Tsunami alert puts the dampener on Rurutu women's day celebrations

The terrible earthquake in Japan put us all on tsunami alert around 05h30 on friday morning and kept us glued to the TV until well after 9h00, we finally got the all clear around 11h00. While glad that the
tsunami petered out before it got to us, it was a bit of a shame that it fell on the morning of our planned International Women's Day centennial celebrations in Rurutu (on the 11th and not the 8th, which is in fact women's day! We actually celebrated at our place by eating pancakes!). Unfortunately, despite the tents pitched and a few fabulous headresses it was pretty much a complete wash out. Good thing most of the world had already celebrated on the 8th, and today HRH's Commonwealth Day speech gave us a mention, declaring that we women are agents of change. Hurrah for us! Shame French Polynesia doesn't have a female president, or we might actually have voted our 2011 budget by now.........

 

So, for the time being, here in Rurutu we remain safe and sound, and proud to be of the female persuasion!