I wrote this in village and didn't have time to spell or grammar check it...sorry in advance...
Apparently my life in Samoa is not going to slow down any time soon, not that I am complaining, but too all my devoted readers (mom) forgive me for the extended amount of time between posts. Ok so let us rewind a bit…My wonderful, crazy Godmother and her wonderful and somewhat-more sane husband came to visit me the last week of August. As always it is soooo refreshing to see familiar faces. Ricky and Diane were so gracious and def spoiled me for the entire week (oh and I loved every minute of it!). They came to see my school and watched the kids sing one day. I also took them on a tour of my island (Upolu) and the big island (Savaii) for a day. We saw fantastic beaches, blow holes, visited super-cool peace corps volunteers, and generally just had an all around good time (this is my brouchuer for people to come visit me because its just that cool here, call my secretary at “Laura’s Tours”).
After I sent them home last week, I finished up the last week of Term 2, but the fun was only just beginning…On Saturday of last weekend the girls of 77 (am referring to the 3 other girls who are the same group as me, that would be group 77, we all came together in October 2006, and while 7 boys from our group have gone home already, the girls are all still standing strong) had a little gathering. Meghan had extra vacation days so she was allowed to rent a car and the 4 of us drove/giggled around the island. We spent the night out at Lalomanu that night. It was very nice and relaxing hanging out all together…oh and kinda hilarious. I found it pretty awesome how 4 very different girls from very different backgrounds can get along so well. Yah us!
The first Monday of the break between 2nd and 3rd term was actually one of my busier days. So once upon a time I talked to the Women’s Committee in my village and they expressed interest in obtaining sewing machines in order to make clothes for their kids and possibly start a small business selling clothes and whatnot. Well, writing the grant and purchasing the sewing machines was easy, hell it was even a piece of cake getting the machines from Apia to Tafatafa, the headache we’ve been dealing with for almost a year now is getting someone to come out and teach the women proper maintenance and use of the sewing machines. After months of back and forth with various NGOs and Ministries in Apia we were finally able to convince the Ministry of Women to come out and teach a week long seminar to our women. Monday was the first day and it was amazing. The Ministry came out at 930am and stayed until 430pm. In the first day all the women (there were about 12) made a pair of shorts and a collared shirt! At the end of the day I walked around to each lady and they held up their work and told me who it was for in their family. It was so amazing looking around the room at all these women sewing clothes for their kids and husbands and knowing I had some part in that. I couldn’t really stop smiling. I left the women briefly at 2pm to walk over to the school and teach a computer class to Year 8 (even though school is on break, they still have to go because Year 8 exams are coming up in October and this is the big crunch time). All in all a very busy and satisfying day.
Rick, Crazy and I at the blowholes in Savaii
Crazy enjoying Samoa
Sally cracking us all up in th beach fales
!!!!!! I love 77 girls! !!!!
Me and the Women's committee posing with all the goods we received from a NZ grant! Yahoo sewing machines!
All the ladies sewing me new clothes..
Chickens want to sew too!!
More women sewing...you might notice the little house in the middle left with the bright tin roof...that is my house and that is the school building peeking out of the right side of the frame...nice commute eh?
Malaki helping Ella with her sewing. Does it get any cuter?
Group 77's last Fiafia! I can't believe its almost over! ps- remember when we came to Samoa there were 16 of us. Ive been having a lot of fun and going back and reading my first blogs from when I came here. I guess a lot has happened in 2 years...
Meghan was really excited about Molly's headdress...
To be the taopo for a fiafia (which is what Molly was) you have to wear all sorts of fun stuff. You also must be covered in coconut oil so you skin is all shinny and people can stick money to you (this is a really fun culture). I am helping Molly with her coconut oil here, I think we used a whole bottle...
77 girls getting a little sappy at our last fiafia...silent tear..
This is Meghan's Samoan father, Tagiau, who is pretty much the coolest man alive. He made me a sling shot (as in he whittled down a tree branch and hooked it up) to shot at the stupid island dogs, pigs, chickes, students, etc. It is pretty much the best present I could ask for. He also taught me how to shot it...Im still working on my aim with moving targets...
