Saturday, December 30, 2006

After all, it is not a small world

I’m beginning to live up to an old expectation of mine to one day live a life in which at least 50% of my waking moments are spent in the water. Surfing has become an obsession. I’ve been spending much of my time in the company of my buddy Lopi who also fancies the surf. We have ambitions of traveling around to different parts of the islands to pursue the wickedest of the surf breaks once we get better at the sport. I think of surfing like fishing. You go out and try to catch something but even if you don’t you have a really nice time being out in the water so far away. Paddling out is part of the fun. You get out passed the waves and look back to this beautiful land and just sit there taking it all in. There is also this feeling of impending fate as you know damn well that on a few meters ahead of you are giant waves. Catching a wave is an awesome feeling. Its like riding on the back of a giant. Everything has to be in place and you have to be ready for it. If a wave comes that you know is out of your league there is no shame in bailing out.. wiping out can suck. Anyway, as I mentioned, I spent my Christmas with the Aussies who I’ve since run into a number of times. The day after Xmas I hoping in a cab and traveled to Apia against the better advice of the driver who insisted that everything was closed. The place looked like a ghost town. I ended up shamefully at McDonalds which was really the only place I could find any sort of sustenance. There I ran into a couple volunteers from group 65 who had returned to visit the islands. Two groups come every year and being that I am in group 77 it must have been 2000ad or so when they were here. I bet much has changed. They impressively speak fluent Samoan and it was really encouraging to be with them because they put me into situations where I had to use the language. We ended up at a horse race, believe it or not, and I have to say it really was a lot of fun. I ran into all sorts of people and friends that I’ve made in the last few months and I think the former volunteers were satisfied to see that I’ve been integrating. My life has really consisted of surfing ever since then. School starts in a few weeks and I will be all kinds of busy but until then I am exploring the waves as much as possible. I feel much better since the holiday season is over. Sorry for being so grumpy about all of it but its hard being far from your family. There is place called Lake Lonoto’o that I was advised to visit by an international friend. I have this hankerin’ to venture out and explore waterfalls which I’ve only seen from a distance. I might do this on my own or more than likely with my pal Lopi. The beauty of the place never ceases to amaze me. I want to make the most out of it. I really want some visitors too. Until then it’s me and a backpack, a good trusty alice bag that came with me to Asia this last summer. I did some thinking before I came here and I realized that this is the tenth country I’ve ever set foot in. This is rad. Its still only a fraction of how far I’m going to go. Manuia!

Flowers near Lake Lonoto'o, come show me the goldfish!

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