At Least He's Not a Volleyball...

Hey, Bay Bay...How y'all doing?...Yeah, I suppose I'm alright...It's been a busy, overwhelming day...The teenagers are already driving me insane...And I'm already sick of grading papers and stuff...I have a feeling this will be a long year...Then again, I probably just woke up on the wrong side of the bed...Oh, and I also started out the day horribly...You see, I was walking to school with a 30 pound backpack (filled with books, a laptop, speakers, etc.) and my strap broke...So, I had to carry the bag awkwardly to school...I was so mad...And crabby after that...Well, anyways, enough about myself...Wait a minute...That's not enough about myself...This blog is MY blog...It's completely about myself...So, lets keep talking about myself ;-)

The image above is of Gene and his madre...He's one of my students and the captain of our Tafuna Warriors...And he's also a kid that many of you have recently heard me talking about...Including right here in this blog...He's sort of become like a lil' Samoan "brada" to me...Like family...But there's also been a lot of controversy because of our friendship...Not from anyone on the island...The controversy is coming from you guys and myself...Today's blog is going to be all about this controversy...And I'm gonna make it the shortest blog EVER!...But before we get to that discussion, it's time for everybody's favorite game...



"Guess Who's a Fafafine!"...Look at the image above and tell me how many fafafines you see in it...The answer will be revealed in the next blog entry...Thanks for playing!...

... (By the way, all of the images on today's episode of Samoa Joe's Island Life were taken at the season's first football game that was on Saturday...The Mighty Warriors beat the Samoana Sharks 34-28...It was an awesome game...It should be an exciting year)...

Okay, lets begin our conversation on Gene...If you remember, I mentioned before that Gene was a student of mine who has been hanging out at the house a lot...Well, he's actually been pretty much living here with me in the house...When I told all y'all about this I got about three or four emails and messages asking me if I thought this was professional and appropriate...Being a teacher from the states, I've obviously thought about whether or not this relationship he and I have is appropriate and professional...However, here is my defense...Take it or leave it...And let me know what you think...Am I crossing a line that shouldn't be crossed?...

First of all, as I said before, I have totally questioned this friendship I have with Gene...I mean, if I were teaching in the states I would never have one of my students stay with me at my house...I would never even have them over...I would never even fathom it...Not only would I not cross this teacher/student relationship line because of the legal and professional ramifications that could happen, but I also just wouldn't want to cross it...It's hard to explain but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would have no desire or need to have a bond with a student like this...I'd have family (hopefully, my own) and friends that would keep me company...I'm in a unique situation on this island...Maybe I'm just trying to think of excuses but I truly think that on this island it's acceptable and tolerable...Gene and I's affiliation is accepted by the island...As well as myself...I have personally supported this situation...And I think the island has, too...Here are some random feelings on why I think Gene staying at my house is okay while I'm in American Samoa...

• Teachers are seen as family here...In the Samoan culture, teachers are considered second parents to the students...So, you'll see many of the students having close relationships with the teachers...Also, everybody is family here...In other words, many of the students are related to many of their teachers...It's utterly different than in the states...In fact, it's almost the opposite than in the states...Here school is familial...One big happy family...The relationships between all teachers and students is more intimate and loving...And that's why no teachers or students have come to me to express concern over Gene and I...It's simply accepted here...And, sometimes, encouraged and embraced...A lot of teachers have actually been happy for me to have had the companionship...They understand that I'm living alone in the house and that I'm far, far away from my family and friends...Hence, according to them, having a family-like brotherhood with Gene is beneficial and innocuous...

• Now that I've justified the friendship by telling all y'all that the community accepts it, I'd like to tell y'all why I, myself, have accepted it...This may sound hella weird, but I have found myself liking the feeling of taking care of someone...If you guys know me, I've always wanted a family...Er, a family of my own...I've always dreamed of having a bunch of kids...Now, I don't really see Gene as a son or anything...That would just be disturbing...But I am recieving a sense of family with Gene sleeping over at the house and eating here and stuff...For example, a normal day for me and Gene is this...I usually get home from school around 6:00...I'll make dinner and leave some for Gene who comes home around 7:00...(Just like my mom did for me)...We'll usually talk about his and my day as he eats supper...Most of the time this conversation deals with girls...He's a typical teenage boy who is always thinking about girls...And how crazy they are...And how heartbroken he is over one...I then make him do his homework before he can go on myspace or play video games or whatever...(By the way, I now know how hard it is for parents to help their kids with homework...That time of the night is very stressful...Gene doesn't have much patience to stay focused on his work...So I'm constantly redirecting him...I appreciate the fact that I have now seen both sides of giving homework and how it effects my students)...Then he'll have his free time while I do my work...Sometimes we'll play ping pong or video games...Finally, we go to sleep...(We have an extra bed and room since I don't have a roommate yet)...In the morning I'll wake him up and leave breakfast out for him and maybe some vitamins or whatever...On church days I've even ironed his clothes and got them ready...I've turned into a bonified mama...A housewife...As I said before, I kinda, oddly, have enjoyed it...It's made me feel valued and loved...I guess it's a feeling all parents feel...On this island at this moment in my life, Gene has been family to me...And I believe that's innocent enough...Right?...

So, what do you guys think?...Even after all of this justifying, will I still get a million "is that professional" comments from all y'all?...Is this relationship wrong?...Should I keep it strictly teacher/student?...Or is it acceptable while I'm on the island to be teacher/student/friend?...Or is it immoral and unethical?...And is it corrupt of me to lose or ignore my principles while I'm here in American Samoa?...I mean, I said I'd never have this relationship in the states...I think that'd be improper and illegal?...So why don't I feel that here on the island?...Am I losing my morals as I stay here?...Am I compromising my beliefs?...Or are my beliefs, created by the good ol' U.S. and A., mistaken and flawed?...Please, let me know what all y'all think...Who knows, I may have to kick Gene outta the house depending on what you guys tell me :-)

Miss ya and love ya...And remind me to tell you all next time about the roommate that's supposedly coming soon to live in the house...

-JOE

"We might just make it. Did that thought ever cross your brain? Well, regardless, I would rather take my chance out there on the ocean than to stay here and die on this shithole island spending the rest of my life talking to a god damn VOLLEYBALL!"

-from the 2000 film Cast Away