How the exotic becomes ordinary.

Hearing the Samoan language has become familiar, although I do not yet understand what is being said. I anticipate the taste of Samoan food, although I prefer Creole or Cajun cuisine. The balmy weather, the prehistoric tree ferns, the many colors of the Pacific Ocean, the constant sentinel of the mountains all give American Samoa an ancient, even timeless appeal. Modernity seems out of place here. Every airplane's arrival draws attention. Yesterday, my golf instructor took off at a trot when he saw a certain DeHavilland Otter fly over the Ili'ili Golf Course. He shouted back over his shoulder that he had a package to pick up at the airport as he disappeared around the clubhouse. The airplane was returning from one of those more or less regular flights from Apia, Western Samoa. He was back in 20 minutes! Exactly one bucket of practice balls later, the ball drew a perfect arc across the sky as it shanked its way towards the blue Pacific...

PagoDoc
(writing from Paradise Lite)