The end

Last blog post ever!! I don’t know how the time has come, but I’ve finished 27 months of service and I am officially a RETURNED PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER! The day felt like it would never arrive, but at the same time I cannot believe it’s here.

My last month in Samoa was a whirlwind of goodbyes and gaining closure for this experience. It was a super busy and hectic month, but it was also an amazing month. I was able to finish my service on a really positive note. In terms of school, this whole term was dedicated to national testing, so I wasn’t able to teach, but it was great bonding with the teachers as we prepared the pigs, chickens, and cows for the testing proctors to eat. Aside from testing, my Year 7 students were super excited about our cultural exchange grant so they would stay after school with me every day and we finished the exchange! The school in America sent my students videos and a package that we were able to go through. It was incredible! Every student got multiple letters that they responded to. It was eye opening for everyone, including myself. Certain letters talked about having two mothers or divorced parents or stepsiblings. These are all unheard of in Samoa, but I was just as surprised as my students! I didn’t realize how integrated I was until seeing that these Americanisms were extremely weird to me. It was a great conversation with my students, though! They learned so much. The package included a frisbee and a baseball (first ones my students had ever seen), so we learned how to play those sports as well!

My lovely students learning all about America.

Saying goodbye to my students and teachers was so tough! We had a whole school day dedicated to my goodbye barbecue. The Year 8 boys spent the day cooking while the rest of the students sang songs to me. It was a day filled with love! Every student was told to bring me a gift (we have 300 students) and then I gave my thank you speech in Samoan and then we all danced the day away. It was a blast! As we left school that day, the students broke down in tears and I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my two years spent with them. The next day was our Prize Giving! This is the day that Year 8 students graduate and everyone gets prizes based on how well they did throughout the school year. Us teachers got new uniforms for it and everything. It’s the biggest school day of the year and it just so happened to be my last day in the village as well! I gave out 8 prizes for the top students in my 8 classes. My prizes all came from America, so they were the most sought-after gifts of the year. I also gave a speech thanking the village parents, students, and teachers for accepting me as one of them these two years. It was emotional for everyone, but a wonderful last day! As I left Prize Giving, I was given a pig and a bunch of chickens. Unfortunately those weren’t going to make it into my baggage, but it was a nice thought!

The beautiful teachers of Sili Primary School!

The night of Prize Giving was my last night in the village, so it was my family’s fiafia (party) night for me. We all gathered in our giant open fale to have a farewell get-together. The pastor came to bless my travels and we feasted on the pig and chickens that I received. After the feast I gave my speech and gave out American chocolate to everyone. It was a huge hit! However, I only had 60 bars of chocolate and apparently more than 60 family members. The craziest part is that this was only my immediate family! So, needless to say, it was a big gathering for my last night. Lots of dancing occurred and as I did my last Siva Samoa (traditional dance) everyone broke out into tears because I was a “true Samoan now.” So I feel pretty accomplished, if I do say so myself. My nieces and I stayed up all night after the adults went to sleep. I was absolutely exhausted, but I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my night any other way. Two years later and my host family is truly my family. Without a doubt, I will be back to Samoa visiting them. My nieces all want me as their maid-of-honor’s so maybe even that’ll happen! Wherever life takes me, I will always consider these people my family and I will keep in touch with them forever. It’s crazy how strong of a bond this experience created.

Me and twelve of my 60+ family members.

After my farewell barbecue, Prize Giving, and my fiafia night, it was time for me to head back to America! As I drove out of my village to my last ferry ride, it was a surreal feeling. I know I’ll be back, but I also know so much will change in the meantime. My last ferry ride was one of the smoothest I’ve had, so someone was looking out for me! And then it was time for my final departure from Samoa. It wouldn’t have been a trip home without some complications, so naturally I had a tricky time getting back to Maryland. The great part about my trip home is that it was a complete surprise!! My American family thought I was coming home a week later and had no clue I would be showing up that night. After being stranded in New Zealand and re-routed on different flights, I arrived to Maryland much later than expected and the surprise was different than expected, but I still pulled it off! With help from my best friend, Sarah, and a few of our family friends, I completely shocked my mom, dad, and sister. It was the perfect way to end these past 27 months!

At the airport taking our last picture in Samoa!!

And with that, I am done! There’s not much I can say about these 27 months because it’s one of those things you have to live through in order to understand. They were the hardest months I’ve ever experienced mentally, physically, emotionally, etc. Peace Corps is not easy! I will forever have respect for anyone I know who survived the Peace Corps, but especially for my fellow volunteers. We ended with 14 and we all achieved incredible things during our services. Technically only 13 were left in country on our last day because of a medical evacuation, which fits perfectly with how our two years have gone. I had some of the least medical problems with Zika, scabies, lice, nickel poisoning (which got me sent home), a staph infection, and lots of undiagnosed “tropical eczema.”  I’m happy to be home and seeing doctors and regaining my health! This experience might’ve been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I’m also incredibly grateful. I grew more than I can explain and I know this will shape the rest of my life. Samoa will forever have a piece of my heart. Now it’s time to conquer America and see where this life takes me! I put the star on the Christmas tree and that feels like the perfect way to end this blog. I am home, I am (almost) healthy, I am happy, and I am humbled. Life is good.

This girl is in America for good!

Tofā Soifua, Sāmoa.