busy as a bee

My busyness update
This week I have two community meetings. One will be with the youth of my village where the amazing Fale will come to help facilitate it. The second will be with the Woman’s committee in which the fabulous Elisa will come to help me. At both meetings I will be having the groups draw community maps so I am able to tell the most important aspects of their village. It will also help determine the future projects that I will work with them. The two groups were chosen because the you hare our future and if we get them started on improving their village, it may continue. Also as everyone knows the women get everything done. They are super productive in every village in getting everything done and keeping everything in line.
Last week I met with JICA and handed in the carpenter’s report. After a few weeks of talking to his family, the carpenter finally returned home from his vacation in New Zealand. It is really impressive how on top of communication he is. He is always returning my phone calls and if I ask him to be at a certain time in a certain place, he is there.
We both went out to survey the school last week. I had my notebook and I took the notes on every little problem in the school. Some of the highlights of the report were that 2 support columns were not touching the ground, while 13 were rotting. There are no louver frames on any windows and the wire fencing that is covering the windows (rusted on all windows) is missing on two windows and a few local pieces of timber are in its place. Every room has holes in it, some are in the ceiling, many are on the chalkboard, and some are exposing it to the outside, and most rooms contain multiple holes. I also learned that there are 90 desks (they each seat 2) for over 300 students. As you can tell it was very interesting doing this survey report with him.
JICA told us that our school building is in the A lest for getting a new building. They wanted to remind us that they do not pay for the entire building and that even though the application was accepted for this year, it will be a long time until anything will actually get done as they have to process paperwork elsewhere, and translate some of it into Japanese. I also am going to resubmit all of my forms in electronic forms to make it easier for them.
I joined a NGO called Avanoa Tutusa. Right now it is made up of only Peace Corps volunteers although they are always actively trying to find others that would like to join. In two weeks (Super Bowl weekend) I will be headed back to Upolu to help with one of their events. We are going to be going to one of the sites effected by the tsunami and teach about water conservation and have the youth paint the water tanks. The younger youth all of us newbie’s to Peace Corps who have an elementary education background are going to develop activities to keep them busy and having fun so they do not become covered in paint as well.
I am also working with Ben to develop a curriculum for World Water Day (I think it is in March, but I am not sure). I have a few lessons written up and he is actively trying to find different organizations that will assist us with this day. My dad here told me that the only way to be successful is to teach the older people in our community as they are the ones who waste water by keeping the water running when they are doing things such as washing clothes. I told him that at first we are planning on doing it with the youth, but maybe in the future it will develop into a bigger event as it is difficult to start such a massive event in one year. (When you are not sure who will be on board for it.) I will still bring his suggestion up in the next meeting and see what they say.
One of my sisters is leaving for Vanuatu to attend law school on Monday. My family wants me to go with them to Apia, but with so much on my plate and school starting on Monday I do not think that is the best idea.
My ears have decided that they love getting infected and I feel like I did when I was little and always managing to get swimmers ear almost every week. I have my third infection in the past month and a half.
Anyway, I am going to end with a list of ideas for community projects I am thinking of starting. I am not sure which ones will actually work, but it is good to have a game plan.
Garbage cans painting contest in the school then placing the cans in the 3 villages and seeing which village can be kept the cleanest. (I am sick of seeing Styrofoam cups all over the place from these ice cakes!)
Talking to the Samoan Water Authority to find out if we can add to our pipe line so more people can get piped water (especially during the dry season when some run out of water).
Tar sealing one of the roads. Besides the main road, the one in front of my house is used quite a bit. It is ridiculous how many massive crater sized holes are in the road. Riding in a car is an unpleasant experience and even walking I sometimes almost find myself falling into one of the ditches that lives in the middle of the road.
Creating a communication center with a place where people can use the internet and print things so a new small business can be started.
Starting a learn to swim program
Elisa wants to do a health projects where we track everyone’s weight and other easy information to showcase diabetes awareness and other facts. We would do this with all the villages in our district.
More ideas hopefully will come up with the meetings with my community at the end of the week.