Futuna, Aniwa, and Customer Service

It has been three weeks since I last updated my journal. I have so much to write and share and I have a feeling I am going to forget most of it. I had left my laptop in Tanna thinking I would not have power in Futuna and Aniwa. Well I started my journey by heading back to Futuna to try this site development back again. I was happy to see that my luggage made it with me this time. I had been given a name to ask for when I got there, so I asked for the headmaster, nini.


Nini? Oh sori hem I stap long plaen. (Sorry he just got on the plane.) So the one of the people I was so supposed to meet with would not be back until I was leaving. Awe Vanuatu! Well I met Brian who is a teacher at the school and he took care of me. Before making the 45 minute hike up to the village we stopped and had some lunch at Ruth’s house. I tell you these people are amazing. They had no idea I was coming and yet in ten minutes I was eating a good lunch and have a good stori with these guys.


The hike up to Harold bay was pretty intense. There are no trucks on this island. There is only one bush road that goes around the edge of the island. When I mean edge I really mean the edge. The island is built like a cake. So on one side of the road is straight up and the other side is straight down about 350-500’. It was pretty intense. They arraigned to have a meeting with me and the key people of the village the next day. So the first night I just hung out with everyone. I had so much fun with these guys.


I was only there for three nights, but felt I made better friends there then I have in Tanna in 7 months. For one thing Brian is very well educated so we talked politics and the future of Vanuatu. It was great. WE stayed up till about 11 pm every night talking, playing the guitar, and singing songs, while drinking fresh lemon grass tea. I did go to church there more then I have since Mangaliliu. It was worth it to be able to eat with them. We ate nawita (octopus) with rice and soup. Mmmm… I could go for a bowl right now!


The terrain of Futuna reminds me of northern California, rocky coast line with shear cliffs and beautiful waves breaking in. On the second to last day, Brian and I walked down to Mission Bay which is where the airport is located. After dropping my stuff off at Ruth’s house, Brian and I met up with a few girls and walked down to the sand beach. Once there they asked if we wanted to go to the swim hole. We both were indifferent because we did not want to swim, but finally they said come on lets go.


So we ended up at this swim hole that was so incredible. I wish I had my Nikon with me to try and capture it. It is almost like a natural infinity pool. It is a like a huge tide pool, deep enough o dive head first into it. During high tide the water comes up high enough o put water into the pool. Water runs off on one side into the ocean and when big waves come they dump into the pool. I ended up swimming for about 30 minutes in the water, jumping and diving off of the rocks. I can not tell you how beautiful this place is.


Well the next day I had to get on the plane to go to Aniwa. I was really sad to leave all of these great people I had just met. They gave me a beautiful mat and a Futuna Basket. I said my goodbyes and then jumped on the plane to head to Aniwa. In Aniwa I ran into David Stein and two Italians there working on a wind power project. I ended up eating my meals with all of them. The one Italian, Antonio, was great to talk too. He has worked with many world organizations and has lived in various African and Middle Eastern countries along with South America.


The people in Aniwa were nice as well but I did not have the same feeling as I did in Futuna. The people in Futuna seemed really eager to have a volunteer to help them with various projects; where as in, Aniwa they seemed eager just to have a volunteer. I got to snorkel a few times in Aniwa which was really nice. It has been a long time since I have been in the water. Of course this is all going to change with my new site.


Well on Sunday I found the public phone and called the Peace Corps resource room to find out who was in town. I got to talk to Elin and Jade from my group. They informed me of the murders that just took place in Vila. We had 19 prisoners escape and they are now armed. They murdered two people in town after they had escaped. I believe half of them have been captured. The prison system here is a joke. People get weekend passes to go home and at four pm when the guards go home, so do some of the prisoners!


After talking with them I called up to Tongoa to see if I could talk with Bridget. She has had to put up with me and all my stressed about my site and moving sites. It has been nice to have someone to help me get these things out of my head. After making the site visits I felt sure I was making the right choice by leaving Tanna, but was left confused about where to go. She said she was heading to Vila the next day and that I should try and come in.


Well the next day we had a Custom ceremony in Aniwa. It was from the boys coming out from hiding. After they circumcise the boys, they must hide in the Nakamal for 30 days or so. After they come out they have a big feast and custom dance. It was really cool to see it. I then packed up my stuff and headed to the airport. At the airport I decided that maybe I would go into Vila. This way I could talk with other volunteers about my decision and also talk with Kevin George, my Country Director.


If I had only known how angry this trip was going to make me I do not know if I would of gone. To fly from Aniwa to Tanna is 4,900VT. To Fly from Tanna to Vila is 12,890VT. To fly from Aniwa (via Tanna) to Vila is only 12,900VT. I told the guy in Aniwa I wanted to change my ticket so that I was only paying the difference in price. He said no problem and that when I land in Tanna to take care of it there. Okay no big deal.


When I landed in Tanna and talked to the guy he said sorry your ticket is used so nothing I can do. I was like hey man the guy on Aniwa told me to take care of it here. He said that if the guy on Aniwa had called him first it would not have been an issue! This pissed me off and I was like hey can you call the main office in Vila and find out if there is anything they can do? He said No they are at lunch. I called him out on his blatant lie, because I knew for a fact that the Van Air office always has someone inside working.


I saw that the last truck was about to leave the airport so I thought screw it I will just go to Lenakel and deal with Sam at the Van Air office. As I got to the truck someone called me back to tell me he was on the phone with Vila. I thought great told the truck goodbye and walked back up to the man I had been dealing with. He was on the phone with Vila. Now then, having worked in service related industries for some time, I expect thing to happen a certain way. All I wanted was for him to try and help. Maybe ask them hey here is what happened, is there anything we can do for him? But this is what I heard him saying, “I already told him it is against our policy and that I won’t do it for him, so now I want you guys to tell him the same thing.” Then he hands the phone to me.


I was so livid. I talked to the lady on the phone and it sounded like she was going to make the change for me, then she asked to put him back on the phone and he once again told her he would not, and then hung up and told me they said no. Man I have never been so pissed here in Vanuatu. I called him a tipskin and that his rubbish fashion is exactly why Man Tanna has a bad name in this country and then used a few more choice words with him. I made my way to the road and started walking to town. Luckily after 30 minutes a truck came buy and picked me up.


I went in and explained everything to Sam and the office. He called up the customer help number (why the first guy never did that I do not know.) They tired helping me but nothing came of it, but a bunch of sories. By this point I was determined to go to Vila. I asked Sam to do me one favor. I told him that I would pay full price right now, but to call up the office and inform the manager that I would be in office when they opened in the morning. I could hear the girl on the other end saying, but why is he coming in? Ya but..


Well I did not go in the next day. By the time a slept on it I was like, whatever just let it go? Then I had lunch with Jani and started telling her about it and I got al fired up again. After Lunch I went into the office and sat down with the manager. She was very nice and by the time I left I had a credit for the difference of the tickets and she gave me a 20% discount on my return ticket to Tanna.