new journal finds serious working life

in the pictures: a few of the animals in our family. Ina the pig, Foster the dog, who always seems to get into fights--a very bloody eye and torn pieces of ear. the dogs are not treated here very well, but I love animals.

And one of our 3 cats.

1/16
A new journal starts now…#6 in the sequence…included in the awesome care package from my mom.

It so amazes me how a product can come from anywhere—some toothbrushes my mom sent me—made in Germany and USA, Distributed by OH. In samoa I see the power of the world economy—things coming from China, Indonesia, USA (lots of tools at the hardware store).

Samoa is researching the best ways to extract ethonal from breadfruit (a lot of it goes to waste on the ground)—more fuel is good with seven new cars on the island every day. (that really seems impossible to me!)

Samoans don’t show kids respect—Jesus bends down to the child, leper, prostitute (I wonder what Bible verses these are). If Samoans really want to follow Jesus, this is the way, but also opposite of the Samoan culture. There are clashes. I guess sometimes the culture just gets to me.

Some pieces of random phrasing…I saw on TV I think.
“how to give meaning to life”
“slightest change in our minds”
“experience is indeed the path”

So we come to the end of the first book I picked out of the PC library (In Search of Nomads). Wow, other people have read 8,9,10…15 books already. I must read slow a note on freedom:

“And another thing they [nomads] all had in common was that they set a premium on freedom: freedom of movement, freedom from authority, freedom from the habitual anxieties of urban living, freedom from the constraints of organized agriculture, freedom from any convention but their own.”
Some words I’d like to throw into Google(with the quotes):
“serious working life”
“experience the sensation”
“interfering do gooder” (this is how I feel sometimes in Samoa—why can’t we just leave them alone and let them do their thing?),
“follow knowledge like a sinking star”
“Isabel Burton journal”
“brand that marks the nomad”
“peculiar blend of head strong determination”
“among genuine nomads”
poem: The land by Vita SackvilleWest;
Poem: The Collar by George Herbert
Book: Grass by Merian Cooper (also a movie)
“Qashqai sayings” and proverbs
“Bakhtiari sayings” and proverbs

But the Google is not everything, only as good as people are at writing it down, typing it up, and creating a web page. Fa’asamoa, I don’t think this happens very much. Samoan culture is oral. People have to slow down to read, and even more so to write. I think that’s also why Samoan children have trouble reading and writing the Samoan language. In the global economy these skills and way of thinking will be valuable.

Mineral's water service to the wetness

In the pictures:

1. volleyball is a way of life here, every afternoon. Makes me wonder if Samoans would be good in tournaments. A TV show I watched about Brazilian kids said the same thing. Brazilian soccer is so good because it is a way of life from a young age.

2. My toes and Safeway...toes on my right foot are still fighting the fungus. The little Safeway symbol on the GoCola can; where I started in the world of work (in the US that is;)

3. A view of the bay. You can see the waves breaking on the reef and the rock I'd like to sit on waaaay out on the point, but it might take a while to get out there.

1/19
Fast fact from the TV (courtesy BBC WorldNews): much mineral water from Italy goes to US, where it’s now a $15billion industry.
$15billion dollars, I can’t even start to imagine how much money that is. A lot.

I feel like I’m not doing much in the way of service. I’m treated very well, meaning most things are done for me: making food, washing clothes, even the locked box: I wanted to help build with my Samoan father. Because I live with a family, and have nothing in our house that locks, the PC Country Director wanted me to have a box that locks. I went looking for such a box with one of the staff, and it turns out that such a box is hard to find (as with many other things). We found a box that Blue Bird Lumber ships their glass in. I thought it was OK—but needed to be assembled—add hinges and a lock. I ended up taking it home and my father (lo’u tama) took one look at it and said “no good”. The wood is thin fiberboard. My father brought out some heavier wood, and I hear him making it now. I tried to help (fesoasoani), but he said “go read a book” in good English. I know it’s early in my service, and people have said it will take a year (good god that’s a long time) to figure out my place and lock the pieces in. It takes so much to effectively transfer skill. So I guess all systems need to be on “take it easy” mode (faifai lemu)…and calm the little hamster that wants to spin the cage round and round…the type A personality needs to sleep, leave the room, chill out, find his inner B. and my toe needs to heal because it’s really getting irritating. Speaking of wet…

The wetness seeps everywhere (timu tele aso uma). Much rain everyday, rain much every day (literal translation). It’s interesting how the sentence structure is in Samoa.

I’m listening to some Medeski, Martin & Wood (courtesy of Eric;), with some sweet string bass, reminds of an old girl friend (uo) who loved string bass. I hope she’s doing her thing.

Blacknotes' collective

in the pictures: My Samoan mother (Sofa'i--in white) and other people right before church. Dori, flashing a symbol. Dancing from our family's church service and party (lotu aiga ma siva)

blacknotes2
just a recap: these are some memorable notes I took during training. Or at least I think they’re interesting.
we left off on…culture I think. 1 in 4 Samoans has or is predisposed to diabetes. That’s a lot of people. I wonder if there is any diabetes education on the island. I could work that into an internet research project…I may have already mentioned this, but it’s so a part of my culture I thought I would say it again. In samoa it is rude to walk, and eat or drink, or eat and drink. In America, I always did this, and I always smelled my food. Oh well, another sensory experience goes underground…Fafafine culture is complex. I’m sure it is, and I’m getting a first hand experience because there are three fafafines in my family. They like cats (still don’t like dogs), do the house chores, and sit with the women in church. Well I guess you can count me one too if that means you write poetry, “do” art, and like animals.so step up. The Prime Minister is a big supporter of the fafafines in Samoa. Some of them may not fit in to so well to their biological family, some like to drink a lot. I like that fafafines in my family are cool…hard to get a list of village rules. I’ve experienced this in both the training village, and the village I live in now. Different people say different things. And some people will let us do things even though they will get a fine later…a very strong connection with where you are born, the Samoans have. A strong strong strong bond with family, which is interesting to me the tension that may exist when someone moves to NZ or America for better opportunity and to send money back to the family. Even though they are getting more money now, they may still not see eye to eye…

Collective punishment—the whole family is punished when one person does something bad. The family has to “pay” in the form of fine mats and pigs and cows and horses and and and. So don’t do anything bad, but I see “bad” things on the front page of the Samoan observer everyday. Feels like America…in the classroom: handson, connect personally, utilize personal interest, practice presentation. Sounds like how I like to learn too. Should be fun… “getting something done” in Samoa, is it hard? Depends on what the getting is that is done. Personal lens is important…Samoan love to laugh. Yep…having a five year old really helps learning the language. No, I mean being around a five year old, not my own five year old. There are two three year olds at my house. I’m starting to practice with them. The 14 year old was very helpful too. She spoke very good English…it’s the relationship that moves things forward. Not the type A personal hamster spinning. Sit. Talk. Beer. Laugh…punishment at home, at school. What is appropriate? What people will accept—for better or worse…movie scene in Samoa: come watch a movie. What’s playing? I don’t care, I just want to sit in a cold room for a while. Davinci Code banned in Samoa because of religious tones, being unchristian. Where is the secret list of banned movies? Books are not censored. That leaves A LOT of available information in any category. That’s interesting to me…wireless internet coming in 2008? Internet means.well.lots. for now, I get to practice my no internet skills…Samoans get a sense of urgency from family/church. As HP would say, let’s use these to my advantage. I wonder what else will make urgency…

Laws sanctify rights of individual. Culture sanctifies rights of the collective. Clash clash clash…there are currently two prisons in Samoa I’m told. About 300 people. There is no prisoner reentry program in Samoa. A “new” old persons home—totally foreign to Samoan culture, when the kids take care of their parents and bury them in their front yard. Also a place for last chance kids from overseas. I want to see that place.

Lefaga Secondary School (aoga i le itumalo a Lefaga): about 100 students, 10 teachers including me. A yearly, term, weekly, and daily plan. I’ve never done that before. Blue pen. Very important for signing in and out your time. Computer lab: 12 computers, WindowsXP/Photoshop/3 printers/no internet. Rote memorization;( I’ll work on imaginative teaching (saw in NZ TV). Teachers hold much authority/prestige/power. In America at work, I had no authority (mamalu). Capital punishment happens, even though it’s “technically” illegal.

Alcohol. A lot of Vailima consumed in Samoa. There is no AA type program in Samoa. Presentation #2 in the training village: a lesson on how to validate information. Can’t get any straight information…uses for your lavalava (so far): pot holder, neck stabilizer, bed sheet, snot wiper.

Lord's Prayer

Lord’s Prayer
Tatalo A Leali’I O Iesu

Our father, who art in Heaven,
Lou matou Tama oi le lagi,

Hallowed be thy name
Ia paia lou Suafa

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Ia o’o mai lou malo ia faia Lou Finagalo i le lalolagi e pe ona faia i le lagi.

Give us this day our daily bread,
Ia e foai mai ia te’I matou I le aso nei.
(??A matou mea ai e tatau ma le aso))

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Ia e fa’amagalo ia te’I matou ia matou agasala e pe oi matou fo’i ona matou fa’amagaloina atu ie ua agaleaga mai ia te’i matou.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Aua fo’i e te taitai’ina i le fa’aoso’osoga a ia laveai mai ia te’I matou ai le leaga.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever and ever.
Aua (with fa’amamafa on first A) e ou le malo ma le mana atoa ma le vi’iga e fa’avavou lava.

Amen
Amene


Carved into a table in my church:
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Ia fai lenei ma fa’amanatuga ia te a’u.

Water's bounce

Drops bounce
I see the drops bounce in the puddles
Creating small waves
Capsizing the tiny bugs daring
To surf the big waves.

Wetness seeps through
Fabric, skin, souls
white light peeks around the clouds
unfinished...

Matt Crichton
01/18/08

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 or 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.

Rowanda sadness commands siva

in the pics: some girls from the Christmas party (fiafia), two girls and baby from our family's church and dancing celebration, woman and child taken in my church in the village.

1/6/08
Went to my school building (faleaoga) to get a few things. One of these was my planner. I thought I would not have to use a planner or cell phone when I was in PC. No such luck. Found a few things bringing back memories in my planner: a 10 class card from Baptiste Yoga Studio—only 2 punches—that means I have some yoga left when I visit boston; yeah; a few of my business cards from the YMCA; a few random notes; the massage school clinic schedule—when the school was in session, I went for a massage once a week; “selected phone numbers” from University of Portland…waaaaaay back to before 2000 (when I graduated). That was a long time ago. But I remember it in a blink of the eye.

The Christmas/new years time is big on family reunions (mafutaga fa’aleaiga) in Samoa. Yesterday, my family had a family church service (lotu aiga) that was like a family reunion. Many many people came to our fale (house), well our front house. There are three our four houses in my family’s compound. It was decorated with coconut leaves and some flowers. I’m told it happens 5-6 times each year. The process was simple: church service, eat, dance. There were two family groups performing, skits, singing, dancing. The choreographed song is big in samoa. It seems whenever there is a (party) fiafia, for each song or dance there is a bowl put out in the front of the performers. People can put money in the bowl. Bowl is emptied after each performance. I’m not so sure what this is about, but I got to listen to my samoan dad talk after the dancing. I think he was saying what each family got. Redistributing the money among the families. We were told in training that this would be happening: give a lot of money to the big event (fa’alavelave), then get some money—or gifts—back at the end.


It’s interesting to me the reactions I get when I tell people my name is Mataio. A lot of them say “ah..matthew..in the bible” I’m like, yeah, what does that mean? I don’t think of my name and the bible a lot.

Samoan language is very command oriented. Ave means give. Aumai means bring. It doesn’t seem to be very asking oriented..please. well, maybe this is only when dealing with (school) children. Which is who I have been around for most of the time I’ve been in samoa. Training village(5 kids), and now my permanent village(5 kids).

I’m still getting used to the way samoan language works. One samoan word has many American words. Example: Samoan word “ma’i” means sick. I am sick, my athlete’s foot is sick

It’s like samoan language hasn’t started segmenting everything—having a separate word for everything…makes me think of business (segmenting your consumer groups), or science (segmenting and segmenting and segmenting until you can’t segment anymore and then see what you got).


1/04/08
I watched the movie “hotel rowanda” made me sad to see so much killing…1 million bodies it said at the end of the movie. I don’t understand why Hutu and Tutsi could hate each other so much. “cockroaches” a man said on the radio. Will people believe? It made me feel ashamed when the “whites” were getting on the UN(?) bus but the “blacks” had to stay at the hotel. The Americans didn’t care, especially when someone said “yeah a person hears about us on the radio, say that’s bad, and then they go back to eating their dinner.” But the courage, creativity, and improvisation shown by the main character paul was very cool.


1/4
Bus adventures… Each person has a place where they are supposed to sit. The PCVs and older/matai people always sit in the front. PCVs are told to sit in the front. My bus ride into Apia is about one hour. Pretty simple, pick up passengers along the way, stop at the fish market and veggie market to let people off. The trip back to my village (Tafagamanu vai), is a lot more interesting. On the way back, we stopped at the gas stand. Then we stopped at a store to get lumber for someone. We also stopped at two different stores along the way so people could get stuff. Not going to happen in the States. The trip back today took about two hours.

Dating in Samoa is also an interesting adventure. Although from what the trainers instilled in us, I have said no twice to nice girls who asked me to be their “uo.” A few unique characteristics of Samoan dating. Girls like to lie (pepelo) about their age, so it’s wise to ask other people about the person. A boy and a girl alone together means they are dating. I just want to be around a girl and get to know them before I date them. I guess that won’t happen in Samoa. “na’o lea uo” means just friends. I’ve tried saying this, no work. I get the leai malamalama (no understand) look/body language. If you do date a Samoan, you date not only them, but also their whole family. Family ties run very deep. I’m not really sure of the particulars of this yet. Is it the real thing, or are you just a status symbol, a competition head of sport? Well, I guess this happens in the USA too, but if I sense that, I’m out. I’m just trying to get my main goal straight—the work I’m here to do.

poetry of Bus

12/20
I saw a bus today
“poetry in motion” it said on the outside

Indeed, poetry floats,
Like the seagull bobs with the waves.
Glass ball travels many miles,
over the ocean to be found,
By a little girl on a far distant shore,
Sand crabs...scuttle around,
Pounding the shore waves spray mist,
With the deep orange sunset almost,
Deep as her mother’s orange in the bowl,
in the house in the painting,
Finished this morning.
Night’s final darkness sneaking away as,
Brightness makes its grand entrance.

On the bus
Sometimes it just sits
Sometimes, unexpected, unnoticed.

--Matt Crichton
12/20/07

blacknotes has cell Phone in different world

blacknotes1
these are some thoughts and reflections from my black notebook which I wrote all my non Samoan language notes…which I realized is from college. Waaaaaay back when I was a super senior (my fifth year), working on my VLSI, FPGA, and Verilog “stuff”… hmmmm…brings back memories.
I’m learning a lot about the US by living outside the US. My Samoan family has a TV, that is always on, at a low level, so I catch pieces here and there of movies and the news. It feels weird to watching the US presidential race away from home.

A first encounter with the “mine” vs “ours” culture in LA, even if it is only our trainers telling us stories and giving us information. That part seems so far away now…Gal knows LA, and was guide to good eats for our short stay in his hometown. This is where we had our staging, and I think this is where all the flights from samoa fly direct, well everyone I’ve talked to here who has gone/is going says they are headed to LA first…what color was your yarn? Group79 is pink baby!... “being away of your own culture is the most important thing” says a trainer—now in Samoa. I wonder how I will feel about that statement at the end of two years in Samoa… “take me seriously” doesn’t fly in these lands… “where can I get some silica gel packs?” it was harder than I thought in a little town called Astoria, so my mom sends me some…thank you thank you thank you!... “graduating sustainable programs” what does that mean. What are characteristics of sustainable programs? I’ll have to ask my PC supervisor—Fata. Hmmmm…YMCAs in Samoa? Well, I guess there used to be, over behind the Magik Cinemas, but now, uma (finished). One of our trainers did hand out the 40 assets list which was surprising. I wonder if 40 assets has been introduced in any way here in Samoa…the Scientology is pressing in pretty hard.

In Samoa, closure is very important. Two examples: at the end of our training we each gave a farewell speech to our village families; in Samoa, when someone dies, there is a year long waiting period before the body is presented to the public, time for family grieving. Well I still thinks it can take a LOT longer than one year sometimes.

Our medical officer says, in Samoa, many health problems due to unhealthy lifestyle, not many diseases. On TV last night I saw a story saying that things like diabetes are beginning to appear in Samoa because of the shift away from tradition farming techniques and “faster food” there is one McDonalds in Apia, and it always seems to be busy busy busy. We’ve also been told not to use traditional healing methods. Too late. My mom in our training village massaged my throat when it was sore, and my sister put ;some Samoan oil on my toes when they had the yummy fungus.

Cell phones have had a huge huge huge impact on communications in Samoa. I was not here when they first hit the shores, but I may be here when wireless internet comes ashore. I hear it might happen soon. Digicel and GoMobile are the two main cell phone providers. Digicel with it’s win a free car and 10 tickets to New Zealand contest, and GoMobile with it’s hip hop craze (see…money, dancing, and music does mix well here) and one year anniversary specials.

Dental offices in Samoa are nonexistent, and they do not meet PC standards. I guess I’d better brush and floss every day…or maybe that would be a good way to get a flight to NZ; no, like my teeth the way they are now…villages that were part of the early outside assistance are now the well-to-do communities—mostly closer to Apia; the money flows in, the villages farther from Apia (like my village) may not be involved in as many funding streams…we are “development workers” not just teachers. I’ve never thought of myself as a development worker, well maybe career development, or computer skills development, or spiritual development…Samoa is an exam oriented country. Bow to the exam gods, which means all responsibility is on the teacher—no pressure…heard early in our training “don’t buy the sandwiches in cafes or stores after 1pm—Kelly’s makes yummy (and large) sandwiches—some have avocado!...palagi is an outsider…HP (one of our trainers) use powerPoint on a white board and wrote on the presentation on the white board.cool…appearance is very big in Samoa. Just making an appearance can be very important. I usually don’t like to go somewhere unless I have some important business. I guess my business now is to be present and hang out…it can be hard to get information about the “old ways of Samoa,” Tuala, my dad in Tafagamanu, let me borrow a book of Samoan legends, very interesting. The book even says that it was hard to get the same answers when asking different people…PCV=chief stereotype breaker…Faifeau (pastor) often make or break a project (in the village)…a shout out to yoga people in Samoa: Kevin (our technical trainer) is also a yoga teacher for a company he and his wife started: www.rawshakti.com …in Samoa, a person is considered youth until they are married. There are some “older looking” youth in the youth group in our training village. I guess I’m a “youth” too…life is not on hold just because I’m in PC, that’s right. It’s moving and stressing and and and mostly hot and sweaty with a little bit of swim thrown in; thoughts of grad school linger in the background somewhere. hmmmm…Peace exists when the four harmonies are present: harmony with yourself, harmony with others, harmony with the environment, harmony with the cosmos. Like concentric circles, for those of us who are picture people;)…the iceberg is large, and most of it is under the water can’t see it, or the culture that it hides. What is culture? What is culture not? My iceberg took up the entire page it was sooooo big and cool I had thoughts of ice swimming, as sweat ran down my back…in America, people live to work. In Samoa, people work to live. Seems a little different. And recently I told my village family how much I earn in America (converted to Samoan Tala, about $70 I think). I saw the pay stub for one of my brothers that works in Apia, $2 tala and some change. Someone said $5/hour is good. I’m not sure what they thought of that… “soooooo much money” my dad said. “a different world” I said.

translations #1

Translation. Andrew.water
I’ve been having my (Samoan) sister and father help me translate some things into Samoan—things that help explain what I’m feeling. I’m going to start posting them here. I’ve found that typing things helps me learn them. Here is the first one. Thank you to Vila and Tuala

Some people ask me why I like to be near the ocean so much.
Fai mai isi tagata pe aisea out e fiafia tele ai e nofo latalata i le vasa i sami, vai.

Water is something that really revives my spirit and keeps me strong.
O le vai o se tasi lea o faamalosiau i lou agaga ina ia malosi.

It is something that inspires me to write poetry.
O se faaosoina au ina ia ou tusiaina ni solo.

The water, especially big crashing waves or falling water helps calm me.
O le vai, faapitoa lava i galu telele poo le afu e fesoasoani e faafilemu ai au.

I also remember Andrew when I’m close to water.
Ou te manatua ai foi Aneterea pe’a ou latalata i le vai.

After he committed suicide in 1999, we cremated him and sprinkled his ashes in a river.
Ina ua uma ona pule i lona ola i le 1999, na matou susunuina ia ma ave lona lefulefu ma lulu i le vai.

I miss him a lot.
Ua ou misia lava ia.

I hope he is peaceful.
Ou te talitonu o loo moe filemu.





Translation. Volleyball. Yoga
I am not happy when people hurt.
Ou te le fiafia I tagata ae tigaina.

My back and shoulders hurt a lot from the activities I do (running, swimming, ultimate Frisbee, biking).
Sa tiga lou tua ma lou tauau i au gaoioiga sa fai (tamoe, aau, faatifa, tietie uila).

To keep me feeling strong, I do some stretching everyday.
E masani ona ou faaloaloa i also uma, e maua ai se faalogona malosi.

It is a system of stretching called yoga.
O se faamalositino poo le faaloaloa.

It has really helped me.
E fesoasoani tele ia te au.

The world’s best athletes do yoga to help them win, for rugby, volleyball, soccer.
O tagata lauiloa i le lalolagi afeleti e faia le faamalositino e fesoasoani latou manumalo, lakapi, voli, soka.

I want to teach you some yoga if you want to learn.
Ou te manao e aoao atu sina faamalositino pe a e manao ai.

It’s up to you.
O oe lava.

pastor's observation smells spaghetti

1/1/08
A whole new year! 2008…goodbye 2007.
I was talking with a PCV about Faifeaus (pastors); he has been to many different churches and learned a lot about how the churches work in Samoa.. How they sign a contract to provide religious services to a village, and in return, have all their needs met by the village. There is a lot of giving to the church/Faifeau. But I heard a PCV say that a Samoan said he wasn’t giving to the Faifeau, but to God. I think the Faifeau has almost god like authority. The PCV was telling me that the pastor told him he was going to read a passage out of the bible. He said no, he didn’t want to. It seemed to be quite a struggle to come to a compromise. The PCV said he was not happy because he was not asked, he was told—almost ordered.

I talked about cyclones with someone from our PCV group. I have never been in a cyclone. There have been two large cyclones in the early 1990s (90 and 91 I think)…back to back. I was told the cyclones set Samoa back 20-25 years. That is really hard for me to wrap my mind around. One stopped on Savai’i and ground into the island for five minutes. But it was calm at the eye. She said people came back out, only to be terrified when the cyclone moved again. We are right in the middle of cyclone season right now—November to April. I like wind, Ane says not this kind of wind.

I’m learning the power of just sitting and watching vs. the go go go I was used to in America. Just sit, watch, and learn. Observation. Or talking to some women, who want to know if I’m married, and if I want to be married. Our PCV group has talked about how to respond to the question of “are you married?” “ua e fa’aipoipo?” say you have many many wives already. Or say you only date women who are eight feet tall with blond hair. That will cut out all Samoan women. Say something funny and everything’s OK.

A group of five PCV (including me) went for a “hike” today. One of us asked a few samoans about it. One said “oh, it’s just a 10 minute flat walk.” Another said “it’s very steep and about half an hour.” The sign said hike—25minutes. It can be hard to get a straight answer in Samoa. It was up the side of a mountain. Straight up the side of the mountain. The part of Upolu we were staying at was just a bit of beach, road, room for fales, and then straight up the mountain, which is exactly where we went—I was in flip flops, and my AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) mind said NO NO NO. hiking in sandals is NOT allowed on AMC hikes. Oh well…we are in Samoa now. My legs said thank you for the exercise more than just walking. I was a drippy sweaty mess by the time we reached the top, but the view was so awesome. We saw the blue sea a long way into the distance, the wind patterns playing with the water surface, the white of the waves, the v-shape of the riptides (I didn’t know they were v-shaped—thanks to aaron, our surfer). We reached the top and saw a plantation of Taro and a few other things. Whew, what a “nice” morning walk that would be each day to get taro. I’m so glad it wasn’t raining, making the rocks any more damp than they were. They would be very very very slippery. But they were just right, and I was OK. I only fell down twice. My left thigh was a little sore to the touch the next day.

Tonight we didn’t play a group game, but spent some time on the beach. The stars were twinkling but were slowly being eaten up by the clouds of the approaching storm with its flashes of white. I couldn’t see the lightening; it was hiding behind the clouds.

We had yummy dinners of spaghetti and sauce and wine each night. One of the Samoan ladies in the kitchen who helped us had never done spaghetti and sauce. We said it was a fa’apalagi thing. She seemed interested. There was some live music that we listened to, and after I went up and talked to one of the boys, who is 21, studying tourism at one of the colleges, was playing some music of his laptop. I asked him about a few of the Samoan drums…I was interested...since I play drums. He said he got it from his friend. A round cylindrical thing. He was playing some music from his laptop I liked, so I asked if I could put it on my mp3 player. I shared some of my music with him. I wonder what he thought of it. I gave him my email, and he showed me the email of someone from Finland (of all places!) who came to visit. What a small world.

I’m reading a book called “The Inheritors” (by William Goldberg), which won the Nobel Prize for Literature. I wanted to know what kind of story/language gets a nobel prize. I am struck by how simple the sentences are, but the words are alive. Some examples: “sun was making a stipple of bright spots.” “the hand of habit was on them” (the fire) “the air around Lok echoed with phantom screaming”

New Year's play Taboo with some "?"

pics: the FaoFao beach sign and the mountain we climbed.

Random things I collected. Vailima is the standard beer here..it's pretty good. + some shells and piece of tile I found on the floor. a marble was found in the sand.

Silhouette of a person at sunset...pretty pretty pretty

12/31/07
happy new year!
Tausaga fou se fiafia!

I went with a group of PCVs to visit another part of the island for new years, called Fao Fao village. The weather is very nice, sunny, hot, windy, about 85 degrees with the usual humidity. A shout out to Erin who organized the trip. Thank you! We stayed in beach fales that held 2 to 3 people. Gal and I were in a more enclosed fale, called “Nu’ulua” (two villages). It was beautiful.

We played a game called Taboo, with that lovely buzzer my grandpa loves so much. The girls were definitely up on the boys—they could get more words than the boys. I think the girls best was six and the boys best was 4 for one turn.

I saw a cockroach (mogamoga) scuttling along the floor tonight, and was reminded of what my Samoan Mother (Malu) said to me: “if you see a mogamoga in the evening, there will be rain the next day.”

I feel like I’m high maintenance now. I have to put all this cream on me to keep the rashes and cracking skin and mosquitoes, and sun burns away.

Niko let me borrow his prescription (which was almost an exact match to my prescription!) snorkel mask. Our beach had shallow coral scattered throughout it and I wanted to see it. I saw coral with bright blue tips, shiny little fish that flit from side to side in their formation, glowing blue star fish stuck to the coral and rocks. Mania!

a Rainy Wedding's reunion

pics: The bride getting picked up for a dance.

at the wedding--the mom, bride, and dad walk down the aisle.

The brides maids at the front.



the wedding crew smiles for the camera..



12/30/07
Vila told me yesterday that fa’alavelaves (big events that families are expected to contribute to) keep Samoans poor. Today we have a visiting pastor. My family cooked a pig in the umu (on top of hot rocks, surrounded by leaves to keep heat in), and a large plate of chicken to take as an offering talilauga. I asked Vila what would happen if a family didn’t contribute. She only said they are expected to contribute. It’s part of the faasamoa (culture). There are many family reunions this time of year—relatives coming in from New Zealand and Australia. Someone told me that all the rental cars are booked until the end of February; that’s a long time.


12/29/07 wedding pics
I’m at Lalomauga for Christmas and a wedding. We’ve been watching movies almost every night after dinner. It’s interesting the selection of movies on TV in Samoa., a nice cross section of America. One night it was the Sponge Bob movie. The kids were repeating “I’m ready…promotion.” Another night it was “Friday Night Lights,” a nice cross section of American high school football…the guts and the glory. “Death on the Nile” was on TV another night. A classic Agatha Christie flick. We also watched some music videos, and their imaginary worlds..one was pretty cool, people dressed in different color suits in a large warehouse creating different shapes. I have never seen any of these movies. I didn’t watch many movies in America. But at least a few Samoans have told me about their opinions based on movies they see about America…hmm…not always the most accurate perception.

Today’s big event is the wedding of Segia (man) and Fialua (woman). Segia’s family hosted one of our PCVs (Pisikoa), and she was in the wedding. The wedding process was remarkably similar to weddings in the USA: flower girls, bride walks down isle with father, brides maids, saying of vows, the rings, and even some funny by the pastor, although I didn’t understand any of the jokes. There is also bringing a gift. I brought some glasses my family had, wrapped in some shiny wrapping paper, and wrote a poem. The reception also had the first dance, loud music, feeding wedding cake to each other and food, yummy food. And I got to some dancing. The wedding was a morning event and the reception right afterwards. I asked my family if there are honeymoons in Samoa, and my sister told me sometimes. It did not include any alcohol. The reception did have something different: families and people offered gifts to the pastor (Faifeau) and groom and bride’s family: fine mats, mackerel, lava lavas, and of course, money. Because Segia’s family is part of our extended family, each Matai in our extended family gave $50 to the bride and groom.


12/27/07
RAIN! Today it dropped at least six inches of rain! The streets in Apia were rivers. I walked across the street to wait for a taxi. The water came up to my mid shins. It reminded me of Boston—how the snow first fell, then was pushed to the side, then slowly recedes. Only the snow recedes much much slower. Because of the rain, damp, wet, and wearing sandles (se’evae) all the time, rashes on me, and now they are multiplying not just on my feet. But I visited our PC medical officer and she’s got the goods.

I open my eyes after a short afternoon nap (malolo afiafi). I hear many interweaving sounds: the boom boom of the faguafe, crow of the occasional rooster, hum of the jungle nearing evening time, a bus rumbling by with the bump bump of music, kids talking, crying, Mr. Barney singing a song on TV.

Seed Magazine; June 2007 article about the future of science in the general public: science is too specialized for the “average” person to be interested. Article about the rigid process of scientific inquiry…Add some curiosity, attentiveness, and sense of play equal great discoveries. “just look around.” I’ve never heard of Seed Magazine before. The PC office is full of great and undiscovered things.

it's up to you to cut the honey, honey.

pics: the toys for kids seem to break within a day or two. here are some examples...i want to bring a Tonka truck with me from America...that was my favorite toy when I was little and had my sand and dirt pile.

Sina really liked to build card castles...here is one before one of the younger kids knocked it down. and the cups...she likes to build! so do I.

12/26/07
I was watching the kids play with the deck of cards, that had now lost a few cards, so no more suipi;( I thought of this game that might be fun. 10 cards folded in half and arranged like bowling pins, 5 coins (20 sene each), something to block the coins with (a towel?) a smooth floor. each player gets five coins—5 tries to roll one coin at a time and knock down as many cards as possible. The player with the most cards down wins the money. We didn’t get a chance to play the game;(

I have witnessed the power of a camera—kids wanting their picture taken, then wanting to see it. Instant gratification. The pictures you see are some of the results.

My sister, Vila, makes the icy blocks—water, vanilla, and sugar—then freezes them in small plastic bags, and sells them for 50 Sene each (100 Sene make one Tala—dollar). They were a big hit with the village, so big she ran out. I think they taste pretty good. I want to watch her making them.

I got to watch more Samoan “grump” …is this only a Samoan thing?I’ve never heard of it before. Makes me want to say “grump grump” and think of Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street. Kind of like hip hop, but what I saw was one person dancing up close in someone else’s face. Maybe a sort of face off. Pela, my sisters son is a good dancer. Vila said he wants to be a dancer. He was teaching me one of the Samoan dances after I teach some yoga in the afternoon before dinner. They get a good laugh out of me trying to do the moves. I’m working on it. There’s also hip hop, and siva Samoa—dances. Dancing and music is very big in Samoa. That’s OK with me. I like good music and dancing. And contests, all the kids want contests. The “big kids” have loto and bingo for their contests.

I guess the term “double bag” is not used in Samoa. I was at the store and asked the lady to double bag some heavy stuff for me. I’ll say “ako lua, fa’amolemole” from now on—bag two, please.

John, one of our group79 PCV showed me how to “cut the honey” with a knife. That was cool. Learn something new everyday…recently, I’ve been learning a lot more than one thing each day.

Some Samoan sayings I’ve heard a lot include: “it’s up to you” and “tomorrow is another day.” I’m not used to the “it’s up to you.” I never hear that in America.

I met this girl (Suse) who is staying a few villages from Tafagamanu. She will move to Samoa next year to help her dad with the family business (a store—falealoa). She said all Pacific Island people are called “coconuts” (or that’s what she calls them). I didn’t know that. She lives in Australia now.