On a mission: Beach Walk, ITEP In-Service Training, Judging, etc

Being that Monday was the Mother's Day national holiday, we took opportunity to do a beach walk around a bay at Pua Pua. Low tide was at noon and we had access crossing lava rocks and walking the beach out to the breakers; all total we walked about a mile each way. We only ran into a few boys, a couple fishing with their bamboo rods and some others who were swimming with cousins. The beauty of nature never ceases to inspire awe.

The Bay

Ron in front of roots of a coconut tree exposed at low tide.

Shells from our beach walk.

Upon our return home, we invited the international dorm girls over to make and eat brownies. With the holiday it was dorm leave weekend so they were the only girls on campus. They love baking and it was fun to watch them taking pictures of each other baking in the kitchen.

Friday morning at faculty meeting we presented in-service training on SOLO Taxonomy. Deeper learning is a focus of emphasis from the Area office who guides and directs our service. May is Teacher Appreciation in the States so we opted to make caramel popcorn balls in appreciation of our staff and Ron incorporated popcorn balls into our presentation. We started with a matching game to introduce the topic and went from there.

Following faculty meeting we went to the “hall” (gym) for another speech judging event for Level 4 (3^rd grade). One young man, Tom, elicited a lot of laughs on his topic, My Teacher. For instance, amiable Tom said, “When my teacher says, 'Tom, don't touch other students, I quit'. When my teacher says, 'Tom, you need to sit down, I sit down'.” And on he went...his teacher is awesome--good thing, for Tom's sake.

Ron announcing the winners.

Winners: Tom is in the middle.

Karla, the Principal, & Sulu the Level 4 Teacher

Notice, it is Tom leading the music---

Saturday we kicked back. Ron took the grocery list to market and I ventured up the Vaiola steps. After my descent I joined a group of the dorm girls who were sitting out at the canteen. We had a wonderful time visiting and laughing. Most of the boys and dads were off campus for a ward father/son outing. In the afternoon one of the girls came borrowing Ron's basketball (it is bald by now). It wasn't long until the boys returned and soon the field and court was full of youth playing ball and Ron went down to join them.

Looking down the steps from the top.

There was basketball on one end of the court; volleyball going on in the middle of the court;
and soccer being playing on the grass---all at the same time.

MORE BEAUTIFUL SAMOAN CLOUDS THIS WEEK: