Sunday, November 14, 2010

I Have Been a Snob

I admit it. I have been a beer snob, a food snob, a wine snob, a music snob, a comedy snob…you get the idea. Here is the thing. In a previous version of Brian, there was good music/humor/etc and bad music/humor/etc. In Fiji, innovation breaks new boundaries for non-existence. Something is good if it adheres to what came before it. Listening to contemporary Fijian music sounds almost exactly like Fijian music from 1970. Jokes get told and retold and told again and every time get uproarious laughter. Here is the problem—the music and the jokes aren’t particularly good (copy that for the beer and food). Upon arrival, I did a lot of not laughing and plugging my ears on the bus.

But over time, something has been happening to me. I find myself laughing at the joke I have heard countless times. Worse, I find myself telling the joke. I now have my favorite set of Fijian songs and have learned to play and sing them myself. I love the food here and even the beer…nope the beer is terrible. In looking back I realized a few things about this change. The first is that in the US, we have a bunch of musical choices and for some reason, we have decided to tie our identity to a particular style. If you live in rural parts, you listen to country. If you are black and live in urban America you listen to rap. If you live in Portland, you listen to whoever no one else has ever heard of. But there is no middle ground. I listen to rock not country or I listen to jazz not rap. Well, the good news is that in Fiji, there is just Music. There are not styles. Everyone listens to Music and everyone loves music. On a bus, you can hear Christian rock, pop, reggae, and rap all in a row and everyone sings along, young and old.

It was this very music that I scorned. Occasionally, I would find myself in a bar where this steady stream of “bad” music would be played, and the previous version of myself would sit and scorn the music poking jabs at the song’s lyrics and contrived melody. Meanwhile, people are dancing and having a great time. The same is with the retread, basic humor. The old me snickers at the people not the joke, because how can they think that this is funny. Well, here is my lesson for the day. When I refuse to enjoy particular music that is on or to laugh with others at a stupid joke, who wins? Me? Who is having a better time, the one dancing or the one mumbling something about how much they hate rap? What have I proven by not enjoying myself while others are? Am I better than they are?

I don’t want to be a music/food/humor snob anymore. (I’m keeping wine and beer; good wine is good wine and bad is definitely bad). I want to laugh and dance, preferably with others. The music and the joke are just the medium for us doing the things that give us life anyway: laughing and dancing, preferably at the same time.

Things around here are going well. We just had a visit from the Regional Director of Peace Corps. He is sort of a big deal. There are only 3 PC regions in the world and he runs the one that includes the Pacific and Latin America. He came to Fiji and wanted to visit one village. So, they sent him to our village, and the village did it up right. Of course, their excitement over his arrival came about a little dishonestly. You see, when I told the village who was coming, I explained that he was just under the Director of Peace Corps and that the Director answers directly to the President. That is all true, but you can see the natural thought flow if you do that in reverse. It goes Obama, PC Director, Regional Director. The second in line to Obama is coming to our village!

I tried to explain that there are many government agencies, not to mention Congress, but it didn’t matter. The word was out. So, as far as they knew, one of the most powerful men in the world was coming tomorrow. The whole village turned out, we sang and danced when he arrived, exchanged whales teeth, exchanged kava, had the official kava ceremonies, etc, etc. It went on and on but culminated in a big party with a huge lunch and lots of singing and dancing. The latter is pretty big because dancing is not allowed in our village. The ban was lifted for that day alone. He was there for four hours and had a great time, but really his coming revolutionized the village and the pride they took in that visit is hard to explain. There is talk of making the anniversary of his visit a yearly holiday for the village to celebrate the occasion. And I was there the day that the 2nd in line to the US Presidency visited Fiji.

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Here is Mala, a friend of mine, who this day is acting as an bati, or bodyguard/warrior to make sure no one tries to eat the Regional Director.

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I am flaunting my newly-acquired mad ukulele skills upon the arrival.

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This is the official welcome for big-timeys like the 2nd in line to the US President.  It is called a vakasobu, which means kneeling before and the chief (kneeling) is offering the whale’s tooth.  Poor whale.

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Here are the cannibal-preventers preparing the yaqona (kava).

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The women (including Sally) doing a meke, traditional dance.  She was pretty good.  I was playing the ukulele and was pretty good myself.

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This is us with the Regional Director, Carlos Torres.  By the way, I did the math.  Since it goes Obama, PC Director, Carlos in the line of succession, I myself am 6th in line to be President.  A long shot to be sure, but if Ford could become President, why not me?

Monday, November 1, 2010

Best Day Ever

Getting married was pretty cool.  So was graduating from college and the day that I got recognized as one of the most innovative teachers in the US.  Being the best man at my best friend’s wedding ranks up there as does the day I got the Rotary Fellowship.

But today goes down as the best.  The Giants won the World Series.

Who came up with ‘shoes’ anyway?

Yesterday, I successfully pissed off the chief.  As you can imagine, that is something you aren’t supposed to do.  It doesn’t sound like much; I invited a government agency to come and do a workshop on micro-finance and saving.  I cleared it with the turaga ni koro (mayor) and was under the impression that he would clear it with the chief.  Well, even though they are brothers, they don’t speak to each other.  So, no one told the chief and he got his feelings hurt…really hurt.  Fiji is weird in that it is extraordinarily easy to offend someone and equally easy to get forgiveness.  The chief would not talk to me and when he did, it was clear that I was on the fecal list.

Basically, I had to make a formal, public apology.  One might think that when the white guy screws up in a cultural way, some lee-way might be given.  Nope.  So, I brought the kava and using some newly-learned phrases gave my apology.  I said my piece, gave him the kava, he said his piece, everyone around agreed that it was really the turaga ni koro’s fault and all was forgiven.  Problem solved.

Well the rains came and when the rains come around here, look out.  Now it rains all of the time.  Last week, I went to town and I wore, get this, shoes.  I realized as I was putting on those shoes that this was the first time that they had ever been worn.  I bought these shoes on the way out the door to Fiji and hadn’t worn them for a year and a half.  (In the name of full disclosure, I also have a pair of running shoes that have a bit more use, although not nearly as much as I would have liked.)  One thing about wearing shoes after not wearing them for a long time.  THEY SUCK!  Shoes have no business in this country.  I was wearing them because of the rain, but ultimately, my feet got good and wet anyway and then since there was so much stuff for absorbancy purposes, I then had to cart all of that water around with me.  Flip-flops are the only way to go around here, rain or shine.

Well, if you are anywhere near California, I am sure that you are aware of all of the issues that are in the news.  Of course, you have seen all of the ads and the various opponents and have probably made up your mind who you are supporting by now.  I am also sure that you understand how important this year’s contest is and are approaching this November with the gravity with which it deserves.  That being said, the way that the Giants man-handled Texas those first two games has got to make you feel good!  (Of course I was talking about baseball.  Why, is something else going on.)  If you have read my past blogs, you may remember me babbling about the Giants finding their way to greatness when I don’t live in the country.  At that point I threatened that if they went to the World Series, I would be moving permanently out of the country.  Well, friends and family, it was really nice seeing you while it lasted.  Perhaps I will try to visit the US during the off-season, but I can’t stay for long as I don’t want to risk the Giants reverting back to mediocrity.

Here’s some good news!  Sally and I are heading to New Zealand in February.  You should come too!  That will be our first time away from Fiji since we got here and, suffice it to say, we are pretty excited.  I love it here, but a western nation break sounds pretty good.  We managed to get a ticket with Alaska Airlines frequent flier miles.  I love Alaska Airlines and that I can get a ticket from Fiji to New Zealand using their miles, and not very many of them, for that matter!  We could make that trip 2 more times and have miles to spare.  (We won’t, I don’t think.)  I am telling you this because we are actively recruiting joiners.  You should come.  February 13-26.  I am taking the GRE (again-they expire after 5 years) on the 12th so will be pretty happy by then.  You can buy me a drink by way of congratulations.  Doesn’t that sound great?  So, good you probably want to buy me another one!  Aw, shucks, you are too kind.  No--Gordon’s gin, please.  Oh, they don’t have any?  Beefeater is fine, thanks.  I can’t wait to have that conversation with you in Christchurch!