Anyone Else From Pitcairn Islands?

[mox 298]

Well my fiancee is finally here. It was an interesting trip for her, first a steam tramp to New Zealand (no airports on Pitcairn unfortunately) and then on to San Francisco from there. The good news is that she made it all in once piece, and we're just so happy to be together AT LAST!!!!!

When we were long-distance dating, everything was fine. We could only speak to each other on the phone for about 30-45 seconds at a time because the long distance rates to Pitcairn Island are astronomical. But now that she's here, the communication issues are very evident.

For starters, she knows no English. She can only speak Pitcairnese, which is very different from English. Like for instance there are no nouns in Pitcairnese. Or verbs. Or adjectives. The entire language is made up of adverbs. There is only one tense in the language, which makes planning anything in the future or talking about anything that happened more than a minute ago very difficult. Pleasantly has tried to teach me how to write the language, but unfortunately the alphabet has 72 characters, and they are all identical. There are also no vowels as far as I can tell.

Anyway, if anyone else here is from Pitcairn, please let me know how you are coping with this unique situation. Maybe we can even get the mods to start us a new forum!! I love my Pleasantly so much, but so far things are not going very well at all. :(

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

OMG!

[Krikit 1,163]

I recommend an international keyboard. It's a bit difficult at first (e.g. "they moved quite a few of the letters on me" = "they ,oved auite q fez of the letters on ,e") but she'll get used to it, and you'll be learning a new language too! Purchase a second computer and a router so you don't have to take turns on the chair. Alternatively, I know of one couple who, although they could not speak each other's language, successfully carried on a long distance relationship and were engaged using only emoticons. You may want to try that too.

Good luck!

[mox 298]

I recommend an international keyboard. It's a bit difficult at first (e.g. "they moved quite a few of the letters on me" = "they ,oved auite q fez of the letters on ,e") but she'll get used to it, and you'll be learning a new language too! Purchase a second computer and a router so you don't have to take turns on the chair. Alternatively, I know of one couple who, although they could not speak each other's language, successfully carried on a long distance relationship and were engaged using only emoticons. You may want to try that too.

Good luck!

Thank you Crikey, your post was much more helpful than the other guy who seems to think it's all a big joke. Unfortunately I did a Google search and could not find any Pitcairnese keyboards. Do you know if maybe I can find them at Best Buy or Circuit City?

Emoticons is a good idea too I didn't think of this! They don't smile very much on Pitcairn though (there is a local legend that says baring your teeth makes the parrots unhappy or some weirdness like that) so she might not get some of them.

Thanks again!

[StillThePrettiest 3]

Haha! Well you're lucky I have actual work to do today.

you were saying...?

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

My friend, success! I am now officially crying (in laugher) at your plight!

I recommend an international keyboard. It's a bit difficult at first (e.g. "they moved quite a few of the letters on me" = "they ,oved auite q fez of the letters on ,e") but she'll get used to it, and you'll be learning a new language too! Purchase a second computer and a router so you don't have to take turns on the chair. Alternatively, I know of one couple who, although they could not speak each other's language, successfully carried on a long distance relationship and were engaged using only emoticons. You may want to try that too.

Good luck!

Thank you Crikey, your post was much more helpful than the other guy who seems to think it's all a big joke. Unfortunately I did a Google search and could not find any Pitcairnese keyboards. Do you know if maybe I can find them at Best Buy or Circuit City?

Emoticons is a good idea too I didn't think of this! They don't smile very much on Pitcairn though (there is a local legend that says baring your teeth makes the parrots unhappy or some weirdness like that) so she might not get some of them.

Thanks again!

[mox 298]

Haha! Well you're lucky I have actual work to do today.

you were saying...?

*sigh* yes, I still have to assemble the bunk bed (she refuses to sleep too close to the ground because of predators) and then we're off to have her de-loused. I guess that steam tramp wasn't the most hygenic.

[StillThePrettiest 3]

don't you mean hygienically?

[mox 298]

don't you mean hygienically?

My Pitcairn Islands persona sometimes makes spelling mistaks. In Pitcairnese, spelling is much easier. For starters, because all 72 characters of their alphabet are the same, they do "interpretive spelling." They use a lot of silent letters too, which are not only silent when spoken, but they're silent when written too. It's really a crazy language, and it makes it SO HARD for us to get on with our LIVES together!!!

Mods do you think you could make a Pitcairn Islands forum so that other Pitcairn Islanders could see my posts and help out?

Edited April 1, 2008 by mox

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

*sigh* yes, I still have to assemble the bunk bed (she refuses to sleep too close to the ground because of predators) and then we're off to have her de-loused. I guess that steam tramp wasn't the most hygenic.

OH LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOLOL You are a riot Mox!!!

[Zee Bee 61]

I read some of your other posts and I am still laughing.

Where are these Islands?

[Krikit 1,163]

You know, I was thinking. Perhaps your fiancée could share a little something with us about the US Embassy in Pitcairn? I mean, the lineups must be horrendous. And the Administrative Processing doesn't bear thinking about. I'm sure that tens ones of other Pitcairners would really value any tidbits you could throw their way.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

They are literally in the middle of nowhere! Southern Pacific in between South America & Australia.

I read some of your other posts and I am still laughing.

Where are these Islands?

[Dan J 277]

I read some of your other posts and I am still laughing.

Where are these Islands?

Yeah they are in the middle of nowhere. No harbor or airport. The current population is 50 people.

[mox 298]

Where are these Islands?

Yeah they are in the middle of nowhere. No harbor or airport. The current population is 50 people.

49 actually. Pleasantly is now safe and sound with me, sleeping atop her newly constructed bunk bed. Sorry for the slow typing everyone, but if I type to fast it might wake her up.

Just so everyone knows, Pitcairn may be a tiny nation, but they have contributed much to the world you live in today. You know those little shells you can buy in tourist shops with the little plastic eyes glued to them? Those are actually made by Pitcarian Enterprises LLC. The same factory produces elbow grease and water line for the Royal Navy, and there's another factory on the other side of the island right next to the Starbucks that produces jellyfish preserves.

Thanks everyone for your interest in my lovely orange beauty's homeland. Please PM the mods and ask them to support the creation of a Pitcairn Island forum so that we Pitcairn Islanders can have a place to call home here on VJ!!