How many people have actually heard of Samoa?

And actually have some knowledge of it?

Until this last week, I had heard the name, but never knew anything of it, much less was overly concerned about it to be honest. I mean, how different can all those tiny islands be?

For 4 days Hannah and I entered into the Samoan culture up to our eyeballs. So many obervations, so many thoughts and so much food. I believe that we experienced more culture in 4 days than we ever thought possible to experience in such a short time. Most of this was the simple fact that the people still very much lived it, talked it, breathed it. There was no hestitation on their behalves to speak about their culture, no reservedness. We asked a question and we got that answered plus much, much more.

Food is an essential core of the culture to create community.

"Talofa" means hello.

On Samoa, the men hunt and cook while the women take care of the kids and keep house.

Clothing is bright and colorful accompanied by eye-catching jewelry and exotic flowers.

Women are rich in character.

"Fa" means goodbye.

There's so much more... Hannah and I both felt so at home in the Pastor's house with his wife and 4 girls and her sister and her girl (named Jesse, with her middle name Hannah- coincedence?).  With no language barrior we were able to delve so much deeper into their lives and relate on a different level than surface. We helped clean the house, cook, play with the girls, talk with the ladies who came over to talk and eat with us, go shopping and get spoiled with gifts of jewelry and clothes and give our testimonies and sing a song on the Wednesday Bible study. Without a language barrior, culture shock is incredibly lessened, if not mostly gone.

The last days were a continual reminder to me how much I love being out of "my own culture". I don't know if I'll ever be fully able to answer why that is. There's a mystery in other cultures that sets my heart at rest and gives me peace. Yet out of all things... I believe it makes me question my relationship with God more.

The battery is dying, it's 11:10 and my sore throat is decidedly not getting better as time passes by... my sleeping bag on the floor in the middle of Zanker CityTeam HQ's calls my name... to wake up tomorrow for new experiences and continued adventures.

i believe xanga will always be something i associate with my Discover year... which, of course, is a wonderful thing.

however, i am almost wondering why i have a xanga... because although it's quite enjoyable to redecorate once in awhile, i rarely write on it. another place to record random thoughts...

this is my first entry from the small town of Darby, MT... where i stay in a house with my family, work at motel/RV place and otherwise read interesting books and hope my mind doesn't go completely blank from lack of much use.

i've only been here 4 weeks, and already it feels like a lifetime. and i'm here to stay till December. i might think i've pretty well gotten down the flexibiltiy issue in my life until i have to realize i am stuck in one place for a time period of 7 months without much travelling at all. flexibility in life never ceases it seems.

meanwhile, i plod on, keeping the end goal in sight as i continuely try to not give up...