Work Smerk

Everyday I wake up and put my puletasi on for work. I do my morning routine with Jamie. Usually involves hitting the snooze button a few times. Then I make our lunches! Jameson loves this. I leave him little notes in his lunch everyday. He gets a kick out of it as I slowly realize I'm becoming my mother! She too would write me notes everyday. Too funny. After lunch, I pack my bag and we head out. I have about 2 other neighbors with room in their cars driving the same exact way to work ready to take me whenever I please, but Jameson refuses. Even though his work is on the opposite side of the island, he chooses to take me to work everyday. He says he likes our conversations...but I kinda just think he likes to check the waves!! Haha.
When I get to work, I'm greeted by the lovely front desk girls, Polotu and Sou. "Malo Lava Carol! Ua Mai oi?" (Hello Carolyn! How are you?) I respond, "Manuia! Fa'afetai!" (Good! Thank You!). You would think by 2 years I would know more Samoan but I really don't! Haha! I guess I can talk conversational and count to 10 but that about exceeds my max. Once I clock in, I go to my desk. It's a cute little desk equipped with my own computer, phone, and hello kitty mouse pad! Hehe. Then I  catch up on emails and at exactly 8:30, I'm assigned a school bus driver to take me to my destination . The island is only 28 miles long but the speed limit is only 20 mph. Haha! So  getting to my students takes a while! The bus drivers are hilarious. They are always asking if I'm hungry or if I want to stop for food. If they aren't trying to plump me up then they are asking if I'm pregnant. Haha I really can't win!! As the most obese country in the world, being overweight isn't an issue here. So when they ask if you're preggo or complain that you are too skinny, it's not meant to be rude. Being over weight is normal here. A little scary but true. I'm considered one of the skinny ones!!! And I'm seriously not. I'm the heaviest I've ever been  in my life, yet everyday someone comments how I need to gain more. It's insane. I am working really hard on my fitness, especially since after New Zealand! Eeek! I will get there. It's progress ,not perfection! I'm happy to have my other Palagi employee here! Her name is Allison and we are the only foreigners in the entire special education department!! Love her! I'm so happy to experience working in another country. I hope I never forget it.