if you were matt dwyer:

this would be your home on the tiny island of emae:

and these would be your neighbors:

and this would be where you took care of important business:

you'd also take care of some other types of important business at the primary school-- building an impressive library-- and at the dispensary, where you appropriately diagnose appendicitis and there after are referred to as "the doctor" in quiet little whispers by small children as you pass them on visits to other villages...

it might slightly go to your head...but only enough to motivate you to work a bit harder and live up to your title.

if you were matt dwyer, these would be your favorite boys, brando and eddie:

certainly no replacement for your beloved rugby team and other friends from home... but much more open to cuddling:

You’d be given metals and called up in front of your entire island with local chiefs for important ceremonies simply because you are their token white man (and maybe because of that work you are doing as well… but mostly because you are white).

also, check out that chief's backpack on the right? awesome?

and even when certain guests of yours ask the local kids if your long hair is starting to look girly, they'd say it looks like rambo.


and mean it.


this might go to your head a little too. and make certain guests laugh and shake their heads.

do you see that awesome ponytail??

and this is where you’d workout, keeping that rambo reputation... all bamboo and branches.

this is where you'd cook:

building your own fire at least twice a day. when you first got to emae, you needed kerosene to get your fire going, but by now you'd only need a match, some kindling, some paper and a fan.

quite an accomplishment.


 you'd eat oatmeal every morning. sometimes with extra sugar:

and hot sauce would be your solution for everything else...

eggs, laplap, popcorn...you name it, hot sauce will make it better.

you'd get your water from a well:

and these would be your shoes, that you wear everywhere, and are starting to show the efforts of your journey:

this would be your back yard:

  and if you were matt dwyer, sometimes, you would think about how different your life was a year ago; missing it a little bit (especially turkey sandwiches). and then sometimes, you'd stop and realize that now, exactly what you are doing at this moment, is pretty cool too.

because, really, it is.