During the two week school break I spent the first week in Apia in training. Most of us brought a Samoan counterpart and the goal was to work on our project plan. I worked with another teacher, who’s also a friend. Our goal is to get some new computers and get them networked to access the internet router that a local company just installed. They’re doing a program that provides free internet access to primary schools. We just need to find funds for the computers, and then I’ll train other teachers and students to use them.
Training was challenging – both because it was delivered in Samoan and because I was sick. By the end of training last Friday I was sick enough that PC kept me in a hotel in Apia for a few days. If you’re thinking elegant, with room service and a Jacuzzi, you have not seen the PC budget for Samoa.
The best thing about the training was the humor and excitement of the Samoans present. They were enthusiastic and brought the same bawdy humor to the class that I’ve experienced with the teachers at my school.
This week I rested. The rest and medicine worked and now I just have sniffles and a slight cough. I’m ready to go back to school.
Also ready to get internet back at home. My phone has been “temporarily disconnected” and I have to visit the office in Salelologa. I’ve paid the bill, so that’s not it. As slow as my dial up was, I miss it.
Now, on to some more interesting things. It’s the small things that I enjoy noticing. Little differences between home and here.
I was on the bus recently and had but my hand on the back of the seat across the aisle to brace myself. The seats on the bus are narrow and some Samoans and I are wide. Usually, it’s a 1 cheek ride and the curves can get tricky.
A little girl, about 7 years old was sitting cattycorner and watching me. When we made eye contact I smiled. She looked away. A few minutes later I felt something touching my thumb. It was the little girl. She was gently rubbing my polished thumbnail. She was looking at it with a serious look. I just smiled at her.
I don’t believe I have ever seen a Samoan woman here cross her legs. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, yes, but just sitting with legs crossed, no. This morning I sat with two Kiwi’s at my church who are staying at the nearby resort. We three palagi women had our legs crossed for most of the service. Looking around, I noticed none of the Samoan women did. I’ve noticed it before.
I also noticed after about 30 minutes, the Kiwis started fidgeting a bit. Understandable, since we were sitting on a wooden pew and the service was all in Samoan. I’m used to it now.
BTW, the Kiwis gave me an email address and said they’d send me the names of a few Mexican restaurants in Auckland. I have to keep my expectations low and not expect the Arizona/New Mexico style of food I love.
In a fight between a chicken and a 4 month old puppy, I’ve learned to bet on the chicken.
Why do the pigs like to sleep outside my window? The window next to my bed? I can understand that they get hungry at 3 a.m., but do they need to argue with the dogs about it? There is no food outside my house.
The woman who owns the Tuisivi store told me she found someone from New Zealand who’s living in the area and is going to start baking whole wheat and multi-grain bread as soon as they can get the supplies. Cheese and multi-grain bread? Hot diggity! There was also some Malaysian cream of mushroom soup. I’ve discovered I really like the Guatemalan cheese balls they sell at the store. I’ve noticed several Guatemalan imports. How does that happen?
If acknowledgements as I walk down the street or ride a bus is any indication of my level of integration in the community I’m doing well. On the way to and from church this morning about 80% of the people I passed honked, waved or yelled. Even the two Kiwis who came to church said they knew my name because several people had pointed me out earlier in the week. When HB was here she laughed about how I’ll have to get used to being a “nobody” again when I come home, after my village fame. No kidding. People hardly ever waved at me in the parking lot at Albertsons.
I saw a little boy on the bus, drinking from a small can. He was sucking on it as if it was a juice box, but it was small and round. I realized a few minutes later he’d been drinking the juice from Vienna Sausages. Then he opened the can and shared them with his grandmother. I’ll stick with Kool-Aid.
Today was the first day of the new term. I had over 100 kids for the day. Then I rode the bus for an hour, hit the market, went to the internet cafe where I couldn't mail a report to PC that was due, then I walked to the telephone company where I had a challenging conversation. After an hour ride home, I realized I was supposed to be at volleyball. I was hot, sweaty and just wanted to relax with a cool drink and my fan but changed out of my school puletasi and headed to voli. It's a short walk and I was surprised to be attacked by 3 dogs on my way. I'd never seen them before. I yelled and tried to find rocks to throw at them. They'd surrounded me and were aggressive.
I'd just said hello to several of my neighbors as I passed and they heard the commotion. They sent a teenager to throw rocks and get the dogs to leave me alone. The dogs ran off, I thanked the teenager and kept walking to voli. I heard hearty laughter as I walked away. Samoan humor.
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