I'm here, I'm happy, and I'm having the time of my life

Talofa Lava from Nu’uuli Vocational Technical High School in American Samoa. The past two days have been a whirlwind of excitement, exploration, information overload, beauty, and a heck of a lot of jet lag. I could write a book right now to tell you all that has happened since my departure on Sunday morning, but instead I’ll do a few bullet points and add a few pictures to really show you how much of Paradise with a capital P I am in!

-  Departure: Of course it was hard. I cried. But, I didn’t set off the security alarms, so that made me happy!

- Arrival in LAX: A fellow World Teacher, Heidi, was on the same flight as me. We collected our heavy bags, hopped on a shuttle, and dropped our stuff off at the hotel. My friend Emily from Elmhurst, who is currently living in Los Angeles, picked me up, and we spent the afternoon and early evening together.  It was just what I needed to spend my last day in the USA. I ate my first In-N-Out, hiked the mountain with the Hollywood sign (I’m still sore!), and ate my weight in frozen yogurt for dinner. Emily is an amazing, inspirational, and beautiful person. I am so lucky to have her for a friend!

Delicious and extremely cheap!

Hot, sweaty, and happy after we made it to the top!

- Arrival in Hawaii: Instead of spending my layover in the airport, I was lucky enough to spend a few hours with my friend Keelan in Honolulu! We ate a delicious lunch on the oceanfront, caught up, and basked in the sun. Hawaii looks incredibly beautiful and I can’t wait to go back and visit again.

Flying from Hawaii to AmSam! Click on this picture to see it big!

-Arrival in AmSam: As we flew over the island, I was shocked! There were lights everywhere. I had expected complete darkness and a few lights to guide in the plane. Turns out, this island is more developed than I thought! We exited the plane and walked across the tarmac. I wasn’t hit with humidity, but I was hit with a light, cool drizzle of island rain. What a perfect way to start my adventure! I went through customs and I got a stamp in my passpor, which I find funny considering I am in an American territory! I then got my bags, went through inspection, and officially entered AmSam. The airport was filled to the brim with people – this is what they do for fun on Monday nights. They come to say goodbye to loved ones and to greet new people who fly from Hawaii. I couldn’t help but laugh. Our field directors, Drew and Alison, as well as a few other people from the Dept. of Education greeted us with kisses on the cheek and nut necklaces. No turning back now!

I’ll leave you with that. I’m still jet lagged, and my foam mattress is calling my name. But, I’ll be nice and give you a picture of what I wake up to every morning.

Darn those power lines! Everywhere I look, I see lush, green, steep mountains!

Manuia le aso! (Have a good day!)

BREAKING NEWS, READ ALL ABOUT IT!

When my Field Director in American Samoa sent us our teaching placements, he made sure to stress that our placements could change at any time: before departure, during orientation, or even the day before school starts. 

Turns out he was right! Not that I didn’t believe him, I just didn’t let the idea of a move sink in. 

As of now (considering the fact that this could once again change), I will now be teaching at Leone High School. I *think* it is pronounced Lay-oh-nay.  Thankfully I am still teaching English!  My first placement was on the southeast side of the island. My new placement is on the west side.

(Remember that you can click on pictures to view them full screen!)

The orange arrow is my previous placement and the navy arrow is my NEW placement! Talk about complete opposite sides of the island! Although I was in shock with such a last minute change, I am still extremely excited, ready, a little bit stressed and overwhelmed, and happy about moving to AmSam.

Tomorrow is my last day at home! I’ll be spending the morning/early afternoon with my family, and the night at a wedding! Sunday is go-time starting with a 6:30 a.m. departure for coffee and donuts, and then off to O’Hare for my 10:10 flight to LAX. Once in LA, I’ll collect my bags (which are very big and heavy…), drop them off at the hotel, and spend the afternoon and evening with my college friend Emily. I could not be more excited to see her! Later on in the night, the entire WorldTeach AmSam crew will meet up for a pre-departure meeting. Following that, I guess we’ll all try to sleep? I guess I should put more emphasis on try. We’ve got a 7:00 a.m. meet-in-the-lobby time on Monday morning and then it’s off to LAX again for a day full of flying, hanging out in the Honolulu International Airport, meeting up with a friend who lives in Hawaii, and then flying to AMSAM!  The adventure begins SO SOON!

When will you hear from me again? I don’t know! Maybe I’ll have time to give you an update in LA, and maybe not. Bear/Bare (which is it??! I’m going to be a great English teacher. HA!) with me folks, it could be a while!  Thanks for being faithful readers of the blog. Have a fabulous rest of your weekend!

Packin' it all in

“He who would travel happily must travel light.” – Antoine de St. Exupery

A common question that many people have asked me is, “How do you pack for a year?” It’s a question that I even asked myself many times. Now that I’ve got most of my “stuff” packed away, I can tell you that it’s really not that hard. The overall thought of having to put your life into a couple suitcases is extremely overwhelming, but in the long haul, it’s quite easy and only took me a few hours (all thanks to Space Bags, Ziploc bags, and lots of strenuous pushing and saying “YOU WILL FIT!”). Throughout the past month or so, I’ve made numerous lists of things I needed and didn’t want to forget. A good chunk of the items on those lists ended up not going in the suitcases. It’s a true statement when they say to lay out all your clothes and only take half of them. That’s exactly what I did.

The greatest part of packing for AmSam was knowing that I’ll be living in a hot and humid climate. I am only bringing 2 pairs of pants (and chances are, I won’t even wear them).  My clothes consist of knee-length shorts, skirts, and dresses (remember AmSam is very conservative), lots of cotton tank tops and t-shirts, and a few light, long-sleeve tops. When I packed for NZ, I had heavy sweatshirts, lots of long sleeves, and pants. That added a lot of weight to my suitcase. Thanks to the tropical island temperature, my clothes barely weigh anything.

Here’s a list of the Top 5 “Can’t Live Without” Items in each of my bags:

PACK

1. Snorkel gear

2. Hiking shoes – for climbin’ mountains!

3. Flip flops in every color

4. Teva Waterproof Reef shoes – most beaches in AmSam are made of broken coral. Ouch!

5. 9 (haha) pairs of socks and undies

(Do you notice the theme?)

SUITCASE

1. Clothes

2. Toiletries (bug spray, sunscreen, deodorant, facewash…etc.)

3. Running shoes

4. Classroom stuff!

5. Books for beach reading J

CARRY-ON BACKPACK

1.Electronics: laptop, underwater camera (can’t wait to use that!), external hard drive, Flip video camera, iPod

2. Extra set of clothes – We’re staying in a hotel in LA, so I had to pack clothes for my flights to Hawaii and AmSam!

3. Reading book, Sudoku book, paper, pens

4. WorldTeach Volunteer Resource Manual – we’ll need this for orientation

5. Snacks – candy (thanks to Bobbi, Kathy, and Connie!!), almonds, etc.

PURSE (I wouldn’t really call it that, but I don’t know what else to call it- it’s a “Healthy Back Bag”)

1. Wallet - money, driver’s license, phone card, debit card, etc.

2. Passport – even though it’s a U.S. Territory, I’ll need it for other South Pacific travels!

3. Sunglasses

4. Camera (not for underwater use!)

5. Important paperwork

Countdown: 6 days till LA, ONE WEEK till AMSAM!

And now, some pictures!

A few of the books that made the cut. Used copies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy are on their way!

 Holy toiletries! Check out the bug spray/anti-itch/I hate mosquitoes section.

Not many people get to wear flip flops every day of the year! : ) 

 

I can't wait to snorkel! I'm loving all my fun gear. 

You can call me Miss Bolander...

I spent the last four days in St. Paul, Minnesota, visiting my friend Erin. Erin and I went to New Zealand through the same study abroad program and we have been lucky enough to spend quite a few mini vacations together.

This is Erin and I enjoying the Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis yesterday:

Following our adventures in the garden and a delicious meal of hot dogs and mac & cheese, we were about to settle down for the night. Remembering that I needed to sign up for a 5k that I will be running on the 25^th, I got online, registered for the race, and then checked my email. I was not expecting to see this: American Samoa 2011-2012 Teaching Placements. My reaction was instantaneous. My jaw dropped, I started shaking (truth), and I felt like I was about to lose my mind.

THIS WAS IT! Would I be teaching Geometry? Or a lab involving chemicals? Just thinking about this makes me cringe. I had never been more nervous in my life. All I wanted was to be an English teacher.

I opened the document with Erin by my side and Mom on the phone…and then I screeched because my dream came true. For the 2011-2012 school year, I will be teaching English at Faga’itua High School in Faga’itua, American Samoa. I could not have asked for a better placement. I will be on the big island, Tutuila, but I will be in a rural village, something that I had asked for on my preference form.

I think the village is pronounced Fahnguh-ai-too-ah.  Upon my arrival in AmSam, anything can happen. I could be transferred to another school, village, or island, but for now, I am beyond ecstatic with my placement. 

My happy dance was definitely necessary:

The countdown is 24 DAYS! Soon to come: what and how I am packing (oh how difficult that will be), last adventures in the USA, and prepping to be a high school teacher!

Never heard of AmSam before, eh?

If you still think I am going to Somalia, this is the post for you! Take out your notebooks, sharpen your pencils, and grab a cup of coffee or two – it’s time to learn.

At this point, I’ve directed you to experiment with Google Maps to see how AmSam compares in size to the rest of the world. It’s just so cute and tiny, right? Aw.  As small as it is, it has a lot to offer.

§  AmSam is a tropical island.

o   In 2006, Islands named Ofu Beach (on one of the outer islands) one of the 30 best undiscovered beaches in the world.  I can’t wait to visit that!

o   Tropical = palm trees complete with coconuts, warm weather, beaches, sunrises/sunsets…okay, you get the drift.

o   Tropical = humidity, sunburn, bugs…sooo many bugs: mosquitoes, spiders, scary/huge/massive/frightening centipedes (I’m talking colossal size), vicious wild and domestic dogs (previous volunteers have had to walk around with pipes and large rocks in their hands for protection – oh yay!), etc.

o   Lesson to learn: No matter where you go, there is always going to be something beautiful as well as something that might test your limits a little more than you would like: embrace it, go with the flow, and maybe wear some bug spray and sunscreen.

§  AmSam is an island full of football.

o   Someone (can’t remember who or where I read it) made a joke that football players are the biggest export from the Samoan islands. 

o   According to an article on espn.com, 200+ Samoans play in Division I football.  Holy smokes.  That same article said, “It has been estimated that a Samoan boy is 40 times more likely to reach the NFL than a boy growing up in the United States.”

o   To read the article, follow this link: "American football, Samoan style"

§  AmSam is home to a Starkist tuna factory.

o   Tuna is one of the main exports from the island.

o   Next time you make a tuna sandwich, see where the fish comes from!

§  AmSam is a territory of the United States.

o   According to AmSamoa Tourism, AmSam has been a U.S. territory since April 17, 1900. The island was used during WWII, where it held a naval base, hospitals, landing strips, and protection/retaliation against the Japanese.

o   The island chain uses U.S. currency as well as our postal system. It costs the same to mail a letter to me in Sycamore as it will when I am in American Samoa. How freaking awesome/way cool/crazy is that? Also, packages can be sent for similar prices as well. *Hint Hint*

o   AmSam is home to a National Park!

o   The temperature ranges from high 70’s to low 90’s throughout the year. The average annual rainfall is anywhere from 150 to 300 INCHES A YEAR. Whoa.

o   AmSam is extremely religious. Way back when, Christian missionaries paid the islands a visit and converted as many people as they could. The majority of the island is Christian but other denominations include Mormon, Catholic, and a few others. Because of this, the dress code is conservative. Women are not allowed to wear swimsuits, shorts that are shorter (punny) than the knee, and tank tops with tiny straps.

Alright, class is over for the day. I hope you were able to learn something from my little list of facts. I can’t wait to share my own experiences with all of these things in 29 DAYS!

Update 1: I have added a “subscribe” box on the top right of the blog. Enter your email address, follow the steps, and my blog will show up in your email whenever I update it. Link back to the blog to read it though. Who wants to read a blog update from an email? BORING!

Update 2: Confused about how to comment? Scroll all the way down…I added some directions.

Tofa!

Only in American Samoa....

Only in American Samoa, do they have music videos like this…

Will I come home with a “caramel complexion?”

Only in American Samoa, does McDonald’s actually look appetizing…

Only in American Samoa, well, need I say more?

Only in American Samoa…will I turn into a football player?….

The reason why

Many people have asked why I chose to teach in American Samoa. Most people who teach English abroad head to China, Japan, or Korea, but I guess I'm different. During my semester in New Zealand, I stayed in a dorm that consisted mainly of freshmen Kiwi’s, which was quite the experience. But, I was lucky enough to get placed on a floor with people from all over the world. I was the only American, but students from Japan, Tonga, (Western) Samoa, the Philippines, and New Zealand lived near me. Before NZ, I had never even heard of Tonga or Samoa, and it wasn’t until I became friends with my floor mates, that I really became interested in the South Pacific (tiny) islands.

When I discovered WorldTeach, I researched all of the countries and after a brief “I want to go to Colombia” stint (my Mom wasn’t too happy about that), I realized that my answer was right in front of me: American Samoa! Not only would I be back in the South Pacific, but I would be able to reunite with my Samoan friends and continue to learn about the culture, history, and lifestyle of a tropical island.

That being said, besides anxiously awaiting the news of where I’ll be living and what I’ll be teaching, I am keeping myself busy with “attempting” to learn Samoan.  It is a vowel-filled language, and some of the words have up to three in a row, like Nu’uuli. Just a guess, but I think it is pronounced new-glottal stop—oooooooleee. We will see if I am right. Another catch is the letter g. In Samoan, g = ng.  The capital of the main island is Pago Pago. It is pronounced as Pango Pango. Also, stress is put on the letter a, making it more of an ahh. Neat.

Other than practicing my vowels, I am checking things off my list with WorldTeach, stocking up on flip flops, and eating all the greens, berries, and citrus that I can hold (more on this later.)

Until next time, tofa!