Birthdays and Other End-of-Year Celebrations

Late in November, I celebrated my 29th birthday alongside my German and French mates Christof and Arnauld. Held at Christof’s Colonial mansion, a beautiful white colonial-style house up the hill from Apia, we hosted a diverse mix of Antipodeans, Europeans, and Samoans. We managed to source a karaoke machine and coupled with a ‘karaoke stars’ dress-up theme, we saw some stirring performances. Most noticeable were Christof and Arnauld’s shameless cross-dressing, our Bee Gees version of “Stayin’ Alive” and an a capella version of “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls.

Consistent with the general news that leaks out from the Samoan Australian volunteer community, December has seen a surge in social activities. Adding to the usual social events, there are the many and varied work Christmas parties. These events are usually better prepared than every other work-related function. The Samoans seem to take particular pride in ensuring a super-indulgent feast for these occasions. I recently attended the meticulously scripted Australian High Commission Christmas Party, and Heather and I managed to win the prizes for the Best Karaoke Duo and the Best Dancing Couple. She can definitely take most of the credit for the dancing award…

For Christmas, many of us headed to one of our favourite beaches, Vavau, on the south of the island. We had an informal Church Service there on Christmas morning, which feature a Samoanised Nativity Skit. In between Christmas and the New Year, a group of 16 travelled around the island of Savaii over 3-4 days, half of us by bike. It’s something I did earlier in the year, but was such a highlight that we tried it again. This time though, we cycled the other way around the island. Memorable moments included an amazingly beautiful secluded black-sand beach, being treated to a Samoan feast of coconut crabs and relaxing in our favourite deep freshwater pool and waterfall.

For New Years Eve, we camped for free under a make-shift marquee at one of the nicest resorts in Samoa. It was a comparatively relaxed event, with plenty of chillout time in the hammocks and the beachside saltwater pool.

As the end of the year draws near, my thoughts have turned to future plans. So, I have now decided to stay in Samoa a little longer, working in the same position as I’m currently in. There isn’t yet concrete confirmation, but it’s likely I’ll be working as a VIDA volunteer for at least another year. The water industry here is moving in the right direction and I feel able to assist in that process. The work is satisfying and my colleagues are mostly young and keen. The lifestyle here is wonderful and the work-life balance is very manageable. My relationship with Heather is growing brilliantly, and I look forward to the masses of quality-time that this environment allows.

On a slightly more sombre note, quite a number of volunteers have recently left or will soon be leaving. I suppose this is the nature of volunteering. Many foreigners only stay for short-term assignments. I’ll have to get used to the process of forming new relationships and farewelling other friends. My intake have been a tremendous group of people with enthusiasm, a wide array of talents and high ideals. It’ll be sad to see many of them go in the coming months…