A Week To Go.What Happens Next?

A Week To Go…What Happens Next?

Well, that time has come…time to leave the village….which is why I have been too busy to post any blogs….I am backlogged and will probably finish the ones I started a few months ago while I am back in the States. 

Yesterday, I had a farewell barbecue with a family that I have become close with, and it just seems surreal that I will not be seeing everyone daily….not laughing with the children as we make monkey or other strange faces.  They seemed excited for me, as they rolled off the names of my family members that they met and are excited for me to see again.  (They also are happy for me to see my very fat cats, as it is not normal for cats to be that fat!)  I became at a loss for words when the eldest of the family gave a long speech about how I am welcomed into their family.  When it was my turn to speak, I know I could not match the nice things he said about me in Samoan, which made me a little sad because I hoped they knew how I felt.

Today, someone sang a beautiful song to me, and then presented me with a small mea alofa.  It was too sweet.

For my last week, the teachers are taking me out for a BBQ to celebrate the year, and I am supposed to have a famavae (going away party)…but I am not sure when.  I plan to just enjoy the village life until leaving.  Some of my girls invited me to their dance practice so I can try to learn dances from other Pacific nations before returning to the States.

What are my plans?

Well after spending a month and a half in a reversed culture shock mixed between Colorado and New York (freezing my bum off!)…I will be returning to Samoa!

I have been granted an extension to work with Samoan Victims Support as their Home School Coordinator. 

It is nice to know that it doesn’t have to be goodbye to all the people I have come to love as they have become a part of my family. 

And I get to share my adventures with all of you from the other island…which will be a different experience as Upolu is sooooooo crowded and there are too many cars! (How am I going to survive in NYC for a few weeks?) 

Thank you all for your comments and encouragement over the past two years, it has helped to share things, and never expected an audience of people, especially of people I did not know at the start of this trip.  I have gotten more out of this blog than expected, as I just wanted to document my adventure for myself for later. (I kept a diary…and then a flood happened and I lost all of my entries…so paper did not seem worthwhile to do again.)  But I have also gotten the opportunity to connect with many of you, and friendships have evolved because of it.  Fa’afetai tele lava.

I hope you have a great holiday season.  Ia manuia le kerisimasi, po’o Chanukkah, Kwazaa, po’o ese ese  tu'uaga mo outou, ma manuia lava le tausaga fou.

Thank you again,

Love,

Lili