Happy

After 3 days of travelling, I am settled in to Cunningham where my family lives in Suva City.

It was a great welcome home and I so missed them dearly. After being away from 5 years one would think it had been 5 days. My family consists of Mom, Dad, sister Fipe, sister Putty, brother Tuks and brother Latia. Tuks married Talei and they have a beautiful daughter Deborah and Putty had married Ta.

When I last saw my family there was only Deborah now there is Tui and any day now hopefully tomorrow, baby Bonnie. Putty has two girls - Gloria and Renadi so gorgeous and Latia married Sarah and they are expecting a baby any day know. The family has grown which means there is more love. Dad is a soldier in Iraq but I spoke with him by phone yesterday.

Last night mom made kokonda, a Fijian speciality and Bonnie favourite. It is cubed raw fish marinated in coconut milk with onions with a side of kassava, truly the best meal I will have when I am here.

My best friend Ana lives two doors down and I did not tell her I was coming and man her face when I walked up was worth it. When I last seen Ana it was just Ana, now Ana is married and has two boys - Junior and Moses. Man there is special place in my heart for Ana she is the kindest, honest most loving friend a person can have. Her mom, Reiki, cried when she saw me and immediately started planning for lovo on Sunday. Lovo is a traditional Fijian meal that is prepared in an earth oven and the food is sooooo good. I am never able to articulate how truly thankful and grateful I am to have Ana and her family in my life. I love them so.

Ana's dad, Mata, came home from work and thanked God for my return to Fiji, his second daughter. We shared a bowl of grog and I was exhausted.

I had a good sleep even though after lying in the bed five minutes I was drenched in sweat didn't matter much because I felt at home. I fell asleep immediately but awoke to what I thought was a feast of a million bats. You see there are many bats in Fiji and I know this but I forgot how bloody loud they are. Plus they feed on breadfruit and there is a breadfruit tree outside my window. Man I was scared. I messaged my brother and he was wise. He said embrace the fear...batman did. Lol so I did I managed to get up and watch the bats knowing they eat the mosquitos, which by the way are eating me. I counted sixteen bites, lol.

I don't know that I will leave Suva City for a island anymore. I love seeing everyone and the fact that I only have 9 more days tells me it is not enough. Not enough for a white sand beach and blue green ocean. I have seen that in various countires dont need to see it here.

TOday I will go to town and visit with the gang I used to work with at PCRC. I bought a cellphone and they have been texting mad for me to come in. Talei, Deborah and Tui and I will be chillin up Suva City.

As for those of you wondering if its hot. Yes I had forgotten the oppresiveness of heat. AS I type I am sweating, just sitting and sweating. I will blog more when the opportunity arises, depends on the electricity cuts. Right now the water is shut off, so for me it will be a bucket bath with rain water, who cares as long as it is cold.