Math/Science Day

The focus of this week was Maths/Science Day on Friday, June 22^nd.  The theme was:  “Apply & Improve Today to Invent the World of Tomorrow.”  Ron was blessed to give the opening remarks and he highlighted current amazing inventions.  He got to officially declare Math & Science Day now open.  Elder Rees & Sister Obley judged the Math projects and President Fafai & Sister Rees judged the Science projects.  Additionally, all of us had experiments to judge.  The final house winner was selected based on accumulated points per each “House” (four in all).  The event started at 8:00 a.m. and concluded around 2:30 p.m.  The projects consumed a lot of preparation time in the previous two weeks and teachers were very dedicated in assisting students.  Enjoy a look at the day----

Geometry GeoBoard

Electric Coconut Grater----most here still do the manual method.

Variations on the Mop

Unique musical instruments.

More instruments

Plant Experiment

Testing Soil

Battle of the Minds competition with Math and Science questions.

Entertainment by  one of the "bands":

A Fashion Show ended the day and each was designed from recyclable materials.  This was one of the favorite events of the day.

Snack packaging turned into decorations for this gown.

Newspaper fans adorned the train.  His vest and her dress were styled
from yellow recycled rice bags.

Recycled plastic bags.

Dress made from snack packaging and a border of Coke cans.

George undressed three layers of shirts that had been "recycled".

Plastic water bottles.

Gown of more recycled decorations and accessorized with the handbag.

Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. the TVET Head of Dept. and I sat for our Microsoft Office Systems (MOS) Word certification test.  Yay, we both passed!

 

During the Maths/Science Day, Ron captured a picture of the double rainbow.  (By the way, Maths is a correct term in the southern hemisphere.)

Ron has enjoyed growing starter plants to share with staff or even communities that have had an interest.  He is winding down his garden endeavor.

Last of his starters.

Most have been given away.

While you are enjoying summer, we are going into fall.  It has been hot (upper 80's) and dry.  Direct sun rays really pronounce the heat.  We are blessed to live in an air-conditioned home and work in an air-conditioned office!

ITEP, Athletic Day, Waterfall

This week we launched a new ITEP class, and we spend two nights a week with our admin Principal-ship class.  It has proven to be fun, at least for us, as they pose administrator-related questions to our vice principal, to Elder Rees, and this week to our current high school principal, and then our Primary School Principal.   Wednesday night we had a role play of Ron portraying an antagonistic student in the principal's office for discipline; class members handled a couple of situations. The odd thing was that one of our students informed Ron that the role play actually played out for real in the school office next morning.  We are looking forward to some of our class members who have been enrolled in all our admin courses and are ready to fulfill internships to shadow administrators and make observations and a myriad of  tasks over the next three-month period.  In this class, I gain new insights about my husband's past career and appreciate his experiences and knowledge (and acting ability).

After early outs on Wednesday and Thursday, the Levels 7-13 students participated in track field events.  All day Friday was an Athletic Day set aside for the running events on the rugby field.  We love watching them run, as many in bare feet as in shoes!  It was a hot day with direct rays of sun.  Lanes are not chalked but rather the grass is burned.  The athletes will now prepare for inter-school competitions later in July.

Students sat by "House" under the canopies.

The finish line---bare feet.

On Saturday after shopping the market and taking care of some household chores, we escaped to the Afu Aau Waterfall again, but this time I loved swimming in the crystal clear pond where the falls dump into it.  Like usual, we became engaged in several conversations with other folks there for holiday from New Zealand.

Very clear water

Others took advantage of the perfect setting too.

I swam and sat directly under the waterfall where the water
is a lot deeper; at the edge there are rocks for easy access.

On the way home we drove down this road in the village of Maoto to take a look at a local airport here in Savaii.

That is the runway behind the fence.

Ron dug purple and yellow yams out of his garden.  He shared them with neighbors.  Their texture was like a potato.

Also growing in the garden with the outside clothesline as the trellis for the soko vines is this vegetable.  We've bought soko before at a stand and their texture is also similar to a potato.

These photos are views as seen from our office door today, June 17th:

On a personal family note:  

Happy Birthday to Kathie, Riley, and Jennifer!

Happy Anniversary, Max & Kathie!

AND

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL!

Samoa celebrates it in August.

Sister Sherrie & Elder Bryce Holbrook in Savaii

 A lot has happened in the last two weeks. May 31^st we again judged impromptu speeches, this time for Level 2 (first grade).  The teacher gave them objects to assist them in details about their topics.  It is a young age and they were tentative in their speeches although they tried in front of the large audience.

June 1^st is Samoa's Independence Day and this year the government added the Monday to supplement the Friday holiday.  Our ward had a campout on the rugby field (we weren't able to attend). Instead, we ferried to Upolu On June 1^st and returned June 4^th.   As usual we take advantage of the break time to connect with other senior missionaries.  

Breaker waves were unusual.  Waves from two directions collided together.

We had a day of hiking the Ma Tree trail with Elder & Sister Little, Sister Kirkham, and Sister Westenskow.  

Elder Little, Karla, Ron, Sister Kirkham, Sister Westenskow
Roots are structured like walls!

Sister & Elder Little, Sister Kirkham, & Sister Westenskow

Roots are taller than Sister Westenskow.

After hiking we visited the Togitogiga Waterfall and wouldn't you know, our group grew as Brother & Sister Fisher (temporary dentist) and Sister Kalama and her family showed up.  Such is the typical way a senior missionary outing grows.  We shared the usual snacks and some swimming in the waterfall ponds.  It was a great day!

Surrounded by jungle growth---so beautiful!

Ferns grow so large!

Brother & Sister Fisher

We are always awed by the churches we see...these are on Upolu.

Sunday was a “Break the Fast” potluck dinner and was well attended to say farewell to friends leaving the mission field:  Sister Barnes, mission nurse; Elder & Sister Kalama, CES missionaries, and Elder & Sister Foley, ITEP missionaries at Sauniatu.  We have loved serving with them.

Our “Literacy and the Fluent Reader” class took their final exam this week.

The blog would never be complete without more breathtaking cloud pictures.

This past week we enjoyed having Elder & Sister Holbrook here from the Area Office in Auckland, New Zealand.  They are our immediate coordinators but came more as Area representatives.  Thursday was a full day of Professional Development for staff.  Under the auspices of Holbrooks, the administrators made training presentations and we were invited to train on classroom observations.  Other topics were “Seeing the One”, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), Deeper Learning, and the 9 Pacific School Standards.  The Pesega church school in Upolu had their training earlier in the week.

Disembarking off the Ferry.

Clouds at the Wharf.

Elder Holbrook

Sister Holbrook & Staff

This trip afforded Elder & Sister Holbrook the opportunity to take some extra time so on Friday we were privileged to show them the island of Savaii.    We toured a full day and loved the time together before putting them on the ferry for their return.

This was the first time we'd seen cricket being played in Samoa!

It was unique to see the outfield covering in the road because there isn't a ball park as we know it.

Feeding the Turtles again.

The owner indicated they have 20 turtles now.

Karla and Elder & Sister Holbrook feeding papaya to the turtles.

Little fishes swimming among the turtles.

We stopped at the beach of Lagoto Resort

Sister & Elder Holbrook at the entrance of the Peapea Cave.
Small pea birds live in the blackness of this lave tube.  They navigate by a clicking sound.
We were lucky to see three peapea bird mud nests---two each with one egg in it.

Yes, those are Poinsettias at the entrance of the Peapea Cave.

Elder & Sister Holbrook crossing the Canopy Walk at Falelaupo.

Ron, Karla, Sister Sherrie & Elder Bryce Holbrook in the Banyan "treehouse" 

Blowholes!

Ron, Karla, & Sister Holbrook

The guide drops the palm branch into the blowhole...

...and here you see it spew way up in the air.
They do it with coconuts too.

 For safety reasons only the guide is allowed to stand this close.

At the Afu Aau Waterfall

Saturday we took a short hike with Elder & Sister Deffense to access a secluded sandy beach.  It is called the “Secret Beach” because few are of aware of it.  We followed two young ladies down the trail that the “men” take to gather bananas and to fish.  At the end, the descent was beyond us!  We backtracked and the family directed us down the road to other relatives who knew a better trail.  The dad, mom, and 10-year old son were so kind and accommodating.  The dad insisted on going ahead with his jungle knife to trim the trail for us----the trail was certainly recognizable.  The mom walked with us.  We reached a rocky beach; in order to cross over to the sandy section, we have to walk across lava rock, swim a ways, and then access the beach.  Because high tide was moving in, we opted to come back another day.  However, we sat on the rocky beach, ate sandwiches, visited, and enjoyed the ocean view.  After hiking back up to the house, the dad had niu for us---young coconuts.  The coconut water was refreshing.  They gave us their time, accommodated us, and did it with nothing expected in return.  They epitomize a typical Samoan: warm, friendly, and kind.  It is the people who make our experiences memorable.

Looking down at the Secret Beach.

Elder Deffense shares his magic trick with the kids.

Here's the family that was so gracious to us.

Father blazing the trail.

Hiking.

Ocean View

In the video below, the young boy rounded up a log to use like a floatation device.

June 10^th marks our 44-year wedding anniversary.  We celebrated by having a steak dinner with Deffenses after our day of adventure. We are happy to be in Samoa at this time in our lives.