In my free time

Garfunkle Simon

Family

From bottom left: Salai, Siliga, Daisy, Fili, and Lina

Family from Australia: Fia, Mandy, and Diana

Salesi, Mandy, and Fa'atoafe

Me and Pele


Mini and So'oalo, The wife and and high chief


Fili


Salai turns 5

Village People

The Wedding


Va'a


Cheeky Boys and Girls


Afternoon volleyball


Eli


Kakiva and Asuelu ready for work


Mikirooney


Runts


Trouble


Saua and Lano

Food

Here are some random pics of food in Samoa.


The market which is full of mandarin oranges.


Tafa holding an octopus.


Stuffing a pig before cooking in the "umu" or earth oven.



Pigs getting prepped for a feast.


A closer look


A typical meal for me at night, Fish, breadfruit, and coconut cream.


Sunday meal, Everything you can imagine.


More breadfruit and chicken curry on the left.


Eating the coconut.

Really enjoying the coconut.

Getting the coconut.

Sewing Program

One of the first projects that the village requested was to implement a sewing program for the younger women of the village. I assisted them in preparing a funds request to the New Zealand High Commission in Apia.


Head seamstresses Luana and Malaepepa check out the machines.


Words can't express


The four bosses discuss how to divide the work for making the new dresses.


First time seamstress Oli gives the new machines a shot.


Nice shorts Oli!


Laufau, Mafu, and Ala get ready for a class.


There's enough of me to go around ladies.....

Samauga Health and Activity Center

The old committee houses. The house on the right was torn down and a new partition including two large rooms were built onto the house on the left.


Laloifi, myself, and Malaepepa traveled to Apia to the Australian High Commission to receive the check for building materials.


Village carpenters discuss the plan for the renovation.


Renovations begin by the men of the village.

The labour force pose next to the sign from Australia signifying their assistance.


The village gathers for a picture that ended up in the Samoan Observer, the national newspaper.


Myself and village counterpart So'oalo Siliga in front of the newly renovated committee house.


The day of the house opening ceremony features a representative from the Australian High commission, Mini, and the pastor and his wife.


Mafu and Malaepepa, members of my committee, work on the final report.