be careful what you wish for

This is a follow up entry in reference to last week's issue with "DOGS" ...

Simply put the dog issue really came to a peak when my landlord got a new puppy. We already had two dogs that would bark at strangers, but always had a warm wiggly tail when i walked into the yard. i was happy with that.
Then a new dog arrived. Well right from day one this new puppy would growl and when i returned from America the puppy... now much bigger, started to bite at my feet.
I swear i have a long standing dislike when dog owners say "ohhh he is just playing" ... well i don't think a dog growling at me and then trying to bite into my foot with every step i take, is much FUN and as far as i'm concerned it's NOT how "I" want to play.
i tried several methods to get this DUMB-ASS dog to like me.
After failing at dog biscuit therapy and trying to be nice "I WISHED THE DOG WAS DEAD"

Then on thursday in front of my very eyes, as i bicycled into the yard the dog went running right by me and was whacked DEAD by a passing car ....
It didn't take long before the neighborhood boys came by, scrapped him up, and then brought the dog into an open field, started a fire and eat HOT DOG for their supper.
A hard reality .... but ... the "TONGAN WAY"

Seeing the dog in a bun wasn't the end i wanted for "ANGEL" .... yes the dogs name was "ANGEL" ... but it certainly fast pathed the dog to it's name sake and i hope now ANGEL has really become a "GOOD ANGEL" !!!!

I figure i still have a few wishes to come true ... unfortunately i feel as if i wasted ONE of them on ANGEL .... but more likely it was just that dog's KARMA ... personally .... Well NOW i'm using all my wishes to win the LOTTERY
JUST BE CAREFUL WHAT "YOU" WISH FOR .... IT JUST MIGHT BECOME TRUE !!!

peace out from the flip side of the world

Royal Commission of Inquiry

I have been totally engrossed in the daily transcripts regarding the Princess Ashika Royal Commission Inquiry. I have to commend Tonga for the complete transparency of the inquiry. Word for word testimony is available each day of the preceding days hearings. It certainly takes time to read the entire days events, however it is fascinating to be a witness to all that went wrong from the beginning of the purchase search for a replacement ferry in Tonga until the tragic ending as the Princess Ashika came to rest at the bottom of the sea.

www.rcimvprincessashika.to

Accidents seldom happen as a sole single act, accidents more likely are the results of a series of events leading up to the misfortune.
Fingers are pointing everywhere !!!!
The cast of characters; many of whom i work with at the ministry of Transportation and the complacency of Tongan "SAI PAE" culture .... clearly defines my experience of life in Tonga.

The hearings will be going on for at least 2 more months and the conclusions with not be announced until March of next year.

Certainly there are lessons to be learned, but one doesn't need to wait until the final report to learn from this tragic event .... i suggest everyone at least take a daily look at what is actually being said "under oath"

IT"S A FASCINATING READ"

peace out from the flip side

the people you meet on the streets of Tonga

Riding back to work today after a rather hectic lunch hour of shopping and eating i came upon a bicyclist with a de-railed chain.
It's only since i have been back from America that my own bicycle has been plagued with a similar issue. I was overwhelmed with sympathy.

I stopped to help; after all it took my mind off "DOGS" ...

Barking, growling dogs, DOGS that show their teeth....
These freakin BEASTS have been on my mind for weeks .... i'm NOT a violent person but after being home in the USA for nearly a month; in the land of LIABILITIES and RESPONSIBILITIES i find it harder and harder to just accept roaming ANGRY dogs, who view ME on my bicycle as a project they could really sink their teeth into. Fooled into thinking i might just lie down and become their next meal.

Well anyhow DOGS are a BIG part of Tonga and they will be for quite some time. They will be there tonight when i ride home and again on the streets tomorrow and the day after that .....
it's best never to get on your bike without a plan of defense... think ROCK !!!!

I find it all to be exhausting, to be so guarded.
Just like terrorists; to be effective it only takes one dog to bite me and then "I" in order to avoid a surprise attack;
i have to view each and every DOG as a possible biting suspect .... it sucks !!!!

Sooo why can't dog owners care enough for their pets that they won't attack innocent bikers . aughhhhhhhhhhhh (yes, THAT IS A TONGAN WORD)

Now back to the distressed bicyclist ... while fixing her chain we carried on a simple conversation and she mentioned that she reads "MY BLOG" .... omg ... that is now "TWO" people that i know of ... i swear it was enough for me to sit down and write about !!!!!

peace out from the flip side of the world

LOVE

I work at the Department of Civil Aviation. There are a few new job openings, so i had the opportunity to read about the job qualifications.

and ...There "IT" was .....under the heading of necessary "VALUES";
right along with; self motivated,hard working,trustworthy,respectful,loyal,and courteous.... IS the need to have "LOVE"
Well i began to think, maybe in America if more jobs required the value of "LOVE" there would not be so much stress in the work place.
So now i have to figure out how do you quantify "love" as a value or is it just one of those things ... YA EITHER GOT IT OR YA DON"T
after all in the end "IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE"

it's all-ways harder to hit a moving target

Long ago i discovered it's harder to hit a moving target .... that's been my policy of late; until i became sick and just stopped in my tracks and at that point i would have gladly taken a bullet to the head .
Actually i have been in America for the last 3 weeks. It was all part of an endless magical mystery tour. I traveled non-stop and i took endless HOT showers. i marveled at the SPEED of the internet. i drank black rich coffee and i ate toasted sesame seed bagels with cream cheese. Every store had choices... red wine came in bottles not boxes, the chocolate caused an endorphin overload of delight. Driving on the right hand side of the road took about a nano second to remember; yet i was filled with self doubt every time i turned a corner and lived in fear that at any time i might forget what side of the road i SHOULD be on.
Then there was the movie theaters with stadium seating and surround sound, can you believe that in all of Tonga there isn't a single movie theater ... omg !!!!
ohhhhhhh well there aren't a LOT of things in all of Tonga !!!!
It was GREAT to see my kids, family and friends. The autumn colors were brilliant, but the first light snowfall reminded me ... NEVER/EVER ... will i live in the NORTH during winter!!!!
I was sooooo caught up in travel (LA-DALLAS-PHIL-NYC-GREENSBORO NC.-ALBANY NY.,GREAT BARRINGTON MA.-BOSTON-MONTPELIER VT.-Keene NH.-MILFORD CT.-NYC-LA)... it wasn't until landing in LAX on my way back to Tonga that i looked out the window and thought "how does ANYONE make sense of all this madness!!!!"
I got bumped in Fiji trying to get to Vanuatu, the real cost of a standby ticket .. then when i got back to "sin city" Nukualofa i just collapsed ... for four days i couldn't be out of bed for more than a 1/2 hour at a time
I'm back, and now once again all is well in the KING-DUMB
i'll try to write more .... in my absence 24 NEW volunteers arrived, it will be great to join forces with them when they return from Ha'apai
until NEXT time peace out from the peace corps