SamoaSamoa: Since I've Been Gone

Yes, I am aware that I have severely neglected my blog for the past month and a half... So I will give you a brief overview of what we’ve been up to since the end of October. Maybe one day I’ll have time to revisit some of these truly awesome experiences.

- Attended Samoana night and watch 4 hours of my students performing cultural dances.

- Watched proudly as my YSS Youth Leaders gave presentations to the pulenu’u (village majors). Kids in Samoa are not supposed to voice opinions, especially not to the elder village leaders, so this was a big moment for them all.

- Went worm hunting then ate the worms! Pololo are a type of sea worm that come from coral and spawn once a year 7 days after the first full moon in October. The worms fill the ocean as they mate.... and this makes them a Samoan delicacy. People line the ocean in wait. Then, at around 1 am the worms come, everyone rushes into the water with nets, catches as many worms as possible, then eats them. Exciting! It was a fun adventure and we made some new friends who were willing to help some palagi out.

- Went to Tisa’s Tattoo Fest. No, I didn’t get a tattoo but watched some people get some pretty amazing ones.

- Finally hiked to Fagatele Bay. This bay is a little slice of heaven! Imagine floating in the middle of the ocean, surrounded on 3 sides by tall, lush, green mountains, with no one else in sight (except Ethan & Alison)...... That’s what I did! So awesome!

- Welcomed my Momma for the 2nd year in a row.

- Travelled to the island of Savai’i in Western Samoa with Mom and Ethan.

- Laid on a beach.

- Jumped off a cliff next to the Aau Afu waterfalls.

- Visited some blowholes.

- Went into a bat cave.

- Stood at the most western point on the earth (just before the international dateline) - Falealupo....And yes, there is a giant “X” there.

- Celebrated Thanksgiving with a FiaFia night.

- Took about a thousand pictures

- Drank some awesome cocktails at Raci’s Beach Bar.

- Met some awesome New Zealanders, and some Swiss & Austrian, too.

- Kayaked in Pago Harbor.