There are some days when I wake up and forget where I am. When I realize it I think wow I really am here. Then most days I just completely fall into my Samoan life. This day was a typical Tuesday and for the most part a typical bus ride. It wasn’t until I was home wiping puke off my bag, with no feelings of disgust or anger, that I realized how “untypical” this bus ride would be in America. Sometimes I get shocked by my lack of reaction to things, but this instance especially…I call these moments my “Samoan Moments”, the moments where all my American habits leave me and I am completely indulged into this way of life.
Samoan Moment: Bus Ride
As soon as I got on the bus I knew it was going to be a tight ride home. A 400 lb woman offered the 3 inches left of her seat for me to sit, but I couldn’t complain because it was the only seat left. The bus was stopped within only three minutes of its departure when I pregnant woman got on and without hesitation I gave up my seat ( I would like to think I would have been this polite in America but I didn’t find myself considering it until it was the culturally appropriate thing to do). So my seat was gone and I left my bags in the front and wiggled my way to the isle where a 400 lb man offered his lap, I respectfully declined. The bus was on the move again but no sooner did it start moving that it got stopped again. At this point I was getting nervous because the bus was jammed packed and we still had 1.5 hours before our district, this bus couldn’t fit anymore but it would try. When the bus stopped a family got on and the man offered me his seat (it is also culturally appropriate to give a seat to a palagi). A child was placed on my lap and no, I had no idea who he was. The bus was in motion again and there were a couple more stops and people getting on and babies being passed around. The woman standing next to me decided to use me as a base to lean against, and she wasn’t holding any of the weight back, so I gave up my seat. I decided it would be much more comfortable to stand then to be used as back support to a woman. The ride wasn’t bad after that. Once the bus got going it didn’t stop until we got to our district. I had to get one and off a lot, seeing as how I was standing in the isle. Each time a seat was open I tried to get to it but someone always beat me to it. Finally I got a seat in the very front, which is like the VIP section. There was a man standing in front of me with someone else’s baby. Cute kid that I was making funny faces with. Suddenly he was the one making a funny face that only my years of working with children made me recognize but it wasn’t quick enough. Yes, that face was the I am going to hurl face, and he did, all over my feet. The man holding the baby turned him to the side and then took him off the bus. Side note, this was not the child’s father, and they never got back on the bus. Anyways I got my feet wiped down with a lavalava and got a glimpse of my bags. Yes, they were covered with baby puke.
Soon I was home, wiping my bags off. I unloaded my groceries (thankfully got spared the baby fluids) and now I am sitting here drinking tea and listening to Adele. It was a good day.
Also I thought it might be fun to let you all know what I have been watching, reading, and listening to lately. You may do what you please with this information
Book:
The Choice Effect (Love Commitment in an Age of Too Many Options)
By Amalia McGibbon, Lara Vogel, Claire Williams
- MUST READ FOR ALL FEMALES 20-35! I just started it but have been laughing through the whole thing. Basically it explains why we are moving away from the traditional path of life, and that its okay.
Show:
Sons of Anarchy (FX)
If you enjoy thrilling combat and brotherly love this is for you. But if you also love passion and family values it is for you too. I don’t know how many seasons there are, but we have three in this country. Feel free to send more over
Music:
Adele : 21
PEACE AND LOVE
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