Couchsurfing!

Many moons ago when I was back in Erie I posted about some of the couch surfers that I hosted at my apartment as they were passing through Erie. I have been active on Couchsurfing here in American Samoa, but no one had yet requested to surf and actually made it to the island. However last month I was contacted by a man who was planning on coming this way for his research for his PhD and he actually made it to Tutuila!
On Wednesday after school I met with Ryan at Carl’s Jr. and we headed back to the house. Ryan turned out to be a very interesting person and a wonderful surfer who clicked with our group immediately. Wednesday night we headed out to Poloa since Ryan had a car so that he could have a chance to see the beautiful Westside at the best time – sunset.

 Ryan with Cynthia and Jessie.

Back home we sat up talking and Ryan had no end of interesting things to share. He is in his thirties and is a certified nurse who worked in the Alaskan bush but is now back at school to get his PhD in History with a focus in infectious disease. Pretty sweet huh? Listening to his stories about working in up in Nome was really interesting, but even cooler was his knowledge of the Influenza of 1918 in the South Pacific. There was one boat that sailed the Pacific infecting every island it landed on which even led to the terrible result of Western Samoa losing 26% of its population to the flu! American Samoa was actually one of the only places to have zero deaths from the epidemic as they refused to allow the ship carrying the flu to enter the harbor.

I love couchsurfing!

Future Housewife v. 2.0

As the first attempt at bread went pretty well, I decided that I would bake a couple more loaves for the upcoming trip to Manu‘a. Since I had conquered the white bread I decided to try to make some cinnamon basic swirl bread to change it up a bit. Here it is!

Fish Lab

As it so happens both my Marine Science and Life Science classes were studying fish around mid-term time, and since I had given them both tests a couple weeks before I decided to have their mid-term be a lab activity. Both classes focused on the external anatomy and groups of students each had a fish and needed to sketch their fish, label it's parts, and answer the questions about the material we had covered concerning fish anatomy.

I was pretty excited because while nearly all of my students frequently catch or clean fish, they really didn't understand the function of parts a fish's anatomy. For this activity I went to the local market and purchased some freshly caught reef fish and brought them to class for the activity.

Oh, suck it up. It's not that bad...

I so pleased at how well most of my students did with the activity, however I myself had a few lapses of judgment when I came to the realities of the lab. Allow me to demonstraight the simple idea I did not remember:

Fish + Tropical Climate + Time = NASTY

By the end of the first class the fishy smell in my room was getting pretty stanky. By the end of the day... well lets just say that it was potent. Some of the boys even took to wearing their i'e's (skirts) around their faces like surgical masks because they swore it was going to make them sick. They were being a little dramatic. However I did have to start wiping the fly eggs out of the fishes' eyes after the second class (vomit).

Yep, those white things - fly eggs.

But hey, if these are the sacrifices I have to make for my kids to learn, so be it. At least until they become maggots.

Future Housewife

Nothing is worse than being sick and behind in work in Samoa – the sunny weather just taunts you! This past weekend I actually stayed at my house the entire time (ack!) due to a nasty cold and the fact that I was behind in work. However as I felt slightly better I decided to find something entertaining to do before I went crazy. I decided that I was going to try my hand at baking bread, and it actually went pretty well. The extreme boredom also made me get extra diligent about photographing the process for this post.

Time to kneed.

Let that baby rise.

Looking good.

Take that Prichard's!

Lab Table Love

Some experiences I have had here are beyond strange. Luckily, I have become jaded to the unexpected happenings of AmSam. Expect the unexpected indeed. That begin said, today I had another experience that I couldn’t fabricate if I tried. It was during my third (reich) period, which is typically my worst class but they were doing very well that morning. The class was taking notes and I was answering a question that one of the students had asked, and by the time I looked up a good many of the students were done with the slide that we were on. As my eyes made a quick once-over of the class I noticed something strange. To set the scene you have to understand that in Samoa kids don’t ever get glasses, even when they need them – don’t ask my why. So I will let my students sit up on the lab tables for notes because some of them have a tough time seeing the front of the room.

Back to the moment in class, it was thus not strange for me to see one of my students up on the lab table, but what he was doing was definitely not taking notes. He was laying on his side on the table next to the gas hook ups that are found on the table. After half a second I noticed that he was actually humping the gas hook up. Considering he started to make some quite noises and then made eye contact with his friend and smiled I assume that he was doing this to amuse his friend although I have no idea why he thought of this, even if he is the class clown. After a second with this continuing I asked in a loud voice, “ _______, are you in love with my table?” The whole class finally noticed what the student was doing (in the middle of the classroom) and burst out laughing. The student was laughing too but said as an explanation that he didn’t notice I was looking, to which I responded “Dude. You are in the middle of the classroom!” The class finally started to calm down and I assured my student that if he was patient he could find a girlfriend and wouldn’t have to settle for a table.

Pretty Lil Teine

 Here in American Samoa our students definitely listen to mainland music, but they still love their Samoan music too. Samoan music is heard just as commonly on our kids cell phones (which they use to play music while walking around campus) as the newest R&B song from the states. Samoan music truly has it's own flavor, and can at times be a very acquired taste. However one new song is getting very popular, even with us palagis as it has a more mainland sound.

I recently got the video (thanks Jessie!) from YouTube to show in class and lo and behold it was filmed on our own little Tutuila and I can identify most of the shooting locations. With a little help from Jessie of course. The chorus goes "Pretty lil teine. Seki a o'e" which translates to "Pretty lil girl, you're the coolest"

While not necessarily the deepest lyrics it sounds way cool in Samoan and I bet you will have it stuck in your head. Check it out!



When I first saw the video I thought that the main girl looked familiar. Turns out we met her earlier in the month when we went to Fagatele Bay. She was with the college group that gave us a ride, and we rode with her in the back of a truck. Small world, or in this case, island.

Teachers Are Perfect. Period.

Last night I decided to go for a nice evening stroll to the store up the road for some essentials (Diet Pepsi). As I walked and did my shopping I was talking on the phone to KC, my friend out on Manu’a, about life and our upcoming visit to her and Courtney in about a week. Walking back home I encountered the boys from our school heading home from a late football practice, many of which were my students. I was walking on the path (where a sidewalk would be) on the side of the road, so as I said ‘hi’ I went to move to the side to made room for the boys passing in the other direction. In stepping sideways I had to step up a dirt berm, and I managed to slip and fall headfirst into the giant hibiscus bush at the side of the road. I stand up to the laughs of some kids, and the amused concern of some of my students with my hair full of leaves, glasses in the road and dirt everywhere. In trying to play it cool and act like it was no big deal I started walking away – only to be stopped by a student calling because I had forgotten my glasses. Oh yeah, I kind of need those. I finally remembered that I was on the phone as this happened, and it turns out an amused KC had heard the whole thing. At least I was entertaining.

Thankfully all that was injured was my pride.

Olfactory Triggers

Despite living my life here in AmSam, and wishing that the end wasn’t quite so near, I cannot help but miss things about home. I’m not sure if it is the yearning for the impending return home or some other reason, but lately I have been having especially strong flashbacks that are triggered by smells. The rushes of old memories have been exceedingly random and strong even though the strength of olfactory memory triggers is not new to me in either experience or science terms. Here are two examples that happened recently that were really bizarre.

A student in class was using Icy/Hot (it’s own post…) which has a very potent pepperminty-chemically smell. All of a sudden I was back at Camp during workweek cleaning the bathrooms. The smell was exactly like the smell of the abrasive cleaner we used to clean the sinks and other surfaces in the bathroom. It was one of those times where the memory hit me before I even had time to figure out why it popped into my head. Before I knew it I was listening to country radio, singing along, and scrubbing sinks in the boy bathroom with friends. To the maintenance truck! Very weird.


Our kids have a penchant for all types of cheap knock off cologne and perfumes that they buy at the corner stores here and literally slosh all over themselves. As a consequence my classroom sometimes smells like walking into a skanky Sephora knock-off store. One student had just doused himself in a new scent that I hadn’t smelled before and when he walked in the aroma immediately sent me back again. I had a vision of play-dough flowers where the dough smelled just like that cologne. At first I felt that this was not a real memory, and somehow my brain was making this up. I didn’t really have any recollection of making these play dough flowers. But as the day went on, and the scent lingered in my classroom I slowly had a few more threads of memory drawn out of my brain and I realized what it was I was remembering some sort of flower making basket toy. Lo and behold, when I got home and Googled it I discovered the "Flower Making Basket" and upon seeing it totally remembered playing with it. What. The. Heck. I had no conscious memory about this, I think if anyone would have asked me about it before I wouldn't have recalled the memory. The power brain is pretty much freaking me out. What other memories are stored in there that my consciousness can only recollect with a trigger? Also, does my longing for home increase the strength or likelihood of these flashbacks?

Icy Hot

The bell for fourth period had been rung and slowly my class was trickling in when I noticed a student extra slowly limping into class. I asked him if he was ok and he told me that he had hurt his leg, and then proceeded to pull out a container of Icy Hot and rubbed some of it on his leg. He looked like he was in pain so I didn’t mind that he was putting some on, and proceeded to walk around the class a bit encouraging my students to start their work. A few minutes passed and the smell of Icy Hot was becoming stronger and stronger, and I started to suspect that the use of Icy Hot in the class had gone from medicinal to recreational. I walked back up front and asked the student to put his Icy Hot away, but alas – I was too late. Some of the boys in the back of the class we rubbing their arms and chest under their shirts which confirmed that they were being weird yet again. I asked them to quit with whatever of the Icy Hot they had left, and we resumed note taking.

A few minutes later I notice that one of the boys who had grabbed some of the Icy Hot was starting to rub his chest and armpit harder and harder with an increasing look of distress on his face. Moments later tears were welling up in his eyes and he was pushing his way to the door. Once he got to the doorway he broke into a flat out sprint for the boys bathroom with the whole class dying of laughter in his wake. I don’t know how much Icy Hot he used or where exactly he put it but I couldn’t help by laugh on the inside about how random our students are.

Go West, Young (Wo)Man!

Spring break may have been canceled due to the tsunami, but we we're not giving up all of our vacation dreams! Thanh and I decided that we would take a couple of days off of school so that we could have a mini-vacation to Western Samoa. I was especially adamant about having this vacation as I had not made it to Western Samoa yet since I was stranded on Manu'a when I was supposed to go at Thanksgiving, and went home for Christmas.

Western Samoa is the other half of the Samoan archipelago and has the same culture as AmSam, but was originally under German occupation and then was granted independence. As a result of the lack of US funding, Western Samoa (to the rest of the world, just Samoa) has retained a more traditional lifestyle for much of the population thereby making it a more "authentic" tourist location. Personally I went to see a building taller than three stories and some new sites, and to not run into students every five seconds.

So it was decided that we would leave on St. Patty's day after school and come back on Sunday. After much begging Thanh and I also convinced Rosemary to join us which just about solidified the perfection of the trip. So on Wednesday after school Thanh and I ran home, chucked our school stuff, grabbed our bags and ran like hell to the airport to make our 5:00 flight. We met Rosemary and with much dorky dancing and celebrating we made it on the tiny plane to Western.

The north-west side of our gorgeous Tutuila. 

A mere half an hour later we were in Apia and reveling in our vacation! We checked in at Princess Tui's Hotel which has hostel like bunking for cheap and hit the town for St. Patty's Day. We had a leisurely dinner at some crazy restaurant which made great iced coffee but gave me soup so salty not only was it inedible for humans, but the cat hanging out with us wouldn't eat it. After dinner we headed to the bar next door for a drink, and lo and behold who do we run into? All of the other WorldTeachers! Most of them were there for the week, and they had already kicked off the festivities with some green beer and were having a good time. We joined in with piña coladas and the night was wonderfully fun. Maybe too fun as I ended up in a slap fight and skipping down the street, but it's hard to say if that was from the drinks or the ecstasy of being free from teaching responsibilities.

Rosemary and I giving our students' go-to picture pose at dinner.

We returned back to our hostel and met some fellow travels in the living areas. There names were Dwayne and Glen and they were from England and Australia, respectively. I was chatting with Dwayne and after the initial awesome realization that he had been to Erie before (weird...) he turned into the most self absorbed, pompous travel gloater I have ever met. Rosemary got the cute blond one... Eventually we turned in to hit the hay, and I climbed into my lower bunk and tucked in my mosquito net. I rolled over to face the window and found myself staring at the glorious sea of stars that is so much more expansive in the South Pacific. That night was another moment where I am completely confident that this year is one of the best decisions of my life, and I feel asleep blissfully and exquisitely happy.

Morning was equally transcendent as I awoke to the kiss of the sun's first rays on my cheek and watched the colors of the sunrise. Assured that they day was going to be marvelous, I rose from bed and showered, then met my friends for breakfast.

 The view from the front porch of our hostel.

Discussions over the fresh fruit and toast decided that we would hire a cab for the day to hit up some of the sites we most wished to see. After some haggling and packing of day bags we were on the way. We lounged in the cab as we drove the coast and mountains of the island to reach our destination.

Ocean view as we traverse the island of Upolu.

Our first destination was the Ocean Trench which is an old lava tube that now allows water from the ocean to collect in a trench slightly inland. You can actually swim in an underwater tunnel and reach the ocean, which some of the WT boys actually did that week, but no way were we trying that. You can climb down and swim in the water, letting the ebb and flow of the current rock you back and forth. I will let the pictures describe the rest.

Ocean Trench. Yes, it's that awesome.

A bad time for acrophobia.

Under the tunnel to another opening.

Our next stop was at sliding rock (not ours at home...) where you can slide down the waterfalls into the pool below. Wicked fun!

Waving from the pool after we slid.

Swimming in the waterfall.

Finally we returned back to Princess Tui's, tired and dirty, and immediately headed to the showers. After I had recomposed myself I found out that Adam and Jung had stopped by to see if we were in, and we decided to all go to dinner together. We headed to Paddle's, an Italian restaurant/bar with a beautiful view of the Apia Harbor, and kicked back to chat. It was very pleasant catching up with Adam and Jung and we also thoroughly enjoyed the change of cuisine and atmosphere.

Paddle's on Apia Harbor

Me, Adam, Jung and Rosemary after dinner.

Once we wrapped up dinner we headed back to On The Rocks for more drinks, and met up once again with the other WorldTeachers who were in Apia. We sat and swapped stories about wayward childhoods (Rosemary and her neighbors loitered in a construction site too!) and just enjoyed the night. Finally we said adieu to the others as we were heading to the other island, Savai'i, the next day and wouldn't see them again.

Roomies!

Rosemary and Bobby.

A truly terrible pic of Alex, Tanne, and Molly. My bad.

The next morning we hit up the market and bought some gifts (which I can obviously not write about here) and then swung by the food market on the way to the bus that we caught to get to the ferry to Savai'i. We don't have markets like this in AmSam so I indulged by buying some starfruit and umu-ed green bananas for lunch on the road. All that shopping sure made us thirsty so we grabbed some young coconuts for about 20 cents each. Delish.

Food Market

Nature's carbonated beverage.

Eventually we got on a bus, but since this is Samoa you know it wasn't normal. My big suitcase that we had brought for souvenirs was tied on to a platform on the back of the bus with some twine, and we piled in with a ton of other people. Just like in AmSam no bus is ever too full, so our hour long ride happened with Thanh sitting on my lap and Rosemary holding our bags on hers with a switch in the middle. This is how memories, and numb legs, are made.

Good thing we are such good friends.

We made it to the wharf, and soon after made it on the ferry to Savai'i. The waves were fun, and soon I was lulled to sleep, only occasionally awakening to the spray of salty water. Once we reached Savai'i it was another hour bus ride to Manase - the super awesome tourist spot were we could wear bathing suits on white sand beaches!

Ferry time!

Our lodgings were perfect for us - a thatched fale with mats and mosquito nets that opened directly onto the sandy beach. That Friday evening we arrived was spent with some swimming, dinner while watching the sunset over the ocean, and long night chats. Again I was thoroughly content to fall asleep to the sound of the bats in the trees and the waves crashing on the reef. Life doesn't get more simple and satisfying.

Fales opening to the beach.

The view from our fale.

 Rosemary kicking it in the mosquito net.

Sunset on the deck.

Saturday was a day of pure hedonistic pleasure. All day was occupied by swimming (in baiting suits!) napping on the beach, reading, and relaxing. Sadly, in the afternoon Rosemary took ill, but at least she had an amazing place to recover. That night after dinner I left Thanh to her book, and took a very long walk out on the beach under the stars. Again I was taken aback that this was my life, and couldn't be more overjoyed that I found myself there at that moment. Those lonesome hours under the stars might have been the closest I have been to understanding what I want from my life, but like all wonderful moments it too had to end.

Sometimes getting up at dawn is worth it.

Thanh, as the sun rises.

A tropical breakfast.

Our front yard. Not a desktop background, I swear.

The next morning, back in the real world, we were enjoying a leisurely breakfast as we had a few hours before we had to catch a bus to the wharf for the 12 o'clock ferry. However during this serene scene the owner approached us to tell us that there was no 12pm ferry that day, only at 10am. Our eyes met, momentarily stunned. Then springing to our feet, we hollered for the owner to call a cab and bolted to pack. It was 8:50... The cab arrived at 9:10, and we rapidly explained to him that we had 50 minutes to make the one hour drive to the ferry before it left. He assured us that he could make it.

Our cab man took his job seriously and we found ourselves careening down winding jungle roads at break-neck speeds dodging chickens, pigs, cars and children as we barreled towards the wharf. After reaching for our seat belts (alas, broken!) we held on tight and jammed out to his sweet Samoan mash-ups.

9:50... We're getting there...

9:53... Almost there...

9:58... Just around the corner!

9:59... We're dead!

10:00... We pull into the wharf with screeching tires as the ropes from the ferry are being pulled up and our driver yells from his open window the the man signaling up the gangplank. After a moment's hesitation the man nods at the cab driver, and stops the ferry for us.

A quick fist pump and satisfied "Yes!" are signs that our driver has set a new personal best.

I grab the luggage and pay, Thanh runs to the boat, and Rosemary grabs the tickets and in no time we are stepping on the ferry as it pulls away from the dock. Talk about an adrenaline rush.

The rest of our trip is calmer from there as we reach Apia without further drama, grab some chow, and hit the airport for home. Needless to say this is one weekend adventure that I will not forget quickly.

Here are more pics if you want them!

Western Samoa!

Thanh's Western Samoa Pics (And Stuff from Before)

Spanish Club!

Sometimes when I’m in a good mood when teaching I get a little goofy, and lately have been speaking to the kids in Spanish for a second. This always gets their attention and then they want to know what I said. Lately the students have seemed to realize that I can actually speak quite a bit of Spanish and have taking to asking me how to say certain things.

When I realized that there was actually a legitimate interest in Spanish I decided to start a Spanish Club. So far it is going pretty well, and it is so fun to actually teach kids who want to learn again! I had almost forgotten what that was like. I only wish that I had known earlier in the year that students were interested.

So far I am just going over the basics with them, but they already seem to have plans for a play in the works. Who knows? Perhaps we will do a Spanish play. I’ll keep you posted.

Guerrilla Fashion

My Monday Morning:
[School starts at 8:30. Each morning in the office there is a bulletin printed out that has the day's schedules and announcements. On Monday mornings we either have an assembly first and no homeroom, or 1st period, homeroom, then second period.]


[I enter the office at 8:00 and approach the secretary]


Me: Morning, Rita. Where is the bulletin?


Rita: Oh, it's not ready yet.


Me: Wow, cutting it close today.


Rita: Yeah they were figuring out the schedule.


Me: Gotcha. So is it assembly or homeroom today?


Rita: Homeroom.


Me: [heading out of the office] Thanks, Rita!


[scene flashes forward to 1st period Marine Science. 8:55 AM]


Me: "...no boys, for the last time that is not the shark's penis it is the sharks clasper. Sharks use claspers when mating."


[student from outside opens the door and yells in]


Student: Everybody has to go to the gym for the fashion show.


Me: What are you talking about? There is no assembly today, it's homeroom.


Student: I don't know they told me to tell the classes that.


[By now the my students are halfway out of the classroom. I walk outside and look out over the campus.]


Me: [to the teacher two rooms down] So is there really a fashion show?


Mr. G: I don't really know.


[I shrug, resign myself to the fact that my first period is going to be behind on their work, and head to the gym.]


Fin

Turns out there was a fashion show, and there was apparently some lack of communication between the group running the fashion show and the administration about the schedule.

The fashion show was run by the Future Business Leaders of American Samoa (FBLAS) which is a business club at our school who are known for their bake sales and ridiculously high stilettos on their club uniform day. Is it coninsidence that the club has 5 inch heels, an acronym that is pronounced 'fabulous', and a fa'afafine as their moderator? I think not.

FBLAS is hands-down the most active club at the school, and the fashion show reinforced the point.

Work it girl!

 The MC

The fashion show was very fun to watch, and even had some lip-syncing and dancing interludes. However in true Leone High School style the messed up schedule resulted in me getting only half of my first period. A great way to start the week already behind in where I want them to be. Ah well, fa'asamoa.

Kid's Write the Darnedest Songs

While spending Sunday afternoon working our butts off to get ready to go to Western Samoa on Wednesday, Rosemary showed me this awesome song that her student wrote in social studies class about Western Europe.

Awesome! Points for creativity. And to answer your question no, I do not have a little girl like your chinny, so stop rubbing it in.

Fagatele: Round 2

Friday night pizza and Jessie and Julia's, then a sweet Saturday trip to Fagatele. You may recall that this is the bay we went to on my birthday back in September, where I got the worst sunburn I have ever experienced. Needless to say I over zealously applied sunscreen this time and there was no repeat mistake.

This time we lucked out because we caught a ride with a biology class from the college that was heading to Fagatele too, and we rote in their trucks up the mountain. Easiest hike ever. All in all a wonderful day of snorkeling (in big waves which added to the excitement/danger factor)laying in the sun, reading and chatting.

 Jessie looking poised and relaxed.

 Yes, when Thanh tries to take my picture I act like a petulant child.

Journal Entries: More Classic Quotes

Everyday when the students arrive in class, they first work on a journal entry. It helps the kids settle down and get ready for class and mostly functions as activating prior knowledge on the subject we are learning about that day, unless I have exhausted relevant prompt ideas. Here are some recent excerpts from my kids journals. It’s like Gump’s mama used to say, “Journals in Samoa are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”


Journal: What would life be like if you were a fish?


“You may remember Beatrix Potter from books you read as a young child”


Journal: If you could become any famous person who would you become?


“The person that I want to pi is Akon the resant wai I want to pi Akon is pecas he hav a cud vois.”


“My mom, the reason why I picked my mom because she help another people when they smile help and she done lots of things in our house when she clean our house you cannot see some trash. And she helps me to do my homeworks and the another famous people is my dad he push us to go to the school and the church every day. Thank you.”

Journal: Who is your best friend and why?

“My best friend is _______ cuz she nice girl not backstepper like other girl.”


“My best friend is _______ because I like the way he’s talking about samoan things and other things. And the way he’s smoke weed and drink beer. We do works together and also do jobs at home. And we sniff ice that the blood and crib do.”



Journal: What would you do if you became President of the United States?

“If I become pres I would give everything I could to help the homeless people around the world. And the other thing if I become a president, I would accept weed to smoke everywhere in the world. And I tell every police man and woman that weed is not a bad thing to do.”


“Well if I become a president I can change the world with my power and I can do a better job because the world right now is fucken mast up so yeah.”

Journal: What was the happiest day of your life?

“Well the happiest day of my life is the week end because its free for life and its fun because we drunk for days and you know its week end we do what ever we want and my parent let us do and yeah.”


“The happiest day of my life was when I was in Carson at California we went in 2007 we went to many parties went to bars and meet all my cousins that I never met in my whole they treated me like there own then I came back because my cousins couldn’t stand me because I was yet doing drugs already in the age of 15.”

Journal: What do you think your life would be like in 20 years?

“I would be so old but not to old and I would be able to get a better future, I think but yes, and I will, I will be able to graduate from high school and get a better grade and graduate from college get a better a job have sex all I want but I was just joking I just want to take care of my parents first and my whole family first.”

Journal: What was a time in your life when you were scared?

“The first time that I got scared is that when a girl try to kiss me and I get swet finger and red cheeks and also I get scare when she get closer when it happen it fills fine and that when I got scare.”


“I relly scare about when the second come of Christ and he judes every single word I’m doing in earth because I relly scare if I go to hell satan.”

We Are the World

I am sure that you, reader, are aware that in the beginning of February a new 25 year anniversary version of “We are the World” was released to benefit the relief effort in Haiti.

Little known is that the songs secondary objective was to drive me to insanity.

Raj, who is another WorldTeacher here teaching English, introduced the song to his classes in a lesson about giving back to the community. Little did he know the evil that he unleashed. Hearing that the kids liked the song I downloaded the whole 8 minute 30 second long video to add to my collection of bribe videos. Each day if the class behaves and all students get their work done before the end of class I reward them with a music video or two up on the projector. This was Julia’s brainchild and is very nearly the sole reason that my classes’ behavior has improved so dramatically this semester.

So the day dawns where I debut the “We are the World” video in my classes and they are IN AWE. For the next three weeks every one of my class only wants to watch that video. Every day. Over and over. One class worked faster than I have ever seen them work so that they could actually have time to watch it three times on repeat. I can’t complain about their motivation. However watching this video a minimum of six time a day for weeks was starting to drive me insane.

Finally, a test day rolled around and they had to work on their test for the whole period and couldn’t watch the video. Peace for two days! Or so I thought… I let them listen to music while the work as it helps cut down on the talking (cheating), and what did they listen to? We are the World. On repeat. For a whole hour. Seriously. The best part is that three out of my five classes did this.

The craze has died, but I at least can now completely reenact the entire video including voice changes and auto-tune which I did for the entertainment of those near me on a bus with Thanh.

Here is my gift to you:

Cyn's B-day Bonanza

For Cynthia's birthday she had only a few requests: Taylor and Scott's house, Sex and the City, pizza and buffalo chicken dip. Over the weekend we managed to have most of these but with some added bonuses.

On Saturday we were picked up by Taylor at the KS area which allowed us to get all the groceries we would need for a night of fun and food and we headed out to their house around noon. Upon arrival food prep began and we found out that for Scott, food prep had begun the night before when he started marinating a huge amount of ribs with his own Dr. Pepper marinade.

Scott, unable to control the evolutionary drive that men have

to cook large amounts of meat. And it turned out delicious.

Needless to say the food was amazing and everyone was happy. Scott and Taylor made ribs and potatoes, Rosemary made Sushi, Julia made about a million things (like usual) and I made some Buffalo chicken dip. Julia even made the pizza with homemade dough! The night was kicked up another notch with the arrival of Taylor's uncle Pete and his friend Clinton who hooked up some amps and played some sweet rock for hours after dinner. I'll tell you, there is not much better then sitting at a beach, eating ribs, then sipping a cool drink while the sunsets and people are playing guitars and singing. Awesome.

Cynthia was amazed. Or outraged.

A little bit later we headed into the the theater (an empty bedroom with mattresses on the floor, and Jessie's projector hooked up to a computer) to watch some episodes of Sex and the City. Sadly (but not necessarily unexpectedly) the disks that John had rented for Cynthia were pretty scratched and all the episodes skipped. We continued to watch these annotated versions for a while, and then decided to call it quits head head back outside.

The morning brought John and Cynthia's now famous breakfast buffet, and then we all piled in the truck and headed home. And got soaked - it poured on the way home. Fa'asamoa.

Cynthia's Birthday Weekend