Talofa from Nu'uuli!

Talofaaaaaa!!!!!  I am currently sitting on the second floor of Nu'uuli Vocational Tech High School, outside in a little corner that gets internet access!!  I feel fairly well rested, although I'm sure the time change will hit me later this afternoon. Today has been such an amazing day.  Definitely in that euphoria stage of emotions and culture shock that they said we'd get upon arrival.  We slept on foam pads last night in classrooms, and we were actually really cold!!! The breeze here is really strong right now, so we actually all feel like we didn't pack warm enough clothes!! I have goosebumps right now sitting in capris and a short sleeve, but I'm sure this feeling won't last.  When the wind does die, it gets HOT fast.  It's been pretty cloudy today, but still GORGEOUS. Hearing the dogs howling and yapping last night was kind of creepy, but no problems with them yet.

I woke up around 6:45 to get showered and make breakfast (we make our own, today just had some cereal and an apple, tomorrow I might get fancy and make eggs haha), and when I walked out of the room I saw the steep, sharp, mountains on 3 sides of me, and the turquoise blue ocean.  A few minutes later, light showers, and then a double rainbow. No biggie.  The water here is unlike anything I've ever seen, even in the caribbean & Las Islas de la Bahia (Honduras).  The layer on top is SO BLUE/GREEN.  I guess because the layer on top is so much warmer than the layers below, they never mix and when the waves break (there are so big waves here!), it's just a gorgeous light color. Apparently we haven't even seen the "pretty" water yet. I'm already excited to see what Leone will be like, I like this area so much and it's the more urban area!  I have to say I might be a little jealous of the outer island volunteers, but I know we will all have our own hardships and great things about each of our placements.  A few volunteers woke up early to scout out our home for the next 3 weeks, so a bunch of us might go on an early morning run tomorrow.

view from the 2nd floor of Nu'uuli High School

We then went to the Utulei/Pago Pago area to do some icebreakers and go on a scavenger hunt to get to know the area/people better.  Samoans are ACTUALLY the nicest people I've ever met. As long as you just smile at them first (since I guess they are somewhat shy), everyone says hello and the more Samoan you try to use the better. They are so so helpful and when they learn we are the WorldTeach volunteers they are even sweeter.  One told my friend that God would bless all of us for what we are doing, and a few Samoans gave us things for free at the markets.  Our scavenger hunt included taking photos in front of a certain bank, finding answers to what some things were in Samoan, finding buses to certain places (buses run SO frequently here, and are only a dollar, but they do stop at 6pm so that makes doing errands difficult, especially when I'll be at school til 4), and buying lava lavas!  So we all bought one (or more, as they are GORGEOUS) lava lavas (basically sarongs) to wear day to day.  I haven't seen too many people wearing them around here, people dress fairly western, but it's hard not to like wearing them.  I'll post pictures of the one's I got at some point!  One is red with turtles (go figure) and the other is green (Leone High School color) with a map of AmSam and rhinestones on it (I had to get it). 

First WorldTeachers to find lava lavas!

It’s really not as polluted here as I expected; definitely cleaner than the towns in the Bay Islands or the cities in Honduras or Ecuador.  There are a lot of graves in people’s front yards, probably because there isn’t room for a big cemetery but it makes sense, why not keep the ancestors close?!

There are volunteers from all over- many states, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and England.  The couple from England isn’t here yet- immigration issues, and neither is one other man who will be with me I believe in Leone.  And for those of you who think I pack too much- not even close!!! I packed less than a lot of the volunteers!! (So Mom, I’m already making a mental list of stuff to send!)

This island is unbelievable.  There's basically enough space next to the ocean  for one road and some buildings on either side, and then pretty much cliffs straight up the sides.  Building a road must’ve taken some effort!  

Also, I found the solution I've always been waiting for with loving bananas but never being able to finish a whole one: Lady fingers.  They are like mini sized bananas, and they are a little bit sweeter and the outsides aren't as dry as regular bananas aka they are AWESOME. Already one thing I will miss upon going home!  Alex Beattie, you would crumble and die if you saw all the lady fingers and bananas here. like whoa.


For lunch we stopped at a fish & bbq place, and had bbq chicken, fried fish (it was a surgeonfish, I recognized it from seeing them snorkeling in Honduras!), rice, and a fried banana. Kinda weird eating a fish with such a cute face that I love to see while snorkeling, but when in Samoa, do as the Samoans...right?  It was good, not too fishy!  Also tried some raw fish in coconut milk w/ spices, it was also sooo good but I forget what it was called.  All the people we talk to ask us who is staying in which village and they are always excited to find out.  There is MAJOR school pride here- so much, that many, many fights break out.


I also saw the McDonalds with probably the greatest view/location in the world today...directly behind it was the Pacific Ocean/Pago Pago Harbor. And all the McDonald's have play pens, just in case we get bored :)


Got to see the nets that fishermen use....being a fisheries nerd I always knew the nets were huge but I didn't have any idea. they are HUMONGOUS!!!