Finding Eldorado

Last year the former principle of Mizpah school planted behind the school around one hundred kape plants for the school. Kape is a root crop that Tongans eat which takes about a year to grow before it can be harvested, similar to Taro. When the principle planted the kape his plan was to have the school harvest it and ship it to New Zealand where it can be sold for a higher price than here. Selling the kape would give the school around $3000 to $4000 Pa’anga. This money could be used to by a vehicle or new equipment for Mizpah School. However when the new principle recently asked the school board about the kape garden the school board said they had never been told about it nor approved it. Because the school board had never been told of the garden or the plans to sell it to help Mizpah, they decided they did not want to deal with it and that it would be given to the teachers. This surprised me since that all that needs to be done is to keep the grass cut around the kape and then harvest it when the time comes. But since the plans weren’t given to the school board in the beginning, they did not want the garden to be part of the school. So now the teachers are left with a bunch of kape. We had two choices keep the kape for ourselves or sell it and give the money to the school from the teachers. If you have never had root crops before they are similar to potatoes but with less flavor and you eat them plain, maybe with a little salt. I am not a fan of root crops at all and having ten, three foot long, flavorless potatoes doesn’t make me like them anymore. So in a staff meeting we decided that the teacher would take care of the kape garden and sell it when the time came and give the money to the school from the teachers. We created a kape committee who are supposed to watch the kape and when the grass needs to be cut they would let the other teacher know. Then we will go out together and tend to the garden. Well three weeks went by after that meeting and I never heard anything from the kape committee. It seemed only logical that something would need to be cut after three weeks, since we are living in the tropics. One day after school I decided to check for myself what the kape situation was. My logic proved correct because the jungle where the kape garden used to be. The grass was four feet tall and there were little bushes growing everywhere. I got my machete and started cutting the grass, which is not easy since the grass is more like small bushes and takes a couple whacks to cut a cluster down. After school I go to cut grass for a couple hours then come back and sharpen my machete for the next day. I kind of enjoy the work since it gives me something to do and I can pretend that I am in search of Eldorado…. Day 125. Its hard work looking the lost city of gold, I haven’t found it yet, all of the crew has died and only I am left pressing forward in search of unimaginable riches. I move slowly but at a steady pace, swinging with my left arm till it gets tired then switching to the right. My body is sore and sweat drips down my arms. The mosquitoes are heavy but as long as I am moving they stay away. My water supply has run out and I only survive by chewing on the butt of the grass, sucking out what little moisture I can. I have no map, just instinct. There have been no encounters of wild beasts, but I have heard noises. So I cut with one eye one on the grass in front of me and one eye just beyond. Yesterday I found what I believe to be a drinking bottle with the design of crowns around the top and bottom, which leads me to believe that I am close. The motion of cutting becomes second nature. Raise the machete in the air, swing the machete down using gravity as a tool to swing faster. Raise the machete, swing, raise, swing, raise, swing, raise, swing, THUD. I hit something; it’s big and solid, harder then grass yet softer then wood. Could be the gate to Eldorado, could my months of solitude finally have paid off, could it be! I quickly clear the out the brush, unconsciously holding my breath in anticipation, only to find a kape plant near to full maturity…. Then I remember that I am gardening three foot long, flavorless potatoes, so I decide to call it a day.

Teaching By the Stick

Before I arrived at Mizpah I warned that the teachers will hit the students as punishment. So the first time that I saw a student get smacked with the handle of the broom it came as no surprise to me. Students here are trained through the stick. A student will get smacked if they speak out in class, or need to be punished for any reason such a not doing their homework or calling a teacher by their first name. Anything that is hard can be used to hit, sticks, brooms, rulers, machetes (yes, a teacher hit a student with the flat side of the machete). It is how they get students to listen. I had a student type in computer class that he is scared of his English teacher because if he does not do his homework he will get hit, and no, I am not his English teacher. Even parents will hit their kids if they are not behaving. One young boy had a bunch of dried blood in his hear on day and I found out that his mother hit him on the side of the head. It is a lot different from “The American Standard.” But I don’t feel bad for the kids and this is why.

I tried was thinking of reasons why Americans are so against hitting students. The best reason I could think of is so that we don’t teach our kids that they can use violence to solve problems. We try to teach our kids to stay away from violence, to be loving and kind, to live in peace and solve issue like “civilized” people. But show me a people more loving and kind than Tongans. After being here in Vava’u and teaching at Mizpah, I am convinced that a child can be brought up by the stick and still live in a loving, peaceful and civilized community. So I do not feel bad when a kids has the end of a broom handle smack his hand for speaking out of turn, because I believe it has no effect on if they grow up in a world of violence or peace. But I do feel bad for the teacher who hits their students. I feel bad because the only way the teacher can get the students respect is by hitting them. The same reason I feel bad for teachers in America who have to use the threat of a pop quiz or more homework to earn the students respect. I don’t want my students to listen to me only because I hit them and I don’t want my students to listen to me only because I will give them more homework if they are disrespectful. If my students are going to respect me it should be because of who I am and what I teach. On days (usually Mondays) when I fell like the only way I can teach is by the stick, I try not too. Not because it will affect the students, but because each time I hit a student or give extra homework the reason that the students will show me respect changes. The boy in my computer class said that he was afraid of his English teacher because she would hit him if he did not do my home work. Tell me, who do you feel sorry for, the boy or the English teacher?

So far I have......

Since I have been at Mizpah school I have had many different jobs. So I thought I might list a few. So far I have become.......

A Teacher - I have been teaching From's 1-3 and have enjoyed every minute of it. They kids don't listen, don't do their homework, or are constantly hitting each other. But they are awesome and despite their inability to list, are learning.

An Accounting Teacher - I listed this one separate from teacher because it was unexpected and has been difficult. The current accounting teacher a Mizpah has given birth so she is taking a month off. No one else felt qualified to teach accounting to Form 4, so they asked me to do it. I have only taking two semester of accounting in college and wasn't quite sure what I was going to do. But so far the class has gone well and I only have a month left.

A Singer - I have been told that I can't keep a tune to save my life, but it doesn't matter here in Tonga. They asked Ryan and I to join a male singing group, so we did. There are eight of us in the group and we practice every Tuesday night. They said they want us to go on tour to Fiji, but that has about the same chance and getting me to sing on key.

A Choir Director - I am the Form 2 home room teacher so I meet with them every morning. We are suppose to practice a song with our Forms that we will sing for education Sabbath. So with out any knowledge of music I have began the process of directing the Form 2 choir.

A Mom - I do my own laundry, which is was and rinsed in a bucket then hung up to dry. I sweep and mop the house to get it clean. I go grocery shopping on Saturdays at the market to buy food for the weed, planning out what to buy before hand. Every day for Lunch and Dinner I cook my own food, which turns out really well sometimes. Tonight we had fresh trevally fillets (caught by myself) that was seared in oil with garlic, salt, butter and cooked to perfection. On the side we had pasta mixed with onions and green beans that had been sauteed with Lowery's salt over medium-high heat. Who needs restaurants?

A Dad - I cut the grass.

A Blogger - Apparently I don't write enough blogs, sorry Aunt Nancy.

A Rugby Enthusiast - Still can't figure out what is going on, but feel ashamed that I ever thought that football player were tough.

A Fisherman - I go fishing around three time a week and still wish I could go more.

An Intellect - I have never been much of a reader, but Tonga has changed that. Nothing goes on around here on Sundays, so I read or listen to audio books after church. Usually in my hammock.

A Star Gazer - I have never seen so many stars in my life as I can see in one night here.

I have been in Vava'u for about a month and a half now. Time is going by to fast and I feel that I am already going to be leaving to soon.