Today is Sunday.  This morning we had an earthquake.  5.8, five miles below Apia.  Yesterday we were looking at homes and churches that had been destroyed by the Sunami in 2012, so I was wondering there for a minute.  I wasn't sure it was an earthquake.  My bed was shaking pretty good so I looked under it hoping that it wasn't some big Samoan.  Speaking of big Samoans, these two brethren are the young men's president and a counselor in the bishopbric.  No wonder the young men are so well behaved.

This is the gymnasium on campus where the Pesega 5th ward meets for sacrament meeting.

dinner looking for dinner

After being here for two weeks I've made some observations about life on  these Islands.  There are lots of chickens, pigs, dogs, fales and churches.  Notice the stand where the trash is placed high enough that the dogs and pigs can't get at it till the collectors come.

family fale

fales in a local village

This weekend is the celebration of Samoa's independence, like the 4th of July in America.  The senior missionaries planned a trip to the beach.  Monday and Tuesday all the shops will be closed, including our clinic.  There will be parades and speeches and stuff.  After World War I, the powers that be divided up the Pacific Islands including Samoa.  The U.S. wanted an island with a deep water harbor so they took what is now American Samoa, and the British took the two western islands guided by an expeditionary force from New Zealand and remained under New Zealand rule from 1914 to January 1, 1962,

when they claimed independence from New Zealand.  Even though the day is January 1, they celebrate it on June 1 so as not to interfere with New Year celebrations.   They are a kind, friendly, hard working people who love their independence as much as we do.
     After the beach we hurried back to Apia for the long boat races.  The man in front is beating a drum for cadence and the man behind is calling out instructions.

It was fun to see the crowds on the shore cheering them on.  It was a 5 mile race.

  This picture was taken from our Fale on the beach.  A Fale is a traditional hut which is open to the breezes.  Every family has one as does every village.  They are used as family rooms where families meet, conduct business, sleep, hang laundry, and a dozen other things....generally hanging out.  They come in all sizes and colors.  I'll include a bunch of them in my next blog.

  See you later.

Wednesday the clinic is closed, so Dr. Mangum and his wife Carol and I took a guided tour of the west end of the island.  We met a man last week named Henry who is a taxi driver and an Island guide and he rented himself and his taxi to us for a day.  Turns out he's the Elders quorum president in his ward and a really fun guy. He took us to some waterfalls, one of which we swam in, or is it swimmed, to the beach, to feed the turtles and to see some mountain vistas.  It was a great day.  What a beautiful place!  We ate along the way from food he brought in his cooler; pineapple, mango, po po (coconut) and young coconut from which we drank the milk with a straw.  Below is a huge banyon.

This is where we went swimming.

Beautiful coastline on the south.

We swam and got a little sun here at the beach.

Henry just reached into the water with his big paw and brought up this turtle and handed him (or her) to me.  Man they're strong.  He/she kept trying to eat me.

Henry and I overlooking a deep canyon with a waterfall behind us.  More later.

I thought I'd show you where I work and a couple of memorable patients.  This is my office.  everything I use is on the shelves behind the chair.  Everything has to be readily available because I usually work without an assistant.

Frank came in today for an extraction.  He was very thankful and also quite colorful.  He's the first man I've seen with a flower in his hair, well, behind his ear.

This 6 year old boy was a great patient.  His name is Tarzan (pronounce tarzun).  Needless to say I was a little more careful with him than normal.  Have a fun Memorial Day. 

I made a trip downtown to find an ATM, made a wrong turn and ended up at the bus station.  Many people ride the bus.  They are very colorful and hold more people than they should.  It looks like people are flowing out the windows when one goes by.  There are also taxis everywhere.  They are very inexpensive and people take them to go grocery shopping.  There are usually long lines of taxis waiting at the grocery markets.  At left you will see the many different buses all painted different bright colors.                                          



I went to the open air produce market where farmers come to sell their crops of bananas, mangos, taro root, coconuts, cucumbers, limes, lemons (which are large and green) and lots of other things I didn't recognize.

The bananas are small and very tasty.  I wanted to buy only a few but you have to buy the whole bunch.  Being from Idaho it's hard to accept that the bananas are many and the potatoes are few.

I went to church this morning.  I go to an English speaking ward.  You should have heard the men sing in Priesthood meeting.  The music was led by a downs syndrome kid who really got in ti the spirit of the.  Afterwards I was talking to sister Jacobs about where to buy fish.  A local sister heard us talking and brought me buy some fish she had cooked for dinner with taro root and leaves steamed in coconut cream, just like we ate at the Samoan demonstration

It is Saturday morning 8:15 am.  I just finished breakfast of a bowl of Raisin Bran and a small dish of papaya.  The raisin bran cost $13.90 tala (They use the same $ for tala as we use for dollars) which is $5.69 American.  I know I'll lose weight because I can only afford 1 serving.  I was planning on going to town and shopping around for a little home decor, but it's a gray rainy day.  I'll do a little housekeeping until it clears up.
     It's been a hard week at the clinic and from what I hear it won't get any easier.  I saw a 6 year old boy yesterday and he about raised the roof when I gave him a shot.  It's hard to reason with them when you can't speak the language.  Most speak enough english to get by but none of the children.  I have an assistant sometimes, which is not most of the time.  Our part time receptionist, Emmo, has a nephew about 14 ( I can never remember his name so I call him John).  I'm slowly training him to help out.  He speaks no English so we communicate be pointing and grunting.  He's a cute kid and he seems to enjoy hanging around so I thought we might as well put him to work.
     I went to the temple last night and enjoyed it very much.  It's beautiful inside and out.  The original painting of the missionaries landing in Samoa is in the entry.  It's beautiful.  The same painting was just placed in the Bountiful temple.  The temple president spent a few minutes with me telling me about the painting and the people it represents.  Have a nice weekend and stay well.
P.S.  Joan is getting better and is about ready to go home.

I forgot to tell you about yesterday.  Carol and Dick Mangum and I went into town to see an island welcome display which included dancing, singing, eating, and displays of local customs including tattooing.  At the end of the program we were fed customary Samoan food of fish, taro leaves soaked and steamed in coconut cream, and taro root.  Below shows them preparing the leaves in coconut cream which is squeezed from the shredded coconut.

 The little girl is painting
the turtle with ocher made from local clay on paper made with tree bark you can see being stretched and dried.

 Taro root is the gray matter.  Didn't much care for that but the other stuff was quite tasty.  When we left I was pulled over by the police for coming out the in road.  He asked to see my license, explained what I did wrong then said, "Orchard, do want a ticket or a warn."  I said, "I'll take the warn."  He told me to never, never do it again and I said "OK."

Some views from yesterday's drive via the cross island road to the south shore.  Also some pictures of some patients I saw today

There are a lot of churches in Samoa.  The people here are quite religious.  They ask in their literature for visitors not to wear their swimming suits into town.  The immodesty is inappropriate.  Downtown has a lovely church on the main drag near the government buildings.  It is Catholic.  Sunrise is 6:30 am and sunset is 6:30 pm.  I happened upon the prettiest of the religious edifices just at sunset.  I've included both.

Arrived in Samoa on the 15th.  I can't believe how green it is.  Greener than Ireland......that's pretty green.  I'm staying in a home above the campus just two minutes from the dental clinic.  I saw my first patients today.  My first patient was a 19 year old girl in pain.  I had to remove 3 teeth because of decay and infection.  It broke my heart.  The people have been so kind and appreciative.  Dr. Mangum and his wife took me grocery shopping Saturday to stock up on supplies so at least I won't starve to death.  Dr Mangum says if you starve to death in Samoa there has to be something wrong with you.  There are bananas, mangoes, and papayas everywhere.  I now have a car, an orange toyota.....very nice.  Driving on the left is still a challenge

This is my home for the next few months and below is a neighborhood nearby.  Later