Samoa (cont.)

When I tell people that in Samoa, most of the showers are outside and that there is only one temperature of water (meaning no hot water), most of them can't believe it. Well, here are the pics to prove it! As you can see it is just PVC pipe and it comes out whatever temperature it is at in the ground. Kind of like the hose water in the summer. That first little bit is kind of warm, but after that, basically chilly.

In my past trips and the first couple days of this trip, I used the indoor shower. It's just made of cement so it's kind of dark and gloomy. A few years ago I took an outdoor shower at a girl's camp in the middle of the day. It was AMAZING. Ever since then, I've wanted an outdoor shower at my house just for those hot summer days. So I decided I wanted to try the outdoor shower in Samoa since the weather definitely warrants having an outdoor shower. BUT, my first experience with an outdoor shower was basically like the indoor showers in Samoa...just made of cinder block and had a shower curtain, just open to the top. But not in Samoa...there it is ALL open. So...I decided my first experience better be at night time so in case something went wrong, I wasn't COMPLETELY out in the open, literally.

So, you just wrap an ie lava lava around you and go at it. Just bring an arm inside with your soap and wash away. When you wash your hair, the ie is wet so it just clings to you. And yes, I even shaved this way. After you are done, you have to be tricky to wrap a towel around you, then drop the wet ie without dropping your towel. I was getting pretty good at it by the time we left, but that was always the most awkward part. It was so nice and refreshing, and truthfully, your time in the shower is the only time you feel that way. Once you turn the water off and get back inside to get dressed, you are hot and sticky again. Kuso was so proud that I was acting even more Samoan that he had to take pictures of me in the shower....nice. But it's great. Truly great. Probably my favorite part of spending time in Samoa.