the Language rests upon a good bike fly
in the pics: three little boys in the Village Lalomauga, The Music director and his wife at Tafagamanu, my bike!!...and a horn??
1/12
I’m still learning that it’s really hard to get any rest (malolo) in our fale, with four little kids (tamaititi laititi) bouncing around. I was trying to sleep after eating, what we do on a Sunday. I’m in the front fale, and have my headphones in. I hear little kids yelling and screaming. One of them (Ala) repeatedly says “palagi palagi palagi.” I’m working on getting him to say my name. I sit up and look around. Now six of seven little kids are bouncing. Ina jumps to sit down in front of me, looking at me wide eyed. I must have been a little annoyed, because I gave him a slap to the face. does it have to be kids bouncing or kids crying? How about kids that have an off switch for a little bit? I walk to the school building (faleaoga).
Along the way to the faleaoga, I walk by a small roadside fale where a group of men are hanging out. I have a complete conversation in Samoan with Sticker. That was cool, even if I was guessing what he was saying. …kind of know where the conversation is going, and I can pick out one or two key words (as Leata says).
1/10
I’m more excited about the language learning now than I was in training. I feel that I can add words now and use them instantly in my environment. In training, it was all just dumping words and other information into my brain. I’m not very good at that. But now I’m unpacking the language, and other notes I took. I’m glad I wrote down good notes.
From what I’ve seen and learned about Samoa, if I want to get attention and something done, I should have a competition with some dancing and throw in a camera to take video o
r picturesàa winning combination.
I learned that my family has used funds from the South Pacific Business development Association ((http://www.spbd.org)/) on two different occasions. One loan was for chemicals for our plantation (which I have yet to see). The other was for cement and stones for an addition to our house. Now the front is Samoan style, and the rear is Palagi style (meaning more enclosed). I think each loan was about $15,000. we are still repaying the second loan.
1/8
Yea!@!! Our bikes came yesterday, were assembled, and I got a lift from one of the PeaceCorps drivers out to my site with the bike. A nice new Giant (hey, same as my bike back home) Upland SE, full cro-moly. Rather heavy, but it has front shocks, a cushioned seat, some sweet circular wheel reflectors, even a kickstand to reminisce my of BMX days. And, it comes with a kick’n horn, on top of the bell. I also found a stick that would be a good size to keep pesky dogs away from me. I really don’t want to hit things that chase me with intention to bite, but if I have to I will. The problem is that I’ve one ridden it once..a short ride. Since it is the rainy season now—very heavy rain (mamafa tele timuga), I have not seen the sun for the last 4 days,and it is raining as I write this. I’m so happy to have my bike, I may just go for a mud
ride, mmmm fun like in college up in Forest Park. I’ve been warned that the bikes need to stay well oiled. WD-40, my new best friend. I have a large can. I also noticed that the brakes seem to be reversed. I’m used to the right hand break as the rear. On this new bike it’s the front break. I think i’m going to try and reverse them because I don’t trust my instincts to reverse along with the breaks in tight situations. And I really don’t want to have more “over the handlebar” experiences. I’ve had my fill.
I’m still learning that it’s really hard to get any rest (malolo) in our fale, with four little kids (tamaititi laititi) bouncing around. I was trying to sleep after eating, what we do on a Sunday. I’m in the front fale, and have my headphones in. I hear little kids yelling and screaming. One of them (Ala) repeatedly says “palagi palagi palagi.” I’m working on getting him to say my name. I sit up and look around. Now six of seven little kids are bouncing. Ina jumps to sit down in front of me, looking at me wide eyed. I must have been a little annoyed, because I gave him a slap to the face. does it have to be kids bouncing or kids crying? How about kids that have an off switch for a little bit? I walk to the school building (faleaoga).
Along the way to the faleaoga, I walk by a small roadside fale where a group of men are hanging out. I have a complete conversation in Samoan with Sticker. That was cool, even if I was guessing what he was saying. …kind of know where the conversation is going, and I can pick out one or two key words (as Leata says).
1/10
I’m more excited about the language learning now than I was in training. I feel that I can add words now and use them instantly in my environment. In training, it was all just dumping words and other information into my brain. I’m not very good at that. But now I’m unpacking the language, and other notes I took. I’m glad I wrote down good notes.
From what I’ve seen and learned about Samoa, if I want to get attention and something done, I should have a competition with some dancing and throw in a camera to take video o
r picturesàa winning combination.I learned that my family has used funds from the South Pacific Business development Association ((http://www.spbd.org)/) on two different occasions. One loan was for chemicals for our plantation (which I have yet to see). The other was for cement and stones for an addition to our house. Now the front is Samoan style, and the rear is Palagi style (meaning more enclosed). I think each loan was about $15,000. we are still repaying the second loan.
1/8
Yea!@!! Our bikes came yesterday, were assembled, and I got a lift from one of the PeaceCorps drivers out to my site with the bike. A nice new Giant (hey, same as my bike back home) Upland SE, full cro-moly. Rather heavy, but it has front shocks, a cushioned seat, some sweet circular wheel reflectors, even a kickstand to reminisce my of BMX days. And, it comes with a kick’n horn, on top of the bell. I also found a stick that would be a good size to keep pesky dogs away from me. I really don’t want to hit things that chase me with intention to bite, but if I have to I will. The problem is that I’ve one ridden it once..a short ride. Since it is the rainy season now—very heavy rain (mamafa tele timuga), I have not seen the sun for the last 4 days,and it is raining as I write this. I’m so happy to have my bike, I may just go for a mud
ride, mmmm fun like in college up in Forest Park. I’ve been warned that the bikes need to stay well oiled. WD-40, my new best friend. I have a large can. I also noticed that the brakes seem to be reversed. I’m used to the right hand break as the rear. On this new bike it’s the front break. I think i’m going to try and reverse them because I don’t trust my instincts to reverse along with the breaks in tight situations. And I really don’t want to have more “over the handlebar” experiences. I’ve had my fill.
posted by bigchainring at 8:40 PM
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