The Longest Day

I never thought that I would become a blogger, but I have succumbed to its easy accessibility, wealth of information, and use of time. Most of you are painfully aware that in a whirlwind decision, I packed up and moved to American Samoa. The island is so small that it looks like a miniature discoloration on the map, but maybe that is a good thing. It keeps tourists away and lets those of us who actually live here get an authentic experience.
The flight here was long. I boarded the plane in Lubbock at 5:30 am, and had to sit by a very interesting fellow. He was on his way back from medical leave from basic training. He knew that his last hours of smoking were upon him so he took the liberty to smoke 7-12 packs before boarding. He was also a gimp. This kid, literally, had his arm in one of those post surgery sling things that force your arm to stay at a constant 90 degree angle. I felt semi sorry for him but that doesn't mean that I wanted his arm as a chin rest. After I said so long to him I got an even more interesting experience with a male softball team. Somehow I was placed in the center of a middle aged male softball team. Sounds innocent enough, but this team was full of those creepy high school coaches with a second agenda. Never the less, they kept me entertained for 5 hours with stories that I am still trying to decide the authenticity of. The flights from there on were fairly routine, and I was lucky enough to get the row to myself from Honolulu to Pago Pago. I just knew that I was going to have to sit next to one of the biggest people that I have ever seen, but instead I was able to lay down and sleep.
Getting off of the plane was an interesting experience. Because the airport is poles with a roof, you have to walk down the stairs and hike to the airport. The minute I stepped outside the plane I felt like I had been hit a wall of humidity. I can not stop talking about it because I have never felt anything like it. On the other hand, the humidity allows American Samoa to be breathtakingly beautiful.
I took a tour of the island yesterday, and it is amazing. I went by the school and saw my classroom and met my kids. It is going to be such a great learning experience for me and hopefully them too. I also saw "downtown" and the tuna canneries. I said that I would be more open minded and less picky about food while I was down here, but driving by the tuna factory changed my mind. I can almost promise that I will NEVER ever allow tuna to touch my lips. I can't wait to experience all of the adventures that this island is promising to provide. Until next time....