Maggie in American Samoa : MANUIA LE KERISIMASI

Hello everyone! Happy Holidays

These last few weeks before Christmas break have been quite busy, so this will just be a quick update. What have I been up to? Since I last blogged I turned 23, had my thanksgiving plans cancelled because of a cyclone, got bit by a dog, swam in the ocean, gone to an open mic night, paddled, gone jet skiing and received some great packages. November and December have gone by crazy fast. I can’t believe I’ve been in American Samoa for almost five months!

This may be the only time in my whole life that I get to say that I swam in the Pacific Ocean, in 90-degree weather, on my birthday! It was pretty great. The week after my birthday was Thanksgiving break! As I mentioned in a previous blog, my plans were to go to Manua (the outer islands of American Samoa) for thanksgiving. A group of us showed up at the airport early on Thanksgiving Day only to find out that there was a cyclone warning and so all flights were cancelled. This was quite unfortunate news as we were all very excited to go on a mini vacation and to visit my friends who live on Manua. We couldn’t get our money back, only ticket vouchers, so at some point in the future I WILL be going to Manua! As of now, the plan is to go sometime in the spring. Also, for those of you who are wondering… the cyclone never actually hit American Samoa. We just had some super strong winds and some rain.

On a different note… I think I’ve mentioned before that there are A LOT of dogs here on the island. Some of the dogs are great and I love them, such as my neighbor’s dogs Sule and Lady. Most of the dogs here are like them, quite friendly or they just completely mind their own business. Some however are mean and aggressive. Up until this point I’ve only had dogs bark a lot at me and occasionally try to chase me. During orientation we were taught what to do and what to yell if a dog comes after you. (You have to throw something at them, or at least pretend to, and yell HALU). A few weekends ago however, a dog got me. I was just walking along a road with my friend enjoying the ocean views when all of a sudden my friend yelled and sort of pushed me out of the way. At the last second he had seen a dog coming at us. Luckily it barely got my leg and I only had one bite mark and a nasty bruise. The dog never even barked… it just came charging at us from behind. It was kind of scary and I’m a bit jumpy around some dogs now, but all is well and my leg is healing up just fine! Now when we explore new areas we’ve learned to bring sticks with us.

Overall I’ve just been living life, teaching, paddling, hanging out with my friends, swimming in the ocean and enjoying the nice weather. I have to admit it doesn’t really feel like Christmas season at all. There are houses that are decorated, there are some Christmas trees around, and all the buses are playing Christmas music (lots of island remixes that are great). But it is just so weird to be walking around in 90-degree weather, with palm trees, and the ocean everywhere I look. I’m used to a cold snowy New England Christmas. This will be my first Christmas away from home which I’m sad about… but for those who do not know I have some really exciting plans for Christmas break! I’m going to Hawaii and meeting my sister Jamie there!!!! I’m super super excited. It’s going to be fantastic to take a break from this island, go back to the states, be a tourist, and see my sister for Christmas/New Years!!! I’ve never been to Hawaii, besides a 4-hour layover, so anyone that has been there please let me know of any things that Jamie and I we should do and/or go! Jamie and I will be on Oahu for 10 days! I leave here Wednesday the 23 and will arrive in Oahu the morning of Christmas Eve. THANK YOU MOM AND DAD FOR THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER.

In the mean time… this is my last week of school before break. We will be doing lots of fun Christmas activities on Friday. There will be a paddling Christmas party next Tuesday. Many of the volunteers who are on Manua will be coming back to Tutilla this weekend! We haven’t seen them since they left in early September, so it’s going to be a great reunion before we all go our separate ways for Christmas. It’s going to be a fun two weeks of vacation.

PS. Coco Wifi has been spreading. I hear that there are 6-7 new WorldTeach coming to American Samoa and that one of them will be moving into my house. Possibly two of them will be staying at my house for the month of January, so things are going to get quite busy and crowded in my little house. Updates to come.

PSS. Coco Wifi = Coconut Wireless. Coconut wireless is what we call the fast paced gossip on the island. Because this island is SO small… rumors and gossip spread very quickly. I can’t do anything on this island without my students reporting my every move to my the next day at school.

PSSS. I have received a motherload of care/birthday/Christmas packages. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you to Nicolle Moore, Annette and ????? Moore, my lovely aunts and uncles Balloogne, Gary, Peter, Barbara, and Chucky, Frances Lucier, Maureen and Bill Musante, and Shannon Cahillane. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! I can’t express to you all how much these boxes make my day (and by student’s days! They LOVE all the stickers and things. The notebooks, colored pencils, and expo markers make teaching SO much easier.)

PSSSS. I wrote this blog two weeks ago, I just haven’t been able to post it until now. So please excuse the inaccurate timeline. I leave for Hawaii TOMORROW night!

Next time you hear from me I will be back, relaxed and hopefully tanned from my Hawaiian vacation.

Until next time!

MANUIA LE KERISIMASI