Fa’a Glee…here is a little mash-up of most recent events in my life….
The Saturday after Thanksgiving, the new Chargรจ d’Affaires invited us over for a Thanksgiving feast and oh what a feast it was!!! Walking into the embassy was like stepping out of Samoa for a couple hours. The house is surrounded by a tall concrete wall, so really you can pretend. The house, although a very interestingly modern style, is filled with western furniture and gadgets. There were little palagi children running around inviting me to play….wait for it….. Wii!!! I was a disappointment to the youngsters with my poor performance in Mario cart, but I enjoyed myself. The star of the event of course was the food. Once the food was served, not a peep was made. We all paced ourselves trying to cram as much in as possible and of course leaving room for some pumpkin pie. It was the perfect day, great food great company. We were spoiled for the day but it wasn’t long until we had to step back into our real life, Wii not included.
The celebration of Thanksgiving seemed like a second long compared to the festivities of last week. It was the last week for students and the preparations for Prize Giving commenced. Prize Giving is the end of the school year celebration honoring the students and the Graduating class. Veteran Peace Corps would always tell me, just wait until Prize Giving, everything that you go through will be worth it. I have been on a high for a while now so I didn’t need Prize Giving to validate anything for me, none the less it was a truly special moment. It was one of the few times you see all the students praised for their school work. Each student is called to receive their report card and various family members and friends come up and give them money or ulas (necklaces made of glad wrap and candy). The top students would perform a dance and receive a pot or cups for their family. I know your thinking, pots and cups? What child would want that? Pick your battles is what they say right? This is the way they have been doing it since forever. I wasn’t going to fight it; I just added books and educational items to my prizes. Everyone wins!
After the children stuffed faces with candy and danced like mad people the event was over, all that was left was a floor covered with candy wrappers. I let out a big sigh knowing where all the trash was going to go….swept over the cliff. I walked to the classroom to tidy up and when I came back to the hall all the teachers had picked a bench and fallen asleep. I walked home to do the same in the comfort of my own bed.
Over the weekend I had to give some final goodbyes to the last of the 82’s. It is weird to think that there will only be the 19 of us come next year. My closest neighbor will now be about 1 hour bus ride away.
Rachael texted me the other day and said 11 and a half months. Once we get back from break everything is going to be a last; last January, last term 1, last East etc. Time is flying by, exciting and scary all rolled into one. My plan is to enjoy every second of it. As for now I am itching to get to New Zealand. This week of school is just a teacher’s week, and I am not quite sure what the purpose of it is, so far we have drunk cocoa. Maybe tomorrow will be a little more eventful, but that is just wishful thinking….
Peace and Love
