Fun

“Your ideas of fun sure have changed,” my dad had told me today over the phone. I guess it has, but I haven’t taken the time to notice. At the time I had finished talking to him about training for the race, and my plans to bike around the island in a few weeks. I told him it was going to be fun, the first day after work biking about 35 kilometers until I get to another Peace Corps house to spend the night. The following morning, biking about 30 km to Ali. I told my dad that part was what I was worried about since there weren’t any villages and I really hope I will think to bring enough water and stay out of trouble. My dad asked if I was scared of rapists. “No,” I responded quickly, the truth was that thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. He was confused about what I was scared of, and I just said being well hydrated.

After that stretch, I will continue on about 10 km with Ali to the beach where a few of us will celebrate Father’s Day weekend together. (The Samoan Father’s Day is in August, and like Mother’s Day we have a day off for it.) After sleeping at the beach fales, I plan to bike 45 km to Salelologa to spend the night. The last day, I will finish up the trip with about 55 km. I am hoping I have the strength to make it the whole way, but the only real way to find out is to try it, and I am really excited for it.

Who knows, if I can do this maybe I can bike around Upolu next, and if I am feeling really strong, maybe I can try the Peace Corps challenge of biking around the island in one day. Plenty of boys have done it, but none of the girls have.

The fact that my idea of fun consists of biking around and running around, I guess my ideas of fun have changed. I play volleyball when I see a game going on, and sometimes try to join in on rugby, soccer, and other little games I see going on.

Our conversation continued with talking about the weather, and how I am going to have a hard time adjusting back to life in America, unless I move to a hot place, where I have my bike and running shoes.

Even though fun is different than it is in America, it still is fun.