people i like

i've had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people here, both through my research and through the community here at ptc.

these are some of the lovely people i spend time with:

while most of the students at ptc are married with a boatload of kids, there is also a single ladies contingent. we have dinner together at least twice a week and cook all sorts of delicious things. featured here are steffi (germany), raijieli (fiji), and naati (kiribati).

ina (samoa) and hannah (UK) enjoying the carbo-load.

time for a kava session with a couple of my research participants! kava is the national drink of fiji and is a central part of fijian social life. indians typically serve it out of a coconut shell, while fijians tend to use bigger wooden bowls. during the session, you pass a single bowl round and round, drinking and chatting for hours on end. kava is midly narcotic, but don't worry, it takes a lot of bowls to get even slightly "doped."

the family of a couple of my interview respondents. one of the big perks of doing interviews in the homes of indian families is i am invariably invited to stay for lunch or dinner. :)

lulan (from papua new guinea) and steffi. i think i took this photo at ptc morning tea, which is a delightful institution every day at 10:30.

another dinner with the ladies! hannah and raijieli show off our giant yam.

meanwhile lynn demonstrates her coconut scraping skills.

i also give it a go, though clearly with less acuity.

steffi is the fruit master.

taleu (ptc resident from tuvalu) is a multi talented woman. here she is printing material for a dress. the other night i had the privilege of sampling her homemade bread.

this is my 9-year old drinking buddy and daugher of one of my interview respondents. fiji gold, a lovely light beer, is her beverage of choice. only in moderation, of course (*note size of glass).

me and the founder of hare krisha have also became pals.