Started from the bottom

I’m back in Samoa!! What a crazy month of change, but now I am settled in for my remaining three months of service. October 1^st will mark TWO YEARS in Samoa, which absolutely blows my mind. Like any journey, it has been a very long process but has also flown by. I cannot believe I’ve lived here for two full years!

After some much-needed healing, I got medically cleared to return to Samoa and I was ecstatic! My skin condition completely cleared up with a couple treatments from two different American dermatologists. I’ll never really know what it was – mango allergy, vitamin deficiency, nickel poisoning, etc. I’m just very grateful it cleared and I was able to return. My remaining time back home was wonderful. I got to take my sister to her first day of 10^th grade, which was so nice because I’ve missed so many first days. Departing is never easy, but since this was an unexpected trip and I really wanted to finish up my time in Samoa, it was a little easier this time around. Only three months remaining!

Final airport goodbye with this tenth-grader!

Arriving back in Sili was really exciting! My medical evacuation happened so unexpectedly and quickly, so it was really nice to see my family and village again. I brought back an entire suitcase of clothing, so my nieces and nephews had a fashion show my first night home. My teachers had a welcome back lunch for me and construction has begun on my bathroom grant, so being back at school was great. I’m definitely feeling nostalgia for those moments that I won’t have next year! We’re straight back into homework help in the evenings and it’s surprisingly refreshing being “home”.

Homework help wouldn't be complete without selfies.

Being back into my Samoan routine also means back to my evening runs and it feels great! Lately I’ve been meeting three other volunteers for evening walks because we all live in neighboring villages. My first weekend back, I decided I would run/walk from Sili to Salelologa. Salelologa is the “city” of my island, where all shops are located along with the wharf. My phone tells me that it was a 12.4-mile journey and it felt wonderful! I love that I know the island well enough to do that. Once I arrived, I got to swim in the crystal clear water all day with other volunteers and then take the bus home. It was perfect and I can’t believe I hadn’t done it before. Again, I’m definitely in the nostalgia phase of trying to do everything I can here before leaving.

Ran 12.4 miles to float on a slice of pizza.

I arrived back in Samoa just in time for my Close of Service conference. COS is something that we have looked forward to since the very beginning. Technically, we still have three months left, but we have to complete our Close of Service conference before the new group arrives. The conference took place at one of the nicest resorts in Samoa; I had never even been there before! We had sessions on writing our resumes and cover letters, interviewing, job searching, etc. It was a really helpful and productive week! We also got to reflect on our service and talk about re-integration into the U.S., which will be overwhelming for us all. It was actually such a productive week that I never once put on my bathing suit, even though we had an infinity pool and the ocean right outside our room! It was one of the best week’s I’ve had here and I’m so proud of us all for making it.

Great looking group at our Close of Service!!

This was our last training, so it could very well be the last time Group 87 was altogether. It gave great closure to this experience. We bonded a ton as the remaining 14 of our group. From 22 to 14, we are the survivors!! It feels so great to have made it and this week was the perfect reward. We’ve gone through so much individually in these two years, but also so much as a group. Two years ago we were at our Staging conference in Hawaii, just meeting each other for the first time, and now these people are my family. It’s been crazy and it’s been challenging, but we did it!

Started from the bottom, now we're here.

I’m sad that COS is over, but also excited for my remaining time here. Next week, Group 89 arrives! With this new group, we’re actually starting a new program here in Samoa. Right now, there’s only one program, so every volunteer is an English Literacy teacher. However, with this new group, we are starting a Numeracy program!! Those of you who know me know that math is my thing, so I’m ecstatic! This program is actually starting as a result of meetings we’ve had with the Ministry of Education in Samoa and also meetings we’ve had with Peace Corps Headquarters. It’s neat being so involved in the process. Directly after COS, I headed to the capital to plan out the Numeracy program here. A couple Peace Corps staff members and I created the Logic Model to submit to Headquarters and then planned out the entire framework. It looks like I’ll be going to Group 89’s training village in order to conduct the Numeracy trainings, so that’ll be really rewarding. I can’t believe I have such a big role in implementing this pilot program! Living in the capital was really nice, involving good food and hiking! My Country Director took me to Malololelei, which looks out over all of Apia.

Casually hiking above Apia while developing a Numeracy program!

Term 3 of the school year has officially ended and we’re now on a two-week break. I can’t believe it’s already the last term of my second year here! This break has already flown by with all of my work in the capital. I’ll spend the second week of break at the welcoming Ava Ceremony for Group 89 and then smoothing out the plans for Numeracy trainings. Before I know it, my third and final White Sunday will be here! I’m trying to soak up all I can in these three months and end on a high note. With COS and the Numeracy program and my grants, it’s all coming together and I’m in a great place!

Happy TWO YEARS IN SAMOA and happy CLOSE OF SERVICE!!!