10 things that I LOVE about American Samoa

1) Buses
Getting anywhere on the island (Monday-Saturday) before 6:00pm is extremely easy. The buses here are called Aiga buses, and there are many of them! All of the main villages have their own Aiga bus. For the most part, no matter where you go, it only costs $1.00 to take the bus. There are bus stops, but you can also simply flag down a bus anywhere you want. The buses are all individually owned and are all decorated, named, and painted in crazy different ways. Every single one plays loud (sometimes GREAT) music, and because the island is so small, almost every time I get on a bus I will see someone I know. At first the buses were the most confusing things ever. You have to know all the different villages of the island and which direction they are in from where you are catching a bus. I eventually figured it out and now whenever I go to my friends houses, to the marts, to the grocery store, to the beaches, to the sew shops, etc., I just have to hop on a bus and pay $1.00.

2) Marts

Marts are these little family owned stores that are EVERYWHERE on the island. Some are better than others, but I’m starting to know which ones I like and which ones I don’t. They have a random selection of foods, school supplies, drinks, etc. They are very useful when I run out of something but I don’t want to make the trip to the actual grocery store. Many marts have water fill stations, which is where I get my water. Marts also sell minutes for phones, as well as many yummy baked goods, local fruits and my favorite…banana chips!

3) Banana Chips

Banana chips are my new favorite snack. They are the same thing as potato chips, except that they are made from bananas, they are locally made, and the only ingredients are bananas and some salt. DELICIOUS.

4) The People

I’ve met some amazing people during my stay here in American Samoa. People here are all very kind and helpful! They always ask me how I like the island so far and how teaching is going. I really like my fellow Level Two teachers as well as the people in my village. I have made some great friends with other WorldTeach volunteers, my paddling team members, and some people I just have randomly met on the bus or street.

Paddling friends! 

Two of the Level 2 teachers

5) The Ocean

Having the beautiful Pacific Ocean in my backyard is absolutely amazing. The ocean cures EVERYTHING including pimples, sunburns, stress, upset stomach, bad moods, etc. My friends and I try to make it a goal to go swimming at least once a week!!

Every morning I walk along the ocean to school. If I look out onto the ocean, I often see SEA TURTLES swimming around and sticking their heads out to breath. I love it. Although I often see turtles on my walks along the ocean and while paddling… I have YET to see one while I’m snorkeling with my camera. I think I just have bad luck because I know many of my friends who have taken great pictures. I’m hoping I will get to post some sea turtle pictures SOON!

6) The Mountains

As many of you know I LOVE mountains and hiking/ The mountains here are nothing like the ones at home. The mountains here are completely covered in lush green rainforest and they cover most of the island. My goal is to go every single one of the different hikes that are available here. Most of the hikes are part of the National Park and therefore are beautiful and well taken care of.

7) Slippers

Slippers are what Samoan people call flip-flops. Although I miss autumn and my boots… I have to say that wearing flip flops every single day, no matter the occasion, is GREAT. It’s so easy to just slip on my slippers and call it a day. Just this past weekend however I wore through my 2^nd pair!

8) Le Vasa

Le Vasa is the paddling team that I am on. I paddle every Tuesday and Thursday and races are sometimes on Wednesdays. I’ve paddled in one race so far. My boat came in dead last… but it was still loads of fun. Although fun, paddling is hard work, and many people on the team are extremely dedicated to the sport. I love the people on my team though, and so far I really enjoy the sport. Every month we have a party where we celebrate birthdays, clean the canoes, and eat and cook lots of food. I sometimes stay after practice just to hang out and spend time with the team. A group of us have even started to hang out on the weekends. Le Vasa is very big on working hard, teamwork, and family. On Veterans Day I spent the whole day at the beach with the paddling team. We went swimming, played on jet skis, and went standup paddle boarding. It was a GREAT day.

9) Sunshine

Ever since the couple weeks of rain that I wrote about in my last blog, the weather here has been pretty great (knock on wood)! Unfortunately, my fellow teachers keep saying that the real rainy season has yet to come. Although November, I feel like I am in one long summer. It is very bizarre. I’ve never experienced a year without seasons, the cold, or LOTS of snow. Although sometimes I really miss things such as the leaves changing and the crisp autumn weather… Being in a permanent summer is quite nice!!!

10) My students (sometimes)

A lot of the time my students can be huge pains. As I’ve said before, their behavior is often out of control. Sometimes however, I really do love my students. They can be quite cute and they always get so excited when they see me. They tell me all sorts of great stories and ask me many questions. Their new goal is to teach me Samoan! They quiz me everyday and just LOVE that they know something that I don’t. During the last week of October we had a big Halloween Spooktacular event. Each grade level put on a performance (song, play, dance, poem) for the whole school!!

UPDATES:

1)  First I would like to give a HUGE shout out to my parents and Brooke Powers! I can’t even express in words how happy your packages made me!! It’s like Christmas when my field director says she has a package for me! Thank you SO MUCH. I really really REALLY appreciate it! I’m smiling just thinking about it! ALSO thank you to all who have said you are sending me things! I CAN’T WAIT!!!

My cabinet has drastically improved! Thank you Brooke! 

2) I currently have a one-way ticket to a remote island. When I say remote… I mean even more remote than the island I am currently living on. American Samoa is more than one island (I am living on the biggest, most populated one). Some of my fellow WorldTeach volunteers are living and teaching on some of the more remote islands. So for thanksgiving break a few of us volunteers have decided to make the trek and visit Manua. The problem is that getting there and getting back can be sort of difficult. There is a boat and a little plane. Both are not very trustworthy in terms of scheduling and whether or not they are working. As of now, I have a plane ticket to Ofu/Olesaga and should arrive there on Thanksgiving day. Currently Polynesian Air does not have permission to fly or sell tickets for December, as they get approved month by month. Although risky… we are still pretty confident that we will be able to get back!!!! The plan is to be there a week. I’m super excited to go to Manua. It is VERY pretty there, and if I haven’t seen my sea turtle by then… I most definitely will see one there! More updates to come!

3) I am in a Samoan music video. At first they just asked if we would stand and talk in the background…but somehow we were forced to the front and had to dance next to the rapper… oh gosh.

4) I was a fruit bat for halloween. Costume by yours truly! 

5) I know this is an awful picture… BUT I held a BABY FRUIT BAT and fed it a baby bottle. 

 * Sorry for any typos and mistakes… I didn't have time to edit this. Parent Teacher Conferences were today. Busy busy. 

* Hope all is well! Love and miss you all!!!!!! Have a great rest of November! xoxo