It’s been nearly a month since the last Odds and Ends Thursday, which if far too long, I think. It’s indicative of the state of things here: the last month has been a blur with the earthquake and the aftermath and the new group and our group’s own anniversary and student teachers and school and the fiafia and all. This week has been relatively low-key, and that should carry into this weekend hopefully. It’s a chance for Samoa to catch its collective breath. Here are some other odds and ends of late:- Have you noticed the pictures are bigger? To celebrate the blog’s one-year anniversary (though it didn’t go daily til January), I’ve started uploading all pictures at a higher resolution, and I changed the aspect ratio to 4x6, so you can take them down to your local photo-lab and print the entire picture at a higher quality. Enjoy.
- Okay, Family, let me break it down for you. I fully admit I enjoy the challenge of competition. I also readily admit that I love to win. But I maintain that I am not all that competitive by nature because I don’t need to win. I enjoy a good board game… and board games are reliant on the rule of law and the players’ collective agreement they will follow the rules, Annie. Enjoying a game does not a competitive person make.
- Ask my roommates in San Francisco. I used to get my ass kicked nightly at Mario Soccer. Did that ultra-competitor within me spend hours alone practicing, honing my skills, gunning to be the best? No. Because for all the frustration and hurt pride that came from playing that game, I wasn’t competitive enough to strive for Mario Soccer greatness. Yet I still showed up on the couch night after night because playing games is fun.
- Also, Liam never nickeled me.
- The water utility situation has been quite a ride lately. With that 5-week drought we had, service was intermittent, and seemed to be perfectly timed to shut off whenever I’d try and take a shower. It’s been more steady since it rained last week, but we’ve seen little rain since then, and I fear the water supply might begin to dwindle once more.
- During the tsunami relief effort, we stopped at Lynn’s in Vailima on the way back into Apia, and I got a couple of kekepua’a because I was hungry. That is when I discovered that Lynn’s has easily the best kekepua’a I’ve ever tasted. In addition to the pua’a, they bake in green beans and onions and leafy greens. It was amazing. Trent and I tried to go back and have it again last night, but they were out.
- When the tsunami alarms went off after the twin quakes in Vanuatu, a bunch of us were eating at Mari’s Café. Mari’s is known among Peace Corps as being the only known place in Samoa that offers Mexican food. My chicken burrito was so-so, but hell, it was a chicken burrito.
- On the other hand, I’ve decided Pinati’s is the closest thing to Mexican food Samoa has to offer. The actual fare is not even close to Mexican, but the cheap greasy goodness, the foil packaging, the Jesus on the wall—it doesn’t quite fill the space in my heart left by San Francisco taquerias, but it’s as good as I could hope for.
- I’ve done no work on acquiring/furnishing a Halloween costume. My plan is to rest up this weekend, and devote every day’s afterschool hours to the cause next week.
- I had the taro and pumpkin-ginger jam to’ona’i again last weekend. It’s awesome. I realize it’s unconventional, but I would recommend trying it before you knock it.
- I agree it’s ridiculous that I was assigned a student teacher, but at the same time, I’ve been pretty good at offering feedback. It’s one of those things where I’m not a seasoned professional, but the horror of being a brand new teacher is still fresh in my mind. My feedback isn’t packed with inherent wisdom, but the empathy is there.
- Happy birthday, Dustin!
I took this picture for no reason today. I just like the color of the grass and the sky and the bushes and the girl's uniform.
Boys sleeping during my 11.1 class today.
A couple of boys had this word come up today in Mavis Beacon. Quit oppressing us with your godless agenda, Mavis.
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3 comments:
and the fact that you have to make a statement about how NON competitive you are speaks for itself. So.....having said that will you be carving a pumpkin on Saturday to participate remotely in our annual celebration....send a picture and we'll enter your NON competitive effort into the line up at the end of the evening...we love you, we miss you and can't wait to see you. And I do hope you are feeling better. You sounded horrible on the phone the other night.
lol, why are the male students in your class snoozing? you should fasi them quick-smart and not let them be idle in your class. or you'll be known as the easy-target palagi teacher!
Students sleeping....that will never go over with the pisikoa or missionary teachers in my days. That would warrant a smack on the head with a text book or sent home to.....sleep.
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