random jungle bits

6 may 2010

the end of the first term of the school year is arriving! we have a 3 week break coming up, most of it however will be taken over by meetings and training sessions. i had quite an interesting experience at school today. a few teachers were missing so i had the year 7 class to myself. tests had finished up yesterday, so after i went over the correct answers (scores ranged from 101% to 0% in the same class - my main challenge here) we had free time. i wanted to draw with the kids since usually when they are seen drawing they get beaten. we drew a picture of the village and then i asked some students to draw me common samoan tattoo patterns. there were spears, birds, woven mats, a heart that said 'i love you', and then i saw one kid had drawn a swastika. i was immediately concerned and wanted to know more about this. i asked the child what it meant and with my limited language skills, understood that 'this is one of the tattoos my principal has and that is stands for germany'. i crossed it out and told them it was 'leaga tele' very bad. i wanted them to really understand i was serious and struggled with how to explain it. finally i could manage to say that picture is the opposite of the heart. one of the children said to me in english, the heart is love and the other picture is not love. i said yes and not to draw it. it was a curious experience and i'm not sure how they even know about the swastika but i hope they remember what i tried to convey…

mother's day is approaching and it is a big holiday here. samoans love to sing and dance, so naturally the women of the church will have a song and dance service on sunday. all of the churches that i know of will be having similar events. since i live in the church hall practice has been outside my room everyday this week. the women amaze me with their energy and complete lack of shame in getting down with it. i will be dancing in one of the more traditional dances on sunday. the women have put me front and center and i'm sure it will be embarrassing and amazing.

other than that, it is continually hot and humid. however, usually drink homemade hot cocoa everyday. i had the pleasure of learning how the koko is made and it is an involved process. it takes lots of time and muscle cooking and then crushing the seeds. it is so delicious though and may be adding a few pounds to my palagi (white person) frame. other foods i usually eat are fresh fish and taro cooked in coconut cream. i am getting quite spoiled living next to the sea and sometimes at night the crashing waves even wake me up. i am getting quite used to it though. i am also getting used to ants crawling on me at all times, termites, constant sweat, sleeping on floors while people blast music next to me, the most beautiful sunsets, and lack of privacy. : ) until next time…