Samoan Netball

So we have been back in the country only 3 weeks and so much has happened. In this time the girls A team won the netball shield. This is no mean feat and a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. Next game is against the top of the grade and a very strong team so we will see if we can hang on to the log of wood! Of course we had a celebration out that night and took the shield with us around town!!

As well as this we have had the South African team visiting to play 2 test matches against the Samoan National side. Always exciting to have international teams here. The courts never look better. We also seem to acquire new things like tarpaulins to keep the sun out so at least local netball also benefits. Most of us were at the courts working in some way or another. Adam and I got roped into doing the flip chart scoring. I'm sure he was more on to it than me as I was so focused on all there was to watch such as the teams and what the international umpires were doing. Speaking of which, myself and Ioane were asked to umpire the curtain raiser for the first game. This was between SCOPA and SMOGA the top 2 secondary school teams in the country. Always a rival match that one. Anyway little did we know that the NZ international umpires, Faye, Jono and Bobbie, came in to watch our game, assessed us and passed us for our Regional Umpiring badges!!! Very exciting for us as we are now the first ever umpires to reach this level in Samoa. We will see now about attending the clinic in Auckland in September to help us study towards the NZ Theory and NZ practical exams. This honor does not come lightly however as we are already getting asked the hard questions regarding the rules!!!

We - meaning mostly Adam - have also done our good deed at USP and got stuck in and painted the netball court lines. Having waited over a year and having come up with 3 quotes that were all exorbitant it was becoming pretty urgent that we needed a court painted so Adam sourced some road marking paint, make up a template with wood the right width for the lines and we went and measured up and painted the thing on before anyone could stop us. Yellow hobbit feet later (paint overspray!) and the courts look fab. It has been great. Now we can train properly. One small thing to sort out now which is the 2 tennis net poles sticking up in the middle of the mid court however hopefully maintenance will be on to that soon ..... or maybe we will have to wait another year to get them removed. Can't rush these things!! The courts have been christened by USP and the UniGames team ....

Yes there have been 2 solid months of serious organising to take the University Netball Team to Australia. Just yesterday we got that bit more funding we needed for our last bill which is the accommodation in Toowoomba. So we are off on Friday 2nd July to be the first team to compete in the UniGames in Australia. The team are all pretty excited and so am I. It has not been easy fundraising and filling in forms, forms and yet more forms but we have the flights, visa's, accommodation, travel insurance, uniforms, balls, team lineups etc all sorted now and we are ready to play. Think we are all going to freeze as it is 5 degrees over night and 10 degrees through the day in Toowoomba but will let you know how it goes. I hope the 13 young adults I have to supervise behave?????????????????????????

Other than netball ...... well is there anything other than netball? Oh yes there is that work thing that gets fitted in around! Have been asked to re-design the inside of the Alafua Library which is a great opportunity. Hope there is some serious money available. Have to move the counter back apparently and make more student space then see if we can refurbish etc. I am hoping to create more of a "learning commons" space with more/new computers, small and large tables for study, wireless internet, relaxing space and generally make the place look more inviting. Adam again has been a fab help using his autocad skills to draw up a floor plan of the libray and help me plan what would need to go where. Big job. Need to write a proposal. I guess that will be the first task when I get back from Toowoomba.

Take care all. Speak soon xx

PS check out Flickr as will be uploading more photos soon

Go the Manu! and true Samoan Style!

I suspect only in Samoa can a public holiday be declared to welcome home the 7's rugby team and celeberate their series win for 2010?! Well we arrived back in Samoa just in time for this day. Go the Manu we say as if they take out the Commonwealth Games as well we just might get another day off!!

Have spent a great week in Australia for my nephew's 1st Birthday and managed to catch up with 2 long lost friends from the UK at the same time. Managed to make a truck Birthday cake with tray on the back full of lollies so was happy with that. Went to Movie World one day with Mum and Dad and Adam had to go on all the rides! I held the camera! The Scooby Doo ghost ride freaked me out and Batman simulation made me feel sick! The bubbles during the street parade and Shrek in 4D was more my style!!

Now back to normal life which means planning the UniGames Netball trip to Aussie at the start of July in Toowoomba - it's going to be freezing there. In true style nothing happened towards the organisation of this while I was away so now we are full on into fundraising. If anyone out there would like to sponsor us even a small amount that would be much appreicated. We also have accommodation etc to pay for in Australia so....anyone?? Donations of team tracksuits etc also most welcome as these guys are going to freeze and I know even myself I don't have anything warm to wear in Toowoomba!!

Also in true Samoan style we are still experiencing rolling power cuts. These started about the 24th May with campus having no power every afternoon from 1.00-5.00pm and will continue for the forseeable future. We are running out of things we can do with no power and it gets very hot and dark in the library. The students also panic about getting their assignments printed so we have a huge queue at the desk - don't ask me why the library is the only place they can print on campus!! This afternoon however it is raining which apparently means the hydro power generation is all good so the power is staying on - yippee!

Adam also had the funniest trip to the Vet yesterday with old man who will not stay in the boot of the car but prefers to climb over the back seat while the car is moving and even over into the passenger seat. Anyway driving with a dog on your lap is not to be recommended and causes much amusement to passers by!! Old man by all accounts managed to switch the wipers on and off and turn off the radio with his nose when the breaks were put on not to mention slobber all over the place! Adam also seems to have acquired a number of scratch marks on his legs so I wonder why that might be!! All this just to have stitches removed.....