sticky images have power of going away

in the pics: my going away party at school (called a fa'amavae). some dancing and singing, speeches, giving of souvenirs, of course some eating, lots of picture taking...this was the last set of pics I got with my camera. the school kept my camera when i left.


12/05
Oka. Se long time since I wrote in you. Too much ka’a in the other book. It has been a very busy last few days. Two fa’amavaes. A whole lot of packing bags, repacking bags. Now headed to airport to Australia.

Images that stick: big samoan lady sitting in front of me, big hair, bare feet. Samoan man in shoes, last sunset at my village. Drinking and singing with the teachers, dancing around the bondfire at my school. Poka’s family around the laptop.

Sorry…no pics of a bucket shower. Use your imagination. A warm bucket shower under a clear sky and twinkling stars is very nice. And I’m not sure I have a picture showing just a knife (machete), coconut, lavalava, or rugby ball. More imagination. Oh and coconut shells and bamboo pieces used for drums. And the feau (chores) experience. I didn’t get enough feaus. “Begging for feaus.”

Business tips to remember (from a magazine in the airport): put it in writing, lead by example, provide a measuring stick. Chinese proverb: may we live in interesting times.
Yes indeed.

Things that are different: 1) I walked barefoot through the golf course—preferring barefoot to using shoes. 2) I’m more comfortable laying on the floor. 3) the van felt cramped when I got into it—and I hit my head getting in. 4) seeing fast cars on the freeway from the airplane.

Another flashback…Leata (our language trainer…I miss her) had a yummy pumpkin recipe using pi supo (corned beef), peas, cabbage, tomatoes, laupele (like spinach). Sounds good.

I miss Finland. I don’t miss the homogeny of people. I think being in a place where I am the minority had a big impact on me. I feel I’m more multicultural now. Attracted to that sort thing. God created all colors of people. I want to know more about my world. I guess I like talking to people more..more than reading books. That surprises me…not something I would have thought going into peace corps.



12/02
I’m leaving soon…and here are things I’m thankful for: swim fins I found in the office. Swimming in the ocean was one of the only ways I could really open my back (to make it feel better). I just love swimming in the warm south pacific waters too.; my bike…I love riding my bike. And I’m glad it held together for the whole two years; my MP3 player. I’m surprised it was functional for the whole two years. The music and the voice recordings I got (even if they are not the best quality) will be nice when I work on my presentation to people in America.


I don’t feel I have that many “accomplishments” …most of my efforts were in cajoling my teachers into doing the training.

“Worldwide project involved with giving hope to children of poverty stricken countries/communities”
I wouldn’t call samoa stricken with poverty. It is more of a creeping thing because of the culture and lack of industry. And the fact that much of the economy is supported by dollars from outside the country: remittances and aid money.

I didn’t really do that much with other volunteers. Especially my group 79…I felt our group didn’t want to do anything together. I kind of felt that all the palagis came to peace corps to work with people of other countries, not hang with palagis.

“Linking school ICT resources and education with the community” from the PC reporting form. I think I really sucked at this. The school didn’t seem to want to open it’s doors to the “community”

Learning not much happens in samoa just because you wrote it in a report, or asked for it in a report…you must go to that person and sit yourself in their chair and stare them in the eye. Then something might happen.

Digicel (cell phone company in samoa) network seems to send the texts whenever it feels like. I don’t like that. But it seems to know what the really important texts are and usually sends those when I press send.