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…

A Couple of Twists and Turns

The last two months have taken a couple of twists and turns, for the better and for the worse…but mostly towards the better. Firstly, this period of time has been dominated by illnesses and injuries:
- I was hospitalised for a viral infection that hit me very hard for 24 hours and then decided suddenly that it’d had enough excitement for one person (my compassionate housemates found my curled-up fingers to be quite amusing);
- I gashed my foot while swimming in a crater lake. Four weeks later and this is still in the process of healing;
- A dry cough has been a companion of mine for three months now, and not even two courses of antibiotics and regular lime and garlic drinks can shake it;
- Stomach knots, lack of appetite and regular toilet visits have interspersed the latest week, which given my previous incidents, has been a relatively minor inconvenience.
Nevertheless, my spirits are still high, and I look forward to soon developing a resistance to all forms of tropical disease and pestilence.

The second turn has come from an unexpected source, in the form of an Australian diplomat. No, I haven’t been requested to leave the country or invited to be ASIO’s Samoan informant (though naturally I couldn’t tell you even if I was), but I could well be detained in Samoa slightly longer than originally planned. Her name is Heather and she’s been posted to Samoa with AusAid for 2-3 years. For the last two months, we’ve been engaged in more personal diplomatic relations, though it’s yet to be confirmed whether this is linked in any way to my sickness. Her dengue fever and tonsillitis are considered unrelated. I can reveal that the current status is considered to be very positive and the accompanying photo is attached. In order to preserve Australia’s close ties with Samoa however, further comment is withheld at this present time.

One other happening worth mentioning is the trip of my good friend Tim Harris. We spent almost two weeks exploring four of the Samoan islands; relaxing, snorkelling, chatting to both tourists and locals, hanging out with the Australian volunteer community and (as is our custom) tasting the iced chocolate. Some of the highlights included playing touch footy and cricket on the beach with a couple of local kids, an incredibly welcoming meal from a family in Savaii, hermit crabs on Namua Island, interesting chats with tourists on our first few days and a walk/swim at an upland crater lake. It was also a wonderful opportunity to relax and reflect on the last 6 months or so with a close mate. Great memories!

The Simple Life as a Volunteer

Volunteering in a ‘developing’ country is meant to be hard, isn’t it? …Living in basic conditions, overwhelmed by needy people, cultural isolation and chaotic schedules, jumping from one disaster to the next. Five months down the track and this hasn’t defined my experience.

Firstly, Samoa could hardly be classed as ‘developing’. There are very few people who struggle for food and have nowhere to sleep. Fruit and vegetables grow almost anywhere and more than 80% of the land is customary-owned (family inheritance). The informal social security networks practiced for decades are very effective. Family networks only rarely allow one of their own to be outcast. I’ve witnessed much more obvious signs of poverty in Sydney.

Secondly, a simple life means that, if anything, life is less chaotic. Walking to work each morning for 25 minutes is much less stressful than negotiating traffic. No TV and a simple radio (with Radio National 24/7) frees up hours each evening and provides quality news and discussion each morning. Relationally-focussed people care more about you than what you can do. A strong Australian volunteer community based within 15 minutes of each other is a vibrant link to a familiar social, sporting and cultural network. While we may lack the luxuries of hot showers, fresh milk and a quiet neighbourhood, these are only small inconveniences. Daily life is simple, but good.

There are, in fact, other luxuries that can be appreciated more fully. Cultural activities like Independence Day celebrations, fire knife twirling and canoe racing haven’t yet lost their novel appeal. The outdoor/beach lifestyle enjoyed by many Australians is still very much a feature of life in Samoa, however the heat limits this mostly to the mornings and evenings. The serenity of weekend trips to beachfront fales… only 40 minutes drive away.

I recently acted as tour guide for my parents and uncle and aunty who were looking for a relaxing Pacific Island retreat. Armed with a hire car, some small gifts and a bit of local knowledge we explored the two main islands of Upolu and Savaii, as well as the road-less and dog-less (!) island of Manono. Memorable moments often involved the generous welcome of local villagers and the excited faces of kids being presented with a tennis ball. One particular moment stood out… relaxing on a balcony over the water, watching the sunset while local kids played rugby in the shallow water beneath. Priceless.

So life in Samoa is pretty good – better than I thought for a volunteer. Some aspects of work can be frustrating... I recently introduced a competition to motivate the casual staff to be more productive while in the office. With beers on the line, it’s amazing how efficient they can be! I hope that my task-oriented approach won’t rid them entirely of their contented and care-free attitude. Maybe there’s something we can both learn.