When They Welcomed Me!!

The picture was taken in 2005!!

I WILL ADD THE PICTURE FROM MY WALL LATER, SAY IN A DAY OR TWO.....

Its a Salu-Salu, meaning this garland sort of a thing, made from the bark of a coconut trees, in which fresh fragrant flowers are woven in, along with some fresh leaves for color!! The flowers smell heavenly, and are very useful in a warm, humid Fiji, where smell of sweat is never far from us (I hardly sweat in Sweden, possibly twice in several years...never happens).

Then there is small purse, along with a necklace.  The purse is made of palm (I think) leaves--dried and bleached I guess.  The necklace from beautiful shells. 

I have kept and saved all of these three things.  Salu-Salu hangs on my wall.

The heartwarming fragrance still colors my memories.  I so wish I had started my blog in Fiji, it would have been so very colourful.  And I had so much to say and share. 

When I first moved here in Sweden, I read the word SALU---outside a few homes, on a placard. Instinctively I knew, it meant 'Sale'.

Here I share an article I wrote --and shared with my friends when the very first class I taught gave me a welcome. I felt so honoured.  Two or so of the students are still in touch.

As you can see, this 'keeping in touch' is almost sacred for me.

It shows that you mattered and that people made a connection.  Outside of it, we remain fleeting thoughts.....which is still what most people get in our world of clicks and posts!!

Following post went out to my friends in the US, Europe and India, when I was in Fiji!!

September 15, 2005

Hi guys:  I am going to send a quick mass mail. Please do not mind.  There is something that I wanted to share with so many people.  The words are not well thought out, because I have a class to teach in a short time…and it is not as nice I think I can make it….but I must write or never find time to write it down. 

Typing does save the day often!!

I am still looking for places to stay and since I am in between things it is a bit difficult to feel settled in.  I love this place though, as I have already told you guys.  The people are just so very nice.  Anyway, my students asked me two day ago to spare time on Thursday between 1:00-2:00.  Since I usually am here I had no problem.

Then they came around 12:30 and told me that I should wait until they come to get me.  Seriously with all the things on my mind I just thought that they wanted to have tea or something with me.

So, at one, I got invited formally to come to news room, which was all set up different from what I usually see, there was food on the table on the side.  Didn’t take me very long to realize that they were actually doing a welcoming party for me. Interestingly I was dressed in my Indian attire, for the first time since I have been here.  Although I almost put on my sarong today.  I wish I had, coz it would go so well with the little ceremony that followed.

I was asked to sit on one of the chair in front.  And one of the girls stood up and gave a little thankyou speech.  I was just so touched, I almost cried.  Ok, for all those who know me, I did cry a little.

And then one girl brought a huge garland (traditional word for it is, “Salu-Salu) and tied it around my shoulders.  The garland was made of fresh flowers, and leaves, and tree bark, pretty sturdy though.  I am used to garlands from India, but they are usually flimsy.  They also use these for graduation.

It was so hard to stop my tears, since I was missing PA (Penn) a bit, it was all so overwhelming.  And then this second year student, (yup, IndoFijian), handed me this little woven purse made of bark from a mulberry tree.  I just bowed, did not even know what to say, but did mutter a ‘thank you’.

Then they asked S to say a few words.  S is the other instructor in journalism department with over 15 years of journalism experience. 

“Well, I won’t be long, for those of you who are used to my long speech.  But a garland for me would have been nice too.”

 ‘A roar of laughter!!’

“A present would have been even better.”

‘Another roar of laughter.’

‘We have been waiting for --, and we would like to thank her for accepting this position…” my eyes were watery and I guess I could see little and the gush of emotion close to my ears had made things inaudible.

Then it was my turn to say a few words.  I managed something really silly.  No, I mean it really silly.  Only if I had known one of the students was taping it.  Damn!!

All the food was vegetarian, even though most kids here cannot live without meat.  So thoughtful!  And in the little purse was a necklace made of shells and a bracelet made of seeds and beads and earrings made of shells.  Just gorgeous!!

And the garland was made by Rosa’s (a student) aunt.

“We were going to get you grog also (Grog, the western/anglicized term for Kava-the local hallucinogen) but we know you don’t drink,” said Petrina.

I was just smiling…could not stop…it was really nice….

Anyway, there are pictures and I will mail them to you sometime soon.

Thanks for reading this, if you read this far that is….:)0