My volunteer experience over the last 11 months in Samoa has been extremely enjoyable and fulsome, but nothing could compare to the events of Saturday, 7th February 2009...Having been sick for the previous 2 weeks, Heather was looking forward to this day; finally able to break loose from the confines of the house for something adventurous. Since her damaged car had been mostly fixed (that’s another story) and Isabel was enjoying some sliding rock action with some of our other volunteer friends, the stage was set for something big.
We’d agreed on a wide-ranging Treasure Hunt, or Trunt as the Dixon’s like to call it, to test both her physical and mental capacities. I’d spent a good portion of the previous week designing the activity, which involved a series of ten clues and associated physical challenges that would be revealed upon the successful completion of the task set for each location. The Trunt began at 2:00pm in the afternoon and continued for six hours into the evening, ranging throughout the southern part of the island of Upolu. It focussed on the locations that had been especially memorable or significant for us over the last 6 months.
Some of the physical challenges involved somersaults into the water, handstands, being buried in sand, patting a dog (no mean feat here!), rock skimming and cartwheeling into the water. By the time we reached the final clue/challenge, the sun had well and truly set, and it was time for some dinner.
Following our carbohydrate-filled pizza/pasta, we entered stage 2 of the Trunt, which involved locations in and around the house and included clues from obscure Bible passages. Being the intelligent lass that she is, she moved quickly through this stage, only momentarily pausing at the washing basket clue which she comedically passed over numerous times. At the final clue, Heather received a poem that had been carefully crafted by yours truly. The end of the 17th and final verse instructed her:Venture through the sliding door
Where something sensational awaits you…
She had been craving chocolate all day and was hoping/expecting that I would surprise her with a large chocolate feast. When she ventured outside through the sliding door, she was instead greeted with flowers arranged to spell “WARRY ME”… or that’s what she thought. It wasn’t until I got down on one knee that Heather realised the W was actually an M!
It was then that I popped the question. Before deciding, she had to check if I was sure (and also that I wasn’t playing a very insensitive joke on her). When she realised I was seriously certain, she responded with a polite “Yes, please”.I had made a specially decorated origami box to house the ring,
which was in fact a shell that had previously been stuck on her finger during one of our beach adventures. Well… it was meant to be that one but I chose the wrong shell! It actually looks nicer though and I think she got the right idea... :-)Heather was completely surprised by the whole thing. She hadn’t expected a proposal until after we’d returned from Australia. Suffice to say, she is ecstatically happy. We haven’t made any concrete plans yet, though the wedding will be in Australia later 
this year. Our three-week trip to Canberra and Sydney will be a great opportunity to meet our prospective in-laws and Aussie friends and to pick up a proper engagement ring! Hopefully by then the reality of our engaged status will have begun to sink in.
this year. Our three-week trip to Canberra and Sydney will be a great opportunity to meet our prospective in-laws and Aussie friends and to pick up a proper engagement ring! Hopefully by then the reality of our engaged status will have begun to sink in. 
