On the morning of March 26 I awoke early to go out to the
weather decks. I went to look at the beautiful mornings that have always been
engraved in my mind about Western Samoa. And today was no different. The waters
were calm and the sunrise was superb. However, it was hot and since the waters
were calm there wasn’t much wind and temperatures hovering in the upper 70’s
with humidity about the same percentage. When my wife lived in Samoa, my
flights had arrived early in the morning either from Los Angeles or if I came
through Hawaii a prop plane from American Samoa. I got my smartphone to take
photos and chatted with the second cook who was doing the same. The Skilled
Fisherman who was manning the lines that were going to be used to tie up the
ship on the pier chatted to me about going to see the wife’s family and Samoa
being my second home.
The Sette finally docked and after several hours of clearing customs and immigration, I dashed to the gate to get my rental car and bring it inside the wharf. We could tell we were not in American territory as automobiles are allowed to park near the ships. In past experience, whenever American style security was imposed, it restricted the movement of Samoans to come anywhere near the ship including my wife and members of her family. But they came aboard anyway! Last decade, America was still reeling from the attacks of 9-11 and the politicians used their political capital to instill fear and paranoia of anyone who was not Americans as potential terrorists. Such absurd notions would create some other form of anti-Americanism and affect Americans like me who stayed in foreign countries, like Samoa during my off time.
With my decade old right hand drive rental car parked next to the ship, quitting time came and I made plans to go to the village. However, I was going shopping first and invited the augmenting survey tech to come with me as she needed items and another crewmember to come along as well. She (other crewmember) was disembarking in Western Samoa and a week of leave to explore the country. I took them to the new Farmer Joe’s Market in Vaitele and drove the long route back to the ship via the Free Market downtown. We dropped the crewmember off at her hotel for her to start her vacation. This may be her one and only trip Polynesia so enjoy! It will give you a week to forget about being a Westerner and all its trappings associated with it. I took the augmenting tech back to the ship and she displayed enthusiasm in exploring the city and seeing what it offers. She did that on her own and I commend her for that. Too many times in my encounters I’ve seen people who do nothing but sit in their cubicles or lie in bed and grumble on how life overseas isn’t like what they are used to at home!
I admit I make a terrible tour guide and I am at fault in making presumptions that my fellow countrypersons would have no misgivings about the life I adapted to whenever I am overseas. Just don’t drink the water as I do not either! Nevertheless I needed to go to the village and my excitement to do so increased as the late afternoon was turning into evening. I was here just five months ago and why do I feel like I haven’t been here in years? I heard that my brother-in-law and his wife were now looking after my elderly in-laws. In Polynesia as soon as a child is old enough to babysit, it is their duty to look after younger siblings. When they get older they look after the parents and the thought of Mom and Dad living in a senior home attended to by strangers is unheard of! Many stay on the property that they inherited from their parents until they pass away and it goes to the next generation whom their children do the same when they become elderly parents. It’s a wheel of tradition that goes back centuries.
I needed to get some liquor to take to the village with me along with the parcels I brought down from Hawaii for the family. I knew a store that had wide selection of quality liquor, Farmer Joe’s in Fugalei. Farmer Joe’s liquor store was in a cool air conditioned room separated from rest of the market. The interior gave it an elegant feel of expensive imported wines and spirits. I got a case of Taula small bottle beer and a ¾ Jack Daniels American whiskey to take to the village. I bought fruits that I knew my father and mother in-law liked and a case of milk. In fact for the next five nights we were in Apia I made it a point to stop at the market for bread and whatever food items needed. The van they owned lacked two tires and was sitting on blocks, so they had no transportation except by bus to go to town to grocery shop. They depended on village kiosks within walking distance for foodstuffs that didn’t come from the family farm such as taro and coconuts.
The village kiosks reminded me much of genuine mom and pop grocers in small town America where my father came from. They had most everything you need in one undersized area under one roof. If you didn't have money, the owner usually gave you credit and patiently waited for you to pay back. Many times the back room was where the owner and his or her family lived. When I lived in Samoa I gave my ten year old stepson to go to the kiosks and buy me several bottles of beer and use the change to buy himself and his friends’ soda and Twisties (New Zealand snack). During Christmas these stores are usually open 24-hours since villages had fund raiser dancing with music provided by a DJ into wee hours of the morning. It seems that was the only time you could buy liquor beyond the midnight deadline. I still saw these small kiosks as I drove through the villages and knew the location of every one of those stores from Sataoa heading west to Lefaga. Whenever I saw these stores in various villages I drove through and a few that were open beyond 9PM. It was something that is distinctively Samoan.
I had a grand time reveling with my brother in law and his wife. However, I came to Samoa to work so I had to get up early in the morning and head back to the ship after spending the first night in the village. It was hot and no tradewinds but with Jack Daniels chased by Taula Beer (or the other way around) in my system, it didn’t matter! Plus I’ve never waken up in the tropics with a hangover anyway! I guess all the alcohol sweats out during the night when I am asleep, however there is no scientific evidence to support that. I returned to the village every night after work until we had to depart again, this time for fisheries projects around Western Samoa that involved local scientists as well! I was glad to see us work with Western Samoa as having been there for quite a number of years, American presence is nil with the exception of occasional Peace Corps volunteer but plenty of religious missionaries. We stopped in Apia twice and both times was the same with time spent with family. I missed seeing the waterfalls and swimming in warm tropical waters. But I can always do that during some other visit as time spent with elderly parents is limited.
The second inport in Apia was no different from the first. It was off to the village to visit the family and this time take advantage of the car and go shopping in the city. The ship was docked in Apia and my niece worked at a massage clinic so I took her home to the village after our respective work hours were done. One afternoon I suggested to my brother-in-law that we go to Apia and get groceries from the market and tour the ship. His wife put on her best clothes and dressed up the two girls and the four of us went to town. Her husband stayed home to watch the kids as well as his parents. I had several more days and we could always go before the ship's scheduled departure.
The Farmer’s Market in Fugalei was rebuilt to make it “modern.” Where there were once a series of small mom and pop shops was replaced by a large parking lot that was rarely full. The prices to rent a stall must have increased because there were less vendors and selection was unlike before. This time there seems to be more vendors than roaming customers. Meanwhile a block away another farmer’s market sprung up where you as a customer had to dodge cars that came in to park to go shopping. Nevertheless, they had selection and the atmosphere was more like the bigger market in it’s old days but on a smaller scale. After shopping at the market and my sister-in-law and two nieces visited the ship, we picked up my niece at the massage clinic and drove home. For family members that missed seeing the ship there was always tomorrow…I thought! With cars not available and having to work late, I could not issue a rain check for them to visit. Considering this was my last trip to Samoa with NOAA, next time when a NOAA ship reappeared in Apia Harbor, I will not be on it.
I drove to the village for what was to be my last night as the ship was to depart next day in the afternoon. It’s never fun to say goodbye, especially in Samoa. Every time I departed they made it hard to do so. I should be used to it as I have done it so many times including agonizing farewells when I came here to get my wife in 2008 and several years later her son. I left around 8:30 at night and drove slowly back to the ship. I took a detour through downtown Apia and activity was slow considering it was a Wednesday night. The dance clubs which once populated Beach Avenue decreased in numbers and even the crown jewel of dance clubs in Apia, Club RSA, was closed and it was only 9:30 at night! The club that was well-known catering to foreign tourists and expatriates, The Lighthouse, has been gone for several years. The Sette departed Apia in the rain and headed towards American Samoa for the next leg before sailing home in six weeks!
We finished diving operations off Jarvis Atoll yesterday afternoon and departed soon afterwards. The PA announced around sunset that we had crossed the equator and now in the North Pacific going home. I am finally on my last leg for the journey home. A few months ago I looked forward with excitement to the trip to the Samoan Islands. In retrospect, it is hard to grasp that it is now done and over with. It was like it never happened. It was so quick that it was more like a dream rather than being there. The kids I knew when they were in kindergarten were now wearing junior high uniforms and entering adolescence. Their older brother and sisters have now moved overseas and joined the community of expatriates. The few that stayed behind yearn to be like their siblings or cousins. For me it was precious time spent with elderly in-laws and festivity with the wife’s younger brother. After work I would stop to buy precious imported fruits at the supermarket, apples for my mother-in-law and oranges for my father-in-law. Along with the usual staples such as box of milk, bread, vegetables and whatever needed for that night's dinner. This will be my last trip to Samoa with NOAA as the next one will happen in three years. By that time I plan to be retired and who knows, I may be one of the people to greet them as they pull into Apia. It's a peculiar feeling when overseas becomes home.
The Sette finally docked and after several hours of clearing customs and immigration, I dashed to the gate to get my rental car and bring it inside the wharf. We could tell we were not in American territory as automobiles are allowed to park near the ships. In past experience, whenever American style security was imposed, it restricted the movement of Samoans to come anywhere near the ship including my wife and members of her family. But they came aboard anyway! Last decade, America was still reeling from the attacks of 9-11 and the politicians used their political capital to instill fear and paranoia of anyone who was not Americans as potential terrorists. Such absurd notions would create some other form of anti-Americanism and affect Americans like me who stayed in foreign countries, like Samoa during my off time.
With my decade old right hand drive rental car parked next to the ship, quitting time came and I made plans to go to the village. However, I was going shopping first and invited the augmenting survey tech to come with me as she needed items and another crewmember to come along as well. She (other crewmember) was disembarking in Western Samoa and a week of leave to explore the country. I took them to the new Farmer Joe’s Market in Vaitele and drove the long route back to the ship via the Free Market downtown. We dropped the crewmember off at her hotel for her to start her vacation. This may be her one and only trip Polynesia so enjoy! It will give you a week to forget about being a Westerner and all its trappings associated with it. I took the augmenting tech back to the ship and she displayed enthusiasm in exploring the city and seeing what it offers. She did that on her own and I commend her for that. Too many times in my encounters I’ve seen people who do nothing but sit in their cubicles or lie in bed and grumble on how life overseas isn’t like what they are used to at home!
I admit I make a terrible tour guide and I am at fault in making presumptions that my fellow countrypersons would have no misgivings about the life I adapted to whenever I am overseas. Just don’t drink the water as I do not either! Nevertheless I needed to go to the village and my excitement to do so increased as the late afternoon was turning into evening. I was here just five months ago and why do I feel like I haven’t been here in years? I heard that my brother-in-law and his wife were now looking after my elderly in-laws. In Polynesia as soon as a child is old enough to babysit, it is their duty to look after younger siblings. When they get older they look after the parents and the thought of Mom and Dad living in a senior home attended to by strangers is unheard of! Many stay on the property that they inherited from their parents until they pass away and it goes to the next generation whom their children do the same when they become elderly parents. It’s a wheel of tradition that goes back centuries.
I needed to get some liquor to take to the village with me along with the parcels I brought down from Hawaii for the family. I knew a store that had wide selection of quality liquor, Farmer Joe’s in Fugalei. Farmer Joe’s liquor store was in a cool air conditioned room separated from rest of the market. The interior gave it an elegant feel of expensive imported wines and spirits. I got a case of Taula small bottle beer and a ¾ Jack Daniels American whiskey to take to the village. I bought fruits that I knew my father and mother in-law liked and a case of milk. In fact for the next five nights we were in Apia I made it a point to stop at the market for bread and whatever food items needed. The van they owned lacked two tires and was sitting on blocks, so they had no transportation except by bus to go to town to grocery shop. They depended on village kiosks within walking distance for foodstuffs that didn’t come from the family farm such as taro and coconuts.
The village kiosks reminded me much of genuine mom and pop grocers in small town America where my father came from. They had most everything you need in one undersized area under one roof. If you didn't have money, the owner usually gave you credit and patiently waited for you to pay back. Many times the back room was where the owner and his or her family lived. When I lived in Samoa I gave my ten year old stepson to go to the kiosks and buy me several bottles of beer and use the change to buy himself and his friends’ soda and Twisties (New Zealand snack). During Christmas these stores are usually open 24-hours since villages had fund raiser dancing with music provided by a DJ into wee hours of the morning. It seems that was the only time you could buy liquor beyond the midnight deadline. I still saw these small kiosks as I drove through the villages and knew the location of every one of those stores from Sataoa heading west to Lefaga. Whenever I saw these stores in various villages I drove through and a few that were open beyond 9PM. It was something that is distinctively Samoan.
I had a grand time reveling with my brother in law and his wife. However, I came to Samoa to work so I had to get up early in the morning and head back to the ship after spending the first night in the village. It was hot and no tradewinds but with Jack Daniels chased by Taula Beer (or the other way around) in my system, it didn’t matter! Plus I’ve never waken up in the tropics with a hangover anyway! I guess all the alcohol sweats out during the night when I am asleep, however there is no scientific evidence to support that. I returned to the village every night after work until we had to depart again, this time for fisheries projects around Western Samoa that involved local scientists as well! I was glad to see us work with Western Samoa as having been there for quite a number of years, American presence is nil with the exception of occasional Peace Corps volunteer but plenty of religious missionaries. We stopped in Apia twice and both times was the same with time spent with family. I missed seeing the waterfalls and swimming in warm tropical waters. But I can always do that during some other visit as time spent with elderly parents is limited.
The second inport in Apia was no different from the first. It was off to the village to visit the family and this time take advantage of the car and go shopping in the city. The ship was docked in Apia and my niece worked at a massage clinic so I took her home to the village after our respective work hours were done. One afternoon I suggested to my brother-in-law that we go to Apia and get groceries from the market and tour the ship. His wife put on her best clothes and dressed up the two girls and the four of us went to town. Her husband stayed home to watch the kids as well as his parents. I had several more days and we could always go before the ship's scheduled departure.
The Farmer’s Market in Fugalei was rebuilt to make it “modern.” Where there were once a series of small mom and pop shops was replaced by a large parking lot that was rarely full. The prices to rent a stall must have increased because there were less vendors and selection was unlike before. This time there seems to be more vendors than roaming customers. Meanwhile a block away another farmer’s market sprung up where you as a customer had to dodge cars that came in to park to go shopping. Nevertheless, they had selection and the atmosphere was more like the bigger market in it’s old days but on a smaller scale. After shopping at the market and my sister-in-law and two nieces visited the ship, we picked up my niece at the massage clinic and drove home. For family members that missed seeing the ship there was always tomorrow…I thought! With cars not available and having to work late, I could not issue a rain check for them to visit. Considering this was my last trip to Samoa with NOAA, next time when a NOAA ship reappeared in Apia Harbor, I will not be on it.
I drove to the village for what was to be my last night as the ship was to depart next day in the afternoon. It’s never fun to say goodbye, especially in Samoa. Every time I departed they made it hard to do so. I should be used to it as I have done it so many times including agonizing farewells when I came here to get my wife in 2008 and several years later her son. I left around 8:30 at night and drove slowly back to the ship. I took a detour through downtown Apia and activity was slow considering it was a Wednesday night. The dance clubs which once populated Beach Avenue decreased in numbers and even the crown jewel of dance clubs in Apia, Club RSA, was closed and it was only 9:30 at night! The club that was well-known catering to foreign tourists and expatriates, The Lighthouse, has been gone for several years. The Sette departed Apia in the rain and headed towards American Samoa for the next leg before sailing home in six weeks!
We finished diving operations off Jarvis Atoll yesterday afternoon and departed soon afterwards. The PA announced around sunset that we had crossed the equator and now in the North Pacific going home. I am finally on my last leg for the journey home. A few months ago I looked forward with excitement to the trip to the Samoan Islands. In retrospect, it is hard to grasp that it is now done and over with. It was like it never happened. It was so quick that it was more like a dream rather than being there. The kids I knew when they were in kindergarten were now wearing junior high uniforms and entering adolescence. Their older brother and sisters have now moved overseas and joined the community of expatriates. The few that stayed behind yearn to be like their siblings or cousins. For me it was precious time spent with elderly in-laws and festivity with the wife’s younger brother. After work I would stop to buy precious imported fruits at the supermarket, apples for my mother-in-law and oranges for my father-in-law. Along with the usual staples such as box of milk, bread, vegetables and whatever needed for that night's dinner. This will be my last trip to Samoa with NOAA as the next one will happen in three years. By that time I plan to be retired and who knows, I may be one of the people to greet them as they pull into Apia. It's a peculiar feeling when overseas becomes home.
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