First Posting....

Hello,
At the request of my friends back in the US, I have decided to start a blog.  I figured this would be the best way to keep everyone up to date on my adventure in the tiny island territory of American Samoa.  I have moved here to work for the US Dept of Agriculture with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). 

I have been on the island for a week, today actually.  I have to say that it is beautiful here.  The weather is warm, the breeze steady and the people have hearts as big as their waistlines.  The title for the Blog is Palagi in Paradise, I chose this name because Palagi, meaning people of the sky in Samoan ('g' is pronounced 'ng' like in ring) is the term used for white people here on the island.  American Samoa comprises small islands for a total landmass of 119 sq miles.  It is considered a territory of the U.S. so it recieves federal aid and has federal agencies like mine working in it.  But in most other aspects it is its own country (you have to go thru a seperate customs and immigration when you arrive here) and there are people from all over the world that live and work on this little chunk of paradise in the South Pacific.  The island is comprised of volcanoes, some dormant, some active and most settlements are situated along the coast.

My job with the NRCS is to assist producers in implementing conservation on their farmlands.  In American Samoa this involves controlling erosion on steep slopes and improving animal waste and raising facilities for pigs.

Alright, that is enough blabbering, after many requests here are some pictures.....more to come.

My little truck i'm borrowing from my boss

The view from a little village on the top of a mountain, the air is significantly cooler up here.

The view of my office from only a third of the way up the mountain.

Larsons Cove, my planned adventure hike for Saturday