Samoa to change its time zone
Summary
13 May 2011
The Pacific island of Samoa is planning to move forward to a different time zone to help boost business. Samoa is currently 21 hours behind Australia, which is one of its biggest trading partners. The change in time zone is due to happen later in 2011.
Reporter:
Mike Wooldridge
Mike Wooldridge
Samoa markets itself as the last place on earth to see each day's sunset
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Report
When Samoa put itself on the east side of the international dateline back in 1892, it was apparently to do same-day businesswith Californian traders across the Pacific. Now the main trading partners are nearby New Zealand and Australia and countries in East Asia.
But on Sunday when Samoans are in church, cities such as Sydney and Brisbane are already into Monday and the new working week. And while Samoans are still doing business on Friday, Australians and New Zealanders have already begun their weekend.
There will be a price to pay: Samoa markets itself as the last place on earth to witness each day's sunset. But to compensate, the prime minister has another proposition for those who enjoy travel curiosities. By making a flight of less than an hour from the US territory of American Samoa, which isn't moving across the dateline, it will be possible to celebrate the same day twice - and on the same date, have two birthdays, two anniversaries or even two weddings.
Mike Wooldridge, BBC News
But on Sunday when Samoans are in church, cities such as Sydney and Brisbane are already into Monday and the new working week. And while Samoans are still doing business on Friday, Australians and New Zealanders have already begun their weekend.
There will be a price to pay: Samoa markets itself as the last place on earth to witness each day's sunset. But to compensate, the prime minister has another proposition for those who enjoy travel curiosities. By making a flight of less than an hour from the US territory of American Samoa, which isn't moving across the dateline, it will be possible to celebrate the same day twice - and on the same date, have two birthdays, two anniversaries or even two weddings.
Mike Wooldridge, BBC News
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Vocabulary
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- the international dateline
- the imaginary line which runs from north to south across the Pacific Ocean, marking the final place where one day ends and the first where a new one begins
- same-day business
- trading between people or companies which happens on one day
- traders
- here, people who buy and sell fruit and other crops
- in church
- attending a church
- into Monday
- living in Monday (while it is still Sunday in Samoa)
- a price to pay
- a negative result or consequence
- to compensate
- to make up for it
- proposition
- serious suggestion or suggested course of action
- travel curiosities
- surprising or interesting journeys or experiences
- anniversaries
- here, the day each year when a couple celebrate the date they got married or when their relationship started
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