Only In Vanuatu

This section is dedicated to those people, things and events in Vanuatu that at first seemed so unusual, but now are strangely familiar and comforting.

OIV can you shop for a half hour in a store as big as most people's kitchen with about 1/10 of the food in stock.

OIV can you find Green Coconuts for sale and in the fridge section of your local grocery store.

OIV does the Vila Shell Station (the gas-station-store) describe itself as a "Boutique" on the sign.

OIV is a CD used as an ornament on a rear view mirror and the driver is surprised that it could play music too.

OIV do you see kids tucking in their heads and arms, into their shirts to get warmer in 72-degree weather.

OIV does the music for the song "Why don't we get drunk and Screw" get stolen and the lyrics changed to "Don't be late for heaven".

OIV is an Urban Center defined by most Peace Corps volunteers as a place with at least 100 people, a bag of chips for sale in the store and a bottle of Johnny Walker on the shelf.

OIV do you end a wedding ceremony with the bride clubbing a pig to death. Or on Santo, the bride and the bridesmaids dress up like men and run around to catch a pig and then the bride kills it.

OIV does someone tell you that they "work on the black market" when you ask them what they do for a living. 

OIV does a guy try to impress you by telling his mother to go get you so that you can watch him disembowel the sacrificial pig.

OIV is a boy mad at something but you can't take him seriously because he is wearing blue plastic barrettes in his hair and hot pink sweat pants.

OIV is the main worry for a woman, in a crammed car full of scummy looking guys, that she will get head lice rather than worrying about being attacked.

OIV is the local priest armed with two important tools. A Bible first, for obvious reasons. A rifle second, to shoot any stray pigs that wander near the church. True story: he pulled the gun out before church and shot a pig in the leg because it was digging up the flowers. 

OIV does a grown man squeal like a girl and say "Awiiiii!" in a high-pitched voice when excited. Much like a prom queen in 1960 would say when she saw her friend in a new dress.

OIV do you celebrate a special occasion by pulling out an unopened pair of underwear bought in the States. There is nothing like brand new, clean underwear.

OIV would you choose the skill and smarts of a seven year old girl over a skilled lawyer and director of Peace Corps Vanuatu. Of course, this is in regards to walking down an unmarked path at midnight.