Where? and Back Again: Picture Dump

The Samoan word for Peace Corps volunteer is pisikoa, but literally translated, pisikoa means busy rooster. I know it's been a long time since my last post, but I have been a very busy rooster! So instead of writing about my life over the past 6 months, I thought I would share all my pictures, and hopefully, it tells the story. Most pictures were on my phone. Sorry for the poor quality.

School

English Day, culture day, drama club, reading clubs, small literacy groups and Library Time. I've really loved teaching

A year 7 girl helping facilitate activities for a year 4 reading club

Library Time! These kids love to read

Drama Club Rehearsals

Loved the costumes kids made for the 3 little pigs

Don't be fooled by how cute she is. This wolf was big and bad

Love this girl

It was her first day of school ever, and she was like my little shadow all day

Just chopping a roasted pig at the staff meeting

Getting Ready for Culture Day

Culture Day- Green House

Life

Some of my students brought me this mangy kitten, and I thought he looked like a starving house elf from Harry Potter... so his name is Dobby

Dobby, no longer starving

Went to Manono (the small island between the two main islands) to visit a friend. The boats are small and low but the view is lovely

If I want fruit, I find this kid and his big stick

One year anniversary

The beach in my village

My water filter after one day, my water is dirty

My Monday Uniform- not a good combination with a sunburn

This is a pulteasi (samoan profesional wear): Tunics and floor length wrap around skirts in bright tropical prints

GLOW

(Girls Leading Our World)

In November, the conference was a huge success and the girls all had so much fun

On the ferry ride home

Yes, you girls are soooo cool...

Ferry ride

The most exciting part about the movie theater was the Christmas Tree

Ashlyn and one of her girls

Most of these girls had never been to a movie theater before... or seen a Christmas tree

My girls and I

Volunteer, Stephanie, leading a discussion about domestic violence

Performing skits about domestic violence

Down time in the dorms meant a lot of dancing

Learning about education opportunities on a field trip to a local technical college

Learning about career opportunities

Learning about staying healthy through exercise

Healthy minds/healthy bodies!

Not a great picture but we got a visit from Miss Samoa!

The view from our venue

That's their, "do I get candy?" face

Down time in the dorms. Most girls had never been away from home so a lot of time was spent on the phone

Learning how to paint fabric for a career option

They paint beautiful designs on the fabric

Listening to a local woman who opened her own restaurant and shop

All the glow girls

Ferry ride in

HVV

(Host Volunteer Visit)

In November, new volunteers spend a few days with current volunteers to learn what it's like. These three lovely ladies came to my school, we went swimming with the sea turtles, we spent time on the beach and hung out with my family

White Sunday

In October, the children take over church. They do songs, dances, speeches, sermons, prayers and skits in English and Samoan. I helped the Sunday school with the English parts. It was a real time commitment but pretty fun!