Firstly I want to say a big thank you for your thoughts and kind words following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that swept through the Pacific last week. I am alive and well, although very shocked to find out the true severity of the quake. The Pacific was lucky.

I have experienced so much in the last two weeks, enough excitement to last the year! If this blog is too long, go to the bottom for a short re-cap on events so far!

Friday 4th March I managed to get on a small eight seater plane flying over volcanoes, sand beaches and clear blue water to Vanua Lava, soon to be my home for the coming year.

Marian (my predecessor) and I traveled together and for the last two weeks have been living in each others shoes! I am to live in Sola, the largest village in the northern province (Torba). There is one main road only with an airport, clinic soon to be hospital, bank, post office (although you can't really send mail!) government offices, 2,000 people and now me!

The house is clean (although I live with a number of rats – kitten has been reserved for me!) spacious enough with the basics. I think I am one of the very few with a flushing loo! Shower (trickle and cold), sink and a gas cooker. I have a generator I can use for a few hours in the evening and solar lighting when the bulb is fixed.

We stayed in Sola only a few days before leaving for Ureparapara (remote Island north west) to hold a five day workshop for women, men and young people on sexual and reproductive health. The journey was REALLY choppy, white knuckle kinda choppy. The Island is a extinct volcano which blew it's top hundreds of years ago creating reef islands to the north east. It's a little like being in a huge bowl. Truly magnificent!

Ureparapara is a very remote island, no electricity, running water or telephones, and is seldom visited. The people here are so very generous, kind and hospitable.

There is a real need for workshops and health care here with children only educated for just six years and only two aid posts, no clinic, nurse (yet) and no doctor in the whole province.

A tropical low (prior to a cyclone) hit us on the second day of our stay, with high winds taking our blackboard though the air! Although the workshops went very well once we nailed everything down!

Saturday morning the water in the bay was low, lower than normal, we noticed tree's that we hadn't seen before, five minute later the water came back to high tide at an alarming rate. The tsunami wave was passing and had sucked the water out of the bay leaving only a whirl pool then pushed it back again. I have shown you two photo's taken within five minutes of each other. When questioning the locals we were told that this had been happening since sunrise. The tide continued to do this for the rest of the day. Disconcerting when you have not seen such a thing but we knew it was slowing down. That evening we also felt a small tremor from our volcano just to add to things! There is no point in worrying what can you do! I turned over and slept well.

The whole village gathered for a farewell meal for us with a kava ceremony to start followed by lots of dancing!

Our journey back was another choppy ride. We stopped over at the reef island and let a black cloud of rain pass over us. On a more positive note we saw dolphins, a sting ray and a reef shark!

In between all this excitement Marian and I have been discussing non stop about her two years worth of work. There are plenty of projects to be getting on with, many difficulties and challenges ahead but I am very excited to be apart of.

If you are still reading you have done well! Thank you for listening. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

With Love,

misslucyatkinson xxx

In Short

• I arrived at my home in Sola.
• The house is spacious and reasonably clean
• Marian (my predecessor), Colenso (my counterpart) and I went to an Island in a small boat with a big sea to hold a five day workshop on sexual and reproductive health.
• There was a tropical low followed by a tsunami then a small earthquake and more big waves.
• I drank Kava with a chief a real privilege!
• Saw a shark, stingray and some dolphin's.
• More choppy waves, completely soaked to the skin, got to dry land and had a cup of green tea. 
• When I drink tea it just comes straight out of my face. Plenty of sweating.
• Back in the capital now for more bislama training and meetings.
• Chocolate.