As it’s my birthday on Sunday, I’ve declared a long weekend in Tonga. No one is coming to work on Monday!

Well, it is a long weekend in Tonga but it has nothing to do with me. I think it has something to do with the King. Maybe.

Anyway, it’s awesome that I get a few days off. My four day training workshop went better than I had hoped for (in the end) but left me completely drained. I got great feedback from the staff and a plea for even more case studies next time, so clearly they are really engaged with the training. As there are 9 more training workshops to come, this is a good sign.

For the next two weeks we are doing a town wide outreach program to better promote our services and be more engaged with the community. Then it’s back to more training. I’m getting excited and tired just thinking about it!

My birthday weekend started last night when Drew took me to dinner at Waterfront Restaurant. It’s one of the nicer places in town and I was really excited to try the food. As our budget is limited, we don’t get to eat out all the time. It was the best meal I’ve had in the last three months. They served lamb shanks! I nearly died and went to food heaven. Actual, beautiful, tender NZ lamb.

Today we’re just hanging out and I might head into the market to spend a little of the birthday money I have left (thanks Dad and Kris. I have a TINY bit left after needing to spend most of it on groceries). Tonight the volunteers are having a movie night at Melissa/Belinda/Megan’s house.

Tomorrow we’re doing a little more of this…

And on Monday, we’re building a goat house.