Cyclone Warning

School was cancelled this week Tuesday through Friday because of flooding.  We had half of the classrooms flooded because there was so much water draining through campus.  It has rained so much here that the ground cannot absorb any more.  We have a stream that has been flowing around both sides of our house for the past five days.  The next few days looks like more rain will come.  Tonight, the train of tropical depressions is cooking up a category I cyclone.  We will see if we have school on Monday.

We have tried to keep busy but are a little stir crazy trapped in our house.  Joe has been painting and Janice has been making aprons for our graduating students (our teachers who will be getting their certificates).

Water going down our street

Our back yard and back doorstep (with the sandbags)

Cyclone Wasi passing through

Joe’s latest painting

February in Samoa

Time is flying by so fast!  We are up to speed now with our new assessment class as well as starting off three new student teachers.  Weather permitting, we get out to the beach on Saturdays.  We had no such luck today as it has been raining so much.  In fact, it was the cause of some neighborhood drama when the pumper truck came by to routinely pump out our new couple’s (The Bearce’s) septic tank.  Because the ground was so saturated, when they were finished, the plastic tank simply floated to the top of the ground and ruined the system.  Now, they have the only in ground pool in Pesega Village! They had to move to another apartment.

Our neighbor across the street is quite an accomplished painter and offered to teach us how to paint.  So, for a couple of hours a week he has been tutoring us.

Here is Joe’s first subject and subsequent painting.  At least you can tell it is fruit.

Sweeping leaves with brooms 

Friendly fishermen in dugout outrigger canoe

Sunset in Apia

Tafatafa beach from the water (my iPad is over my head in the water)

Groundhog Day!

We celebrated a Samoan Groundhog day by having a Break-the-Fast meal with the other Senior Missionaries that had ground hog (sausage) featured in the dishes.  It was a great time to socialize and enjoyed rubbing shoulders with our Mission President and his wife (President & Sister Ho Ching).

We spent the week observing lessons of our teachers giving out their rules and procedures as part of their student teaching observations.  We visited 8 classrooms.  They were creative.  We even had one teacher create a RAP song for the students to learn for his rules and procedures.  The students loved it!

First Day of School

We have started up our new classes this week (Assessment and Student Teaching) and will start a vocational counseling class next week.

We have made arrangements to return home in July after our graduating teachers have finished their ITEP certificates.  We are excited.

We took a quick trip Friday to Savai'i to pick up some extrat textbooks for our assessment class.

View from ferry terminal

Ferry Terminal (at Mulifanua)