Catchin' Up-Western Samoa

Sorry for the long hiatus. The past month or so has been a series of rock (island) fever; a frantic, unplanned trip off island to Western Samoa to represent the American Samoa Humane Society at a conference; and a very busy trip home for wedding planning, visiting, shopping and some kiteboarding lessons. And then a slooooow transition back home.






I have discovered that every three months or so it will be a medical necessity to take a trip off-island. The island is great, but it’s small. Just as one would need to leave a small town, so one needs to leave the island. Also, knowing that you can’t just get in a car and three hours later be somewhere completely different contributes to island fever. If I got into a car here and drove for three hours I would be back and forth across the island 3 or four times depending on traffic (that is if I turned around-if I didn’t I’d be underwater in 1 hour).

So needless to say, I have some catching up to do on my communication!

At the end of July I was able to see Western Samoa for the first time. It was wonderful seeing a big island! W. Samoa is what we call a “real” island. Meaning you can go through the middle of it and around it.









My trip wasn’t a real vacation because I was representing American Samoa’s Humane Society at the World Society for the Protection of Animal’s (WSPA) South Pacific Conference; but I was definitely able to see what potential exists there. Cafes, restaurants, resorts, roads where you can travel 45 mph!







At the conference I got to met representatives from organizations in the South Pacific dealing with companion animal issues (i.e. stray dog populations). It was very informative to hear everyone’s experience. We even were able to go into a school and watch a Humane Educator from Australia teach Samoan children about caring for dogs. The children were lovely and seemed to have a good time and get the message. The program includes a puppet of a dog and I got to help with the puppet during one session. The children and even a teacher thought it was real!


I really look forward to going back to Western Samoa for some real vacationing and more shopping. I was able to get in some shopping while I was there but it was very hurried and not as enjoyable as it could have been. Western Samoa has great wood carving crafts. I was able to buy a few gifts for my trip home, which was good timing.

Every night we were there we ate at a nice restaurant and the final evening we were at a beautiful resort and watched a couple get married at the end of the pier . It was beautiful.