The day before departure is always busy with last minute details that combine professional and personal matters. Personal issues include a trip to the post office to send off parcels of gifts from “L”’s relatives in the village. I was surprised at having to fill out a customs form as if I was sending it from another country. In the past whenever I return home from Western Samoa through American Samoa and re-enter the United States at Honolulu, we would be in the international terminal going through immigration as if a foreign national. If anyone would come to American Samoa, play it safe by bringing your passport. It is not like traveling to or through another state.
After the post office it was off to the Military Exchange for toiletries. Afterwards it was back to work and get the ship ready for departure tomorrow morning. Today was another long day consisting of inspections and looking over items that Mr. “S” told me about. I will have a cruise that will keep me busy, at which I like.
The goodbyes behind me I call the family back in Samoa to see how things are. This visit has made me closer to them. Her parents do not speak English so conversation consisted of broken Samoan on my part and thank you or “beer or soda please” from them. Her sister and brother-in-law could speak Basic English. My stepson improved his English quite a bit but did majority of the interpreting. We spent the evenings after the parents went to bed watching movies from a rented DVD on a small 13 inch television. However the audio were going through speakers with woofers so the sound was great. I would sit outside their bedroom door and watch the flick with a mosquito coil burning under my chair to kill the pests. The brother-in-law loves action movies so most of it consisted of Steven Segal or he would rent a dance movie for his wife, who like her older sister loves dancing. I do miss them and they always make my stay enjoyable but this time it was different because I came on my own.
Nice weather in Pago Pago today without the rain like we had yesterday. Mr. “S” and I drove to the other side of Tutu’ila to the American Samoa National Park. The village we drove through reminded me more of Western Samoa than here. The coast line was picturesque and the park has a nice hiking trail. Unfortunately when we were there yesterday evening, not only were we ill-prepared to walk 500 feet but it was getting dark and raining.
After the post office it was off to the Military Exchange for toiletries. Afterwards it was back to work and get the ship ready for departure tomorrow morning. Today was another long day consisting of inspections and looking over items that Mr. “S” told me about. I will have a cruise that will keep me busy, at which I like.
The goodbyes behind me I call the family back in Samoa to see how things are. This visit has made me closer to them. Her parents do not speak English so conversation consisted of broken Samoan on my part and thank you or “beer or soda please” from them. Her sister and brother-in-law could speak Basic English. My stepson improved his English quite a bit but did majority of the interpreting. We spent the evenings after the parents went to bed watching movies from a rented DVD on a small 13 inch television. However the audio were going through speakers with woofers so the sound was great. I would sit outside their bedroom door and watch the flick with a mosquito coil burning under my chair to kill the pests. The brother-in-law loves action movies so most of it consisted of Steven Segal or he would rent a dance movie for his wife, who like her older sister loves dancing. I do miss them and they always make my stay enjoyable but this time it was different because I came on my own.
Nice weather in Pago Pago today without the rain like we had yesterday. Mr. “S” and I drove to the other side of Tutu’ila to the American Samoa National Park. The village we drove through reminded me more of Western Samoa than here. The coast line was picturesque and the park has a nice hiking trail. Unfortunately when we were there yesterday evening, not only were we ill-prepared to walk 500 feet but it was getting dark and raining.
I will wrap this up for tonight. I need to take a shower (catching up on hot showers) and hit the rack. Morning comes early and will start early for departure day and will likely be another ten hour day. In addition, the shop needs cleaning and reorganizing. When the ship was getting tossed around during last weekend's cyclone, many of the items that were not secured found it's way to the deck.
Talofa from American Samoa
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