Samoa Halloween/Birthday number 2

As I begin to write this post I am struck with the urge to increase my post frequency. Now based on my history of posts, the probability of my adhering to this new found urge is not very likely. Particularly when you consider that I did get to watch football today and I had a few sodas today and ate cake frosting for dinner, thus creating a American culture high. And of course what else could create an American culture high better than sitting on you butt and eating crappy food right? To explain the frosting, I wanted to make a birthday cake but I don't have an oven, so the best I could do was buy some frosting, grab a spoon, and dig in. As I was eating my frosting with a spoon and drinking a Dr. Pepper (yes, i have found a supply for the time being, whoo-hoo!), I was reading a Men's Health my parents sent in a package. Needless to say, the irony of the situation was mildly amusing. Anyway, the point I was getting at was that Once I come crashing back to reality in the morning I am sure I will neglect my blog with the same consistency you are used to.

Halloween was a good time. There were some issues with the location, the original planed location, Zodiac, the place we went last year was going to cost us $20 to get in this year, which I was not cool with. For those of you who know me, I wouldn't pay $20 to get into a bar back in the states, let alone here. A few weeks before we tried to look into some other options but nothing was finalized so the plan stood as is. I made the decision I was cool with just going out with whoever else didn't want to pay the cover for a few drinks, no big party just a nice night out. Well, most people did not want to pay the $20, which is no surprise. (Some of the people who come from Savaii have to pay almost $50 round trip just to get to Apia). Once word got out that about 5 or 6 of us weren't going and were going to the Yacht Club instead the push to find out more about the Yacht Club and if we could all go got a bit stronger. In the end we all ended up at the Yacht Club, must of us dressed up and everyone generally had a good time. Matt from my group dressed as Dale, our Peace Corps Country Director and to top it off, Dale was at the Yacht Club, it was hilarious and Dale was a good sport. Jordan had on a red wet suit with a snorkel and fins, effectively making a revealing Scuba Steven, Chris and AJ did the couples costume thing and dressed like Marla and Tyler Durin from Fight Club and Supy put on a tank-top with an Asian design and a witches hat, thus effectively creating the "Jackie Chan dressed as a witch" costume. Trust me, it's funny. I won't bore you with all the costumes but I, at the last minute grabbed a sheet and made the toga. Naturally when someone asks what you are you have to have a response other than "I'm wearing a toga", so I went with, "I'm a Greek God".

Birthday was today. No sleeping in for me. I got up early and went to the Red Cross to get some work done. Worked about 5-6 hours and took off early. I got a few errands done in town and then I proceeded to go to Wild Fire at 2:30pm, order a cheeseburger and coke and watch one hell of a Monday night football game. So all in all it was a good day. When I got home this evening, evidently I had passed Misa and Leilani's (my landlords if you don't recall) daughter on the way out of a store and didn't recognize her. In my defense I have only met her once (she lives in New Zealand) and I was in a hurry to get to football. She was actually headed into the store to buy the same thing I just bought (a cow-bone necklace). Leilani had remembered me saying I wanted one so she sent her daughter to pick one up. I had saved up my change for a fun purchase and thought since it was my birthday I would treat myself. Well it was a good thing she saw me because she asked the shop keeper what I had bought and found out it was the same thing they were going to buy me. So instead they got me a couple of shirts. I have to say, I couldn't have asked for a better living situation here, Misa and Leilani are great and I am lucky to have them.

Well we will see if I post tomorrow. i know I still owe you all some specifics on what I am working on at the Red Cross. Be sure to check out the website, I am putting new pics up of the recovery efforts fairly regularly. Oh and sorry I didn't bring my camera for halloween. I'll see if I can get some pictures from some other PCVs.