Quiet Sunday

Lavalava Samoa

Lavalava teuteu fa'aSamoa

E sulu le siapo, e ma'eu, e ma'eu le manaia

Ia la'u penina ma la'u pa'aga ua malie o

Sau ia ua ou le toe failoto

O le a seu lo'u va'a e malolo

Lafo ia le taula i fanua ua leva le po

Ia fa'atalaia, ia fa'atalatala

'Aumai se tala mai le ualesi e

E ua fo'i mai lau malaga

Sa e ta'amilo ia Samoa

This song is something like a Samoan version of Aqueous Transmission. It is very pretty and I learned how to play it last week in Ma'asina. Sitivi and I sang this song for a project yesterday and it went really well. In a few hours I am going to be leaving for Leulumoega for a few days where I will be staying in my future home. I'm looking very forward to being done with training so I can begin to experience this wonderful place a little more independantly. Leulumoega is close to a turtle conservation center and I recently learned that I might be able to volunteer some time there. Sea turtles are both beautiful and endangered. I've seen a few of them since I've been here and they really are among the coolest animals I've ever seen and being able to donate some time to help would be an honor. Its a quiet Sunday today and I've spent alot of time by myself going for long walks and reading up on Samoan wildlife. I bought this book the other day that is a field guide to a majority of the animals on land and in the sea all over the Samoan archipelago including inscects, birds, butterflies, lizards, and all of the various sea creatures (hundreds of them). I wish to become well versed in the studies of the creatures here, especially those in the sea. This is for both personal interest and personal safety. The book is really cool because it teaches the Samoan names for the animals and that makes for great conversation with the people in our village. I've even heard about a jellyfish-like creature that has never been photographed and only comes out at night. It is a bit of a local legend but the book tells of reports that people have been stung by it and have gone blind for a matter of time, maybe a few days if they are stung badly. It only comes out at night and is next to invisible except for the moment before it stings when it flashes and array of colors. Because of this nobody has ever photographed it and those who have seen it are probably blinded before they can do anything about it.