Arrival of the In-Laws

In June, we got our second arrival of visitors, Krissy's parents, Jim and Kathy Buchholz, flew to Vanuatu, to experience this Melanesian culture on the frontlines of Globalization

Coincidentally, two other volunteers had their families coming to visit them on the same flight as Krissy's parents so we all got in a bus to pick them up together. As we got to the airport to pick up Jim and Kathy, a soft mist came from a hazy grey blanket of clouds. As there often is in Vanuatu for everything, there was a long delay with their flight. We didn't think much of this until 1hr.30min had passed and still the airline hadn't communicated why there was a delay. Eventually they told us the plane couldn't land because of the weather?! and that the airplane had turned around and gone back to Fiji. Turns out theytried to land the plane twice, but both times the pilot was unable to do it, so they flew to The Solomon Islands (the island nation North of Vanuatu) to refuel. They also flew to Noumea (or New Caledonia) before returning to Fiji for the night. All this flying took up the entire first day and night. We had to restructure our plans because we were supposed to fly to Pentecost and spend the next 5 days there. Anyway they finally arrived after this crazy ordeal and landed the next morning...in the exact same weather...don't ask me.

With our plans messed up we were forced to spend the next three days in Vila, most of the time it rained and unfortunately there is not much to do in Vila when it rains. However one good thing that came out of it was that we were around for the swearing in ceremony of group 21A. We got to go up to Epao village and watch a VERY long but interesting (for Jim and Kathy at least) series of speeches. More importantly we got to talk meet and talk with the President and first lady of Vanuatu.

Here is the US ambassador to Fiji, with Vanuatu's President, Chief Mormor (an important chief who has a really strong relationship with Peace Corps), and Kevin George, Peace Corps Country Director, all drinking kava. We drank right after them, but yeah, I got stuck as photographer, so we were'nt in the shot.

Jim's first Tusker

With all the Vila sitting around out of the way we were off to the isle of Pentecost, a long skinny island that has a unique custom called land-diving.

the tiny, little plane to Pentecost. 7 seater. small.

The story of land-diving goes something like this.

A long time ago a man was angry at his wife, he was looking for her trying to kill her, and she was running away from him, hiding from him. Eventually she climbed up a tall tree to hide, but he saw her and followed her she had tied a vine around her leg and when he approached she jumped off and he jumped after her. the vine caught her and kept her alive, but he (lacking said vine) fell and died. After that, every year in Pentecost people erected towers, climbed them, attached vines to their ankles, and jumped off.

Here's Krissy and I in front of one of the towers

The land-diving ceremony is one of the most interesting, exciting, custum traditions practised in Vanuatu, and it is only done on Pentecost. A lot of tourists come to watch now, but it is still really cool and feels like looking back in time, here's a bunch of pics from the ceremony

The ceremony was incredible.

Here's a shot of "Cook's Rock" a rock that Captain James Cook made some nautical inscriptions on when he was first "discovering" all the islands round these parts. You can still see them. (but not in this picture.

Jim and Krissy and I taking a shell back at our house in Ekipe

bottom's up

Our two sets of parents, Only need Jill and Mark there now (Whattaya say guys, you ready for the trip?)

Krissy and Kathy on Pentecost with flowers

Jim with a coconut bra

climbing the tower, I would've jumped if I could've

LONGfala bamboo

Krissy and Mary, the volunteer on Pentecost who hosted us and showed us around

The three of us swimming in this beautiful river right by Mary's village

And a nice honeymoon shot to close it out.

We had a great time with Krissy's parents, thank you two so much for coming to visit us, all the gifts and food were really nice too, especially the Oatmeal Fudge bars, ohhhh I'm salivating just thinking about them

Who's next to visit Vanuatu?

come on guys, only 9 months left to join us in this little paradise