martes, mayo 17, 2005

toddy

"Toddy" in the northern Maldivian form is made from the sap of coconut trees, and served warm.

Maldivians are a very social people. The most common form of entertainment is to walk around the island, stopping for a few minutes at the houses of family and friends. As a special visitor to the local islands, I was under the impression that my friend/guides were under (perhaps unspoken) orders from their family to bring me around for a visit. Everyone wanted to meet me, and I was quite honored by their hospitality. They are a kind and generous people, and my experiences on local islands have been the most "pure" explorer/adventures that I have ever had the pleasure of undertaking. For many on these islands, I was the first white person that they had ever seen. Children followed me everywhere, and everyone was very kind,

It is custom to give visitors a drink. Visits last the length of that drink, sometimes two drinks. Usually this drink is something special, like fruit juice, a coconut or a cup of tea. I'm always a little worried that water might be added to the fruit juice, and might cause problems. (Well-water might have unfortunate bacteria.) Very occasionally there will be a bottle of Coca Cola, which is deemed as an extra special event in itself, as it is costly.

One night on a local island, while visiting the house of my friend's father, I had the great misfortune of having a special "toddy" placed into my already warm hands. "It's very difficult to make, very old custom," I was told.

One sip...I fought hard not to make a face. I choked a little and asked about the drink. Many of the family members were there, and as a group effort with great enthusiasm, they gave me the long proud history of this drink. Their father climbed all the coconut trees and farmed this sap. I could see the pride in their eyes and knew that drinking couldn't be avoided, as it would be a rather extreme, not to mention personal, insult.

Another small sip. Something in the taste and temperature made thoughts of urine mixed with coconut juice play racquet ball in my head with the desperate, "How do I get rid of this??!!" I offered some to my friend (and host of my trip). He kindly assured me it was only for me. (Bugger.)

His sister, who had given it to me, went inside of the kitchen. My eyes sought a way out. No luck. Too many witnesses.

A noise. Luck! A cat! The cat was in the dark in the bushes that stretched behind the house and into the jungle. I followed. Crouching down low, I called for the cat and poured out as much of the drink as I dared. I then stood up, walked a little further, pretending to drink. Still calling furtively for the cat, I crouched down and poured out a little more. Half gone, my friend was calling me back. I stood facing him and the others, looking as if I was downing the glass. I sat down next to him once more.

Eyeing the glass and myself, my friend queried, "It's very hard for you to drink?"
As casually as I could, I countered with "No. It's just very strong on my stomach." As proof I took another swig, bracing my body so as not to let an involuntary shudder slip, and resisting the urge to gag. All eyes were on me, as is usual anywhere I go on the local islands. Over the next few minutes, I periodically pretended to take a sip. Aware that the level wasn't changing, I interspersed the sips with gulps. Finally, my friend's brother was ready to take me around the island. Thank God! I asked my friend if I could leave the glass (with 1/6 remaining). I was afraid that he would signal me to down it, and held my breath in fear, while willing a smile that reached to my eyes.

To my great relief, he let me go.

sábado, mayo 14, 2005

sunrise...

I've been here for nearly a year now, and today was the first time I have ever seen the sunrise. I have had sleepless nights and been aware of the sun rising by the light of my window, but I'd never actually greeted it before today.

Of late, my insomnia has worsened. Three nights this week have seen me unable to sleep. My mind is full of so many things. So many ideas, plans to travel, and so little money.

Last night was one of those nights. I didn't leave my office until 6am. My mind wanders to other places that I might live and teach, but I cannot break my contract here. I'm doubly bound. I borrowed money from the hotel to do my diploma, and am paying it out of my small salary monthly, and if I break my contract, I would not only have to pay that back in full, but also pay for my ticket. My $500 take-home wouldn't cut a dent in that for many months.

I went to my room and tried to lay down. I couldn't stay still. I finally threw on my jeans, a sweater, and a red silk kerchief over my hair. I stormed out of my room and down to the far jetty. I sat on the platform which at that moment was just a few inches over the water. I meditated until 8am.

It was so peaceful. The air was chilly with a soft breeze. The sun created a golden road to the east, and all of the water flowed ever so gently towards it, as if drawing me in as well. I sailed on the waters as I meditated. I began to let go. I saw that my frustrations came from wanting too many things. In order to successfully achieve goals, one must simplify and focus one's energy on the most important one. To have five or six simultaneous goals is to fall short of all. A black tip shark caught my eye as he swam beneath my golden road. It had grown so much in the past year. I must grow like the shark. It does not trouble itself with becoming a large and formidable sea creature. It lives one day at a time, always moving, always eating and by this means does it grow. It does not worry about the future. The future will or will not come as it may.

As I walked barefoot along the white sands, the waves lapping playfully at my feet, my body and soul felt much more at peace...if not sleepy.

viernes, mayo 06, 2005

rain and randomness...

I have received a few requests for personal updates on the webpage.

Today it's raining and as cool as it gets in the tropics. It's beautiful. Yesterday a cool wind blew in and the dead leaves shook loose from the trees to fall slowly, lazily to the sand below where they crunch beneath our feet. There was the slightest hint of autumn in the air, perhaps more like a ghost of a memory only perceptible to the most sensitive. Tomorrow it will be sunny once more, and the air will be warm and humid once more, but today I can imagine the seasons that lie half forgotten in the recesses of my mind after ten months of summer.

My life? I study or work ALL the time. That's all. Those on the islands that aren't in my classes don't see me more than once a month. I do generally take a daily swimming break, but this week I'm too busy with my Director of Studies project for my diploma course. It's 1500-2500 words due on Monday, and I've written the introduction and almost finished the pre-writing research. sigh.

A friend of mine here that I used to hang out with most every night of the week before this course ran into me going up to my office. I blocked his way coming up the stairs and instead sat down and talked with him for a few minutes. He took the hint that he wasn't welcome in my office. It's only because the last time he came, after talking for a few minutes I lacked the will power to continue studying and instead went back to my room and to bed! He said, "You've changed." I responded by NOT breaking down or strangling him or yelling about how I hadn't changed, but just worked or studied all but 7 hours a day (and 6 of those are for sleeping).

My birthday is coming up in just over two weeks and I'm wondering if I'll have the funds to get out of these islands for a week. My ticket to Spain for exams might well cost me about $1400, then there's the cost of living there for a month where the Euro is 30% higher than the dollar...and I'm only bringing home about $500 a month. I've been saving as best I can for months, but the books for the course cost me nearly a month's salary. The thought of not leaving this island until the end of July makes me panic. I know that I'll have to go somewhere...I just don't know where or how. It has to be cheap. I had dreams of going to Bali for my birthday, but I think that airfare is going to prove too expensive.

On the bright side, I'm everybody's secret sweetheart and from most every department people do little extra things for me, or slide the rules a little bit to help me out. When I'm on holiday, my phone rings and rings with students calling to say they miss me and can't wait for English classes to start again :-)

Is there anything else? Let's see, my hair is a dark auburn-brown and very short and funky. My face, arms and shoulders are darker than they have ever been, but no one notices cause I'm still very white. I've only just surpassed the whiteness of the sand by a shade or so.

I had a practice grammar exam which I did TERRIBLY on. I thought I was feeling much more refreshed than usual until I got the results. They were a rather obvious sign of exhaustion. I gave a very thorough answer to the question, "Give two uses of Present Perfect Continuous and its uses with examples." Unfortunately, the question was actually "Give two uses of the Present Continuous and its uses and examples." that was a big fat 0/4!

All in all though I think I'm going to survive. It's difficult right now. I have no personal life, but I'm not suffering at the moment. At least not like I was a few weeks ago. The study/work load is hard, but I think I'll get through.

One fun thing is that I have been randomly working up songs with the guitarist here. We do "Power of Two" by the Indigo Girls and "Fotografia" by Juanes. I'm still learning the second guitar part for Power of Two, but we really rock on Fotografia! We've got about 6 almost performable songs to date. He's more of a backup, or second vocal and I'm more of a backup or second guitar part. It's good fun though! When we have enough fun stuff, I hope to get a recording or even a DVD made of us to send to family and loved ones.

The best thing about today was the feeling of the wet sand crumbly and surrounding my feet and squishing inbetween my toes. The feel of the rain on my face, and the breath of frangipani flowers in the cool damp air. It was a different day, and here that is a treasure!