Ma’asina! An incredible village-both its’ people and its’ natural beauty!

Talofa!

Well, I guess I do have internet access. Although we are at the village for a total of five weeks, we have come back into Apia for a week and then leave again to go back to the village on Saturday. We, the trainees and current Volunteers just had a Halloween party for the children of the Peace Corps staff. They trick or treated to our hotel rooms, made masks, and I even got to carve a pumpkin (I think it was more like a squash) with another volunteer that we bought in the market. (Guess that pumpkin I carved at home wasn’t the last for the season!).

Now onto the really good stuff! Ma’asina! So hard to explain in words… it is a very small village about an hour east of Apia, right on the water. We drove on a very windy hilly road to get there (which kind of reminded me of Rt. 1 Sarah and Rose!) with overwhelming beauty, everything so green and uninhabited. I am staying with a host family with Laura (Samoan name-Lola) who I have been rooming with since LA. She is awesome and also enjoys using the word goofy---When we are both goofy together, forget about it, it is crazy…which brings me to my next topic---the goofy family we are with! They have a “western style house” with a main room, 2 small rooms (one which I stay in), and the kitchen. There are also 2 open fales, where people prepare food, hang out, and sleep. Also, a “hut” where they made the fire and another little place where the pigs sleep. There are a lot of people who we live with, who all have been extremely welcoming, patient with our very minimal Samoan language skills, and very fun. Our family consists of our host father (a matai- high chief) and mother, 3 brothers (who are 18-23yrs), 3 sisters (8-13yrs), another sister who is around 30, and a brother who is in his 30s with his wife and their adorable baby who is 1ish. We also have met a lot of the other people in the village ---it is like one huge family, people are always playing sports/ singing/ going on walks together. I feel incredibly comfortable with my family and the best way I can explain it is that it is like our family reunions/ holidays but everyday! It is so easy to connect with all of them, and there have been many times that I have cried from laughing so hard. (you all know how that goes!) Some great moments: playing volleyball with my siblings in the pouring rain (the wet season is here!!!), playing UNO with my sisters (I now know how to say Skip, Reverse, and Draw Two in Samoan), my sisters teaching me how to make an ula (necklace made out of flowers), one of brothers showing me how to make a fire with the coconut shells, running with my brother and Laura, (The girls all run in their lava lavas), my brother catching all the pili (lizards) running around the house and laughing at me cause I am scared of them, singing Jesus songs with my sisters (We know a bunch of the same English Jesus songs), going on walks, watching siva Samoa (Samoan dances) on TV with the fam, singing Samoan songs with people in the village and listening to the guitar…Oh, also, I cannot forget, when I was studying and a chicken walked into my room, or when I spilled coconut juice on the floor after trying to pour it into a cup and a cute little pig walked in to drink it--- I am definitely blessed to be at such a beautiful village with such warm and fun people.

Training in the village had been going well, with a lot of work on the language, and also a day when we went to a school and observed the teachers there. We also found out that November 16th is the day that we get our site assignment, where we will be volunteering for 2 years.

I hope that you are all doing well! My Samoan family asked me if I had pictures of all of you ---they will all get to see you next week when I go back! HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!

Alofa ia te oe! I love you all! Love you!

Love,
Sally

Fiafias, Beautiful Beaches, Snorkeling…Welcome to the South Pacific!

Wow! I have been reading through my journal to update all of you on what has been going on before going to the village on Saturday, and we certainly have been spoiled. Saturday night was the fiafia- so much fun! We meet a ton of other volunteers and heard all about their experiences here. They performed Samoan dances for us and two of the volunteers sang a song. All the volunteers brought food, so we feasted on Samoan food! Oka (raw fish), palusami (coconut cream wrapped in taro leaves), fish, breadfruit, banana cake, ... Of course, we all had coconuts to drink too!

Sunday was a trip to the beach---called Paradise Beach, and they were not kidding! White sand, warm turquoise-colored water, coconut trees, and little fales (little thatched roof structures). We learned how to husk a coconut and crack it open to get the juice (sort of, our trainers got a good laugh out of watching us). I tossed around a frisbee, read and enjoyed the ocean.

Monday we had training throughout the day. Another Peace Corps Volunteer stopped by wondering if we wanted to run (my roommate and I have run a few times by the sea wall) at night. I went for a run with her and met 2 girls from New Zealand and one who lives here. It was awesome to start forming connections with people who live here and to talk with them. It will also be great for my Samoan when I get a little better at it!

Water safety training yesterday---oh my goodness! We drove to the east side of the island, and took a boat out to learn about currents and marine life to be aware of. We then had the opportunity to snorkel around for awhile! I now know what you were talking about Dad with seeing such beautiful bright colored fish. We saw stone fish, zebra fish, beautiful blue and green fish, a turtle swimming, and I got to hold a sea cucumber. One of the best parts of the day, beside the beautiful water, was the bus ride, just looking out and reflecting. So nice to see so many people playing volleyball and rugby, so much uninhabited peaceful land, and so many smiling people, who waved when they saw us. It is definitely a different place here and we have just begun to learn about the rich culture.

To answer your questions---yes Aunt Nancy, you would be amazed at all the fabric here! Such vibrant colors and neat patterns! And different types of material. And Christy, I definitely have seen a lot of kids running around—maybe someone wants a Nanny? (Good luck on all your job interviews! I am sending the best of luck on finding what you want!) Aunt Marki, we are getting our puletasi’s tomorrow---I will have to post some pictures when we get back from the village. Also, Preston, you would love the hot chocolate here--it is called milo, better than any Swiss Miss!

Alofa ia te oa, I love you all!

Love, Sally

Learning the language, exploring the culture...

Talofa!

The past couple of days have been amazing---we have had training all day until around 5 and then can do whatever at night. Lot of medical (our arms are a bit sore, but there are not many vaccinations and mostly just ones you get in the US), cross cultural, safety, and language that we began yesterday afternoon. We have small groups of 5 or 6 to learn the language and the trainers are great---My trainer is awesome! and she makes the classes like kindergarten again! with singing, games, and other activites. She is a very enthusiastic lady and is like a mom to us, especially the girls. She took the 4 of us to a store yesterday to buy fabirc and then to a seamstress to take our measurements to make puletais, the dresss that the Samoan women wear. Last night, we went out to a restaurant with some Volunteers from out group and a bunch from the group that has been here for 4 months----It was nice to be out and experience another aspect of the culture. Tonight, we are going to a fiafia, a party where the other volunteers are going to be doing dances for us and where there is a ton of Samoan food! Looking forward to it! Tomorrow is cultural exploration, where we will be exploring the beach!

Hope all is well! One of the guys in our group said it was 35 degress in Detriot the other night. Stay warm! Also, when we go to the village next week for 5 weeks, we probably will not have access to Internet, just so you all know. (It may be over a month before I am able to post anything else.)

Love you all! Tofa!
Love, Sally

In the world they call PARADISE!

Talofa! (Hello!)

Great flight in this morning! I slept the whole way, except for waking up for meals (typical me). We arrived in the airport early this morning and were greeted by fellow volunteers already in the country and some of the Peace Corps staff. They put leis around us (mine was pink and green---beautiful colors!). We drove through villages to the capital of Apia, (on the local buses) where we are staying. The houses are incredible- open houses and very colorful with lots of kids playing outside. It is very hard to describe but there is such a peaceful feeling here, and lots of smiling people. Lots of sunshine too and 80s---gorgeous! and it is the same everyday (except usually it rains). We had bananas and papaya for breakfast, chatted with current volunteers, and then went to an ava ceremony. We all wore lava-lavas, and drank the ava drink. It is a huge ceremony in the culture here and used to welcome visitors and other events. Hopefully, when I go to another one, I will understand a little more of what is going on! We then had a great lunch---breadfruit which is like a pootato, but better, rice, chicken, and best of all, got to drink from a coconut! We then had some language training and now have the rest of the night to explore Apia.

I am definitely enjoying Samoa, and everyone has been so warm and welcoming!

Love you all! Tofa! (Bye!)
Sally

Officially trainees!

Hi from LA!

I arrived here yesterday at 11:30 after a very smooth plane ride, which included opening all the wonderful notes (thank you Fran and the cross country crew!), a singing card (thank you Christy!), and other wonderful letters. I was waiting for the shuttle to get to the hotel when I saw that the guy in front of me had a Peace Corps keychain on his backpack, and so I met a fellow volunteer!

We arrived at the hotel, and had a little time to relax before beginning training. Such wonderful people with so many life adventures---volunteers who have traveled to China (two in fact!), Honduras, all around Europe, Austrailia, and the list goes on. We have 4 girls, and 12 guys in our group, each from a different state. Every one is extremely friendly and cool. Training consists of getting to know each other and general Peace Corps information.

This afternoon we have more training sessions and then fly out late tonight and arrive in Samoa early in the morning. We will be staying in a hotel for the first 10 days and have what seems to be a pretty intense training schedule, filled with language, safety, and medical training. We learned that there 2 tea breaks a day, so I guess tea is a big thing there! After the 10 days, we will be moving in with our host family (who may or may not know any English!), where we stay until we swear-in to service, in mid-December.

All has gone very well and I am happy that we have such a great group, to support each other through this adventure.

Hope all is well at home and thanks for all the notes on the blog!

Love you all!

Sally

Fa'afetai tele! (Thank you very much!)

Hi all!

Thank you all so much for all your love and support! I loved seeing everyone at the "going away dinner" and over the past few weeks. Lots of good laughs and great times! Thank you also for all the thoughtful cards and gifts (They have all been squeezed in my suitcases!)

I am ready to go, having my suitcases packed (thanks to Mom's help), knowing a few words in Samoan, and realizing how blessed I am having so much support from home! I am very excited, knowing I will be part of another culture for two years, sharing in their traditions and celebrations. I am blessed to be able to have this opportunity to gain a much larger understanding of the world we live in, while doing what I love, teaching.

Love you all!
Sally