A Typical Day

Seeing how teaching is the main that I do day in and out while in Samoa, I wanted to give all you readers a look into what I each day with the school!

A Typical Day:

I usually wake up bright and early at 7am after the sun’s already been up for an hour or so.  After a leisurely breakfast of yogurt or oatmeal I’ll put on my puletasi and get ready to go.  At 7:45 I’ll start out towards the school on my bike and it’ll take me about 15 minutes to get through the village and up the dirt road.  As I pass through the village, people going about their morning work will wave and say “manuia le aso!” or “have a good day!”  My school is about ¼ mile up a dirt road into the country and on rainy days it can turn into a mini river with hidden potholes.  Not so fun on a bike.  As I pull up to the school around 8, the kids are already in the thick of their morning Samoan reading exercises.  I walk past the computer lab and almost 60 kids are sitting on the floor, reading various Samoan books out loud to each other.  A few of them wave and call out “Morning Michelle!” and then go back to their reading.  I spend the next 30 minutes in my room working on finalizing lesson plans as kids filter in and out asking for help or just socializing before their day starts.  My brother Daniel usually saunters in with a few of his friends and takes the highly sought after job of cleaning my classroom.  Believe it or not, sweeping is an extremely sought after job and kids’ll argue over who gets to do it.  In just over 5 minutes they’ve swept the floor, cleaned the mats, and emptied the trash.  Good as new!

At 8:45, morning prayer starts.  3 days a week, all of the children file outside and line up by class year, girls in front and boys in back.  The teacher will have them march in place with shouts at intervals for “left turn!”, “about turn!” etc and all the school will move as one, usually with the year ones and twos not quite understanding the English and turning any direction they please.  After a few minutes of that, the students will sing their prayers which is quite beautiful to listen to.  Each day, the teachers will choose a different passage from the Bible to read to the kids and the kids will follow along in their Bibles which they’re supposed to bring to school.  When the Bible teachings are finished, drum roll begins and all students turn to look as the Samoan flag is raised.  Right after the flag raising, all of the teachers will file among their students doing a check for correct clothing, having a handkerchief, having clean fingernails, and for the older grades that they have a Bible with them.  The boys also get their hair checked where if the teacher grabs their hair and their fingers are able to grasp something, then their hair is too long.  Usually if someone has something wrong with their clothing then they’ll get a rap on their head.  After inspections, the Principal talks to the school about topics of the day such as issues with food, upcoming exams, or other such things.  The end of the assembly comes by having the students march in place, turn towards their classrooms, and march to class.  After the students have walked away, the teachers and I will usually stay out for the next 10 minutes or so and gossip or chatter about happenings for the day.  I’ll maybe understand 30% or so of this since it’s all in Samoan.

I’ll usually teach 4-5 groups each day, all at around 45 minutes each.  The classes usually involve going over homework in the beginning and practicing speaking English with simple questions like “What did you do yesterday” and “What will you do this weekend” as a warmup.  I’ll then go over the lesson and leave the final 5 minutes or so for a game.  I’ve taught a few different games to my class but they’re most of all obsessed with JENGA and something called Tip Tap Toe that involves hand slapping, rock paper scissors, and some fast thumb action and head turning.  I’ve never seen it before Samoa but the kids really like it.

All the kids from the school stuffed into my room for assembly

Lunch is between 11:00 and 11:45 and the teachers all eat together in the science room.  There’s a small kitchen in the back of the science room and they’ll usually make rice, chicken, or curry for the teachers as well as copious amounts of tea.  Lunch involves lots of gossip and jokes.  After you’re done eating, a student will bring to you a bowl full of water for washing as well as a towel to dry off with.  After lunch I’ll finish with my groups and then at 1:00, the bell will ring signaling the end of the school day.  As I leave school, the kids, especially those in years 2 and 3 will get super excited and run around my bike, racing me down the dirt road.  It’s definitely one of my more favorite parts of the day.

And that’s that!  I’ll make it home by 1:30 most days and then it’s rest and relaxation from there.  Every now and then kids’ll come over to my house to work on their homework with me but otherwise it’s pretty quiet.

Walking my bike down the road for me

My word wall 

Sunsets in Samoa

What is it about a sunset?  They happen every night and yet each one is so different and awe-inspiring in their own way that you can’t help to watch night after night.    The sunsets in Samoa are at an entirely different level of colorfulness than what I’ve seen back home.  Every night I look out from my fale and in a span of roughly 30 minutes the sky turns from a light blue, to pink, to fire orange, to purple.  It’s amazing to see the changes in such a short time.  It never fails to be awe-inspiring and I’ve tried to capture the beauty a few times with my camera.  Below are just a few of the better ones.  Enjoy!

A Thousand and One Uses for Lavalavas

•A sheet for when you crash on your friend’s floor.  Keeps both the cold and the cockroaches at bay
•Stuff it in a pillowcase so you don’t have to pack a pillow when you crash on your friend’s floor
•A tablecloth.  Whip it off your body and it’ll brighten up any room
•Sew it up and it makes excellent drapes
•If someone happens to cut themselves, wrap it around them and you have an instant bandage!  Wrap it tighter and you have an instant tourniquet!
•If someone happens to have an item protruding from their skin, you can doughnut wrap the lavalava and it’s a great circular bandage
•At the beach, why pack an extra beach towel when you can simply take off your skirt and lay it down?
•In fact, why do you need an actual towel…ever?  Lavalavas may not be the most absorbent but darned if they don’t dry fast.
•Say you’re walking outside and BAM!  The sun starts burning you.  Why get out of it and into the shade when you can once again simply whip off your lavalava and drape it over your head.  Instant, portable, shade.
•Well someone has to say it: clothing
•Makes an excellent whip with which to whip your unsuspecting brother while he’s sleeping
•Stuff an end into the tea spout and drape the rest over the kettle and it’ll keep the tea hot for an eternity!
•Ladies, don’t feel like wearing a bra in the morning?  Simply pull your lavalava up and around your chest and voila!  No need to walk around in a bra.  (Sidenote: only ok for around your house)
•Tie a knot around your neck and you’ve got an excellent, child approved cape to zoom around the house after your brother

In closing folks, the Lavalava is an excellent new invention, introduced here only over 100 years ago by visiting (prude….cough….) missionaries who didn’t wish to see half naked natives. Buy yourself one today, and you’ll soon find it an integral part of your routine.  Enjoy!

***Side note:  We actually received emergency water safety training from some Australians who advocated the use of a lavalava as an emergency bandage/tourniquet.  It’s a really great idea as there’s always someone around with one and the fabric is such that it’ll staunch the blood nicely.  Its part of a program that they were doing across Samoa to train staff at resorts.

Madi and I hiding in the shade of our lavalavas

Brad with his wicked new Rock me Jesus lavalava!

June Events

Two large events happened in June that brought a lot of us volunteers into Apia.  The first weekend was Independence holiday for Samoa and the Peace Corps was invited to march in the parade.  The American Embassy, who was also marching with us, had matching uniforms made for us.  Unfortunately they neglected to make bottoms as well as tell us to bring our own and it resulted in a hilarious mismatch of bottoms including a bright pink lavalava and some jean shorts.  Well the morning of the parade, we all woke up bright and early 6, scarffed down some breakfast, and started out towards the parade grounds in our spanking new puletasi tops.  About 2 minutes down the road, we got a call from our friend at the embassy kindly asking us where the hell we all where and could we possibly move as quickly as possible as they were waiting for us to start.  So we hopped in a taxi until we could no longer go any further because of the crowds then hopped out and hoofed it.  We all quickly were engulfed in the crowd and it was overwhelming us.  Out in the village, and even in Apia, the crowds are usually extremely sparse and a crowd so thick you can barely move is completely unheard of.  So here we were in the midst of one and it was, at least for me, more claustrophobic than even the rush hour shopping was in Osaka, Japan.  When we reached the parade grounds, we saw the American flag and matching puletasis on the far side of the field and rushed over so we could get into the parade.  At this point, we all realized that Samoan parades are slightly different than American ones.  See, in America, we tend to have our parades walk down the street with crowds on both sides.  Usually there are floats, dancers, people chucking candy at kids, and bands.  Well in Samoa, we marched a total of 100 yards, stopped in front of the bandstand with important heads of state and dignitaries sitting there, yelled out “Happy Independence Samoa!”, and walked away and off the track.  We all looked to our Country Director Dale and he nodded, “Yep, that’s it.  Thanks for coming in”.  Turns out the parade is mainly for the people sitting there in the bandstand and everyone else just watches on TV.  So there’s no point to marching through the streets.  Interesting version of a parade, but it was fun doing it with my friends.
Also, a side note, apparently my family is the one family on the entire island who is responsible for making the flower necklaces that the heads of state buy and then wear at the parade.  The night before, they had relatives over harvesting my mother’s gardens, and then an assembly line of women making various style necklaces.  Apparently they can go for between $25-50 each so great once a year event for them.  It was really cool watching them make the necklaces at such a high quantity.

One of the more fun events of the Independence weekend was the Fafafine Beauty Pageant.  For those of you who are unaware, Fafafines are an integral part of Samoan culture.  Basically a fafafine is a male who, usually as a toddler, is raised in the traditional female roles.  A fafafine’s hair is left long and some of the older fafafine’s will dress in feminine clothing.  In school, they continue to wear the male uniform and yet are not subjected to the male haircut standards.  Many times, fafafine’s will choose later in life to cut their hair and get married and others will continue to live as a fafafine.  Well, over Independence weekend there was a Fafafine Beauty Pageant that was equal to some of the best Drag Queen shows I’ve seen in America.  It was one of the best shows I’ve been to in a long time.  It started out with an introduction from the Prime Minister then went right away into categories such as best fruit wear (banana, apple, etc), talent, and more.  The sex jokes and sauntering were rampant and the audience was hooting and hollering like there was no tomorrow.  One interesting deviation from what I’ve seen in America is a fafafine would be walking down the catwalk and suddenly rips their shirt off to reveal the extremely well defined (or not) chest, reminding everyone in the audience that they are extremely beautiful men.  I can’t quite see that happening in a Drag Queen show.  DEFINITELY recommended to anyone who happens to be in Samoa in June.

The other event that happened was the closing ceremony for the Pacific Partnership.  For the past month, the USS Pearl Harbor, an American Navy Ship, has been in port and American and French Navy guys have been working on projects across the two islands, specifically in water tanks.  Well the last night that they were in port, they threw a VIP party on board the ship.  Well since PCVs are government employees, we warranted an invite.  I was lucky enough to be able borrow a dress so I had a lot of fun getting ready.  Hair, makeup, long dress, the whole shebang.  Lu and I got dressed together then headed over to the shipyard.  I was feeling halfnaked with my fancy dress dipping down in the front but once we got on the ship that feeling went away.  At the entrance ramp to the ship, there was a red carpet flanked on either side by sailors.  As I walked down the carpet, one of the sailors at the end detached himself and introduce himself as our guide up to the party.  Apparently the route up to the desk was so complicated that we needed a guide haha.  Well up we climbed, me increasingly thankful I was wearing flats instead of heals, until we reached the top deck.  At this point, the guide left and we were introduced to yet another two rows of sailors.  As we walked through this one, yet another man detached, this time extending his arm towards me to hold as he walked me into the party and over to the wine table.  I was completely enjoying every second of that as I felt like a princess entering on a prince’s hand.  The party was really enjoyable: they had men in naval dress uniforms all over the deck, the navy jazz band playing, free wine and beer, and best of all, a huge line of amazing food.  I had cookies, CHEESE (!!), fruits, and homemade rolls.  I’m reminiscing just thinking about it.  All of the Peace Corps employees and volunteers were there so it was fun seeing everyone all dolled up.  At one point, they did the raising of the flag and they played the Star Spangled Banner.  It was incredibly moving hearing an American song played with people standing at attention.  All in all a wonderful night and I can’t wait to see that ship come in again next year.  Thank you Navy!

Band Practice

Years 7 and 8 at my school have started a new venture Mondays and Fridays after school, music lessons!  There’s a man who lives down the street who writes music and used to teach band at a church. So every Monday and Friday they lug close to 25 instruments down to the school so that Years 7 and 8 can learn how to read sheet music and play an instrument.  He has clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, tubas, and some drums.  It’s really neat watching them.  I happened to sit in on their first time holding the instruments and while it was nowhere near “good” it was definitely noise.  He gave them each an instrument and told them to try and make any noise that they could and dance while they did it.  The kids took to it instantly and while it sounded like a heard of elephants dying, the kids had a blast and got over their fear of the instruments.  A few lessons down they began to learn the fingerings for the basic scales on each instrument.  The brass instruments got it fairly quickly but the unfortunate clarinet and sax players were having difficulty with the reeds and getting anything out but squeaks.  Give it a few more months though!  We’ll end up having a top notch Primary School marching band.

The pile of instruments

Cinco de Mayo

        Peace Corps Samoa has a wonderful tradition of going out to Lusia’s Lagoon Resort for Cinco de Mayo every year.   It’s out on Savaii so I had to make a decision about whether I wanted to take the time for it or not and obviously since I’m writing this post, I decided to go out there.  The ride getting out there was not the best experience.  First, I took a bus from my place at 7:00am and went into town for a nice pancake breakfast at McDonalds.  Ended up costing me $20 but ooooh man it tasted AMAZING!  The person who I was traveling out to Savaii with had her bus break down outside of Apia and was told to start walking so almost 30min later a car picked her up and drove her the rest of the way.  Finally at 10 we caught the bus out to the ferry in hopes of making the noon ferry.  Well noon rolled around and past and the boat never arrived.  And so we waited…and waited…and waited.  For some reason the boat just never showed up.  So at 2pm the little dinky ferry came around instead of the nice large (steady) boat.  And so we got to cross the open water with huge swells in a glorified fishing boat.  Oh yay.  So around 4:00 we finally arrived at Lusia’s and the party began!

You don't really realize what foods you’re going to miss until you actually get into country.  For instance you think you’ll crave pizza and end up craving salad.  Well we all were craving some Mexican food and Cinco de Mayo was the perfect excuse.  Our amazing chef for the group, Josh, worked in the kitchen for hours on nachos, pulled pork, tortilla shells, bean mixtures, and guacamole.  It was a drool inducing result.  We stuffed ourselves with nachos and tortillas and it was the most satisfying meal in a very long time.  Thanks Josh!!

Our amazing PCV Madi made a homemade piñata for our group!  Unfortunately nobody could wait for the actually hitting of it and kept ransacking it for candy but no matter.  Thanks Madi darling!  It added to the party.

Lusia’s is built on a gorgeous lagoon where the water is an interesting mixture of warm water with cold pockets that’ll hit you every now and then.  They have a deck built out over the water that you can sit out on and jump off into the water.  It’s currently owned by Jim, a former Peace Corps volunteer (from 2 or 3 groups ago I think).  Fun to hear stories about previous groups.

Lu jumping off the dock at Lusia's

Floating away my cares