Homecoming Weekend

How am I supposed to pretend I never want to see you again?

String Band at Safua: A Video!

Okay. This took me all evening to upload, so that should indicate a) how cool this is to me, or b)how much I really don't want to be writing a paper in Samoan.

This is one of my favorite songs that they played, and if you will look closely, the percussion is a set of spoons, and better yet, the bass is nothing more than a string tied to a bucket and a stick. Watch the bassist move the stick back and forth to tune the string and make different pitches. Amazing. And you better believe we danced all night. And you better believe that the bass player is an excellent prospect for my Samoan husband. His little brother told me I look like a chubby version of Fergie. We're meant to be.

He was only 15

P3201110, originally uploaded by mandy.mantzel.

And he was the only one with a girlfriend. What a heartbreaker.

Another list of blunt points I'd like to make without explanation

1. I don't even flinch anymore when I see a 3 year old girl carrying a machete to school

2. I started watching my clothes more closely while they were drying on a clothesline when I caught Dad (who is at least 200 lbs heavier than me) wearing my shirt

3. Every conversation starts with "Do you like Samoa? Are you married? If you like it so much, you know you need to marry a Samoan to stay here. Would you like to marry my son?"

4. Whatever I have for lunch is usually whatever someone left on their plate the night before

5. The political issue that's caused the most heat is that they're considering switching the side of the road that people drive on from the right to the left. Seriously.

6. "I'm surprised more children don't die around here" A quote from one of my friends in the program, and I couldn't have said it better myself.

7. I haphazardly became best friends with the owner of the Salani Surf resort. How convenient! Bet you didn't see that one coming... ;) Perhaps I'll post more on that later...