Tribewanted: Vorovoro

In response to the forum titled: “Excited? Nervous? Already Been?”, my answer is “Yes!”

As has been stated here and there, probably most recently by Ben, you really do start to forget exactly how special the island is… the buzz wears off – and partly because I think it is so difficult to even comprehend the Vorovoro lifestyle and just how good it is in our complicated, immediate gratification, constant communication society, you start to lose interest. As reports trickle in from the island and you find yourself saying, “You went where? When was that built?” you start to feel like there is an inside conversation that you just aren’t privy to any longer.

But then you are going back – and as the time comes nearer, you afford yourself more time out of your busy lifestyle to consider the island and everything you have read about it and maybe experienced there – and you start to focus on that very question, “What was it about that place that made me so drunken of its greatness and so unhappy to leave?” And the more you think about it, the more the memories start trickling back… like a long swig of vodka (or even rum!) on a winter morning, you can feel the warmth trickling down your throat and slowly around your body, until, BAM! It hits – you’re totally intoxicated by the idea of going to the island – of seeing friends that seem a lifetime away – of the warm tropical water and the random bright blue fish darting around a nearby coralhead – of the gentle lapping of the water against the coarse sand during the rising of the tide – of the constant bass of the waves crashing miles out against the reef – of the excitement of rediscovering an island that may have changed so much since the last visit.

I am suddenly so excited to return to the island, but at the same time nervous – there’s that desire to compare to my last visit: the inevitable fear of change. I mean, it was so good last time, how could any change possibly make it better?? I was there last time as the only visitor to the island for a whole week – will it be as great with 20 people around? Will the weather be okay (which is a really ridiculous worry as the last time I was there I didn’t see the sun for the first 5 days and still had the time of my life)?

But I know all of this worry is unfounded (at least I hope!)... the tribe has come so far in the short 9 months since my last visit – although I fear that the island is a different place now, I am sure that the attitude and the culture and the way of life will be the same – with the added benefit of growing our own food, learning to spear fish, maybe even actually catching a wave on the outer reef!! Why can’t the days come quicker! I once again want to be on the island – now that I can feel it again, I NEED to be on the island again! And this time I get to introduce two people I care very much for to it as well. They might not drink the Bounty, but they’ll definitely be drunk…

Vorovoro here I come!