Tree Memories

There was a beautiful tree that I could see from my window the very first time I lived abroad. I spent a lot of time looking at that tree with its relatively bare branches, which ended in a lovely flower but along them left lots of room between its broad leaves. Growing up in Indiana the tree was new to me and other than the twin maple trees outside my childhood bedroom or the magnolia tree I was assigned to observe over the course of a semester in my 4^th grade science unit on “trees”, no tree had my attention for so long.

Lovely tree.

Seeing these trees in Honiara was reassuringly familiar. They have popped up in my life a few times since then. But there are many here and they aren’t hidden by high walls that obstruct most beautiful gardens in many countries in central or east Africa I’ve lived or visited.

At the roadside. 

There name wasn’t familiar – Frangipani. I must have known them by their Creole name in Martinique, which I’ve since forgotten. My French colleague says “frangipani” in French usually refers to sweets’ filling, when I asked her the tree’s French name. 

Single flower - often used as decoration. 

A variety of frangipani that is more like a shrub than tree.

Appreciation for shaded areas

My first day on the job I was happy to be shown a route from our office to the main UNDP office (a couple of blocks away) that required minimum time in the blazing sun. My office is in a building attached to a "mall" area that has two levels and a porch connecting the various shops. If you take the correct turns and staircases, you're in luck. You can feel the heat of the lack of direct sun makes a huge difference.

Each day groups of people gather outside in the mall and buildings porch-like hall ways. Sometimes they have their laptops and are working away. Other times it's a group of 8-10 men playing a game or hatching some plan. There are young people signing resumes and cover letters, ready to deliver them.

Everyone appreciates a break from the sun!

Legacy of U.S. military history in the Solomon Islands -- Part I

There is an unfortunately named hotel : IBS. Which stands for Iron-bottom shore/sound. It is an area with some many sunken ships or remnants of WWII structures that the floor of that area is actually like iron.  When I mentioned to my dad I was headed to the Solomon Islands, he was familiar with it because of the strategic part it played in WWII. The Americans set up a base here in 1943 and had one of the main island groups – the Maliatans fighting with them against the Japanese. There are still some rounded former WWII structures that you pass by on the main road – closer to the airport. Others were just pushed into the sea – thus “iron bottom sound”. I am not sure the U.S. military has learned its lesson considering the amount of former military installments we plan to just leave in Afghanistan, not including the 8 billion USD we will spend to get some of it out. For more on U.S. leaving equipment in Afghanistan.  

Sunset view from Monarch restaurant at Iron Bottom Sound.

Part of America’s “Pacific Partnership” is aimed at these areas. The U.S. is working with the New Zealand, Australian and other armies and navies to make its presence in Asia and the Pacific more clear. The armies assist with bringing supplies to islands by boat and building schools, clinics, etc.. As organizations I have worked with have long argued, as have humanitarian and development NGOs, this type of construction should be kept to AID organizations. Why should the military be building schools? Their work is to train and fight wars, focus on security and stabilization. The expense of armies doing this type of work rather than aid organizations or the UN is much higher. But what are Navies to do this day and age? They do have some spare ships it seems.   “Good will visits” is what a portion of the New Zealand’s navy does. Docking at ports around Asia and as far as Russia and having visits and parties on board.

There is much more to say on the U.S. military history on this island, which will come in time. For instance, this afternoon I will cross a one-way bridge that was built by the Americans in the 1940s - still a main path across the river. And the capital became Honiara in 1952 when it became a British Protectorate after the build up of infrastructure by the Americans.

Coffee

Recently a German friend watered down her coffee as we sat on a lovely Swedish island. It reminded me of my history with coffee. Swedish coffee is very dark, often somewhat bitter. Packed with caffeine. But at least it is strong.

Kenya is where I learned about coffee espresso varieties after a short tutorial from a visiting friend who had spent time working as a Starbucks barista - one of her 3 jobs to put herself through an MPH (Masters of Arts in Public Health). (Macchiato are still my favorite – often the best deal and no fear of too milky a cappuccino.)

In Rwanda, when I first arrived I was always struck by the Nescafé (instant coffee) and the Nido (powdered milk). For a country whose primary export is coffee it was surprising, but if you can get more for exporting a product, you price yourself out, being able to yield greater profits from sale and thus cutting your own consumption. Another example of this is the pick-up of Quinoa as a “new super-food” hitting U.S. and European markets. The central American populations which had lived off this “new” discovery for hundreds, probably thousands of years now had to supplement with new products.  See this NYTimes article .

Java House in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Photo from:blog

In Burundi and Kenya, local coffee was consumed. In Burundi it almost always came ground, but in Kenya, thanks in part to a growing café culture among middle class Kenyans and the international city, I quickly learned to appreciate coffee.

It was great to discover whole bean Solomon Island coffee, a company owned and operated by Solomon Islanders. Much improved from the instant coffee available for breakfast at the first Honiara hotel I’d been to.

Those 9 months in Sweden have turned me even further into a coffee drinker – only Finland’s population consumes more than the Swedes (or sojourning Swedes like me.)

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For an interesting look at the coffee industry that will make you always want to buy Fair Trade watch: “Black Gold” to watch the journey of an Ethiopian working for local farmers. http://blackgoldmovie.com/economics-of-coffee

Sunset

Sunset from Rånö island in the Swedish archipelago

Late night in Rånö.

When I left Sweden the sun was setting at 9:47pm – I know because new friends of mine debated when it would disappear below the horizon a couple days before I left. And THEN it would slow wane and stay sort of light until 10:30 or 11 at night. Here’s a picture from around 11 a couple of nights before I left.

Being in the Solomon Islands and closer to the Equator and the Southern hemisphere’s winter, I’ve been struck by the early sunset. It’s 18:50 and completely dark, what is this? The chatter and cheering of the boys who played late afternoon soccer on the street outside has ceased. The PA announcements of the central market have gone silent after the 6pm “finished”. There’s the sound of a few passing cars, hums of TVs or generators, but otherwise, it’s nighttime.

I’m not in sunny, summery Sweden anymore. But it ain't half bad...

Lovely sunset in Honiara, Solomon Islands from Iron-Bottom Sound.