In just a few short hours, we will be departing for the Pacific Island group known as Samoa. No folks, we know what you are thinking. This is not Somalia. This is not your beloved girl scout cookie.
Samoa (pronounced Saa- mowa, by their people) is regarded as the most pristine of the island nations in the Pacific island chain. Still holding on respectfully to their tradition and to their land. We get to experience the village based, subsistence farm way of life that these Samoan friends have been living for many moons. But we also take a look at how this "developing island nation" is responding to pressures of modern economics and the pressures of tourism.
The villages of Safua, Faga, and Lalomanu will provide us with a home, heaps of smiles, lots of singing and dancing, beautiful ocean surroundings, and lots of love. We are extremely fortunate to get to spend 3 weeks of our semester in this blessed place.
No doubt our families and friends will be on our minds and our hearts as we continually drop our jaws in reaction to the beauty of people and nature in abundance all around us.
ps. That is Kevin
pss. Hey Gretchen and Pete - how are you doing? love, Julie and Matt
1 comment:
Well written.
Glad you like our islands/people.
Sure, we got a few problems: We have just put together the following 6-7 blogs, namely:
COUNTRY SUPPORT PROGRAMME – GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY (GEF)
http://gef-passamoa.blogspot.com - 47 Posts all about the GEF fundings, Pacific Alliance of Sustainability (PAS), its projects in Samoa and the Pacific, our GEF library/database and communication medium for all our Government Ministries, stakeholders, villagers, etc.
SOUTH PACIFIC VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT
http://villagedevelopmentoperationsmanual.blogspot.com – 7 Posts all about developing our villages more sustainably.
We may use this site as an environmental curriculum, a village development training resource or just to see how far we’ve got to go to re-attain sustainability within the Pacific
MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL PARKS AND OTHER PROTECTED AREAS
http://powpasamoaPhase1.blogspot.com – 3 Posts - Wildlife Conservation Project in Samoa – including micro-financing as a socio-economic incentive - we have just received $USD150,000 GEF/UNDP grant for improving the management of our Protected Areas in Samoa. However, another $USD100,000 is expected for Phase 2 (by March, 2008)and hence http://powpasamoaPhase2.blogspot.com (0 Posts and under construction)
CLIMATE HEALTH ISSUES IN SAMOA
http://climatehealthsamoa.blogspot.com - 3 Posts – looking at all the climate-related health issues in Samoa as part of the National Action Plan for Adaptation (NAPA) to Climate Change - $USD2million to be provided from LDC Fund for Climate Change
MEMOIRS FROM THOSE PACIFIC DAYS
http://nuanuasooaemalelagi.blogspot.com – 208 Posts - an account of the Plight of Pacific Kids - light reading (after hours) – poems, draft film-script brief, short stories and more
COMMUNITY TOURISM IN SAMOA
http://schoolgroupssamoa.blogspot.com – 7 Posts – Samoa is an ideal holiday destination for school kids - all about getting school groups here into our villages as an income-generating activity via educational tourism/community tourism
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