Daylight Savings Fa'a Samoa

I can only imagine that when the people who decide these things in the world decided to start daylight savings time it was for a good reason. In America it always made sense to me. The days were noticeably shorter in winter and longer in summer. Daylight savings time tended to even out the drastic changes. Yesterday for the first time in Samoan history, this country joined the daylight savings club. And moderate chaos followed. In a country where people follow the sun and not a watch or clock, it made little sense to bring about the change. Maybe in Apia where things run more to schedule it would have made sense, but out here in ku’a territoty, confusion reigned free.

I did not attend church yesterday because I was out of the village but the experiences I heard about were laughable: people showing up an hour late, an hour early, or the church service simply being moved to a different time all together to try to go with the flow of the day. In any case, it sounded as though most services had some growing pains with the new time. The bell for Sa which is signaled as the sun sets did not sound until close to 8pm, and so dinner did not start until 8:30 which was quite a change for me who has become accustomed to eating at 6pm every evening with my neighbors.
And then there was school. For the past year I have fallen into the habit of waking up at 6:15 every morning, making my morning tea (well, coffee and cereal), and then heading out to school by 7:15am to be there for the start of morning prayers at 7:30. However this morning when my alarm clock sounded, not even the roosters were crowing yet. As I lazily hit snooze awaiting the arrival of the morning sun, I had the realization that no one else was going to be on time today and I might as well enjoy a lazy morning. So I slept till 6:45 and then plowed through my morning routine. However, even at 7:15 the sun was just dawning over the still sleeping village and only the truly punctual students were finding their way through the early morning haze to school. Around 7:35 I left my house, well aware of my lateness but encouraged by the host of other stragglers still wandering lazily up the road. I arrived at school by 7:45am and was not the last to arrive. Talking with the other teachers it was decided that morning devotional period should be moved until 8am and school will therefore start between 8:30am and 9am. So, an hour later pretty much. Morning tea time will remain the same: 10:30am, and the school day will last until 2pm instead of 1pm. We will see if this actually happens; today everyone was gone by 1pm as normal. So, instead of savoring the daylight hours as daylight savings is meant to do, it has instead robbed us of one hour of our day. In this culture, the rising of the sun and the crowing of the roosters is the signal to start a day, not an alarm clock. So everything will go on as normal, just with a different time stapled to it. Who knows, maybe the clubs will now play music till 11pm instead of 10pm! In talking with a co-worker about his concerns about daylights saving, he stated, “don’t worry, come April, it all goes back to normal.” He’s absolutely right: why worry about something as minute as the time? The Westerner in me clings to my watch but the Samoan in me tells me to toss it now and not to look back. I give it another few months before I get that far!

Butter is Better

I never thought much about butter. Salt either, for that matter. I personally have never really enjoyed much of either on anything. However, moving to Samoa forced the topic of these additives into my brain. From my first buttered tuna sandwich in the training village to the countless lunches consisting of crackers layered in butter, it is something I have come to expect, and even enjoy, in small quantities. Namely, I enjoy some butter on toast in the morning, or maybe a little with my pancakes when I am treating myself to a nice breakfast in town. The Anchor butter used here and imported from New Zealand is actually so good that I have joked with other volunteers about visiting the butter factory when we are in New Zealand. This morning, however, reminded me of how outrageous the butter situation in this country has become.
It was the first day of school so naturally we were doing nothing but watching the kids pick weeds from the grass and rocks surrounding the school. After watching the kids weed for about 30 minutes it was time to retire for morning tea. I watched in horror as 5 loaves of bread were carefully sliced for the 10 teachers in the room. While one teacher was cutting the bread, another was busy mixing together a concoction of raspberry jam and what looked like a cake of butter. She had scooped the butter into an old ice cream carton and was busy whisking together the butter with the jelly until it looked exactly like what it was destined to be in the near future: pure cholesterol. I could not hold back my laughter as I was served four huge sandwiches of butter and flavor on thick slabs of white bread. To top off the whole experience, the one serving the food this morning was my identified counterpart in our health project, which is meant to kick off next week and focuses on reducing fats such as butter in our diets. I smiled, laughed, and ate one sandwich for good measure before passing the rest off to the other hungry teachers. All of the sandwiches were gone within a half hour. I know one thing for sure: I am going to have my hands full with this health project!

Thoughts for the New Group

Hi Group 83, this one's for you! A few of you have contacted me, and I am so excited for you all to arrive! So in the spirit of welcoming your group, I have been thinking over things that I wish I had known before coming to Samoa. Here's a little list for you to ponder:

1. DO NOT GO OUT AND BUY CHACOS. Chacos are those over expensive, stripy sandals that people claim are incredibly comfortable once you break them in. Its also reputed to be "The shoe of the Peace Corps." This is not true of Peace Corps Samoa. What I found is that they are incredibly painful, providing the most blisters in the most awkward places due to all the straps, and to top it off, they are a pain to put on and take off. In this country, you are forever taking off your shoes, and you want the fastest method possible: the flip flop. So, do not worry about shoes, you will soon discover "Jandals," the basic white flip flop that dominate the feet of all who live here. They are cheap yet reliable. Where ever I am going, I wear my jandals. I wear them to school, to church, to the beach, to the bars, and have even seen people running and playing sports in them (although I do prefer sneakers for those types of things!) In short, avoid the Chaco.

2. Bring a computer if you have one. Seriously. It's a life savor in times of extreme down time. Plus, its useful for school! Don't bring TOO many clothes.

3. If you are going to have a bike, bring your own bike pump. The ones Peace Corps provides are no good. Also a good bookbag goes a long way in carrying things while biking. Or a bike bag.

4. Bring pens. Specifically, those multi-colored click pens. As you will quickly learn, Samoan students and teachers take a lot of pride in the tidiness for their notebooks. Everything is color-coordinated. It's kind of maddening, but you will get used to it. You will get yelled at if you sign the attendance book at your school in the wrong color. So be safe, have a multi-colored click pen on hand. White out is also incredibly popular. I don't use it, but I recently gave out some as presents to teachers. I have been treated like a superstar ever sense.

5. I wish I had a rain jacket. It rains a lot, and you will be walking a lot.

6. There is actually pretty good food here, so don't freak out too much about what you will be eating. I ate at all my favorite restaurants before coming to Samoa and then had delicious Chinese food the second night I was here. You won't find Starbucks, but there is still some really good coffee around. Still, get in those last tastes of home before you leave. You will relieve the experience many times while munching on taro.

7. Anything electronic is expensive. Bring a flash driver, or an external hard drive if you are into movies. Even if your not, you should probably still bring one.

8. Watch Mamma Mia. It's a way of life here. Rambo too.

9. Go with the flow. Fa'a Samoa, or the Samoan way, works. Just remember to laugh, breath, and be there for each other. Don't question things too much, everything has a way of working itself out. Samoa is a great country to be in.

10. We volunteers love chocolate. You should bring us some. Three Musketeers, please, otherwise I'll take some Milkyway Bars. Thanks new group!

Waka Waka

I am one of those people who tends to get one song stuck in my head and then there it is for days, weeks, and sometimes even months on end. I don't know if this is lucky or if it is a curse. However, here in Samoa, it is pretty clearly a blessing, because it gives me an unparalleled tolerance for the music played here. When we arrived back in October, I was surprised to here Christmas music blasting on the radio and on the buses. The music wasn't just your traditional carols though, it consisted of the most amazing blends of holy music, Samoan jams, and American music, both new and old. My favorite mix was a version of Silent Night I heard spliced with DMX's Get it On the Floor. Remarkable.

Christmas music seemed to dominate the airwaves for a solid four or five months, and then the music quickly switched over to the next biggest thing: Nifoloa. Since January, he has released something like six new CD's, however, each CD is pretty much the same melodies as the previous one just with different lyrics over the original beats. Then there is DJ Ok who spliced together songs, using Lil' Jon's characteristic "Okaaaaay!" as his marker. I love it all.

Recently, Shakira's "Waka Waka," the World Cup anthem, has taken the stage. It is everywhere! You can't avoid it, and I Don't want to. As I write this blog, it is on repeat. Yes,I know I am a bit out of date, yet that tends to happen in this country, especially to me, who was obsessed with other songs when this one first hit the radio. Now, it is everywhere! A bunch of us went dancing the other night and the song was played twice! While visiting my host family today, my host sisters phone rang. Her ring tone: Waka Waka. And then on the ferry ride last week, I heard the song playing from someones small telephone speakers FOUR times!

I can't anticipate what song will dominate the airwaves next month, but if it is half as good as the tunes I've been vibing to recently, I know I will continue to be happy here. Every morning before school I put on my current obsession and start my day with a proper private dance party while sipping my coffee. As long as the tunes keep coming and the coffee is fresh, all is well.

The Island Relay

I should have blogged about this three weeks ago, but due to my parents visit everything has been put off. That being said, the island relay race was held on August 28th. Fifteen teams entered, including two teams representing the Peace Corps. The boys entered team "To a Samoa", and us girls entered team "Kope Keini" into the race. The much anticipated race began predawn for us girls, who although named "fast girls" had really anticipated a slow time. We arrived at the starting line just before 4am. Our Charge D'affairs, Robin, was incredibly supportive of our efforts, providing coolers full of snacks, refreshing drinks, fruit, and transportation! Honestly, I do not know what we would have done without her. The line-up was set with Kailin running the first leg, Erin running the second, Dana the third, Lili the fourth, me the fifth, and Corina the sixth and last stretch. As Kailin departed from the starting line a wave of nausea hit me: this much anticipated day had finally arrived, and over the next 10 hours, I would be running the distance of a half marathon. My stomach was in knots as each runner preceding me hit the road until finally my moment came. I strapped on my ipod and to the tune of Akons' "Freedom" got myself pumped up for my predawn run. As Lili approached, glow stick in hand, I grabbed some rocks (for the dogs), did a few jumps, and took off to the cheers of my teammates encouragement.

The first stretch was exhilarating but exhausting. Coming off of just a few hours of nervous sleep, I was awake enough to run, but it was still a challenge to tackle a 4.3km run at 5:50 in the morning! The day progressed at an alarming speed. Before I new it, it was time to run my second leg! I hit the road for part two around 9am and to my horror started feeling knee pain about 5 minutes into the run. I completed the stretch with decent time, took some ibuprofen and got some ice on my knee. Strapped into my knee brace, the third leg was smooth, but by the fourth leg my body gave up on me and shooting pain inhibited me from completing my portion of the last leg. I was devastated, yet my amazing team stepped to the challenge and like the true fa'amolosi teini they are, ran the extra kilometers to complete the race. Just over 10 and a half hours after we began our team gathered to run the sat few minutes of the race with Kailin in the lead. We crossed the finnish line miles ahead of the next fastest womens' team, taking gold for the Peace Corps girls. The boys powered through like non other, completing the 104km run in a record time of just over 8 hours. They passed us during the second to last leg, but there were no hard feelings from our team, just pure joy as two of the three categories were won with the Peace Corps name.

Peace Corps offers many personal challenges, both emotional and physical. This relay race was a landmark day in my life. I have never considered myself strong runner, yet after this day, I felt like anything was possible. It was so great to run with such a great group of girls, and next year, I look forward to doing it again. I have been resting my leg for the last few weeks since the race but plan to start strength training within the next month to avoid any knee problems next year. Go team go!

Looking Through my Fathers Eyes

My parents are here in Samoa for a three week visit. Somehow I thought the much anticipated day would never arrive, and then Monday night I found myself heading off to the airport on the 9:30 shuttle from Aggies to await their arrival. When they first began planning their trip, three weeks seemed like a long amount of time, yet one week later, our days have been full, although not busy, and they are gaining an in-depth understanding and appreciation for this beautiful island I call home.

Their visit began in a similar fashion to most tourists, with a brief stay in the main city of Apia. I tend to take Apia for granted and often forget to see how pretty the city actually is. While eating breakfast on a breezy corner of the main strip I marveled at my parents adoration of the city. Where I saw a dirty seawall, they saw a perfect harbor behind it. Where I saw ditty streets, they saw the well composed trees and flowers lining the sides. And where I saw a fast paced, crowded town, they saw a slower placed life. Sitting on the street corner sipping my coffee, I began to see Apia as I had once seen her, nearly eleven months ago, and I smiled with relief that inside of me I can still find that beauty.

We visited the market and sipped coconuts as we rummaged through the stations, each overflowing with bananas, papaya, cabbages, and other produce brought in from their family plantations. We visited the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum and we captivated by the charm of the house and the myth of the man who once lived there. We witnessed a traditional Samoan tattoo being chiseled into place (thanks Matt, it looks great!), and we strolled the seawall, admiring the traditional longboats practicing their warrior rowing in the harbor. After three days in Apia, it was time to head back to my village and introduce my parents to a more traditional way of life.

We boarded Lady Samoa I and left the wharf with blue skies overhead and a calm sea below us. My mom and I, who both tend to get hit hard by seasickness, each took a dramamine before boarding the boat and as a result were exhausted and a little cloudy headed. Like a true Samoan, my mom found a nice bench on the boat and stretched out to enjoy a breezy hour and a half nap as we made our way across the sea. My dad and I walked to the sides of the boat to gaze out at the open ocean on the right and the small islands which dot the sea on the left. The sea was a deep turquoise color which lightened to sky blue where the boat broke through the waves. The ride was short and easy and soon enough we were at Le Waterfront enjoying a taste of America with one of the best views of the South Pacific.

With food in us it was time to head up to the village. My mom became the designated driver for the trip and I took on roll of co-pilot, watching for pigs, dogs, and small children, while pointing out areas of interest along the road.

As we pulled into my driveway a child ran out and rang a bell for all the village to hear indicating our arrival. We brought bags of luggage and food into my house and were soon greeted by one of the Matai of the village. Shortly after his visit came visits from my neighbors, and finally from the pastor who my parents would be staying with. He embraced them as family and invited us all to come back to his house when ready for dinner. The community has been so welcoming to me throughout my stay here and they were no different to my parents. After just one evening, my parents felt like they too had been accepted into my extended Samoan family.

We are now at Bayview after a lovely stay in my village. Our fall sits right next to a lovely bay and a strong steady breeze rustles our curtains and mosquito nets, cooling the air. The fale has one air conditioned room with an attached bathroom. The patio/walkway leading up to the entrance to the room continues past the doorway and opens up into an enclosed deck created in the traditional open fale manner, with two beds surrounded by mosquito nets, three wooden chairs, and a small wooden table. Their is a criss crossed fence surrounded the fale with red flower patterned curtains lining the edges of the roof. Just below our deck is a small sandy area with two kayaks and two outrigger canoes. A short paddle across the bay is a barrier island, and just on the other side of the lush green barrier, gigantic waves crash down upon a black sand beach, tossing and turning huge stones and chunks of coral ripped up by the aggressive waves in the deep sea. The beach extends for a mile or two in each direction with juts of lava rock meeting the rough sea and splashing waves up to fifty feet through the lava tube blow holes. It is a unique resort with some of the best food I have tasted in my eleven months on the island and with an enchanting night sky that seems to penetrate the body and make you one with the universe. If you are planning on coming to Samoa, make sure Bayview is on your list of places to stay.

Looking Through my Fathers Eyes

My parents are here in Samoa for a three week visit. Somehow I thought the much anticipated day would never arrive, and then Monday night I found myself heading off to the airport on the 9:30 shuttle from Aggies to await their arrival. When they first began planning their trip, three weeks seemed like a long amount of time, yet one week later, our days have been full, although not busy, and they are gaining an in-depth understanding and appreciation for this beautiful island I call home.

Their visit began in a similar fashion to most tourists, with a brief stay in the main city of Apia. I tend to take Apia for granted and often forget to see how pretty the city actually is. While eating breakfast on a breezy corner of the main strip I marveled at my parents adoration of the city. Where I saw a dirty seawall, they saw a perfect harbor behind it. Where I saw ditty streets, they saw the well composed trees and flowers lining the sides. And where I saw a fast paced, crowded town, they saw a slower placed life. Sitting on the street corner sipping my coffee, I began to see Apia as I had once seen her, nearly eleven months ago, and I smiled with relief that inside of me I can still find that beauty.

We visited the market and sipped coconuts as we rummaged through the stations, each overflowing with bananas, papaya, cabbages, and other produce brought in from their family plantations. We visited the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum and we captivated by the charm of the house and the myth of the man who once lived there. We witnessed a traditional Samoan tattoo being chiseled into place (thanks Matt, it looks great!), and we strolled the seawall, admiring the traditional longboats practicing their warrior rowing in the harbor. After three days in Apia, it was time to head back to my village and introduce my parents to a more traditional way of life.

We boarded Lady Samoa I and left the wharf with blue skies overhead and a calm sea below us. My mom and I, who both tend to get hit hard by seasickness, each took a dramamine before boarding the boat and as a result were exhausted and a little cloudy headed. Like a true Samoan, my mom found a nice bench on the boat and stretched out to enjoy a breezy hour and a half nap as we made our way across the sea. My dad and I walked to the sides of the boat to gaze out at the open ocean on the right and the small islands which dot the sea on the left. The sea was a deep turquoise color which lightened to sky blue where the boat broke through the waves. The ride was short and easy and soon enough we were at Le Waterfront enjoying a taste of America with one of the best views of the South Pacific.

With food in us it was time to head up to the village. My mom became the designated driver for the trip and I took on roll of co-pilot, watching for pigs, dogs, and small children, while pointing out areas of interest along the road.

As we pulled into my driveway a child ran out and rang a bell for all the village to hear indicating our arrival. We brought bags of luggage and food into my house and were soon greeted by one of the Matai of the village. Shortly after his visit came visits from my neighbors, and finally from the pastor who my parents would be staying with. He embraced them as family and invited us all to come back to his house when ready for dinner. The community has been so welcoming to me throughout my stay here and they were no different to my parents. After just one evening, my parents felt like they too had been accepted into my extended Samoan family.

We are now at Bayview after a lovely stay in my village. Our fall sits right next to a lovely bay and a strong steady breeze rustles our curtains and mosquito nets, cooling the air. The fale has one air conditioned room with an attached bathroom. The patio/walkway leading up to the entrance to the room continues past the doorway and opens up into an enclosed deck created in the traditional open fale manner, with two beds surrounded by mosquito nets, three wooden chairs, and a small wooden table. Their is a criss crossed fence surrounded the fale with red flower patterned curtains lining the edges of the roof. Just below our deck is a small sandy area with two kayaks and two outrigger canoes. A short paddle across the bay is a barrier island, and just on the other side of the lush green barrier, gigantic waves crash down upon a black sand beach, tossing and turning huge stones and chunks of coral ripped up by the aggressive waves in the deep sea. The beach extends for a mile or two in each direction with juts of lava rock meeting the rough sea and splashing waves up to fifty feet through the lava tube blow holes. It is a unique resort with some of the best food I have tasted in my eleven months on the island and with an enchanting night sky that seems to penetrate the body and make you one with the universe. If you are planning on coming to Samoa, make sure Bayview is on your list of places to stay.

Still here, still well

I have been super busy playing tour guide for my parents these last few weeks, so apologies for the lack of updates recently. I confess, I have also been waiting for inspiration to hit, and I have ben going through a patch of writers blog as it turns out. Quick highlights and thoughts for the moment:

1. It has been SO GREAT to have my parents here. My two week break from school has really felt like a true vacation as I have seen and done more things than I ever thought possible on this island. The village visit, meeting friends, and catching up has been wonderful. Tomorrow, its off to the training village for a long anticipated reunion, I can't wait!

2. Bahai temple - simply amazing. I can't really say much else on the subject as I am still internalizing yesterdays remarkable experience.

3. Bayview Resort - my new favorite place to stay, I have actually written a blog about that and will post it later. I wanted to spell that favourite by the way.

4. Aggie Greys - also amazing. High roller life is pretty fun!

5. The hospitality of my village towards my parents was more than I ever could have asked for. I look forward to returning next week and starting the last term of year one! I miss you all!

6. New group arrives in just a few weeks and I cannot wait! I am starting to plan to welcome fiafia, any suggestions, send them my way, but it's gonna be the place to be, and group 83, get ready for a fun time!

Okay, thats all for now, sorry for the lack of details and interestingness, I promise a more thought out blog will come sometime soon!