sunset's dancing on my umu

in the pics: ahhh....laundry in a bucket, or two buckets to be exact; a trip to the story, to buy 6 lbs of that yummy corned beef for my family.

9/28
What I ate for dinner tonight: chicken and beans, pieces of fried pig (fasi pua’a) and lau pele (a green spinach type of veggie), taro and coconut cream sauce, and miti (a salty white thin coconut cream sauce with mackerel in it—a distinctly fish flavor. These were the leftovers from the umu this morning.
What I’m listening to right now: some Christian rap (I’ve never heard this before). It sounds like gangster rap, but lyrics are all Jesus. Also listening to a Christian group/choir called “Hillsong” they seem to be very big in Australia.

I helped make the umu this morning. A 6 month old pig was killed for a visiting pastor (a big event—six pigs killed). I watched Mona pull the guts out of the pig. Always…interesting. I ate some fresh cooked pig liver. I watched Peni kill a chicken by putting his thumb against it’s throat. The steps for an umu: 1) build fire with rocks on top. 2) spread hot rocks after fire burns down. 3) put the food on the hot rocks and build rocks up around. 4) put leaves (and mats?) on the food to keep smoke inside. 5) remove leaves/mats and see nice golden pig and browned breadfruit. 6) enjoy with your favorite sauce. I helped carry the pig to church for preparing the food for the visiting pastor. Tele tele mea ai. Giving of gifts: 2 pigs (that I saw), 8 boxes of makrel (elegi), 4 fine mats (a smaller weave than regular mats), $600 tala. I had lunch with pastors and 6 matai. And my samoan mom.

Sunset! OK…4 seconds and turn up the sun!!. how to describe? Not sure right now? Super bright golden orange yellow deliciousness reflecting off the water. Very nice. A slow fade, red, grey, darkness.
New samoan words: taofi: hold. Kalesia: congregational. Puipui: protect. Puipuiaga: protection. There is a pattern with the “fa’a” at the beginning of words (added to verbs) and “aga” at the end of words (to make them nouns). Sili le puipui I lo le togafitia. Prevention is better than cure.

What I’m reading now: since I don’t have everyday access to internet, I have to rely on books and magazines in our library at school. I’ve been reading National Geographic. February 1993 issue: an article about the Mekong River that meanders and crashes through China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It’s a different world, but the pictures are so cool. Pg 25: picture of a house on stilts that is on dry land during the dry season, and only shows the tree tops during the wet season. The pictures in NG rock.
Newsweek; sept 1, 2008. articles about Barack Obama. Has he really not defined what he stands for and got into the meat of how he will do it? I don’t know if I will be able to vote from way over here in Samoa and Nov 4 is a Tuesday, which means I have to teach, and can’t be in Apia at the Embassy to watch the election coverage;(

Things I haven’t touched since I’ve been in samoa: my external mouse (I use my touch pad, or the computers in the lab), my microphone (I don’t have internet access at my school, so no Skype), my network cord…no network…yet…I hear rumors that we may get “newer” computers next year, with a network???maybe…well’see.


9/27
Tennis! We’re finally getting a schedule set on the weekends when I go to Apia: Friday eve is the dinner group. Sat morning is tennis. Sunday is church and small group starting soon. It’s been a long time since I’ve held a tennis racquet, and my forehand shows, very weak; and I can’t my forehand top spin to go where I want it to land. It usually hits the net or goes out now. I miss MY racquets. It was very very hot and humid. I suggested we start at 9am instead of 10am. Hotel Kitano wants $20 tala/person? That is too much for us. We may be playing somewhere else soon. We’ll see. But it was awesome to hit a tennis ball in Samoa.


9/26
Dance dance dance. A (hot and smoky) dance at Savai tonight. Many people came, after 9:30pm or so. Dance started at 7pm…some visitors from Australia danced to Waltzing Matilda at the start, before the boom boom music started. I don’t really know how else to say it. Someone said my dance style is too bouncy. Yes, I danced with some cute girls. I think the teachers that were there got a kick out of my dance style.