Ka Kite Takitumu Students....

Debi (sometimes we joke about and call this teeny tiny former New Zealander, "mom" but who is undoubtedly years younger than all of us) drove Cara and I to school this morning, my last day at Takitumu!! :( Debi presented a supplies gift from our group of Global Volunteers to Engia ..... we had all pooled supplies, brought from home to be divided amongst the three schools. The Friday morning marching drill was in full gear as we arrived ..... something left over from possibly the missionary years ..... the kids all march to the beat of a drum in a square around the front field of the school. I must say, between the Tuesday and Thursday dance and song Jump Jam sessions, physical fitness seems to be a big part of the school curriculum......and so it should be in my humble opinion :) ..... and this is in addition to every possible break in the day, with kids running around, barefoot as ever, all over the field, playing soccer, netball, rugby .... I may further add here, that this is replayed after school lets out ..... quite refreshing from our North American addictions to after school TV, computer games, WII and play dates and organized sports ..... very little impromtu playing ...... How pleasantly different life is in this rural Polynesian setting ..... the city parks in most neighborhoods in my home town of Calgary sit virtually empty year after year and rarely does one see a child outdoors, just plain playing! Yes, perhaps I flew into a time warp here :)

Back to the school day.....after the marching drills, an assembly was called and Cara and I, asked to sit at the front in the grade six classroom, the only room large enough for a school assembly. No gym at Takitumu, just the outdoor fields :) The grade 6 band were setting up their flutes, xylophone and drums .... Engia also joined in playing guitar, and singing a beautiful piece in Maori ..... The start of every school day commences with the Lord's Prayer (gosh, did that bring me back to my roots in Pottsville, Ontario where this was certainly a part of our rituals in the 50's and 60's, followed of course :) by "God Save the Queen"). A prayer in Maori was next and then singing.....lots of it! Lovely! Engia thanked Cara and I for our time at the school, the children following along with a whopping communal thank you ..... as I looked at the sea of little brown Polynesian faces, with tears just barely kept at bay, I noticed dear Mrs. T. watching me ..... could not fool her!! She smiled and silently mimed "The tears of a woman", the poem she had shared with us just a few short days ago. Later in the day, my young students, including the boys, told me that my tears started their own.....that was a tribute worth cherishing! The assembly continued with much singing, praying, and finally the grade six band playing for us. Just lovely. The teachers prepared a delicious island lunch consisting of cooked ruco casserole, which is somewhat like spinach and is certainly one of my favorite local dishes, taro, sweet potato, paw paw, teriyaki chicken, rice, breads and cakes of all sorts. We were presented with Rarotongan pareus complete with a black pearl shell cinch. The day was just such a sweet celebration ..... the children drew all manner of pictures for me, grade 3's all presented cards and more hugs and kisses as the day passed. It was with a heavy heart we left to go "home" to Kii Kii on the bus. I had no idea how easy it is to get attached to children one works with daily......never would I have predicted this feeling of sadness and a desire to stay on and help long term. I will certainly have much to reflect on and ponder over the next several months. Love is just something inside of us that has no end or beginning and just keeps expanding, ever inclusive ..... so easy to love children! They are just so open, giving, loving and oh yes, cheeky too, (the rose tints come off occasionally :) ..... this may be a characteristic of Cook Islanders in general however, as I have noticed that even the adults are very kind, giving and loving, quick to become a friend. They are in many respects, conservative as well, despite the early Polynesian history ...... the missionaries certainly did their job of converting ...... Christian churches dot the landscape ...... the Polynesian/Maori attitude is generally one of a sharing and open heart ....... Everyone is welcome to attend their churches, regardless of religious affiliations or lack thereof. Socializing on Sundays is a big part of the culture and tea is often served after the service enabling everyone to enjoy a good visit and chit chat .... very nice :)

Debi and her husband James, who is now back in Raro after a month recovering in Auckland, took us out to a local gourmet spot, Tamarind for dinner ...... once a historical old colonial home, now a restaurant. It is set in lovely gardens, along a beautiful bit of beach. Despite that horrific motorcycle accident, James looked very healthy, and has a great attitude in general which always helps when recovering from illness or accidents! The evening was full of good cheer, albeit a bit poignant, knowing it was our last meal as a group. The food was gourmet delicious!!! It was with a touch of sadness that we hugged and kissed our way through goodbyes at the end of the evening, with the ladies and gent of Global Volunteers!! May I suggest if anyone is interested, to google Global....they would so welcome volunteers from everywhere and I can't recommend them highly enough....an excellent organization and the volunteering itself, oh my....life just does not present more goodness than that!! Chapter One, done! Journey to continue to other islands in this Pacific chain. Reflections on Raro to follow :). Kia Manuia my family and friends, Love, Seija

Missing Family.....Sarah's Birthday

June 25, 1982, at 2:23 pm, God granted Brian and I a small miracle ...... Sarah Liisa Webb, all 7 pounds, 11 ounces of little baby girl, was born!! What a gift of pure love a child is and how easily one transforms into a parent, willing from that moment forward to be the best you can be, loving and giving of yourself totally....the transformation, as natural as breathing. In a heartbeat, a baby changed our lives forever. Brian and I became, mommy and daddy!!! I am far away from my family, on a small dot in the middle of the Pacific and my heart is heavy at times as I miss being in their midst........every year, on the birthdates of my children, I have a small ritual I play in my mind of their moments of birth, remembering and honoring two amazing beings and today I honor Sarah on her 28th birthday......Sarah if you are reading this today.....celebrate the wonderful, amazing, beautiful young woman that you are. I love you very much. Kia Orana, Love always, mom xxxooo

Celebrations and Reflections....

Debi took us on a rather interesting "black pearl" jewelry escapade the other evening, having warned us earlier that Colin, the jeweler, was rather an eccentric sort, (my favorite kind) originally from England, married to a Cook Islander..... another tourist who came for a visit and stayed!! (it is just that kind of magical island :) ....... Colin met us at his home ..... his shop is located in the lower level of the lovely home, which is built along the hillside, a preferable location for most islanders rather than beachfront for obvious reasons (cyclones, hurricanes and the ever present threat of a tsunami), the yard laden with fruit trees, palms and all manner of vegetables growing around the home .....What a softspoken gentle and gentleman Colin is but I must say, despite the upper crust British accent, he is most definitely now an islander.... barefoot as is the norm here, wearing surf shorts and shirt, hands and nails covered in dirt from having worked in his garden with his grandson earlier in the day, the state of his clothing matching the activity, but oh my, when he spoke, I felt transported into the midst of royalty! ...... he was, at the time, babysitting his four year old grandson, while his daughter was off to work at a local restaurant (families often tend to all live under one roof on this island, depending on the circumstances of the younger generation and quite often the babies are born long before a marriage happens.....the couples often call each other "partners" more often than husband/wife.... different attitudes perhaps on marriage than we have in N.A.) ... left the lad napping and gave us a bit of background on pearl farming along with a tour of his shop ..... Their family own a spot of ocean on the island of Manihiki, where his pearls and indeed almost all the Cook Island pearls are now farmed. The Cooks have in recent years been creating/growing their own brand name, Avaiki pearls, to differentiate from Tahitian black pearls. The nacre is apparently thicker, hence stronger, as they do not harvest until at least 18 months have passed from "start up". They are a beautiful blue/green hue with some eggplant coloring thrown in....just gorgeous! His beautiful and gracious wife, Nikki joined us after returning home from work, bringing along her box of all manner of pearl jewelry to show us, and of course, all created by Colin for various birthdays, anniversaries etc. .... a veritable feast of a most unusual collection.....every piece seemed to come with an interesting story that Nikki or Colin happily shared with us. Nikki told us of a particularly lovely set of earrings that were an anniversary gift and how they came to be. Colin had apparently spent weeks wondering what to make Nikki for this special occasion and kept coming up empty for ideas. The very night before the anniversary, around 3 in the morning, an idea came to him! He dashed into his shop, blind to the rest of the world, not stopping for breakfast, lunch or tea break, finishing the earrings, just in time to present them to Nikki that evening!! ..... we could have listened to the two of them all night ...... they must surely be the most graceful, loving couple I have ever had the pleasure to meet ..... their voices like sweet melodic poetry!! Nikki is the Secretary General for the Red Cross for the Cook Islands, travels a fair bit in that capacity and Colin keeps the home business running......Their oldest child is 40 and youngest 23. Nikki still has the long dark hair, tinged with grey, that cascades down to her waist..... I notice most island ladies continue to keep their hair long, long past their youthful years and tend to either "bun it up" or braid it. .... I asked her about it and she laughed in that delightful sing song way, an interesting accent mix of Maori, British and New Zealand, "well, it is part of a woman's sensuality, is it not, the long hair?" ....... What an absolute thrill that on this wee island I should have the good fortunate to meet such a charming couple as Nikki and Colin! I could sense that all of the ladies felt very much as I did....we were loathe to leave and our goodbyes stretched out to the driveway, where we finally took our leave, amidst hugs and that sweet one cheek kiss that this island is known for when greeting or saying goodbye :) Onward to another magical moment....Debi, our dear little (she is tiny, barely over five feet in height) host, took us to a great hamburger spot in Muri Beach where I and by the looks of it, everyone else as well, devoured a swordfish "burger" and fries that were to die for, at a little outdoor spot, attached to a small grocery store, which by the way, seems to be the norm around here (coffee shop/grocery combo :). The evening clouds finally cleared enough to allow Debi to point out the Southern Cross constellation to us, apparently only visible in the southern hemisphere.....it was what the sailors of old, setting forth in their vakas, used for navigation.....celestial all the way :) The sky was just beautiful and awe inspiring ..... some nights when I wake up in the middle of the night, the milky way is just outside and I can never resist opening my front door, and taking it all in ..... no big city lights and no real street lights to speak of, just the magic of a starry sky! As peaceful and as beautiful a sight as one could ever wish for, and certainly a most appropriate one to fall asleep on ..... my nights are filled with incredible dreams and I remain certain it is because of my close connection to the sky prior to falling asleep. Kia Orana ..... I just love this Maori greeting ..... "May you live long" :) Love to all, Seija ..... Kia Manuia

oops once again.....

A couple of my pictures seemed to have moved to the right side and almost gone....just click on these pictures and you will get the full shot .... :)

More Takitumu Scenes......

Albert, Thomas and Travel .... they were such fun to work with! I will surely miss them all :(

Tuesday and Thursday morning jump and warm up drills for the whole school, including the wee ones ... great fun and Cara and I joined in each time! One week we did the macarena :) The principal, Engia Pate in red skirt at front joins in, as do all the other teachers...

Albert and Farearii goofing around .... I keep them in stitches :)

Beautiful Leahanna, a quick self-starter if there ever was one!

Takitumu Primary ... Various scenes

Mom picking up her child from school...

Hailey, Ngametua, Korore and Daniel, clowning around for me at lunch time

Trainees and Leahanna and those infamous bunny ears that cropped up on just about every photo the kids took :)

Trainees and Tangiia showing off their school work!

A rather colorful character at a local produce stall at Punanga Nui Market on Saturday mornings :) Apparently, gossip has it that he is a New Zealander, married to a local Cook Islander for a number of decades now ..... came as a tourist and metamorphed into an eccentric local :)

Rachel Reeves, a reporter for the local newspaper, Cook Island News, and her grandma, Pauline, owner of the Kii Kii Motel where all the Global Volunteers stay during their time in Rarotonga.....dinner at Raviz on Friday night, June 11th with the whole gang including Pauline's husband Harry, sitting beside Rachel

The hearts of the little ones .... Kia Orana

The gentle sounds of the surf and Randy Rooster's incessant bragging, continue to be the defining sounds of my mornings. They have both worked their way into my consciousness and will linger long after I have left this island in the sun ..... oh, the many sights and sounds that are now part and parcel of my days ..... barefoot children at school; they never wear shoes, not even when playing soccer!! .... mothers and fathers, driving with tiny tots behind them on motor bikes, no helmets in sight, ever!..... sometimes the tiniest ones are cinched with a sarong around both to stop the child from slipping off :) Astonished as I was the first time I saw this sight, it is now common and I think nothing of it ..... strange how we adapt. There is a law on the island, as I discovered that if you go over 40 km an hour, a helmet must be worn, but 40 and under, nope! I know many are waiting for picture postings ..... I will try to get to those on Monday, as the only internet cafe I have found that can handle this, is closed for the weekend. The weeks have passed by quickly and I have had little time with computers other than to check email quickly for any important family news and again, sorry for not replying to those either....my time on the computer seems to often be taken up just reading messages and deleting.....next week, I shall have more leisure time to keep up my cyber communication :)

The past week held many precious moments ..... I continue to enjoy my Australian partner, Cara .....together we chug along on the bus in the mornings, still often walking home in the afternoons reviewing our days with the children, sharing humorous tidbits along the way. I would not have expected to care for these children as much as I have come to do in such a very short time...... lovely Leahanna, so eager to please Korore, competent Mariannah, quiet sweet Daniel, "tries hard" William, outspoken Daniel, kind Taumaru, sweet sweet Habasaloma, "take-charge" Mary, organized Martha, and her equally organized friend Makua, hardworking studious Thomas who always wants to COMPLETELY finish his list, happy and quick as a whip Albert, sweetest little fellow Farearii, little Trainees who has come a long way in learning English, just during my short stay.... this is her first year in school and she is nine!!, quiet little Mahina, quick-minded young Travel, bossy but sweet little Terangi, "much improved on the attention span Aporo", shy but gaining in confidence Temarama, "take charge" Warren, Isabella who is slowing getting used to her new school, dear sweet George who must have the happiest smile on this island and he has lots of competition for that!! I think I finally understand why two of my friends, Karen and Celia love teaching so much!! As I have mentioned many times, Cook Islanders are a rare lot.....friendly, kind, giving and above all else, loving....the apple in the form of their children, doesn't fall far from that tree of goodness. To my delight, I discovered our teachers have a really cool sense of humor! Despite initial shyness with us they have gradually opened up to Cara and I and share many stories of their own lives, often intermingled with much laughter and joking. I had opportunity for a personal experience of those big hearts last week.....During a poignant moment of sadness and homesickness for my family last week, I quite unexpectedly teared up during lunch break. Dear Mrs. Tearotoa noticed this immediately, and proceeded to quote me a little poem (almost verbatim by the way, as I had read this same one on the internet sometime in the last year and remembered bits and pieces of it ...... she has a fine command of the English language as do all the teachers at Takitumu School). It is a lovely poem on "The Tears of a Woman" and well worth reading ..... google it and you'll probably find it. She came to school with several copies printed for the ladies the next morning and proudly gave me one! It was a kind gesture from the heart and warmed me to the core. When we hugged later, it was with an intensity shared only with those we love. The warm and caring arms of Mrs. T, as we call her, were a welcome remedy for homesickness!! Quite remarkable really, how quickly some people are able to share of themselves and how kind they can be. During the course of the last week, I received many notes from, what I have come to think of as "my other children", during spelling reviews, with "I love you Seija" written quite neatly intermingled with the spelling words.....so sweet......and here is one for the records "Seija, you are my Queen" ...... Hee hee, Brian, are you listening???!! :) The teachers, Ruta, Rimaa, Eitiare, Mariannah, Mrs. Tearotoa, Mr. Pepe and the principal, Engia, and her office assistant Marama and librarian Moe, all seemingly appreciate our help ..... they get to be the strict disciplinarians and have the harder job....Cara and I have the pleasure of having a spot of fun with the children, with just a dash of discipline thrown in! It is a nice mix for the children. I will have a few more weeks here to reflect on my first volunteer journey, return to my status as a tourist, get back to long leisurely walks again, and just enjoy the beauty of the ocean......I have moved to a lovely spot further around the island, and will be waking up to the water at my feet every morning and the sunset in the evening at my doorstep.......more later on our last week and the special day in honour of Cara and I, held at the school yesterday..... my love to everyone, Kia Manuia, Seija xo

Moving into the rhythm of children.....

We chug along to our little schools every morning, Cara and I to Takitumu Primary, Merideth to a Christian High School on her own, Sue Ellen and Jody to another primary, the name of which escapes my memory ahhh, Rutaki School I believe it is!! ....... the day passes in a beautiful blur of little Polynesian faces ......and yeah!!! ..... I now actually remember all their names (examples: Tarangi, Tangaii, Aporo, Ngamaa, Tui, Leahanna, Therisee, and oh yes, a Daniel, Warren, Grace, Albert as well :) ....... so eager to please us ..... getting through the spelling lists are certainly one of the goals, but really, it is all about connecting with the children, making all of us feel comfortable about sharing a little bit of our lives ..... in between the tedium of lists ..... I create all manner of silly fun sentences with the day's words, just to hear the kids laugh.....truly a tonic for any soul. The school will be involved in a spelling competition of sorts at the end of June, so our work is helping the teachers, Rimaa, Ruta, Mrs. Tetiara, and our principal, Ngnia, (pronounced Enya) immensely. Global Volunteers, has, as one of their main philosophies, a desire to spread peace and goodwill throughout the world and with these children, it is easy as pie! At the end of our day, Cara and I often opt to walk back to Kii Kii Motel.....it is a short twenty minute walk and despite the heat, preferable to the bus :) Dodging the roosters and chickens along the roadsides is the only hazard :) ..... just kidding .... sort of! We gather as a group at the end of the school day to share our experiences, often over a local beer ..... bought from our New Zealand host Debi, whose family owns the brewery! Enjoyed a most delicious Indian feast at Raviz (complete with a local Maori singer who entertained us....voice of an angel) last night to celebrate our week of work, and we joined up with Pauline and Harry who own the Kii Kii, their grandaughter Rachel and guest Murray. Rachel is 21, fresh out of college and working as a reporter for the local paper for this year to gain some experience in her field ..... Pauline is a native Cook Islander and has lived here most of her life ..... Rachel is quite familiar with the island, having visited many times from California where her family (Pauline's son and wife now live.....who are now Americans). She is a rather adventurous young lady, to say the least, especially for one so young (reminded me totally of my own Sarah ...... I shared stories of Sarah's first adventures as a young 18 year old in Ireland) ....... Rachel has already volunteered in Vietnam at a school (just for the experience a few years ago!!) It was a delight to chat with her, sharing common interests as we do! We paid "no never mind" to the age difference........not in the slightest like your average American young adult.....I told her I would post a picture of her and play matchmaker for our son Tim!! :) Look for it next week ..... It is Saturday and the sun is shining.....just finished a walk through the Saturday market...And oh my, how many "hi Seijas" I heard as I walked along, the children running to give me a hug as they approached. I stopped to chat and visit with the parents and teachers I have met this week. It is the charm and warmth of a small community....wonderful in every way! Most certainly where EVERYONE goes on a Saturday morning! ..... The stalls are lined with fresh veggies, fruits galore, breakfast fixings, fruit smoothies (enjoyed a delicious papaya one) and the usual assortment of "stuff"..... clothing, pareos, black pearls strung into jewelry of every description, shell artifacts of all kinds (I purchased a shell handle straw fan for church tomorrow ..... noticed them in church last Sunday and wished I had had one!) .... local music playing in the background....even a sermon was being broadcast at one of the stalls....they are a rather religious sort here and although the island is not highly populated, there are churches everywhere. I started to walk to town, and of course, as I was on my own, was offered a ride by the first car that passed me!! This is so very common on the island and as I have said many many times, they are a generous people and kind.........I accepted due to a rather nasty blister I seem to have developed on one foot........Marta invited me to her Bennai Brith (totally mispelled, but what the heck, I gave it a go :) service tomorrow so may take her up on it....the other ladies have all opted to fly to Aitutaki for the weekend, a small but stunning little snorkelling island about an hour's flight away. I am going there the end of June, so opted out of paying airfare twice!! Very quiet after they left this morning :) Off to the beach for the afternoon.....Kia Orana, Seija xo Love to all.

Various scenes from Raro.....and oops, a double again!!

The wild women of Vaka # 115

So the volunteer journey begins ...... we had to identify goals for the month ..... mine, no surprise here for anyone who knows me well ....."live, laugh and love", and "live simply so others may simply live" ...... Randy the Rooster (well actually, I know there are more than one of them) wake us up every morning, starting right at three am or so and continue on throughout the day ....... consistently getting louder with each cookadooddle doo) I have a theory there.....all these roosters are merely communicating with each other...."heh, bud, how many hens have you had today??" As is the case in island nations, the cluckers run free, picking their feed wherever and eating whatever!! Needless to say, we have plenty of organic eggs for breakfast..... :)
Vake 115 (the 115th volunteer troops to land in Raro) include Merideth, Sue Ellen, and Jody from the US, Cara from Australia, Debi our host from New Zealand originally, married to a Cook Islands Polynesian, James who together run the show here.....James however, is currently in a hospital in Auckland and has been for the past month.....he was in a very serious motor bike accident here last month.....did I mention no one wears a helmet on this whole island!!@! ..... including James, who now perhaps wishes he had ..... he is having reconstructive surgery on his face and is lucky to be alive......(Debi was in Auckland until a few days ago but left him there with his mother to tend to our group) ...... I found out this bit of misfortune for our hosts, AFTER I had been offered a lift one rainy day, last week, before meeting up with the group...by a lovely lady on a motor bike.....it was pouring out and I was miles from my hotel, missed the bus which only comes around hourly, hence, happily accepted her offer but my oh my, was I terrified.....many things on this island are in a just a slight state of disrepair and this bike was no exception....no footholds for me, so I worked my thigh muscles keeping them up for the five miles, worrying about slipping in the rain at any moment....the tires were worn thin!! Happily I arrived at the hotel, drenched but all in one piece.....the locals are beyond helpful, kind and thoughtful on this island but think I may pass on a motor bike lift next time!! Met the ladies on Saturday afternoon and they seemed a jovial enough group ...... the weekend was a relaxing one and the only things we managed to work in was a church service, lunch tea and visit to a sailboat......at church, we met a sweet young Danish couple, Palle and Margrethe, who were on a six month sailing journey with a Danish captain from Columbia and his Columbian girlfriend ..... they had sailed through to the Galapagos, Hawaii, Marquesas, Tahiti, Fiji, and on to the Cooks where they decided to spend a few days ..... we were invited aboard ...... brought back awesome memories of my sail trip in Greece with Brian, Sarah & Rob a few years ago ...... for a brief moment in time , I was sure tempted to join them, as they made their way back to Columbia......loved being on a boat again! Took a little video of the church singing (Cook Islanders make going to church a delight with all the Maori singing!!) but not quite sure how to post....will try in any event.

Started volunteering yesterday at Takitumu Primary School, with Cara, my Australian mate......love love love the kids.......English is not taught until midway through Grade 3.....there has been a revival of the Maori culture for children in recent history.....not that many years ago, the Polynesians of the Cook Islands were not allowed to teach children in their own language, pretty much like our native situation in Canada thirty or so years ago :( Our assignment is helping with English from grades 3 to 6 ...... no pictures allowed until the second week, so the children do not view us as tourists to amuse!!! They are charming and funny beyond belief ...... and I keep them in stitches with my mispronunciations of their names! Look for some great pictures next week..........miss everyone.....Brian, Sarah & Tim, how about some emails??!! I can access a computer a few times a week when we go into town......none at the school except a laptop that some of the teachers use ...... love to everyone, Kia Orana (hello, welcome, may you live long ... any of these translations) and Ka Kite (Goodbye for now), Seija xxxooo

First Days in Rarotonga

Rarotonga....school children entertaining in musical competition

More Milford Sound

Rarotonga revisited....

Arrived to some warmth, humidity and sunshine but alas....no ability to post pictures....have tried a few cafes and this one I am at currently, was my last resort....supposedly the most modern and quickest internet connections on the island......I was here 18 years ago and again 8 years ago and this island is most certainly in a time warp....nothing has changed in the slightest...I could find my way everywhere with my eyes closed :) No new commercial, hotels, motels, shops or cafes to speak of....how does a place so beautiful maintain this lack of progress in a world consumed with it.......there is a word for this in just about every warm country in the world....bukra inshallah, manana, island time.....all comes down to slowing down the western mentality to a crawl is not standstill! All good and I was more than ready to leave my tourist self behind in Auckland and leave the "must do, should see, should experience" self for a "just be" self.....kind of enforced on one here, but most pleasantly so :) ..... saw a yoga mat in a store that I shall purchase before chugging along back to my tiny little motel room by the sea, in a bus that I know I sat in twenty years ago.... I asked my bus driver if Rarotonga ever purchased new buses ..... he laughed and said he thinks he has driven the very same one now for at least twenty years.....how is this possible??? Fortunately, should it break down, this island has some of the most friendly helpful people on the planet and someone would always offer a ride....this happened to me years ago and again this morning when out for a morning walk....did I mention that obesity is a major problem here in Rarotonga and a lot of the Maori people of these islands are quite huge, but as in America and Canada, there is now a focus on educating people about their eating habits and lack of exercise. I discovered a new exercise movement in New Zealand which has of course hit Raro as well.....Zumba!!! Totally looks like a fun workout and will get into it when I find a tape somewhere to follow along with! (Sarah, you should look into it....I know you and Jen would love it!) It is so green here, the vegetation so lush and I am inhaling it at every opportunity......I believe this is what Hawaii, lovely as it is, may have been once upon a time, before it morphed into such an overpopulated tourist destination :) I have a few quiet days to myself before the group all arrive Saturday morning.....totally looking forward to it.....I watched a school dance and song competition in the "town square" (bare in mind the whole island only has 13,000 or so people) ...... there were perhaps 50 - 100 people watching at various times during the performances......mostly parents of the children, teachers and a scattering of tourists......all the singing was in Maori....and oh my, there was drumming!! I was transported to rhythm heaven and wished to goodness I could sing along in Maori.....I will keep my eyes open for some computer dude who may help me post.....if we can find a computer that will accept my USB device! Kia Orana, Seija

A few pictures left over from Milford Sound Flight...