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!

Harry Potter

My new reading material.
I’ve never read a single Harry Potter book or seen a single one of the movies! It has left me out of the loop on several conversations over the years, since it has become such frenzy among readers young and old. It’s never bothered me; I just came to accept the fact that I’m not a big reader of fiction.

As volunteers we have access to shelves of books in the Peace Corps office. The very top shelf is reserved for the oversized Harry Potter books that have made their way to this tropical island. There are several volunteers here who have wanted to read the series over again from the beginning, but could never track down a copy of the first book, “The Philosopher’s Stone.” But low and behold, this morning I was sitting in the office when Chelsea from Group 83 asked if I wanted a copy of the first book. Without too much hesitation I told her I would take it.

I’ve heard from several people that I’ll never have as much time to read in the future, as I do now as a Peace Corps Volunteer, so I figured it’s not too late to get with program. People in the office really were excited for me, knowing that I had this one copy of the book and that I had never read any of them or seen the movies! So over the next few months I’ll be taking on this challenge which I hear is a 7 book feat!

In other news:

• It was a fantastic weather week! Very low humidity by Samoan standards with pleasant nights in the 70’s (that’s as cool as it gets here)! This morning on the open Samoan bus, the breeze with the overcast windows was quite chilly! I checked the temperature when I got to town and it was 75 degrees.

• Five cows came stampeding down the hill next to the school on Thursday, causing my 23 students to go dashing to the windows. Then the cows ran back up the hill as fast as they came down. It’s still not confirmed what they were running from, although I suspect it was a dog.

• In other cow news, there was a sick one this past week that ended up dying and so the meet was taken to town and sold for a hefty profit I hear. I found the hunk of meat out by the road one afternoon before the truck came to pick it up (see picture below).

• When trying to have a serious conversation with a student about their behavior in my class this week, the partition wall they were leaning against went falling into the opposite room because the latch had come loose. Luckily no one was on the other side when it went down with a boom, although it killed the atmosphere for my conversation.

• There were many long hours at school for me this week. Most days I skip lunch because I’m busy working with students in my room on different assignments or reading groups. On Thursday I was especially busy as I worked with students after school and then kids from the high school came by after that. At 4:30p.m. I realized I hadn’t eaten anything since that morning before school, so I took a 20 minute break before going back to work on lesson plans until 6:30. I think it ended up being an 11 hour day, but I felt good about it when it was all over.





A friend from the village with the dead cow.







I took this one after my 11 hour work day on Thursday.







Grading papers this week at home.

I'm Lovin It!

I was in town Friday night for dinner at a great Indian restaurant with my Peace Corps friends, Tiffany, Cassie, Corina, and Chelsea. In the midst of inhaling our meal, we all concurred that a trip to McDonald’s for ice cream would be a good idea after our Indian food.

McDonald’s in Samoa means more to volunteers than it ever meant to them when living in the United States. On several occasions I’ve heard volunteers say that they had only eaten McDonald’s once or twice in their life, before coming to Samoa. But walking down the road and seeing those Golden Arches here, stirs something inside of us that reminds us of home. It really does become what we call, comfort food.

After doing a little research, I found that McDonald’s first opened in Samoa on March 2, 1996 and has restaurants in 123 countries worldwide. Whenever traveling in another country, there is always something special about seeing that famous logo, and thinking about America’s ability to spread it’s corporations around the globe.

But Friday night’s visit wasn’t about analyzing McDonald’s ability to brand itself on the world stage, it was about its ability to satisfy my sweet tooth! Walking in I had intended to get a vanilla ice cream cone which is only 3 tala (1.23 US dollars). However, a big new advertisement behind the counter on their menu board looked much more appealing: apple pie a la mode for 6 tala (2.47 USD).

Waiting there in line each time I visit, I’m always amazed at McDonald’s ability to keep so much about its business familiar to their consumers. Everything from the cups down to the straws and paper napkins are exactly the same as in the United States. Wherever I’ve traveled in the world, the French fries taste the same and this is part of McDonald’s genius. Even its playgrounds and Ronald McDonald image have made it to Samoa.

Although there is a McDonald’s here, the average Samoans who live in the rural villages have never been there. They have heard of it, they just never have eaten there. This is mainly because they can’t afford to eat there when they have so many other financial responsibilities to their families and church. Therefore, McDonald’s has become mostly a destination for those families who live in the Apia area or for the tourists who flock there because of its familiarity!

For me, Friday night’s visit ended with no regrets in choosing the apple pie a la mode! I was in a familiar place and eating familiar food, and I must admit, I was lovin it!


My selection for the late night run was a new item on the menu here in Samoa. Last month they had taro pies and they were actually good too!






They look the same, but most of all, they TASTE the same too!






The night shift getting into the swing of things.





I'm lovin it!