Tala Fou

I sat down at my computer in the little internet cafe in Apia today expecting to get a few emails. I didn't expect to get the first one in my inbox.

I GOT AN INTERVIEW AT THE U!

I am so excited I can hardly stand it. Things in Samoa have gone quite well so far. I have been in a ton of meetings (with the Minister of Health, Red Cross people, and a local doctor) and have done some training as well.

The first training was yesterday, and it went quite well. I trained some ministry employees and ambulance drivers. Today I trained some ministry employees. Considering the fact that it's been almost four years since I left Samoa, things have gone well. I've got one more training on Saturday in Faleula, the village where I started my mission.

I also have to speak in church on Sunday. I was sitting in church last week and at the end of sacrament meeting, the bishop (who is also the man I'm staying with) announced that I would be the "special" speaker. That means I get to speak about whatever I want, and that I go last. So when the youth speaker doesn't take all of his time, I get to fill it in. In Samoan. Wish me luck.

It has been a great trip and I have really made some good progress with getting a full fledged EMS system set up. I am working with several physicians in Utah, the National University of Samoa, the Ministry of Health, the National Health Services, and some of my teachers to try and get a paramedic program set up as well as training for the rest of an EMS system. It's promising, and hopefully it will all happen over the course of the next five years. Even on Samoan time, that's pretty realistic.

Not the girl scout cookies

Come Wednesday morning, this is where I'll be. I'm leaving y'all with this crap weather and going back to my island home. I'm going to be teaching locals about first aid, CPR, some packaging/transport techniques, as well as some fundamental stuff like dehydration. I'm also going to meet (or at least try to, despite repeated attempts, communication is not their forte) with the Minister of Health, President of the National University and Red Cross people to discuss starting an EMT-B training program.

It has been quite the ride getting this all put together. I've had a lot of late nights (it's 4:54am right now) getting the training materials translated and ready to go. My contributions and time pail in comparison to the love and service I was shown while living amongst these wonderful people.

I'm super stoked. in between training and meetings, I'll be spearfishing and eating mangoes until I explode.