When the Well Runs Dry

The boys helped carry water from a
neighbor's house for me.
Growing up, I always enjoyed playing outside with the water hoses in the summer and often would set up sprinklers in the yard and watch them make their rotations back and forth. Yet I always asked myself what would happen if the well ran dry? Well now I know. However, it isn’t in the backyard I grew up in, it’s in my backyard here in Samoa!

There are two seasons which people know in Samoa: the rainy season and dry season. Right now we are at the tail end of the dry season, and the pressure is being felt by many. I can’t remember a drier stretch of weather in Samoa than what I’ve been living in for the past few weeks. Even during last year’s “dry season,” I thought it still felt like a bit of a washout at times, yet this year it’s living up to its name.

Samoans, and myself for that matter, depend on rain for daily living. Since most villages in Samoa receive their water through a network of PVC pipes that run from rivers and streams, down to a family’s back door, the level of those waters either makes or breaks it when it comes to a family’s water supply. Many households in Samoa do take advantage of the often abundant rains here by building eves on their houses to catch rain water and then having it flow to a water tank. But many of those have long ago dried up and now many are left waiting for the rainy season to kick into gear.

Yet we know that Mother Nature works in her own time, and that even though the rainy season is due to start in October, that doesn’t mean 12 midnight on the first of the month. Therefore, in the meantime, we are left having to be resourceful, patient and helpful. Samoans are so relaxed and laid back that no one is really stressing out about it. Rather, they seem to be use to it, many of them probably having experienced this many times before throughout their lives. Yet for someone who use to have an unlimited amount of water with the turn of a knob, it leaves me more conscious of the way I use to live, and how I am challenged to live now.

There are five main things I use water for at my house: to shower, to do laundry, to flush the toilet, to do dishes, and to drink. Since all of those things are essential, I’ve had to be proactive in order to keep things running smoothly. On Tuesday after school I had four students haul buckets to a neighbor’s house about five minutes away that still has water. They came back with the containers full to the brim. Again on Tuesday I had to have the kids make another water run, and this time with two trips because I needed to do laundry. They have enjoyed helping out and have been asking every day this week if I needed their help.

I feel like I’ve gone back in time to my first two months in my house, when I was without water then, prior to the school committee getting the pipes hooked up. Whatever my use for water, I’ve found ways to ration every last drop. I guess it feels a bit like camping, and for the most part its gone fine. Nonetheless, after finishing my bucket bath the other night, I failed to see the dirt and slimy crud that had settled on the bottom of the bucket during the day, so when I poured the last of the water out, I got covered in a fine layer of dirt.
Perhaps the most challenging circumstances have been faced by our school, which has been without water for much longer than I have. The school is fed off the same pipes as me, but intersects the line at a different point, thus not allowing for as much pressure to build in the pipe. I don’t need to describe to you the vivid details of 85 students using three bathrooms that don’t have running water, nor the health hazards associated with it, especially in a hot, tropical climate such as this. Kids are often thirsty throughout the day, asking to go get a drink, and then remembering that there isn’t a drink to be taken. It’s not like in America where kids can buy bottled water from a vending machine, or take it with them to school. Bottled water isn’t even sold in my village, and if it was, the families wouldn’t be able to afford it.

One of the teachers used to freeze bags of ice that had a punch flavor to them, and then sell them to the students for their interval (recess). But her water has run dry as well, so this once basic drink now seems like a luxury.

I think this type of a situation has really made me more aware of using water wisely, especially once I return home to the States. It has certainly caused me to do so here. But for now, myself and the rest of Samoa will wait until the pounding rains begin, hopefully sometime in the next few weeks!




The dried up river behind my house. Notice the network of pipes, which also are as dry as the river.



The same river behind my house during the heart of the rainy season. Notice any differances?

Relay Race 2011

L to R: Karen, Kyle, Danny, Chris,
Rivka & Katie

A couple of weeks ago I ran in the Samoa Perimeter Relay along with the other five members of my team. This was my second year for the race, having been on the winning team last year. It has become a bit of a tradition for us Peace Corps Volunteers who are runners, and seems to be a great motivating factor in giving us something to train for and come together to work on as a team.

The relay is 104 km, or 64 miles and winds from the south side of Samoa’s Upolu Island, along sandy palm fringed beaches, before heading inland and over the Le Mafa Pass, which always proves to be a challenge for its steep terrain. The route then slopes down on the north side of the island and weaves its way through several coastal villages before ending in the country’s capital of Apia.

This year Peace Corps had two teams represented: a group of all women, and then my team, which was co-ed with three men and three women. The women were competing against all women’s teams, and our team was competing against other co-ed teams, thus allowing us volunteers to avoid competing against each other.

Each team gathered separately on Friday, September 16th to organize and go over last minute details. Our team stayed at Karen and Dave’s house, a married couple who are Peace Corps Volunteers. Dave agreed to be the driver for our team, driving the van that would shuttle us down the race route when we weren’t running. His wife, Karen, was our team captain and had run marathons before so we were in good shape. We fixed a big pasta dinner that evening, and then headed off to bed fairly early.

Each team’s start time for the relay was set according to the approximate time it would take them to complete the race, with the race officials hoping for most teams to finish around the same time. So since our team was predicted to be one of the faster teams in our category, we were the last team to start, jumping off at 6:15 a.m., just around sunrise!

The running order was this: Karen, Katie, Danny, Rivka, Kyle and Chris. Each of us would run between 3 to 5 km each leg, depending on the terrain we were running through. Each of us had a total of 4 separate legs. With me being runner # 5, the sun was already blazing hot when I took off for the first time.

I normally go running four to five times each week for my own enjoyment, but there is always something special about running on race day, something that pushes me harder and motivates me more. It really does feel like a team effort I’m rallying for. That was certainly the case on September 17th as I ran through each of my legs. This isn’t to say there weren’t times throughout the race that day when I questioned why I had signed up for such a feat for the second year in a row, but I always felt reassured of my decision as I completed each run and would be greeted by my teammates at each hand-off point.

I’ve learned that running a race in Samoa presents two battles. The first is mental, which I suppose is true for races in any part of the world, but the other battle is the heat, which is relentless. Last year, as well as this year, I was reminded of the power of Mother Nature as the heat beat down on me throughout the day. This year I decided to wear a hat, which proved to be a great decision. Stretching and hydrating just before each of my runs, I set out with the knowledge that there was a van of five other team members following behind me who I was working with to complete our mission.

As I ran along I heard, saw and smelled many different things. I heard the sound of the ocean, cars honking their horns, kids greeting me in their native language as well as in English, and the sound of my team rooting me on. I saw families going about their normal Saturday routines with men carrying 20 coconuts down the road and women buckets of laundry. I smelled BBQ’s being prepared at roadside stands, rubbish being burned in back yards, bus exhaust fumes and stagnant water at bridge overpasses. It was a day for all the senses.

By my third leg there was some light cloud cover, which made a world of difference, plus there was the added surprise that I was running a huge downward slope in the race route during this time. I tried to push myself while I had the advantage of slightly cooler temperatures for about ten minutes. However, by my last leg it was all sun as we approached the outskirts of Apia and the traffic picked up with more busses, taxis, trucks and cars. Luckily we had a police escort behind us who helped keep the worst of the traffic at bay so we could focus more just on running.

I pushed myself during that last leg and handed the baton off to Chris knowing I had done my best. We then traveled behind him until we reached town and were nearing the end of the race route. That’s when our whole team got out helping run with him across the finish line where we were greeted by several Peace Corps Volunteers and members form the office staff as well. It was a great welcome after a long day of running. Soon after our feet came to a rest, a kid walked up to each of us with a cold coconut to drink!

After snapping pictures and cooling down, it was time for the awards ceremony. We found out we ran the 104 km in 9hrs and 1 minute. It was enough to take first place against the other two co-ed teams. The women’s team had also ran impressively that day and also took first place for their category! Two big wins for Peace Corps!

At the end of the day, I was proud of myself, and my team. Each of us depended on everyone else to get the job done. Despite the sun, sweat and aching legs, I was glad that I pushed myself to run the relay again this year. It reminded me that our bodies are strong and can accomplish challenges when put to the test, we only have to remember to keep mentally alert as well, and then we can win the race!




Getting excited before my first leg of the race!



Rivka handing the baton off to me for my first run.



Karen running with a nice view to her right!



The view from the van as I run my last leg of the relay.




With the police that followed behind us the whole day while we were running.



Raising our ava bowl, the trophy for first place.




Both Peace Corps teams after the relay race on September 17th.

Island Tour

L to R: Emily, Jenny, Leah, Cassie, Kyle & Dana
Continuing to take full advantage of my two week vacation from school, I joined a group of fellow volunteers in taking a day to travel around Samoa’s most populated island, Upolu. My friend Leah took vacation days so that she could rent the car and drive it for us. The rest of us rode along for the adventure. The goal of the trip was to do and see some of the things that are normally harder to do, when we are traveling on the buses. The trip ended up being a great time with great friends.

Below you can see a summary of our tour in pictures.



View from the front seat on the north side of Upolu.



Despite having to drive on the left hand side of the road and use a stick shift, Leah did a great job of driving!



A small rock island.




Washing my hands after dinner at Leah's host familie's house. It is Samoan custom for the children to bring the bowl of water for their elders to wash their hands with.



We saw these guys riding on the back of this truck while on Cross Island Road.



Taking a moment to stretch my legs.



Dana during our stop for lunch at a beach resort on the south side of Upolu.



It's the end of the dry season here so the waterfall was pretty weak, but still beautiful.

Group 82’s COS

We met each other in a hotel conference room. Some of us were anxious, others not as much, but many felt overwhelmed. We each had different talents, different goals and different dreams, yet each of us brought a piece of the puzzle that would make our group a whole—which would make us fit as one. We knew very little about each other and the place we were traveling to, yet we knew we were going there together to challenge ourselves and others, to try and make a difference for those we were going to serve. We were and always have been, Group 82!

This week, I and the other 14 members from my Peace Corps group here in Samoa gathered for our Close of Service conference (COS). COS is held in all of Peace Corps’ posts around the world for volunteers as they prepare to end their service and move on to future plans back home in the United States, or somewhere else in the world. It is meant to help volunteers bring their Peace Corps service proper closure as they finish final projects, and begin to say sad goodbyes. However, it also takes time to look towards the future and prepare volunteers for reentry to life back in the States, discussing future careers, reverse culture shock, and how to best share our stories and experiences with family and friends.

Despite the relatively small size of Samoa, compared to other countries where Peace Corps serves, our group is fairly spread out across two islands and living in rural villages, sometimes with limited bus service. As a result, some of us who are on opposite sides of the country can go two or even three months without seeing one another. Therefore, over the past two years when we are gathered together for a conference or special holiday celebration, it becomes a type of family reunion where we catch up on each other’s lives and talk about successes, struggles and future plans.

That is what this past week has been, yet it has carried a different wait to it than all our other gatherings. This week we have all realized that our time together is quickly coming to an end, and that sharing memories and reflecting on the past two years is more important to us all.

I think all of us have been trying to slow the pace and step aside with one of our fellow volunteers to share a memory, ask about an accomplishment, or talk about the future. Each of us shares a special bond that no one else will ever understand. Although our stories our each unique, they all have common threads. We all know what it’s like to teach Samoan students, ride on a bus, attend an ava ceremony, sit cross legged for one hour, rush to catch a bus, top up on Digicel phone credit, take a bucket bath or kill a gigantic centipede! These are all experiences that will bind us together, no matter how unique each of our own stories has been here in Samoa.

Our conference was held at a resort which was a nice opportunity to relax in a different setting. We were sharing meals together for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We were gathering like families do, discussing our lives and talking about our dreams.

With the first members from Group 82 starting to leave as early as mid-November, there are going to be very few times when we all gather together again as we did this week. We all are fully aware that the size of the United States will make it much harder for us to see each other as easily as we do in Samoa, yet I think each of us is willing to make an effort to keep our ties strong as we head home and begin other journeys in our lives.

Throughout the week, our conference was facilitated by the Peace Corps Country Director for Samoa. Dale has been country director throughout our whole length of service and he said he had looked forward to being able to be there with us to begin this final chapter. As part of our last session for the conference, Dale had us gather together in a circle where we went and stood behind another volunteer whose name we had picked. We then said a few words about them, or shared a special memory of that person from the past two years.

I never anticipated that this activity would bring about so much emotion, but many of us got chocked up either when others were speaking about us, or just in listening to others speak about another volunteer. Volunteers were sharing how others had become stronger, more outgoing, or more patient. We heard funny stories of enduring through difficult moments, or becoming accepting of a certain situation. As I wrote earlier, they were all experiences we could relate to in one way or another, and stories that reminded us of our own journeys in Samoa.

On the night before we headed back into the capital from the resort, we all gathered on the beach to take a group photo. We were on the very same beach that had been hit by the devastating tsunami here nearly two years ago. We had found a coconut tree that served as a perfect spot for taking the picture. The coconut tree had been partly uprooted during the tsunami and was leaning out over the beach on an angle, allowing all of us to sit on it for our picture. Despite all of us sitting on its trunk, and more than half of its roots exposed above the soil, it didn’t budge, it stood firm.

Looking back now, I can see some similarities between that coconut tree we found, and the two year journey we’ve been on. Each of us has experienced our own storms these past two years by the many different challenges that have come our way. We each have felt like we’ve had huge waves crashing up against us at times. But despite all of those external forces and difficulties, each of us has managed to keep firmly rooted, standing strong like that coconut tree. That tree changed as we have changed. It’s still a coconut tree, yet it has grown, adapted, and adjusted because of the challenges it faced. Each of us is still ourselves, but at the same time we will never be the same, because we have had to bend, readjust and become stronger.

Some may argue that the coconut tree looked better standing upright, as it most likely did before the waves came crashing on shore, nonetheless, I’d like to argue that it is more appealing now, because it shows its versatility, strength and determination to survive.

Best wishes to Group 82 as we complete our last few months of Peace Corps Service as Volunteers in Samoa.



Lilli and I at dinner one night.



Working in small groups during COS conference.




Riding to our conference in the Peace Corps van.


Matt and I are the only two guys from Group 82, so we have been roomed together for all our conferences the past two years.



Elisa getting down off the coconut tree after the group picture.




Emily and I at the resort.


Matt's guitar has been with our group throughout the past two years. Matt was my roommate in LA before we left for Samoa in 2009. I remember him playing his guitar in the hotel room.

Back to the Future

At Samoa's western most point for the last sunset
in the world on Dec. 31, 2009.
There will be no December 30th in Samoa this year! Those with a birthday or anniversary to celebrate on that day better make plans to travel to another country where that will be possible. The reason for this missing date is due to Samoa’s Prime Minister deciding to have the country switch sides of the International Date Line.

For a geography refresher—the International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line that runs from the North to South Poles, cutting a line through the Pacific region which separates where one day ends and the next begins. Currently Samoa lies just to the east of the IDL, making it the last country in the world to see the sunset each day. However, on December 29th, the IDL will be redrawn, and Samoa will then lie just to the west of the IDL, making it the first country in the world to see the sunrise, and thus loosing 24 hours of time and jumping to December 31, 2011.

So why all the calendar whip lash? Samoa’s Prime Minister made the decision because of economic reasons. Samoa use to have more business transactions with the United States, but in recent years, most of it’s trading and tourism has come from Australia, New Zealand and Asia—countries which all lie on the opposite side of the IDL. By Samoa switching to the other side, so to speak, it will be sharing the same day with it’s trading partners in the Pacific region as well as making travel for tourists more convenient.

In the past two years there have been times when I experienced the frustrations of Samoa’s location to the IDL. For example, once when I had a question at my bank on a Friday afternoon, the bank needed to call its main branch in Australia, yet it couldn’t since it was already Saturday in Australia. When Samoa switches to the other side of the IDL, this type of situation will be eliminated.

For the average Samoan living in the rural village, this all seems like a joke. Most Samoans I’ve spoken to about it don’t feel it is necessary. The Prime Minister has been bold in his agenda the past couple of years. In 2009, just a week before my arrival, there was the controversial “road switch,” where Samoans went from driving on the right hand side of the road to driving on the left. This was in an effort to allow more cars to be imported from New Zealand and Australia, where driving is done on the left.

The second big change Samoans experienced because of the Prime Minister was Daylight Saving Time, which was put in place last September.

Now that Samoa will be loosing its title as the “last place in the world to see the sunset,” who will be able to claim that title? The answer is American Samoa, the United States’ southern most territory which lies just 50 miles to the east of here.

None of this time traveling should effect me though, since I’m slated to leave Samoa a couple of weeks before the IDL is moved. Nonetheless, for a country that didn’t have clocks until 100 years ago, all this time changing proves to be a good riddle and perhaps serves as the perfect opportunity to re-watch Back to the Future!

Your Blog Guide

With less than four months in Samoa left, I wanted to focus some of my ideas for the remainder of our time together. I’ve come up with a list of blog topics that will be posted from September through December when my Peace Coprs service ends. There will also be other blogs posted that aren’t on the list, however these are ones that you should be able to count on. Read on and get excited about upcoming blogs!
*All blog topics subject to change without notice.

September

• Date Line switch—Samoa will be changing sides of the International Date Line in December. We’ll look at what this means for Samoans.
• Interview with kids—Asking Samoan kids about their life, daily routine and dreams for the future.
• Bananas—Exploring the many types of bananas that grow in Samoa.
• Wear and Tear—Talking about the effects the weather and natural surroundings have on personal possessions during Peace Corps service.
• Relay Race 2011—My second year for running the relay race. A highlight of the day and what went into making it all work for our team.

October

• Samoan superstitions—I’m working on having a fellow Peace Corps Volunteer do a guest blog for this posting, looking at the many superstitions here in Samoa.
• 2 year Anniversary—Last year I sat down for an interview with myself to reflect on the first year. Look for the same format as we highlight the past TWO years on October 7, 2011.
• Picture Essay—Following a student from sun up to sun down to see what their day looks like in pictures.
• White Sunday weekend—There’s one place you don’t want to be on the Saturday of White Sunday weekend, but I’m going to attempt to go there and give you the vivid details!
• Group 82 profiles—There are 14 other volunteers who have made this journey with me here in Samoa. We will look at their names, hobbies, and things they loved about Samoa before we part ways.

November

• Year 8 National Exam Week—Samoan students hear about this exam throughout all their early years of education. I’ll go behind the scenes to look at the test preparations and be with them during test week.
• Funny school memories—Over my two years there have been countless moments of laughter at school. Here we will look at just a few.
• Preparing a Samoan meal—I’ll head into the Samoan kitchen to help prepare a meal, and then eat it!
• Fishing—Going out with someone from the village as they fish for their family’s meal.

December

• Before and after pictures—We will look back through two years worth of pictures to see how things looked in 2009 upon my arrival, and what those same places, people and things look like before my departure in December of 2011.
Come along for the ride! It should be a great four months! Thanks for reading and supporting my service as a Peace Corps volunteer!

Moonlight Run

I was out running on Thursday evening and was captivated by the moon as it rose over the ocean! That’s when I decided I would go out again on Friday night, but with my camera in hand!

Heading out the door at 6:30 I was heading up the hills near my house when I caught the first glimpses of the moon. It was hard to take a bad picture at any time, given the landscapes around me. Soon I found myself at one of my favorite vantage points along the narrow and winding road to my house. I like to stand atop a big rock that gives me a great view down to the rocky coast below and the vast stretches of ocean that reach to the horizon.

It wasn’t long after reaching my rock that night had set in. From then on I was maneuvering by the light of the moon as it shimmered across the water. With its light I could see huge fruit bats flying over head, a sight I often get to enjoy each evening.

Making the way back towards my house, I could clearly see the palms of the coconut trees lining the road as the moon cast their shadows on the road. My shadow was even visible on the edge of the rock faces that line the road. As I approached my house I stopped once more to take one final picture. I was wishing that I could hold onto the moment longer, or even store it away for another day. But I won’t soon forget my first night run overlooking the ocean here in Samoa!