Rookie Mistakes

I've been in Vanuatu for over 3 months, and in village for over a month. I've learned a lot about surviving in the bush - I can make a wicked fire, skin scratch and milk a coconut, kill a chicken, test myself for malaria. I can live without running electricity, sustaining power for my electronics with intermittent solar power. But it doesn't mean I'm not prone to mistakes.

As I may have told you before, the "hill" I climb to get cell reception is 45min straight up through mosquito infested jungle. So when you climb it, you usually hang out antap for a bit of time to make the climb worth it. Last time I went I forgot to top up my cell, bring water, a book to read, and pen&paper. So I was broke, thirsty, bored, and forgot everything I was told over the phone.

This time I was determined not to make the same mistake. I put $30 on my phone, brought a full Nalgene and a good book, a banana, and my journal with pen. I got to the spot and collapsed on the edge of the cliff, took a large swig of water, and turned on my phone.

One thing I forgot to do, and it was a ridiculous mistake. I forgot to charge my phone. I had one bar of battery left. One bar. It was enough to make a 10min phone call to my ma in the US, and 3 sec call to Wotan. I was trying to ask her if the solar panel to my sat phone arrived (so if you are sending me messages I haven't gotten them yet), and all I got out was "Wotaan! What's up, can you hear me?" and then my phone died. Rookie mistake.

I also forgot to reapply bug spray, and received over 100 bites within a few hours. I hear dengue calling. Roooookie mistake.

One last one. I forgot to tell y'all before. So the owners of the stori house are back for the holidays with their 4 kids, which makes my living situation less than ideal, but I'm good with kids so whatever.

I get back from the mobile mountain and walk into the kitchen where the wife and husband are eating with their 3 boys. I say, "hello! Hey I only see 3 children! Did we lose number 4?"

They look around a bit confused.

"did we lose the girl?" I say. I realize in English this sounds really awkward and promise in Bislama it's not awkward. However, what came next WAS awkward.

"we only have boys. All four are boys, darien is a boy," the husband says as the fourth kid walks into the kitchen. For the past three weeks I've thought this kid was a girl! It never occurred to me for a moment that she was a he. There's no word for she or he in Bislama, you just say "hem" and the gender is usually implied. Guess I implied wrong. Roooookie mistake.

I was so embarrassed I walked into my room and didn't come out for the rest of the night.

The next day the mom cornered me as I was fanning my fire, and was storying about her kids and what year in school they would be. She made sure to not use "hem" but to say "yes darien is a big boy for 6". "yes my boy is going to school in this village next year".

Annnnd yea! It's still awkward.


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