Home Sweet Home...
Good afternoon, everybody!...its almost time...im almost home...im leaving tonight around 11:30 and ill be in chicago tomorrow at about the same time...its a long 18 hour flight, but well worth the wait...im so, so, so, so excited to come home...its gonna be great...this post, im hoping, will be a short one...i havent even began to pack yet...or take a shower or anything...and we've heard we need to get to the airport hella early (like 5:30) because it takes forever to check-in...i wont even go into the traumatic stories of hawaiian airlines...lets just say that they have a monopoly over the island, so they could care less about what kind of job they do...they could care less about their passengers...they might even suddenly change the flight from tonight to tomorrow night...because they can do that....its crazy...but theyre a powerful corporation...and the island, well, isnt...the above picture is of right outside our house...of our mountain...the mist coming off the mountain is beautiful...what do you guys think of the composition of the picture, with our roof angling at the top?...i think its kinda cool...
here's a picture of our staff christmas part at The Night Hawk...it was pretty fun...there were these dance competitions (samoans love to dance!) and me and another teacher won the waltz...i got a bottle of wine!...the food sucked, but i still had a good time...
this post will be filled with pics of my students...theyre the only reason why ill miss this place...i love my students, and i love teaching here on the island...other than that though, i wont be missing much here...
last week i discussed the teenage dating situation here on the island...i mostly talked about how inexperienced and pious the kids are here...or are made to be by parents...but like all cultures, one thing is hoped to be and said to be but really is not to be...got that?...in other words, the culture wants to believe that theyre kids are innocent, naive, and sexless, but they really arent...rape and incest are rampant on the island...i wont even go into the disrespect towards girls in american samoa, but ill briefly inform you all on the rape issue...many young girls and women are raped by family members, neighbors, etc....its a huge problem...we've even heard stories of brothers raping sisters untill their adults...i think it happens so often because of several reasons...first, sex is such a taboo subject and such a evil act (the church instills that into their brains) that its hidden and looked down upon...so, boys and men feel ashamed to think about and have sex...i think this need to have sex is bottled up within them and explodes into rape and incest...it becomes a animalistic need...a primal necessity that turns into rage and power...these rapists have probably also witnessed their fathers and uncles and brothers do this to women in the past...so its become a vicious cycle...now, im not forgiving these men for raping women, but im just trying to get into their warped minds...and their minds, as warped as they are, are still human and delicate...i think if sex was treated as a normal occurance and talked about openly to men and women, the secret world of rape wouldnt be so secret...and rape wouldnt be a dark epidemic...
second, women are simply not respected here on the island...i could definetly write a intense post about how females are treated, but ill spare you today (im too excited thinking about home to write about feminism in american samoa), but this is a major reason why theyre used as men's sexual objects...and why rape is seen as okay by men...along with this idea, women, similar to many third world countries, are affronted and spat upon if they have sex before marriage...and, obviously, rape is considered sex before marriage...so these women who are raped are encouraged and forced to keep their mouths shut...because if they tell others about the rape, they and their families will be dejected and demoralized by others in their community...and their church...kinda messed up...actually, alotta messed up...
third, i think incest and rape happens often because they live in such close and remote quarters...ive said before that the houses are very small, and many of the family members sleep together in little rooms or even in the living rooms and kitchens...so sometimes brothers and uncles are sleeping with sisters or next to their nieces...this leads to a easy opportunity to rape...maybe the men are searching for love or fulfillment or just a quickie, but the closeness of bodies has to be some reason for this problem...also, the houses are so remote...theyre in the middle of jungles...so, its, again, easy to get away with...besides, the police here arent that reliable...ill save that for another post, too...
okay, thats all i gotta say about that topic...i was quick and probably not that enlightening...but i have a lot of other things on my mind (like going home!)...i just wanted to make sure that we were all clear on the topic of sex here in american samoa...last week i talked about how no one has it here...and thats its seen as dangerous and sinful...but as you can see from this post's explanation...sex is unbridled and extensive...and covertly, guardedly, unmentionably destructive, sinister, malevolent, and deplorable...
alright, now on to the happy stuff...i got a bunch of vids of my kids singing songs...my students are constantly singing songs...usually with their ukeleles...i decided to record them on my last day of school on friday...(all of these pics were taken then, too)...we had a small little christmas party, and they were all a tad wild...but that was okay...it was a celebration, and a "goodbye to me" party...and im sure the kids were lovin that i was leavin ;-) 
the infamous gene...with an impressive amount of dead presidents :-)
okay, y'all...im just gonna give my last top five list of the year...this list is gonna be different though than my past lists...i usually only do things in the world of pop culture...my favorite books, tv shows, movies, and music of the week...but this week's list will be my top five obsessions im looking forward to while back home in the badger state...so, i will never be doing this again...its a altered, special edition list...
second, women are simply not respected here on the island...i could definetly write a intense post about how females are treated, but ill spare you today (im too excited thinking about home to write about feminism in american samoa), but this is a major reason why theyre used as men's sexual objects...and why rape is seen as okay by men...along with this idea, women, similar to many third world countries, are affronted and spat upon if they have sex before marriage...and, obviously, rape is considered sex before marriage...so these women who are raped are encouraged and forced to keep their mouths shut...because if they tell others about the rape, they and their families will be dejected and demoralized by others in their community...and their church...kinda messed up...actually, alotta messed up...
third, i think incest and rape happens often because they live in such close and remote quarters...ive said before that the houses are very small, and many of the family members sleep together in little rooms or even in the living rooms and kitchens...so sometimes brothers and uncles are sleeping with sisters or next to their nieces...this leads to a easy opportunity to rape...maybe the men are searching for love or fulfillment or just a quickie, but the closeness of bodies has to be some reason for this problem...also, the houses are so remote...theyre in the middle of jungles...so, its, again, easy to get away with...besides, the police here arent that reliable...ill save that for another post, too...
okay, thats all i gotta say about that topic...i was quick and probably not that enlightening...but i have a lot of other things on my mind (like going home!)...i just wanted to make sure that we were all clear on the topic of sex here in american samoa...last week i talked about how no one has it here...and thats its seen as dangerous and sinful...but as you can see from this post's explanation...sex is unbridled and extensive...and covertly, guardedly, unmentionably destructive, sinister, malevolent, and deplorable...
alright, now on to the happy stuff...i got a bunch of vids of my kids singing songs...my students are constantly singing songs...usually with their ukeleles...i decided to record them on my last day of school on friday...(all of these pics were taken then, too)...we had a small little christmas party, and they were all a tad wild...but that was okay...it was a celebration, and a "goodbye to me" party...and im sure the kids were lovin that i was leavin ;-)the first video is of my students singing "the lion sleeps tonight"...listen to that harmony!...this song can be heard throughout the day on the tafuna campus...i dont know what it is, but the samoan kids adore this song...they actually sing it wonderfully...
this next video was actually a surprise...they had written and practiced a song about me...the best teacher ever!...i was not expecting it at all, and i kinda got teary eyed after i realized what they were singing about...though there is one part where they say they should get rid of me because i give too much homework...little rascals...
and the last one is just a cute vid of them singing a christmas carol...damn, these students of mine are amazing...strange, energetic, and fascinating...and fun to teach...
the infamous gene...with an impressive amount of dead presidents :-)
okay, y'all...im just gonna give my last top five list of the year...this list is gonna be different though than my past lists...i usually only do things in the world of pop culture...my favorite books, tv shows, movies, and music of the week...but this week's list will be my top five obsessions im looking forward to while back home in the badger state...so, i will never be doing this again...its a altered, special edition list...My Top Five Obsessions of the Week (Special "Going Home" Edition):
5. Seeing Baby Jacob = my new nephew (my sisters keeping piling the nieces and nephews on me) was born just a couple of weeks ago, and im thrilled to see the little tyke...i usually hate babies and i think they look like crabby little gremlins, but he actually seems adorable...but maybe thats because im a million miles away...either way, im so grateful to have another healthy, fantastic new family member...
4. Chillaxin with Friends = not only am i excited to go to restaurants and malls and things like that, but im much, much more excited to hang out with my good friends...eager to joke around with and laugh with (and make fun of!) suzy, and im keyed up to partying with trish, stish, and sarah, and im delighted to be doin interesting stuff (maybe a short hotel trip?) with kristy, and im tickled by the idea of goofin around with and talkin seriously about teaching with tiffany...did i miss anybody?...im sure i did...im excited to hang out with all of my compadres...
3. Goin to the Movies with Charlie and Chase = oh, i cant wait to see some magical, imaginative, and amusing movies with charlie and chase...i love going to faraway places and adventerous journeys with them...even if its in the comfort of a comfortable, peaceful, safe, and air conditioned theater with popcorn and treats being inhaled by our happy little mouths...i have to remember to bring quarters for the arcade, too...but, really, im excited to spend time with them...and talk to them...discuss movies with them...and be silly with them...those two kids (along with claudia, celia, and ella) are my oxygen...and, right now, my lungs are needin some oxygen...
2. My Sisters = everyday while im here on the island i extremely long for my sisters...i miss them dearly and tremendously...they both are my best friends, and though the drinking of wine and coffee and the eating of guacamole and kringle brings me joy, there is no perfection on this earth like having them as my company...i, simply, love being with them...notice the few words describing my obsession with dana and shawn...there are no words to describe my friendship and love of them...they are my true companions... ;-)
1. My Mom = sure im thrilled to be soon eating her spectacular culinary dishes (BLTs, Chili Cheese Fries, Chicken Alfredo Pizza, Chimichangas, etc.), but im so much more thrilled with her...with being with her...talking with her and taking walks with her and nelly (is it too cold out there for that?!)...its gonna be most excellent...and im gonna hug her so tight that her beautiful tan will pop right off her skin...but i wont care...as long as i have her awe-inspiring heart and warmth and love, im as happy as a fat boy with cake...im such a mama's boy...and, dog-gone-it, im proud of it!...
1. My Mom = sure im thrilled to be soon eating her spectacular culinary dishes (BLTs, Chili Cheese Fries, Chicken Alfredo Pizza, Chimichangas, etc.), but im so much more thrilled with her...with being with her...talking with her and taking walks with her and nelly (is it too cold out there for that?!)...its gonna be most excellent...and im gonna hug her so tight that her beautiful tan will pop right off her skin...but i wont care...as long as i have her awe-inspiring heart and warmth and love, im as happy as a fat boy with cake...im such a mama's boy...and, dog-gone-it, im proud of it!...
i know i left a ton of things off this controversially short list (my dad, the roelkes, my grandmas, family, etc.), but these are just a few of the things im gonna do with zest and zeal while back home...im blessed to be going home and seeing y'all...its gonna be sweet...so, so sweet...
love ya and miss ya,
-JOE
"My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me."
-Henry Ford
posted by Samoa Joe at 6:34 PM
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