Adventures in Tonga

Our 41st Anniversary Dinner at The Water Front Restaurant

JANUARY 2013

It’s been 41 years—yes, our anniversary was on December 27^th and all the restaurants were closed that week because of Christmas. We celebrated on January 4^th at the Water Front Restaurant with some other senior couples and a dentist and doctor and wives doing service here. Delicious food, a bit pricey, but we enjoyed our anniversary celebration.

Being here in Tonga serving in the ITEP is nothing like retirement, and we think our pace has even picked up from before we retired—but we’re loving it and making progress. In late December and once in January we did find time for a few snorkeling experiences. Soon Elder Johnson will be making a post showing the underwater world. January has been an extremely busy month and that’s one of the reasons for no postings on this blog. I’ll try to do a catch-up with this narrative and then share pictures with descriptive titles. We completed our second EDUC 212 class, Foundations of Education, with only four wonderful students, but of course the prep is the same. At least we had been through it once before this time. Just as we finished it was time to pack our bags and head for two outlying islands.

Here's our plane, pilot, Elder Johnson, and Aloine, the principal from 'Eua Middle School and her daughter.

Chatham Airlines--another view

Ready for Takeoff

Good bye Tongatapu--where we live

Tongatapu Runway

Touchdown in ''Eua

‘EUA

On Monday, the 21^st we took the 10 minute flight to ‘Eua. The plane was fine except for a metal plate right under my tailbone so I tried to sit as if the seat was a recliner. Only 10 minutes, no problem. The principal of the school was on our same flight so that was comforting to know that someone would be there to pick us up. Actually, she had notified the “Resort” owner to pick us up, but he wasn’t there for our arrival so her friend put our bags into his car. The back door wouldn’t close, but that’s okay—common in Tonga for cars to drive with the sliding doors open when they don’t have air conditioning. Just as we got inside and ready to go, the resort owner, Taki, arrived. He was very caring and helped us to get settled in our little room, took our order for dinner, and even provided some towels when I asked for them. A large bunch of bananas was hanging and when I asked if I could buy one I was told they were free.

Very Authentic Tongan

Cute little structures with thatched roofs...

A Shelter

Inside is really Outside

Inside Roof the little Dining Pavillion

In front are the yummy bananas!

Our night was spent in #2, begin counting from the right.

Our bed for the night--door to the bathroom--no hot water or towels--got towels when I asked for them.

Looks like no door, but there was actually a door for the night.

Pretty Flowers in Front of Our Room

It was our understanding that we’d soon be picked up by someone from the school and start the training about 9:00 a.m. We kept waiting and finally at 10:00 a.m., when Taki offered to take us to the school we agreed. He drove the "quick way to get there" --up an eroded roadway but we did make it to the school without going the long, beautiful drive. We had a wonderful greeting—they were just finishing up one of their earlier meetings before they came to get us. ‘Eua Middle School was built only a few years ago—a beautiful facility that has lovely wood walls throughout—the materials were shipped from Fiji. There is a school secretary and four teachers, one of which is a teaching principal. What a sweet spirit among these lovely women. After having some of their delicious breakfast foods Elder Johnson presented the PEGS (Practice Effective Guidance Strategies) Training, which is actually a computer behavioral management practice program. After they achieve getting all the computerized students to comply he checks the sessions they’ve saved and they do written work applying these principles to their own classrooms. Later we had large individual lunches brought in for all of us—good food but way more than we could eat. We had already ordered our evening meal with Taki so we really didn’t want to take it with us, however, now I wish we would have--the dinner of grilled tuna wasn't our favorite.

The School on the Left--Attached to the Church

School Side--flag pole and tennis and basketball court

Where We Entered

Covered Area with Benches--chapel on right

Entrance Way to High Council Room

Breakfast--lots of yummy food and always, bottles of water

High Council Room--where we did our power point presentations--pretty white tablecloths with scalloped edges

Outside the Open Door Above

Computer Lab--Elder Johnson is checking their computer work

Never Give Up

Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball Court

Back at the Resort Beach Front--Little up and down walkway to the beach

Our destination

Not far back to the "resort"

Enjoying the ocean and tide pools before dinner

Tide Pools in the Coral

Elder Johnson enjoyed watching the little fish get caught in the tide pools.

And an Awesome Sunset

How Beautiful!

Elder Johnson was fighting a cold so after dinner he had a nap on the big bed, and I sat on the little twin bed in our room to prepare some reading professional development for the teachers. Only a few bugs caught my attention while working. Later we drifted off to sleep with the sound of crashing waves and rain pounding on the roof. We woke up to the sound of a Tongan trimming a coconut. I thought I would once again sit on the little twin bed where I thought I would read my scriptures. First I felt itchiness on my arm and then SAW tiny bugs crawling all over me! Yikes! I tried to get them off me, shook my clothes, and wanted to take a shower but there was no hot water. I felt like I was crawling with bugs all day!

Back to the School--Large Stage in back of the Chapel and Overflow Area

Beautiful Chapel

Overflow and Recreation Area Behind Chapel

Sailini's Desk and Printer on Right, Principal Aloine's office on left

Fun Bulletin Boards All Over This School

Time to say, "Good Bye" to Aloine, Temalisi, Losalini, Amelia, and Sailini

The PEGS training was finished in the morning of the second day and in the afternoon I did a presentation on “The 3 Stages of Reading Comprehension,” including questioning for narrative and expository writing. They were engaged in the learning, most appreciative, and we finished up just in time to go to the airport.

Baggage Claim in Tongatapu

After Dinner We Shared A Coconut that Aloine sent home with us.

Before entering our house upon returning home I went inside for the bug spray and sprayed all our bags and us too. After throwing the clothes in the washer and having Severin examine my head for bugs I showered and then counted 19 bug bites on my legs and arms—maybe sand fleas. I hope next time we can go to and from ‘Eua in one day! But, despite all the bugs I would do it again for 2 fantastic days with the teachers! daj

We flew over many Tongan Islands where the coral reef around them is very visible.

Landing on Ha'apai

HA’APAI

Wednesday morning we departed our home at 6:00 a.m. and were off for another flight—hoping to be on a little larger plane, but no such luck—it was the same plane that had taken us to and from ‘Eua. Not only that, but it was the pilot’s training flight—first flight to Ha’apai. The co-pilot oversaw his piloting abilities. It was a beautiful day and so neat to see the coral reefs around each of the islands. The flight was less than an hour and we were soon on the ground again! When flying on these small planes, they not only weigh your baggage, but they weigh the people too so they can make sure the plane is balanced. The Ha’apai landing strip goes over the road so they close the road down when a plane is arriving or departing. This island is very long and there is only one main road from one end to the other end of the island.

Kuolo Middle School in the back, next to the Chapel in the front--similar to 'Eua, but larger.

KOULO MIDDLE SCHOOL

Upon arrival our resort hosts were there as well as some young missionaries to pick us up. The resort took our suitcases and we went with the missionaries to the school, which is also a wonderful facility and right on the beach—a spectacular view. I absolutely loved sitting in the breezeway working on plans for an upcoming course to be taught as I viewed the ocean. After waiting a bit for the principal and some of the teachers Elder Johnson finally got started on the PEGS training. Everyone had brought food for a very enjoyable lunch. Despite a few computer problems all was completed and I was able to give them some well received Reading Comprehension professional development too. The last morning Elder Johnson used a power point presentation to explain the details of the student teaching which 3 teachers were ready to do—a little different concept—teach, do student teaching and then get the ITEP Certificate. Again, wonderful teachers and principal—we loved having the opportunity to work with them!

This was one of my favorite places on campus--I sat in here feeling the tropical breezes and viewing the ocean in the background while I prepared for my presentations.

Just beyond the above picture--you can see the ocean better.

Side View of the Chapel and Pavilion behind it.

The ocean is visible from this view.

Heading out to the Courts

Yes, I loved all the pretty flowers

A Real Variety of Flowers--all these add to the beauty of the Kuolo Campus

Meanwhile, back at the resort—notice this time it is not in quotes—this was a lovely place—beautiful sandy beaches, very clean and nice little beach house where we stayed, and delicious food—all with a price! At the end we were able to share a precious gift with the two people who were running the resort for 3 months while the owners were gone. He expressed interest in the church the night before we left. This couple was from England—they made us very comfortable. Our gift was a Book of Mormon signed with our testimony that it is true in the front. We pray they will read it with sincere prayerful hearts.

The first day after work we immediately changed and went down to the beach—loving the waves come up and wash us out to sea a bit. We tried snorkeling but would have had to go out quite a ways—the sand made the water cloudy when the waves came in. We were very satisfied walking along the beach, enjoying being in the water, and then drying off on the hammock near the beach.

The Road Sign for the Sandy Beach Resort. In Tonga there are very few street and road signs.

Entrance to Sandy Beach Resort

Our bags were waiting in our little beach house, # Tolu or "three."

Another View

Inside--nice, neat and clean

Ceiling View

View from our front porch

Fresh flowers on every table--where we ate all of our dinners--outside!

On our second night in Ha'apai we rode bikes for 1 1/2 hours, all the way to this causway--built between 2 islands.

Near the Causway

A side road we explored as we rode bikes.

The Goat

The Cow

A Typical Boat

Pretty View Along Our Ride

Boat Dock--kids swimming at the end of it.

The Village House where the Men Drink Kava Every Night (not LDS men)

My Favorite Lobster Dinner

At the end of our 3^rd day at the school Vili, who transported us from one end of the island to the other end several times, and works at the LDS Service Center, drove us around the island to see the only two famous spots, and we got to go to his home and see his children dear wife who was in our first class taught at Liahona. Good News! We flew home on a 9 passenger plane that was more comfortable. Coming home was cloudy and it seemed the pilot circled around and around and around before landing, but we made it with no incident—always great to be HOME again!