SAMOA 2014: Afio Mai

Afio Mai

I was feeling-less leaving Melbourne. My anxiety over leaving the children, versus, my anxiety in entering a tropical paradise with my Mister - sort of cancelled each other out, which left me feeling-less. It makes sense to me, anyway.

I decided my babies were safe with grandma and nana, hence I emotionally made myself available for new and amazing experiences.

Our descent into Apia proved to be a little turbulent (or the most eventful aero-landing I have ever experienced) and my fellow Samoan passengers respond to this with cheers and applause that we had safely touched the tarmac in tact. And an echo of “Malo” heard throughout the plane acknowledging gratitude, even to God. I love this about the Samoan people, they are always thankful to God for all they are and what they have.

I had visited my homeland Samoa a handful of times over the past decade, which has been enough times to know that once I would step off the plane onto the rolling staircase that touched Samoa’s soil – I would gulp in the warm salty breeze that would jolt my body into knowing I was in the tropics!

Waiting in line to pass customs I commented to my mister the smell of the air which was a mixture of warm salt and damp wood. The congregation of people and humidified-everything was also present. I say hello to man in the line we are standing in, whose daughters I grew up with in church.

In Samoa, the world is a small place. And in the Church, it’s an even smaller place.

One of my favourite things ever, upon entering the Faleolo Airport is the group of local men singing Samoan  melodies with the ukulele and guitar welcoming foreigners or locals back to this beautiful place.  By now, I’m sweating trying to lug my suitcase off the baggage carousel with 100 other people. Mission successful, with none of our belongings inconveniently taking itself to another airport in the world. It has happened before.

But for us we were in the absolutely most precise airport, which would prove to be what is the most beautiful country in the world, amid a cluster of signs declaring “Afio Mai”. Welcome.