It's Been a Week Already?

The beach where the Water Safety Training was held.

Hard to believe that we’ve been here a week, because it feels like we’ve been here so much longer.  I understand now, the volunteer blogs that say the days drag, yet the time flies.  This week started with Water Safety Training and has continued with classroom training, primarily focused on the skills we’ll need to teach English literacy. 

We’ll each have a class of our own, one day a week, of year 7.  They’ll be 12-13 years old.  I met a year 7 girl in the market last Saturday and she was very excited to speak English (with her mother encouraging from the sidelines) and even more excited when I told her I was here to teach English.  Her dream?  To have a book in English.  If all my students have similar attitudes, I’m going to love teaching.  If they don’t, I’ll have an opportunity to test my creativity.

We had language class for only the second time yesterday.  Given that we’re going to be tested and must achieve a certain level to be sworn in, I find that a tad worrisome.  Having said that, the PC has invested a lot in us and I believe that if we’re making a real effort, limited language at the beginning won’t be a deal breaker. 

I’m keeping flashcards of the words and phrases we’re learning.  Partly for practice and partly so I have a tangible sign of what I’ve learned (and what I still need to learn).  I’m proud of the 20 or so words and phrases I’ve learned in a week.  And, that I can have a 30 second conversation in Samoan (Hello!  How are you?  Fine, thanks.) I’ve even learned the 3 titles to be used depending on your level – talking chiefs are referred to as Tofa, for example.  And just to keep me on my toes, Tofa also means “bye” and “sleep”.

I’m interested in watching the dynamic of our group, given my background in team development.  So far, we’re clearly still in the happy “forming” stage.  The pressures of classes increase every day, but we have relatively little other stress. Our food/sleeping conditions aren’t ideal (think backpacking rather than luxury hotel) but are fine.   I suspect that will change when we go to our training villages.  Plus, we’ll be separated in 4 different villages.

Here’s the plan.  A week from Saturday, we’ll take the bus to our villages.  We’ll leave most of our stuff in the hotel here in Apia, taking only toiletries and a few clothes.  No computers, no electronics, nada.  They want us to have an immersion experience with our host families.  We’ll be dropped off in groups of five at each village.  The groups will be determined on our language proficiency at the time.  I expect to be in the Bluebirds (euphemism for the slow group).

We’ll be in our villages, living with a host family while having training every day with our four fellow PC villagers.  Each Friday, we’ll hop on the local bus to commute to Apia for “center day” which means training for all 20 of us.  It will be a two hour bus ride each way, using the public buses.  After seven weeks, we’ll all be back in Apia for our final week of training, testing and swearing in.  The shifting dynamics of the group will be interesting to experience.  I think we’ll need to make a conscious effort to maintain our group vibe.

We have incentive.  Group 81, who just celebrated their 2 year anniversary, is a tight group.  Everyone who started is still here.  Group 82, however, is a bit different .  23 PCTs started 1 year ago.  Now they are down to 17.  Apparently, some chose to leave.  Others had the decision made for them when they broke the rules and some left for medical reasons.  We hope to replicate the group 81 experience and have all of us still together in 2012. 

December, 2012.  That’s when we’re due to end our tour.  That brings me back to the whole quirky time thing.  My roommate Chelsea mentioned last night that it still feels like vacation to her.  I feel as if I’ve lived here forever.  I was enjoying some quiet time last night, sitting in the dark, enjoying the breeze and the sound of the native drums.  Just letting my mind drift.  What the heck, native drums????  Yes, Nesi, you’re not in Lake Mary anymore.  Lest you think the folks whip out the drums every night in their backyards here in the capital, the music/drums were coming from Aggie Grey’s resort (the one in town, not the one where we snorkeled).  Apparently a fiafia for the palagis.  We get our own fiafia Friday night.  Can’t wait.

Check out the brief water safety video here.  Folks were jumping off the boat and convinced Tevita the PC training manager to jump, too. Dave, PCT, is closest to the camera and provided support by joining him in the jump.  It was a good time.