info #4

It will be important that I have a positive attitude, genuine interest in learning, be flexible, and self-motivated, have a willingness to try hard, and being true to myself. I’ll give it my best shot.
The Fa’a Samoa—Samoan way of life—may be different than anything I’ve been used to…that’s one reason I want to do Peace Corps.
In Samoa people eat taro, breadfruit, yams, potatoes, rice, canned corned beef, fish, oka, Samoan chicken soup, palusami; there is limited fresh meat. Also in abundance is papaya, bananas, coconuts, mangoes, avocados, pineapples, star fruit, and rambutan.
Samoa’s economy is agriculturally based-primarily on the cultivation and exportation of crops such as cocoa, copra, and bananas. And in the last few years, fishing has become a big industry. But more recently, the tourism “industry” has been springing and spurting up in every direction.

Peace Corps volunteers can be the center of attention. “Constantly being the center of attention” can be difficult. “being a novelty in the community” comes with much gossip, but I’ve been told that the novelty wears off as we get into community life. But “coping with unwanted attention” at the beginning may take some getting used to.
But it can be easy to lose sight of why a volunteer came to serve.
I’ll be learning about the “intricacies of the matai system”, appreciate the symbolism of tattoos, become part of the aiga (family system), and build long term friendships that hopefully won’t end when my time in Samoa is done. I can also get in on the cricket, rugby, volleyball, or learning the songs and dances.
I’ll learn where Samoan people are coming from more deeply than just two weeks would afford me.
Another volunteer says “treat people with respect, and they will appreciate and reciprocate.”
In Samoa, there is an expression, “O le ala I le pule ole tautua,” which means, “the path to a leadership position is through service.”