Give me Samoa

Living a Day Twice

Wednesday April 13, 2011

The first time I lived this day, I spent all day in the Sydney airport waiting for my flight to Auckland and then Samoa. It was a really long day spending 24+ hours on a plane of at the airport. When we arrived in Auckland for a layover, it was the 14^th, so we had to travel back in time to arrive in Samoa on the morning of the 13^th. To do so all we had to do was ride a plane over the International Date Line. I thought it would be really cool to live a day twice and I guess depending on how you spend the days, it is. Spending my first April 13^th in an airport wasn’t the most fun, but arriving in gorgeous, sunny Samoa on my second April 13^th was so worth it.

I walked down off the plane right outside the airport and it was sunny and humid and you could see the ocean, just like you expect Samoa to be. I was so excited. The airport was really small, and they definitely do customs the old fashioned way of just asking you what is in your bag and then having you show them anything you have to claim, nothing like the headache it can be in the states.

We took a taxi about an hour into town. The drive down was gorgeous blue blue ocean out the window, big palm trees, beautiful island flowers, and everyone we passed waved and was friendly. The guy who was driving us was so friendly and the perfect tour guide. He told us all about the island and its history, how there are only 190,000 people on the island, how the people in Samoa used to be cannibals, about one of Samoa’s kings, about the yellow coconut, etc. I learned so much on our drive and really enjoyed the views outside. Samoa is currently switching from driving on the right side of the road to driving on the left so roads are a little crazy. I would not want to be driving. There are also no such thing as a street sign over here, so a map is of no help is you get lost.  On the way to the motel, we saw at least five church buildings, the mission home, and the temple so that also made us feel really good. I cannot wait to go to the Apia temple.

When we got to out motel we were still feeling pretty confident and wanted to get to a beach to enjoy this sun. So we put on our togs and headed out. First we stopped in town to email our families and get some water bottles at McDonalds because you have to be careful about the water you drink here and it being safe. Samoa is still very primitive country, and the people live very simply. There are dirt roads, thatch homes, fruit in the markets, but the people here are very nice and very helpful and most of them know English. We walked through town and around the harbor for about a half hour looking for the beach everyone we asked just said to keep going, so we did. We walked until we got to the marine reserve where we could use their beach.

I was so excited; the water was so clear and warm. I could see down to the bottom even after I could no longer touch, but I had to be careful with my feet because the coral on the bottom was very sharp. I just float out there all day and I kinda did. I floated out in the water for a while and it just felt so good.  After wards we went looking for a beach that was supposed to be close, but never found one. Instead we found these 2 dogs that followed us for the rest of the day. I really wanted them to just leave us alone especially when we went by other dogs because all of the dogs would get angry and start barking. After about 45 minutes, we ran into a tour place to ask questions and the dogs finally just left while we were inside. We walked over to McDonalds and for dinner and to a grocery store but the grocery story had very little food. We got so lost in the middle of town afterwards looking for our hotel. It made us so stressed out because we kept getting honked at and just didn’t feel safe in the city because it was something we were not used to.  Once we made it back to our motel, all of us were in tears or on the verge of tears because it had such a bad day and we just wanted to go home, but all of us also really needed sleep because we hadn’t really slept in a few days. Something kept telling me though that tomorrow would be a better day and that we should be staying.

Apia Temple and Sliding Rocks

Thursday, April 14, 2011

I woke up optimistic for today and ready to go to the temple because I knew I really needed to go to the temple. The Apia, Samoa temple is gorgeous and big as. I would say at least double the size Hamilton was. I loved how pretty it was with the island flowers all around. And feeling the spirit on temple grounds just made me feel so much better.  Because we could not do baptism that morning, we asked when we could and found that there was a group doing baptisms at 3 that we could join. On the same block as the temple, there is the mission home, humanitarian aid center, and church college.

We decided to walk over to the mission home and talk to the mission office, so we could have a contact number and get a better idea about what we should do while we are in Samoa. When we were talking to the Elder Merrell, the secretary in the mission office, a lady in a car drove by and asked us what we were doing and offered to drive us around the island. Meeting her and talking to people at the mission home made all of us feel so much better about being here. Tina, the lady we met at the mission home, did charge us a little for the day and for tours we could do the next two days to see the islands. It was a pretty good deal and the only way we were going to see anything, so we decided to just do it. Tina is so nice. She joined the church when she was 21 and served a mission in Porto Rico. She also offered for us to have lunch with her family on Sunday.

Tina drove us up to the Papaseea Sliding Rocks about 15 min away. The sliding rocks are these waterfalls in the rainforest that you can slide down into the pools at the bottom. The rainforest with the waterfalls and island flowers was such a gorgeous sight. A picture does not do it justice. Climbing into the water felt so good, especially since it was 90+ and so humid. The four of us were a little scared about sliding down the waterfall the first time. We wanted these other girls that were there to so us how to do it. I was the first of the 4 of us to go down and it was so much fun. I slid down the falls and flew off the bottom into the pool of water at the bottom. It was so much fun. I really loved it. We all went down a few times and then swam in the pool at the bottom for a while before getting curious about if we could slide down any of the other falls. We found this one that was a little baby one with a pool that then flowed down into a big waterfall with a rock about ¾ of the way down that you would have to make sure you are going fast enough to get over. Anna went down first, and then the rest of us followed. It was so much fun and that big one definitely became my favorite. Afterwards we climbed back up and just sat in the sun for a while and took in the rays. Then these other tourists from Australia showed up and were even more unsure about jumping off the falls than we were, so Nancy showed then how to slide down the first one, and I showed them how to slide down the other bigger one that I loved. It was pretty fun.

We enjoyed the falls and sun for a few hours and then went back to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. It felt so right and much needed to be in the temple doing baptisms. I love going to the temple so much. I can’t wait to have one close and be able to go often when I get home and the Atlanta temple reopens. I am so excited. Going to the temple is first on my list when I get home.

After the temple we came back to the motel and were going to go to institute, but it got canceled. So instead, we spent the night talking and laughing together and watching Hot Rod. Such a funny movie. I loved it.

Beach Opposite Church, Fuipisia Waterfall and Piula Cave Pool

A drive through Paradise

Friday, April 15, 2011

Today was a fantastic day in paradise. I woke up and went to get an internet card so I could contact my mom and went to the markets. The markets have everything from food to clothes and jewelry. I got a flax fan that is going to be a life saver in this heat. Around noon or so, Tina picked the four of us up and we drove to the other side of the island. It was so much fun and so gorgeous.

Before we got started on the drive we had a traditional Samoan BBQ lunch, it was so good and there was tons of food. On the drive, we went by gorgeous island flowers, palm trees, tons of banana trees, and ocean ocean ocean. I loved it. Everywhere I looked was just spectacular and the waves and the ocean were such a sight to see.

We stopped at a beach opposite a church along the way and all of us were so excited to get in. I ran into the water and it felt so good. I could have stayed there all day with the cool ocean water and the nice warm sun. It really was paradise. Even after I could no longer touch, I could still see to the bottom as I continued to swim out in the clear water. There was beautiful coral on the bottom and I wish I would have had my goggles on me so I could go down and see all of it. I am definitely bringing them tomorrow. After spending some good time just floating in the open ocean, we went up to Fuipisia Falls.

To get to the falls, I had to walk through a jungle garden full of island flowers and plants. It was so pretty. I really could get used to seeing these flowers every day. The falls were absolutely breathtaking and so pretty. I could have watched them all day and for some reason we couldn’t swim in these falls, but I was perfectly content just watching the falls and enjoying my beautiful surroundings.

Our next stop was the Piula Cave Pool where there is a cave in the water you can swim through. There were tons of big fish in the water. I literally was swimming with the fish. The water was clear as and felt so refreshing. I loved swimming through it. Anna and I swam over to the cave and went inside. It was so cool and would be really romantic if you came there with a boy. Swimming the cave was so much fun. We just goofed off and relaxed in the water. I think you can swim under the cave as well and explore it some if you have snorkeling gear, but I am not sure because I couldn’t explore it with just my contacts and no gear to see under the water. I would have loved to explore the cave underwater more though. It was so much fun.

We drove back after that and saw dogs in almost every yard, pot belly pigs, and some missionaries. The drive was so much fun. When we got back to the motel, there was no electricity, which was a little of a bummer. We are all hoping it comes back on soon. I had my PB&J for dinner and then watched I Married an Ex-Murder and called it and early night, because tomorrow we have to be ready to go by 4:30 in the morning. 

Savaii

Ferry, Lava Fields, Swimming with Sea Turtles, Beach, Waterfall

Saturday, April 16, 2011

We took a ferry early this morning to the beautiful island of Savaii, the bigger of the two Samoan Islands. The sunrise from the ferry over the ocean was absolutely gorgeous. Probably one of the prettiest I have ever seen and I saw some spectacular ones in New Zealand. After a 1 ½ hour ferry ride, the 4 of us made it to Savaii and Tina took us to the markets. We looked around for a little while and then started our journey to see this beautiful island.

The drive was breathtaking. I have never seen ocean water so clean and blue. It really is paradise with the ocean, palm trees, and fales out the window. I have decided if I ever make it back here, I am only bringing a backpack and staying in one of the fales on the beach. It really was the perfect picture island scene. We drove through the black lava fields where everything was covered with lava and then you could see the ocean beyond that. It made for some really fertile ground.

Our first big event for the day was swimming with sea turtles. We pulled over to a house with a bunch of ponds that had sea turtles in them. I got to feed the sea turtles and then get in the water and swim with them. I even picked one up. It was so much fun. I would have never thought I would get that opportunity and definitely would not have been possible in the states. The sea turtles were gorgeous and big as. They were pretty heavy and strong too. One of the ones I picked up kept splashing me and moving his legs. I guess he didn’t want to be held. I really loved swimming with the sea turtles so much. I wish I could have stayed there longer.

We then drove to a white sandy beach and we all got out for a swim. It was one of the prettiest beaches I have ever seen and the water was so pretty and clear. I could see all the coral on the bottom and really made me want to go snorkeling. I enjoyed floating and swimming in the clear ocean water. I could have stayed all day and been perfectly happy. I really love the ocean. I found some really pretty coral with purple flowers. It was like I was swimming in a coral reef and really would have been the perfect place for snorkeling. I loved it.

Next on the trip was a waterfall into the deepest pool in Samoa. The fresh water at the falls was so clean and clear. Cleaner than most drinking water probably and it was so refreshing. I swam right up to the falls. It felt so good and was so much fun. Swimming under waterfalls really is something else. The water fall was gorgeous and having the opportunity to swim in it made it even better. I wish there were places like this at home.

We had all of these Samoan adventures before lunch time. It was such a great day. After the waterfall, we grabbed some Samoan BBQ for lunch and then went back to the ferry. The ferry ride on the way back seemed much shorter because after taking in the gorgeous view of the open ocean, I fell asleep in the sun to the rocking of the waves. The ferry rocked quite a bit and I was surprised that we didn’t see any marine life when we were out at the open sea. It is amazing to me that the Pacific Ocean can be so blue hear and look so different than it does in California when it is the same ocean.

 I had an amazing day in paradise on the island of Savaii and am so glad I got to go over and see all I did. My pictures do not even compare to all I saw. I would definitely suggest Samoa as a vacation spot to people and I don’t think many people from the states come here because whenever we tell someone we are from the states, they ask “what are you doing here.” I can’t see why more people from the states don’t come to Samoa. I think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world and anyone who has the opportunity to some to this paradise should take it.

Samoan Sunday

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Today I had the opportunity to go to a Samoan ward for church. It was so interesting going to church where everyone was speaking a language I did not understand. It was such a great experience and really showed me how no matter what language is being spoken, no matter where in the world you are, the gospel is still the same and still true. The meetings went really well even though I did not understand what was being said. During sacrament meeting, I could feel the spirit so strongly and it made me so grateful that we were able to find a church to go to.