Quick update: My team "Toa Pisikoa" was the Overall Winner with a time of 8 hours and 5 minutes. The female Peace Corps team, "Keine Kope," won the Women's group with a time of 10 hours and 37 minutes. Congratulations, ladies! It was a lot of fun. I'll put up more pics when I get them. Check out Matt's blog posts about the race.

With my Women's Committee in front of their fale.

My village's Women's Committee held a fa'amavae (going away cermony) for me on August 18th. Leaving the village is a big deal and proper goodbyes are a must. The fa'amavae started with a few speeches given by matai and then some choice bible verses were spoken by the EFKS preacher with a prayer and a hymn sung. As always, a huge meal was prepared of chicken, pork, fish, corned beef, chop suey, breadfruit and oka (chunks of raw fish, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers in coconut cream). The women brought out many gifts in recognition of my work in the village and more speeches were made including my own to the village. Trent PCV was able to attend and helped me dance with the ladies to finish off the fa'amavae. I had a blast and am grateful for the time I've spent with the women over the past two years. Here are a few more pics.

Shaking hands with the Alofi-O-Taoa principal with stacks of the new books at center.

On August 16th, I brought seven boxes containing 180 books to Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary to supplement their current library. The principal, teachers and the librarian were very grateful for the New Zealand High Commission's support for the library. I was impressed with the quality of books that the Samoa Stationery Company were able to give us. Over a year ago, I started this project looking for book wholesalers to buy quality books (reading level and theme appropriate) for the primary and secondary schools in my village. As with most projects, it took a lot of time just to find who could supply them. Long story short, I am lucky that SSC has become the exclusive Scholastic book dealer in Samoa and was able to put together an order of a wide selection. While I took inventory of all of the new books with the librarian, I opened books because they were interesting. Nearly half of the books are about science/technology and the environment/wildlife. The other half are teenage fiction with a few Twilight books. I have a hard time expressing how excited I am about this project coming to fruition but if you'd hear me talk to you about it, then you'd know. I'll be delivering seven boxes of THREE HUNDRED books to Safune Primary this Monday. I'm psyched! Here are a few more pics taken at Alofi-O-Taoa for a press release about the project.

I am running with a Peace Corps relay team, Toa Pisikoa, around half of the island of Upolu on August 28th. Each member will run roughly four 5K legs totalling around 12 miles. I've been running for a number of months now and look forward to sharing pics after race day. Here's a link to the website that has some general details.

Recently, the Samoa Victim Support Group came to Savaii to educate the villages and schools about what to do in the instance of a rape or an indecent act like incest. The theme is "Say NO to Rape" and they've been advertising with wooden signs in many villages with their phone number. I am happy to say that my village has their own now and have been spoken to about this important issue.

Check out this link.

The books from my library book projects should be in country some time next weekend, so I'll have a new blog post up with pictures then.

A few weeks ago I was notified that the library book grants I turned in for Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary and Safune Primary were accepted!

This past week, I picked up two 5,000 WST checks from the New Zealand embassy and presented them to a local book distributor. A large order of books for both schools was placed and should be in country by the end of July.

Working with the manager of the book distributor, we selected sets of books that were in English and the Samoan language. To establish the joy of reading, beginning English books were very important, as well as, culturally appropriate and science-based books.

I talked with both schools' principals and Alofi's librarian, Lili, and they are excited about the new additions. Lili has instituted a book check-out system with a group of students and with the new books, this will surely grow.

This is the first step of many and I'm grateful to work with the schools', supportive leadership. This project is one of the easiest for me, because the principals know the importance of quality books and the necessity of reading. The schools just need a hand up, so to speak.

I’ve been busy over the last month getting prepared with a group of Peace Corps Volunteers to conduct health seminars. We’ve traveled to seven villages and put on a skit (culturally appropriate) on the benefits of healthy eating. Jim PCV who is leading this project would then speak to a gathering of Samoans and field questions along with the accompanying nurses from the regional hospital. As Americans, we may not eat by it but we should know what a balanced diet is. For many on my island, that isn’t the case. Amongst many other “simple” concepts, Jim would explain what good and bad sugars are (Eat more fruit and less processed sugar.). Once the question and answer session was over, the villagers would get their blood sugar and blood pressure checked by the nurses. Then us volunteers measured their height and weight and instructed them on where they fell on the BMI scale. I don’t know why I’m typing all of this when it’s written with more detail here.

Also, if you have some time, check out this post about the composting toilet project from a few months ago. If you’re reading this Jenny’s Mom, she did a lot of work but wasn’t in the pictures, because some one had to take them. :-P

Sina and the Eel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sina and the Eel is a legend in Samoan mythology[1] which explains the origins of the first coconut tree.[2]

In the Samoan language the story is called 'Sina ma le Tuna.'[3] 'Tuna' is the Samoan word for 'eel'.

The story is also well known throughout Polynesia including Tonga, Fiji and Māori in New Zealand.[4]

Different versions of the legend are told in different countries in Oceania.[4] The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) has many uses and is an important source of food. It is also used for making coconut oil, baskets, sennit rope used in traditional Samoan house building, weaving and for the building of small traditional houses or fale. The dried meat of the coconut or copra has been an important export product and a source of income throughout the Pacific.

The legend of Sina and the Eel is associated with other figures in Polynesian mythology such as Hina, Tinilau, Tagaloa and Nafanua.

Sina is also the name of various female figures in Polynesian mythology. The word sina also means 'white' or silver haired (grey haired in age) in the Samoan language. There is also an old Samoan song called Soufuna Sina based on a Sina legend.[5]

The story

On the island of Savai'i in Samoa, one version of the legend tells of a beautiful girl called Sina who had a small pet Tuna. When the Tuna grew, it fell in love with Sina. This made the girl afraid. She tried to run away, but the Tuna followed her. Sina finally sought refuge in a village, and thinking that she had escaped, went to the village pool to get water.

However, when Sina looked into the pool, she saw the Tuna staring up at her.

Angry, she cried 'You stare at me, with eyes like a demon!' or in the Samoan language, 'E pupula mai, ou mata o le alelo!' Village chiefs came and killed the Tuna. As the Tuna was dying, it asked Sina to plant its head in the ground. Sina followed the Tuna's request, and planted its head in the ground. A coconut tree grew from the ground. When the husk is removed from a coconut, there are three round marks which appear like the face of the Tuna with two eyes and a mouth. One of the marks is pierced for drinking the coconut, and hence when Sina takes a drink, she is kissing the Tuna.

In Samoa, the fresh spring pool Mata o le Alelo in the small village of Matavai, Safune, is associated with the legend of Sina[6] and the Eel.[7] The pool is named after Sina's words to the Tuna in the legend. The pool is open to visitors.

Different Versions

Another version of the story says that Sina was from the village of Laloata on the island of Upolu, and her father's name was Pai.[4]

References

^ http://www.livingheritage.org.nz/schools/secondary/marcellin/samoa/eel.php

^ http://www.tki.org.nz/r/pasifika/digital_legends/dl/sinaandtheeel/sina_english/text-version_e.php

^ http://www.victoria.ac.nz/llc/sina/sina.html

^ a b c [1], Handbook of Polynesian mythology by Robert D. Craig, p.88

^ [2] A Samoan dictionary by Rev George Pratt

^ [3], Cultural memory: Reconfiguring history and identity in the postcolonial Pacific by Jeannette Marie Mageo p.72

^ http://www.samoa.southpacific.org/savaii/northcoast.html

External links

Read the legend in the Samoan language

Legend at National Park of American Samoa website

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sina_and_the_Eel"

Categories: Samoan mythology Polynesian mythology

[My host mom Peka Tapelu and myself stand beside a wheelie bin donated by the Australia DAP]

Australia High Commissioner’s Office contributes wheelie bins to Fatuvalu-Safune

The Direct Aid Program (DAP) funds the purchase of wheelie bins to advance rubbish clean up and removal

Fatuvalu-Safune, Savai’i, May 8, 2010: The Peace Corps Committee of Fatuvalu, Savaii successfully submitted a request for six wheelie bins, which was accepted through the Australia High Commissioner’s Direct Aid Program in March 2010. Upon delivery, the wheelie bins were placed at key points on the road leading through the village to encourage proper rubbish disposal among residents of Fatuvalu and the surrounding villages. Rev. Mani Nepo from the EFKS church in Fatuvalu stated, “The village of Fatuvalu has been working to protect our environment for many years and are grateful for the new wheelie bins that have been provided.”

The Direct Aid Program is designed to assist community groups and organizations engaged in development activities on a not-for-profit basis. Fatuvalu’s Peace Corps Volunteer Ben Griffin added, “Fatuvalu is a progressive village and with the help of the Direct Aid Program, will continue to set an example throughout Samoa in environmental awareness and conservation.”

I can not say enough about the Peace Corps Partnership Program. It helped me find donors for my school fruit tree project that will provide fruit trees for FOUR (4) schools in rural Savaii. If I had more time in Samoa, I would look to the PCPP for more funding.

The Peace Corps Partnership Program was started in 1964 and the purpose is to connect "small, community-initiated projects with partners in the United States for financial support. These connections not only achieve goals in the host community, improving the quality of life for its members, but they also foster international understanding between the communities and U.S. partners."

That being said, check out the website and the projects based in Samoa. If you're interested in a tax-deductible donation, this is a good one.

I visited Saleilua Primary school on April 23rd to help PCV Erin :) with her fruit tree planting project. She had already instructed the students to bring digging tools to school to aid with the planting and that morning, many did.

After a very warm "Talofa Ben!" greeting at the school's morning assembly, we got to work digging holes in preparation for the fruit trees that would arrive later that morning. These kids are naturals at digging holes. I can't say enough about their proficiency with shovels, picks, crow bars and of course, coconut shells. The schoolchildren with the assistance of Erin and myself, dug fifty holes, and once completed, finally took a break.

The truck from the Ministry of Crops Division with the fruit trees arrived at 11:30 a.m. Instruction was given by members of the crew on the varieties of fruit trees they brought and how to properly plant them. The trees that they brought included: abiu, avocado, rollina, guava, soursop, rambutan and tahitian lime. The planting of the trees must have only took ten minutes tops. The kids were excited and very helpful with loads of iniative.

I was happy to stick around once school was adjourned and was fed abundantly. The teachers and assistant principal were very nice and I didn't mind at all helping Erin out. Anyone that has spent time with her at her school knows that she's loved and has made a big difference not only with the students but the teachers, as well.

*A side note from Erin: Ben was so helpful on Friday! I could tell the boys loved getting to work with a male PCV. He made a couple of buddies that just followed him around helping all day long. The day would have been a disaster without his knowledge and motivation. Thanks Ben!!!

I felt the earthquake at 6:20 this morning and in my mind, lasted for ten seconds. Here's a link and I don't know how the "law enforcement source" didn't feel it.

I just wanted to type up how excited I am about turning in grant proposals for library books and I'll be finishing a grant proposal for pig fencing later this week. I am in such a good mood that I'm sharing a link to pictures from this past weekend when I went with a group on a waterfall hike. I'm loving life in Samoa.

Yesterday was busy. Working as a Village-Based Development Worker can bring days with little action. For the record, I work 24/7 for my village. My village's present and future projects are always on my mind. That being said, I have been juggling ten projects for a while and would like to stagger their implementation, so I don't drive myself crazy. Well, sometimes when the rain comes, it pours.

I've been working with a new officer at the Ministry of Crops Division for the past month. She has told me on the phone three separate times that they were coming with the fruit trees and on the day of, had to cancel. This past Tuesday, she canceled but I talked to her boss and he said they would come the next day. Well, the next day was the Women's Committee's Sewing Day where they would use the new sewing machines and my host mom talked about making me a shirt. It's okay, because in another time (when I lived in the States), I juggled three jobs my last semester and still went to class (I got a B in a 4000 level Business class.).

A crew of five workers from the Asau office of the Ministry of Crops Division showed up after 10 a.m. at my village's secondary school. Needless to say, it was hot. We showed a few upperclassmen the proper way to plant the fruit trees, which included in this planting: avocadoes, lemons (a not-so bitter variety), rambutan and soursop. After planting a few, we left for the primary school and the young men would finish the planting after school.

At the primary school, we came upon some trouble with the soil being sandy, so the guys had to dig up dirt from further inland and mixed it with the sand. It was pretty cool to see the kids gather round to watch and ask questions.

The crew brought 40 trees for this 1st Phase with twelve going to the secondary school and twenty-eight going to the primary school. In a few months, I'll be able to purchase different varieties of orange and mango trees that were grafted from superior trees. They'll cost more, but it's all for the kids.

The Women's Committee Sewing Day went of without a hitch. They asked the Women's Center to come out for another training workshop. The women were instructed and practiced making clothing for their families with the new machines. They were sewing at 8 a.m. yesterday morning and continued on into the evening. Great work, ladies!

I have been working in my village for a year and a half, and I am very happy to see projects that I have started come to a close. My completion of service date is creeping up on me, so I'm trying to get as many projects done as possible. Today, I've turned in library book grant proposals for my schools and would you believe I'm on track to turning in a grant proposal for pig fencing? I thought that was dead in the water but my host dad has helped me out, so I'm back at it.

On the 12th, I rode with some guys in my village who were delivering copra to Salelologa and were going to pick up my rubbish bins and drop them off at my house when they came back. I paid 50 ST to the owner and they were delivered.

I bought yellow spray paint in Apia, and this past Thursday, I was helped by a guy from the village who made a couple of stencils out of XRay sheets. On both of sides of the rubbish bins they say my village's name and "AUS Aid," which was our donor agency.

I have been in contact with an officer from the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment and will wait until he can come give a seminar to the village before I have them placed by the

road.

I visited the Mailelani Soap Company on the 20th and they generously donated a block of soap the size of a wheel of cheese to be used in the schools. I quartered the soap and this past Tuesday, I used a drill bit to poke a hole in the middle of two of them and slipped a rope inside to create two large "soap on a ropes." I visited the primary and secondary schools in my village that day and presented them with one each and will check up on them in the coming days. This is a trial run where I will ask about how often they are used and how often does the soap and the rope hold up.

Oh, I visited my village's preschool as well this week. They are now educating children from four different villages, so with the increased attendance, they are looking for funding to build a new preschool. The EU Aid Agency is not taking grant proposals until June, I believe, but I told the EFKS preacher who oversees the preschool, that he should employ a carpenter to give an estimate to the cost of building one before I begin to write the grant. I am very happy to help with this project. I was asked to take pictures of the new pupils at the preschool and you can see them here.

I went to Jenny PCV's village last week to help with building a composting toilet. In her region of Savaii, water can be scarce especially during the dry season, and water used is collected rain water in water tanks; so, water conservation is important. The idea behind a composting toilet is to not use water at all. Initially, you lay down a layer of organic material in a chamber below the toilet. Gravity takes the droppings down and you toss some clipped grass or leaves on top when you are done. In the toilet she is using, urine is separated and fed through a tube underground to a nearby flower bed that she will plant. There are two, adjoining chambers built and when one is full, you unbolt the toilet and seal off the hole and bolt it above the other chamber. After six months, the waste will be ready to use as compost. There are no worries about waste smelling, because it is kept dry.

On the first day of work, PCVs Spencer, Trent and I broke ground for the foundation. Rocky dirt was dug, blocks were placed and cement was mixed with sand (3 parts sand to 1 part cement).

Day 2 continued with more cement mixed and blocks being placed. A special thank you to the two carpenters in Jenny's village that came to help. The quality of the structure went up exponentially because of their labors. Here are some more work pictures. To say the least, at the end of the day, I was exhausted. Check out the folder for all of the pics. In a month or so, Jenny will have all of the materials to finish the building, and I look forward to helping with work that doesn't involve shoveling cement!

On February 6th, I helped, along with many other Peace Corps Volunteers, paint a newly donated water tank by the Red Cross in a tsunami-damaged village, Salea'aumua. Members of the Peace Corps Volunteer NGO Avanoa Tutusa (Equal Opportunity) came up with the idea to work with and engage these oft-neglected children with an afternoon of fun and creativity. With the Red Cross's consent and cooperation, three 5,000 gallon water tanks have had murals painted on them in Southeast Upolu.

Once in Salea'aumua, we got to work taping out the mural space on both sides and sketching the drawing onto the tank. During this down time for the children, they were corralled into a fale to color or to throw a football around. On one side, a cross was taped off to be painted red by the youngest of the village kids. When the mural was sketched completely, we brought in some of the older kids to paint more intricately. Here's the finished product and the group pic. This project was a lot of fun and check out the full album for all of the pics. These two (this one and this one) are my favorites.

My projects have come out of a lull in a big way. Below are the details.

With the help of my district's member of parliament (MP), the process of acquiring sewing machines for the Women's Committee has been expedited. She contacted the Frankie's Molesi store in Apia and arranged to pick up the sewing machines and materials from there and will bring them to Fatuvalu herself. I am SO happy that this project is wrapping up and will post pictures of the sewing machines with the Women's Committee when that day comes.

I received a call on February 15th from a representative at AUS Aid who stated that the grant proposal I turned in for Waste Bins has been accepted! I picked up the check on the 18th and promptly purchased the bins at Bluebird Lumber who delivered them to the Salelologa store for pick up. I am working with a family in the village who has a pickup truck to schedule a date to get them.

I am also looking into hosting a seminar for the village conducted by an officer from the Ministry of Natural Resources to explain to the village on how and why to use the bins and what is appropriate waste material. Concerning appropriate waste material, the differentiation of what is appropriate has been a headache for me over the time I have been here. On the rubbish shelves we have beside the roads, I have found coconut husks and sticks to be picked up by the garbage truck but tin cans and plastic bags strewn nearby. An explanation to the village on what should be driven to the landfill and what can be discarded here is needed.

Yesterday, the Women's Committee was visited by members of the UNDP and were given a check for 9,000ST for the third phase of the Wetlands project. I was the one that typed up the third phase's objectives and for the life of me, I don't know how they will spend all of that money but I do not doubt that it will be spent. I am happy with agencies that give money to villages, so that they can help themselves but in my eyes, too much of this money is going into villagers' pockets.

I am now a volunteer with the Samoa Victim Support Group. This organization offers guidance and a voice to anyone who has been sexually assaulted or abused. A spokesperson for the SVSG has recently stated on the radio that on average 3 young women every WEEK report to the police cases of sexual assault, rape or incest. This type of violence hits pretty close to home with me. Last October, I awoke to hearing an attempted rape of a host family member by two, village men outside of my fale. I was able to chase them away but I can not begin to understand how she felt. I talked to my host dad the next day but the whole incident was swept under the rug and the girl was sent to live in another village with family. She deserves better than that. Once the SVSG makes a Savaii trip, I will arrange for them to speak to the secondary school and the preachers of the village to pass on the word.

   Over the past month, I've reevaluated my projects and at times taken two steps forward and one step back. That's still progress. Here's a rundown on what I've got on my plate.

1.) Sewing Machines

My Women's Committee placed an order with the store Frankie's Molesi in Salelologa in December before I left for New Zealand. They were not contacted while I was gone like they should have been. In fact a week and a half ago, I checked with an adjunct manager (I have not been able to track down THE manager this year.) who said the order form has been lost but copied my original and took down my contact information. I'd really like to finish this project, so I can move forward on others.

2.) Fruit Trees for my Schools

Getting in contact with my guy to get the trees has also been a problem. I have the money. Give me the trees. The positive side to this has been that I've brought awareness to the fruit tree project and others have taken an interest in doing this in their villages.

3.) Pig/Cow Fencing

This is a biggie. I need to talk to my member of Parliament who made me aware of the grant and find out if there is an expiration date. The grant is written. I will have to go to a Matai meeting and tell them about my expectations for this project and that they will have to be met (General pig seminar and accurate information to determine how much materials will be requested). I would like to have the proposal turned in by April.

4.) Waste Bins

The grant proposal for six wheelie bins was turned in to Australian Aid a few months back, so I've been calling to see if there is any progress. I've gotten the lady's voicemail over the past week, so hopefully, I'll get a positive response. These wheelie bins will be a boon to the continued efforts of the Fatuvalu Roadway Beautification Committee. We have continued to pick up trash on a weekly basis and a decline in loose refuse is expected with a proper, waste disposal system. At a recent visit to the SPREP organization's office, I found a number of educational resources for schools about waste disposal and would like to distribute them to my schools.

5.) Library Books

I've cold emailed a number of large book publishers in New Zealand and Australia asking if I could buy books in bulk from them to create a library. Nothing has turned up from that but recently I've been directed by PCV Erin to scholastic.com where she is ordering books, as well and found that I can order books in bulk at appropriate reading levels. This should be the spark I need and I will type a grant proposal in the next week or so. Erin has also given a very generous gift of 40 books to the Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary School, which I delivered this past Tuesday the 9th and received much adulation from the principal and librarian. Thank you!

6.) Wetlands

I met with an officer at the UNDP who informed me that our project will get funded for another phase and will let me know when money will be deposited. The village has recently planted more togo (mangroves) near the waterway where the ocean water meets the fresh but I really don't see where this project can go. I'd like the village to build an educational sign near the wetlands and I can coordinate educational seminars for both schools in the village but that doesn't cost much money. I'm sure they'll find a way to spend it, though.

7.) Handwashing Soap

I want to try out a large brick of soap-on-a-rope at my schools by the sinks to see if it gains traction. In the coming months, I will work with my friends at Mailelani to see about achieving this. Check out their website if you get a chance: http://www.mailelani-samoa.com/soapfactory.htm and if you'd like a bar for yourself, email me your mailing address.

    I look forward to whittling down these projects and continue to make chocolate and jam (My pineapple, mango & banana jam is the best so far.) for fun. If you have read this complete post, give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it. And tell Tennessee I miss her.

Recently, I spent three weeks traveling the South Island in New Zealand with my

fellow Peace Corps Volunteer and good buddy, Casey. Next to Tennessee but not 

within shouting distance, New Zealand is the most beautiful place I've traveled. 

Just to give a brief outline of where we've been and what we did:

We enrolled with the organization WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms)

and once we left Christchurch, we worked on a farm in Palmerston for a few days. 

We were lucky to have such knowledgeable and hospitable hosts. 

We hitched a ride to Dunedin where we stocked up on food/gear and bought

passage on a bus to Te Anau. The following day, we began tramping on the Kepler 

Track. There were many notable happenings on this walk but one of interest was 

that I experienced snow for the first time in two years. Many contend that the 

Kepler Track is the second best in New Zealand (behind the Milford), which is 

known for it's "Great Walks." Take into account that the Milford Track leads to 

Milford Sound, which is one of the World's Great Natural Wonders but I don't 

figure the Kepler is far behind. We summitted two mountains including this one 

above Mount Luxmore and walked around 55 kilometers in 2 and a half days. It was 

exhilirating, exhausting, breathtaking and punishing. 

We recuperated in Queenstown during Christmas and Boxer's Day. Ate at a

fantastic burger joint called Fergburger, drank a few beers, rendezvoused with some 

other Peace Corps Volunteers and made a few new friends.

We continued on our journey with stops at Franz Josef where I saw the glacier in

all of it's majesty and Westport before our scheduled WWOOFin' date in Granity. 

Granity is a small town with a whole lot of personality. A shirt at a local 

bar/restaurant read, "I lost my sanity... in Granity." 

New Zealand is everything I've been told with awe-inspiring beauty, an eclectic

blend of foods, entertainment around every corner and super-friendly Kiwis (New 

Zealanders).

On Tuesday December 1st, Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary School's Principal stopped by my fale and handed me the 100ST for the computers. I was ecstatic and the next morning, I lugged two computers with keyboards and mice (?) to the school and set them up. For the time being, I hooked up a couple of old monitors they had that were used with their deceased computers. They worked great! Even though a lab isn't set up for a class, I was told that a few more computers would be ideal and that they will look into setting them up in the library for the school children to research using the Encarta Encyclopedia program and to just get a feel of using a computer. All the kids coming from Jim's village will have a heads up on the others because of Jim's computer class. There you go, homie! & once again, Max, you hooked us up. Much appreciative!

On my recent trip to Apia, I picked up the sewing machine grant check from New Zealand Aid, and I will pick up the materials we asked for today with the Women's Committee President, Mesepa, and translator extraordinaire, Lana, and place orders for the sewing machines. Here is the list of Aid we asked for and were generously funded by New Zealand Aid:

Descriptions QTY U/Price Total

Sewing Machines 7 350.00 2,450.00

Roller Fabrics 10 162.00 1620.00

Fabric Ink 15 27.00 405.00

Threads 20 5.80 116.00

Needles 10 6.80 60.00

Zippers 40 1.90 76.00

Hangers 20 4.50 90.00

Total: 4,817.00 ST

This is the end of the school year and each school has what is called a "Prize Giving." This is a big event, which is to celebrate the schoolchildren's studiousness by giving them gifts of school materials for the next year but mostly, candy that is taped together to form long necklaces that they rip apart and I eventually pick up during the Fatuvalu Roadside Beautification Committee's weekly trash pickup... Anyhow, it's a big event, so I'll type another blog post before I head down to New Zealand with my good buddy, Casey!

It's been a little while since I've posted with text and since I am volunteering 24/7 (Can't turn off. I'm a volunteer on a mission.), I've got a lot to cover!

I hope you've watched the videos posted below from my friends at the Mailelani Soap Company (You did great, Sylvie!). As I've mentioned before, I'm a big fan of their soap and their sustainable, eco-friendly business practices. I've been discussing with them ways to provide soap for the students at my schools. Leaving a bar on the sink isn't enough, because they tend to find their way off the school premises. Mailelani is willing to make large bars (a brick, even) of soap for the schools that can't easily walk off the school compound. From there, I've been thinking about it's placement (Can't set a big hunk of soap on the sink.), and my dad advised me on short notice to look into making a big soap-on-a-rope. I think it's a fantastic idea, because it's easy to hang, and most importantly, use. I am still up for any suggestions but I doubt you can top my dad. He's pretty sharp.

By way of my good friend Max and 100ST, I have two computers for Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary. As soon as the school committee gives me 100ST, I will be setting them up for them. We're still in need of a fan to cool the computers and I'd like Max to take a look at the two computers that they have that are inoperable but time is running out. I wish you'd stay another year, Max.

I received a phone call yesterday from the New Zealand embassy that the grant I submitted for sewing machines has been approved! I look forward to ordering the sewing machines and picking up the fabrics and various materials with the Women's Committee President soon.

With pineapples, mangoes and other fruits in season, I have recently begun to make fruit jams. My personal consumption of jam before this has been little to none. I don't buy any in the store, but I sure have eaten a lot recently. I've been looking into creating a fruit jam small business to show and explain to members of my host family. Upon consideration of the market and the inputs and outputs, I'd inevitably be in the red, so I will just consider them gifts and stock a few away for next year. That doesn't mean I've given up on a small business, though. I'm going to continue making chocolate in the hopes of creating chocolate bars for sale. More research is needed into processes, as well as equipment.

On October 21st, Safune Primary and Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary school celebrated Global Handwashing Day and the day's activities were a huge success!

GHD was scheduled worldwide for October 15th, but I delayed the event to pick up hand washing posters (step by step instruction) in Apia from the Ministry of Health. I was able to procure 22 posters that I distributed to both schools and my village's preschool on the 20th. I was also able to obtain near 200 double-sided coloring sheets and wordsearch/connect the dots print outs for the Safune Primary kids.

On the morning of the 21st, my buddy Jim came down to help facilitate the activities and we headed down to Safune Primary with a wash basin, towel, soap and flour. On arrival, we met with the pule (principal) Olive Sila who showed us to the classroom and teacher we'd be assisting.

We were introduced to a Year 3 classroom and Year 1 and 2 joined in a big circle on the floor. The teacher, Lesina, explained amongst many things what germs were and that they could make you sick. There was a lot of questioning and answering back by the kids that reminded me of Blue's Clues. Once the kids were warmed up for the exercise, Lesina took the bag of flour and dipped her hand in it. She explained that the flour is pretend germs. She then engaged one of the students with a "Talofa lava" and shook his hand. From there, the student shook the hand of the student next to him and so on. Lesina made sure that everyone in the room had "germs" on them and the exercise really took shape showing the casualness of spreading germs.

The wash basin we brought was filled up with water and Lesina explained to the kids the proper way to wash your hands and when to wash your hands (after toilet, before/after eating, after playing with animals, etc...). We cut up the long sticks of soap into bars that I brought and went outside to the sinks near the bathrooms for all the kids to wash their hands.

Upon everyone's return, the coloring & wordsearch printouts were distributed with Year 1 and 2 getting the coloring sheets and Year 3 getting the more advanced wordsearch/connect the dots sheets. Jim and I stayed with the Year 3 class as the other respective grades went to their classrooms. The kids knocked out the sheets and commenced to coloring them in some interesting maybe even "postmodern" inspired styles. Who knew one (most of the class really) would see a soap container and paint it in all the colors of the rainbow? Their creativity was on display and Lesina explained to me an earlier project that was hanging up. They took charcoal from an oven, crushed it into a powder, added water, mixed, dipped a string into the concoction, and let the kids do whatever they wanted on a sheet of paper. LOVE it.

Jim and I arrived at 9 a.m. and by 10:30, we were wrapping and the break time bell was struck. Nonu fruit is in season and five gallon buckets were brought in for the kids to eat. Jim thanked the teachers in the fa'asamoa for the opportunity to spend time with the classes. We said our farewells and headed to Alofi-O-Taoa to drop off some soap.

Mefi, the principal, was in Salelologa, so I gave two sticks of soap to one of the teachers and tried to explain that they were a gift to the school for the bathrooms. She thanked me and Jim & I headed to the school's library. On the way, Jim informed me that he thought I told the teacher that the soap was a gift for her, so I might not see any of it sitting on the sinks the next time I visit. Well.... eh. We visited with Lili the librarian and I explained to her that I gave the soap to the SCHOOL. Everything should work out.

To recap: 22 Handwashing posters were distributed to 3 schools (Secondary, primary & preschool) with a passive audience of over 500 students, worksheets were completed by 100 Year 1, 2 & 3 students, soap was dispensed to both schools for usage, and fun was had by ALL.

I still look forward to going family to family in my village giving out printouts on proper hand washing and a bar of soap as a gift, but for now, I am focusing on the fruit tree project for the schools. I contacted a senior advisor with the Ministry of Crops division to explain that I have the money for the trees (actually, very soon) and I would like Fa'asoa (a popular Crops division advisor on the North Side) to come out and help me figure how many and which kinds of trees we need. I am expecting a phone call from him and look forward to getting the ball rolling. I've got 10 months left in my service with lots of projects and still having fun!

Check out this link from the legend of Iva himself, Niko. Hey big guy, as soon as I get my women to start jazzercising again, we'll begin weighing and cutting out a lot of the lololo (fatty) foods. From what I hear, losing weight won't be an issue, because everybody is fasting to prevent another tsunami.

Back row: Me, Casia, Fili, Tupo, Peka, O le pepe, Peti, SemekiMiddle row: Pepe, Iakopo, ?Bottom row: Anarosa, Sa'ili, Ioane

White Sunday was on October 11th and marked a special day for children all over Samoa with children-led plays in church and even being served first at meal times. I had this family picture taken before the morning church service.

Check out Erica's latest blog post. As I remember from a commercial in the States, "Life comes at you fast." She's going to be alright. Still hasn't settled for a lot of us the magnitude of what actually happened.

I got a confirmation that the fruit tree project I submitted to the Peace Corps Partnership Program is fully funded. I'll write up a post when I get more information.

Check out this link from CNN. Here's a link from the USGS page, and here is a link with the details for the 6.6 Earthquake from August 30th.

The roadway switch occurred on September 7th and although buses didn’t run for a few days so they could fabricate doors on the other side of the bus, everything seemed to go off without a hitch. Like other villages, Fatuvalu had a few signs installed by the government and arrows were painted on the road in front of my fale, which have been very helpful.

On September 18th, I noticed a Western Union sign was erected nearby in the village! You might be asking yourself, “What’s so special about a Western Union sign?” I am glad you asked. In my earlier post It Takes Time to Get Projects Off the Ground, I talked about how a Western Union sign can only be awarded to a village through the Samoa Beautification Contest. I checked around and PCV Jenny read in the Samoa Observer that Fatuvalu-Safune was given a consolation prize! Since previous inspections by the Samoa Tourism Authority for the contest, Fatuvalu has wrangled most of her pigs into papua’as and built faleo’os by ocean for decoration. I am currently writing a grant for rubbish bins, so we still have work to do but it’s nice to be acknowledged.

I carried a box of 24 dictionaries, Webster’s Dictionary for Students, Alofi-O-Taoa on September 24th. Rosie PCV had two extra boxes (I dropped one off with PCVs Jim and Trent) of dictionaries she had sent from the States and was generous enough to donate to our schools. I sat down with Mefi, the principal, and he thanked me for the books and I updated him on acquiring computers (still trying) and talked a bit about Global Handwashing Day. I told him that I would like to bring in materials and posters in advance and possibly facilitate in activity in a classroom on how germs are spread. I told him we’d talk more in October about that and I left for the library to research for the proposal I am writing to outfit the school’s library with appropriate books.

I met with Lili, the librarian, and here are the answers to a few of my questions: 1) There are in estimation 800 books in the library. 2) Students do not check out books for a number of reasons – not pertinent to their education and have never done it. 3) Students come in once a week for library time. First off, 800 books! Well, let me give you a run down of what is on the shelves: paperbacks that looked like they were left over by tourists from the ‘80s and ‘90s, an incomplete set of Encyclopedias from the ‘60s, forty hardcover Reader’s Digest condensed novels, and I even found a textbook written in Spanish! Needless to say, there are many challenges to foster students in an enjoyment of reading and an ill-equipped library does not help. Now, I am looking into book publishers who can furnish a library from the bottom up and will deliver the grant proposal to AUS Aid.

I toured the Mailelani Soap Factory outside of Apia on September 4th with PCVs Christian, Lisa and Casey to learn about the process of making soap. I have been a big fan of Mailelani soap since being referred by another volunteer and hoped to purchase soap in bulk from them to give as gifts in my village on Global Handwashing Day in October. When we arrived by taxi, we were met by Mr. Kitiona Salanoa who runs Mailelani with his wife, Sylvie. We were showed into his workshop where we were given instruction in how he made soap with the all important ingredient of coconut oil (suau’u popo), and he fielded questions. We then visited the finishing area, where the soap is laid out before packaging. We posed for a picture (From Left: Me, Casey, Lisa & Christian). Quick shout out to Christian who has just finished his two years and is off to more adventures: Miss you, buddy! Concerning Global Handwashing Day activities, the PCV-initiated NGO, Avanoa Tutusa, has decided to get involved and organize event materials for schools. Hooray! With their backing and Jim being in contact with Health, Education, & Promotion Services that will yield even more materials, I am looking to take this to both schools in my village. Once again, needless ailments are suffered by child and adult like by not washing “their hands with soap at critical moments (for example, after using the toilet, while cleaning a child, and before handling food,” (Global Handwashing Day Planner’s Guide).

Shifting the Right of Way to the Left Leaves Some Samoans Feeling Wronged

Government Calls Traffic-Rule Switch 'Common Sense,' but It Sparks Road RageBy Patrick Barta APIA, Samoa -- Sometime in the early morning hours of Sept. 7, residents of this small Pacific island nation will stop their cars, take a deep breath, and do something most people would think is suicidal: Start driving on the other side of the road.

Samoa is about to become what's believed to be the first nation since the 1970s to order its drivers to switch from one side of the road to the other. That's spawned an islandwide case of road rage. Opponents have organized two of the biggest protests in Samoan history, and a new activist group -- People Against Switching Sides, or PASS -- has geared up to fight the plan. The prime minister who hatched Samoa's scheme, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, refuses to do a U-turn. Road-switch opponents are just trying to rattle the government, he says. He has compared a prominent opponent of the switch to a local "avaava" fish -- a sea creature that swims in shallow waters and eats garbage, an insult in Samoan culture. For full article, click link below.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125086852452149513.html?mod=yhoofront#articleTabs%3Dcomments

I received a shipment of 45 books from the Darien Book Aid Plan out of Darien, Connecticut on August 27th. Yes!

I’ve talked with the Principal of Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary (High) School about acquiring books that would help introduce students to the enjoyment of reading. Sadly, there are not many books printed in the Fa’aSamoa, and the reading level and themes of many of the books in the library are not attuned to the students. I placed an order with Darien about a month and a half ago and received books that are at an appropriate reading level for many of the students, as well as, themes including: science: environmental & nature, fantasy, detective, and a few beginning literature textbooks that I had a hard time closing.

I dropped off the books on August 31st and met with the Principal and school Librarian. Lili the Librarian thanked me for the assistance and reiterated that they needed help with appropriate fiction and nonfiction. ALL of the books are outdated. It’s hard enough to keep children that haven’t been introduced to the “joys of reading” interested in books that are from another era, but on top of that, English is a second language they are having a hard time grappling. I pledged my continued assistance in garnering more books for the library and also mentioned that growing up, the school’s library was a fun place to go in that it was colorful and allowed me the opportunity to read any school board approved book of my choosing. I told her that MESC told me they were going to bring out posters for the libraries on their next trip to Savai’i but they were probably just trying to get me out of their hair. The idea is to make the library fun! I’ll do the best I can in getting better books and visual aids that will make library time and reading more FUN-damental.

On August 22nd, 2009, I moved in to my faleo’o by the ocean! That’s right, it’s done. That morning my host brother Semeki helped me move the bed, my chest and mini refrigerator into the fale and later that morning, Jim came by and helped me install the shelves. I uploaded some pics to my photobucket account, so check out the awesomeness.

As of today, I’ve been living in the faleo’o for 5 days and the only really drawback outside of the thundering buses and cars that are mere feet away from the front door and the overwhelming amount of mosquitoes at night, is the thatch roof. I’ve heard from other PCVs that live in faleo’os that they’ve had to use pots to catch leaks and just to expect it. At times I am a strong proponent of denial and “if you don’t believe it, it doesn’t exist.” True to denial’s form, it let me down soon enough. On the first night, Saturday night around 9 p.m., a mild rain set in and a steady stream of leaks found their way to my face and bed. I got grumpy quickly and made a makeshift lean-to out of a tarpaulin to keep the water off the bed and the next morning, I made it a long term commitment. Anyone that would come visit me would notice the gaping holes in my thatch roof, as have I, but denial is a powerful thing. To correct the problem, my brother has proposed I pay for more thatch roofing materials but I believe that should be taken care of by the landlord, my host dad. Looks like I’ll be breaking out the pots and pans when the storm clouds are showing for a while but did I tell you I live by the ocean?!

Business related: I am expecting a phone call from Uga an officer at the Ministry of Livestock about the day he can give a seminar in my village about pig husbandry.

Only minor details are left to finish the fruit tree grant for the schools in my village that I am proposing through the Peace Corps Partnership Program. You will be able to give a tax-deductible donation that will purchase fruit tree cuttings to be planted on the school compounds and fruit will be eaten by the children attending. More information in the future.

Also, it was brought to my attention by my boss that Global Hand Washing Day is October 15th. According to www.globalhandwashingday.org,

“Hand washing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections, which take the lives of millions of children in developing countries every year.”

Last fall, I had a village survey taken that enquired about many issues and one of them was “Common Children’s Health Issues.” 26% of respondents identified “diarrhea” as a common malady for children, which ranks it #1 above fevers, coughing, etc… This brings up the question, do the people in my village wash their hands with soap? I would have to answer, no. What I have come to understand is that the people in my village use soap when showering but not during the rest of the day. Until recently, pigs and sometimes cows roamed freely in the village leaving their filth where they walked. Kids being kids play everywhere and possibly mingled with less than hygienic matter.

My favorite soap to use here in Samoa is Mailelani. The company operates outside of Apia and I’m looking to take a tour of the operation next month. I’d like to buy a bar of soap for each family in my village and give them a small handout describing the benefits of handwashing with soap. This is also an opportune time because health awareness is appealing to many Samoans with the Swine Flu epidemic in full force on the island. More on that later.

I uploaded some pics from the Eye Doctor Visit in my village, which included Jim & Trent helping out by checking for high blood pressure and diabetes.

Also, uploaded pics from Group 80's MidService Conference that was held in Manase from August 19-21. Most of the pictures are from a game we played called "Savaii Scavenger Hunt."

Look for a HUGE post in the next couple of days. I'm getting a lot done in a short amount of time... which kind of reminds me of "We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there, I'm Eastbound..." but I digress. Hope you're having a great day!

On August 3rd, I was in Apia and raring to get some things done.

First off, I stopped by the New Zealand Embassy to drop off the sewing machine grant. The process took about fifteen minutes, wherein I met the lady who is in charge of handling grant applications. She confirmed my contact information and said she’d be in touch when she had approval. Fantastic.

I met with my faipule (My district’s Member in Parliament), the Minister of Communications, to discuss village matters and possible projects. We made headway on a number of issues, including the pig fencing project, where she said she’d help me convince the Pulenu’u and the village matai to host a seminar on basic, pig farming. She, also, quelled my skepticism about keeping tourists overnight in the faleo’os by the ocean. Against what I’ve been told by members of the village, she said they were not to be used for overnight stays, because the village is in no way prepared for such an act. For now, they are for show and once infrastructure is purchased and built (not in the distant future) then they will entertain thoughts. The faipule makes my job a lot easier.

I went down a few floors in the government building to where the Samoa Tourism Authority is located to talk to Karin (PCV 80) who is working in the office about basic tourism information and mull over opportunities. Explaining to her how I would like to know if my village is even viable for significant, tourism money, Karin suggested I meet a gentleman who develops tourism attractions. We set up a short meeting in the conference room where he explained that his job is to go out to sights to verify if tourists would be interested, is it viable, and who actually owns the land. He explained that once money is talked about, matai from the woodworks show up looking for money, so a distinct ownership must be in place before moving forward. He said he’d be able to make the trip to Fatuvalu in late September, so I look forward to seeing where we stand with the Wetlands and vaita’ele (swimming pool).

Afterward, I talked to Karin about how what we have for tourists is not enough. With the wetlands, you get to pull off the side of the road to look at a swamp. It’s beautiful depending on whose pair of eyes you’re looking through, but still a swamp. The vaita’ele needs a considerable amount of work and trash removal before it’s an option. So, what to do? Karin threw out building a bird watching shed by the wetlands and a botanical garden, which are both GREAT ideas. There is an area behind the wetlands where, I’m told, the view is incredible. I’ll have to do some research, but in that area, I believe, both could be accomplished. A walking trail would have to be constructed and a number of families would have to be convinced and greased (I suppose) to support the project but who knows from its infant stage right now, where it will go.

I stopped by Bluebird (Home Depot Lite) to check on trash bins for my village. Turns out they run for 430 ST ($215ish) and I can have them picked up in Salelologa from their Bluebird free of charge. I am going to need at least 8, so doing the math and figuring in the cost of hiring a truck to pick up and bring back the bins, this project will fall under the 5,000 ST mark, so it should be easier to receive funds.

With my boss’s encouragement, I have decided to ask for funds through the Peace Corps Partnership Program to increase the scope of my fruit tree project for both of my village’s schools. In the beginning, I was going to pay out of pocket 100 ST for the fruit trees but under consultation with a Senior Officer in the Ministry of Crops Division, he persuaded me to look for outside funds, because one should not sacrifice quality over quantity when it comes to children. Through the PCPP, I will be looking toward making connections with people back in the States who would like to fund my project with a tax-deductible donation. This project is looking to raise $100 American to increase the number of trees planted and more expensive cuttings that come from gene-spliced trees that fruit at a younger age. I am hopeful and will write about this in depth in the coming weeks.

Lastly, I took pictures at the Apia flea market of some of the vendors’ jewelry for consideration for anyone that would like me to send them some. As I explained to the attendants, I am horrible at picking jewelry for friends and family for a number of reasons I shouldn’t have to explain. Take a look and if you see something you REALLY want, cut out the picture and send it to me in a .jpeg file. I’ll do my best to track down the exact earrings, necklace, etc… I enjoy sending packages back home, so no worries. They shouldn’t break my meager, Peace Corps bank account. :)

On July 30th, I had a number of tasks to get done, so I divided them up over a two day period, but my brother Semeki had an avanoa (opportunity) after morning tea, so we got’em done.

During the Dog/Cat De-Sexing Clinic earlier this month, Hannah (PCV 79) asked me to take inventory of the number of male/female dogs and cats each family has in Fatuvalu. The organization she works for, Animal Protection Society (APS), is trying to get a sample size of the amount of dogs/cats in Samoa and need a lot of help in rural villages. I am more than willing to help APS when I can, so I enlisted Semeki’s help in going to each family to explain what information I need and crack jokes about wanting to eat their dogs (a number of family’s were suspicious). I also needed to get the Women’s Committee President and Secretary to sign copies of the sewing machine grant proposal to be turned in this coming Monday, and have a talk with the Pulenu’u (mayor) about possible pig husbandry information sessions. Signing the grants went off without a hitch with many malo lavas (good job). I explained to the Pulenu’u that I went to the Ministry of Livestock the past Wednesday and found out that they can give a seminar on feeding the pigs, disease prevention, and general problems. I continued that it’s free of charge, and to ask the matai if they would like to do it. If so, I can give him the officer’s phone #. If not, no worries.

Semeki and I took a break for lunch and decided to get the rest of the families in the late afternoon. In the mean time, I met him after lunch to place a 14 foot pole beside my faleo’o to run the electrical wire across the road. With help from some passing soles (brothers) on their way to playing rugby, the pole was raised, wire run, and job completed. Now, I only need to buy 25 more meters of electrical cable to connect my faleo’o to my family’s grid and I’ll be ready to move in.

We finished up the dog/cat census before sun down, which brought some new information to light. When I came to Fatuvalu, Peace Corps’ information said there were 20 families and 180 people give or take. I now understand that there are 27 families with around 350 people. Most of the families have 15 to 20 people staying there at any given time with upwards of 27 in some cases and as low as, 5. I am proud that Fatuvalu has a handle on the amount of dogs and cats each family has. Only a couple of families had four dogs and most one or two. The population has to be checked here especially because dogs are left to roam and are not regularly fed, so pack mentalities are ever present. Once Fatuvalu gets serious about Tourism Development, we will need to trim the number of dogs down even further or outlaw them in the village all together.

FYI, as a gift to Semeki for helping me, I brought out the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace for the family to watch. I have been apprehensive in sharing my movies with them because they don’t like them. I tried out Hook, 1st disc of Planet Earth, and Wall-E to the boredom kids and adults alike.

Here’s some rules about what Samoans feel comfortable watching: 1) No kissing. Intimacy is frowned on in life and in the movies. That limits my choices quite a bit unless I want to deal with some squeamish moments. 2) Talking is bad. I was told last night from an older sister (She’s in her late 30’s) that Quantum of Solace was no good because it had too much talking. Are you kidding me?! 3) Death and explosions are a necessity. Semeki told me he’s a fan of the last Rambo movie and then made a machine gun gesture with the accompanying sounds of shots.

Atleast, they sat through all of Quantum of Solace. To be fair, Semeki did run through all 3 X-Men movies in a two night period. The consensus most popular movie they’ve watched from my collection? A rip-off, Bruce Lee flick from the ‘70’s you’d pick up in a dollar bin. I found it in the Peace Corps office and thought it might actually have Bruce Lee in it, but instead it was some other dude going by the name of Bruce Li. Who knew people actually liked or weren’t bothered by poorly dubbed, audio tracks?

Great news from, Fatuvalu (for the time being)! On July 28th, Fatuvalu had an asi’asiga (inspection) of the village, which included an inspection of the pa pua’a where the pigs have been corralled. No more pigs running wild! This act moves Fatuvalu in the right direction in the Samoa Beautification Contest, as well as, making the village more attractive towards tourism.

The pulenu’u (village mayor), Nu’u (his name means village), had time to sit down with me to talk about a few pressing matters yesterday. First off, I congratulated him on Fatuvalu’s pig round up and asked him if the matai would like to have wire fencing to reinforce the rock walls that were built. He said for now, the rock walls are good, so no worries. I’m not sure how long that will last but for now, I am relieved and excited that Fatuvalu is standing on its own. From there, I tried to explain as best as I could that I could ask the Ministry of Livestock to put on a seminar about taking care of pigs for the village. He said that was a good idea, so I’m going to ask for what topics are available, and let the matai decide. With that out of the way, I told him that I would like to get plastic, rubbish bins for the village and would like the matai backing for it. He consented, so now I will look into prices and a donor agency. I asked him about the village’s decision to hook up the sea side faleo’os with electricity and he said once the village gets the money, they will start planning. It was a very productive ten minute meeting.

On the school front, I just got confirmation from Darien Book Aid that they “mailed [me] a package of books this past week about July 24, 2009,” and that I should receive the books in “2-3 months.” Fantastic! Also, computers that Peace Corps have requested for their schools are in country and getting serviced. I am going into Apia next week to turn in the sewing machine grant, as well as, get a figure on how many computers Alofi-O-Taoa Secondary School should expect.

On July 13th, I went to Salelologa with the Women’s Committee President, Mesepa, and another prominent member of the Women’s Committee, Lana, to put together a price list for the sewing machine grant. Mesepa decided that seven sewing machines would be sufficient to add to the Committee’s five and from there, we priced rolls of fabric, needles, zippers, etc… The women were excited and grateful, which was a boon to my psyche. Now, all that is left is to turn in the grant request to the New Zealand High Commission and wait for a possible acceptance. On July 14th, a group of RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers) arrived in my village to give free eye screenings and glasses, if needed. From what I understand, two of them are optimology students at the University of Hawaii and served here in Samoa around the year 2000. For a couple of weeks, they have been giving these eye screenings around Savaii and Fatuvalu was chosen as one of the villages to be assisted. Nick (from the previous post about the Savaii Health Fair) has been to numerous sites with the team testing for diabetes and high blood pressure. He was here in Fatuvalu that morning but had to go home sick. My buddies Jim and Trent came, though and we set up shop for testing in a fale beside the fale that they were checking eyes. Testing eyes and blood sugar started around 10 a.m. after our tea time and ended after 3 p.m. I would estimate over 50 people had their eyes tested and the same with blood sugar and pressure. We also measured their height and weight and wrote down all of the information for statistical purposes. Check out Niko's post Recap: Joint Eye/Blood Testing Program.

Over the past week, I’ve been trying to get my faleo’o ready for a move-in. Electricity is rigged up inside, but I am going to wait for a better electrical connection before I depend on it for my mini-fridge and various, small appliances. The costs for outfitting the fale have really taken their toll on me this month. I have spent over half my living allowance on electrical plug-ins, wiring, tarpaulins, door locks, wood, you name it and look forward to getting a little bit of financial freedom once the new living allowance is disbursed. The future is looking bright. I keep thinking that a trip to New Zealand is just around the corner in December, so that buoys my spirits. Just a little wrinkle in my buoyant spirit, the village had a meeting yesterday, 20th, to discuss renting rooms for the night in the faleo’os beside the ocean (like mine) to tourists. This is not new information to me, because the EFKS faife’au (preacher) talked to me weeks ago about it and I gave him the same reasons I am giving you now: 1.) There is NO beach. We have a rock wall in Fatuvalu to keep the ocean from eroding the dirt from under the road. Tourists like beaches. 2.) It is NOT safe. The faleo’os are six feet away from the road and cars/buses do not slow down. I worry about that myself. Also late at night, Soles (translates to brothers [slang]) drink out by the fales and tend to wander around causing mischief. I also worry about that. Tourists don’t like to be molested. We would need a fence, which would cut into the six feet of land between the road and the fales. 3.) Manase is up the road with a large availability of accommodations, all the infrastructure is set up, advertising, everything. They have a beach! Manase is a functioning tourism village with five different resorts and low rates. On Friday nights, they have Culture shows with fire dancers! How can Fatuvalu compete? We can’t. To his credit, the faife’au understood. He’s an intelligent guy. I told him that I understand tourism, so all the matais have to do is ask me about it. Instead of funneling the village’s money into electricity for the faleo’os and later a shower and toilet, we could finish the Wetland Conservation project and restore the village’s vaita’ele. In that way, we could attract tourists and sell handicrafts. That’s a unique product we can sell that neither Manase nor anyone else is selling right now. I explained most of this to my brother-in-law, Semeki, yesterday and he wants to take a field trip to Manase to see for himself. I am not opposed but I think he wants me to front the bus fare. Not having much more than a rudimentary sense of business if any hinders the group thinking of the matai. An “if we build it, they will come” mentality is pervasive and like I told Semeki, “good luck.”

On July 13th, I went to Salelologa with the Women’s Committee President, Mesepa, and another prominent member of the Women’s Committee, Lana, to put together a price list for the sewing machine grant. Mesepa decided that seven sewing machines would be sufficient to add to the Committee’s five and from there, we priced rolls of fabric, needles, zippers, etc… The women were excited and grateful, which was a boon to my psyche. Now, all that is left is to turn in the grant request to the New Zealand High Commission and wait for a possible acceptance. On July 14th, a group of RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers) arrived in my village to give free eye screenings and glasses, if needed. From what I understand, two of them are optimology students at the University of Hawaii and served here in Samoa around the year 2000. For a couple of weeks, they have been giving these eye screenings around Savaii and Fatuvalu was chosen as one of the villages to be assisted. Nick (from the previous post about the Savaii Health Fair) has been to numerous sites with the team testing for diabetes and high blood pressure. He was here in Fatuvalu that morning but had to go home sick. My buddies Jim and Trent came, though and we set up shop for testing in a fale beside the fale that they were checking eyes. Testing eyes and blood sugar started around 10 a.m. after our tea time and ended after 3 p.m. I would estimate over 50 people had their eyes tested and the same with blood sugar and pressure. We also measured their height and weight and wrote down all of the information for statistical purposes. Check out Niko's post Recap: Joint Eye/Blood Testing Program.

Over the past week, I’ve been trying to get my faleo’o ready for a move-in. Electricity is rigged up inside, but I am going to wait for a better electrical connection before I depend on it for my mini-fridge and various, small appliances. The costs for outfitting the fale have really taken their toll on me this month. I have spent over half my living allowance on electrical plug-ins, wiring, tarpaulins, door locks, wood, you name it and look forward to getting a little bit of financial freedom once the new living allowance is disbursed. The future is looking bright. I keep thinking that a trip to New Zealand is just around the corner in December, so that buoys my spirits. Just a little wrinkle in my buoyant spirit, the village had a meeting yesterday, 20th, to discuss renting rooms for the night in the faleo’os beside the ocean (like mine) to tourists. This is not new information to me, because the EFKS faife’au (preacher) talked to me weeks ago about it and I gave him the same reasons I am giving you now: 1.) There is NO beach. We have a rock wall in Fatuvalu to keep the ocean from eroding the dirt from under the road. Tourists like beaches. 2.) It is NOT safe. The faleo’os are six feet away from the road and cars/buses do not slow down. I worry about that myself. Also late at night, Soles (translates to brothers [slang]) drink out by the fales and tend to wander around causing mischief. I also worry about that. Tourists don’t like to be molested. We would need a fence, which would cut into the six feet of land between the road and the fales. 3.) Manase is up the road with a large availability of accommodations, all the infrastructure is set up, advertising, everything. They have a beach! Manase is a functioning tourism village with five different resorts and low rates. On Friday nights, they have Culture shows with fire dancers! How can Fatuvalu compete? We can’t. To his credit, the faife’au understood. He’s an intelligent guy. I told him that I understand tourism, so all the matais have to do is ask me about it. Instead of funneling the village’s money into electricity for the faleo’os and later a shower and toilet, we could finish the Wetland Conservation project and restore the village’s vaita’ele. In that way, we could attract tourists and sell handicrafts. That’s a unique product we can sell that neither Manase nor anyone else is selling right now. I explained most of this to my brother-in-law, Semeki, yesterday and he wants to take a field trip to Manase to see for himself. I am not opposed but I think he wants me to front the bus fare. Not having much more than a rudimentary sense of business if any hinders the group thinking of the matai. An “if we build it, they will come” mentality is pervasive and like I told Semeki, “good luck.”