Rat-tails and Mullets

P4190107, originally uploaded by mandy.mantzel.

My new favorite activity is to make Meredith go stand near someone with a killer mullet/rat-tail. This way, it looks like I'm posing her for her own photo so I don't look like a snob from the states who thinks its funny to take pictures of rat-tails and mullets (even though that's exactly what I am).

I have enough photos I could almost make a slide-show.

The Peanut Gallery

P3241188, originally uploaded by mandy.mantzel.

Better known as SIT Samoa Spring 08. This is my study abroad group in a nutshell.

Left to Right:
Jessica "Sita" is reading.
Rachel "Lasela" is dancing.
Michelle "Misa" is also dancing, and it's just funny because she seems to be more shy and yet the Samoans love to oil her up or pull her out in front of crowds to dance for everyone.

Meredith "Mele" is flying. She drew the picture so she gets the cool skills.
I'm underneath her. O igoa Samoa o "Meni". I'm in the ocean. Shocker, right?
Chris "Kilisi" is the token boy doing god-knows-what in the fale. Just kidding guys, he's doing hip stretches.
Laura "Lola", Andrea "Lea", Allie "Sona", and Anna "Ana" are all thinking about Hot Boys with rat-tails and mullets. But let's face it, we're in Samoa, so who isn't?
And then Kathy "Kati" and Taylor "Teila" are riding the bus while Teila in particular has made a "friend". She may or may not have been molested on her first bus ride.

And then we have our puppet-master Sieki who is pulling all of our strings. Silao is smokin, drinkin, and just doesn't give a rats.

Vegan Polygamist Valentines

292, originally uploaded by mandy.mantzel.

So we have one boy on our trip, and he's just amazing. Our director told him that it's tradition that the males of the group make dinner one night, and so he actually took her up on it. And we cooked the taro we harvested at the Lo'i and mashed poi as well! It was absolutely delicious. Technically, I had a dude cook me dinner on Valentines Day (for once!) .

Okay, this is just cute.

291, originally uploaded by mandy.mantzel.

This is my friend Allie and while she was holding the gecko, it jumped on her nose. But I wasn't able to get my camera out until it reached her hair. Either way, it perched itself on her hair for a while. Don't act like this isn't cute.

Drop-offs and my journey to the State Capitol

287, originally uploaded by mandy.mantzel.

SIT does these things called drop-offs, and during our hectic orientation week in O'ahu, this was a breath of fresh air. We really have been in the classroom almost all day every day. So on my drop-off, I walked back to the location (rather than taking the bus, even though it took me over 3 hours).

First, I went to this planetarium show at the museum that talked about how the polynesians first navigated through the pacific using only the stars. That was so cool, and if I had more time I'd like to write more on that.

Next, I went to Chinatown and attempted (very poorly) to converse in Chinese. Side note: I've made a friend here named Allie that is fluent in Chinese and we have been practicing together.

Then I went to the state capitol, where this picture is taken. Their house and senate floors are on the ground floor, and visible from people passing in the streets. I thought that was SO cool... given that it makes participation/observations much more accessible. Too bad nothing was going on... but it seems cool in theory.

Then I came across a workers' strike against a convenience store. I talked with them for a little bit about some of the issues facing local workers and again, I just wish I had more time to blog about this.

Finally, I met back up with the group at the International Marketplace. The end.