Ring in 2011!!

Happy New Year to you all!

We were one of the first Countries to ring in the New Year this year! Kiribati beats Tonga by a couple of hours I think!

We had a blast. All the ex-pats got together down at a local bar for some New Year's drinks and much needed catching up. I am not sure exactly how many people were there, my guess is around 30. Many countries were represented including; India, Canada, United States, New Zealand, Australia, England, Sweden, Fiji, and Italy ...

To live on an island is interesting to say the least... it is island time and things get done, well when they get done. You just go with it. Crazy people live on islands, I have gathered! Well I moved to an island so that puts me in the crazy catagory too!!

So to have ex-pats here makes it even more interesting! The American are known as being arrogant and stupid. This is great isn't it? So the stereo type precedes you before you open your mouth. It is actually quite comical at times. I had someone from Austria ask me when the WWII started, I responded by asking this question; "Would you like to know when it actually started or when the US was involved?". The gal that asked me that just smiled, and said "oh so you know it was happening before the US was bombed." I just smiled and said yes I do know a bit about world history.

Just a few thoughts on "being the newbies" in town! Guess I need to ramp up on my World History!

Let's see back to New Year's . One bar down and on to another. They literally closed the bar we started at and said, everyone up to the Balcony for drinks and dinner! So off we went to ring in the New Year at the Balcony Bar and restaurant. I started 2011 off right with a nice grilled fish salad! Yummy!

After we did the New Year's countdown and had our first New Year's kiss we went dancing down at the Harbour @ a place called Mermaids. Very fun time. Lots of people dancing and having fun!

Everything is in walking distance here - so after the dancing we walked back to town - to settle in from exhaustion. Really don't remember the last time I was up dancing at 2 am!

Great time with great new friends, Happy New Year!

A little about the Tongan culture, at 10 pm every church in Tonga is packed full! They go to church from 10pm - until midnight. At midnight the churches get out. The people either go home to bed or they go and drink until they pass out in the middle of the road. The majority of people go home.... however to see people passed out in the street is well not unheard of at all! It is new Year's after all, that happens every where in the world.

The next day the villages come together and prepare food for everyone in the village, Tongan's are all about family and this is one of the ways they show it!

I didn't know about the feasts, and attempted to go to the market on the 30th, stores are closed on New Year's eve and New Year's day. I did manage to get some chicken, but not with out a a lot of elbows being thrown at me! (I heard over and over "palangi", "palangi" , meaning foreigner. Very serious about food here - you don't mess with food! It's all good, I maybe skinny now in the Tongan's eyes, but I can hold my own in line! (Not as easy as it seams with 280-350 pound women on all sides of you!) Most of the time the Tongan people will bend over backwards to help you, just in the case of running low on food, it is a different story!

We didn't starve over the weekend, it is all good!

Next post will be of Josie's 6th B-day!! Our little girl is growing up!

Not getting photos to post right now, but atleast you have an update!