A Perfect Saturday

The last couple weeks have been a bit of a rollercoaster. There have been definite highs and lows.

Lows: being a little sick, and having things happen back at home.

Highs: getting my own classroom (Yay!!), getting my cheerleaders’ uniforms, and having fun around the island.

But let me just focus on what an amazing day I had yesterday. (For the record, I am completely healthy and over my cold). Yesterday I had such a good day, which was needed after a particularly tough week at school. My friend Julie spent the night Friday. She teaches on the little island of Anu’u, which is 2 bus rides and a short boat ride from Tutuila, the island I’m on. She and her roommate come over to Tutuila most weekends to get groceries and other essentials and hang out with people here. In the morning, we both had a cup of the coffee my mother sent me. I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I do love International House coffees. Mom had sent me 2 tins of my favorites, and I had been looking forward to having some all week. (It takes too long to boil water to have some in the mornings before school) After getting ready, Julie went off to do her shopping and I went over to the post office to send some letters and meet up with my friend Alison. Alison and I then went kayaking for a little over an hour. It’s hard for me to describe how I felt out there on the water. It was so relaxing to float and talk, then paddle around looking for sea turtles (didn’t see any). Plus the views around us were of course gorgeous, and the water is the most incredible shade of blue-green. It was simply amazing, and something I will defiantly do again, several times. After kayaking we went and got lunch then some home-made snickers ice cream. Then I went home and sat on the porch and read a book, while listening to the cheers coming from the Laundromat. (Western Samoa was playing Wales in the rugby tournament, and the Laundromat has a TV with cable so everyone and their mother was crowded in there watching) 

All in all, I could not have imagined a more perfect Saturday. 

 

 Alison and I out on the water

 

 Me being silly

This is the area that we kayaked in

Another Day, Another $12.50

Yes, we averaged out our monthly stipend (helps to pay for food and transportation) and it looks like each day that we go to school we are making about $12.50. It’s a little under $2.00 an hour. Ah the life of a volunteer!! But school is going well, even when testing, and meetings, and the lack of supplies make it more stressful. My kids are pretty good for the most part (they have their difficult days) but I am enjoying teaching them, and enjoying my time here.

Yesterday I may have enjoyed my time here a little too much. I was out at a beach snorkeling and stuff and when I got home, realized how bad I am at applying sunscreen. I’m pretty red, especially my lower back, from floating around in the water looking at fish. I forget that the sun is WAY more powerful here than at home. At home I rarely burn and if I do it’s never painful and hardly noticeable. This one is defiantly the opposite. But I guess I learned my lesson, and next time will pay extra attention to getting sunscreen EVERYWHERE. 

I knew that there would be times when I would miss home, and recently I have been. Mainly for one reason. My uncle was in a farming accident and was badly injured. He is still in the hospital, on the road to recovery. So my cousin organized a ‘harvest bee’ for him, and people from our small community came out to help cut his wheat. A news crew from Spokane went out to capture the action, and I was able to watch the video tonight. It defiantly made me emotional, and I can’t express enough how thankful I am. It has been hard for me to be down here knowing what my family is going through. However, knowing that they have so many amazing people supporting them and holding them up is almost overwhelming for me. This is why I will always love small towns, and I am so thankful to call Oakesdale my home. If you would like to watch the video, the link is right here: http://video.kxly.com/watch.php?id=26995

Labor day weekend means a 3 day weekend, which means a 4-day week next week! Ah! Yay! Right now the Tafuna teachers who also live here in Pava’ia’I are hosting some Peace Corps volunteers from Western Samoa. It has been great talking to them and hearing about their experience and comparing it to ours. They have been at their placements for almost 2 years now and go home in December. I can’t even imagine being gone that long, and really admire their commitment.

Speaking of home, I will not be going home for Christmas (won’t see Washington again until June!) but I will be meeting my family in Hawaii for the holiday. I’m so excited to see them and I know it will be an amazing week. I was originally planning on going to New Zealand, but I’d definitely rather see them. I am hoping to hit NZ for spring break, fingers crossed! Right now, however I am focusing on teaching and enjoying my time here on the island. It is going by so fast. I have been gone almost 2 months and teaching for a month now, where has the time gone?