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Scenes from Upolu
These are the flowers on one of the most beautiful trees.
You’re old
I was online, with time to kill so I did something I don’t do often, talk to some friends from high school. One of the people I talked to was Mark, and he said his elementary school was having a reunion this year, and I brought up that fact that this year marked ten years since Tottenville High School.
“You’re old,” I was told. Mark is only a year younger than me, but it made me laugh. I get told that plenty of times while being in Samoa. They ask me why I am as old as I am without a husband or kids. I am always told just to pick someone and reminded how important family is. It isn’t that I don’t value the importance of having a family, I just have a different set of priorities at this point in my life.
I am selfish and want to live my life for me. I want to do what I want, without people telling me, “No, you can’t do that.” Living with a family now, I am told that sometimes, but I try not to let that discourage me. I validate this by telling the Samoans I meet that if I had a husband or kids, it would be harder for me to come volunteer in Samoa, since I would have to stay in America with them.
I never really thought of myself as being old, because relativity I am not old. I am just experienced. I live my life without looking back.
While talking to Mark, we talked about where my life might take me when I finish my service. I mentioned how I want to finish my masters degree, but not sure if I will continue it in teaching. Although I love teaching, it can get real frustrating dealing with the politics inside a classroom in America. He suggested moving to a different city, where it might be better.
We had a good time trying to decide what might be the “perfect city” for me in America.
It was good talking to a voice from my childhood, and talking to him made me realize how awesome my life is, not to say that his in the DC area is not just as good as mine. I might seem old to some people, but I have had enough amazing experiences that I do not regret for one second one bit of my life.
I was online, with time to kill so I did something I don’t do often, talk to some friends from high school. One of the people I talked to was Mark, and he said his elementary school was having a reunion this year, and I brought up that fact that this year marked ten years since Tottenville High School.
“You’re old,” I was told. Mark is only a year younger than me, but it made me laugh. I get told that plenty of times while being in Samoa. They ask me why I am as old as I am without a husband or kids. I am always told just to pick someone and reminded how important family is. It isn’t that I don’t value the importance of having a family, I just have a different set of priorities at this point in my life.
I am selfish and want to live my life for me. I want to do what I want, without people telling me, “No, you can’t do that.” Living with a family now, I am told that sometimes, but I try not to let that discourage me. I validate this by telling the Samoans I meet that if I had a husband or kids, it would be harder for me to come volunteer in Samoa, since I would have to stay in America with them.
I never really thought of myself as being old, because relativity I am not old. I am just experienced. I live my life without looking back.
While talking to Mark, we talked about where my life might take me when I finish my service. I mentioned how I want to finish my masters degree, but not sure if I will continue it in teaching. Although I love teaching, it can get real frustrating dealing with the politics inside a classroom in America. He suggested moving to a different city, where it might be better.
We had a good time trying to decide what might be the “perfect city” for me in America.
It was good talking to a voice from my childhood, and talking to him made me realize how awesome my life is, not to say that his in the DC area is not just as good as mine. I might seem old to some people, but I have had enough amazing experiences that I do not regret for one second one bit of my life.
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