vik, good to hear your voice, it sounded fresh and full with quiet attitude. we have 3 trail walkers in the house tonight, they stopped in , by chance to hear the schraders playing on the parkside deck, in the cold august night. thinking of your life and these boys and moving on... good luck. love dada.

Grazing the Corners
Hey brother,
Got your pix!! they were awesome. There has only been two times in my life when I have looked at another person and thought they looked like me (or I looked like them). One was on the back cover of a magazine for Adidas Taekwondo (kinda freaked me out a little) and the other was the pic of you and the kids in what looked to be a truck. I was like "I've never been to Samoa, and I have never seen those kids." "What a minute...thats Vik." holy cow! Kind freaked me out...Damn your handsome. haha.
I had an exciting weekend. Friday I did personal security for Rip Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons. He is from Coatesville and does this huge charity event at Ash Park and I was supposed to be watching Chauncey Billups all day (as security, as funny as that sounds, a 5'10" 190lbs white kid from D-town security for a 6'7" NBA player) but he didnt show up so I spent the day at Rips side. Really nice guy does a lot for the community. He also got my number so when he comes to play the Sixers he gonna "toss me tix." I told him I must cheer for the hometeam cause I dont stray from my roots. He said when he plays the Sixers he's not sure who he wants to win cause he grew up a huge Philly fan. Kind cool. N e way. Hope all is well with everyone reading this. Power to the peaceful. LOVE!
Lonnie

Grazing the Corners
Viko sent you an email but thought id weigh in on the blog for good measure. things are going well. bought my tix to jamaica the other day so that will be cool, hope to see you there. kneil is back for a few weeks then going back to mississippi. i guess his first trip with his batallion will be to ohkinawa japan then he gets leave for some amount of time then he has to go to either iraq or kuwait. hes signed up for 5 years though so there will also be some stuff after that too. as for the homtown teams the sox have been sliding a little bit lately but the pats start playing for real sept 10 and look to crush the entire nfl as they did in the years of 2001 2003 and 2004. we have a favorable schedule and a weak division so im assuming we will cruise through the regular season and then bust some heads in the playoffs for our 4th title in 6 years. and if it sounds like im baiting some of the philidelphia fans that may be reading this blog then you know me too well.

Shirley - i actually have been to maine quite a bit on the weekends, just keep missing you. i ran into leah at the pub one nite and escorted her back to the house but you were in philly with gmom. i stopped by one other time but no one was home. saw jaque, looks like hes adjusting to the great outdoors fairly well. not sure when im coming up again but ill try and stop in again.

Everyone else - [fill in witty and inspiring quote here]

Take it easy, all the best,
Chuck

Grazing the Corners Viko,
I can just imagine a big Samoan guy whackin' you on the back "HEy Viko". I picture the big Hawaiin guy from 50 first dates, Tattoo face. HAHA. I read the blogs and picture everything immediatly, its really fun for me to do that thanks for the good descriptive letters. I went to Assateague Island this weekend in MD and went swimming at night in the ocean (HUGE fear of mine, but I did it!) I experienced the glowing phosphorous that comes off your body in the water, kinda freaked me out at first but then it was cool. (Leah the roots you talked about were giving off phosphorous also, so we both experienced the same thing for the first time...at the same time...away from each other, weird) HAHA. Anyway, had a great time thought of you all a lot. Can't wait to hear the next one. You crack me up.
p.s. we had a long ride to the island so we all started telling stories and I busted out the one where you drove down to G-moms around Easter time and ventured into the easter basket your family gave you and how about you found the "special" egg that Leah put Goat poop in....AND YOU ATE IT!. Everyone was laughing uncontrollably.
Love!

Vik!!!!
Reading your blog made me so happy, I can really imagine things better now. I am so proud of you! You're really doing it!!!
I went to the island party this weekend and found these roots in the woods that glow in the dark! I also saw a bald eagel poop in the lake, and of course played some wild music all night long!!!
I cannot say all that I am experiencing now, a letter is on the way. Point is, I am learning how huge life is, just how far away the sky is, and how close hearts can live.
I love you so much
leah

INCHING TOWARDS THE END OF THE BEGINING

I LOVE my blog, even though i hardly ever get to post and read, when i do it really lifts me up!!! Thanks so much for your support and loving words, it feels amazing to know that we are all still living togeather while worlds apart.

Over the last month a lot has happened. Training has begun to show signs of completion and i think the group is in a state of disbalief, that we will be on our own soon, and ecxitement for the next step.

So, in talking to my mom a few weeks ago i realized how poorly i've described what is actually going on here. For the past two months our entire group has been living in a village togeather, each with different familes and going through intense language and cultural training, mon-sat (now you know why were so excited to get out of class!!!). This past week was a huge deal because we found out where out true - permanent - villages will be and took a week to visit them.......on our own!!! What a crazy time that was.

My new home..Samalaeulu...is on the island of Savai'i and is a monster of a village, 800 + people, 5 churches (diff. congregations), a primary school, the biggest river in the country runs through the center (but only flows....rages actually....3 or 4 days out of the year, the rest of the time its bone dry, i hiked it to the ocean on thursday, it took 3 hours round trip!!!) and is surrounded by lava fields (which are odly alien like, i had no idea what it was when drove by, it looks like some exploded a huge Bic pen all over the coast line, blobs and bubbles).

So, my counterparts seem extreamly proactive. There is a committe that was set up to wirk alongside me, and they have list os projects they are intersted in working on. The most apparent at the moment is education. Math and Science!!!!! The primamry school is so so short staffed, and from tuesday trough the end of the week i had ad-hoc tutoring sessions in my "room" at the Womens Committe house. What a trip that was. It was great though, math, drama, accounting, essay writing, were the main subjects. I think theres enough kids that need help that i could bring every reder of this blog over and keep you busy day after day. Pomento genes kicking in again....love it!!

I think a book drive might be in order, for all the teachers out there. Maybe a whiteboard and markers aslo for the tutoring session.....details later.

This last week got me really excited. I was worried as to how i would fit in, and how useful i could be in my community. Even though it was only a week i felt really good.....ALIVE!!!!!!

On August 23rd, we all swear in, become true volunteers, are cut off from the training staff and pushed out on our own. Right now i'll say that it cant come soon enough....check back in a few months for a response to this note...i think it will be possitive.

-Sarah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! I sent a letter and some picture of you and Leah, i hope you receive them!!!! Love you and hope you have a hell of a good time. Your old!!!!

-Grand Mom and Aunt Rosie/Lisa, thanks so so so much for the cookies, the made it into my stomach and those of the other volunteers and my Samoan brothers and sisters just fine. SOOOOOO good. Thanks!!! Also, G-mom, i hope your feeling alright, Im so sad that you fell and hope your feeling better.-

-Mom and Dad, Thanks for the notes, it was so good to hear from you on the phone mom, i have a new number for you (give it later, and i hope it didnt break the bank). Sounds like your having a great summer. Please send little Drew's address i write him a letter but have no where to send it.-

-Jaque, good to hear you the man of the house again, keep up the good work. Try to talk less and listen more, its a skill i've been learning as well. Also, keep a big smile and laugh...they may be the key to happiness.-

-Lon, i ove the reflections and words of wisdom, your spark inspires us all. The kids here would love a round house kick lession!!!! Natural atheletes.

Im headed off to play a softball game with the Peace Corps, Japanese volunteers, and a bunch of Aussie volunteers. Should be a hell of a good time.

I do need some things, not extreamly urgent...but welcomed. - new watch, plastic/rubber band w/ an alarm, not expensive. - new books, from my pile at home -board shorts, one pair, not white, style is welcomed, size 32 (and not really shrinking or growing) - gum, granola bars, box of mac and cheese, little stuff like that, im in a country where these easy to grm items at the store are not so easy to grab - crayons, the kids tear through the boxes !!!

I healthy, happy, having fun, speaking Samoan pretty ok ( i can get through conversations with out english...simple ones), anjoying this beautiful country and its people and felling realy alive!!!

"The more challenges the situations you put yourself in, the higher you set your goals, the more you will get out of life"-Lost in Mongolia, Colin Angus - DONT BE SCARED!!! -

Huge hugs and silly kisses from Samoa,

Viko (new..new name)

Grazing the Corners
Schraders
As I walked down the uncertain road of life I felt the warmth of light in front of me even though I could not see it. In my path were slippery rocks, sharp branches and suffocating darkness yet I still felt the warmth of the light which I could not see. With each step I encountered unparallel disaster and life ending threats, yet, I still felt the warmth of the light which I could not see. As I tried to maneuver I became more disabled but at the same time more intelligent. I was now able to move with ease even though I became battered and bruised along the way because I felt the warmth of the light I could not see. There is no map for this journey however there is a guide that will lead the way if you find it. Hope is the emotion that will let you feel the warmth of the light that you cannot see and keep you moving through with reason. Lon
My love is with you always.