Samoan language

Talofa (hello)
The Samoan language contains more vowels than you could ever imagine - you can get nearly a whole sentence without consonants:
Oa mai 'oe
This means How are you?
The apostrophe is alive and well - indicating a glottal stop. Words can mean something quite different without it.
ata means story
'ata means smile.
We are encourage to practise with people we meet in the street - Samoan people are very happy to stop and talk if you want to, but every time I say Talofa, they say Good Morning!
Fa'asamoa means The Samoan Way, also meaning the language.
Fa'apalagi means The White People's Way, also meaing English.
Fa'afetai means Thank you.
Fa'amolemole means Please.
I am making a little dictionary using an address book, the F page is nearly full already!
(We have learnt those words as well..)
Kate

day off Saturday

Decided not to walk to waterfall because the trail might be muddy after the recent heavy rains. But today was beautiful hot and dry and those who did the waterfall walk had a good walk and swim. We'll do it another day. Instead, though, we took a bus to Pago Pago and changed busses there to get further to the east. Busses are easy and you simply pay one dollar to the driver when you exit. Also they use regular bus stops and don't have to wait until theye're full before going, unlike Guyana. After braving some noisy and threatening dogs, and failing to find any humans to ask permission, we walked a few hundred yards up the steep slope to top of hill known as Breakers Point where there was a view. Saw the nice white kingfisher-like bird again.Took bus back to Pago Pago and started walking, finding cheap lunch. Museum, library, post-office all closed Saturday afternoon but at least we know where they are now. Kate swam at a public beach where the local children were having fun. We found the hospital and registered to expedite future necessary visit - hope don't have to! The TV in emergency room was on so we watched 5-mins of Olympics! Found a good map at Sadie's hotel. Lots of big bottles of hard drinks available there for the partying tourists. David

Time off, house

We are getting more confident about being out and about. We have got ourselves phones, ordered some local style clothing to be made, and we have been out for a couple of meals. I go runnng every morning on my own. Sunrise and sunset are at about 6, so it is good to make the  most of the daylight as we are coming from summer days in England. Tomorrow we have a whole day off so are planning a walk up a trail to a waterfall where locals swim, and then a trip on the bus to Pago Pago to catch up on some jobs and have a stroll around - weather permitting as it is lashing down this evening. We are lucky to have air conditioning in most of our rooms at this school, but outside it is very hot and sticky.     We have heard about our accomodation which sounds very nice but is quite a way from school- they say it is an hour to walk, or a 25 min walk then a bus, but I expect we will manage it quicker. Otherwise maybe a bike, but they are not common here. The traffic is very gentle though, unlike Guyana!  We would be sharing with two others, also have a spare room where we can put up other vols who are visiting which would be great.     Kate

Teaching thoughts and school

We have been doing Orientation as a group of World Teach volunteers - altogether we have three weeks. So we have classes for most of all the days, tomorrow is our first full day off. The classes include some very helpful guidance about classroom management, lesson planning, local culture, Samoan language, education system. We have taught trial lessons in small groups and in pairs (to our own group). Next week we get to teach a small group of local students.  We also get some trips out which are great. It all helps to build our confidence in what we will need to do when we get into the classroom. Generally our aims are to foster enjoyment of learning, by doing fun activities, by having lots of variety, by doing investigations rather than lectures, and to establish a respectful class atmosphere. Many parents and teachers here still use corporal punishment or the threat of it, so we are trying to demonstrate that there is another way. My school is particularly challenging as it is so big and has students from all over the island. So they are not in a cohesive group. In other schools the village and village elders will support structure and discipline in the school, but this is not possible in my school. I have met the Deputy Head, who used to be in the Marines, so perhaps that bodes well. David's school is a vocational school with few students.   Kate

People, Church, Shopping

It is a pleasant surprise how courteous people are. The roads are narrow and the traffic goes about 20-30 mph, but still if you are standing at the side of the road a car will stop for you to cross. While we walk down the street people say hello from their cars and ask about how long we are staying, and what we are doing. They introduce themselves and we shake hands and they are very welcoming. We've already had an offer to stay at someone's relative in Apia in Western Samoa, so that would be lovely for next July!        We both went to an English speaking Church on Sunday morning called the Assembly of God - it was not my usual style - about 6 happy clappy songs at the start, then prayers where eveyone prays at the same time as clapping loudly so you can't hear anything. Then we had a half hour homily against gossip, which was very clear and well delivered, including a humourous video and general good advice to avoid what is called the Cococut Wireless - that everyone here will know your business almost before it happens!   Shopping again today - we have both got phones, and are trying text family with little success yet. We have to get staff school uniform sewn for us, for me it is a long maroon skirt with the school logo, then any white blouse, but David is enjoying the prospect of wearning a wrap around ie fataga which may be better described as a skirt (with pockets). I also have to have a puletasi made up which is a narrow long skirt with matching fitted top  - this is the local equivalent to a suit.     There are lots of useful shops just up the road, small type supermarkets selling everything as well as a teacher's store - we have to buy all stationery and supplies for school ourselves.   Kate

Wildlife sightings

Many of our group went to see Batman film on Friday ight, but we saw the real thing - giant bats which are known as flying foxes we think. They are about 18 inches wing span, and fly with slow stately flaps. They fly in the late afternoon so are very visible. We've seen only a few birds, I don't think that will be much of a hobby for us. We saw a white bird with a long beak shaped like a kingfisher, don't know what it is. The ubiquitous bird is the mynah bird which fills the parrot niche here - they squabble and squawk and strut about. We've seen big crabs and Cain Toads , tiny lizards, mercifully very few mosquitoes here, perhaps because of the breeze at this time of year. The worst of the animal life is the ****ing dogs which are a daily hazard and really scare us. They threaten you as you walk down the street - the only real way to avoid them I find is to walk along places with no houses - so for my morning run I go alongside the airport fence adjacent to industrial sites. The strategy is to shout HALU in a gruff voice, which means LEAVE US ALONE, and to pick up a stone ready to throw at them. I haven't had to throw one yet, but I am ready to!

Field Trips

We have all been without internet for a few days, so it is great to get back on. All the vols are sitting typing away in case it goes off again. We've been lucky with cooling breezes and only a couple of downpours - we can shelter for five minutes and it passes over again.
We've done a few field trips, which are called cultural adjustment. First to the East of the island passing various stores and government landmarks. We passed 2 dollar beach where there is beautiful golden sand connecting the roadside to a tiny island - the family have built a few shelters for sitting around and picnicing, and you can play volleyball on the beach (of course you have to pay 2 dollars for the privilege). At the end of the road, which curves in and out along the coast line, was the wharf for boats going to the nearby island of Au'uunu where some of our vols will be teaching. We could swim in quite deep water there and enjoy the waves crashing at the end of the jetty. The water was very warm of course, but it was good to taste the salt after the last swim on Lake Michigan. Second Field Trip was to Blunt's Point, where we walked up a trail which led to two massive cannon which were set up to protect the harbour at Pago Pago. From there we had great views of course over the harbour over the "capital" - really just a long thin village. There is only room for about three buildings deep before the forested land rises precipitously.

Samoa, by the lake

We are camping out at a school while we do orientation for three weeks.Over the road is the lagoon of Nu'uli. It seems like a lake, as the water is calm and there is no tide - about 200 yards away is the sea proper with beautiful waves crashing onto the reef - the sea is a magical blue/turquoise colour. Out across the bay is a low island with palm trees, and on the left side are steep sided very wooded volanic hills. Along the base of these steep slopes is the one coast road, which is one lane in each direction - there's a constant stream of traffic going to 20 - 30 mph. Today we travelled by school bus for half an hour towards Pago Pago bay to be greeted by the ministry of education officials. We passed quite a few traditional houses - fale - which are huts with pillars but no walls. They house a whole family, they make blinds which they can roll down to form walls at night. We also passed some massive tanks (probably oil) where there is a chance to swim - that is deeper water.

Yesterday we went to the shops which are well stocked and seem quite cheap, and got a mobile, which I'm learning to use, so family may get a text soon! There are not many street vendors like there were in Guyana, but I did see one selling papaya, chinese greens etc - worth investigating when we are catering for ourselves. At the moment it is cooking in groups for all 30 of us, and a trip down to the Cost U Less store. Of course this being American Samoa, the main places of interest down the road are Pizza Hut, MacDonalds, and so on.  Obesity is a massive issue here - for instance they really do sell turkey tails which are notoriously fatty. The men particularly are massive, which seems emphasised by the traditional clothing of ie which is a wrap around garment, but with pockets. In the othere direction you get to the airport, and just past there is a beach of sorts for a swim. Kate

Hawaii then Samoa at last!

Monday -massive walk up the Diamond Head which is the crater of a volcano. Sounds exotic but it is actually an old lookout for the army. Great view over the bay and the high rise of Maikiki Beach area.
Monday afternoon we should have been flying out to Samoa, but we were not allowed on the plane as our documentation was not in order. So we had a frustrating 24 hours trying to phone through to Samoa to the organiser - in retrospect it would have been a good move to buy a phone in the US just so we had easier communication.
Tuesday afternoon at the 11th hour the airport supervisor agreed to ring through for us to get permission to board. We were GOOD TO GO!!! PHEW!!!
Wednesday morning - we are with the other volunteers now at a high school, and just so glad to be back on track. The view is fantastic, and there is a lovely breeze. Kate

Hawaii

Today we went on an all day tour of Hawaii on a coach. The scenery is impressive with steep and fissured mountainsides - all volcanic. We saw a massive turtle on a beach, a pineapple plantation, and the mothballed fleet of battleships in Pearl Harbour. Our tour guide played a small Hawain guitar rather well, but sang rather badly. He told us about having a flower in your hair -behind left ear means single, behind right ear means married, on the top means married but looking for something better, and a flower on the back means follow me and ask no questions!
Altogether this place is the playground of the rich, so not quite my style.
Tomorrow we get the plane for Samoa, hopefully we will be meeting up with the rest of the volunteers as we are all on the same flight. Kate

Hawaii

Safely arrived in Hawaii - flew via Seattle, so we saw a few impressive mountains on the way! A long day... Kate

St Louis, Houston

We have enjoyed a couple of days in St Louis, Gateway to the West. It is the crossing point on the Mississippi for the westward expansion of the US. They have a massive archway to symbolise the gateway, and an underground museum - which at least had the benefit of air conditioning on another HOT day. It is also where the World Fair and Olympics were held in 1904, and there are still great (and free) Art museum, History museum and Zoo - underwater views of swimming hippos were my high point. We have flown to Houston and are now feeling very much at home staying with David's brother - enjoying the opportunity to sit, read, listen to music and relax - a lot more weather here - torrential rain and thunderstorms! Kate

Chicago

We have enjoyed a couple of days in Chicago, admiring the high rise blocks, visiting the parks and walking along the shore of Lake Michigan, including some swims on the sandy beaches - the weather is desperately HOT. Today we have had a slow train ride down to St Louis -more to explore tomorrow! Kate