Chocolate Cake

            I remember on the plane ride over here I sat next to a Samoan woman who moved to the states in her late twenties. She was a wonderful woman with a big personality. She told me stories about the PCV who lived with her family, specifically about her stealing his peanut butter.

            One of the first things a current volunteer told us when we got here was about peanut butter, and I can’t quite remember exactly what it was. I do remember from that moment on I felt this strong desire for peanut butter, I even think it was one of the first things I told my mom to send to me in a package. Weird things is, is that back home I didn’t eat peanut butter all that much, if I wanted to then it was easily accessible. Truth is, is that it is pretty easy to get here, but yes a little pricey. However, I will say that peanut butter is definitely a staple in my diet and in many other PCV’s.

            So once I got over the peanut butter craze along came my craving for sweets. Back in the states I would usually go for another helping of mashed potatoes or two rolls of sushi rather than save room for dessert. I think maybe it’s because I knew that if I had the craving for dessert, I could get just about any dessert I wanted if I really tried. Here however, it’s a treat, a treat that I miss and find myself longing for all the time.

            My first time I had chocolate cake, it wasn’t chocolate cake. It was brown like chocolate and had icing on it, but it was not chocolate. I had this same kind for a couple different occasions and slowly gave up hope that Samoa had the knowledge of how to create such a delicious yet simple dessert. I eventually chose the easier more reliable yet always good dessert of the samoan fruit pie. Until one day my host brother brought in a cake from town….a chocolate cake. I mean a real chocolate tasting chocolate cake. I had to share with my neighboring PC brother but the leftovers were for me. Once this day came it seems that it initiated the endless number of fa’a lavelaves(any kind of event funeral, wedding, party, etc). To me this meant a endless amount of chocolate cake. Seriously, I have had at least one, usually more, but at least one piece of chocolate cake every week. And not fake chocolate cake either, real honest to goodness chocolate cake. Yes I am aware of the fact that my taste buds may have lowered their standards for such things like chocolate cake (actually I know they have because tomato “sauce” has become an acceptable substitute for tomato ketchup), in any case it is my goal to find a way to have one piece of chocolate cake a week, maybe a I could lower the bar to one piece of chocolate a week. One piece of chocolate cake a week will be a hard task to complete seeing as how I am on Savaii and I have seen only one cake bakery (it is on the bus ride home from town however I can’t stop the bus just to run in and get a piece of cake. Well actually I probably could but I think about how pissed I would be if someone interrupted my trip to get a piece of freaking chocolate cake).

I will let you know how my cake plan works out. For now I had my last piece of chocolate cake on Sunday. It was delightful and the perfect start of the week or end of the week if you’re one of those people who thinks Sunday is the last day of the week. In any case it was delicious.

For those people who think they have read a completely pointless blog post here is an update on what I have been doing followed by some pictures….

Last week I went to my training village for my family’s reunion. I met all the family from my host mother’s side. Most of them came from New Zealand and some from Australia. We had a big night time prayer together and dinner at a local beach restaurant, and yes there was chocolate cake.

I played bingo for the first time in my village on Friday. I needed to just get it over with; I managed to escape it in my training village. I think that most older women in my village are addicted. There is a game almost every day and sometimes twice a day. It ends up being pretty pricey especially if you play every day and never win. You also have to play with 9 or 18 cards at a time; it’s also in warp speed Samoan and last for about three hours while you’re sitting Indian style on the floor. BINGO anyone? Good news, I did win 20 tala during the last game. No chocolate cake.

Saturday I went to a wedding in the next village. I am pretty sure this bride didn’t want to get married, but she looked so beautiful even with a frown on her face. This wedding was a little different than the one I went to in the beginning of training. The groomsmen start at one end of the isle and the bridesmaids at the back of the church. They meet each other in the middle while walking extremely slow. The women lay the men with a necklace of flowers and the men give the women a bouquet and a kiss on the cheek then escort them to the altar. The reception was lovely and I was even asked to perform my own siva (dance) on the brides behalf. Once the bride and groom cut the cake they come around with small pieces for everyone (it wasn’t until later I learned you’re supposed to wait until everyone has their piece…I inhaled mine immediately). They give a toast while everyone holds up their piece of cake and then eats it. Cheersing with cake….I love this country.

The past two days have been lazy but relaxing which is nice after all the village mayhem for the holidays. It really hasn’t stopped raining either. I have been reading, painting and making curtains for my windows. I also have been having mini marathons of the big bang theory, which I recommend if you have never watched. School starts in three weeks so I am enjoying the downtime and exploring the big Island whenever I can and when it’s not raining.,

Have a piece of chocolate cake for me….Steph and Kristine I know you won’t disappoint me

Waiting at the marketi for a bus....

At the church fundraiser..."Tausala"

standard pose

My nieces and nephews at the reunion :)

Only thing missing.....chocolate cake...i hate it before i could take a picture