What a Difference a Day Makes

My kitchen at 9:25 a.m. on Saturday, October 8, 2016.

I think this photo of my kitchen says it all.  Hurricane Matthew is gone and the sun is back.  I love seeing rainbows in my kitchen and am grateful they're back.  It's a stark contrast to the weather we've had for the last few days.

I've hauled all the patio furniture, etc. back where they belong.  The sun is helping to dry out the saturated ground.  It feels so good and is a reminder not to take my life for granted.  It feels wonderful to be able to breathe deeply, not worrying if the next minute will bring life-threatening winds or devastating rains.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows, though.  There are a few things in the aftermath of the storm that aren't so great.  Since it appears my roof is going to stay where it is, I was forced to finally clean the house.  While I was cleaning I heard a loud, constant sound from outside.  I stepped outdoors and realized it was the sound of weeds growing.  Apparently, now that I have the house clean, I'm going to have to spend a few hours soon pulling weeds before my house starts to look like Angkor Wat.

I took this photo in Angkor Watt in July, 2014.  I saw a weed today that looks a lot like these tree roots.

I'm joking, of course, about the downside of the storm being over.  Now I'm focused on what I need to get done in the week to come and planning to head to Ormond Beach (just north of Daytona Beach) a week from today.  That's assuming the resort will be open for business.

True!

I'd like to dedicate this to fellow travelers and PCVs/RPCVs around the world.  Any toilet (or tree) will do, but if it's a Western style flush toilet in a clean, private bathroom, there is no better feeling.

More Photos of Armenia

As we drove out of Yerevan (a lovely, cosmopolitan city), I wasn't too impressed with the landscape.  Malawi was much more beautiful.  But then we drove a few more kilometers and the terrain began to change.  Here are more photos of our tour to Khor Virap, Noravank and Areni.

Climbing up to Khor Virap

Denise at Khor Virap.  If she looked straight ahead, she'd be looking at Turkey and Mt. Ararat.  Because of the long-standing issues with Turkey, the border is closed and you can't cross from Armenia to Turkey.

A herd of sheep slowed our drive a bit as we left Khor Virap (about 45 minutes out of Yerevan) to drive to Noravank.  We climbed to a much higher and cooler elevation to Noravank.

It is traditional to release doves at Khor Virap, as Noah did after the flood.  This is believed to be the cradle of all civilization, since only those on the ark survived the flood.

From Khor Virap, facing away from Turkey - looking down on a cemetery.

The terrain began to change as we climbed toward Noravank

Denise and I met in Samoa.  We both lived in northern Arizona.  We agreed that these red rocks reminded us of there.

The weather at Noravank was cool, a bit drizzly and perfect.  The setting is remarkably peaceful and beautiful.

A few rain drops didn't put a damper on  our enjoyment of the beauty of the place.

The great thing about travel is the opportunity to meet amazing people and make  friends who get your passion for experiencing the world.

Photos don't do justice to the panorama.

Yeah, it's a monastary, but where tourists go, Coke and vending machines are sure to be there.

We stopped for lunch on our way back towards the winery at Areni.  Traditional (and delicious) Armenian food.  Beef shish kebab, grilled potato slices, cucumber/tomato salad (I've never tasted sweeter tomatoes than in Armenia).  You can barely see the slices of fresh cheese that you put with the fresh herbs on lavash bread for a wonderful treat.  The herbs included tarragon, basil, dill and something I didn't recognize.  Lunch, which included water (still or gas) and tea or coffee, was less than $7.  That's at a touristy tour bus restaurant.  Lunch was served open air, next to a river.

The world is a beautiful place.  This is in Areni.

After the 8 hour tour, Denise went to yoga and Otis and I strolled a few blocks from their apartment to Republic Square to watch the nightly fountain display and listen to the music.  Note that it's just getting dark.  It was 8:45 p.m.

Lots of people (most seeming to be locals) enjoyed the beautiful evening along with us.  I predict that Yerevan is going to be the next hot tourist destination, with prices rising dramatically.

Rolling Stone

I still have so much to say about Malawi and my time there, along with photos to share.  But that will have to wait.  I left Blantyre, Malawi last Thursday.  I spent the night in Lilongwe and on Friday morning I went to the airport to start my trip that went from Lilongwe to Lusaka Zambia to Nairobi Kenya to Amsterdam Netherlands to Paris France to Yerevan Armenia.  I arrived at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday night in Yerevan just in time to see a spectacular sunset over Mt. Ararat.

After a brief visa issue, I made it through immigration and customs and emerged to see my friend Denise, waving and smiling.  It's been all smiles since.

I'll be filling in details, but for now, some photos.  As you can see, I'm loving Yerevan.

At the weekly art/crafts/rugs/food market in Yerevan I saw a woman selling something.  Had to try it.  Nuts are strung on a thin string, then dipped in a fruit syrups (cherry, strawberry, plum, tomato, etc.) until the nuts have a thick coating similar to a fruit roll up. OMG good.

Republic square

It may be a developing country but it's developing rapidly and has all the comforts a pampered pooch could ask for.

At the local market.  Sushi and a huge bowl of caviar.

My friends Otis, Denise and Irie.  Denise worked for Peace Corps in Samoa, where I met her.  Now, she's working for Peace Corps Armenia.  I love the whole family!

Dinner Sunday night was a mix of veggie salads, caviar, olives, marinated chilis and steak.

Smoked fish at the grocery store.  Huge variety of foods (and lots of cheese!) and all very inexpensive, compared to the US.

Think You Have It Tough?

I've been crazy busy with work and travel related to work, which explains (but does not excuse) the lack of recent posts.

This one will be brief because it's 7:30 p.m. and I haven't had dinner but I hope it will whet your appetite for more.

This weekend I traveled to just north of Lilongwe for a meeting.  Along the road I noticed vendors selling gravel.  I also noticed the children who were busy pounding a large rock into a smaller rock to create the gravel. They are doing it as a way to get food to live.  If your child is whining because you won't buy him/her the latest electronics, I suggest you tell them to go pound rocks.

I've made a few Malawian friends.  I can meet Americans in America. I'd prefer to spend time with the locals while I'm here.

One told me today that he is paying off his "not finished" house by paying $20 a month.   The house doesn't yet have electricity or running water but is his dream home.

Another friend, who provides a service for me, asked me to only give her a small portion of what I owed her.  Instead, I'll save the money for her for the next month.  That way, her abusive husband won't have access to the cash.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries on earth.  Inflation has been insane here recently.  People starve.  Life expectancy is low because of disease and other factors.

In Samoa, friends could call family in New Zealand, Australia or the USA if they needed money.  That's not the case here.  In Samoa, food was always available.  That's not the case here.

I see people here working in ways that Americans wouldn't, just to stay alive.  I feel humbled and awed by the spirit of the Malawian people.

A New Adventure

Tired of reading my whining about heat, humidity and other stuff from the South Pacific?  Great news! I'm starting a new adventure in February that will enable you to read my whining about my new adventure in Malawi, Africa.

Seriously, I'm tremendously excited about this new opportunity.  I'll be a volunteer for a non-profit based in Scotland for a 2 1/2 to 3 month assignment.  Aside from the geographical and cultural differences, I anticipate a number of other contrasts.

First, my stint will take roughly the time it took it took for Peace Corps training.  Second, I'll be living and working as an expat in the second largest city in the country, rather than trying to integrate in a rural village.  Third, I'll be working with adults, using my business consulting and training skills, rather than teaching English to children.

The time from application to acceptance took less than a week.  I had a great Skype interview this morning, during which I felt like I really "clicked" with the interviewer.  We have similar professional backgrounds and it was fun to talk about approaches to a variety of training and consulting situations.

My work will be to assist in training, mentoring and supporting local trainees who are being trained and certified to consult with small and mid-sized companies.  My part in this effort is just one piece of a three year long project to enable locals to help develop businesses and improve the economy in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Part of me is excited about the opportunity to volunteer in helping others to improve their lives and the lives of others in their country.

Part of me is excited about learning about another culture and meeting new people.  I'm hoping that since Peace Corps has volunteers in Malawi, I'll be able to meet some of them and experience their lives in a rural village.  And I really, really want to go on a safari, which has been on my top five list for a very long time.

Part of me is excited about using my experience and skills to help others while adding to my resume.

I wish I could say my motives are totally altruistically, but they're not.  I want to help.  I want to learn. I want to have fun.

I can't wait for the trip, which will likely involve four layovers, to start.  I hope you'll come along.

Missing Samoa

I'm settled back into my home in Florida and it feels great.  I'm reconnecting with friends and starting to look forward to the next adventure.  It seems that I should stop spending money and start earning some.

While I'm excited about the future, I'm nostalgic about the past and my time in Samoa.  I DVR'd Bizarre Foods the other day and started to watch it last night.  What a surprise - it was about Samoa.  I didn't watch but instead saved it so I can watch it with friends this weekend.

Instead, I looked at some photos I took before I left the village last November.  It seems so long ago in many ways.

One thing I DON'T miss is the almost always packed bus to the wharf.  

There's no "p" in the Samoan alphabet, so they have trouble discerning the difference between a "p" and a "b".

I brought some candy back from Apia for the teachers.  As with all food, it was carefully divided.  

Tulouna and Tivoli - two of my favorite Year 8 boys.  They made me smile every day and were always willing to help.

The view from where I usually sat during interval.  

I introduced the kids to the idea of Halloween and trick or treating. They had fun with it and wore the masks for weeks after.

Two of my friend Mafa's granddaughters.  The older girl is smart, cheeky and has such potential. She has an irrepressible spirit and was my faithful companion.

One of Mafa's only grandsons, Lua.  He's a master tree climber and frequently climbed the tree next to the school to fetch me tipolo (lemons).

This is Mafa and the beautiful mat she made for me as a going away gift.

What's Peace Corps Samoa Training Like?

A one-word answer to describe PC training is “intense”.  I struggled with training in 2010.  The amount of new information combined with a completely new environment as well as having no personal time to be able to process what was going on made it daunting.  This group seems to be handling it a bit better but is still feeling the intensity. 

Group 84 spent one week in Apia, getting the basics and meeting staff.  They arrived in the villages on Saturday, October 13.  They were welcomed with an ava ceremony by the matais (chiefs) of the village and were introduced to their new families.

On Monday, one of my group helped two PC staff member conduct the Water Safety Training.  Tuesday morning started with a Safety and Security session designed to inform them of local laws.  Then came language training, followed by their first cultural training.

During the rest of the week, the trainees arrived at the training fale by 8:00 a.m.  Most were dressed in new clothes (puletasis for the women, lavalavas for the guys) and jewelry when they arrived.  Samoans are competitive and the host families are sewing and buying things like crazy for “their” trainee to make sure they are the best dressed.  They also “help” the women with their hair to make sure they are the best groomed, by Samoan standards.  Braids and buns are everywhere.

Each morning starts with check-in, just to see if anyone has questioned or anything new has come up.  We also let them know the schedule for the day.  After check-in comes language until morning tea at 10:00 a.m.   Language continues from 10:30 to noon, when we break for lunch.  The families either send lunch in the morning with their trainee or deliver it around noon.

At 1:00 p.m. each day we have cultural training for two hours.  That’s what I’m here to help with.  I’m working with the lead trainer on staff to combine theory and the ideal of fa’asamoa with the current reality of what they’ll be experiencing in their sites. 

I’m trying to help keep the sessions varied, interesting and helpful and so far informal feedback has been good, but the evaluations will tell the tale.  It does feel good to be back doing the kind of professional work that I did for years before coming to Peace Corps.

We’ve done sessions on cultural values and compared things that Americans typically value to things Samoans value, and how that impacts behaviors. We talked about specific examples of things the trainees have seen and experienced so far as well as things the Samoans have observed from the Americans and how the behaviors might be interpreted.

The session on non-verbal communication was funny and eye-opening, I think.  We did it as a competition, with teams having to interpret non-verbals that  the language trainers demonstrated.  We went through about 30 different non-verbals.  The group started asking “Really?  How many different ways are there to say you want to have sex with us?”  It’s a Christian country, but they love to laugh and flirt and some of the flirting is very direct.  I got to demonstrate how to turn down an advance, non-verbally.

After two hours of culture training, we have another 30 minute break, followed by language training until 5:00.  By then, the trainees are hot, sweaty and mentally exhausted.  Many, however, stay for another optional hour of tutoring. 

Then, they usually fill up their water bottles and head toward their fales.  Frequently members of their families arrive to walk them home. 

The trainees have homework each night and also are anxious to interact with their families.  Plus, most have a need to take a walk or go for a swim to try to get their bodies as tired as their brains.  Many families have the nightly traditional “lotu” or prayer for half an hour at sunset, followed by dinner and time to work on the homework.  Then, early to bed because some volunteers attend 5:00 a.m. prayer with their families.

The trainees are healthy (except for the minor bug bites, infections, etc.); happy (except for the occasional moments of feeling overwhelmed or homesick) and very, very busy.  It didn’t take them long to realize that “Beach Corps” just means they happen to live on the beach.

Big News for Someone in Group 84

I found out today that one lucky new volunteer, part of Group 84, will be living and working in ….Pu’apu’a! Whoever gets it will be lucky for a variety of reasons.

First, the bus. The Pu’apu’a volunteer (who will henceforth be referred to as the PPPCV) will be taking the same buses I take. There are a lot of them and it’s a beautiful ride, especially the part between my village, Faga, and PP. Plus it means that you can take advantage of the Tuisivi store on your way to and from Salelologa. And, you won’t be far from the Tuisivi hospital.

I didn’t realize that would be a plus when I arrived, but since it’s the only pharmacy in the area, it’s nice to have it close to get the antibiotics that I can pretty much guarantee you will be taking at some point.

Next is the school. The building is large and nice and the field is huge. Check out the netball photos – that’s your school. Complete with Mickey Mouse painted on the side, welcoming everyone. The PP kids are the ones with pink shirts.

I’ve had a chance to chat with the teachers and principal at the school. Nice folks and some speak English well. One teacher recently hugged me and thanked me profusely for the work I’ve done for her country and her children. It was one of the few times I’ve been thanked and it was much appreciated.

The teachers range in age from 60’s to 20’s and there are at 2 men. One is an expert with computers and your school has a huge computer room with about 15 networked computers. Plus you’ll have a copy machine, laminator and giant paper cutter.

You’ll have the same SRO I do. She’s terrific and although we’ve butted heads more than once on some fundamental issues, she’s a caring woman and will have your back. Plus Pu’apu’a has the best restaurants in the area! That, of course, is a joke.

  Pu’apu’a, like most villages, has no grocery store (just the small faleoloas where you can buy chicken and canned mackerel) and no restaurants. Bring chicken recipes. Lots of them.

Another plus is that another principal in our district lives in Pu’apu’a. She hosted a group 80 volunteer and is terrific. She also drives and comes into Salelologa a lot. She gives me a ride every time she sees me waiting for the bus and I assume will do the same for you. Your principal and his 20-something year old wife live near the school. She used to teach at my school and is cool. She’s the only teacher who’s invited me over for dinner or offered to take a walk with me and I assume she’ll be equally friendly with you.

Whoever gets Pu’apu’a is lucky for so many reasons. Not the least of which is that it’s easy to pronounce.

Update:  Just found out that anyone in the village can use the internet at the school for $5 tala an hour.  1/3 of going rate.  Lucky dog, oe!

Sex. Chicken and Otherwise

It started again yesterday.  The comments about finding a Samoan man for me to marry so I won’t leave.  A couple of names were tossed out for my consideration.  I think they’re joking.  I hope they’re joking.

I have the opportunity to witness a lot of sex here, in the animal kingdom.  Mostly chickens, although dogs run a close second.  Chicken sex is fast.  At least the act itself is.  The prelude takes much longer because that involves the rooster chasing the hen all over the yard so he can have his way with her.

While she squawks and puts up quite a fuss prior, the act itself seems to be a non-event and afterwards she just shakes smooth her ruffled feathers and walks off as if nothing ever happened.

You may wonder why I bother to write about chicken sex.  Have you ever seen it?  It’s new to me.  Just like lizard sex was new to me before I moved to Florida.  There, they did it next to my pool all day, every day.  Just like squirrel sex was new to me before I moved to Michigan.  I was amazed when I saw a pair doing it on the side of a tree, upside down.  That would take some serious concentration.

Can you tell I'm getting desperate for things to write about as I try to put off the deep cleaning my house needs?  Delving into cupboards and under suitcases where spiders and other creatures live is not my idea of fun.  I think I need to take a walk first...