training village yummy
10/17
It’s interesting to think about how Western culture is pressing into Samoan ways (fa’asamoa). There’s a Mcdonald’s on the Corner in Apia close to our hotel. I see man samoans in jeans and shorts. I see the Manikins in the store windows with the 36-24-36 hour glass shape body..what does that do to a young girl when that has not been the way forever? Kind of like what I saw in Zimbabwe.
The open houses (fales) I see right next to the road where cars are zooming by at 50-60mph make me sad.
Today’s morning was our normal schedule—breakfast, check in at 8am, first session at 8:30am (we talked culture: the seen and unseen, morning tea and snack at 10am and another session (more culture) then ate lunch, but the afternoon we went to Annie Gray’s hotel where we had our water safety session—and went snorkling. It was really pretty! I swam with a school of small fish right before I got back on the boat. I put lots of sunblock on this time—I got burned Monday when we went to another beach for the day off after White Sunday.
I am missing my normal workouts.
10/28
I took my journal to the training village thinking I would make time to write something in it…nope. We got back from the village on the 27th, had a Halloween party for the kids at the hotel we are staying at for training, then went to a costume party..for the big kids at a PCV house. I was kind of dorky and didn't dress up..but I had a good time..and saw the cool robot and a few crazy natives. It was cool..sorry not pics though.
Samoa seems to be placing emphasis on youth “Year of the Youth.” On our way to church this morning we passed a youth place. I heard some music with a drumset. Oh I really wanted to go inside.
Our group had our first big “test”…called an LTA…I forgot what it stands for..but I passed though..we discussed out training village family tree..all in Samoan!.
Our training village is Lalomauga (meaning under the mountain). Very pretty. It took a few days to get used to the quiet—totally not like Boston!
Food cravings—my stomach doesn’t feel settled—I think the milk I used to drink really helped settle my stomach. I miss tomato, cucumber, and mozzarella cheese salad, tortillas and muenster cheese. They do have Pringles in Samoa;)
They also have Coca Cola Dynamic Ribbon Device..the joys of marketing…
Samoa has sweet lightning storms—tonight and last night. I wish I was closer.
10/29
“Malo. soi fua” hello and good health.
Tsunami drill today..using cell phones to notify everyone. Walk in the hot sun to Chanel college. I told another PCV that if tsunami really came, I wouls tand and wait for it to come and get me..i love water! Today we found out where we will be serving—Lafanga Secondary School!!! They want a computer teacher and also a math and physics teacher. Should be interesting. I haven’t done any physics since college, and it was mostly theory. My classes will be all hands on—learning about some rugby and Frisbee arcs;)
More diet..my training family uses a lot of salt. The food they fed me was salty enough without extra salt. Samoans live much closer to the land than most Americans I think. My host family in the training village have pigs and chickens and kill them the day they eat them..yum…much less processed food, much heavier, thick food. Than I’m used to.
I keep thinking about how Samoans see health. Diabetes and glaucoma seem to be big here. It has been hard for me to adjust to the lack of movement. I went walking with my new mother..she got tired pretty easily..but I hope I can walk more with her.
I saw my first sunset today..i love sunsets..and sunrises. The other PCV rode in the landcruiser to HOT and Spicy, a decent restaurant. ..but I love to walk and look at sunsets…
Hot tips..good syncopation: Robert frip and andew summers. Good percussion…the Meters. My roommate, erik has some cool music….
Until next time..stay cool…
sorry no pics right now..out of time..
It’s interesting to think about how Western culture is pressing into Samoan ways (fa’asamoa). There’s a Mcdonald’s on the Corner in Apia close to our hotel. I see man samoans in jeans and shorts. I see the Manikins in the store windows with the 36-24-36 hour glass shape body..what does that do to a young girl when that has not been the way forever? Kind of like what I saw in Zimbabwe.
The open houses (fales) I see right next to the road where cars are zooming by at 50-60mph make me sad.
Today’s morning was our normal schedule—breakfast, check in at 8am, first session at 8:30am (we talked culture: the seen and unseen, morning tea and snack at 10am and another session (more culture) then ate lunch, but the afternoon we went to Annie Gray’s hotel where we had our water safety session—and went snorkling. It was really pretty! I swam with a school of small fish right before I got back on the boat. I put lots of sunblock on this time—I got burned Monday when we went to another beach for the day off after White Sunday.
I am missing my normal workouts.
10/28
I took my journal to the training village thinking I would make time to write something in it…nope. We got back from the village on the 27th, had a Halloween party for the kids at the hotel we are staying at for training, then went to a costume party..for the big kids at a PCV house. I was kind of dorky and didn't dress up..but I had a good time..and saw the cool robot and a few crazy natives. It was cool..sorry not pics though.
Samoa seems to be placing emphasis on youth “Year of the Youth.” On our way to church this morning we passed a youth place. I heard some music with a drumset. Oh I really wanted to go inside.
Our group had our first big “test”…called an LTA…I forgot what it stands for..but I passed though..we discussed out training village family tree..all in Samoan!.
Our training village is Lalomauga (meaning under the mountain). Very pretty. It took a few days to get used to the quiet—totally not like Boston!
Food cravings—my stomach doesn’t feel settled—I think the milk I used to drink really helped settle my stomach. I miss tomato, cucumber, and mozzarella cheese salad, tortillas and muenster cheese. They do have Pringles in Samoa;)
They also have Coca Cola Dynamic Ribbon Device..the joys of marketing…
Samoa has sweet lightning storms—tonight and last night. I wish I was closer.
10/29
“Malo. soi fua” hello and good health.
Tsunami drill today..using cell phones to notify everyone. Walk in the hot sun to Chanel college. I told another PCV that if tsunami really came, I wouls tand and wait for it to come and get me..i love water! Today we found out where we will be serving—Lafanga Secondary School!!! They want a computer teacher and also a math and physics teacher. Should be interesting. I haven’t done any physics since college, and it was mostly theory. My classes will be all hands on—learning about some rugby and Frisbee arcs;)
More diet..my training family uses a lot of salt. The food they fed me was salty enough without extra salt. Samoans live much closer to the land than most Americans I think. My host family in the training village have pigs and chickens and kill them the day they eat them..yum…much less processed food, much heavier, thick food. Than I’m used to.
I keep thinking about how Samoans see health. Diabetes and glaucoma seem to be big here. It has been hard for me to adjust to the lack of movement. I went walking with my new mother..she got tired pretty easily..but I hope I can walk more with her.
I saw my first sunset today..i love sunsets..and sunrises. The other PCV rode in the landcruiser to HOT and Spicy, a decent restaurant. ..but I love to walk and look at sunsets…
Hot tips..good syncopation: Robert frip and andew summers. Good percussion…the Meters. My roommate, erik has some cool music….
Until next time..stay cool…
sorry no pics right now..out of time..
posted by bigchainring at 1:45 AM
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