follow the strings to the milk and cookies

in the pics: prep for prize giving: my vice principal prepares the valuvalu, a taro paste type stuff; 4 students and house prize; post prize giving=next day we had a social, with some dancing..yes, i did dance;)

12/23
I finally received the official ballot for the presidential election two weeks ago. A bit late, but my heart was voting Obama anyway. It was a fun election party.

I’ve asked a few Samoans how old they are. a few had to think for a while before they gave me an answer. I wonder if that means it’s not really important to know the exact age of people in Samoa.



12/03
Overheard at the all volunteer conference for peace corps volunteers: “follow the strings” that’s the way one PCV described his experiences helping his village. No project goes in an orderly fashion. You may have one idea, but the village probably has a much different idea, or no idea at all what they need. He just listened to what he heard and put pieces together and followed the pieces and interest of the people. He presented his project about diabetes, which is a big health problem in Samoa—lots of eating, lots of fat and starch, little exercise. “nobody wants to find out they are sick.” I wouldn’t either. But I wouldn’t run from it. That’s one thing that makes it hard to start that project. Coincidentally, he had a new volunteer visit him who takes insulin shots. The mother saw it and starting asking questions, can she be tested?, and it goes from there.

Note to self, if I ever design anything for Samoan living: make it with NO removable parts. First things to get lost: the battery cover to the cell phone/ radio; the cap for the bike wheel. It would be a good design challenge to make something that can withstand the samoa life.

I was told by our medical officer to use a mosquito net at night in my room, even if I have mosquito wire on my windows (which I do). Hmmmmm…I haven’t had any problems with mozzies yet.

We heard from other volunteers who had been to far away lands, e.g. New Zealand and Australia. Good pictures, good stories, I hear the food is good in NZ. That’s good because I’m headed there end of December. I want to find good Mexican food, take a power yoga class, listen to live music (classical?), find a good mountain bike ride, do some hiking, eat milk and cookies, get some more paua shells at the factory, find a cd/dvd fixer (do those exist?).