August 12, 2004
Jai Guru Deva OM
Posted at 14:59 in .
Every night SBC, the one TV channel here plays a late movie. It usually starts between 9 and 10pm so I rarely get to see it (As I am generally in bed with my book before then).
But last night I stayed up way past my bed time last night to watch “I am Sam”. I love that movie. Not only is the music great (I was recently outted by my parents as a big Beatles Fan, back in the day) but the story always makes me feel better about life. The whole movie is pretty tragic in many ways. The characters have a lot of trouble and some big issues to face and adapt and overcome or adjust. But the fact that you see the struggle and the importance and the love remain… well it just makes me feel better. And the random Beatles trivia is really neat too!
Dwain “The Rock” Johnson is here in Samoa visiting his family and the country. His mother is Samoan, and he is half Samoan. She is originally from Lalomanu, which may be the most beautiful place on earth. Anyway, his visit has the whole country up in arms. Nothing like a native son, who makes it big and then return home to stir everyone up.
And in other news… It looks like there is no chance of a trip home in September for me. The business trip I was going to extend to a few weeks holiday has been cancelled. I am sad but trying not to think about it to much. I’m sure at some point when it is right I will get home. If not, well I only have about 18 months left.
Comments
Hey Hey Dorie!
Sucks about the heel spurs. I had those a few years back. In fact, I had them last time I went into the Peace Corps. Good news: they go away on their own. Bad news: it can take a while. Mine bothered me for about a year and a half. I attributed it to gaining weight fast -- for some reason in my 25th year I gained like 30 pounds in a few months so I think my feet weren't able to cope, at least not at first.
Enjoyed your reply. I realized after re-reading my post that I forgot to mention that I was in the Peace Corps once already... well, technically anyway. I ETed one month (!) into training. That was back in 1998, when I was sent to the Eastern Caribbean. That poor decision of mine has haunted me a while and suddenly I have found myself in a good position to try it all again. When I mentioned how blogs like yours are good for us in the pre-service process, as we are desperate for information, I guess you could say I already have some of the information. I mean, I know what its like to slog your way through the multi-layered application process, wait weeks on end for a scrap of information, jump up and down with uncontrollable excitement, weep as you say goodbye to the people you know, nervously fly to a Staging area, enjoy your last night in the Western world, bond with a bunch of total strangers, sweat through interminable lectures during Training, have your homestay mother eagerly watch you eat a plate of fish and breadfruit, go with fellow PCTs to local clubs or beaches, and most of all to live in terror of the day you will be dropped off at your site and have to do it all by yourself. It's just the last part, that bit about living at your site for 24 months, that I don't know anything about. :)
Hey, if you want some lite reading, you can drop by my blog [insert shameless plug here]. Yes, like everyone else and their momma I started one too. It has a little more information about my first abortive attempt at the Peace Corps and some of my rambling thoughts during the application process.
Oh and, by the way, about your planned trip home: I don't think it's such a good idea. I know you've had about enough of advice from people who have no idea about your life, but I only say this because time and time again it seems a trip back to the United States results in an ET. A volunteer in their darkest hour -- which seems to come when they are experiencing their first illness, or when all the pre-service excitement seems to fade, or when the job becomes drudgery, or when the diet becomes agonizing -- pays a visit to the United States and for a while their life is easy. They are surrounded by loved ones and have access to all the comforts once so familiar. In short, they return to their comfort zone and it is all too easy to talk themselves into never going back because we all know the Peace Corps is very, very difficult. So... I wouldn't suggest a visit to the United States. I wouldn't want to see this blog end like Kris Rush's.
And besides, if I get sent to Samoa I want to be greeted off the plane by you! :)
-Bri
Posted by HawaiianBrian at 01:27 on August 15, 2004.
#
Oddly enough, when I was in training, TV Samoa played I am Sam. It was very strange to watch it in the village with family. Just one of my odd memories of the Peace Corps.
Another one is that TV Samoa is such a 5 and dime operation that you can call them up, request a movie, and if they can rent it at one of the local shops, there's a good chance they will put it on that week. Karmie Johnson used to do it all the time.
Just more great thing to love about Samoa.
Posted by
Andrew at 16:56 on August 18, 2004.
#
ROCK! I dug Karmie. Tho I am rarely up late enough to actually watch the night movie, so making a request would just be silly of me.
SBC1 always reminds me of something done by a high school AV club.
But hey, at least they are trying. Maybe some day they will grow up into a real TV Station. {wink}
Posted by dorie at 13:03 on August 20, 2004.
#
This discussion has now closed. Thanks to all who participated.
Hey Hey Dorie!
Sucks about the heel spurs. I had those a few years back. In fact, I had them last time I went into the Peace Corps. Good news: they go away on their own. Bad news: it can take a while. Mine bothered me for about a year and a half. I attributed it to gaining weight fast -- for some reason in my 25th year I gained like 30 pounds in a few months so I think my feet weren't able to cope, at least not at first.
Enjoyed your reply. I realized after re-reading my post that I forgot to mention that I was in the Peace Corps once already... well, technically anyway. I ETed one month (!) into training. That was back in 1998, when I was sent to the Eastern Caribbean. That poor decision of mine has haunted me a while and suddenly I have found myself in a good position to try it all again. When I mentioned how blogs like yours are good for us in the pre-service process, as we are desperate for information, I guess you could say I already have some of the information. I mean, I know what its like to slog your way through the multi-layered application process, wait weeks on end for a scrap of information, jump up and down with uncontrollable excitement, weep as you say goodbye to the people you know, nervously fly to a Staging area, enjoy your last night in the Western world, bond with a bunch of total strangers, sweat through interminable lectures during Training, have your homestay mother eagerly watch you eat a plate of fish and breadfruit, go with fellow PCTs to local clubs or beaches, and most of all to live in terror of the day you will be dropped off at your site and have to do it all by yourself. It's just the last part, that bit about living at your site for 24 months, that I don't know anything about. :)
Hey, if you want some lite reading, you can drop by my blog [insert shameless plug here]. Yes, like everyone else and their momma I started one too. It has a little more information about my first abortive attempt at the Peace Corps and some of my rambling thoughts during the application process.
Oh and, by the way, about your planned trip home: I don't think it's such a good idea. I know you've had about enough of advice from people who have no idea about your life, but I only say this because time and time again it seems a trip back to the United States results in an ET. A volunteer in their darkest hour -- which seems to come when they are experiencing their first illness, or when all the pre-service excitement seems to fade, or when the job becomes drudgery, or when the diet becomes agonizing -- pays a visit to the United States and for a while their life is easy. They are surrounded by loved ones and have access to all the comforts once so familiar. In short, they return to their comfort zone and it is all too easy to talk themselves into never going back because we all know the Peace Corps is very, very difficult. So... I wouldn't suggest a visit to the United States. I wouldn't want to see this blog end like Kris Rush's.
And besides, if I get sent to Samoa I want to be greeted off the plane by you! :)
-Bri