american samoa 5

american samoa 4

american samoa 4..Carl's JR ( i did not eat there)..seasame street (woops..that was at the samoan airport), big industry (tuna packing), and a good view

american samoa 3

american samoa 3...american football..and the mix of samoan and the red/white/blue

american samoa 2

american samoa 2..large McDonalds...OK a HUGE one..buying lots of stuff...mountains..sun

pics has american Samoa

set #1 of pics in american samoa.. starting with..a hike..

nothing evolves us like love,...and hot rocks

no pics this time...

6/20
So I tried to go to a Samoan wedding today. One of our teachers was getting married. Another example of “don’t get your hopes up” in samoa. The taxi left without me. so much for their pictures. Maybe it’s better, because today is a very wet day. I hope the rain stops to I can ride my bike to the hike later.

The movies shown on TV always seems to have a monster of some type involved. I’ve seen a lot of water monsters. Today we are camping with a baby Bigfoot. I wonder where the mommy Bigfoot is. Well, the last few paragraphs were a little down huh?? To balance things out a little-after missing the wedding I had a yummy sandwich with egg and tomato, cucumber, lettuce, and sliced meat. Then my friend Olsen took a group of us on a hike (a trek, and jungle adventure deep into the green, where the wild things are). ..up the 7 waterfalls. We got the big waterfall at the end, I climbed up behind the fall. Falling water is very powerful, and LOUD! I jumped in the water fall. Slam. Into the water I went. I came up and threw my head back and laughed at God. That was awesome. I did it two more times.

So now you are caught up in my journal. I have no more to tell you.


Blog 06/18/09


It’s been a long time since the last writing (or I just haven’t typed up my thoughts I already wrote down). Sorry to those who track these pages.

I just finished reading a book called “the gift” by Hafiz. Some nice poems. A few pieces I really liked:

“nothing evolves us like love.”

“There is nothing in your mind
You have not invited in.
There is no event in your life
You in some way
Did not drive a hard bargain for.”

“You need to become a pen
In the sun’s hand.
We need for the earth to sing
Through our pores and eyes.”

Well…I like the poems.

Watching a DVD called Exploration northwest (even when the picture skips and the sound slurs—bad computer!!) makes my eyes water and my longing to be home …become very big. I found it in the peace corps office. Someone else from that neck of the USA had been to the office and forgot to take it home. But i had to stop watching. The other teachers wanted to watch a Pilipino movie…I’m not so into that, but it’s the current rage in Samoa. And speaking of DVDs…the dvd player on my laptop decided to stop working last night, so I (probably accidentally) uninstalled the drivers…and now I have find some internet to find the drivers, because for some reason I either deleted them from my harddrive, or put them somewhere I can’t find them. since I choose not to have internet at my school (or there seemed to be a problem with finding our schools landline number when I went to the samoaTel office) it will take a bit longer than I’m used to. And NO, I’m not used to not having fast internet at my finger tips when I want it.

One of the teachers is getting married! And I’ve been helping him create an invitation. I think that would be a great lesson for the teachers. It uses many features (and more advanced ones) in MS Word that are good to know.

Tonight is a rainy windy night, and the millipedes are out by the 10s probably many more I don’t see. But where there is rain and millipedes, there are usually centipedes—the bigger, more vicious brother that also likes to bite people. I have not been bitten yet, and I would rather not try for a first time.

So here I sit this night listening to some piano music, that is not remixed with the “DJ OK” bumping the beats. But my friend Norman is mixing his own beats under the DJ Norvia a mix of his name and the girl. Maybe if I come back in 10 years, he’ll be the big name in Samoa. Oh, and I’m eating my sour neon gummy worms my mom sent me, or I was eating them. I gave the rest to the teachers that live at the school…since they seem to like sweet things…but maybe not sour things. Oh well. If I ate the whole package by myself all my teeth would fall out the next day.

Here is some Samoan language, since I still do want to learn some more samoan before I leave, which is growing closer and closer…and closer and closer. The first one is for my cheeky students, and the ones who know I won’t hit them so they push all the boundaries.

There is a time to have fun and a time to work hard.
E iai le taimi e fiafia aia ma le taimi e galue malosi ai.

Hot rocks on my back make the muscles feel good.
E lelei maso o lo’u tua pe a tu’u i ai se ma’a vevela.

And here is a samoan prayer…of which I do not have memorized. Leaga tele huh??? Though my samoan family still asks me to say prayer.

Faafetai Iesu ona o mea ai ua e foa’I e tausi ai lou matou ola, fa’apaia ma e fa’amanuia fai ma fa’amanatuga o lou maliu I aso uma matou te a’ai ma feinu ai. Ona o lou suafa Iesu, Amene

I made a list of what I want to do in the first few weeks when I get back to America. Is it too soon for that:?? Here are a few: read the sun magazine, eat a good Mexican meal (who song and larry’s, or a place called Mazatlan), eat some Finnish fruit soup with rice porridge, take a nice hot sauna—and then eat a big bowl of chocolate chip ice cream, hike/run on Indian Head Trail, get a big hug from my mom and grandparents, play my drumset, plan a yoga retreat, visit my dad, eat a big green salad with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, maybe some salmon, etc… the list isn’t done yet.

It’s amazing how effective “wall sits” are at redirecting students’ attention. When they are cheeky, talking when another student is speaking, 3 minutes seems to be a magic number. Wall sit = sit with your back against the wall. Thighs are parallel with the ground. Hurts the muscles, but it works to ave’ese the cheeky. I usually give them 1 or 2 chances to answer questions or read something in class after that.

My friend Norman was explaining to me about hitting students. “if you hit a student, that does not motivate them to keep trying.” I have hope for future teachers. But change comes slowly.

Sii I luga lou lima pe a e alofa i ou matua.
Raise your hand if you love your parents.

back to school tastes better with toasted cheese

in the pics: english day pictures. the students tried their best with a solo poem, a chorus poem, a drama, and song, and a dance...i think they liked the dance and drama the best...

6/15
So starts another term—actually this is week two, but the training for athletics started this week—meaning I help with training and I won’t get done with school until around 3:30pm. Most days my eyes hurt at the end. (could it be be running in the hot samoan sun???)

One of my samoan families has a DVD player that is broken. I thought it would be easy to find info on the “magic” internet about how to fixx the DVD player. (if I only get one thing out of this two years, might it be an appreciation of talking to PEOPLE to get information, not only the inter-webbed highway). All the websites I visited said to throw it away and buy a new one. In Samoa, that would be very hard (faigata!) there is no money for a new dVD player. Samoa doesn’t know the same “throw away culture” that the western world knows.

I was thinking about computers…I’ve done user interface design, now I’m teaching computers. I wonder if I’ll ever be developing SW, or working with people who do develop. I tried in college. The code and I didn’t converse very well.



6/10
Two Germans came to visit me at my school this afternoon. The weather was not cooperative. This must be the cold week. the weather is bad and there is a “cold” wind that blows. They asked me “what is the Samoan dream.’ ..like the American dream. I laughed. I told them some really want to go overseas, and some want to stay right here in samoa and work on their plantation and make the family. Life is slower here and not everyone wants to speed up western style.

Even though it’s cooler, the mosquitoes still seem to be snacking on me. rugby is big in samoa. Here are the names of the village teams in my district: Savai Spiders, Matautu Ainiusami, Safaatoa Puaanifo, Faleaseela Maroon, Matafa’a ama’ama (a small crab), Gagaifo Jungle.



6/9
Back to school…term two starts this week. toasted cheese with smoked salmon, tomatoes, and gouda cheese—rock. (thank you for the package mom!) Yes, but put too much salmon in the sandwiches. They still tasted good. I’ll never get tired of melted cheese. Cucumbers and French sauce complete the yumminess.

Iesu e, o lau tatalo
Ia o’o mai lou malo
Ia faia lou finagalo
E pei o I luga.
Amene.

OK, so I’m starting to draw tattoo designs around the edge of my journal pages—which is something I can’t show you in my blog…well, maybe if I get a good version I can scan it.

pondering random phrases while cutting thick jungle

in the pics: some pictures from the English DAy BBQ...lots of BBQ and ice cream

6/8
Some food I can add to my list of “liked” foods: faiai eleni (coconut cream with eleni—small fishes in tomato sauce). Failifo (taro or green bananas with coconut cream).

Watching the full moon (actually reduces star gazing by about 80%) slowly rise over the tree tops, my tummy is full of faiai eleni. (I think it’s pretty good and chicken soup with rice and laupele—a green leafy veggie, like spinach). It’s windy—I like these nights, both because I like to feel the wind and it keeps the mosquitoes down. Today was the first day of the second term. only two afternoon. It feels like my time is gown downhill—it’s getting closer and closer to the end of my samoan adventure.

It’s hard to think I took 550 pictures during my school break—only 3 weeks, but I’ve been to American samoa, a computer teachers training, and a visit to my training village family. I don’t get to see them that often.

I see the difference between dropping money on someone or some project and spending time to develop a relationship, sharing your skills and knowledge. I think it really comes down to giving away your love to other people. I chose Peace Corps because of the two year time span, which I thought might be long enough to share some of what I know, and get to know the people in samoa. This was the longest structured program I could find when I looked—other then just moving to a country and living there for a period of time. Peace corps is much different. Volunteers get support when they ask for it and need it.




6/5
I went to a Christian worship conference. Very good music. Rally style. I was wondering when I would get to go to something like that. Yes, they had drums, keyboards, guitars, singers. The music was a little heavy on the guitars…at times it drown everything else out.. the speaker was good “water is to the body as worship is to the spirit.” Well, if you put it that way, with the amount of water I drink, I had better be in worship A LOT more. “everywhere Jesus went, SOMETHING happened.” Hmmmm… to think about. “connection with God is more important than doing your duty.” Really? Well, then if another religion or spiritual way has a very effective way of connection with God, why not at least try it? There’s my openness again, of which one of my friends said she was scared of. It’s not worshipping two gods, as there is only one God.

There is a lot of duty in Samoa. That’s not necessarily, just the culture. “work on getting to ‘encouraging worship’”.


6/1
Five hours of cutting down dense jungle brush, I wonder how I’ll feel tomorrow. When I go visit people I like to do “work,” which in samoa usually means moving rocks, or cutting the grass with a machete, or using that machete to cut and clear jungle. I did the last one for three days straight in Lalomauga. And it felt really good…especially the jumping in the river part after we were done each day and splashing around. My sister and I get up at 5am each morning for exercises. That’s really good. But hot rocks on my back are really gooooood too.

I talked to someone who said “I wanted to make money.” He was a retired computer “everything man” as I understood it. A company or a person had a problem and he found a solution. I think he charged $150/hour. Wooooo…that’s a a lot of the money he was looking for. I doubt I’ll earn that much working at a nonprofit. But you never know. Mix community and business. Never say never. I’ve never really thought about it in terms of ONLY making money. How about helping people find/get/remember better lives in the process…and having fun too is important. I think my gig right now is pretty fun! Even if some parts are frustrating.

Another random phrase I found in my journal “giving up expectations and preconceived notions”…can be hard, and not knowing that I even have the preconceived ideas—although my mom reminds me about some of them regularly. It can be freeing to release our preconceived ideas, but it can also be scary. It’s good to be surrounded by people you care about and trust. Truth = freedom = scary(?)

mom's facebook has warm chinese food

in the pics: some random pics...the hat my mom bought me...in savaii, a sweeeet sunset from the top of the hill i like to ride my bike too; singing for mother's day; some cool refreshment.

5/31
It’s school break now….LALOMAUGA. coming to my family yesterday. Lalomauga means under the mountain—meaning it’s inland, not close to the ocean…well, relatively. It’s hard to walk to the ocean from LM. So that means no swimming in the ocean while I’m here…swimming in the waterfall?

I taught the kids the connect-the-dots-to-make-the-boxes game. The person with the most boxes wins. I don’t know the official name. and we played some Frisbee..of course.

Yesterday: went to watch the rugby games. Lalomauga won both games (team A and B). the A team will be the champions I think. They have not lost any games. I wonder how excellence arises out of the culture of not striving to get ahead.



5/27
In Apia…Some good Chinese food, a warm shower (I washed my hair three times…warm water in my shower (or bucket for that matter) is a rare thing where I live. Warm ocean, cold showers), some stretching (finally), and now writing in my journal—of which I’m doing very much of right now. AND I have some keke saina and yogurt for a snack before bed..yum!

Samoans like to be around and talk to people—all the time. Being around people usually drains my energy. I get recharged by myself. Tonight was a very be-by-myself night—while many other PCVs are out drinking—I’ve been drinking (Vailima Gold—the strong stuff) for the last five nights. I miss feeling healthy.

It is really hard to sit with someone and have them tell you things. ..such as:
“my kids respect me…I think”
“I drink every night to stop the nightmares. The bombs go boom and I wake up screaming if I don’t drink.”
“I lost my best friend and lover. I’m scared to open to someone else.”

A picture in my journal of a compass with some words on it: God, youth, education, yoga, computers, movement, service, inspiration.
Where is love…with God.

Ocean of light—there’s a lot of light for one thing. But swimming in the ocean would be awesome.

I’m in Apia for a few days for a computer teachers workshop. We are at a mormon school compound. Very fancy compared to my school. The room we are in is sealed, has a network, internet, and air conditioning. I’m glad I’m not working in a room with air conditioning. My skin was very dry after just 3 days. I like where I’m working just fine. I taught a session on file management. Other teachers seemed to enjoy it. How much they will take home/back to their classrooms I ddon’t know. I didn’t have a fancy powerpoint set up…but that may have helped them later. My teaching style right now is so “in-the-moment”



5/23
I found a Bible story book in English…and one in Samoan. So I’ve been reading with one of the samoans. He reads the English version and I read the samoan version.

God begins to make things
Amata ona faia mea e le Atua.

The first rainbow
O le uluai Nuaanua

A brave man
O se tagata toa


Almost a month: hmmm many thoughts in purple book (#8) that I’m too lazy to write out, but I will, all in good time. It’s amazing how when you’re in the middle of something you don’t think about how it’s changing you. I was not thinking about teaching, faith and service when I was in college. I was thinking about electrical engineering, digital nose breaks up with my multimeter. Oh, and a little boom boom toot toot of the musical instruments. I’ve been doing the Peace Corps thing in Samoa. It’s been intense. Everyone wants a piece of you, whether to laugh at what you’re doing, or ask you where you’re going, or share some food with you. Have we heard of “I want to be alone, walk alone.” Well, I usually get that time when I walk in the morning. Which is a good thing.

My mom sent me an email “you mom is now on Facebook!” wow mom, I’m impressed. Now how many friends can you stack up? I haven’t spent much time on facebook..usually my meager internet time is taken up with just checking my email, posting blog adventures/pics, and download drivers/software for my computers at school. Such as life in the land of slow internet.

To live gratitude is to touch heaven…hmmmmm.

4 people find curious question of the day

in the pics: my samoan family!! ice cream ( it was banana flavor i think), sunday eating (toanai), and pre-mother's day church dress..

5/20
I’m visiting American samoa. ..staying with a samoan family. Not in a hotel. Well, I didn’t think I needed a break.

Awesome sunrise in American Samoa. …
Finally the first leg in the postcard journey is done. I mailed them today. It has been a long process—from take the picture, to gluing the poster paper to the photo, to writing the notes to people. Altogether I’m mailing 50 to the USA and 7 postcards to Finland.
Mexican food at Evie’ss Taco Hut. Yummy. Yummy. And some more yummy. I ate the Jumbo California Burrito—it had French fries in it, the same way I make burgers, with fries inside. It was good eating. I might come again.

Saw on a sign:
There are 4 kinds of people:
1. Those who make things happen
2. Those who watch things happen
3. Those who tell others what happened
4. Those who make up what happened.

I had 4 different people ask me “why do you want to go to American samoa?” usually people visit to buy things, or if they family to see. I did buy some stuff. …about $400 worth of gifts for my samoan families. Don’t worry, there were a few things for me. it’s amazing what you can find at a hardware store. I found sweet full finger “biking” gloves, and a set of tools, including the needle nose pliers I’ve been looking for.
A few things I found: blank DVDs, a new handbag for my principal, compact mirrors for the teachers, chocolate, new headphones, colored pencils. Things I did not find: orange tinted goggles, a very small projector for the computer.
Tuesday, I went to look around town. Wednesday I went on an awesome!!!hike up Mt. Alava, then a swim and I saw 5 blue star fish. Thursday I hopped on a bus to the eastern most point on the island. Bus stops for a rest, stops to get the stereo fixed. The important things.

I’m still amazed at how much is determined in a student’s life by how fast they can write. Many of the students in my school who write slower are in the lower level classes. Those who can write fast are in the upper level classes..



5/19
Curious question of the day: take a 50sene piece and spin it on the table. Why do I only see the picture of bananas while it is spinning?
I always meet interesting people. At the airport in samoa I met a man named Lemi. He had lived in Colorado springs for 5 years.
Leaving Western Samoa in the SMALL plane, the tallest structure I see in Apia is the Catholic church. Speaking of the airplane—it has two “inoperable” signs on the control panel in the cockpit. But we still got there in one piece.
I was talking to our Peace Corps medical officer. She said people in American Samoa speak American, not English.
American Coins seem SOooo small compared to samoan money now.
My host family insists I go to town every day or “you might be bored”
They showed me to my room “this is your private room”…hmmm….private. sounds American.
I was looking for signs of America: seat belts required when riding in a car, a cheese burger at AS airport.
The family I went to stay with didn’t know I was going to stay with them for 5 days. The family member was talking to didn’t tell them. made for an uncomfortable experience. Let’s not do it again.
There are more cars, newer cars. All things that glitter.

Cinco de mayo sings Japanese

in the pics: a day to celebrate the Cinco De Mayo, jump in the ocean (ok I did the simple forward jump, feet first; others...a little more on the difficulty scale), the hard work of making the salsa that everyone else can eat, and don't forget the birthday boy gets to use big stick to bash bloated vailima bottle. yahhh for candy!... it was fun. I had some drink and some eat, and was carried to bed early...nothing new there.

5/10
I’m trying to learn some Japanese.
Hello…kon-nichiwa
Good morning…oha-yo
Good evening…kon-banwa
Good night…oyasumi-nansai
Good bye…sayo-nara
Thank you…arigag-tou
Please…Onegai-shimasu
I love you…ai-shiteiru



5/9
Gone to apia today..to make the shopping for Mother’s day (aso sa tina). It is VERY busy today. The shopping includes: a bottle of perfume, 6 bottles of bingo dabbers, 2 bags of candies to make a necklace.

I don’t see much sunblock for sale in stores. I don’t see any. Samoans don’t tan, but I guess they do burn—someone showed me.

Look—it’s a palagi—white white white. It’s weird when I see a white person, especially in the village.

I’m going to try and capture some sounds of samoa: roosters, Sunday singing, sea/waves, the sa bell, night crickets.

When I grow up, I want a huge reflecting pool for the beautiful sunsets and sunrises…and the moon too.


5/6
One of my favorite songs the kids sing at school:
pese Ainiusami
nai tamaiti Ainiusami
ainiusami sauni e folau
Nu’unu’u ou fulu apa’au
Ma faaolioli o lau la’au
Aua e te masani
I le feliuai
O la ua tau ma la ua tonu
Saili ai malo Tuia ma Tama a le lagi

O muagututia ma to le afoa
Tama o le fuafuataga
Nai la’au e fuamutala e ola Faalaseela ma Lefaga
Sau laia e masavai nei e filifili ai sau paaga
E te faaipoipo ai ina ua lua lima ou tausaga.


Another song

A e alu e te fagota,
Alo lou va’a I tai I le
Tafolal, vaai lelei sauni o le
To velo o le I’a ma fafao
I le ola, faafuata le papatua
Si’I vae lua lau solofanua
Masamasa le lo’omatua
Ma ua tiga lona papatua.



5/1
I’m in Apia getting ready to travel to Savaii for Cinco do Mayo party. Some quiet time at the Peace corps office…ravioli and meatballs in a can (from America). A long shower with warm water. I shampooed my hair 3 times. It feels nice…soft. Some hot tea, and then mint cookies cooled in the freezer. I sat on the sea wall listening to the beat from a club called paddles.

I thought all samoans were loud. I’ve met a quiet one, well at least …

All students have a book from our library to take home and read. It wasn’t planned, but 9.1 was the first class to get books. I was the instigator. I just hope they bring the books back.

new babies and dragonflies use Wikipedia

in the pics: Mother's day ...a day to celebrate mom. lots of candy necklaces (ulas), my mealofas (gift) for my mom included some candy, bingo dabbers, and perfume. oh, and a church service with singing and performances by the mothers!

4/26
There’s a new baby in my samoan family: Faavai ma Tagi Lelei. To make the total in our family ….hmmmm 12 I think.

Movie tonight: Twighlight. More reminders of home: Columbia River Gorge, Indian Head Beach. The lighthouse. I don’t see any lighthouses when I look out in the samoan ocean. ..well I guess technically it’s the Pacific Ocean.
Misty green—waterfalls—lighthouses
Hmmm…


Went on a hike up a hill in Apia…wrote this poem:

Smoky light dragonfly
Coming down Mt Vaea on a steamy Samoan afternoon,
I come to an opening in the jungle and look down.
Many small fires
No, not smoldering war.
Samaoan umus baking taro, maybe ulu
I refocus my vision.
Something else in the sky, dragonflies.
Through smoky late afternoon light,
I realize I’m amidst a dragonfly’s
Playground, 20 or 30 I guess
With their quick erratic flight pattern.
Two things here that keep me in awe
Makes for a good afternoon jaunt
Up and down the mountain heat.
Smoking light dragonfly’s playground buzzing.


4/25
Today is Saturday. I got a lot done: 3 hours on the internet to check email, update my blog, download song lyrics for my school’s English day. Ate lunch at Skippy’s—yummy fish burger with egg. Stuff I bought—5 bottles of chili sauce, French dressing sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, oranges, a large jar of crunch p-nut butter, a small can of (pi soupo) corned beef. For my Samoan family—a 3 pound can of pisoupo, ,a tin of crackers, ,and 2 pairs of sandles. Thing to remember—I need to install Wikipedia (the offline version—there is no internet at our school) on the computer the principal a and VP use. Wikipedia is like an encyclopedia, only on the computer. So it is a very BIG folder of MANY different text files and pictures. Well, I thought I could use a search function on this encyclopedia, but I don’t think there is a search function :(… tear. I wonder if there is another version with search capability. A few teachers also use the Encyclopedia Britannica on a computer in the lab. I sense I will doing a a lot of writing things down both for the samoan teachers, and other PCVs if they want to try and do classes with teachers. The bus just started, and here comes the boom boom music.


4/12
It’s harder than I thought it would be to explain that the index fingers stay on the key with a bump—the F and J keys.

I’ve had more than a few people ask me about cheap places to stay in apia..here are a few: hidden garden, outrigger hotel, samoa hotel accommodations, Lynns

Big cheese has bike

in the pictures: a girl is making a "kauaga." Samoans use this for washing and making the yummy pe'epe'e (coconut cream).

2/19
It’s been a while huh?.it is hard for me to be around a drunk samoan. I usually just try to steer clear. They always want me to come and inu le vai malosi (drink the strong water). I can’t deal with those kind of mood swings. The happy, the not happy.

My mom asks: “are the samoans ready for computers?”
That’s a good question.

Fixing my bike. The rear shifter is loose I think. I ride it pretty hard up and down the mountain. I need to get needle nose pliers to pull the shifting cable.


2/6
Ok….so this is a LONG time ago. But here are some thoughts from feb09.
More fun and frustrations today. I fixed two computers, then I lost my key ring, which also had two flash drives on it. I think the vice principal has it, but he likes to play many jokes, so I don’t know if I’ll see them again.
A weird lesson of I’ll get things when I really need them, which is not part of my culture. Especially when they are MINE. I did get my keys back, after some pressure from my samoan father, who is also the BIG CHEESE in these parts.

Rugby culture…what can I say? A stadium full of wild people. All different colors; all different costumes. It’s interesting how the Wellington grand final compares to the Superbowl. SB on a much grander scale—at least with the fireworks and singing. But I have to give points to the rugby crowd.

more pictures..new haircut

more pics..

image fades to a rippled red cheesy

in the pics: my year 9 students had a project to draw a picture and write the definition for a piece of computer hardware..I will put the best pics up on the wall..soon.

Some images don’t fade so easily. The little red headed bird with his head in a white flower, the family of pigs saddling across the road in front of our car, the sunset that lights up the whole sky and water.


4/25
Coming to apia/….i’m going to the city, with all the city sensations—sights, tastes, smells…last night was pizza (yummy cheesy bbq and Milano), and then fast faster fastest cars of Fast and Furious ummmm number 4. I guess that’s the end because our hero slows WAY down…but I won’t give away the ending if you haven’t seen it yet.

Today is brought to you by the Ball ‘O matic in Niles, MI, which the lady and the shop gave me when I bought some cucumbers and tomatoes. The coin does look like a Samoan one tala coin. Also brought to you today by the all American converse patch, which I found on the road. It looks like someone cut it out of a shoe.


4/16
I still don’t want to hit my students, but I did hear of a few ways other PCVs are exerting ultimate control. I tried the “wall-sit” exercise with one of my cheeky students. She laughed at first, but I had her do the wall sit for about three minutes. It was interesting to watch her eyes, a kind of shock-surprise-this really hurts that I wasn’t going to hit her for goofing off, but still disicipline her. She has been quieter since then. I guess that is rather effective. I will also find two medium sized rocks and have the cheeky boys hold them at arms length for…we’ll see how long they can stand it. I’ve also had other students write letters to me explaining such things as not listening, forgetting homework. I think most students just laugh at the hitting and have an excuse to tafau (hang out) during detention. Hitting also does not encourage motivation to learn, or even be “present.”


Red rippled Sunset

A small snack.
A small sleep.
I awake and see the sun descending behind trees.
It’s time for a swim.
I step through the tall grass.
The boys only cut short the “rugby grass”

The water is low today.
Rocks at the reef expose their jagged edges.
I step into warm water made cold only
At the surface from a nearby stream
Sun is lowering
Water is a shimery yell-orange
Red patch in the sky expands
Shimmering reflection bleeds red
A single rock creates perfect
Ripples of red expanding back to me.
Time is brief, red quickly fades to
A dull gray, a fish jumps.
Crickets begin their nightly song.
It’s dinner time. Return tomorrow for another
Episode of the red rippled sunset.

--Matt crichton
4/16/09

residual effects of blue/green sea enjoys a full tummy

in the pics: my friend Kat making bread, and pizza. it was yummy.

4/15
Ahhh…full tummy (beef soup with rice—soupo povi ma alaisa), and tara. A cool shower after riding my bike to the top of the mountain. I went to help with reading class for primary school kids, but only 10 showed up. We usually have about 35 or 40. so it was cancelled. I said i can’t usually count on samoans to do anything for me, and jane said “where did the pessimism come from?” no pessimism, just what I’ve experienced and observed.


4/14
A good day: sports day at Peace chapel: touch rugby, soccer, netball, apply bobbing, a hike up a mountain in apia, and then a yummy spaghetti/cheese/avocado/cucumber dinner with wine and friends.


4/11
I went to the beach on my side of the island today with my friends Kat and Richard. As the car came out of the jungle and I saw the beach fales and blue/green sea stretching as far as I could see, I wondered if it really was real. I’ve been in samoa for 17 months, and it still doesn’t feel real.being in a place like this. I tried to let the water bump me up and down and absorb it’s essence. I’m not here that much longer.


4/10
Negative residual effects..aahhhhh the “I didn’t use my credit card for a while so Bank America issued me a new one” episode is still not solved. And BofA also cancelled my checking account. So I get to try and open a new one from Samoa—with my mom’s help. I appreciate her helping. Before I left, I gave her power of attorney, but she can’t open my accounts without my calling and signing papers. Big deal, power of attorney. Means give them more money, huh…? I think I want to get my skype account going.

Today is Good Friday. It’s good because it’s raining, which makes it cooler. It’s not so good because I’m still fighting this head/nose/throat cold that I got last weekend after having wet shorts on for too long.

rainy, blustery day makes heros observations difficult

in the pics: the making of cocoa samoa. step 1: take the beans out of the yellow/orange/red shells (suck the beans first if you like sourness); step 2: put the beans on the fire, stirring frequently; step 3: as they cook the outer shells will be taken off. step 4: crush the beans into a paste; step5: (sorry, no picture) mix your cocoa samoa with hot water, and sugar if you want pur in cup, and let your dark chocolate taste buds endulge.

4/6
Seattle high school students came to Faleaseela (a village close to me). only two weeks, but I think they got a pretty good sense of what Samoa is like. Probably a lot of sensory overload. Although I felt a little bad that they had such a lax schedule for the first few days, since the pastor was away in NZ and Australia. But a relaxed schedule is also good when you are in a new country—many new sights, sounds, and smells. Which reminds me—I was very impressed by their observations about the village and people—on the first day in Samoa. A student said the colors were very bright and alive. Maybe I’ve lived here so long I’m getting used to the bright color—or have forgotten the grayness of Seattle—but I though –yeah, bright. I don’t think about that much—except when I see bushes with the (bright) white and red flowers. I’m glad they could come. I hope the relationship between the village of seattle and faleaseela continues for a long time.

My favorite (well, my only TV show) right now is Heros. I am watching season three right now on the computer, not the TV. We don’t have a TV at my school, so I don’t watch much tv, or see many movies (at all), or look on the internet (the fast fast hippity hop hop of dial up). Heros always has interesting narration..one was about hope and urgency. There is not usually not much urgency in Samoa, but when there is urgency (usually at the last minute), all hell can break loose. That’s just the way the culture is here, which is one thing that has made it hard for me, who likes to see a bit into the future about what will be happening and be prepared.


4/1
A blustery, rainy day here in Samoa, well at least my neck of these coconut trees. Stark contrast to the last 20 weeks of bright hot sunshine with the lightest trace of breeze. Today is what I’m used to when being close to the ocean. The strong wind, droplets of water shooting through the air. The only thing I miss the strong scent of the ocean—maybe I’ve been near the ocean so long I don’t notice it anymore. Ding ding—the bell signals the end of first period. Year 9.3 (the weakest year 9 students) are computer-bound in period 2.

Samoan Observer, 24th March, 2009…Overseas remittances through Samoa Commercial Bank…Jan-March 2008 = $110,874. Same period 2009 = $849,294. The “global economy downturn” doesn’t seem to be affecting families sending money to Samoa…New Windows (no not the windows in the frames on your walls, the “other” windows) Server 2008 R2 “with petrol prices rising and a slow economy, investment in remote access to various systems is the way of the future.” So true….outlets for being with other human beings [is very important]..boys need to do activities to feel a sense of belonging. “rather than saying ‘we should all stop watching TV, let’s teach young people to analyze and evaluate what they see and realize that everything they see is not reality.’” Do samoans really think all things on TV are true? TV can be very convincing you know…

Seattle students come to samoa with crazy old pics

in the pics: giant bags of skittles, fancy chocolate covered blueberries and cherries comes my way via seattle group; the board in my room, with pics and drawings and other stuff; brooms and bananas in Apia.

3/29
My friend Norman asks me if anybody dies in America during the day—if anyone is shot…hhmmmm I didn’t really know how to answer this question. He said he was watching the news. The daily paper in Samoa is following in the footsteps of American papers—putting sensational events on the front page—is that the only thing that sells.
Here is the web address for the Samoan Observer:
http://www.thesamoanobserver.com/

I’m at norman’s house to help him write a paper about nature vs. nurture. I help him with computer assignments and get music from him.a.nd play the drums that are in his father’s church..and hang out/

I finished an interesting book…called Wake Up Call…about 9/11…a mother and widow gets tough on Washington and the people who pull the strings.
“always give people the room to do the right thing. Always leave the door open.”
The widows and I live our lives so as to not have any regrets at the end of the day.
“mom, sammy is in the moon. He died like daddy died. It’s just the way life goes.”
Just expect to have more sadness than happiness and then you cant’ get angry and disappointed.
Lose what is priceless and everything else is cheap.


3/25
Students from Seattle are in a neighboring village. I was on a bus headed to the airport—at 4:00am this morning. A boom boom bumping bus to exact—the bass was boming and the shocks make me be bumpity bump. Ten high school students (who have been here less than 24 hours). We had a meeting today. One question: what is one observation about samoa? I was impressed by the insights: importance of family and being close physically; but also seeming OK with children overseas; samoans OK with “boredom”—not doing anything, where Americans may not be as comfortable with this; bright and brash colors and smells; samoans being OK with playful touch (but not OK with hugging, kissing).

It’s fun when I can close my eyes and feel itchiness ripple across my back. Part of my skin is moisturized with lotion, another patch is kept dry with powder, another has fungus killer on it. I feel like a Petri test dish growing different things.

I didn’t tell the samoan people I was married—now they want to marry me off to a woman who is a teacher and has a brother married to a seattle woman (ex-peace corps volunteer)—that would be convenient, wouldn’t it? Marry for love, or for moving up? Why does that phrase so turn me off? Can’t two bright stars meet in the middle of the light field? I want to be with someone I can relate toooooo opposite and it doesn’t work.

One seattle student talked about the racism against the samoan and Maori people in NZ—I can think of a few reasons: not knowing about someone leads to fear…hate…untrustfulness. Many samoans are moving into NZ territory—and especially if they excel at something it would make the palagis uneasy. Also if Samoans do not “hold up their end of the deal” it might make people “not happy.” The NZanders may be the minority in certain places in NZ—that would be kind of scary.

It is crazy seeing old pics—especially peace corps volunteers doing the gang symbols young people like to flash for the camera. What crazy, zany, not to be missed experiences I have had. Experiences I don’t really know how to process at the time, but I feel there is a lifetime to “process and unpack” all that I have seen and done.

bit by bit info for the faamati

in the pics: 10 students and 2 teachers came from a high school in seattle to visit samoa. they also came to my school. it was a fun experience, and the second year University Prep has come to samoa; also..the rain..which can be pretty hard and LOUD when it wants to be...no drizzle here.

3/24
In samoa, people gain information bit by bit it seems, usually more bits as they get older. Many times information is gained through talking with people. Like a slowly expanding world limited only by the people who one talks to. Kind of like an RPG (role playing game).

In america (or any country with easy/fast access to the internet) people, even young people—have instant access to a HUGE amount of information about almost any topic. Information is gained by reading and email with other people. Just not as much face to face.


3/22
It breaks my heart to hear of violence, pain, attempted suicide because of what the eyes have seen, what the body has experienced. But in a way, it’s a weird coincidence I’m here in this place right now.

3/21
So how do I feel about being in samoa? It’s good, but some days it just goes. My fasts are not as quick and my stillness is not at deep in this culture. That may be sad, but that’s what I feel. Swimming and biking are still good. My back is rarely totally relseased—doing butterfly stroke with fins in the ocean is one exception…so awesome, especially when I get a close close up of the coral right before I surface again.

Saturday morning on the “new” bus (an old pasi o vaa), but it works, and it has the booming bass samoans dig. I’m going to play tennis with my friend Kat.

Afea taunuu tamaiti Seattle?
When do the seattle students arrive?

March is Fa’amati month. As much as I’ve been able to figure out is villages with methodist and EFKS prepare the house for the pastors. I’m not sure exactly what the list is, but my sense is it’s a lot. Faifeaus get a lot, are highly respected.

In samoa, a lot of determined if you’re married or not—much more important than I thought it was. You are considered “laititi” (young) until you are married, then you are matua. I guess even if you’re 18 and married you are still matua. It’s not age, but marriage status that determines so much.

Tattoo of my aerobics, with a side of mutton flaps

in the pics: cricket is in full "swing" at our school. the boys have played 3 games, and won three games. I guess kids on our team are good. I know two have played internationally. it's exciting. i have not watched them play in a game.

3/20
My village has started an exercise/aerobics program…Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the late afternoon. Every time I ride by on my bike they “grab” me to teach them some moves…well, not that I have any good moves. There are kids, and senior citizens, but very few young adults and middle-aged people. We need to get some new music for the dancing. I have some music that might be just the thing. And yea for friends in America who send me web sites with good aerobics information and give me dance CDs.



3/11
I write my emails in Microsoft Word, and by the time I get to the internet, I have no emotion of the email, just a copy-and-paste-send thing…very time delayed.

I feel different—I'm not caught up writing my thoughts down on paper. For me—that’s important. Tonight—I bought 6lbs of mamoe (mutton flaps) home today. Everyone is happier when there is enough food. I shared some cocoa samoa with one of the teachers, a time to sit back and do nothing…and then my type A personality kicked in again and I went for a swim around the giant clam’s protected area (fa’asua).

I’ve started drawing tattoo designs (in the back of this diary). I guess I want some inspiration—re: what kind of tattoo for me. I want to be part of the “tag and release” club of Samoa.

the smiling thought monster runs after me, has no food

in the pics: my friend Kat at a dance; one of my students Ruta and the same dance; The vice principal's family.

3/11
I write my emails in Microsoft Word—and by the time I get to the internet, I hahve lost the emotion of the email, it’s just copy—paste—and send.

I feel different—not caught up writing my thoughts down on paper. For me—that’s important. Tonight—I brought 6lbs of mamoe (sheep—mutton flaps) for my samoan family. Everyone is happier when there is enough food. I shared some cocoa Samoa with one of the teachers, a time to sit back and do nothing…and then my type A kicked in again and I went for a swim around the protected clan area. (faasua)


3/9
I have a headache. I didn’t ride my bike up the mountain or swim in the ocean—that’s probably why. My stomach has been bothering me last week and this week. I feel like it’s because I’ m not drinking much milk. High school students from seattle are coming. Fun fun fun. It is very hard to pin down information in Samoa. I (feel like i_) can’t ask direct questions because it would be offending.



3/7
When I first came to sAmoa, I noticed many people in photographs didn’t smile. I wondered why. After living here a year and seeing how they live I understand why (maybe). Life in samoa is hard; it is hot all the time. The pictures and postcards tourists see of white sandy beaches anda sunsets is not the ‘real’ Samoa—maybe a very small piece of it.

Another couch surfing episode. This time having nothing to do with couches or surfing. A guy from the Ukraine sends me a message through CS website…wanting to exchange postcards. Ok. I just got his postcard, and mailed him one today.

Samoans [[[really]]] like to sing on the radio. Every time I turn on the radio, I hear someone singing. It’s nothing for them to spend 10 minutes singing into the radio…well, I mean singing.

Computer teachers meeting at the Teuila Hotel…white male peace corps teachers,..and Samoan female teachers. Hmmmmm.

Two big changes at school this year: no food prepared by families for the teachers to eat at the interval (recess). And no smoking in the staff room. Now I eat less and also inhale less smoke. I see a less less trend here.

put lotion on your flu, son

in the pics: three pics of me me me..i'm still alive and kicking, and having a pretty good time too.

3/5
I never thought I’d put lotion on my hands in Samoa (because it’s soooooo humid) but here I am—after my shower—lotion on hands and feet.

“oh but you’re on a budget” my friend kat says. Well, if there’s one thing the samoans have instilled in me, it’s the recognition that it’s sometimes nice to not worry about the budget.


2/28
Oh…I don’t like having “fancy” journals because then I feel I have to write fancy thoughts and fancy words in them. I have no fancy words, just what’s happening. Here’s what’s happening: more swimming in the ocean, my village has started an exercise program mon, wed, and Friday in the afternoon for about 45 minutes. I’ve been the teacher twice. It’s been a while since I’ve done any kind of aerobics. It’s good to see people especially the older people shaking what they got.

Last night we had a dance, or a fundraiser for the new church my village is starting. I think we raised about a $1000 tala. I got to shake my booty so that was fun.

Now it’s saturday morning, I think I’m finally getting over my flu, my friend kat is visiting my samoan family, and it’s going to be a bright, hot, sunny day.


2/23
Today is monday—I have 3 classes with students and one class with teachers. Things never cease to amaze me—usually no teachers come for computer class if the principal is not there—but today there were 7 teachers!

New Journal cooks pig with a side of Pringles

in the pics...my samoan mom at a siva, she danced with me once and was crying; Poka, one of my family members is a "fafafine" meaning 'wants to be a girl'; the son of my samoan father and his family Sia, Mona and kids Le and Ina.

2/22
The first page, of the new journal. Not just any journal, a Moleskin journal. A long historyr I read follows this little black book; a book used “to capture reality on the move…a reservoir of ideas and feelings.” I’ll try not to disappoint.

This journal is one of the things that was in a package my mom sent me,
Among other things: a valentines day card, a book about finnish heritage and customs, a Danielle Steele book for my principal, a bag of wooden blocks, which I think is supposed to be a mind-teaser or brain-buster, articles from the Daily AStorian, and the alumni magazine from University of Portland (which has good stories). This was on a trip to Apia, which justs to give you an idea of what I do in the main (well, really the only “city”). I woke up at 5:30am to catch the 6am bus, but a taxi stopped and offered me a ride to Apia for only $10—usually costing $40 or $50, but I think he was on his way to Apia any way. (even in Samoa a cat scratch will puff my skin). I arrived in Apia (about 7;30am) at the veggie/fruit market and bought some bananas and tomatoes. Then I had breakfast of keke pua’a—a fried round doughy thing filled with ramen noodles and pieces of cooked pig (pua’a). I walked along the sea wall, enjoying the waves crashing against the rocks. I walked to my favorite minimart—the one that has the yummiest cinnamon rolls, but it was still too early and they are not the 24 hour type of market. So I walked to the peace corps office. We had just gotten new computer (an “office refresh” they call it), and the internet just happened to be on. So, I got to use the internet to: email the group of seattle students coming to visit samoa, check the status of a tax stimulus package, download an MP3 audio music mixer program, find reports on the significance of inclusive education (for my friend who I help with computers and English), upload my 25 random thing to facebook (finally),k and go through the rest of my email.

Then I picked up the latest edition of our PC volunteer newsletter, got a bike part that I needed, looked for a book from our resource room. Oh and I almost forgot to print out computer studies prescription and yearly plans for my school (flash drives are so handy and durable). Then I headed back into the main part of the city to buy oranges and a newspaper for Tuala, my samoan father—a chore (fe’au) as it is called in samoan. Through town to a hotel where I played tennis with some Japanese volunteers. Then I ate lunch with them, bought mayonnaise, Pringles at Frankies Hypermarket (not sure why it’s hyper). I hopped on the bus, then asked the bus to stop so I could buy a cake for our church on Sunday. I came home and took a nap.

making samoan food requires massage

in the pics: drawings from a little girl; carvings with paua shell; my friend norman, a student at national university of samoa

some random phrases i liked/thought were interesting

People are very time poor these days
Out of context…bible/my theology/Unitarian
Readiness to die…
Pick and choose…theology
Break with tradition
Obedience…to god/ parents/ the system
Beautiful poetic spirit…richard
Peace is a lie. There is only passion
Is loyalty always the same as obedience
How you use it defines who you are (the force)
Accept the will of the force vs. imposing your own


2/7
Somehow people in my family kept asking me to massage their feet, and back. So I gave Mona a back massage today. I think that might have been a bad idea because now they are calling me foama’i (doctor). And I can guess that they will ask me more often now. That’s fine, as long as I get a massage every now and then. The samoan oil works well for massage, and for keeping the flies off of open wounds.



2/2
My first REAL attempt at making a samoan dinner—fried mackerel and onions, and I forgot the oil (ga’o). add tot that the fa’i (green bananas) and taro. I wanted to warm up the food before we ate it because food tastes better when it is warm. But now we sit and wait for the tea to be done. Broken bike, no swim this afternoon. Not good (leaga). I hear rumors that my bike might return tomorrow. Also, no year 12 boys to help us this year with chores and making food. “cheeky” says the vice principal. And in samoa, cheeky just usually gets hit. I don’t think the food will be warm when we eat it….ahhh but I have my block of cheese and bread for later.

New samoan :
Au mai se oso?
Did you bring me an oso (gift)?

O fea le maumaga lae alu ai mona?
Which plantation did mona go to?

Scratch
Po’u or mafo’e

Save room for lunch
Faagaogao le manava mo mea’ai.

Bbq chicken (special samoan style)
Moa tumu pa’u

bluegreen water hides flying fish

in the pics: many many samoan foods from last year, when the supervisors came for our year12 schoolC examinations, there's palusami, raw fish, pieces of beef, bbq chicken, taro, sea eel + other stuff I can't remember; my training village family had a baby, and named it after me...so it's matthew and matthew looking at you; two young boys from my training village family Lotu and TJ.

1/28
It’s a Saturday morning. …Words and pictures cannot describe how it feels to be sitting here right now. A blue-green crystal clear ocean stretches out before me. the tide is going out. I can tell because the tops of those rocks are now above water. 20 minutes ago they were not. Orange-brown-yellow leaves float in front of me. reminds me of the fall season. The only reminder . (the light breeze) I hear the rustle (it’s almost like a gentle clap) of the coconut leaves. Not the tall monsters that sway gently over all. These are more like bushes, and line the top of the rock wall in front of my samoan family’s house.

The light breeze that ruffles the coconut leaves also creates gentle ripples that hide the fish so well. First two larger fish with black stripes, then a single fish, and a whole school of fish who swim here and there, turning their silvery bodies to reflect the sunlight. Sometimes I don’t know if I’m seeing fish, or just the ripple of the rocks underwater.

Ahhh…whaat a life. One day I can be swinging a machete and planting (toto) taro up in the plantation. The next day I can be floating in the ocean, my spear at the ready, looking for that next big fish for dinner. My samoan-style fishing needs a lot of practice, so more often than not the fish escape, to grow bigger for the next, better-aiming fisherman.

The sun is sneaking around the coconut leaves. My feet are exposed. I think it’s time to move to a fale. I’m waiting for someone to bring my camera so I can pu tpics on a CD for them.

seeing, feeling, hearing after one year

in the pics: two views of christmas. one from the lighted McDonalds Menagerie, some hersey's kisses...chocolate is always good; some keke saina, a chinese type cookie, it's pretty good, and very filling.. i like it with p-nut butter;)

1/25
Today is Sunday…about 6pm. I’m sitting on the third floor of our peace corps office, of which part of is a hotel. .i’m feeling the warm breeze on my face. It’s a cloudy day, so not too hot, and this easterly blowing “breeze” I feel musts be a little stronger in the harbor because the water is white capping; further out past the reef it looks like the waves are rough.

Today has been a very “sit in the office and do nothing day. I’m usually very quick in and out of our PC office, but today is Sunday, and all of Samoa goes to church ( I went to a Baha’I temple), eats toana’I (I made cheesy eggs, black beans, and bread, with a liberal dabbing of hot sauce), and sleeps ( fell asleep listening to my MP3 player). Until afternoon church.

So here’s a random rundown:
What I’m feeling: the sun burn I got yesterday at the beach during our mid-service conference. (did I say MID service conference. Yes. Now the downhill until we get to the end of this journey). The breeze with intermittent drops of rain.

What I’m drinking: previously—mint tea. Now, just plain old, good for you water.

What I’m seeing: a cow…that has broken it’s rope and is mooing in the driveway across the street. It’s eating grass at the taxi stand and no one seems worried. I guess this is a normal thing. A samoan girl is petting (and kissing ) the cow. A palagi is jogging down the street in short shorts (above the knee) not faasaoma on Sunday. I hear a samoan say something about the runner. The darkness of evening creeps in.

Sitting on the third floor also provides a good vantage point. I wonder if the Samoans concept of time has changed at all…the fastest things moving are the cars, which zip around the bend. It sure looks like life has speeded up. Some cars outdo themselves with the boom-boom of a stereo and tinted windows.

What I’m eating: I just ate a keke saina (Chinese cookie), which was very filling. I like them from the Chinese convience store next to the PC office the best. They have the software, moistest cookies I’ve found.

What I’m reading. Two books: the Bone people, by Keri Hulme. The Gift. By Hafiz. More on these when I finish them. I’m about to read Obama’s inauguration speech. The story of the Peace Corps. Fact: early PCVs endured intense physical training at fitness camps to prepare them for service. I didn’t get any physical fitness training. The village based developmentn annual report. I also looked at sports Illustrated pictures of the year—the one with Michael phelps on the cover winning one of his crazy8 gold medals.

What I’m hearing. Cars. People’s voices. Loud, chirpy birds. They are congregating in one tree, which seems to amplify the sound. The moo cow (he wants to have a walk like everyone else). dog barking.

What I’m smelling: dinner smells. Ocean smells.

It just feels weird that a whole year has passed. It feels like the blink of an eye, even though I wouldn’t have said that in the thick of things. One more year to go. Many things to do with my school…and village. I want to start some kind of exercise program at my village. My samoan mother can hardly walk up our front steps. I feel I won’t be able to do much once school starts because I’ll be at school all the time.

time magazine's midservice asks big questions

pics from last year: two year12 students holding the nets used to fish for pololo--a very small white/clearish very salty worm(?) that only comes out of hiding once a year, a big event; two year12 students in the middle of rugby kicking; matthew and the science teacher during the end of year bbq (I think) having fun, acting foolish...having fun ..eat lots of food.

1/23
Our peace corps group 79 had the mid-service conference. The safety and security officer made a comment about the “threat environment in Samoa.” …hmmmm…the only threats I feel are the dogs that want to eat me, and looking out for the next joke from my vice principal…ha ha ha…ho ho ho…he he he…hu hu hu
There will not be another “computer teacher” ICT group coming to samoa. Group 81 was the last. This means there will not be anyone replacing me. that’s too bad, considering there is currently no samoan teacher teaching computers, or even working with me. the next groups will be (certified?) English teachers for primary schools. That is a good step. Get the teachers who do the teaching. We also talked about “counterparts” and “sustainable” projects. It seems it is very hard to make teaching computers sustainable, but I have a feeling when the samoans deem it necessary, it will happen in the snap of the fingers. The real time is not yet. I am teaching years 9,10,11,12 computers this year. That is a lot. Samoa has text books for maths, science, business studies, English, etc. samoa does not have a text book for computer studies. I’m working on my own version for my school. Another PC volunteer is trying to help the government put one together. I’d be surprised if one gets completed before my two years are done.

One of the volunteers in our group is working at a “private” school, and seems to enjoy his work, and has a lot of work to keep him busy. Private school: one person has complete ownershipàleading to more motivation to “get things done.” Government school: who owns this? Less motivation to “get anything done”

Notes from reading Time Magazine, Dec29-Jan5…Obama…he possesses a rare ability to read the imperatives and possibilities of each new moment and organize himself and others to anticipate change and translate it into opportunity.
“a presidential campaign is like an MRI of the soul.”
Good nose for talent…hire really good people…hire the smartest people…low tolerance for nonsense/turf battles…send that message clearly…people generally want to do the right thing… “it is important to carve out time to think and not spend the entire day reactive.”

Big questions…what is my work?...where is my love?...who makes me laugh?...when do I play?...why is the sky blue?...why Andrew?...

Jungle hands learn to pray holding samoan tea

in the pics: the green bananas...a staple (boiled) in samoa. i eat them a lot; giant clams from the fa'asau (marine protected area) at the event where villagers show off their best fruits/veggies (and I forgot the fa'asamoa for that word...)

1/20
I’m at my training family in a village called Lalomauga. I’ve been helping to cut the grass, and clear land for a plantation. I’m swinging a three foot long knife. I’m reminded of a long time ago when our family went to a beach house, that was kind of in the beach “jungle.” I would take a stick or piece of bamboo and whack and whack and thwack the bushes. Only now I have a real knife, and an unlimited amount of jungle to keep me happy. My hands usually get blisters before I’m tired or out of jungle. After about an hour or so of hard work, its time for rest (coma), and jumping in the river to float down to the deep part and play throw my samoan sister in the water. The cool water feels so nice after dripping sweat. Drinking coconut juice isn’t so bad either.

Why are two tiapula leaves bad?
Aisea e leaga ail au tiapula lua?

We want all the taros to grow the same size.
Fia fai taros ituaiga tasi.

Why are three or four tiapulas good?
Aisea e lelei ail au tiapula tolu po’o fa?

Because all the tiapulas will be the same size, and will be mania in the mouth;)

I have to give two thumbs down to computer programs that require an internet connection to access the HELP feature eg. Google’s Picasa. Most people in Samoa do not have internet. So if one of you smarter-than-me people knows how to get picasa help without internet, please shout in my ear.

It was also hard for me to figure out picasa—I’m a windows explorer kind of person. Yes I subscribe to the Microsoft machine. This was in an ubuntu (yeah open source) environment…which I’m not familiar with at all.

I’m still trying to learn samoan prayers.
Iesu fa’afetai mea ai foai mai tausi ai matou, amene.

That was pretty easy. Here is a harder one:
Iesu fa’afetai mo fua o le tino ua e foai mai tausi ai lou matou ola. I lou suafa Iesu, amene



1/15
Hmmm..the last two days I’ve been working in the plantation. Sa ou futifuti taamu (I cleaned the taamu)..the mushy stuff off the root/taro part of the plant. The next day we toto (plant) the stalks to create new food and make the plantation bigger. I didn’t take a shower after the first day and after the second day I have red bumps on my arm and sunburns in random spots—well I guess wherever I didn’t put sunblock. We (me and mona—the family member who works in the plantation) go in the morning—about 7am, so the sun isn’t as strong as in the afternoon. I just swam in the ocean and took a shower. I feel better. Tonight’s dinner was taro and cut cucumber with mackerel.

I could increase my sugar consumption by 100% if I had the Samoan tea every night with dinner. Let’s just say my family likes their sugar and other sweet things.

Movie: Dreamer. A little girl with spunk and determination gets her dream—her horse racing, and winning the Breeders Cup. It’s amazing how things change when you give a young person ownership. Little girl got ownership.
When you ran the earth shook
And thunder rang clear
A space was made
For squeezing the win
(I don’t remember the exact words to the poem in the movie…)

heading to NZ is developing its country

in the pics: the making of a very sweet Samoan specialty called fautala. made with a special breadfruit. i think the pics are in order of 1,3,2 from top to bottom...first cooking the sugar over hot rocks, then the mixing the coconut cream, breadfruit and sugar, then the finished product. It was very sweet, very filling.

12/27
Our journey within a journey beings—to NZ that is. Here I sit veggie stand waiting for Mike’s family to pick me up so we can go the airport.

I met a samoan today, who lives in Australia, but wants to start a computer training center to link with things like music and art. Cool. His enthusiasm really impressed me. the problem is—he’s going back to Aus for two years before I get back from NZ. So our time over lapping in Samoa was about 10 minutes (actually, later when I got back he was still in the village, so we talked some more). If he’s for real, his goals will be a big boost for samoa, and especially the area where I live. There are so many applications that can generate income about and beyond knowing the basics of computers. I with my time with Andrew was longer. He has the intimate knowledge of samoan language and subtle culture that I will never have. I guess for now, our collaboration will be by email.

Today: rebuild norman’s computer (dr. Watson failed>…;( sasa le vau, jane and olsen’s, school building: pack, hot rocks on back, yoga, home: pack, shower, eat, wait and 4 corners…and now we are to the present time. (faatali I le magafa)


12/26
Why does it seem that developing countries (OK…so I’m going to use a generalization…and sometimes that’s bad) are hot(ter) and have different color skin?
Why not white people in less developed countries? Hmmm…less developed, but who’s measuring the “developeness?”


I hang with pulenuus (mayors) and faifeaus (pastors). They are poor by western standards, but live like kings by Samoan standards—especially pastors. They get A LOT of money from people in their village. Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I was living with a family who was ever more poor.

fasting makes door hollow

12/20
I’m at my friend richard’s house, looking through his pantry…ummmm..because I’m curious…about the food, and where it comes from, and who’s building empires in skies. Western family (from Portland, OR!), has butters milk and canned mixed up vegetables. Unilever (with the big U) has many many offices it seems: Australia’s food includes chow mein mince, Australasia has chicken powdered stock, and pure classico olive oil. NJ, USA has yummy skippy—this is what keeps meat on my bones here in samoa. Well…that plus the taro and bread fruit, and canned fish. And fresh frish. Frish frash frosh…well, it works in Samoan.

I watched a movie: “sam I am” I like it. Here is why:
“your eyes are older”
“I need love”
“I love yoU”
“you’re the red in her painting”

I was reading the big newspaper in Samoa: Samoan observer Dec 19th. Topics range from parents and children, to the business confidence survey, to power in rugby, to alcohol hangovers, being victims, prices of things in samoa, and also “the dilemma facing the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is that while we have contributed very little to the causes of climate change we are among the most vulnerable to its negative impacts.” I agree, ocean water rises 6 inches, many houses will be in water. Climate change brings more hurricanes and cyclones, right though these islands. There are many interesting articles (I wonder how they choose topics) in the paper in samoa. I have to say it is a WIDE variety of topics.

I was reading a book called Spiritual discipleship. “he was not yet ready for service.” Hmmmmm..I wonder what not ready for service means>..?.>?/



12/17
I saw a sign for a HOLLOW DOOR. $30 for each. The first thing I thought of was my grandpa: “I will only use solid core doors for the front door.” I wonder if they sell solid core doors in Samoa. Speaking of doors, my principal called me yesterday—someone had forced the computer lab door open at our school. I don’t know if anything was missing. But that is not a good sign. The door was NOT a solid core door. As people learn about computers and the potential value they hold. Their “value” will rise. We had a new lock installed recently, but if we have a hollow door, it’s pretty easy to get in.

Today I am fasting until about 6pm. We’ll see how far I make it. Drink lots of water. I only had a banana, and tea and water. My friend kat was doing a fast “to get closer to god.” I thought I would try because I want to fast, but not by myself. I don’t like to bounce my blood sugar like that. But I didn’t feel faint or have a headache. I prayed for my mom, grandparents, and the students, teachers, and my school—right before a Japanese woman sat down next to me. she just finished a year in Fiji studying English and was visiting samoa for 7 days. I took her to the JICA (Japanese volunteers) office because I thought they might be able to help her better than I could.

If I don’t learn anything from this PC experience, I know it will have opened my eyes to what is really sustainable. I showed my german friend how to reinstall windows on his computer. He wants to start a TV/electronics repair business and asked if I wanted to be partners with him—fixing computer. I told him I would rather teach him how to fix computers because I can only in samoa for one more year and her will be here for a LONG time. I think that would be more sustainable.

I had another thought while sitting on the bus feeling the breeze on my face. Samoans seems to have the ability to let their feelings out very easily. I see that they are very angry for a short period of time, then the anger leaves and they are happy for most of the time.
Back home in America. I see many people hold bitterness and bubbling anger just under the surface of their daily lives. It’s a different way of living. I see that way starting to enter the samoan culture. I think decisions made by the land and titles court creates bitterness. Just an example, but western court system seems to foreign to the samoan culture.

Awe in God: a halo around the cloud in front of the sun; a seed with a cape, made naturally, so it could fly far and make more.

reading community's visual box

in the pics: cleaning the pig at school... a little boy named bubba,. he.s so cute with the crispy things on his fingers...

12/13
I was thinking about samoan community, and how it seems there are many many tight connections. It may be the ultimate in “social capital”…to take a buzz term I’ve heard in America. I drew a picture of the samoan community. It was a small box with many criss-crossing lines (representing relationships) inside it. I drew a picture of community in America. It was a much larger box with maybe the same (or less) number of lines. The blank (white) space between lines is much larger in the American community box.

Reading the samoan observer…December 4 edition. Article about freedom of religion in Samoan constitution (article 11). I sure don’t feel freedom of religion in my village. If I want to fit in, and keep relationships, I go to the church (which is now being created, after a split with the neighboring village) in our village. Actually it’s a fale in front of our house. the same one used for dances (sivas), meetings (fono), bingo, and sleeping (moe).
Mr. Chief Justice: “my concern is that new religions will become a way to remove the blessings of communal living because of desires of individuals.” Hmmmm…religion clashing with communal living. BOTH very important to samoan life.

Poetry book: Raw edges. By Juliet Enid Westerlaund… to represent our country.

Visual artist: fatu feu’u
“our pacific people have opportunities but they don’t take them.”
“it is easy to walk away but hard to focus on something.”
Ingredients to success: patience, hard work, consistency.
An art studio in Samoa? Where?

“Pledge” dance group wins HIV/AIDS competition. Social dance movement and radical act of self expression. KRUMP: kingdom radically uplifted mighty praises

Daltron group computer company coming to Samoa.

Tower of girl power…line from article in teen page.




12/10
School almost finished. It was a long year..but it went by in the blink of any eye. I guess I was busy. Writing comments in school reports for students:
Very good student…lelei tele tamaiti aoga.
An average student…feololole taumafai
Good improvement…lelei taumafai ua alu i luga
Paie…lazy
Tautalaititi…cheeky
Needs to study more…toe suesue a tili
Pay attention to the teacher…Usi tai i le faiaoga

sliding rock's long name peels the onion

in the pics: some views of Apia, the main city...a big building (I think a hotel??...having a store really means the family can afford to build things, like this two story palagi style house...a view of the ocean and an old boat.

12/01
It’s December 1 with 82 degrees and 72% humidity with a nice westernly (well I cant really tell which way) south pacific breeze. I just bought three prizes for my school’s prize giving on Wednesday this week. I wonder why the soft-cover planners are more expensive than the hardcover planners. I think a hardcover planner is more elegant.

I went to the sliding rock place yesterday with Aaron, a German boy who I’m helping with computers and maybe English. He’s lived here all his life. That’s not something I could imagine myself doing. I gave him one of my helmets because I have two and he has none—and rides his bike all over town. He works at an electronics repair shop—fixing everything from TVs, stereos, VCRs, Microwaves—I think even cell phones. He knows more about the practical side of electronics and circuits that I remember from my five years of college doing electrical engineering. There are five kids in his family, and no dad, and no car. That would be tough for me. I have no car now, but also no family yet. I guess they manage, as does everyone else. Aaron says his family has land in Samoa, and wants to build a house, but they don’t have enough money. He says he will own the business someday. He seems like a quick learner. This morning I helped him find instructions to make a tent on the internet.


Let’s talk about wounds, cuts, owies, open skin on the feet. You don’t want them, because your healthy feet are very important; very hard to heal when always being bumped or rubbed against.

Samoans have long names…because of the titles?
Mulitalo Siafausa Seali’imalietoa Siafausa Vui
To’omata Alapati Poese To’omata
Seupule Afutoto T. Onofiatele leaoaniu Tuita’asauali’i
My samoan father: Tualatamalelagi Peniamina (Benjamin)

Some samoan:
Share with our extended family…fa’asoa I le aiga to’atele
Church building dedication…fa’aulu fa’alega o le falesa
Family tree…la’au o le aiga/ tuaga le aiga
What day you come?...3 ways to say in samoan
O le a le aso e toe fo’I mai ai oe?
O le a le aso e toe sau ai oe?
E toe sau foi afea?
Many words, same meaning…tele upu, e tutusa uiga

I was interested in my samoan family’s EXTENDED family, which I learned includes 5 families branching from my father, with 50+ people included.

Samoans Use information immediately….me=store information for “later”…just what I need to be faced with for two years.

new Zealand's rambling, and riding, and swimming, and...

i'm back from New Zealand. It was a good trip. I've put the text and pics on a different blog, that can be found here:

http://mrcnewzealand2009.blogspot.com/

and happy new year to everyone.

follow the strings to the milk and cookies

in the pics: prep for prize giving: my vice principal prepares the valuvalu, a taro paste type stuff; 4 students and house prize; post prize giving=next day we had a social, with some dancing..yes, i did dance;)

12/23
I finally received the official ballot for the presidential election two weeks ago. A bit late, but my heart was voting Obama anyway. It was a fun election party.

I’ve asked a few Samoans how old they are. a few had to think for a while before they gave me an answer. I wonder if that means it’s not really important to know the exact age of people in Samoa.



12/03
Overheard at the all volunteer conference for peace corps volunteers: “follow the strings” that’s the way one PCV described his experiences helping his village. No project goes in an orderly fashion. You may have one idea, but the village probably has a much different idea, or no idea at all what they need. He just listened to what he heard and put pieces together and followed the pieces and interest of the people. He presented his project about diabetes, which is a big health problem in Samoa—lots of eating, lots of fat and starch, little exercise. “nobody wants to find out they are sick.” I wouldn’t either. But I wouldn’t run from it. That’s one thing that makes it hard to start that project. Coincidentally, he had a new volunteer visit him who takes insulin shots. The mother saw it and starting asking questions, can she be tested?, and it goes from there.

Note to self, if I ever design anything for Samoan living: make it with NO removable parts. First things to get lost: the battery cover to the cell phone/ radio; the cap for the bike wheel. It would be a good design challenge to make something that can withstand the samoa life.

I was told by our medical officer to use a mosquito net at night in my room, even if I have mosquito wire on my windows (which I do). Hmmmmm…I haven’t had any problems with mozzies yet.

We heard from other volunteers who had been to far away lands, e.g. New Zealand and Australia. Good pictures, good stories, I hear the food is good in NZ. That’s good because I’m headed there end of December. I want to find good Mexican food, take a power yoga class, listen to live music (classical?), find a good mountain bike ride, do some hiking, eat milk and cookies, get some more paua shells at the factory, find a cd/dvd fixer (do those exist?).

falling water drops reminds matrix

in the pics: prize giving, a very long day, but celebrating students good works.

11/29
I feel I haven’t written much lately. A lot has happened lately. Thanksgiving/church/prize practice.

Waiting for a bus that may never show up. Could be frustrating, but this is Samoa, and my sense is the All Volunteer conference was not very well planned. (but it happened nicely). Someone told me “oh, whoever was in the office got asked to help plan.” Also said there is a bus at 8:10am. It’s not 8:45am..i’m still a very time oriented person it seems.

I sat on the ocean wall last night after a yummy thanksgiving dinner (with all the trimmings) and a movie (eagle eye—scary and sad at the end). It’s interesting who comes to say hello when you just sit, be still. I can sit almost anywhere and a samoan will come to say hello, or just sit next to me


11/20
I was watching the rain (fall from the roof) framed by the door. It reminded me of the falling symbols of the Matrix—I wonder if that’s where they got their inspiration.


11/2
Friday was the Halloween party for all volunteers in Samoa (Peace Corps, Japanese vols, Aussies)—grissly ghouls and demons from every dimension (not to mention teenage mutant ninja turtles, litterbugs, and a baby). I was Found Object man. Not the scariest of things, but oh well. The party was a hoppin at a cozy little joint called Zodiac café. The green beer was cheap and flowing. The food was a scary price for a bit of fries and a hot dog. I had a slamming headache to go with the slamming music. I sat back in the chair and let every thing absorb…looked up and saw a star fall out of the sky.

Star light, star bright
Falling fast and furious

Do not forget the fight
Of those before and
Those after.

Shine light bright in your flight
So that you will fight with right might.

Democratic candidate eats history with his beans

in the pics: Thanksgiving! two peace corps friends and a BIG plate of food. yum
also, my principal (seated) and vice principal I think this was prize giving day.

10/25
Yesterday, we bought a ticket to NZ. That seems like a big relief. Having a definite plan. Now…who’s brain can I pick that has been to NZ? South island, that is. Apia to Auckland to Christchurch…dec 28-jan12.

This morning…a relaxing, slow morning. Sip tea, read book, feel the heat rise. Listen to the rustle of leaves, drip of brief shower rain. Time to go to PC office, make breakfast, buy food, hop on bus, bounce back to the village, go for a swim.

End of the day: I made breakfast, finished the baked beans my mom sent me, along with some bread and cheese and eggs. I watched Team America with another volunteer. It’s amazing what you can get puppets to do. Walked to the store, waited for the bus, got to the village at my school, did some yoga by the ocean, swam around the great clam protected area (faasua), drank some samoan beer with the matais, dinner and a good sleep.



10/24
From a newsweek article about the republican vice presidential candidate…The fundamental process of upward mobility has broken down…are you better off than you were four years ago?...they know not what they are. we know not what to do.
…I’m always interested when I read or hear that the upward mobility ability has broken or stopped or slowed. I believe America has always been (and always will be) a place where someone who is inventive, persistent, patient, and decisive will get to where they want to go in their journey. Even those who are in the “minority” or “at risk” label, though it may take a little more of these qualities.

Another movie: Mirrors. No happy ending. Sad. Man protecting family; digs deep; kicks butt; looks on from the other side of mirror. What a twisted ending.

much Payne helps to satifsy hungers

in the pics: two pictures of busses, each one has a very different personality. although there is a "fleet" of yellow busses that are very much the same.
Fixing computers at my school. A view of the "guts" of two computers with that extra special (and expensive) canned air to keep the pesky dust away...well, we try anyway.

10/20
“we just eat to satisfy the hunger.” Said our science teacher. Just to satisfy hunger…because there may not be enough for everyone to eat until they are full (maona). Most times in America I’ve eaten until I was full, way past the “just to satisfy hunger” stage. I think a lot of it was because I was so active I felt I would melt away if I didn’t eat a lot. And I was hungry all the time. I don’t know if I can relate to this very well. I’ve always eaten as much as I wanted.

I watched a movie called Max Payne. There was a lot of pain in the movie, but peace at the ending, which is nice. Man kicks butt for family. I like that. Isn’t that what anyone would do…well, maybe not as violently. Based on a video game…aren’t movies usually based on books or plays? Another video game called Resident Evil is having movies made, and I hear they are doing quite well at the box office.

There are many countries I see helping samoa: USA (peace corps volunteers), Japan (JICA volunteers), Australia sends youth ambassadors and some money (AusAid), New Zealand gives money, Canada builds health supply storage buildings, and I just saw a white van that had the Turkish flag on it…something about health I think.

Some reading that I did…I don’t even remember the title of the book..but it was in the afterword (or whatever the part after the book is called):
“fourth and most important issue hinges on a word much in play these days: offence. I find this most worrying aspect of the whole affair because it is symptomatic of deep and far reaching changes in our political, social, and cultural life.
If the feelings run (or are seen to run) high and deep enough, a good price will be fetched.
If the best we can say is how we feel about something, we turn from reason to a type of emotivism in which the frameworks for moral and political judgments collapse.
If offence is felt, the artists has no recourse.
Accepting that that voice can be every bit as rich and nuanced, individual and interesting as any other is profoundly political in a society which too often measures its minorities in banner headlines.”

I believe that many times the minorities are more rich and nuanced than the…non minority labeled group. They just need to turn up the volume on that richness. I say “they” because I am not a minority and no where else have I seen it more than right here in Samoa. I am a minority on this island, but this is a small island. All islanders seem to know that white people lead to help and possibility a better life. Why is it that skin color so often seems to determine how well off financially we one is? Notice I didn’t say happy…I know many samoans who are more happy than many of my friends in America.