Wet Season

The wet season has finally arrived. After having a very dry July, August and September the rain has finally started. It started raining on Sunday morning and didn’t stop until Monday night. During this period we had more rain than July, August and September combined.

When it rains here it really rains, huge raindrops beating on the corrugated iron roof. It gets so loud that we can’t hear the TV, even at full volume!

Anyway, the Electric Power Corporation should be happy now that their dams are filling and they will be able to generate hydro-power again. Apparently this was one of the contributing factors to the blackouts we endured a month or so ago.

Our water supply at home has been ok, although they do sometimes shut it down after midnight to conserve water, but other parts of Apia and the surrounding villages have been on water restrictions for several months. Now the rain has come there should be no more water
shortages.

The ‘Samoan Carwash’ is back in business again. The ford was always flowing when we first arrived, usually about ankle deep, but has been dry since July. On Monday it was about knee deep and flowing very fast. A carwash costs 5 tala, you just stop in the middle of the ford and the boys come out with their buckets and rags and give the car a quick clean. Almost as good as the drive through carwash back in NZ!















The other good thing about the change in season is pineapples and mangoes are now available in great abundance. When we first arrived there were a few pineapples in the markets, but they were very expensive, and no mangoes. Now there are plenty in the markets and they are cheap.

Work Update (Adam)

We have finally completed the design work for the two bridges and the contracts are being tendered at the moment. We have decided to start construction after the worst of the wet season is over – April/May – so I thought things would be quite for me until then, but I have picked up a couple of new jobs.

I have got involved with some water supply work, something that I am a lot more familiar with. The project I am working on provides technical assistance to some of the independent water supply schemes. These are schemes that are run by the villagers, whereas 85% of the water supplies in the country are operated by the Samoa Water Authority. We have to go out to the village and meet with the matais and operators, then we inspect the intakes and walk or drive over the supply route, inspecting the pipelines, storage tanks etc. We take plenty of photos and a handheld GPS with us so that we can map the scheme. Once we have collected all of the information, we then make an assessment of the scheme with recommended improvements.

My first field trip to the village of Saoluafata was last week. We were running a bit late (in true Samoan style), but still had to stop and meet the chiefs before we could start our inspection. This involved cups of tea (luke warm, milky and sweet!) and bread and butter sandwiches. Unfortunately all of the conversation was in Samoan, so I sat politely sipping my tea and eating my sandwich. Once we headed off to the intake I got to enjoy a pleasant walk through the bush up in the mountains to the two springs. The track got rather overgrown and it felt like we were deep in the jungle, but I was enjoying exploring the Samoan countryside.
















Once we found the intakes and pipelines I was introduced to the ‘Samoan Air Valve’. Whenever they are having problems with the water supply that they think might be caused by air trapped in the pipe someone takes a hacksaw and makes a small cut in the pipe to let the air out. These cuts of course never get repaired, so we found that their primary water supply line is full of holes. Then they wonder why they can’t get water at the village or why the water pressure is so low!

After completing our inspection our guide showed us to the end of the pipeline, which was right next to another meeting house in the village. We were invited in and shown to the dinning table where lunch had been put on for us. A feast of umu pork, taro, breadfruit, palusami, along with the good old pisupo (canned corned beef) and lamb soup. One of the perks of this type of job I was told. We have to visit another village next week, so I am hoping for more of the same!

In between the fun of the field trips I am helping write up the assessment and am also developing computer models for each scheme to help with planning future work and possible extensions. I am enjoying doing some water supply work, but am missing having people like Kate and Shane around to help me with some of the more mundane parts of the modeling work. (Thanks Kate for the help last week – my MapInfo skills are improving, slowly).

My other project is completely different – it involves working with some of the schools to improve their facilities. It looks like that one will start in January, so more about that later.

Angela Says: "No rest for the wicked and no more slacking “House Boy”. Go and actually do some work!!

"Party in the Park" Samoan Style

Last night Adam and I went to the Viala Beach School Christmas end of year show. This year's theme was ABBA which the kids seemed to enjoy even if the parents and teachers were sick of hearing the songs!! Adam described this night as his very favourite for 2 reasons, firstly there were a bunch of screaming kids running around and secondly we were going to be listening to ABBA music!!! He did however confess to enjoying himself and even thought it was better than BonyM at the Mission. The show was entertaining and it was just nice to be sitting outside with our picnic dinner and a glass of wine and spending time with friends. Maybe the Christmas spirit is starting to appear?

Manono take 2

Talofa all

This weekend we joined the others from our Hyundai netball club on an end of season trip to Manono Island. It was heaps of fun. We had to be ready for the boat at 9.00am on Saturday morning which was a bit of a struggle but in the end we waited 45 minutes for one of the others to turn up with a car load of people to offload into our car. We ended up with all the kids which was a bit of an education for Adam and I! There were rules about eating lollies but not Shapes in the car (as they are too messy!!) A few games of "I Spy" later and we were at the wharf.

The boat seats about 30 people plus can take a whole lot of luggage which was lucky. We had a number of chilly bins and bags plus our snorkelling gear. The boat can only go at a few knots so it takes maybe 1/2 hour to get over to the island.

A number of people came on the trip, some for the day and others staying the night. We decided to stay and were allocated a fale with Moira's Dad. I think ours was the quietest fale in the whole place! After a nice lunch and a boat trip around the island we played balloon volleyball (balloons filled with water flung over the net with a lavalava) and then went for a snorkel.

Saturday evening was great. Lots of chat and a few drinks with friends. We headed to bed about 11.00pm but the "young ones" stayed up most of the night. Luckily we took our chilly bin with us otherwise there would have been no Jack Daniels left the next day!!!!!!!!!!!! Somehow I seemed to be commissioned to paint all the toes of the little girls there pink. Oh well it was fun.

Sunday was relaxing. Lovely food for Tooanai (traditional Sunday lunch) and then it rained on cue so we had to lie in our Fale and read or doze until it was time to catch the boat back.

Check out the photos.

Schools Library Assistant Course - Graduation

On Friday night Adam and I both went to the Schools Library Assistant Course Graduation ceremony. It was held at the Millenia hotel in their fale which was nicely decorated with palm fronds and Teuila flowers. The students all turned up in their "uniforms" which one of the guys had hand printed. It seems to be the done thing here to have a "uniform" for different occasions which you then carry on and wear afterwards. They looked very nice. Family and friends of the students also came along so the fale was full.

As a staff member I also had a "uniform". My first Puletasi - or traditional Samoan outfit of long skirt and top. I chose not to have sleeves in my top as I find it too hot but traditionally most people do. I also ended up sewing the skirt myself as the one they made for me at the tailor was mid-calf length (must have thought I wanted a Palagi length skirt!) which I didn't feel right with. All the Puletasi's I've seen come down to your ankles.

Out of the course of 35, 33 students passed and there were only 4 guys but they all did very well and will make good librarians. Laki made a speech on behalf of the students and I was very grateful for him speaking a few words to me in English so that I could understand what he was saying.

The ceremony went very well. The students had prepared some songs so the speeches were broken up with singing. I was very proud to see all the students graduate and I hope they now go on to be good librarians in the schools where much organisation and cleaning of the libraries needs to happen.

I have uploaded some photos for you of Adam and I in our Samoan outfits etc.

Mango Mania

Talofa all

Last night when we finished work the girls were heading down to the mango tree to see what they could pick so I decided to go along. The air was full of the smell of rotting sweet flesh and of course the ripe mangos were not at the bottom of the tree. People passed and had a good laugh at the sight of the library staff trying to throw things to make the mangos fall down. Luckily we were rescued by a hunky male who decided to climb the tree and pick the mangos for us. Next problem was trying to catch them as they fell ................. not so good at cricktet me!! Yummy though. Wish the mango season went all year round.

Samoan Santa?

Where is Santa and the Christmas spirit in Samoa?

Things have been mighty quiet around here. There is no maddness, no diary full of Christmas party bookings/clashes, no decorations and hardly any ads on the TV from the shops.

Has Samoa gone to sleep or is Christmas coming in Samoan time?

Luckily Adam has agreed to me putting up my tree now as it is a month until Christmas and only 3 weeks til we fly home. I am having to create my own Christmas spirit. Luckily for all of you I have done some Christmas shopping so you will get presents!! I am also planning a Christmas dinner with a couple of friends who will be in Australia at Christmas time so will do something before we all head in separate directions.

Oh and we are off to Manono Island again this weekend with the netball club for our end of season "do". We are all staying the night in the fales. I wonder how much sleep will be got on Saturday night......................