Rotary Clubs & Book donations oh my...

This first full week back to school was full of new surprises!

My school was gifted 5 boxes and a whole tub of new awesome books from a famous Tongan poet who passed away and his family wanted to remember him through the donation of books. 

It was super exciting, books, books, books! 

Spent most of the week after school sorting the books to be labeled and organized into our existing library.

Thankfully I had help from my class 6 girls to label each and every book. They were awesome helpers and got to read some of the new books first ( the Barbie golden book was their favorite!) 

The surprises and gifts just kept coming!

An Australian Rotary Club group stopped by and dropped off new excercise notebooks for all the kids.

The kids were over the moon!

Over all it was a good and productive week back. I was able to start reading groups for all the classes ( where each teacher and myself take a group during English time).

Hoping this productive trend continues as we move into August!

Coronation & Visitors

This past Saturday was finally the big coronation day! It was also the day that Liz & her mother and sister (Gail & Melanie) flew in! 

I met them at the airport with handmade kahoas from Mo'ua and her family!

We headed into town and checked out the  pier.

We found some food and watched as the school students lit torches all along the coast for the Kings birthday!

Saw some awesome fireworks courteousy of China. Finally went back to the airport and picked up Liz! 

On Sunday we went to the Catholic Basilica in town and saw the new Cardinal for Tonga preach (pretty neat he's the only Cardinal for the whole South Pacific)! 

Did a lot of sightseeing, showed Gail & Melanie the various Peace Corps housing and schools. Stopped by the Anahulu caves where we got to jump in and enjoy a fresh water swim.

Liz and Alex 

Inside the caves...

We ended their week here at Liku'alofa resort with a Tongan feast and cultural show.

Kayla & Liz 

Performing the ma'ulu'ulu (sitting dance)

The traditional tao'ulunga.

Started the weekend off with the big Kai poula (feast) for the Free Wesleyan Conference happening in town.

It was food on food, lots of goodies!

Tents on tents of people feasting, the Free Wesleyans don't mess around when it comes to feasting! 

Cleaning up after the feast, everyone basically brings bags or bins and piles all the food they can to take home as left overs ( mind you this was just the lunch feast, there will be a whole other feast for dinner...)

The family's left overs ready to head home in the back of the truck.

Kayla's super find from all the goodie baskets ( 2.25 liters of sprite).

The conference ends on Monday , so hopefully things get back to normal after all the craziness of the coronation and conference. School is supposed to be back in session on Wednesday but we'll see if that follows through.

Coronation activities continued...

Last Friday was the big block party! 

All the kava clubs performed for the crown prince. It was a night full of dragon dances, yummy food, singing, ad tao'ulunga's! 

The crown prince.

The singing judges.

Nukunuku's kava club, they rocked it!

Wednesday was education day here in Tonga , all of the government schools helped the king celebrate his birthday at Teufaiva stadium. 

There were lots if people so it was hard to get a good seat or view. They started the ceremony with forming the Tongan flag and the Tongan crest.

The bands performed.

The engineering school quickly ( took about 30 minutes) created a big stand for the king to watch the faivas on.

Ran into my little host brother and cousins! 

These awesome new trash cans have popped up all over town just in time for the coronation.

The palace grounds, where the coronation will be held.

The new dolphin fountain!

The awesome new gates by the warf!

King Tupou VI & Queen Nanasipau'u

The warf.

Coronation happens this Saturday!