Last day of Vaka 105

November 6, 2008 Reidun

Thought of the Day: “Service to Others Is the Price We Pay For the Place We Occupy” (Joanie)

It is so strange that this is the last week of our program. For me it has been an adventurous 7 weeks. I have learned a lot about the people on these Islands, and with that it also created a lot of insight into my own life.
Life at Takitumu School was always a joy. The kids 9 years old, loved to spend time with us in the reading room, and many times a 20 minute lesson turned into one hour or more.
We allowed part of the lesson for coloring and drawing and discovered that we had some very creative little artists. It was sad to say goodbye but we know that the next team will have the same good time as we had.
Debi and James have taken such good care of us –always ready to answer questions or give advice. We were introduced to different restaurants in the area. It was great and it also saved Rosie from cooking every night.
I also have to mention that Rosie’s husband provided transport back and forth for us all to see the movie “Mama Mia”. It was great, specially the intermission with a chance to buy ice cream and popcorn.
Joanie, Nancy and I had a chance to meet Pa. He introduced us into a great wealth of information about the medicine plants. It was terrific, GOD sure has created a wonderful paradise for us to enjoy.
Everyday has been an adventure here on the islands, from the friendly bus drivers, students, teachers and most of all Debi and James and my supportive teammates.
It has been fun I will not say good bye but KIA ORANA. Hopefully in 2 years.
This is the perfect way of traveling. I’m still working on my list to convince everybody to try this way of enriching your life.

A Review of our Development Efforts in 2008

Kia Orana koutou katoatoa to all of you from the beautiful Cook Islands.

In 2008, we celebrated over 100 teams visiting the Cook Islands! With 102 teams supporting the Cook Islands over the last ten years, we can truly say we had something to celebrate. Over 100 people joined together at Takitumu School to celebrate this wonderful milestone.

The night was a brilliant success with community partners such as Takitumu School pupils and PTA, Te Kainga, Cook Islands National Council of Women, the Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation, Immanuela Aketemia School, Tereora College Learning Support Unit, Red Cross, the Ministry of Health, the Disability Action Team, the Virtues Project, the Cook Islands Library and Museum Society, the Takitumu Conservation Area, the Whale Research Centre, St Josephs School, and Te Uki Ou School all sharing interesting stories of how Global Volunteers has supported their organizations in differing ways over such a long time.

The Global Volunteers goals of waging peace and promoting justice in the world were certainly met with the fun way Cook Islanders, Americans and Canadians all enjoyed each others company and celebrated the friendships made during the time that Global Volunteers has had the honor of supporting so many different partners in the Cook Islands.

Of course, while all this celebrating was going on our work projects did not stop. We have had some different special projects while also continuing our great work teaching reading at a variety of schools. Our reading program has helped 370 children with their reading, and provided 6670 hours of support to the United Nations Millennium Development goal of having all boys and girls finish a full course of primary schooling during the last six months.

One interesting project was helping to restore a historical sea traveling vaka (canoe). The canoe was traveling to Samoa for the 10th Pacifika Arts Festival and time was running out. Global Volunteers was asked to lend a helping hand to the workers doing the restoration work. Several members in our July team managed to spend some time learning about rope work, carving, sanding etc, with Rick Russell even traveling on board when the vaka was towed from Avana to Avarua!

As you can see the Cook Islands offers a range of adventure in service projects depending on your skills. Why don’t you come and join us and experience our amazing little country. We look forward to your company in 2009!
-Kia manuia, Debi - Global Volunteers Country Manager

Come Join Us - We Need Your Help in 2009!

Kia Orana to all Global Volunteers:

We know the world is experiencing budget shortages. We hope you will continue to send volunteers to the Cook Islands in 2009. It would be very sad for the beneficiaries of the work that the Global Volunteers do in Rarotonga if they do not maintain the very worthwhile service.

The students who receive assistance from the volunteers with their reading will miss out on a very important aspect of their learning as well as self confidence that is nurtured through the support given by the Global Volunteers. These volunteers have also helped a great deal with the conservation of native birds which is one of our success stories. The locals who take this on as a passion and sheer determination to preserve these precious birds through rat eradication which often is quite a difficult taks. Red Cross has a staff shortage and the volunteers have rescued us from many of our much needed jobs to be done and sometimes at short notice... and this we have appreciated.

Just recently, we were able to get the help of a Global Volunteer to complete a job that would have waited for how long, I hate to think!! Other volunteers have become part of the community as they do fill a gap of our needs and the visits with the elderly, disabled, schools, library, women;s office, hospital and so on are most important. Recently, the wheelchairs that were fixed are mind-boggling as we have had to tell clients that we do not have wheelshairs to give to assist with their mobility. I invite Global Volunteers to keep coming and don't abandon those who need your services! I look forward to more positive outcomes with more Global Volunteers teams coming to Rarotonga in 2009!
-Kia Manuia, Niki

Cook Islands Host Offers Thanks

To all the generous Global Volunteers:

I have been and will always be mindful of the importance and impact of the presence and performances of the volunteers, not only in community groups (NGOs) but in government departments as well. CIANGO has been one of the many organisations that has truly benefited from the Global Volunteers, in establishing a data base for the organisation. This data base will always remind us of the Volunteers who worked so hard on that, and I cannot express how much we appreciate and will always be thankful to the Volunteers for such a remarkable and memorable service to CIANGO. God bless those Volunteers!

The works of the Volunteers at the Creative Centre, Punanga Tauturu, Te Kainga and in the schools and in welfare organisations, in the Library, etc, cannot go unmentioned. There may not have been much publicity in some of the works that the Volunteers have undertaken, but that has been very much appreciated and highly recognised by the recipients of those services.

While there is so much yet to be told about the services of the Volunteers, I wish to remind all Volunteers that, we, the NGOs hold special respect for the services rendered by the Volunteers to the various community bodies, and the nation as a whole. We value the good work of the Volunteers and hope that this is not the end of it all. There are still yet a need for Volunteers, in the hospital, in schools and in welfare centres around the island. May be we need to advertise more about the services of the Volunteers, for the wider community to make use of these voluntary services.

(At the same time, this will (hopefully) help to educate our own people to offer their services voluntarily sometimes and not to think of money all the time.)

CIANGO has been very previledged and happy to be your host in the Cook Islands. Welcome all, any time. Thank you once again, may God bless you all with a Very Merry Xmas and a Happy and Joyous New Year.
Kia Manuia, Aunty Ve

Week Three in the Cook Islands

Millennium Development Goals Achieved by this Team: 1,980 students and 30 teachers taught English language skills, 390 hours of English language instruction

The KiiKii Hotel, with the continual sound of the surf, is a peaceful, restful home away from home.

Home.... Family, job, and routine responsibilities are a million miles away.


Today marks the half-way point for the six members of Vaka 102 that are staying the full 3 weeks, and the three-quarters point for the remaining 7 of us. I can’t believe that I have only 2 more days of helping at Tereora College.

I wasn’t sure I was really helping, but listening to the various community partners at last Friday’s celebration dinner made me realize that every little bit does help, cumulatively, over time. There are so many places on Rarotonga that I haven’t been able to visit and will not be able to before Brandi and I leave on Saturday. This fantastic adventure will soon be drawing to a close – however the friends and memories I have made will last forever. The opportunity for me to meet 16+ new and special friends as well as the chance to spend real quality time with my granddaughter to reinforce what I’ve known for a very long time, that she is a very special person to me.
– Joyce Benedict

**********It is encouraging to know that a nation’s need for a couple extra hands is able to spark the interest in so many people, form so many walks of life, from so many thousands of miles (or km’s) away, to come and lend a helping hand in whatever tasks need to be done regardless the task or method.

During my time here I have spent the majority of my days helping out at the Whale Research Center, patiently waiting for the phone call that the whales have made their way north to the beautiful waters of Rarotonga. Once the calls and or sightings started coming in it is easy to see that the people I am helping out are completely devoted to helping these animals. On a smaller time table we too have devoted our time, one, two, or three weeks in order to help a greater cause. During the days in which I was not at the research center organizing their technology, I spent my time at the conservation area cleaning the yard at the front office. In that I can hope that we have helped in providing an area that employees can be proud of when they bring visitors through for tours. I also spent time with the Mammas, working up a sweat, enjoying the weather, and even some local musical talent.

All in all, this has been a trip I will never forget, in a land that is so different from my home. What I have learned is that no matter where I travel people live to have something to be proud of. I can say that I am proud to be a member of the Vaka 102, proud of the footprint we have left on this rock that truly is one of the jewels of the world.
– Kyle Schwan

************The first day of work week 3 found me at my regularly scheduled 1st day at Takitumu Primary School. Quite a change from last week where Claire and I spent many hours together trying diligently to produce a communication project for a group of people with disabilities. You wouldn’t think that this would be difficult considering we had 2 speech-pathology degrees and many years of experience (on Claire’s part) between us. Needless to say things are never as easy as they appear but it was very rewarding to see many of our ideas, suggestions and communication schedules being used on Friday. Today I read with a number of students and worked in the library, alongside my now infamous “partner in crime” Kay and Rajni. It was very rewarding to sit with the students and discuss the various stories with them and see their eyes light up when I suggest a game of Junior Scrabble. It makes me realize and appreciate that what we do here on the Cook Islands no matter how small or big is always appreciated. - Stefanie Pinguet

*************Ron returns to his beloved Imanuela Akatemia to continue reading in the morning and working on the projects for the principle in the afternoon. He’s determined to complete the assigned painting outside and the student Watermelon Marketing Committee. Janice offered to use her skills to help Donna at the Disability Action Team develop a series of news releases for the local papers. Rajni, Kay and Stefanie returned to our fond community partner, Takitumu reading program, where they continued with the reading program and included a bit of library work as well.

Claire set out with Donna again to conduct very cursory speech assessments in the schools followed by a 2 hour visit to Papa John in his home where he recuperates from a stroke. She finished the day with Mata, a delightful teen with a cleft palate that she and Stefanie started seeing last week. These are 2 very grateful families. Although three week at first seemed an abundance the days have sped up so we wonder where the time has gone. We are just settling in to island life and it’s time to turn our thoughts to home! All too soon our Cook Island adventure will become a pleasant memory of a faraway paradise.
-Claire Kirchen

**********I cannot believe that we only have 3 more days left on the beautiful island that I have begun to call home. I’ve been here nearly 4 weeks now (since I came a week early), and already I feel as though I’ve been accepted by the locals and have been treated like family. The bus drivers remember us and the kids from school wave as they pass us by in town. It puts a smile on my face whenever people ask if I’m a local and then how their faces light up when I say I’m here with Global. I think they really appreciate the things we are doing for their children and for the community. I remember why I chose to come to the Cook Islands – not only because of the beauty, but also because of the friendliness and hospitality that I know the people of the South Pacific have. Here the air is fresh and scented with frangipani and gardenias. There is a ring of turquoise around the island that always takes my breath away.

As far as work went the mural project at Apii Te Uki Ou turned out great and I’m so proud that the girls Vaine, Tash, Taylor and Rosie thought of such a unique way to beautify their school.

One of the highlights of the trip was being able to catch a Kakerori at the conservation area. Holding the bird in my hand, I was amazed at how fragile and yet how cheeky it was, and grateful that so many people have joined together to save its species.

I don’t think I could have wanted more from this trip…our team leader Debi has been absolutely wonderful and I think of her as one of the mother hens that roam around the Kii Kii and we are kind of like the chickens who have grown and now must fly. Even though chickens don’t really fly…well you get the idea! - – Rajni Boparai

Report from Vaka 102

Rarotonga continues to be a beautiful and meaningful service location for Global Volunteers!


Team (Vaka) 102 made a significant impact on the island in addressing Millennium Development Goal #3: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. This team of 10 volunteers provided more than 1,500 hours of reading and English instruction to 115 Cook Islands students. We're grateful to our school hosts for the invitations to serve their children in this way.


The volunteers, all unique but alike in their desire to give fully of themselves, shared their feelings in so many wonderful ways. Following are some excerpts from our team journal written by intergenerational family members volunteering together:

*****Since our first meeting (the meet and greet dinner) everyone has been very patient, honest, supportive, and optimistic to me and the other members of our team.

Today my mom, sister, and I read to the second and fourth graders at St Joseph Elementary School. Sister Cecilia is very wonderful. She is a little bundle of spice and everything nice. She invited us to morning tea at 10:30. Lexi, mom, and I ended up having a huge snack consisting of noodles, tuna, bread, butter and tea. Then till about one o’clock we read with the children. Every child receives a certificate of achievement. Then the children have recess. They invited Lexi and I to play Duck Duck goose with them. I was in luck. Duck Duck Goose is my favorite game.

I was picked to be the goose many times. The little ones told me that I was funny and very fast. For me being fast is very ironic. I ended up in the mush pot 3 times. I kind of jogged so they could catch me. Other times they got me before I could run across the circle. I also acted a lot. I pretend to sniff and sneeze and I danced all around them. I wish that I did not have to leave them but I am seeing them Thursday and Friday. They cannot wait to see Lexi and I again.

Tomorrow we are visiting the "Mamas. " I'm very excited because I frequently visit my 93-year-old grandmother. I can’t wait to hear their stories and to be able to give my services to them. This has been and still is a fantastic experience. I am sooo fortunate! Thank you to my family, team Vaka 102 and to the Global Volunteer organization.
– Marinella Chvatal

*****The truth of our impact was shown to us as we walked through the town center. Kids were waving and smiling at my daughters, with their parents extending a quiet wave and soft smile. Sharing a meal with the Mamas and having them chat & chat with us, and hug us when we left showed us how we have impacted others. For it is in the individuals that we have touched and that have touched us – that is the reason we are here.

In the weeks and months ahead as we reflect on the experience we had enjoyed here I believe we will realize that we have been changed because of being a Global Volunteer on the Cook Islands. We have broadened our perspective of the world. Hopefully we will retain some of the Island gentleness and philosophy of slow down and enjoy now. To enjoy the present with the relationships of those around us rather than always rushing to a future situation is a mantra of these last 7 days.

I would be remiss not to mention the impact of each member of the team on my family. Vaka 102 is a diverse global community in itself reflecting different cultures and paths of life. Yet each is driven with a passion to make the world a better place. Each has chosen action, not just talk, and has invested much of themselves in the project. We are grateful to the new friendships we have made. A special thank you to Debi Futter-Puati, our team leader. Her perception of each of us as individuals and her non-judgmental philosophy has made us comfortable and enhanced our experience. We are grateful to be a part of Vaka 102.
– Pat Chvatal

*******On Friday, I went to work at Takitumu Primary School around 8:30 am and gradually read with our other 5-6 students for 20 minutes each throughout the day. When we first started reading with the kids, I didn’t really enjoy it or the thought of doing the same thing everyday for 2 weeks. But now the first week is over and I’m having a very good time with the kids! They aren’t so shy around Kay, Camela and I; they act like themselves. My favourite part of the day would have to be when we first arrive and walk to our room. We pass all the classrooms and the kinds, including the ones we don’t read with, know our names, tell us “Good Morning” and are excited we are there; it’s great!!

I only have a week left here with Global Volunteers, but I had and am still having a fantastic time! I don’t think I will ever forget about this once in a lifetime experience in the Cook Islands with my Grandma and Vaka 102. Thank you all!
- Brandi Hill

A day in the life of Vaka 102 - Low tide at the KiiKii
It was low tide at the Kiikii today. As I walked out to the reef, the sun danced on the inky blue sea urchins. The sight was spectacular, but ephemeral. Soon, the tide started to lap back in, announcing that tidal visitation hours were over. This was a reminder that all experiences are transitory.

As Vaka 102, we have joined together as a team, united by a common purpose, but we have also created our own vaka – a community, home, and sense of place. We are diverse like the coral that has given birth to the beach. Each one of us unique in his or her pattern, formation, and gifts. The patchwork formations of coral on the beach carry within them inherent wisdom and grace. This is the wisdom of interdependence (for the different types of coral were once fused together to form the protective reef.)

Engaging in global volunteering acknowledges such interdependence. As we embrace the diversity of culture, valuing the different patterns and customs in the world, we are anchored by the enduring truths of humanity present in all cultures. By nature we are relational creatures; we need one another. In making a child feel smart and successful, we understand the joys of true success.

The tide will be coming in on our trip faster than we can anticipate, but we will have seen, shared and served - each in our own way. As my mom said in today’s thought for the day, sometimes the lesson comes after the learning. The lessons for Vaka 102 may continue on for many years as the coral slowly turns into sand and the individual patterns become one.
– Camela Kirchen

Friday 4th July

"Wealth is not determined by what you have but by what you have for which you would not take money."

Final day of our three week work experience. Both Nikki and I tried to see all our students. Friday afternoon is sport time. We frequently miss the last few students. There was a good-bye meal in the staff room. Nikki being a vegetarian, didn’t eat the chicken kebabs however she enjoyed the fruit, pasta salad and rice. We were given presents of a pareu, t-shirt and beads each.

In the afternoon I went to Muri beach to swim. Walked across the water to an island. Did get a bit of swimming in.

Evening found us at the Tamarind restaurant. We were joined by James plus two volunteers for the next go around – Sarah and Romana. Good food, good friends, good time was had by all.