Poetry's counterpart cooks on high bandwidth
11/19
Volunteer visit with Steven...
Steven (Setivi) 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 be very expensive. And I’ve seen someone getting kicked out for doing video stuff—i.e. high bandwidth work. 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). It makes me think about whether I really want to live alone or 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 cooked pasta and can of tomatoes very well. Steven’s school is the largest government school with about 360 kids and 20 teachers. The computers are rather new because school is part of the school net program, which provides computers and internet to five schools in Samoa (as part of the pilot program).
Steven talks about volunteers not being a push over—I’d like to know (iloa..in Samoan) more about that. He says trainees seem to be too worried about offending Samoans. I don’t want to be a pushover, and I don’t want to take on too much too soon…my school wants me to teach computers…and maths, and physics. We’ll be playing a lot a rugby and ultimate Frisbee to demonstrate the math and physics. Samoans are very handson, so that is a good thing. So am I.
Steven has found a counterpart in Afa, who runs the canteen at school. A counterpart every PCV is encouraged to find to work on the sustainability/capacity building/skills transfer. The idea is that the PCV will teach all the skills they have to the counterpart, who will continue the work after the PCV leaves. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I just had an interesting conversation with another trainee about an American coming to Samoa and the expectation that is placed on them to “know” what they are supposed to be doing—in our case, teaching. We all want to do well, and sometimes it might be a little too much. But I think we have valuable resources in other volunteers who been-here-done-that, and current volunteers. And this is a great learning process, as we teach and learn at the same time. That’s one of the big things that attracted me to PC.
Afa may be good for teaching computer classes. It sounds like a promising situation—the principal supports it. And principals seem to have a lot of power in Samoa. Everything needs to go through them. Steven said if you really need to learn Samoan you will. For a PCV that teach primary school, or are village based development. If you teach secondary school—where all teaching is done in English, it may be more challenging to learn Samoan. I still want to learn Samoan.
My current reading….Who’s Looking Out for You? By Bill O’Reilly. Interesting. He has interesting views. I think he’s a “conservative” he says “the so-called “justice system” in America is not looking out for you,” not equal justice. He seems to support families and minorities. I had parts I wanted to type but one of my agreements is no typing while I’m in PC. Bottom line: look out for yourself. “art of self-protection” “flirt with tolerance”….a few interesting pieces of the book.
Also reading “In Search of Nomads” By John Ure. Now I want to go find some Bakhtiari. It seems the women are an adventurous type. It’s nice to take my mind off of training and the push to learn Samoan.
A couple of us (PCT) 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 sites have 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 where age is respected, so an older volunteer will be listened to more—and get more done. This may not be the case in America. 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 hire older workers. That’s too bad in my mind. A lot of experience and wisdom going to waste.
Does having things given to you through aid and relatives in other countries promote idleness? I think people have priorities—our training village built a church by themselves. It’s interesting to hear stories of what works and what doesn’t.
I found a sweet poetry book called “To a Young Artist in Contemplation.” By Sia Figiel. Here are few lines that inspire me: Listen to the starts…awakening to this woman…taxis zoom and zoom…when dogs to not howl…poetry of rain…empower this native…unbelievable lightness of not being. Her writing is very raw…how mine seems to be when I write “for real.” Some other writers she mentions: albert Wendt. Junot Diaz. Poetry can be so revealing.
A few things I wish I could say in samoan to some people i’ve met: “I’m not happy about the hitting. I want you to succeed. What does success/happiness mean to you?”
Volunteer visit with Steven...
Steven (Setivi) 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 be very expensive. And I’ve seen someone getting kicked out for doing video stuff—i.e. high bandwidth work. 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). It makes me think about whether I really want to live alone or 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 cooked pasta and can of tomatoes very well. Steven’s school is the largest government school with about 360 kids and 20 teachers. The computers are rather new because school is part of the school net program, which provides computers and internet to five schools in Samoa (as part of the pilot program).
Steven talks about volunteers not being a push over—I’d like to know (iloa..in Samoan) more about that. He says trainees seem to be too worried about offending Samoans. I don’t want to be a pushover, and I don’t want to take on too much too soon…my school wants me to teach computers…and maths, and physics. We’ll be playing a lot a rugby and ultimate Frisbee to demonstrate the math and physics. Samoans are very handson, so that is a good thing. So am I.
Steven has found a counterpart in Afa, who runs the canteen at school. A counterpart every PCV is encouraged to find to work on the sustainability/capacity building/skills transfer. The idea is that the PCV will teach all the skills they have to the counterpart, who will continue the work after the PCV leaves. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I just had an interesting conversation with another trainee about an American coming to Samoa and the expectation that is placed on them to “know” what they are supposed to be doing—in our case, teaching. We all want to do well, and sometimes it might be a little too much. But I think we have valuable resources in other volunteers who been-here-done-that, and current volunteers. And this is a great learning process, as we teach and learn at the same time. That’s one of the big things that attracted me to PC.
Afa may be good for teaching computer classes. It sounds like a promising situation—the principal supports it. And principals seem to have a lot of power in Samoa. Everything needs to go through them. Steven said if you really need to learn Samoan you will. For a PCV that teach primary school, or are village based development. If you teach secondary school—where all teaching is done in English, it may be more challenging to learn Samoan. I still want to learn Samoan.
My current reading….Who’s Looking Out for You? By Bill O’Reilly. Interesting. He has interesting views. I think he’s a “conservative” he says “the so-called “justice system” in America is not looking out for you,” not equal justice. He seems to support families and minorities. I had parts I wanted to type but one of my agreements is no typing while I’m in PC. Bottom line: look out for yourself. “art of self-protection” “flirt with tolerance”….a few interesting pieces of the book.
Also reading “In Search of Nomads” By John Ure. Now I want to go find some Bakhtiari. It seems the women are an adventurous type. It’s nice to take my mind off of training and the push to learn Samoan.
A couple of us (PCT) 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 sites have 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 where age is respected, so an older volunteer will be listened to more—and get more done. This may not be the case in America. 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 hire older workers. That’s too bad in my mind. A lot of experience and wisdom going to waste.
Does having things given to you through aid and relatives in other countries promote idleness? I think people have priorities—our training village built a church by themselves. It’s interesting to hear stories of what works and what doesn’t.
I found a sweet poetry book called “To a Young Artist in Contemplation.” By Sia Figiel. Here are few lines that inspire me: Listen to the starts…awakening to this woman…taxis zoom and zoom…when dogs to not howl…poetry of rain…empower this native…unbelievable lightness of not being. Her writing is very raw…how mine seems to be when I write “for real.” Some other writers she mentions: albert Wendt. Junot Diaz. Poetry can be so revealing.
A few things I wish I could say in samoan to some people i’ve met: “I’m not happy about the hitting. I want you to succeed. What does success/happiness mean to you?”
posted by bigchainring at 6:20 PM
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