Fa'afeafea one sefe le vai

Translation: how to save water. That is the topic off the lesson
segment I stumbled through today as part of our WASHE program. This
week's lesson is about water conservation and I didn't have time to
get some tips for the first two days but I managed to get some help
yesterday afternoon and I jumped in with two feet today.

My primary issues with speaking in Samoan are constructing the
sentences and those tricky little words other than the nouns,
adjectives and verbs, that make the sentence sound correct. I managed
to get a few sentences constructed properly to use as the basic
information for my lesson. Once the basic message was stated clearly
the I began my incoherent Samoan rambling trying to elaborate and
provide examples. All in all I feel pretty good about the whole
experience. I think the kids really enjoyed it, I couldn't really
tell you because I was so focused on the words I needed to say I
couldn't tell if they were really getting any of it! It's also tough
to keep your mind on the lesson an what comes next when you have to
think so hard about just making a sentence. I am confident though,
that as I do this more often my Samoan is going to drastically
improve. Erin from group 81 teaches at the school we were at today,
Saleilua, so she got the opportunity to get a laugh from my
floundering through the lesson.

Tomorrow we have one more school for the water conservation, Lepa
primary, then it's on to personal hygiene next week.

Over the weekend I had a chance to attend a wedding, one of Misa and
Leilani's sons got married at Le Vasa resort. The wedding wasn't a
100% traditional Samoan wedding because the bride is from New
Zealand. The wedding had the groom's men and bride's maids, the men
were wearing Samoan attire including ie lavalavas and the bride's
maids were wearing semi casual dresses, no pulatasi for the New
Zealand girls! They did have a Samoan minister but the service was in
english.

Some times I forget how loving and accepting the people are here.
When they were taking family pictures after the wedding I was included
in the pictures. And I can't remember how many times I was referred
to as Tai's (the groom's) brother. Though I had a rough start here, I
have to say I am extremely lucky to have such a great family to be a
part of during my time here.

Following the wedding was the usual feast and then dancing. The food
was great and was a mix of traditional Samoan and some more palagi-
like dishes. There was no hokey-pokey, chicken dance or YMCA played
though. I had to explain the chicken dance to Leilani and I was out
there on the dance floor doing the chicken dance to a Chris Brown
remix. (Sorry I can't remember the exact song but I think it's
ridiculous no matter what, right?) The height of the entertainment
for the night was when Joseph, one of Leilani's nephews (I think), and
who is a faafafine (which I guess would make him, well, her, Leilani's
niece. Did you follow all that?), performed a Beyonce dance out on
the dance floor all by himself, um, I mean herself.

Running a bit long here so I will wrap it up but after much debate I
have decided to mention the following which I am sure will disappoint
my mom. I figure it's not the first time I have disappointed her and
in all reality my track record has probably conditioned her well for
this and any future, inevitable disappointments. I have scheduled my
Samoan tattoo for December 7th. Doing it old school style with the
combs because, after all, why come to Samoa, one of the birth places
of tattoo culture, and get it done with a boring gun? I will try to
get more information on the history of the tattoo here and I will
provide you all with more specifics on the process as well.

Sorry mom!