Hello All!
I know it has been quite a while since I posted last, and I apologize for that. Summer came and went with a quickness, and this year has been surprisingly busy for me so far. Cat and I are back in our house in Faleasao, and back teaching at Manu’a High school. This year my courses are Algebra 1, Biology, Life Science, Physical Science, and Physics. Things are going pretty well with my classes. I’ve incorporated KhanAcademy.org into my classes that have a math component and the kids love it.
I am really enjoying teaching and want to continue teaching High-school Science once we return to the states. I plan on pursuing a position with private schools while going to KSU for a Master of Arts in Teaching Physics degree. It may take a while if I am only going to school at night, but hey, that’s how I got my first degree so I know I can do it.
Our weeks are pretty routine here. We teach Monday through Friday. Saturday is laundry day (weather permitting), and I normally ride my bike up to school to lesson plan. Sunday is church and football.
Cat and I are both a little more homesick this year that we were during the past 2 years. I think that is a good thing since this is our last year (for a while at least). Now I am trying to soak up Samoa as much as I can. This place gets in your blood. Yes, things are crazy inefficient, yes racism sucks, and yea I don’t like when people just shoot dogs for fun, but beneath all that mess is a core of something that is magnetic to the soul. I walk 50 yards from my front door to the beach and feel like I am the only person in the world.
Our landlord was adding freon to his freezer, so I asked him if he knew how to put freon in an air conditioning unit because ours it out; 1 week later a guy shows up with a new A/C unit.
I can walk out at night and see the Milky Way without a telescope.
It’s common for us to get a knock at the door on Sunday morning around 7:00 am to find someone with food for us.
And of course, there’s the students.
We are really going to miss leaving Samoa in 8 months. Our goal is to do our best with the time we have, and try to leave a legacy with these kids.
Until next time, here are some more photos.
Tofa soi fua
(Our campus)
(Someones dinner)
Leap from the Lion's Head 
October 14th, 2013 at 7:09 pm
If what you really want is people knocking on your door at 7am then I will totally make that happen when you come home.
October 14th, 2013 at 7:14 pm
Awesome! Don’t forget the part about bringing food:)