A tuna fish called Polamalu.

Talofa!

Been a crazy couple of days. Most of Thursday was composed of training on things like How to Teach with Textbooks. It's pretty intense trying to learn in three weeks what education majors spend four years of college learning. I went with Rosa and Julie to Bank of Hawai'i to open an account. The only two banks in the country are Bank of Hawai'i and ANZ, a bank from New Zealand. I thought it'd be easier for me to deal with an American bank. Plus, I had a Bank of Hawai'i account when I lived in Hilo.

We had another Samoan language class on Thursday. I should mention that most everyone speaks English here, but their first language is Samoan, and their English skills are hit or miss. I really want to learn as much Samoan as I can, but it's a really difficult language. I think part of it may be the way we are learning it. I don't do well just learning random phrases, I need to know what each word in a sentence means, so that I can make new sentences by myself. It's driving me crazy, the way we are learning the language.

We did more classroom stuff on Friday, and then I went again with Julie and Rosa to the fabric store and the sewing shop to get some Samoan clothing made. It's a little frustrating, because all the WorldTeach literature we were sent said knee-length skirts were perfectly fine for teaching, and when we get here we find out that skirts need to be at least to right about the ankles. This would be a problem if we had known this all along, but know many of us only brought skirts that hit mid calf or so, and we can't wear them to school. Anyway, since I don't have any long skirts, I went to the fabric store and picked out some awesome green fabric and some blue fabric. I took it and the WorldTeach fabric they gave us to the sewing shop and I'm having three ies (skirts) and one pulatasi (full outfit) made. They should be ready next week, and it's only going to cost around $30.

Friday night we hitched a ride to this cafe a couple of miles away. It was an interesting experience, because they totally segregated the non-Samoans. At first I though I was imagining it, but sure enough, every Samoan that entered got sat on the side with nice cloth tableclothes and decorations, and all the non-Samoans were on the side with no tableclothes and crappy chairs. It was crazy. I'd never experience anything like it. I wasn't really offended, more like shocked and amused.

Yesterday was completely awesome. We had two hours of class on classroom management (which I'm most scared about). And then we did an amazing island tour for the next five hours. It's was so amazing. This place is so beautiful. I saw the house I'll be living in in Leone, it's so cute! And we went to this place called Sliding Rock over by our house in Leone, and it's so amazing and beatiful. I'll post pictures when I figure out how.

But the most excellent thing I saw on this island tour was a tuna fish dressed as Troy Polamalu. Yes, you heard me right. A tuna. Dressed as Polamalu. The main employer on the island is Starkist tuna, and across the street from the factory, they have a giant statue of a tuna fish. And he's dressed like Polamalu. It's pretty much the best thing ever.

Anyway, it maybe Sunday, but I still have class in twenty minutes. I'll catch you on the flip side!