restless wind

written on march 13th ish

the weather had definitely been acting funny- not sunny and 7000 degrees, that is, so when peace corps staff told us that a cyclone was hovering over the northern Vanuatu islands, we weren’t that shocked. Cyclone season ends in April, so something was bound to make training a little more interesting! Apparently Cyclone Lusi was heading south and would hit Epi and Pamma around 2 am on the 12th, so we’d be getting the edge of the storm on Efate that night. There was another storm, Cyclone Hati/Hari/who knows that staff kept mentioning, but no internet here means no use in figuring out its name either. Lusi had pushed through Ambae, Maewo, and Malekula with some destruction, but everyone was mostly alright.

We were put into slumber party groups at homes with solid structure and cement walls. Kelsey and I set up our stuff at Jen’s house because it’s the most permanent building in Nangus. Picture The Three Little Pigs, except the third house doesn’t have bricks. We ate dinner with our families and got the call saying we needed to head over to our safe houses, so we did. We stayed up playing 7 lock (an addicting card game here) with Jen’s family and eating all the cookies we had stocked up on at the village store! By the time we went to Jen’s room to pass out, the wind was howling (really) and the sky was dumping its soul onto Vanuatu. It was definitely the hardest wind and rain I’ve ever experienced! The tin roof made us extra aware of how much rain was coming down. Throughout the night we were getting text updates on the situation – nothing was actually too bad, but we were under red alert, meaning don’t be the fool who leaves the house. Around 1:00, Jen’s papa (my grandpa) woke up and nailed some tin on the doors because the rain was threatening to come inside for a visit.

When we woke up the next day, my mama and papa said the storm wasn’t too bad and that Vanuatu has been hit with far worse in the past. It’s incredible how in tune the people here are with nature. Other than a few trees down and Kelsey’s thatched roof coming off (we found out in the morning that her family went at 3 am to save all of her belongings mid-cyclone!) there wasn’t much damage. If anything, the cycle gave Nangus a nice much needed bath. Cyclone experience #1 complete, thankfully with friends and not alone at site!