October 7th 2009

October 7^th 2009

On October 7 2009, 23 member of Peace Corps group 82 Samoa arrived in Samoa before sunrise.  It was the hottest I have ever felt ever when getting off of that plane.  I do not think it is possible for me to sweat anymore than I did that morning. 

Exactly 3 years later, Peace Corps group 84 Samoa arrived at Faleolo Airport.  It was the afternoon and I had just finished my afternoon nap on the boat coming home from Savaii when I saw the Air New Zealand plane flying overhead.  “They are here,” I whispered to myself. 

I am the sole remaining volunteer from my group, however, I have one other 82er to keep me company, Kyle.  Kyle is here doing volunteer work through the Catholic Church and has been doing amazing work.  I am really lucky to have him on island, and often in the capital with me as I miss my Peace Corps family who have left Samoa.

A few days ago Kyle and I were reminiscing our first day in Samoa.  The first thing we talked about was the heat and how horrible it was.  We wondered if the newbies would feel the same way we did coming off the plane.  We were also envious in some ways of them coming in on a Sunday.  We had arrived midweek, and immediately were busy with tsunami evacuations, ava ceremonies, numerous sessions held by our office staff.  It is fa’asa for most people to work on a Sunday, so I knew they would have it easy.  (Besides, there haven’t been many tsunami evacuations since that year.)

As I drove to town on the 7^th of October, I looked out the window just as I had three years prior and realized I still am in love with the Samoan scenery.  Seeing all of the Samoan fales, with kids running about brings a huge smile to my face.  I love watching cows and pigs cross the road at any point, as well as chickens show their fears of cars.  The only difference is how I felt in the three years.  In 2009 I felt like a foreigner, unsure of everything and unsure of life.  In 2012 I felt at home and at peace with how my life was, and where it was heading. 

The next day I attended the ava ceremony for group 84.  I saw them all nervously sitting there trying desperately to understand what was going on in this foreign country with some strange man talking continuously in a foreign language.  Just like three years ago, a RPCV named Benj was assisting in the ceremony, his job was the presentation of ava sticks.  There were so many speeches and I smiled brightly when I heard the newbies stumble over the words before drinking their shell of ava.  (La’u ava lea lea tua, soifua).

These three years have been so memorable to me, and a big part of it is because of how supportive my Pisi Koa family has been.  So to group 82, I would like to wish you all a happy 3 years of growth, and thank you for being a part of my family for three amazing years.  For group 83, I want to wish you a happy two year anniversary; it’s been quite a ride with all of you on the islands.  For all of the Pisi Koa in the past (there are too many groups to list) who have been a part of my experience, fa’afetai lava!  And for our newbies Group 84, Afio mai!  I know Samoa will be full of amazing experiences.  I hope you are able to open up and embrace them all.  Manuia lou 2 tausaga!  

Grass

Grass

“What are you doing?”  I was asked in the evening after work and a hot bike ride back home. 

“Just reading my book,” I responded.

“Then come cut the grass,” I was told as I was handed my machete.    Well more of a big outdoor kitchen knife.  As I watched the boy with me cut the grass with ease and my knife barely doing anything unless I held the grass while chopping at it, I can’t do it,” I declared, “this knife sucks.”  I tried a bit more and trimmed the grass a little bit, but not far enough before giving up on the grass cutting expedition. 

I looked over to the right and saw so many dead leaves on the banana trees and made that my next expedition.  The banana leaves were high up and being on a hill with random sinkholes didn’t exactly help my situation.  I am glad everyone else was busy doing yard work so they didn’t see me fall several times, one time breaking my shoes.  Or see me trying to jump with my knife to get some of the really high dead leaves...which was a relief.   With all of my struggles I at least got a lot done and had a huge pile of rubbish.  (Yes leaves are rubbish in Samoa.) by the time it was time to go inside for dinner. 

I looked around and so much grass was cut, and the trees looked better, I was impressed with our accomplishment.  I fixed my shoe, got stuck in the hole again, and headed back home for a tall ipu of water.  

Are you Samoan?

Are You Samoan?

Yesterday at my office someone came up to me and said, “You are really white...are you Samoan?”  It made me smile for the rest of the day...

Chicken Pox

Chicken Pox

Sometimes people give me random tasks to do, that make you go “huh?”  For instance yesterday my job was to take a little boy to the ocean to bathe him in salt water to cure his chicken pox.  I never heard of this remedy before...

 

Busses

Busses

In other countries when you know a bus schedule, you know when to catch the bus... in Samoa you think you know a bus schedule, and the one day you go to catch that bus there is a faalavelave to disturb your travels.  Sometimes you hear about the faalavelaves ahead of time as it is well known of a village funeral requiring the use of a bus.  But for some of the smaller rentals of busses such as family reunions or other picnics, not everyone often hears that the particular bus will be out of commission for that particular day.  At least those disturbances are only for a day.

The bigger problem is when the busses are out for several weeks or longer as the bus has broken down.  While I was living in Savaii this affected my travels numerous times as twice during the two years my busses got into accidents and it took several months to repair them.  What happens is there is now a gap in that time slop of what the broken down bus travels.  Can I tell you how much this stinks!  It is bad when you are trying to get somewhere, and the next bus isn’t for a few more hours.  Usually I am not in that much of a rush, but when you need to take the first boat, this can be a hassle. 

This happened to me on my last trip to Savaii, as I was about to return to Upolu I learned the night before that the 3:00 bus had crashed into a tree and therefore there was no longer a bus for that ferry.  You could still sit outside and wait for the bus, and possibly the further district bus might pick you up, but it is not guaranteed as they could be full and just pass you by. 

I had to get to work, there was denying it.  The only solution I had was to gather a few others, and share a taxi and I felt lucky that I was able to make it to my bus in order to make it in time for work the following day.  

Boat trips

Boat Trips

Oh how I miss riding the ferry all the time!  I feel like so many stories and experiences are had on the boat.  Some are good, some are bad, some are about me leaning over the edge feeding the fish.  The trip can sometimes can be an all day affair travelling between the two islands, or at least just feel like it. 

On Friday, I had an experience that reminded me how wonderfully unique Samoa is.  Elsewhere,  in bus stations, train stations, wharfs or anywhere else there is someone to make announcements when something happens to interrupt your trip, or often to only give you an update with your travels. Although sometimes they are inaudible, in the cases I grew up with, in the NYC subway, there is always plenty present that understand what is being said.  Samoa has its own way of announcing.  Fai tala.

Fai tala means gossip and happens throughout Samoa.  It is how coconut wireless, our way of knowing everything without even access to media is so strong. 

The first thing I learned was at the bus station at the fish market.  The Lady Samoa III (The newest of Samoa’s fleet) had broke down and was being serviced in American Samoa.  This meant that the Lady Samoa II (My favourite boat!) would be running in its place.

When the bus arrived at the wharf, I was wondering why things were different.  There was no long line to buy tickets for the ferry, even though the boat was to leave in 45 minutes.  Then the coconut wireless signal came in signal…even though there were no workers in sight. 

The small boat (the Foto..) broke down halfway on its trip to Savaii.  Our 4:00 boat, the Lady Samoa II, went to rescue the passengers so they would not be stranded at sea.  We had heard that boat would come back to get us…maybe. 

At 5:30 they finally opened the booth to buy tickets, and everyone crowded into the next room to await boarding.  The storm clouds brought a little bit of rain, but not much.  (You really have to look at the clouds when riding any boat other than the Lady Samoa III, because sitting outside is preferable to try to combat sea sickness and even of you are covered, you don’t want the ground to be wet under your bum. 

After 6:00 the boat arrived, and I was disappointed to see it was the small Foto.  I was disappointed for two reasons, first being it just broke down a few hours ago and needed to be rescued.  Who knew if they would send out another boat to rescue us when most workers are finished for the day.  The second reason is because that boat is so slow.  It usually takes about double the time as the Lady Samoa III.  It felt like I was going to be at my destination at 10:00 at night.

The boat was packed.  People were crammed into the tiny sitting area inside, others were on all levels of the captain’s balcony, and still more were trying to find any bit of space they could find around the cars.  I was next to the trucks carrying things for what looked like a funeral, but could be any fa’alavelave. 

Near me, someone was blaring their speakers and as the sun set on our trip, I pretended I was on Rock Da Boat and dancing to the music. 

I finally arrived at the village I was supposed to well after dark….with a million memories of one long trip! 

It's Sa to Go

It’s Sa to Go.

Three years ago during our safety and security training we were warned about different places.  They wanted to make sure we were always safe and told us to avoid some of the places that might cause trouble. Those are the places where you only find Samoans and often fights break out.  We were warned and heard some horror stories to make sure we stayed away.  It seemed reason enough for me to go, and I truthfully had no desire. 

For a long time whenever others wanted to go to these places, I responded by telling them it is sa (not allowed) to go.  One year ago, I went to my first of those places with another volunteer and several of our Samoan friends.  It felt weird, like I was disobeying someone by going there.  I was committing the biggest sin of all by not listening to my safety and security officer.  I have known many, many people to go to these places, and from what I was understanding, it seemed as if there was a big enough group of you there and people to look after you, you would be fine.  I think they were correct, because when someone would approach me that I didn’t want near me, I was easily able to hide behind one of my big Samoan friends.  I really enjoyed it because there was good music for dancing and I think everyone in the world knows how much Samoans love to dance.

Two weekends ago I went to a second place on the list.  This time I was only accompanied by Samoan friends….which meant I was the only palagi in the entire establishment.  It is funny because even though I am palagi, I feel that I act more Samoan than some of the people I saw inside.  For example, a girl came over o me and was so excited to see me because I was palagi and spoke English, because even though she is Samoan she knew none of the language.  The way she dressed, many people would be offended by, yet she had no clue.  I felt bad for her because she has such a rich heritage, yet she knows nothing about it because she was raised overseas. 

I had a good time there because of the band giving it a lively atmosphere.  It reminded me of the only nightclub in Savaii, as the boys ask you to dance politely.  It is okay for you to follow junior high school dance protocol by being a few feet apart while dancing, and after the dance, an appropriate way to thank another for the dance is a handshake.  After the dance, you can run to the side, and begin to ponder if someone will ask you to another dance. 

I enjoyed being at these places, but I see how there can be problems.  Many Samoans do not know how to control themselves when drinking as they do not know when their limit has been reached; therefore too many patrons at these establishments are ona tele (very drunk).  When drunk boys are present, often there is trouble in my mind.  Fights can break out making the night less enjoyable.

 I am lucky that my two nights at the faasa nightclubs nothing happened.  But I feel as if I kept safe by having my group with me.

I still feel like a rebel for going there…