You know you've lived in Faga'itua, American Samoa if..........

You know you’ve lived and taught in Faga’itua, American Samoa if…………………

1)     Your neighbors have a boat but not a car.

2)     You’ve (nearly) been eaten by dogs at least 30 times.

3)     EVERYONE knows your name and shouts it out from their houses and cars and showers whenever they spot you!

4)     The community thinks you are dating any guy who you talk to for more than five minutes.

5)     You have witnessed geckos mating… Oi..

6)     You start sweating five minutes after taking a freezing cold shower.

7)     In one sitting you have eaten enough food to last most people a week or more.

8)     You start wearing a lot of red.

9)     You have a shoe in your house that’s sole (no pun intended) purpose is for killing cockroaches.

10)  You spot sea turtles nearly every day! They are BEAUTIFUL.

11)  You’ve eaten Bongos.

12)  You eat at least ten ants a day… not on purpose but without worry.

13)  You have seriously contemplated poisoning the neighbor’s dogs.

14)  Every time you take the bus into town you are in complete awe of the true beauty of this island…..

15)  The community thinks your roommate is your boyfriend, husband, or brother. He's not.

16)  You have witnessed the “Samoan Hug” many times. It is what Americans would call a “slap”… a hard slap.

17)  You have become an expert at catching rainwater!

18)  You have a fan set on the highest speed possible pointing directly on you at ALL times.

19)  You dislike ASTCA with a passion.

20)  You also dislike ASPA.

21)  You know what ASTCA and ASPA stand for. 

22)  Roosters wake you up before your actual alarm does.

23)  You are constantly on the look-out for the ever-evasive Tula buses.

24)  You have had a cockroach on your face.

25)  You think you have heard dogs killing other dogs outside your window… :-/

26)  Wine is a true treat. So is cheese. So are green vegetables. Chocolate chips are as well.

27)  You are extremely envious of everyone with a car.

28)  Your neighbors often give you very tasty papayas and bananas!

29)  You have counted about 20 smashed frogs on the road in a 5 minute walk.

30)  Your student’s parents, grandma, auntie, brother and cousin have all picked you up along the side of the road and given you a ride somewhere at some point.

31)  You are used to the smell of rotten breadfruit, but you still aren’t used to the smell of burning trash floating through your window screens into your room.

32)  Taro with coconut milk is your new favorite food!

33)  Many of your neighbors have shared their tasty food and kind words with you. Samoans are THAT nice. It’s incredible.

34)  You always wear your hair up. (Due to the heat but also the GHOSTS!)

35)  You have enjoyed a nice cold Vailima with your neighbors while sitting on top of their great, great grandpa, the high talking chief of the village. (Sitting on his grave, of course... that’s where people “kick it” here!) 

36)  You will never wear a read hibiscus flower behind your ear. EVER.

37)  At school you get overwhelmed with 20 teenagers trying to plow through your door at all times, but at home you get lonely because your landlord has a NO SAMOANS ALLOWED policy. Wtf?

38)  You’ve heard 10 different reasons as to why it is not safe to stay at the school late. Don’t mess with the FHS ghosts!

39)  Your new exciting hobbies include: collecting seashells, walking to the one store in the village, yelling “HALU!!!” at the dogs, reading, napping, and hanging clothes on the clothesline.

40)  It’s normal to shower three times a day.

41)  You are completely certain that you now have experienced the most amazing scent known to man: MOSOOI!

42)  You have also experienced the worst scent known to man: a jar full of dead centipedes.

43)  You know that “vill” is the cool way to say “village.”

44)  People honk at you all the time!!! A honk in Samoa means, “Hello!!!”

45)  Random strangers tell you that they love you……. ?

46)  You have fallen down the boat ramp at least once.

47)  You have witnessed the “Samoan laugh.” It is the loudest laugh you have EVER heard.

48)  On that topic, you know exactly when a Samoan has been involved in a very serious accident…. he/she is the only one laughing. 

49)  You find yourself randomly slapping yourself a lot. Your neighbors do it too. Everyone does it!!! (Mosquitoes, duh!)

50)  YOU come from the most beautiful village on island – FAGA’ITUA!!!!!!!