The nuts and bolts: otherwise known as orientation

Over the next few days we hang off our gurus every word and get driven by our capable young driver in the Nissan I’m learning to love. These days are a crash course to the who does what and where everything is, especially for the things that we don’t actually know we need yet !

Setting up a bank account required taking up residence in the bank for several hours a day for at least 4 days. Yes, the air con and filtered water were an attraction but the plastic chair queueing system was something to be seen. On one occasion I sat on 10 different chairs as I got closer to my goal of a plastic card, it felt like musical chairs without music as we all stood and moved on a seat when each person got served.

Next it’s off to get a drivers licence and another lesson of local ways. First visit, “sorry no film” (for what ended up being a digital camera), next visit, “sorry the photo man is at lunch” then moments later, “oh, look he’s just come back”. How lucky are we. This day the heat and humidity is having it’s way with me and I’m pretty tired, a photo shoot was not my ideal activity. The back of an office door makes the back drop as I stand for my mug shoot, next the photographer is looking at his screen, he looks worried, something’s wrong, then comes the announcement that I look ‘very untidy” !   

God forbid this heat wasn’t really on my life's agenda, this was my year to move to Tasmania now I’ve found myself on the equator and “he” wants another another photo shoot. So down comes the hair, tears of laughter streaming down my already red face and my Elle moment arrives. Lights, action and I now have a licence with a worst photo but I am permitted to drive almost any vehicle in Kiribati including plant !

 I took this photo of the Kiribati electricity company so I'd know where to go to pay the bill. It's just sitting in the middle of a empty block of land that you'd never find unless shown and that's after climbing through a fence ! But it's got A/C and at least 3 people working there.

 

Not quite in the orientation plan but next comes attending the swearing in of the new president. He is a gentle speaking man elected back for a 3^rd term. The event calls for an attire more than we have become use to, so a trip to the op shop is needed for ties and long pants for the men in our group. Thank you Mr President, it’s only week one and I’m in op shop heaven already.

Next it’s house shopping, minus the flash cars and clothes of a Sydney real estate agent or the hoards willing to pay top dollar for a place cats would prefer not to be swung in. Westerns generally live in besser brick houses with some mod cons and fitted out with an assortment of home accessories. Two of us settle on a modest place on the ocean side that has new appliances, sea breeze, nice neighbours and is well located for work. 

Living right on the ocean is normally a dream for many but here we are almost in it. By the first high tide we had a spa just out our front door complete with elderly neighbour sitting on a plastic chair with the waves washing him down. As for the house the fridge worked well, albeit eating without cutlery was interesting then came the challenges of no gas, no water and no electricity. Having lots of needs is one way of meeting all the neighbours and by the time several electricians visited including one with no less that 12 kids on the back of his truck we could have filled a guest book.   

With no water the front yard spa was looking good, so on went the reef shoes, a good eye out for whatever may be floating about, a bar of soap in hand and I took to the “local way”. 

After some days, gas, water and electricity all came together and home is taking on it’s own Kiribati Op shop flair.

 This is the view out the front door with the tide coming in, it will get to the red & white posts and chain. Sorry about the face washer drying!

PS that's a pig just by behind the tree & chain.

The next door neighbours dog doing a bit of DIY. Yes, it's a boy ! 

 My bed and the curtain that doesn't quite work ! 

As part of orientation we spent a couple of nights at North Tarawa at this resort (Kiribati style) where we could swim and relax away from the density of South Tarawa. This is lazy photography, a shot of the sunrise whilst laying in my bed !

Next week it’s off to work.