Tide Pool

Now no laughing at this video.

We were invited to this private beach last Sunday by a woman in the Department of Education. Her family owns a huge plot of land with greenery's, multiple homes and a private beach. They also have this amazing tide pool that one of her kids took us to. It was quite a trek through the jungle to get there but it was definitely worth it. Mind you, I do not recommend hiking in the jungle with flip flops because you will inevitably have to take them off because your feet will slip and then you'll end up walking barefoot.

The whole day was just another example of how kind and generous the people here in American Samoa are. They want us to feel welcome and loved. They also enjoy showing us everything they can about their land and culture.

Fa'asamoa

The Samoan Way.

Fa'asamoa is an all encompassing concept that dictates how Samoans are meant to act. It refers to the obligations that a Samoan owes their family, community and church and their sense of Samoan identity. The concept of respect is also very important.

This usually translates into the people of American Samoa being very kind and generous. Not only are most Samoans we meet extremely grateful that we are here to teach their children but they want us to feel like a part of their culture and family. Everyone goes out of there way to make us feel comfortable in our new environment. Everyone from the Taxi driver who drove us home from the Costco-like grocery store, to the librarian who gave me a ride home after snorkeling the other day, to the woman in the DOE Quality Education office who greeted us at the airport.

The Samoan culture is a very conservative one as religion plays a huge part in their life. Every village has a large number of churches which pretty much everyone on the island goes to. Christianity is the main religion but there are also a large number of Mormons as well. In fact, the village where I live has a very strong Mormon population.

My village has "Sa" which is a time for prayer. At 5 minutes to 6pm a warning bell rings throughout the village. The "bell" is like a old gas tank. Then at 6pm another bell rings which signals the commencement of Sa. During the next 7 minutes most people are inside their houses praying and offering thanks for their day. If you are out and about in the village you must stop and sit down until Sa is over. Then at 6:07 the last bell rings signaling that Sa is over and you can continue with your evening.

Then comes curfew. At 9pm the first curfew bell rings which means that all people under the age of 18 must be in their homes. At 10pm another bell rings which means that everyone should be in their homes. It is not a hard fast rule though, if you need to leave the village and go somewhere you can. You just can't be walking around the village. I'm not sure if it's for safety or just to keep everyone living a proper life.

Not all villages participate in these curfews but a majority of the smaller ones do. It is an interesting facet of this culture. I am so excited to learn more about how they live their lives here. I imagine that everything will continue to be an amazing learning experience.

No pictures in this blog but check out some on facebook, if you have it.

Malo!

I Taught Kids Today

Tolofa!

So I'm gonna get a little serious right now with this blog.

Yes, it is true, I taught a group of Samoan kids today. It was just a 10 minute mini lesson but I got my first exposure to Samoan kids in the classroom. We had a two day workshop with a non-profit organization here called PiCED, which stands for Pacific Islands Center for Educational Development. It is a great organization that is here in American Samoan trying to promote and implement new educational techniques in hopes of improving the education system.

We prepared short lessons to teach in front of their summer school students. As there are 16 of us teaching high school this year we only had 10 minutes a piece to try out a lesson with these kids. I decided to teach a lesson on Metaphors and Similes. I picked some songs that had a couple of examples of each and played them for the class and had them identify which form of speech it was. Overall it went pretty well, but I will need to work on my speed of speaking and my overall classroom management skills as my class got a little loud.

Anyway, tomorrow I am leading a lesson on "Teaching with Games" for the rest of the volunteers. Each of us has taken a turn leading lessons over the past 2 weeks to learn different techniques for an ESL classroom. I could not have gotten a more appropriate lesson to teach for this exercise as my drama background provides me with a plethora of games and ideas for this a class.

All the learning has been great. Thankfully we are also able to have some fun and get to know each other in our down time. This is a great group of people who have all decided to make a commitment to education and believe in improving the education system here in American Samoa. I wouldn't be able to deal with the culture shock without these people. The fact that we are all experiencing this together as one group gives us a perspective that many others can not understand.

I do hope that through this blog, I am able to explain what we are experiencing for those that I love back home. The fears, joys, highs and lows that are making this a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Below you will find a picture of my new bestie Veronica. She is keeping me sane. The other is a picture of our group in our Lavalava's. (Yes, they're basically sarongs.)

Manu ia le po!

Day 7

Talofa!!

A week ago yesterday, I arrived in Pago Pago (pronounced Pango Pango). What a week it has been. We started training. We started learning the Samoan language. We toured the island. I've made new friends. And I got to see the outside of the school that I will be teaching at. It's been a whirlwind.

The island tour what quite amazing. We went from one side of the island to the other. The island is approximately 18 miles across though it doesn't feel that long. From one side to the other the island is filled of beauty and poverty. As you can see above and below the ocean and scenery is quite splendid but unfortunately most of Samoans do not live the life of luxury.



We started our orientation on Monday in earnest. Each day we have classes starting at 8am and usually go until 4pm or so. Everyone who comes to talk to us is so grateful that we are here and has so much information to impart on us. Yesterday we had a four hour presentation on the standards and benchmarks for each of the content areas that we will be teaching. It was very interesting to hear what they expect us to be teaching their students. I only hope that my students will allow me to teach them what I know.



Our Samoan language class has been quite fascinating. It doesn't seem to be too difficult of a language to learn because for the most part every letter that you see is pronounced. However, they LOVE their vowels here.

'Ae a 'oe

That is a full sentence. It means, "What about you?" It's very exciting to try and use the words and phrases that we have learned when we are oot and aboot. Most Samoans are very appreciative that we are making the effort to learn their language. They are some of the nicest people I have ever met especially compared to New Yorkers.

I have met some great people here that I am excited to be experiencing this with. We are keeping each other in check and keeping it real. I think we are all just anxious to get to our sites and start teaching.



Speaking of, here is the outside of my school. Leone High School. GO LIONS!!!

Actually, I can't upload it here. grrr. go to facebook....

Day 1

TALOFA!

I'm here. I made it. Yesterday was a long day. The flights were very long but we all made it here safely. 21 volunteers arrived yesterday. All the staff from WorldTeach who met us at the airport last night was very nice and very exciting to see us. A lot of the locals including customs people, to Department of Education staff, to others we just met on the plane were so happy that we were coming here to help teach their children. I'm already feeling really good about this experience.

Right now it's a little bit like summer camp as all 21 of us with 2 soon to arrive will be leaving in a high school in classrooms. We are sleeping on the floor on very thin mattresses. We are staying here for just the first 3-4 weeks as we go through orientation and all that jazz. I'm excited to be here but I cannot wait until we get to settle in to our own homes.

I was excited to meet all the other volunteers. Everyone seems to have come here for different reasons but is very excited about the opportunities that lay ahead. There are even 2 Canadians!!! One is from Ottawa, the other is from Saskatoon. It's so exciting.

This picture is from the view outside of the high school we are staying at.

The Night Before...

Tomorrow at 10:30am PST, I will board a plane for Honolulu. Many many hours later, probably around 5:00 EST, I will land in American Samoa. I don't know what to expect, and yet I feel like I'm expecting a lot. A new adventure will begin, after some sleeping of course. Traveling all day will certainly wear me out. 23 other volunteers and myself will face a new day in a new land. I cannot wait!!!!

So my farewell tour has continued and will end in the splendid land of Los Angeles. It's been a great time here especially getting the chance to drive up the coast a few hours to visit my grandma who I haven't seen in a long time. Shame on me!


I am so happy that I went up there and spent the night with her. It was great to reconnect as we had many fun adventures together when I was little.

So I've packed my bags (many times over), left some things for friends to ship to me, made too many last minute shopping trips but I think I am finally ready. Ready for a life changing experience.

I hope to hear from all of you that are reading this. Send me emails. Send me mail (via AIRMAIL ONLY!!). But DO NOT call my cell phone as it will be turned off. I will do my best to respond as fast as I can. Oh and if you have Skype, please send me your skype name.



Love to you all. Love to the world. Love to my beautiful family and friends. Like a globe trotting Scot once said, "See ya in another life brother!"

Farewell Concert Tour

This is post is coming live to you aboard Virgin America flight 409 from JFK TO LAX.

Well it's been a whirlwind couple of weeks. The farewell concert tour continues....

First stop was Denver. I got to see my Red Sox beat the Rockies in a very exciting back and forth game. Kristi and Chris showed me a great time in Denver. NYC's loss is Denver's gain. So happy for them as they start their new life together.

Next came Florida to hang with the parental units. Words cannot describe how much I am going to miss them. I could not ask for more loving and supportive people in my life. I will be grateful till the end of time for the love, courage and strength they have given me. My mom and her friends had a little Island party for me complete with sarongs for everyone. Even Dad played the part. Pictures to come.

The journey continued to Columbus to hang out with my favorite kiddies. What joy and love they have in their hearts. Nothing beats having a little one give you a big hug and say that they've missed you. It breaks my heart that I will not be able to see them for a year. But I cannot wait to hear all the stories as the girls enter 1st grade and how Caleb continues to be the little pistol that he is.

Back to NYC to say goodbye to all of the wonderful people that the city has brought into my life since I first came in the fall of 2001. What amazing people I have had the pleasure of meeting over the years. Each and every one of you have touched me in a different way. You are my family now. I will love and miss you dearly.

And for my last night in NYC, I had the pleasure of seeing Miss Lady Gaga in concert. Amazing. Great way to go out! Thank you to Brett for making it happen.

Now I'm on my way to LA now for a couple days of fun and sun.

More posts to come as I navigate this emotional roller-coaster that is my life. A big big shout out to my Mom, Dad and brother Michael. I could not do this without you.

P.S. I'm still trying to figure out how to use this blogspot thing so cut me some slack in these first couple of posts.