Poetry's visiting slacker

11/19/07

Aua le pisi...don't the noise-->be quite..a good classroom command to know.





I'm beginning to understand how much power a teacher has in Samoa.
Volunteer visit…where we go to a current volunteer’s home and work and see what they do; how they survive. I was with Steven who works at a primary school called Vaitele-Uta (also the name of the village). He is the computer teacher in a lab with ten computers and “broadband” internet. Internet companies charge by the MB here, so it can get very expensive very quickly. He lives on the school grounds—so it seems kind of secluded. The two main people he talks to outside of school are Afa (a 21 year old Samoan who really likes computers), and a night watchman who kind of creeps him out. It makes me think about whether I really want to live alone or with a family. I want my alone time, but there is so much to gain from living with a family.

The other big thing is that steven doesn’t use a frig or stove. He uses a rice cooker a lot. It cooks pasta and a can of tomatoes very well (in picture)…chicken...well, had to re-cooked until it was done. We should have cut it into smaller pieces the first time.

Steven’s school is the largest government school with about 360 kids and 20 teachers. The computers are rather new because the school is part of the School Net program which provides computers and internet to five pilot schools in Samoa.

Steven talks about volunteers not being a push over—I’d like to know (iloa) more about that. He says trainees seem to be too worried about offending Samoans. I don’t want to be a push over, and I don’t want to take on too much too soon.

Steven has found a counterpart in Afa, who runs the canteen at school. He may be good for teaching computer classes. It sounds like a promising situation—the principal (the position seems to have a lot of power at schools in general) supports it. Steven says if you really need to learn Samoan you will. for PCV that teach primary school, or are village based development, they will need to learn Samoan…secondary school teachers—like me—may not NEED to. I still want to learn Samoan.

What is Peace Corps’ reputation? A couple of us (PCTrainees) have been talking about the PC reputation when volunteers leave early. I guess a few people are not happy—a few PCV who were placed at SchoolNet.na sites left early. Bottom line—when a school starts to rely on a PCV, and they leave early, everybody hurts. I don’t like it.

Older people—listen up! Samoa is a place wehre age is respected, so an older volunteer will be listened to more and get more done. Check it out==older people are needed. Peace Corps has a 50+ initiative. My experience at Training Inc suggests that for profit companies don’t’ want to hrie older workers:(

Does having things given to you through aid and relatives living in other countries—promote idleness? I think people have priorities, and one person’s idea of progress may be different than anothers. Our training village—Lalomauga—built a church by themselves. It’s interesting to hear stories of what works and what doesn’t work.

My current reading… “who’s looking out for you?” by Bill O’Reilly. He has interesting views. I think he’s a “conservative.” he says “the so-called justice system in American is not looking out for you.” Not equal justice. He seems to support families and minorities. I had parts I wanated to type but one of my agreements is no typing while I’m in Peace Corps..except for this blog and maybe some poetry.. Bottom line, look out for yourself, “art of self-protection” “flirt with tolerance.” In search of Nomads. By john Ure. Now I want to go find some Bakhtiari. It seems the women are an adventurous type…there have been more women explorers than men in the book so far! It’s nice to take my mind off of training and the push to learn Samoan. I found a poetry book!! To Young Artist in Contemplation” it’s giving me inspiration lines I can use to start new poems…such as “listen to the stars. Awakening to this woman. Taxis zoom and zoom. When dogs do not howl. Poetry of rain. Empower this native. Unbelievable lightness of not being. Gods of hope.”

Poetry can be so revealing.
I think my brain is empty now…tomorrow the 21st we have our processing of volunteer visit...and probably more language!…I think only 2.5 weeks of training left! We are in Apia at the hotel until Saturday, then go to the village for two final weeks…maybe a week after that.