THAT BALLERiNO GiRL

Warning : If there are spelling mistakes, please ignore them.

Id have to say that my trip to Samoa this July has been the best days of my life. I not only met new family members but i also made new friends and saw new crushes. Its amazing what a holiday could do to you. I wish i was still on my holiday, i wouldnt be so stressed about school and friends. I do admit, people think ive changed all because i went overseas. Personally, i know ive changed.


I used to be a snob when it came to my samoan cultural. Ive grown up with it, so i do know many things that can affect lives. Born into a samoan family, life gets hard at times. Parents, being parents, expect you to know everything about Samoa and its culture. Im a big rebel, so its hard for me to follow what people say. I guess you can call me obnoxious, as i do turn deaf ears whenever mum asks me to do something related to my Samoan culture.

I was born in Australia, so i grew up in the Aussie way. The first time i stepped foot in Samoa, i was totally ashamed to be there. I was an Australian, and i was used to all the new modern things. Samoa can afford anything mind you, its just that i thought i was stuck in a desert, seeing as my family did not on many technology items. I did come back to Australia with new knowledge though, since my Grandpa was used to teaching and changing children. 4 weeks in the island soon turned from nightmare to disaster.
After that, i came back to Australia, and soon i turned back into my old aussie ways. Before i was used to cold showers, and sweeping the house everyday. When i came back, i knew i missed nothing in Samoa, as i had my hot water showers, and i didnt really do any chores. You can call me lazy, coz i know i was.

Six years later, and i finally had the chance to go back to Samoa, this July. At first, i was reluctant to go, seeing as i would have no communication with my friends here in Australia. My mum kept scaring me and my sisters, saying there would be no hot water, and flies surrounding your food...Trust me, when you live in a clean environment, you kind of get disgusted. I am mildly germophobic - i hate when people touch me at times, and i have to wipe the toilet thoroughly, i hate people who dont brush their teeth,etc Going to Samoa was one of my fears.

Needless to say, i have come back, fresh with new knowledge and skills. The three weeks i spent there, were the most precious days of my life. I not only learnt to be a true Samoan, but i ended up loving my culture. I guess i took my culture for granted ; i wanted to be someone different. But now, i realise Samoa is my country, and ill do anything to represent it. My family have taught me everything about life - i basically learnt to live and love. Obviously, im Australian, and im proud. And yes, my family in Samoa can talk English. Its basically their second language. They have all sorts of things aussie there, and im proud to say they are upgraded exactly like my house her in Aus ; they have washing machines, microwaves, big stereos, touch phones...everything. ( Better than here ! ) But the important thing is, ive learnt to be myself.

The main lessons ive learnt from my trip?

1 - Never take life seriously

This saying is true. I realised whilst in Samoa that i took life so seriously. I was just so focused on helping friends and family, and concentrating on education and not dying, that i never really took time to enjoy the things in life. Samoa truly opened my eyes to the beauty of the world.

2 - Love the people in your life

This also means loving your enemies and people you dont know. The message i was taught was to love everyone God has put in your life. Life can slip away any moment, so you gotta make the most of it and love everyone right in front of your eyes.


3 - Appreciate whatever is in front of you

This was one of my most important lessons. I never really appreciated what was there for me, and now that i see it, i regret everything i turned my nose up at. Samoa is a country that uses its nature to live on. It doesnt need big K-mart shops and McDonalds drive throughs. It uses its picturesque nature, like the coconuits and animals that are scattered throughout its land mass. I guess i was a stuck-up. Now i appreciate whatever is given to me, because i know, in war-torn and poor countries, food, water, shelter and clothing are scarce. I also know now that love, happiness and family are scarce as well, now that ive seen life in its true forms. So dont hate, just appreciate.

4 - Never ask your mother for money in front of other ladies.

Oh no. Gosh no. You'll end up getting a woodenspoon thrown at your head.

5 - Take heaps of photos and memories

I have heaps of photos and memories, but i wish i wouldve taken more. Looking at all the photos with all my cousins and friends there, it makes me feel alive. But if id taken photos with those i was most shy around ( crushes, SOME family members...) then my memories wouldve been on top. But hey, when your having fun, your camera doesnt really click to you straight away. Right?

6 - Take the opportunity

I had the opportunity to share my feelings with a guy. Me, being me, shyed away from him, resulting in not saying a proper goodbye to him. I first met him at the local swim pools. ( it wasnt an actual Ian Thorpe swimming pool, just a HUGE rock hole with crystal clear water in it and a nice beach view of the Pacific ocean around it) I was swimming with my youngest sibling Sabrinna, and we had the whole pool to ourselves. We were just mucking around when we heard noises. Obviously we groaned, knowing we wont have the pool to ourselves. He was one of the three that invaded our space. Him, along with his cousins(?). I knew the first time i saw him, i would have a slight crush on him. Some girls might not see anything in him, but he was fairly handsome in my eyes. I didnt want to go out of the water. ( Girls my age show-off and will try and stick around from him to notice them ) Me, being entirely different to them, didnt want to go because i didnt want him to see my body. I am on a fairly average weight, but i dont like it when guys look hard at a girls body, so i used a small rock boulder as a way to sneak out of the pool. Me and Sab went home, but as we walked, i turned my head back at the pool, knowing he would be looking, seeing as he kept looking at me in the pool. As i guessed, he still looked, however he smiled, and i knew i would be seeing him in my dreams.
After that, i kept seeing him around. I found out he lived across from my house, straight across. He wasnt there for permanent though, he was just there for his family reunion. We kept giving eye contact and smiling. I knew i was falling but obviously i did not let myself fall that far. I found out he came from NZ and he was staying for a short time only. The next time i saw him, i actually had a chance to talk to him. Me, my cousins and sisters went for another swim, seeing as the pool is just one minute away from our house. I took a volleyball with me, but i had noone to play with, so a random boy came up and started playing with me. ( Didnt like the boy, he kept talking to much in samoan and accusing me of not knowing how to play volley when he was all but pathetic at it ) My sister came and helped me, so it was fairly exciting, and thats when HE came. We played volley for around 10 mins before i had to go. Again, i turned my head around, and id be rewarded with his eyes staring back and a smile. Lets just say the dreams continued.

The last time i saw him, i was catching the boat the main island of Samoa to come back to Australia. I bumped in to him, shocked that he was on the same boat as me, the 4:30am boat. We gazed at each other, and i asked him if he was leaving as well. He smiled and nodded, but he had a little girl in his arms so he was kind of distracted. I took his arm as i was talking, and i just said ill see him later, and we parted ways.
On the boat, my sister and her friend jept telling me he was showing off in front of me. He kept looking in my direction all the time, but i was just too lazy and tired to pay attention. I still didnt know his name. I didnt want to ask because i didnt want to sound like a stalker.
As we left the boat, i turned to search for him. It was like he was searching for me as well. I spotted him near a white taxi. He looked like he wanted to say something. But i just smiled sadly and walked away, since my grandma was walking towards me. That was the last time i saw him, and i still didnt know his name.

So never EVER let go of an opportunity, it can haunt you forever.

 7 - Never bring an ipod

As soon as my cousins found out about my ipod, they went crazy. Ipods are really well-known in Samoa. I didnt really see my ipod much in Samoa. It was busy jumping from hand to hand. I did have it once though, through a whole day. I was so proud. The main song my cousins loved on it was " Delirious " - Soulja Boi and V Bosses. I remember listening to it day after day. Its just memories stuck forever lol. Emily, a good friend of mine, gave it to me for my 15th birthday. It was really expensive, and i thank her from the bottom of my heart for giving me something memorable. Nazz loves the ipod now.

8 - Never ask if anyone wants coffee or tea

I did the mistake, of asking out loud if anyone wanted a tea or coffee, seeing as i was making a small cup of tea for myself and found it a bit rude if i didnt offer anyone one else. I got 5 shouts wanting tea, and 4 wanting coffee. Needless to say, my family call me coffee lady now. Whenever my name was called, i knew it was to make the tea. I hate teapots now.

9 - Avoid random boys

Always. Always avoid guys who ask for your number.
The again, if you dont like the boy, give him a wrong number.
Or do what i did.
" 0411-telling-ya-mum "
it worked.

10 - Life is a rollercoaster

Last but not least. I have learnt so many lessons in life, but this has got to be my number one. My family have shown me that there are good and bad days in life. We all get days when we are happy and days when we are sad. At the end of the day, however, you just got to cherish the moments. Life WILL turn upside down, but remember, a rollercoaster goes up, down, side to side. It twists and turns, flips and flops, weaves and willows. At the end though, it always stays upright.