Reflections on the first year of service

With school coming to a close, I have had alot of free time on my hands. I havn’t taught classes in about a month, and this week is exam week. I have had to supervise some of the exams and so I’ve gotten alot of reading done. I’ve also had a lot of time to sit and reflect on my peace corps experience and what its meant to me. Seeing as this is about the year mark for me, I think that this reflection has been constructive, as it can help prepare me for next year.

When I left I never wanted to say this, but I think I am very different from the person I was back in the states. Even though it has only been a year in real time, it feels as though it was alot longer, and so it feels as though I’ve taken more than a year of experience from it. For one thing, it has made me far more cynical, but at the same time reinforced my idealism. I believe I do have the power to make a difference, only that it will take baby steps.

I have no new pictures to show, but I thought that in the spirit of this post, I would put up some pictures from the course of this year, and sort of best of. Anyway, here goes:

The ’stache

Getting ready to meet our host families

Chillin’ in the village

LFC, aka Roma Fou, home of the Romantic Souljahs

My year 12 class

My Year 13 student, pointing to Samoa

The computer lab, when I arrived

The computer lab, today

Playing at the waterfall

Fia Fia Videos

Fellow PCV, Ben, put up a number of videos from the fiafia. I think pictures are good and fine, but the videos are like being there. Ben even added some of his own commentary. Check out the link here:

http://ben-in-samoa.blogspot.com/

P.S. Ben wants all of you to know that his blog is Five Star Quality.

Happy Birthday Aleks a.k.a. The Hat Post

So my brother sent me a package for my birthday that included a silly hat. The story behind the hat isn’t that interesting, he preordered a video game and it came with the preorder. The hat itself however has been very perplexing to other peace corps who think it has some secret significance. When he sent the package my brother said that he wanted me to put a picture of myself on the blog with the hat on, but I thought I’d one up that by having some of my fellow peace corps wear the hat as well.

Happy Birthday Bro!

Me

Jordan

Dan

A dead Pig

Blakey

John the Welder

Karin

Briony

Matt

Fiafia!

So a peace corps tradition is that the new group is welcomed in by the current volunteers with a traditional fiafia. Fiafia is Samoan for party, and it includes a variety of dances and skits that are performed for guests. We had one when we first arrived, and I remember it as being one of our first introductions with the current volunteers. I also remember it as a night of debauchery, so I wanted to relive that experience again.

The show itself went off splendidly. There were several different types of dances. A siva teine, the girl’s dance. The Sasa, which is a dance done sitting down with both genders. Then the boys did a slap dance followed by a haka, which is a dance that many pacific island rugby teams do before a game.

After the festivities, we headed to a new bar that just opened up across from the peace corps office, called bamboo. There the debauchery ensued. Pictures from the night follow. In other news, my principal called me yesterday to inform me that the air conditioner was being delivered to my computer lab that day. I am very excited about that.

The siva teine (Girl’s Dance)

Doing the sasa, a sitting dance

The slap dance

The haka, a war dance done before rugby matches

Bidding Group 79 a farewell

We hired a fire dancer

Two of the new recruits, Jenny and Emily

Blakey and Coach

Briony and Jim

Group 82 arrives, and is then scurried up the mountain

So I was prepared today to have an exclusive post, including the first pictures of group 82 in Samoa. While I still have the exclusive, the events of today made for a little more excitement than originally expected. The group arrived, and we had the welcoming ava ceremony as planned, more on ava ceremonies later. After the ceremony, a group of us volunteers went to lunch, where we heard news of two earthquakes occuring in vanuatu. A short time later a tsunami warning was issued, we hurridly paid our bills, and then headed up the cross island road until we felt safe. Although this turned out to be a false alarm, I can’t imagine what the new group must be thinking, less than 24 hours in the country and already evacuated for a tsunami warning.

I remember my ava ceremony. An ava ceremony is a traditional Samoan welcoming. Ava is a drink that made from the root of the ava tree. Ava is the Samoan word, and in the west it is better known as kava. It tastes alot like water with dirt in it. It also makes your mouth somewhat numb, and gives you a happy feeling, as it is a mild muscle relaxant. We were given a phrase to say, “lau ava  lea  le atua, soifua” on the plane ride over and were required to memorize it for the ceremony. I remember how scared we all were that we would mess up, and it nice to see the new recruits squirm, only because I could see myself in their situation.

I havn’t had a real opportunity to meet any one from the new group yet, but they seem like a nice bunch. They are here to primarily teach english in elementary schools, along with other village based projects. I wish them all luck and hope to get to know them better in the upcoming year. So for all the family back in the states, here are the exclusive pictures of group 82 in Samoa, safe and sound.

The first view of the new recruits

Preparing to enter the conference room

Group 82 was too big to fit in one frame

Rosie was our taupo, and I caught the one time she wasn’t looking very stoic

Benj serving Papu some ava

Spencer giving ava to someone from Group 82

Drinking down the sweet dirt water

Cars pouring onto the cross island road during the evacuation

I guess they needed the gas…

Renovations

So last week was a very trying week. This week things seemed to have returned to normal. School was back in session, which meant that us volunteers had to go back to our other obligations (i.e. our job!) once again. I did spend my Saturday last week volunteering with the Red Cross in the tsunami affected areas. I didn’t bring my camera so I don’t have any pictures, but if you wanna see what occurred, check out this post on matt’s blog.

So I promised to show you the renovations that have been taking place at LFC. They started with the pond area about 3 months ago. They converted the swamp that used to be there into a mosquito breeding zone. It is a kidney-shaped pond, with a faleo’o (traditional samoan fale) in the center. The pond seems to be a good idea in theory, but as of yet it is still a work in progress. They also tore down the old bus stop, and are now building a new one. I think they should have waited to tear the old one down, cos now waiting for the bus leaves me a sweaty mess.

Last month, they began renovating the school buildings themselves. The buildings are about 30 years old and falling apart, so the renovations are much needed. Also there is asbestos in the ceilings (I’ve also heard that there is asbestos in the roof of my house). This renovation has displaced the year 9 and 10 students, which are now located in the large meeting hall, library, science lab and art room. They’ve already started on the roof of the second building, so I’m hoping that the renovations will be quick. Also, I’m hoping that they will increase the size of the computer lab, when they get to my building, and including an air conditioner in the deal. Pictures below:

Welcome to Leulumoega Fou

The new pond they’re making

The new faleoo in the middle of the pond

The pond isn’t very deep

The new bus stop

Putting the new roofing on

One of the workers

One of the new rooms

The building theyre currently working on

In Memorium

I wanted to take this post to reflect on the events that have effected Samoa this week. I noticed that the traffic to my website has jumped up, so I feel the need to reassure everyone that I am alright. The area of Samoa, where I live was unaffected by the earthquake and tsunami, and so I consider myself very lucky. People on the southeast coast of the island of Upolu were not so lucky. I have not been to see the devestation firsthand, but I have seen footage on Samoan TV. My best wishes and condolences go out to the victims of this tradegy.

Pictures from my friends’ visit (part 2)

So my friends have left, and things have started to go back to normal. School is in session, and now I have that to worry about. The third term is mainly for test prep, I’m supposed to have already taught all the new material in the first two terms. They have two major exams, one the first week in october and the other in november.

Expect another round of pictures from my friend’s trip. After that I’ve got a bunch more blogs you can look forward to. There was a social (kinda like the prom) at my school that I have a ton of pictures of. The school is also undergoing some major renovations this year, so I feel that the ex-leulumoegers that read the blog will appreciate some coverage of that. And finally, October 7th is the arrival date for the new batch of volunteers! Group 81 won’t be froshies for long.

The hotel Kitano burning

I convinced Caroline to eat some Keke Pua’a at the New Market in Savai’i

Some kid showing off for us at the Falefa waterfall

The Papapapaitai waterfalls featured on Survivor Samoa

Martin making friends with the cat at Italiano

En route to Savai’i

Waves in Savai’i

Getting soaked while trying to be cool

At the western most point on earth

Pictures from my friends’ visit (part 1)

Sorry for not posting for the majority of September, but I have had quite a busy month. We had a school break in this month and I thought it would be the best time for some of my college friends from home to come and visit. First I was visited by Mike and Martin (f’a'aSamoa: Mika and Matini) followed directly by Caroline (fa’aSamona: Line).  I had a great time being their sherpa around the islands. Seeing as Caroline is sitting right next to me as I write this, I feel somewhat obligated to show her pictures first even though they were last chronologically. So here goes:

The Bus in Savai’i

Our Beach Fale in Manase

The Beach in Manase

The LMS church destroyed by a lava in 1901

The Dock at Lusia’s

Celebrating our Birthdays at the Curry House

The Mafa Pass

Matt and I practicing our American waves

The Baha’i Temple

August and Everything After

With my second school term drawing to a close, I am looking forward to the upcoming break. This last month has been both testing and rewarding for me. With the acquisition of the new computers, my school has been very accommodating to me, and has promised me an air conditioner among other things. The matter is now wrapped up in committees so I don’t know how long it would be, but it would greatly increase the life span of the computers. The trying parts has had much to do with the swine flu and the two weeks of school that we lost because of it. Many students coming back from their unplanned holiday had no interest in continuing school, and I had a very hard time getting them motivated again.

In other news, Leulumoega Fou College has a major renovation planned for this year. The reason has to do with the fine arts museum that is beig built nearby, but it seems as though it has been a long time coming. All of the school buildings will be torn down (I recently found out there is asbestos in the roofs). The buildings themselves are over 30 years old and in dire need of repair. This is also good for the computer lab, since expanding the size of the room is also being planned for. I’m guessing that the air conditioner and some additional electric outlets will also be a part of the renovations of the lab. They will be breaking ground when the school break starts, the week of September 7th.

Next month will be interesting. For one, my friends from home will be coming to visit, and I am very excited about that. Other than that, Samoa will have to deal with the road switch. I don’t want to go to much into it for fear of seeming to favor one or the other side (PCVs are required to remain neutral with regards to local politics) but I find it very interesting from a political science point of view.

The final project for my Year 12 computer students included creating a DVD cover for a movie that they made up. Some of them used ideas like a Samoa tourism video or a wedding video, while others went home and made copies of movies they had lying around. Instead of taking pictures from the movies themselves I had the students pose for pictures in the vein of the movie. Below are a couple of examples.

A Thank you note to ARK for their generous donation

Some of my students showing off their ata (picture)

My students enjoying their new computers

Helicopter landing behind the gov’t buidling, a rare sight

One of my students posing as Miss Samoa 2011

My students reimagining Welcome to the Jungle, staring The Rock