USP Alafua 2011 Graduation

Congratulations to all the Graduates of USP Alafua 2011.

Josie from the Public Library with her USP Certificate in Library and Information Studies.

The Graduates.

Adama and I in the Procession march.

The Library girls working as ushers.

New friend Sofia from Vanuatu.

USP Alafua Library inaugural Authors' Tea

On the 14th December 2011 USP Alafua Library hosted an inaugural Authors’ Tea to celebrate research work published by Alafua staff in the last three years. In the presence of the USP Vice Chancellor, Professor Rajesh Chandra, six staff members presented their work, outlining the basics of their research. The event highlighted the various subject disciplines covered by staff and their contribution to the body of knowledge for topics of interest to the region and world. It is hoped this event will be the first of many annual Authors’ Teas, showcasing research taking place at USP Alaufa. The following list identifies the USP Alafua campus staff who have become Authors, often working in collaboration with others. This research can be accessed from the USP Alafua Campus Library:-

• Adama Ebenebe
o The cabbage webworm (Hellula undalis) on tickweed (Cleome viscosa) in Samoa
o Relative impacts of some insecticides on infestation and damage by leaf-eating caterpillars and on non-target arthropod diversity in head cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) crops in Samoa
o Exploring the source of corm rots affecting fresh taro exports from Fiji (Poster)

• Tolo Iosefa
o Improving taro production in the South Pacific through breeding and selection
o Linking Farmers, Genebanks and Networks for Genetic Enhancement of Taro
o The taro improvement programme in Samoa: sharing genetic resources through networking

• Angela Jowitt
o Surviving a tsunami : Dealing with disaster : Lessons from the Samoa tsunami 29.09.09 (Book)
o Learning from the victims: New physical and social science information about tsunamis from victims of the September 29, 2009 event in Samoa and American Samoa

• Jagdish Bhati and Sonny Lameta (edited by Ruby Vaa)
o Planning and management of agricultural projects : A manual

• Ioane Malaki & Tolo Iosefa
o Subsistence food security in the tsunami affected areas of Samoa

• Pradeep K Singh
o A case for prioritizing agriculture for development in Pacific Islands countries
o Development of agrientrepreneurship in Samoa : Opportunities and challenges
o Rural and agricultural credit in India and Gujarat
o Modernizing agricultural entrepreneurship in Samoa: A small island country in the Pacific region
o Managing Sustainable Development of Rural Economy through Integrated Planning of Farming Systems and Natural Resources

Apia has Fireworks c/o BlueSky SamoaTel

Old man and his coconut

He's a real Samoan this one. Loves coconut, papaya, taro, palusami and any Samoan food going!!

Waterfall Adventure

The things I let myself get talked into! For the last year or so our Russian friend Slava (the crazy runner and unicyclist) has been wanted to walk to the Papapapaitai Waterfall. This is an impressive 100m high waterfall that you can see from Cross Island Road, but there is no track to the waterfall.

Anyway, he had managed to find where the river comes out down at the coast and had made one attempt to walk up the river to find the waterfall, but this had been unsuccessful. Apparently some of the group that accompanied him weren’t properly prepared for what they were tackling and they turned back.

This time he wanted to tackle it again, properly. No ‘sissies’ (his term!) and an earlier start, and he wanted to know if I was keen to join him. For some reason I said yes! Angela has already warned me that Slava must be a little bit crazy, but I thought it would be a good little adventure. As it turned out I was the only one foolish enough to join him this time round. So, we made an early start – the breakfast buffet at Aggie Grey’s at 6.30 to get fuelled up for our trek! We also helped ourselves to a few pastries, bananas, and fruit salad to take with us.

Our Goal - Papapapaitai Waterfall

Slava managed to find the way to the river no problem, so it was time to leave the car and start walking. He had warned me that there were no tracks and the only way to go was to follow the river, so I wasn’t surprised when he waded straight into the water. I quickly discovered that the river bed was made up of round, slippery boulders and finding a safe footing in the flowing water could be tricky. We seemed to be making good time – twice as fast as last time according to Slava – but it was hard work. After 2 hours we had a break, and some bananas and pastries! By this stage we had covered about 3.6 km, but figured that the waterfall must be at least 7km from where we started, maybe further, so it w as time to carry on.

The trek was awesome – some parts of the forest were very much like New Zealand with lots of ferns and moss. The temperature was not like NZ though and walking in the water helped to keep us a bit cooler. By this stage we were coming across some deeper pools which we had to swim across, but this was easier than scrambling over slippery rocks.

As we continued we could hear some serious thunder and sure enough it started to rain. We were already wet, so the rain didn’t really worry us. After more than 4 hours we were starting to reach the stage where we would have to turn back to avoid being stranded in the forest in the dark. We both were hoping that we would come around the next corner and see our waterfall, but each time we were disappointed. Eventually we came to a smaller waterfall that we couldn’t climb up. It did have a nice deep pool so we decided to jump in for a swim before heading back.

The trip back down the river was probably harder than heading up, and we were getting pretty tired. About 10 hours after setting out we finally got back to the car. It had been quite an adventure. Although we didn’t manage to get to our waterfall and we were worn out we had had a great day exploring places that very few people have ever been. Slava is keen to come back and try again – with ropes and more equipment next time. I will recover from this effort first before I agree to another of his crazy adventures!

Lunatics!

So who knew there was a lunar eclipse the other week?

Our crazy Russian friend Slava told us about it and asked if we wanted to get up an watch it. We were planning to do the 5km fun run the next morning, so when he said that it would be at about 3.30 am we decided to give it a miss!

As it turned out we were woken up in the middle of the night by the dogs, and when we saw that it was about 4.00 am we decided to get up and check out the eclipse. The proof is in the photo below. Unfortunately just when the eclipse was at its best a few thin clouds blew in.

For the record, only one of us made it to the fun run the next day!

S

This is a Manutagi or Crimson Crowned Fruit Dove, enjoying the red berries off our palm tree. Pity about the barbed wire in the photo!

New Church

Pictures of the newest church in town - Our Lady of the Rosary. It is very big and impressive looking, but some people reckon the towers are on a lean!

High Tea in Vaigaga

Inspired by our High Tea at Raffles earlier in the year Angela decided that she would have her own high tea here as a Xmas get together with a few friends.

In the weeks leading up to the high tea there was plenty of consulting recipe books and magazines to find suitable recipes (with ingredients that we can get here!) and slowly the menu started to come together – actually the menu got a bit out of control with dozens of suggestions on the list. Anyway, the day before the big event Angela hit the kitchen and I made trips back and forth to the supermarket for vital ingredients! She really cooked up a storm – good enough to rival Raffles!

Our high tea started with a champagne cocktail and fresh fruit platter, including pineapple from our garden, passion fruit curd tartlets and scones with guava jam and lemon curd.

The second round was custard squares, passion fruit tart and guava shortcake with ice-cream.

The final round was for the chocolate lovers - chocolate lamingtons, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate rum balls!

All of this was served with selections of teas that we brought back from Singapore – strawberry tea, French earl grey tea, rose and vanilla tea, with chocolate tea to finish.

This was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

A truck full of Vailima!

So we are driving to work today and turn up the road by the Vailima Brewery factory following a water truck. The truck indicates and turns into the Brewery gate.

My perspective is "Oh they are taking some water to the factory to brew the beer". Adam's perspective is "They are taking the water truck to the factory to fill it up with beer"!

And is the glass half full or half empty?????