Departing Rarotonga

Update # 10 – Friday, March 23, 2006 –
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Kia Orana! (Good Day) 48 hour and counting! I just left TE UKI OU School where I presented 3 programs to the130 students. This is a private school with all New Zealand teachers. It is very different from the local schools staffed by Maori speaking teachers- though the Principal June Hodson is Rarotongan having been trained in NZ.

I put together a brief PowerPoint presentation to accompany my Hurricane Katrina slides. There were lots of OOOOO’s and AAHHHH’s over the photos. It generated great conversation about last years 5 cyclones especially the one that hit Rarotonga and their own disaster awareness plans. I made sure I converted my “feet and miles” to meters and kilometers – That was fun! However, the best part was that we were in their air conditioned computer lab even though all the little bodies did warm the place up a bit

One of the accompanying photos is of the POISONOUS sea creature –The Crown of Thorns. The two had been caught off the reef near the school in the morning. Each thorn has a neurotoxin that is extremely dangerous – even if dead and dried out. If they are cut up in while in the water, they just simply re-generate. YUCH! Needless to say June was anxious to get them buried BEFORE morning break!

Joe, The next Global Volunteer Team Leader arrived this morning, and Marty is beginning the transition. She has been here for 10 weeks and is excited to be heading home. Joe’s full team arrives Saturday morning on the flight I depart on to Auckland to continue GV’s 10 year presence here.

We all went to dinner at The Tamarind Restaurant (photos) which was a nice treat. Marty continued her orientation with Joe to get him up to speed before his team arrives tomorrow. I went to The Red Cross this morning to say my last farewell to Charlie and Niki. They are hoping I will return next year. We shall see!

It is hard to believe that our three weeks has come and gone! It has been an absolutely wonderful and tremendously rewarding experience for me. I have made many new friends with whom I plan to keep in contact with for a long time. The South Pacific is certainly a special part of the world even though these small island countries struggle with 21st Century issues. I feel immensely satisfied believing that I have had a small positive impact on the community.

Sadly, will be talking to you next from Portland, OR

Cheers, jw.