have spent a lot of time here, last year and and now this, carrying people to the hospital, helping with medical problems (through ssb radio with a doc on the other end), supporting the school with donations from family and friends, fishing with the men, hunting lobster at night and repairing all manner of things.
This year the iroij (chief) declared me to be ritobal, person of Tobal, and I have rights and responsibilities like everyone else. I have to attend work parties, sing at gatherings, provide a share of food for festivals, and other related things of this nature. I have a part of one small island where I can make copra (3 days of work to make a $20 bag of copra), grow a garden and make a house. I don't actually own the land, only the iroij can own the land. I just have rights to its use.
My Marshallese language is finally taking root in my brain. A person, man, woman or child, is assigned to me each day (when I’m in Tobal) to teach me a sentence of Marshallese. All day that person will walk with me and help me practice, each villager we meet giving a question so that I can use the words, pronunciation corrected over and over. It's the most difficult language and impossible for the western or Polynesian tongue to produce the correct sounds. It often takes an hour for me to just hear a word properly.
Peleka
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| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| AMY rb2@gr5t C-MAP |
Posted - Mar 11 2009 : 12:03:19
Oh. My. Goodness. I'm not sure who is more fortunate, Peleka or the village he has (mutually) adopted. Anything we could send to make life more comfortable? Another cruiser suggested plain old reading glasses when visiting an island off Honduras, they were like gold to the native population. |
| saltysam |
Posted - Mar 08 2009 : 23:23:02
What a wonder of email and of Boater Ed ! Sure hope Spike remains well and able to enjoy this wonderful life. Thanks. |
| Peleka7 |
Posted - Mar 04 2009 : 16:11:16
I didn't send that many...camera died....You missed out on Vanuatu pretty much. |
| Brian N |
Posted - Mar 02 2009 : 22:20:59
I just got the disk today. Wow Spike, that's a lot of pictures!
Let me figure out the best way to go about posting them and I'll get started.
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| The Other Gary |
Posted - Mar 02 2009 : 20:40:26
Spike, you seem to be having the time of your life.
Enjoy it my friend and I hope Brian posts the pictures soon.
Did those 3 way valves work for you?
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| BoaterEd |
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