Seven Weeks Away

This week I finally read through the field guide that WorldTeach sent me a month ago.  I’ll write a post later on about what I learned about the American Samoa education system, but for now here are some fun things I found out. 

• If I get cut by any of the coral reef I should get it check out by a doctor because coral can grow under skin! 
• There are 8 inch centipedes!!  You know I don’t do bugs.  After I read that the centipedes have an awful, but non-poisonous bite I decided to Google for what it looked like.  Bad idea.  Don’t do it.
• Tina (my nickname for my family) translates to “mother” in Samoan and it is the name used for older women.
• Samoa has a third gender.  Fa’afafine is a person who is physically male, but who takes on the demeanor, style, and work of a woman.

I also got more information about the trip.  I found out some stats about the group of volunteers going.  I think it is going to make for an interesting trip.

• There are 25 volunteers
• 17 females and 8 males (I picked yet another career with only a few males)
• 3 married couples
• 2 people are from the UK
• 13 states are represented
• 1 person who has volunteered with WorldTeach twice before
• An age range of 21-73 years old
• The average age is 30

I am glad there are older volunteers going who have experience teaching.  I think they will be a great resource.  I also received my tentative flight information.  I must be at Los Angeles International Airport at 8:00AM on July 16.  I will probably fly out of Richmond on July 15.

I guess I am now in the preparation stage.  It is beginning to set in that I am leaving in 7 short weeks.  I have an apartment to pack up and store, a test to study for and take, and numerous people that I want to spend time with.

Thankfully, the only vaccine that I need a booster for is Typhoid Fever.  I started in a few days ago and like all the oral travel medicines I’ve taken the side effects are hitting hard.  A few more days and I will have completed the medicine.