Fun Facts

After doing some further research on Vanuatu, I have discovered some even more interesting facts! I will continue my list from the previous post:

4. The ancient practice of land-diving (bungee jumping) originated on Pentecost Island. The goal was to land close enough to the ground to just graze it with hair or shoulder. For those who survived, this proved their manhood and ensured a good yam harvest for the following season.

5. The waters around Vanuatu are shark-infested. If you know me, you can be assured that I will stay 20 feet from any beach at all times.

6. The last reported act of cannibalism was in 1969, on the island of Malekula. I really have to stress the word reported here, for obvious reasons. I will probably stay away from this island if I can.

7. Vanuatu is situated directly on the Pacific "ring of fire". Two of the world's most active volcanoes can be found in the islands of Vanuatu (Yasur and Abrym) and they are open to the public. Cooooool!

The Adventure Begins...

Welcome to my peace corps adventure journal!

I have recently received (and accepted) my Peace Corps placement in Vanuatu and I am scheduled to leave on September 21, 2007. My estimated return date is December 2009. In Vanuatu, I will be teaching "secondary mathematics" in one of six Vanuatu provinces.

In case anyone is curious, Vanuatu is a nation composed of roughly 83 islands and located about 1090 miles east of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. The national languages are English, French, and Bislama. Vanuatu natives are called ni-Vanuatu.

In my research, I have learned several other interesting facts about Vanuatu:

1. Ni-Vanuatu killed and ate the first missionaries to land on their island. I am not sure what the current status of cannibalism is in Vanuatu, but I plan on doing some further investigation.

2. Vanuatu is home to the world's only legal narcotic, a substance called Kava.

3. According to the Happy Planet Index ("an index of human well-being and environmental impact") Vanuatu was rated the happiest nation on the planet.

For more information about Vanuatu, here are some websites to visit:

http://www.peacecorps.vu/: official Peace Corps Vanuatu site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanuatu: brief facts about Vanuatu
http://www.vanuatutourism.com/: Vanuatu tourism website