A Year in Samoa

When I first decided to join the Peace Corps, I knew I would be serving 2 years. I thought that 2 years didn’t seem like that much. I did 2 years of graduate school to get my masters, and that was half the time it took me to get my bachelor’s degree. I taught in a NYC public school for 3 years and some of those days can feel like the longest days ever. After all these experiences, I thought, 2 years is totally doable.

And now, I have been in Samoa for 1 year. The last year has been quite the roller coaster ride. There are days when I think, “I’ve already been here a year?” and then other days where I think, “I’ve only been here a year?” That’s what living in another country, far away from friends and family can be like.

In the beginning of my time here in Samoa, everything was new. It was all a novelty. I was intrigued by the language, the food, the clothes, and the customs. Every day was a new experience for me during those first few months. I spent a lot of time not really understanding or knowing what was going on. Now, this culture has become my life. I no longer feel like an outside observer all the time, but rather another Samoan (although I am still sometimes simply an observer still).

So how has Samoa changed me in a year? Well, if you know me, you know how I love lists so here is my list of how I have changed:

·      I am much more comfortable sitting on the floor than on a chair.

·      I no longer cringe at cockroaches, but rather let them co-exist with me.

·      I rinse my dishes before I use them, even though they’ve already been washed, thanks to all the ants in this country.

·      If I feel something small crawling on me, I know it’s an ant and simply find it and kill it.

·      If you ask me what time it is, I will probably have no idea.

·      I feel I have mastered the art of bucket washing my clothes.

·      Having my hair down and my shoulders out is a luxury to me.

·      I accept that flip flops (jandals) are definitely formal wear.

·      I no longer think a bra is necessary, ever.

·      My hands are just as good of utensils to eat with as a spoon or fork, except with soup.

·      I can have a full conversation with someone using just my eyebrows.

·      I appreciate taking at least two showers a day.

·      When I go to a store, I must search every aisle because I never know when something really good might be on a shelf.

·      I accept that I don’t know what is going on about half the time.

·      Sitting and doing nothing is one of my daily activities.

·      When I get sunburned, I know that it will be a tan in a day or two.

·      My day feels strange when I don’t read.

·      Napping outside is appealing to me.

·      I think that below 80 degrees is cold.

·      I enjoy going to the beach and swimming in the ocean.

·      I think a city that has more than 2 streets is too busy for me.

·      I can ration Reese’s peanut butter cups.

·      When I see a dog, my first thought is “how likely is it to attack me?”

·      I can sense when rain is coming. (This may be an exaggeration, but still…)

·      An exciting night for me is when I have a new show to watch.

·      Having a fan is essential to my well-being.

I’m sure there are other ways I have changed, but I’ll let some pictures do the talking for now.

Before:

After: