An Introduction

Several month ago, my girlfriend Lisa moved out to American Samoa to spend a year teaching high school students at Samoana High School. Several days ago, I made my long-anticipated (by Lisa at least) arrival myself. I'll be spending the next 8 or so months living with Lisa and her two roommates in Utulei, a village located in the Pago Pago area on the island of Tutuilla. I'm not quitting my job as a professional sports bettor; I'll be working from my computer on the beach or at one of the island's WiFi hotspots (or both!).

American Samoa has been an American territory since around 1900, and the American influence is noticeable. There is a McDonalds, Carl's Jr., and even a combination KFC/Pizza Hut. The increasingly western diet has led American Samoans to be some of the largest people in the world. American Samoa is also known for its football prowess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSF-aFgo5RE&feature=related

The island only has one main road, numbered 001. The maximum speed limit on the island is 25 mph, which may seem slow, but in fact there are rarely opportunities to drive faster, as the road hugs the coastline in most places. There are plenty of cars--actually, there are more pickup trucks and SUVs--but American Samoa has an interesting bus system that I will regularly be taking advantage of. It's extremely easy to catch a bus (since there is only one road) and if you are in the Pago Pago area, buses drive by about every minute. Just put out your hand as if you are patting a dog and the bus will pull over for you. The buses are not your typical American buses--think of them as half pickup truck, half bus. The front literally is a pickup truck, but the bed was replaced by a wooden bus structure. The buses are colorful and loud. Nearly all have tricked-out sound systems, with multiple subwoofers in the back, and an amp and out-of-market speakers in the front. Drivers blast jams like the Samoan remake of Justin Bieber's "Baby Baby". Generally, the buses only cost $1 regardless of where you are going.

White people (called palagi in Samoan) are considered somewhat exotic. The western depiction of Americans as sexually promiscuous has led to a somewhat distorted view of palagi. Samoans are very...forward.. about their intentions regarding palagi. One Samoan girl, after talking with me for a few minutes AND meeting my girlfriend, asked me to watch her change. Another girl told me she loved me. So much for the idea of the "Ugly American".

The house that Lisa, her roommates Jill and Katherine, and I live in is very basic. We have the necessities, but no real amenities. And I'm including air conditioning and hot water as amenities. It will take some time before I'm used to cold-water showers. Despite the accommodations I'm really enjoying life here. I've taken a bunch of pictures already, which I will upload when I figure out how. But right now, I'm off to some Samoana High School talent show/pageant, where Lisa is serving as the honorary timekeeper.