Jane, and my ass & ASG

I wish my name were much more articulated something with more vowels, rather then a simple "Bar-ba-ra". Roosters can in fact imitate this sounds soo well, and I am still waking up every night and every morning thinking that somebody is calling my name. Very frustrating and freaking, I am looking forward to leave the island to get more good night sleep! Anyway, this are the latest news…

(pictures will come later on... i got none here at the moment...)

Yesterday I had the honor to host a wonderful woman from Russia living in Australia. Janie is presently traveling in Samoa with the son and the mother and decided to have one night off and come to visit me in American Samoa. We met in the Yacht Club (well, she first contacted me through the couch surfing project) and I decided to take her to see the WWII cannons that I once found in the jungle as I was looking for a piggery. The hike was at first difficult, and she must have initially have lost some faith in me, as we had to fight back some dogs, walk both through and on the edge of a recent landslide, and climb up on all fours on the side of the hill (and barefoot, to get more traction with our toes). Suddenly, we met a path of the size of a highway (exaggeration, but it was very big –at least 80cm wide-- and very clean). Never saw that path before. When we got to the cannons, they were all cleaned up and freshly repainted! Apparently the archaeological office is "restructuring" it and making a path for easy access during the Pacific Art Festival (this July). I have to say I was very disappointed at first, as these cannons were a bit like "my secret" place… well, few people knew about it, but the joy of the random discovery that day really made me feel like an Indiana Jones. The view from the cannons is anyway great, the entire harbor and all the way to Tafuna.

On the way back, we used the "highway" instead of sliding down the hill on my butt (as I would have down otherwise), and we noticed a new small path… why not, we decided to take it and explore it a bit. We ended up on the top of a very tall waterfall! They noise of the water falling and the shivers for being on the edge of the cliff were so energizing! And on the way back, instead of the dogs, we met a wonderful old man offering us cold drinks. Driving back home, we also picked up a full rugby team on the trunk of the truckosaurous and they serenade us… good day…

At night we had a BBQ with the fish that Capt John gave me on Sunday (did I ever mention that, as the only representative of the Italian mafia, I get 3 fishes every time the fishing boat comes in? Nadia and Brian helped me cleaning them on Sunday night, such a bloody and smelly job! But worth it!). Ben joined us. I just realized how he became one of those "island" myths, like it was Maximo (the Argentinean). When they are off-island the island somehow feels different…

This morning it was more of an adventure… To renew my contract I need to have a physical exam, but it is, truly, the stupidest thing ever! This would fit under the section: why you do not want to renew your contract…. In fact, why does Human Resource need to know about my gynecological visits? Why do I need to take a chest X-ray to work for ASG (American Samoa Government)? I am surprise they did not ask me to sing for them too, maybe if I am not good enough they won't let me work here because I would not be able to represent the agency with honor when we sing to the governor every Christmas… a note for the physician at the bottom says "This applicant will be working and living in an isolated, small tropical environment. Please take this into consideration during your physical and mental assessment of this person.” How many people went crazy here? Or they just want to make sure that none will need to use the hospital here? Who created this form and what on earth did he smoke when he did it???

American Samoa is a funny place, no doubts. If you go to the CIA webpage and you look at the country profile, under "government type" you find a big "N/A" (Not Applicable).

(https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/aq.html)

This tells you a lot about this place. If the CIA gave up understanding it, maybe I should too, but… seriously, none at ASG needs to know about my ass!!!