How It All Started

I didn't realize how crazy everything turned out to be as I grew up in American Samoa. I thought that was the only Samoan island there was but I was wrong. One day, my grandpa took my siblings and I along with all our cousins who lived downhill from us for a ride on the back of the truck. In Samoa, were were allowed to sit or stand on the back of a pickup truck and I miss that a lot. But roads were much more limited out there compared to riding around the freeway here in the states. Anyway, he took us for a ride to the top of a mountain that was about 20 minutes away from home. He wanted to show us something and we were very curious. When we got to the very top, we ran around and explored the new side we've never been to before. My grandpa then gathered us together as took us to one spot that overlooks the ocean. He pointed out very far into the ocean another land that you wouldn't be able to spot out from the bottom of the mountain. All the kids went crazy and were curious as to what island that was and as young as we were, we never knew another island existed. Grandpa told us that he use to ride canoes back and forth from there to the island we were looking from. He said that people use to ride and back and forth to visit families and friends but it was very rare to do it now. We were all wondering if we could maybe someday do it as well and he said it wasn't entirely forbidden but it just wasn't something to do for fun anymore. But ever since then, my parents would tell us stories of how their parents, grandparents, and ancestors all met and started the family clan there. My parents were the first generation to move to American Samoa and start a family there. Then after them came their own parents who came to seek more opportunities. Western Samoa or Apia is what that island is called and it the actual Samoan country because it is independent and on its own. My parents told us that they came to American Samoa to give birth to us and raise us there so that we have can become international citizens of the United States and someday hopefully move to the States and embark onto new journeys. And that is exactly what we did when I came here at 8 years old. This article talks about transportation which is usually by boat, car, or plane and the boat they talk about is usually how my parents sent and receive many things to families from all around polynesia. <http://wikitravel.org/en/Apia> Another spot my grandpa loved to take all my cousins and I and told stories before we started swimming is the beach viewed on this website. <http://www.weltrekordreise.ch/bilder%20as/007-P1000098.jpg>

Here is an image of a part of Western Samoa I've been to and walked around at with my family. This is where my parents grew up.