father's peace corps measures house of skulls

in the pics: learning the samoan haka...well not very well (I don't think you're supposed to smiling when you make the haka); two signs: one of my village (savaia); sign to the mountain (where my bike frequents)

10/24
“It offends our values when executive compensation is too much.” As stated by Obama. As I watched from Samoa. “how much greed do you need to fix the system?” as stated by the TV. I don’t know how much greed. The real talent doesn’t involve greed. The USA seems so far away right now. It seems to be an interesting time to be going home. I heard that three of the volunteers from my group are not going home yet...two may be continuing here in samoa, and one is going to Ecuador. Yeah for them. That rocks. I need to go home and work on my ideas.

Saturday I could have been hiking through dense jungle to visit the house of skulls, but no. the leader had 10 people for a different hike. I had one of the year 12 students help me type tests, because there was no way I could type them all myself. I got help typing (and we finished), and the student got extra practice and new skills in Microsoft Word. Then I had a snack and nap. Got up and went for a swim—to my samoan family’s house. The tide was going out. I think I slept too long. The coral was very high (or the tide was too low) I got stuck in a few places. I saw crazy schools of fish. There were a lot of fish. See the fish—catch the fish—eat the fish. I saw the fish, ate the fish, but didn’t catch the fish. So many pretty fishes. I’m getting very good at eating a whole fish. Practice almost every night I’m at my samoan family’s house.



10/23
What is it? Five or six questions on the year12 final I did not even cover. Many yr12 classes did not happen. Too many unexpected events. Too many holidays…some from the swine flu and tsunami. Too much content. Not enough time. Well, hopefully we will review those questions before the School C, which is the test that really counts.

Hmmm…two architects came today to do measurements—including my room. I’ve been living in a space that is about 6m x 9m. could be worse. I was told all renovations and new construction would be finished by the middle of next year, if everything goes smoothly. Usually it’s not samoa if everything goes smoothly.



10/19
On the bus this morning—breeze blowing through my hair. My thoughts were far away. Horse farms for..after Peace Corps? Is it a dream? We’ll see. And then the 100111100110—or a bunch of 0s and 1s. my students need to understand this for the exam. Fun fun.

Wall Street Journal article, Not Your Father’s PC; Friday august 21, 2009
(my comments/thoughts in the ((()))
Most Americans…familiar with PC only nominally. (why is that??)
Most PC iconography—africa. (meaning most pictures about PC have scenes from Africa??)
In 1965 PC was twice today’s size (hmmmm…but I think people may have a poorer perception of the US today than in 1965)
But indoor plumbing does not make a developed country. (so true)
Teenage democracy…
Improving in fits and starts …(yes samoa is “improving” in fits and starts)
Talking with neighbors about American history. (gee I wish I could do that. I don’t talk about much of anything. Good conversation, that’s one thing I miss.)

Thailand—what is it? Is this the last cheap/undeveloped/unwesternized/unspoiled area in the world? My tuna fish is from Thailand. Young couples go there. I still just want to go home.