More Tonga Food....

A bunch of volunteers are visiting Nuku'alofa for "in service training". I haven't seen them for several months, so we all go out to Chinese food. The other islands (except Vavau) don't have restaurants so this is a big treat.

My steamed rice arrives and I dump it to for a neat little dome on my plate. In the top of the dome lies a steamed roach. Everyone peaks at it. I eat it.

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I stop by my house to grab stuff to take to the guest house for the training. I hear shouting from kids outside. There are a half dozen boys wading in the neighbors flooded yard. They are beating the water with sticks.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Tuna Tuna!" they reply.

There are giant eels in my neighbors yard. They are called "Tuna" in the local tongue. They hold one up. It is perhaps four foot long and thicker than my arm. And I've been working out so my arm ain't too skinny.

I ask if they "kai" (eat) it?

In response a kid takes the still squirming eel and takes a big bite out of it. Yum!

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I cycle to the Peace Corps to check for mail. The Economist for this week has not arrived. I wander into the administration building to check for packages. My friend Lois has been trying to send me something since around Christmas, and the prior attempt(s) have been stolen.

I have a huge box. It is prominently labeled "Books - Reading Material". In other words, "nothing in here worth steeling."

It worked. I get the package. Inside is a nice blue T-Shirt of a quality not available here. Good.

In the bottom of the box is a wooden box labeled "Made In Texas". It has a tongue-in-groove top and I slide in back.

Inside, packaged like a necklace from a jeweler, there sits a beautiful pecan pie. Honest.

I show the other volunteers. I see tears in their eyes. It is an emotional moment for us all.

We will all be staying together at the guest house tonight and we'll finish off the pie.

Thanks Lois!!!!!!