My Samoan boyfriend

Peace Corps women in the past have built a reputation for dating and marrying Samoan men.  That's why every time I meet someone new, and especially every time I get in a cab in Apia, I get the same questions over and over again. Do you have a Samoan boyfriend? Why not? When will you get a Samoan boyfriend? Can I be your Samoan boyfriend? Ect...

So, I am happy to announce that I finally have an answer. My Samoan boyfriend's name is Tavita (David in English). He lives in my village, and he just loves the palagi (white) girls. And I just love that face! It's a match made in heaven.

I just don't mention the fact that he's 4 months old. His family, by the way, totally approves. They're very entertained by my little joke, and the taxi drivers back off a little bit. Everyone wins!

Laziness

Sorry I'm too lazy to write. Next best thing!

Love and miss you all!

rainbow cookies made of peace and sunshine

 Alright, alright, I realize I've been lazy with my blog. I used to obsessively read other volunteers' blogs when I decided to apply, and I vowed that when I was a volunteer, I would blog religiously... Oops. I forgot. Hopefully, that's a testimate to how well adjusted and in the moment I am, as opposed to being miserable and on my computer all the time. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! So here's an update:
School:
Term one is almost over! I feel like I'm getting the hang of things, and I'm still generally pretty happy. I absolutely love teaching. I love when I'm sitting with a group of kiddos, and we only half understand each other, but by the end of a session, I know they got it! It's chaotic in the best way, and it makes me feel like a super hero. I'm going to start wearing my lavalava around my neck like a cape!
I miss American schools where I have convenient access to books, computers, teaching materials, and consistent electricity. I miss the general culture of schools inAmerica (to a point). Kids here are way more respectful, but that's because they would most likely get slapped if they're not (My school is actually pretty good about avoiding corporal punishment, luckily, but it's a country wide problem that many volunteers struggle to be around). Children love me, which means I'm constantly struggling to get some personal space and privacy. They're everywhere. But the second I'm in the class room, I'm able to gain control of the situation, and set boundaries. The classroom is where it all works out (most of the time). I love it.
Village life:
I love my village. I love it. I realise I'm saying that a lot, and I hope that I'm not losing credibility here. It's true.
 Church is a huge part of village life. There are 2 churches here (Mormon and Congregational). Some volunteers will try to go to all the churches in their village, and maybe this makes me a less super volunteer, but I don't go to the Mormon church. Mormons don't approve of alcohol, and I really don't drink often, but I don't want to have to lie when I do. Therefore, to aid my integration, I have thrown myself pretty deep into the Congregational church (called E.F.K.S.). I attend 2 Sunday services where I only understand 10percent of the sermon, I'm a Sunday School teacher (kind of) and I even go to Bingo with the church sometimes. My sister should be proud.
I am still learning Samoan, and I spend time with my neighbors to practice. Honestly, sometimes, I'm tired and don't want to socialise, but when I do, I know it's beneficial.
Other stuff:
Term 1 is ending and we get a week long break. I'm sad to miss Easter with my family because it's one of my favourite holidays, but I plan on going to a resort by my house and I hope to skype everyone there (I'm super lucky to live close to a resort with internet. You pay by the hour, and there aren't many places on the island where it's available).
After the break, Peace Corps brings us together for Early Service Training. It'll be nice to see everyone again, but I don't feel deprived of my friends company. We've been a pretty well connected group because there are so few of us (only 10). But I won't turn down a few nights of air conditioning, and socialising!
I tried to write a post that wasn't overly sentimental, and makes it sound like I spend my days baking rainbow cookies made of peace and sunshine or rescuing kittens from burning trees. I try to include the good and the bad. And I realise that the optimism is almost unrealistic. but screw it. I'm really happy. Some things make me unhappy, and some days I cope with those things better than others, but in the long run, I'm really happy. I love it.

Sunburnt and still alive

So, I've survived my first two weeks in my village. That sounds so weird; my village is not something I would ever get to say back home. Here's what it's looked like so far.

The school year ended yesterday, and the students just started a long holiday break. Teachers were preparing their end of the year reports, and students were doing nothing. My dear teacher friends, imagine working on your end of the year business, and being aloud to just let kids play in the field all day long. It's actually beautiful, because you have time to get stuff done! Granted, I had no work to do, so I played with the kids for a few hours at a time. It was like being a daycamp counselor at the YMCA again, but I don't speak the same language as any of the children (my Samoan is still emberassing). I taught them games I could model like duck-duck-goose, ring around the rosies and thumb wrestling. I started a round of DOWN BY THE BANKS, and before it was ever, almost every child in that school had joined in. Playing with kids who I don't understand, who are confused and amazed by my sunburnt skin, and with no other adult supervision gets a little overwhelming to say the least, so I would go make up excuses to sit in the staff lounge. Every now and then, another teacher would ask me to use a calculator to double check her grade book, and I was happy for the work. However, it made my heart hurt. Imagine how much easier these teachers life would be with an excel spreadsheet! Just one of the many, many moments I'm thankful for all the privileges I've had.
After school, I go home, take a blessedly cold shower (it's hot here; have I mentioned that yet?) and then I read or watch a movie for a little while. In the evenings, the church bells ring, and that means that everyone (should) stop what they are doing and sing hymns and pray with the family. At the very least, you can't walk on the road during this time. I either join one of my neighbors, or sit in the open part of my home and listen to all my neighbors. It really is one of those "wow, I'm in Samoa" moments when half a dozen  Samoan hymns are being belted out all  around me. Then, if I'm lucky, someone will feed me, otherwise I cook my own dinner (rice, sandwich, ramens).
At this point, things are a little boring. I wish my Samoan was better, and I had better relationships in the village already, but I know that these things take time, and I am definitely headed in the right direction.

Training

Still alive, still well. I had the sudden realization that training is almost over though. This year, peace corps split training into two phases. I am almost finished with phase I, then I will go to my permanent site until after new years. Then, we will all come back together for three more weeks of training before the new school year starts. But it's crazy because we swear in after phase I, which ends around thanksgiving. I can't believe how fast things have started moving. I find out my permanent site! I am so anxious! But also excited! I have very few expectations about my placement because it really could be anything, but I just hope it winds up being a good fit!

Chickengunya free

Quick check in!
I'm still alive! I hurt my ankle when I fell down the stairs in the rain. But it is healing quickly. There has been an outbreak of chickengunya in my village. My host sister and nephew got it but I think I have been spared. It's a disease transferred by mosquitoes and gives rashes, fever and achey bones. A couple other volunteers got it and they were miserable!

Training is going well. Language learning is frustrating but I wouldn't expect less.  I have to give a presentation in Samoan tomorrow, and I am nervous. But staff has been great! They planned events like a sports day and a campfire with scary stories. That wad fun because it was the weirdest mix of American and Samoan. The language instructors would tell a story and sing a song and maybe do a dance.  Then we took turns telling stories. I told Popo's story about the old lady pulling legs and it was great to have a new audience for that one! Then we all sang all star by smash mouth while one of the volunteers danced with her LED hulahoop.

On Monday I go visit a current volunteer and I am really looking forward to it! Hopefully I will let you know how that goes.

Love and miss a lot of people but enjoying myself none the less.

I am alive! I'm working on my phone, so I will try to keep it short.  Samoa is beautiful and my host family is awesome!  I love my fellow trainees, and it is safe to say I am definitely in the honeymoon period. Learning the language is hard but i love it.  I just try to be patient with myself. My favourite thing so far is coming home and sitting outside on a night like this is

.  The breeze feels amazing, the sound of the ocean and the wind in the palm fronds plus the salty smell is the best way to end the night. I will try to post more photos about life here but for now I will leave you with these.