The First Three Weeks in Tonga!

Malo e Lelei -- Welcome to Tonga!!
So much has happened in the last 3 weeks and I haven't updated my blog since arriving!  I'll try to start from the beginning!
We arrived in Tonga on the morning of September 4 and we received the best welcome ever! When we walked off the plane onto the tarmac all the current volunteers and Peace Corps Tonga staff were cheering and waving American and Tongan flags -- it was the best feeling ever and almost made me cry!  After passing through customs and collecting our luggage we exited the airport to more cheering, pictures and greetings it was just awesome!  The airport is about an hour outside the capital city of Nuku'alofa where the Peace Corps Office is located.  We took a bus to the city and had a kava ceremony and dinner at PC headquarters -- this occasion is probably one of the only when the females are aloud to drink kava -- which is okay with me (more on Kava later)!
For the next 4 nights we stayed at a guesthouse a 20 minute walk from the Peace Corps office.  The guesthouse was a great home base for us while we adjusted to the training schedule.  Each morning we would walk to the PC office where we'd have lessons, introductions, fill out paper work, and begin learning Tongan and about our home stay families.  I'm obviously partial but I think that the PC Tonga staff has to be the best around -- everyone is SO friendly and helpful, I look forward to seeing everyone everyday!  Our last day in the city was our water safety training class -- an important class seeing as though we will be spending the next 2 years living in an island nation.  The class took place at the nearby naval base and was an interesting experience haha.  We all wore life jackets and had to jump off the navy ship into the water and demo the new skills we had learned.  I'm not usually nervous with heights but I was the last to jump into the water because I was so scared! Luckily another volunteer took several pictures of us floundering around in the water which I'd love to share with you guys because they're so funny.
After water safety we packed up our things and headed for the villages on the Eastern side of the main island of Tongatapu where we had each been assigned a village along with 3 other volunteers and our language instructor.  My group is Joey, Steph and Chiara and we have a daily language class with Tasi who always keeps us laughing!  The village where I'm staying is near the south eastern edge of Tongatapu and is BEAUTIFUL!  There is an amazing view of 'Eua from the main road thru the village.  We've explored many of the beaches along the eastern side and they are all breathtaking.  (Yes, I'll be adding pictures in my next post!) 
We were all a little nervous to meet our host families -- where we will be staying until October 31 -- but once we met there was an instant connection!  Each of our host families has been SO generous in welcoming us to the community, practicing Tongan with us, teaching about cooking, and making space for us in their homes.  Everything is going great at my home stay thus far -- my family is welcoming and friendly and I really enjoy my conversations with them.  I should also mention that they have the BEST puppy ever named Nimo.
Each morning I wake up and head to our morning Tongan language lesson.  Tasi is staying with the town officier a few houses down from mine and we meet there in the library at 8:30 to study.  At noon we break for lunch and then are picked up by the Peace Corps van to drive 10 minutes away to the next larger village where all four groups meet in the community center for our TEFL lessons or to review safety or medical policies and procedures.  We usually end the day around 4:30 and then if the weather is good a bunch of us may walk to one of the nearby beaches to hang out together or I'll head home and chat with my host mom and do some homework.
My host family is Mormon and on Sunday there is a 3 hour service.  It's difficult to understand most of what is going on but each time I can pick up more words and the Tongan singing is faka'ofo'ofa (beautiful!).  Last Sunday was a convention which was held at our village church. My host mother Meleane gave me a great Tongan outfit to wear along with the kiekie I purchased handmade by our neighbor -- I'll be posting pictures of this!  After the convention myself and 2 of the other volunteers attended a reception where we met some of the church leaders.  It was a really special lunch with some amazing food!  I'm just so grateful for the amazing way we've been welcomed into the community. 
Sorry for this long post -- in the future I plan to post about more specific topics and you can expect some pictures to follow in my next post!  I have more regular internet access now so I should be able to easily upload!
For the next month or so I will continue living with my host family and attending daily classes.  We have a lot more Tongan to learn as well as information and tips regarding the Tongan school system and Peace Corps policy.  In November we will be separating and moving to our permanent sites which will be on either Tongatapu, Vava'u, or 'Eua. 
I'm taking things one day at a time and thus far I've been really happy here!  I've formed some great bonds already with my fellow trainees and the PC staff and I'm so so grateful to be here taking part in this amazing experience.
I've loved reading your emails and about everything that is going on back home -- keep them coming please!
I love and miss you all so much -- I think of you everyday and I'm so excited to share this experience with you all!
Stay tuned for pictures of beautiful Tonga!!
- Katalina / Lina (my Tongan name)

AND HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL NIECE ALLIE!!!

Staging!

This post was typed at the LA airport a few days ago!



Tonga group 77 has just finished Staging in LA -- the first Peace Corps event!! We are now official Peace Corps Trainees! So far it's been amazing! I love every member of our group, we've had great bonding already and are all excited for the next step.

After a day and a half of orientation and meetings we're now back at the airport waiting for our 9:45pm flight o Auckland, New Zealand and then on to Tonga.  Getting all our luggage to the airport was a little bit of a challenge but so far so good!

I'm feeling great and really excited! It almost still doesn't feel real.  We still have a 13 hour flight ahead of us before finally landing in Tonga - it's great to finally all be together sharing the same emotions!

Arrival in LA

Our hotel for staging

Group 77 at dinner in LA -- minus Harrison and Joey From the left side:  Peter, Michael, Jeff, Ryan, Abby, Mandy, Steph, Wren, Alissa, Mark, me, Tynesha, and Chiara



Stay tuned for posts about Tonga!