Nit-picking

Hello hello - it has been a little while since I've been near technology... and this feels GOOOOOD - although it would take me hours to fully catch up with folks. Sooooo here are a few recent snippets:
1. A gecko flew out of my purse at church. Landed on my leg and ran down the pew. I was laughing so hard .... not appropriate in the middle of a sermon.
2. I cooked a typical American meal of pasta and veggie tomato sauce with fresh basil. Mmmmmm, except that I found out basil is used as medicine in the village for nasty sore throats and ear infections. So, my host family likely found eating my food to be like us eating cough syrup for dinner. oops! haha
3. I somehow am performing a traditional dance called a meke ( along with a few other PCT's) for the opening ceremony to Rewa Days (a HUGE regional ceremony/celebration) where all of the high chiefs and Fijian princess are attending. Apparently it will be televised!? This is tomorrow morning... so please say a prayer. They are telling us it's a huge deal! I will post pics of that and other stuff soon!!
4. I found out that my chronic diarrhea was due to my faulty water filter.
5. I have befriended a local cat and named him Ratatat. Trying to teach my 2 year-old at home JoJo not to kick the cats, but rather pet them. People here are actually suprisingly kind to animals... at least compared to India.
6. Indian food here is the bomb... especially pumpkin curry. MMMMMM - just ate that for lunch.
7. I will be riding a horse to our farm to harvest Tavioka (casava) for dinner this weekend.
8. When geckos mate, the male grabs and restrains the female by biting her (witnessed this in the bathroom lastnight)
9. Fijian Bitter beer is most tasty (can't wait to actually drink a whole one).
10. Some women in my village pick out each others hair nits (ie lice) and eat them. Yes, that's right... eat each other's lice. Now if that ain't love, I don't know what is.
11. I think my first little project will be to teach a little about household sanitation and hygeine.

So, everything is going great. Peace Corps is doing an excellent job in training us in every way possible from the language to the technical aspects of environmental work. Love the importance of this work. It's no longer just theory baby! We will find out our site placements on the 20th. So PLEASE say prayers that my site will suit me well and allow me to be uber productive and happy. I have been having a blast with the Indian population here. So far, the Indo-Fijian culture is very different from the culture I saw in India. I went to the Indo-F community nearby on Sunday and had so much fun playing soccer in capri pants (finally got a break from the mandatory skirt!) with some of the local kids --- Girls and boys! The food and hopsitality was also mind blowing. Very good impression :) Well, gotta run. I'm working on putting up pics and such. My snail-mail address is on my facebook page ... and letters DO arrive on a timely manner... hint hint. Miss and love you guys! Mode for now ( Mo-deh means "later"). - Zoe