Yumi Stap Storian

After more than two years, Erin and I finally found a time to gather with some of the North Carolina Vanuatu RPCVs. Evan and Maggie Baker (Evan was based in Vila, and Maggie was a VSO in Vila) and Bryan and Beth Roy (Bryan lived on Paama) joined me and Erin (we were on Paama) for dinner last night. Bryan and Beth recently returned from a round-the-world trip and visit to Vila and Paama, and they had news and pictures to share: the Liro nakamal was gone, and in its place a grassy yard and a kava bar named The Six Horseshoes; little Ben Laycock is now a towering lad; there’s a new Au Bon Marche for groceries in Vila; marijuana is the trendy crop; and Tusker beer is as good as ever.

Jocelyn and Dona Sese weren’t able to join us (Dona is in Vanuatu, we hear) and Chad and Kristin Metzler, who live in Davidson, NC, were too far for this dinner, so we’ll be planning a summer lafet with laplap, pig, kava, powder, island dresses and more. If you’d like to join us, please do.