Island Life on the weekend

As the weekend draws to a close I have to say it was quite an epic one. We started off on Saturday heading out to airport beach (obviously because it borders the airport) for some snorkeling and relaxing. Like every scenic destination here, it surprised us in the process of getting there. It seems every place Em and I have ventured to while I have been here has either been a lot shorter and easier then we expected, or a lot more difficult then we were counting on. This beach, which we thought would be a quick stroll to reach, ended up being a bit of a hike. We had no idea it would take as long as it did to reach the snorkeling area, but we both agreed it was a nice bit of exercise for a Saturday afternoon. We then spent a few hours observing the fish the reef had to offer, no notable sightings, but still quite enjoyable. The evening was uneventful, as we were both tired and decided to stay in and watch movies in hopes of getting up early to hike on Sunday.


We awoke bright and early Sunday morning ready to explore the island and do some hiking. Em wanted to make sure my last full day was eventful, she has been such a great tour guide! We called a few of her friends to join our adventure and set out to conquer a trail. Coincidentally, the trails here are so obscure and unmarked you need to find someone who has done the hike before to show you the way, so her friends served as great guides for us as well as added to the excitement of the day. We decided to hike up to the radio tower located on the highest point of the island, this ended up being the coolest hike (and one of the most challenging) I have ever done! It was about 4 miles total we estimated and beautiful forest scenery all around. It was not the length that made it a difficult hike but rather the abundance of ladder style steps with ropes that we had to pull ourselves up on like something straight out of a Survivor episode. Many were extremely steep and there were so many of these contraptions it was just plain crazy.

This was another island instance where we were not prepared for the task properly; we thought it would be a nice little hike, and it ended up being quite the event. Also, since the trails are so hard to find here (often you must go through a village and into someones back yard to find them) we started the hike off by literally scaling the side of a slippery hill resembling a spider man type maneuver, except much less graceful. We had run into a local woman (there aren't many around on Sundays due to church...the island basically shuts down for all day worship) and she assured us the trail was up on the ridge after asking us jokingly why we weren't in church that afternoon and wished us good luck...shoulda known hen we were in for a task! We hiked for about 4 hours total and we were all sweating and breathing harder then I think any of us had in a long time. Each time we would get up a steep ladder another would appear and we would sigh and grab the rope and heave ourselves up once again. Great workout!


When we finally reached the summit it was well worth all the work, the view was breathtaking. There was a little hut to rest and eat a snack and enjoy the view, and we ran into a nice New Zealand couple that we chatted with for a bit. In this hut there was a tupperware container with a guest book which was really cool. I have never been on a hike where there is a guest book at the summit, and we enjoyed leafing through it to see who had been there before us. We signed our names and were on our merry way. Once we finally reached the bottom of the hike we were weary and dragging just a bit, our legs were shaking but it was that good kind of pain. Michael, one of our fearless tour guides, proceeded to grab a coconut and start hacking away at it with his machete. I must say there isn't anything much better after a long hike then some fresh coconut milk straight from the source, it was amazing. We snacked on the coconut meat as well and it was delicious. Amazing idea. Great last full day in the island!

Friday afternoon golf at Ili'Ili Country Club

So yesterday Em introduced me to the Friday afternoon tradition of Golf at the Ili'Ili Golf Course, apparently a group goes every Friday to celebrate the end of the work week. There were 6 of us, and if anyone out there knows me they know I am definitely not a golfer...despite P's various attempts to introduce me to the sport I have never taken a shine to it. Emily assured me there is no skill necessary for this activity and despite the intermittent showers all day we set out to play a round. The game goes like this, basically everyone takes a shot and we play from the best ball on the course. So once we all hit the ball, we scramble into our carts and drive to retrieve the balls that were not the best shot and then drop them by the best ball to shoot again. If anyone has seen the movie House Guest with Sinbad, the way they play golf on this island reminded me of the scene where they play speed golf. It was a hilarious afternoon of scrambling, driving all over the greens, and laughing hysterically at how bad we all are. Emily even managed to fling her club about 50 feet in the air at one point which was pretty classic. The hilarity was amplified by the fact that it was literally POURING rain 90% of the time, and we played right on through. About 1 minute into the game we were all completely soaked and barefoot and loving every minute.

On the mainland the sight of some rain would have people heading into the lodge (Ili'Ili lodge pictured here...lil shoddy), but apparently in American Samoa they just play on through rain or shine. Makes for an interesting round, and seeing as it is a tropical island it tends to rain intermittently almost every day at least for a little while so it is fairly common to end golf sopping wet. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of us during or after the game because it was pouring so hard I didn't want to risk taking my camera with me, but trust me we looked like we had jumped into the ocean with our clothes on...classic. Anyways it was a great time and afterwards we all headed to the Rose Garden for a group meal of delicious Chinese food. Good times!

Evening at Tisa's: Traditional UMU Feast

Wednesday night Em decided to take me back to Tisa's, where each week they have a traditional Samoan feast that I decided could not be missed (please check out the link for more details about this event). A few others joined us for the evening, and it was a good time.


Basically this feast is cooked in an UMU, or a traditional oven made from hot rocks and food, a process they have been doing for centuries. All the food is buried under rocks and leaves and left to cook for 3 hours. While we waited for the unveiling we enjoyed the fresh coconut milk fruit drinks and chatted while the sun went down. The food was interesting, it included bread fruit (actually tastes like bread), bananas, sweet potatoes, shrimp, turkey and chicken. They also made various sauces and dips to put with the food, which is all eaten with your hands...quite messy! Here are some pictures from the evening, but be sure to follow that link to get the full idea of what this feast is all about.

A couple days in the life of a Marine Biologist in American Samoa

Yesterday and today I was lucky enough to be able to see what life is like as a Marine Biologist on the island, and I'll tell you they are living the dream! A biologist friend of Emily's named Alden that works for the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources agreed to take me on a few of his surveys while she was occupied at the office. Alden is here studying sea turtles, dolphins and whales and he basically has the coolest job ever. He has about 10 sites he monitors for sea turtles and I got to help him survey 4 of these sites in he past 2 days. Surveying basically consists of throwing on some snorkel gear, hopping in the water, and sweeping back and forth looking for turtle sightings. Once we make a sighting he has this cool underwater paper and pen that he uses to record what type of turtle it was, the time he saw it and what the turtle was doing (sleeping, foraging, swimming away, etc.). The reefs were beautiful, so many colors, corals and vibrant fish I felt lucky to have been invited into the world of a biologist.


Our first survey site I spotted the first turtle right below me, he was a green turtle and he was beautiful, he stayed right below me for a good minute and I was able to see him up close and personal...so cool! We went on to spot a few other turtles that were called hawksbill turtles (pictured above) which have a beak like a hawk. Over the four survey sites I spotted some really cool creatures such as a giant clam (like the one pictured below-really was that blue inside!) and a few giant conchs. I've always seen the empty shells of these creatures but never a live one on the ocean floor which was really cool. We spotted 5 or 6 more hawksbill turtles as well and that was exciting, they are so graceful as they glide through the reef it is an amazing sight. One of the sites even took us to the very East side of the island where the road literally ends, and there is a very peaceful and quiet community removed from the main town.


I had an amazing time exploring the reefs and seeing a marine biologist in action. I am so jealous that this job exists and it just makes me realize all the different opportunities there are out there for people who do not want to get stuck behind a desk, it gives me hope. I feel as if this was such a unique opportunity and I am lucky to have been included, thanks Alden. It was a wonderful experience and I have the awesome bootie tan lines around my ankles to prove it... Next time I will remember to put some sunscreen on my calves before I spend an afternoon snorkeling! Ouch!

A day of sleeping, walking & paddling

Yesterday I spent the morning catching up on some much needed rest. Em didn't have anything for me to do in the office so I slept in, with the notion that I would meet her around four to go paddling. I must have been more tired than I realized because I slept for a good portion of the day. I think all the travel, hiking, running around had finally caught up with me...but it felt great to sleeeeep! When I finally awoke I felt the need to be active IMMEDIATELY, or else I would have wasted my day and that is not good. Em had told me I could take a bus into her office (about a 25 minute drive) but I decided I would walk it. I needed the exercise and the walk is mostly right along the water and very pretty. I set out about 2 hours before our meeting time, I calculated that this is about how long it would take me, and I grabbed my ipod and started my journey.

The walk was quite enjoyable, with a highlight being that I discovered the AmeriCorps American Samoa Office and went in for a chat. There was only one young lady working but she told me a bit about their program; they have 30 members on the island with 4 different programs they focus on ranging from literacy and youth to the environment. They have the same hour commitment (1700) but the pay is about half which makes sense considering the much lower cost of living here. Members are also provided with housing, which is huge, plus gas and even a car in some instances. It is always fascinating to me to hear about the logistics of other programs, there are so many variations of AmeriCorps and each oe is so unique. I love discovering AmeriCorps Programs everywhere I go, it makes me feel so connected and there is definitely an instant camaraderie.

I walked a solid 1 hour and 45 minutes, but in fear of being late for paddling I had to jump on a bus to ride out the last 5 minutes or so. These buses are quite an interesting cultural addition here and I was glad to hop on one for a short while for the experience. They are basically converted trucks that families operate and apparently they break down quite a bit. There are tons driving around the island and all you have to do is flag them down and they will pick you up and drive you places for ~$1. They are all painted creatively, with themes such as the Finding Nemo bus and the coral reef bus, even the bus stops are painted (which apparently happened during the big push for beautification right before the festival). They are pretty comical, and people just cram in and ride along listening to blaring beats on the bus's speakers. Definitely not your average public transport but I got to where I needed to go.


I arrived at Em's office ready to go paddling, which I have heard so much about since I have been here. During the festival it was postponed, so this was our first chance to go out. Apparently Tuesdays & Thursdays they take the commoners out, which includes all the people who are not on the official team that just want to experience and enjoy paddling. We grabbed our paddles and hopped in the canoe-like boat, long and thin with 5 seats and a captains chair in the rear. We set out into the bay, the day was gorgeous and it felt great to be out on the water. This was definitely not a leisurely excursion either, they work you, and you have to paddle your heart out. I enjoyed paddling immensely, the view of the lush island from out on the water was beautiful and I felt new muscles that had not been used in who knows how long. On one of our rests we caught a glimpse of a sea turtle bobbing his head out of the water and flapping his fins at us which was really cool. Today I am a bit sore and it feels nice. Unfortunately I was un able to capture us paddling with a photo (way too wet to bring a camera) but I took a pic from the internet of some Samoan paddlers in the same type of boat we used so you get the idea. Fun stuff!

Palagi Beach & a Rose Garden luncheon

Today Em and I rose bright and early ready to take the other half of the Hawaii delegation on the Fagatele hike. We went to Cost-U-Less (A. Samoan version of Costco) and stocked up on water, juice, Gatorade, and snacks ready to brave the day. Unfortunately (or maybe not) we got a call after our run around saying they had cancelled due to lack of transportation (today was a government issued holiday due to the festival) so there we were with a free day! Em decided to take me to this amazing beach thats pretty off the beaten path, we picked up her friend Jeremy and headed out. They call this place Palagi Beach (or white peoples beach) because that is mainly who goes, and this beach was incredible!!! It looked like the pictures you see in the tropical calenders, slanted palm trees, coconuts, coral covering the ground, and crystal clear water. We hiked to the end of the beach, which apparently is the western most point before the International Date Line. Pretty Cool. SO beautiful, here are some of the better pics, not to rub it in or anything, they were just too good not to share...After we explored the beach all day we were famished! We had walked quite a ways and scaled rocks and cliffs, swam in the water, and been drained by the sunshine so it was time to grub. Em and Jeremy took me to the Rose Garden Chinese restaurant where at first we feared they were closed because there was no one in the whole place. It was pretty classic, we walked in and hollered hello, a few minutes later they escorted us in, turned on the lights and music, and informed us they would call the chef. That's American Samoa for you I guess... We proceeded to order as Em put it "half the menu" and made quite a dent. It was super yummy and a great end to a wonderful afternoon.

Sunday Adventures...Nu'uli Falls & Sliding Rock

Today Em and I set out to explore some of the natural beauty of the island, she has been such a great tour guide for me and insists on packing it in which is awesome. We picked up a few interns from Brown that wanted to come along for the fun, they are here studying Diabetes for the summer. We started off hiking up to Nu'uli falls, which was short but beautiful. The path was quite thickwith brush, it was clear not many people take this trail so it was fun trying to find our way up to the falls. The falls were beautiful, and so

refreshing to take a dip in. We swam around for a bit and enjoyed the lush greenery and tranquil surroundings. 

After the falls we headed to sliding rock, a beautiful look out point with

tide pools and swimming holes. You feel as if you are on the edge of the world here it was incredible.

We lounged around for awhile and I even took a quick nap on the rocks. Tonight we plan on another quiet night in relaxing before we do the Fagatele tour again tomorrow morning. Now it is off to the kitchen to help Em with the delicious pineapple pork chop recipe she found online...mmmmm...

Tisa's Barefoot Bar & a birthday party American Samoa style

After our Friday hike Em and I prepared for one of her crew member's birthday party on the other side of the island. We decided it would be fun to bake a cake, so we proceeded to get ready and bake simultaneously. We met up with 2 guys on Em's street plus a dog, and all piled into the car and headed out. On the way there we drove past a place called Tisa's Barefoot Bar (I had seen this place mentioned on another person's blog as having AMAZING pina coladas made with fresh coconut milk...mmmm) so I insisted we stop for a bit. Lucky we did, there just happened to be a live performance going on by the Cook

 Island drummers & dancers. The show was amazing, as was my pina colada, and Em insisted I ask the group for a picture. So glad I did...

We arrive to Aaron ad Naomi's house for the celebration, and what a house it was. 3 Bedroom house literally about 100 feet from the water, and the rent...$1200...makes me a bit sick to think of my studio for the same price in LA. The view was amazing (pictured below) and the house was complete with a porch and hammock to relax and take it all in. Everyone here is so nice and we had a lovely potluck with everyone grilling different things and even cupcakes were made in addition to our cake. It is a very community living type situation here and since restaurants are so scarce and unimpressive (only ~1000 tourists come here per year) it seems the best food is what everyone cooks themselves. The evening was a lot of fun, and we all had a big sleep-over since we were on the other end of the island.

In the morning it was another communal meal, I cooked up some hot dog sausages, Em 

prepped some eggs, and Jeremy (one of the crew) made delicious hash browns. We ate and enjoyed the sound of the crashing waves as well as the incredible view and god company. After brekkie Em and I decided to do a bit of snorkeling (why not since we just had to cross the road) and see what we could see. We had a lot of fun and the reefs were beautiful, some noteworthy sightings were two gorgeous lion-fish, bright blue starfish 

and a shy octopus. Can't wait to go again! 

Tonight it is off to a good-bye party for a medical intern leaving Sunday, should be fun although I am pretty tired. I know once we get moving I will be ready to mingle some more, so must go get ready! 

Fagatele Bay hike

Today Em and I took the 20 or so from the Hawaiian delegation (half the group) on a hike/tour of the preserve. It was quite an adventure, and quite a feat! The Hawaiians weren't exactly prepared for a hike, apparently they thought they were going for a stroll down to the beach, and man this was not exactly an easy stroll. 

They showed up in flip flops and even had a 3 year old that had to be carried the entire hike!! I loved the hike, it was through dense jungle foliage with geckos running by our feet. Every once in a while we would have a look out point that gave stunning views of the ocean. We all made the trek, and at the end took the group snorkeling. Em ad I were exhausted at the end, it was pretty tiring leading this group, but it was great leadership experience. They were very nice, an hung in there through all the slippery slopes and uncharted trails, this path has only been around for about a year or so. 

Not much else to note, but the views were incredible, so I will let the photos speak for themselves....