Santo

I can't really talk about Vanuatu. I don't know much about it. I see what a developing city is like on the big island of Santo.

I know nothing of bush life never will, I live in Luganville. So I guess that means I am barely a

Peace Corps vol, since I won't be able to speak Bislama, won't have a love affair with Kava, or enjoy laplap and a million other things that make me fit into that world. Oh well I have been the odd man out before. But I have a pretty clear view of some things, about what being poverty stricken is like. This is due to the fact that I hate most of the food here. People tell me what I have to do... I don't usually agree with those opinions.

 I had no idea what this kind of service would be like. I have learned a lot.

The main street in Luganville is filled with Chinese stores that are basically clones of the one before it. All selling cheap chinese crap that breaks quickly and is of the lowest quality possible for sale. When you do find something worth buying it is jacked up in price 5-10 higher than it should be. I like quality. Always will pay that premium and enjoy that luxury and suffer the price.

There are few if any places to hangout. Attar Cafe is the only coffee house really. But coffee is a luxury I can't afford I go there mostly to watch other sit on their laptops get bored and then leave. The bars... there are two and mostly pointless. Why, they have terrible music lousy beer that cost twice as much as buying it in the store and since money is tight why waste it there... and on and on of reasons.

But Santo does have some really cool things, the beaches and blue holes, and caves sinkholes, the river are just amazing. These are the things that most people want to do on the weekends. I like them too and prefer the ones that we can bike to so I can save on transportation cost which is usually more than I have to waste money on. The rich people go to the resorts or fancy beaches that cost a ton.

The Nivan people are kind and friendly. Even to a non-bislama speaking person like me they will listen to me make a fool of myself trying to talk to them.

There are some fun people in town to visit with as well, some other aid organizations are stationed here and we run into each other often. I needed to get my hand looked at because the infection was getting worse and Mark at the hospital loaned me 250vt to pay the fee to get a appointment. That was nice of him. I did not even have 2 bucks on me. This is funny because I used to always have an unlimited budget in the states now I am just a bum. Most of the time I think of this place as purgadice, because it could be paradise if everything was not out of reach.