Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Update: Bulgaria, Samoa

10/6/09

Bulgaria
Our wait about going to Bulgaria is a little bit longer. Peace Corps says the Bulgarians are revising the qualifications for the assignment. Once the new qualifications are determined, the Peace Corps will see if they still mesh with my background. I believe this delay affects Mary as much or more than me. She is ready to go.

Samoa
Catholic Deacon Tovi'o Mano said in the Samoan newspaper, "The disaster (tsunami) is God preaching to us. This is a message from God for us to look deeply into." Other Samoan clerics have made similar statements. To understand these statements is to get an insight into Samoa and the Samoan mind. While our news explains the cause of the tsunami as a sudden shifting of tectonic plates deep under the sea, Samoans look to their Christian clerics for the answer.

A little discussed fact of the Samoan tsunami was that the hardest hit areas were also the major resort spots. Just when Samoa was enjoying one of its best tourist years ever, the waves washed away the islands most important source of income.

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