Vasa

Janet, one of Daisy's five daughters, helped us a couple of days this week.  I asked her to transplant some of the papaya trees that had grown voluntarily in my tomato patch while we were gone.  Lots of small boys have been running through our yard, and while I like the kids hanging around, I didn't want them stomping my newly planted pumpkins and melons.  So, I asked Janet to make a "vasa" (fence) with the papaya trees to show everyone where the boundary for my garden is.  She disappeared for a while, and I wondered where she had gone.  When she came back, she was carrying several freshly cut saplings.  Janet fashioned a fence to go around the outside of my garden, and then she planted the papaya trees.  I also learned how to tell the kids to get out of my garden:  "Soisava!  Nga meloni ome sikarin."  (Go away!  Don't spoil my melons.)  Janet has just finished Form 3, a big accomplishment.  Most students here don't go past this level of education.  The closest equivalent to American schools is 9th grade.  She told me that she and her family will go over to Yandina next Tuesday for graduation.