Between Two Worlds

"Aiya, lukim lek mit blo Simbu ya, maaahn! traipla steret na han blo mi hat lo raunim olgeta!" (look at the size of this  Simbu lady's calves, so big I can't wrap my hands around it!) and the villagers sitting next to me roared in laughter. My face cast a shade of red I'd never seen before. Nine year old Ben very innocently blurted his thoughts out for the world to hear about the size of my calves! He among other kids had been fascinated by my built and always trailed behind me when we first hit their shores. He had never seen a Highlander or maybe a traipla skin meri before. That was the welcome I received in Manus (and for the record, I think my built is average). I was in the North coast of Manus, with the Tulu 2 and the Lehewa communities. It took about an hour and forty five minutes by boat to come here, about K45 for a one-way trip in an open banana boat. Most of the people here have never been outside of Manus as it is one of the furthest and most exp