Back from the Village

Well the first couple weeks in the village was pretty intense, but had to love every minute of it. So our training village is Vai'e'e. It's on the south side of the island on a lagoon. My host family is my parents, four kids 6, 5, 4, and 3 months, and my mother's sister and father. Our house is pretty new and I have my own room that is about 15 feet from high tide. I live at the east end of the village so I am a little more removed from some of the goings on but that seems to be ok (there are also less roosters to wake me up at night). Having young siblings has also allowed me a little more freedom. I don't have someone walking me everywhere which I enjoy. However it is a little harder to practice some language because the kids stayed in that wide eyed stare mode into the second week but then it was like a lever switched and they started to go off on random words.

Food has been great but I think the pisikoa are causing a drastic reduction in the village moa(chicken) population. Also fair amount of fruit, I get more rice and potatoes than taro which I am ok with. Being waited on is getting a little old though. Last night two other trainees and I took over the hotel kitchen here in Apia and made a spaghetti feed for the group which was a nice change of pace.

So language it has been the main component of training the past weeks but it is coming along and our trainers are fantastic. I also seem to be relearning and some time just learning lots of english grammar again.

So I head to Savaii wed to fri for my volunteer visit. I am excited to see the other main island and have a little change. Then it is back to the village for three more weeks.
Hope everyone has a great 4th of july and I'll try to get photos up soon.
peace
timoteo