Making my day

I just got back from the hospital and visiting Kati. It’s pretty much official. She’ll be leaving to go home next week. It’s hard to believe. A small cut and now she’s looking at having to get skin grafts to repair some of the damage caused by the bursting blisters. The culture came back today as a staph infection. Apparently 90% of Samoans are carriers of the bacteria which explains why it was so puzzling to us. I’m planning to go into Apia tomorrow to do some gift shopping for Kati since she won’t be able to now.

I think I’ve mentioned the incredibly friendliness of Samoans, but I have two more examples. After leaving the hospital I began walking back down towards Apia. I figured that if I had to wait for the bus I might as well get some exercise at the same time. Several minutes later a taxi pulled up beside me and the woman in the passenger seat asked me where I was headed. I replied Apia and she offered to let me ride with them. Turns out the lady works at Med Cen (the private hospital where Kati is staying) and she and her husband were on their way into town to do laundry. She’d been working last night and I guess recognized me.

The second example involves my research. Last fall one of the boys on the program had worked with someone at SPREP on a project involving climate change. Jackie recommended that I contact him to see if he couple at least help point me in the right direction. Despite the fact that alternative energy is not his field at all he has done so much to help me. He has provided me with names and contact information, and invited me to come by his office anytime. Since it’s only a five minute walk from the hospital I scheduled a meeting for today. We talked for about an hour and he gave me all sorts of tips and pointers, offered to dig up some reports for me that I would probably not have access to otherwise, gave me some more names, showed me around the office, and then drove me by the store to pick up some of the most delicious apples I’ve ever had (they were for Kati but I bought one for myself as well), and then to the hospital. He went out of his way so much. I was amazed. He has to be busy, but he was so willing to help a student. I think back in America it would be incredibly hard to get the kind of access that is, I fear, going to become second nature to me before I leave.

Tonight is the talent show. Wish us luck! We have to perform our dance again.