Prize Giving

12/03/08

“Prize Giving” marks the end of the school year. This event is part graduation ceremony, recognition of top students from all levels, business meeting, church service, fundraiser, party for parents, and church service. The speeches of praise from school officers and a major address by some old fart are things the audience and students endure to get to the program part that really counts; praise, candy, and prizes.

The last weeks of school are spent on rehearsals, cleaning up the school grounds, and a series of tests, which determines the student’s class rank and whether the student moves to the next academic level. For students at the thirteenth and last level, there is an additional series of tests to determine who goes on to college, which college, and scholarships, much like SAT exams.

The prize for the top student at last level is a trophy. Prizes for top students at the other levels are Holy Bibles and notebooks. Lower primary levels may also get a small toy or backpack in addition to their Bible. When the student’s name is read, the parents, relatives, and friends rush to the front with Saran wrapped candy necklaces for the student and school officials. Some parents make quite a spectacle of the occasion. Some officials so loaded down with candy hunch under the weight. Students never speak; sometimes blush as their parents go crazy.

What some Americans find unusual, others disgusting, while others admirable is the pervasiveness of the church throughout the ceremony and indeed the curriculum. Samoa is a theocratic country. The lines between church and state are indistinguishable. From speeches, awards, and music religion is the dominant theme.

Every society uses the education of its youth to instill what it thinks is important. The subject material is always an ever-changing mosaic of competing interests. As one watches these bright, idealistic young people accept their prizes; one wonders how their education serves them in the future. Questions arise about our own society’s vocationally oriented system. The questions remain for the youth to answer. In the meantime there is candy to consume, or if I were back in the U.S., a dinner at Perkins.

District Secondary School, Mata ae Vavae

Head table

First in Class, my host “brother Sefo with his mother, Parents Dancing for Dollars, kind of like a Samoan bake sale; Principle’s last words to remaining students.

Iva Primary School Ceremony held in church revival meeting tent Host family girl, Faapisa, and 5th level prizewinner dancing for dollars Host family girl, Manuli, and 7th level prizewinner dancing for dollars

New Primary School

12/01/08

Today the Village School Committee and the school principal learned that the Japanese are awarding a new primary school. The amount is a little less than originally thought, but quite substantial. Construction begins in January.

This marks the conclusion of my major and for the village chiefs, the only reason they built my house and wanted a volunteer. Of course, there is still a fence to get for the school. All the rest of my projects and labors are really self-generated.
Left: School Principle with Japanese Consultant

Right: members of School Committee

The Resource Room

11/29/08

At the rear of Peace Corps Headquarters in Apia is a room for volunteers. The room is labeled “Resource Room”. The room has old copies of National Geographic, twenty copies of old LSAT primers, over a thousand old Samoan newspapers, two computers (one has been broken for five weeks), internet access and a sofa. The room needs to be renamed.

Here are volunteers fresh from a meeting watching again a DVD of some TV comedy show about New Zealanders in New York.

Peace Corps Thanksgiving

11/28/08
Thanksgiving was held at the sumptuous home of the U.S. Charge d’Affairs. Each volunteer cooked and brought something. The Charge provided drinks. You can see by pictures below we had a good time.
P.S. The day was also my 67th birthday, an event of inconsequential proportions when compared to turkey and mashed potatoes.

Progress Report: Month XV

11/23/08

New Primary School
No official word yet. I feel confident on getting the award to build a new primary school.

Diabetes/Hypertension/Health
Both my village of Iva and the neighboring village of Vaisaulu are on board for an expanded testing program including monthly testing, weight ins, and weight control education. The first step is to get the necessary testing equipment of blood sugar test strips, a blood pressure cuff, and scale. Trying to get this equipment is hard, but I am hopeful that persistence counts for something. If all goes well, we shall start after the holidays in January.

Garden
The small neighboring village has applied for money on their own to start home garden plots. I am to be the “expert”. I am trying to see if the Women’s Committee of my village wants to undertake such a project.

I have come to the realization that Samoans don’t know how to garden. They are used to growing taro and bananas for food and money in large plantation plots. The whole notion of growing lots of vegetables in a small space is new to them. For home gardens to succeed a lot needs to be done than just supplying seeds and tools.

My own garden is taking up less of my time as I now have done the things which take up the most time. I still spend a few hours a day in it, but I have finished with the heavy stuff. Now it is mainly plant, water, harvest, and eat. Currently I am growing okra, sunflowers, peanuts, beans, tomatoes, and some cabbage.

Small Business
The single mother with whom I am consulting continues to deposit money in the bank.

My newest product is a salted raw peanut. People love them once they get over the fear that it is poison. This goes along with the salted sunflower seeds. My jam is always in demand. So salted seeds and jam seem to be the best ways to make a buck. Although it may seem incongruous to be selling these items while at the same time trying to reduce diabetes and hypertension, these are better foods than what Samoans normally eat.

Disappointments
Sewing Machines
The Women’s Committee is canceling the fashion show. They are busy weaving mats for Christmas. Maybe next year. Probably never.

Bees
Bees just don’t seem to be a priority. Of course, the way things happen here, they could appear next week.

Telecenter
No new developments.

Christian “Keli” Visits

11/21/08

Christian “Keli” Heath from Oregon is a member of my Group 78. He works in Apia with METI, an NGO, trying to encourage mud crab farming by Samoans. Since mud crabs thrive well in mangrove marshes, his tour of Savaii is for five days on his bicycle looking for possible mud crab farming sites and visiting Peace Corps volunteers along his route. Savaii has no suitable locations.