Dylan and Sawyer

 Palagi men in the house!

Dear Diary, I met a boy today.  Actually, I met two.  After another great day at school, I headed to the beach to see some fish and escape the heat.   At the beach fales, I noticed people in the water, which is unusual.  The woman who owns the beach fale was there and said they were University students.  I thought she said American, but then she told me which village they were from, so I was confused. Typical for me here.

I confess, I’m a bit of a tourist snob.  I live here and consider myself in a different category from those who fly in for a week (snobbish). But I was intrigued that they might be American.  I chatted with Sawyer and Dylan as they left the water.

I invited them for dinner to enjoy some “Mexicanesque” food.  We spent a lovely evening together.  I also invited Peter to come by.  He’s the 17 year old college student in my family.  He’s an avid reader, speaks better English than most Americans  I know and is interested in learning.  We chatted for a bit, but I confess, it felt a bit awkward.  Four strangers from two different cultures, feeling their way through the social waters.

Peter had to leave and we moved on to dinner.  I made a concoction of macaoroni, chili beans, onions, cheese, green chiles and for two of us, chicken.  Dylan is a lifelong vegetarian, so enjoyed his sans moa.  They guys seemed to enjoy the food.  We also enjoyed a cocktail, courtesy of the gracious guests.

One of the things I love about travel is meeting people.  It really is a small world.  For example, the director of their semester abroad program, who is American, served in the PC here 40 years ago, which is where she met her husband.  She’s lived here ever since.  The green chiles in the dinner were sent to me by a wonderfully generous RPCV, Kit, who also served in Samoa 40 years ago.  Suppose they know each other?  I’m sure they do and am looking forward to making the connection.

The evening involved good conversation ranging over an array of topics.  Beautiful music, provided by Sawyer, who surprised me with his talent.  When he started tuning up, I knew he wasn’t an amateur, but when he started singing, it was magic.

Hugs all around before they headed back to the beach fale.  I hope to see them again before they head back to the States in a couple of months, but realize it probably won’t happen.  I’m left with the impression of two smart, independent young men.  Describing them as “good” seems trite, but accurate.  My sense is I could trust them with my wallet or my daughter, assuming I had one.

Good job, parents of Dylan and Sawyer.  They were my first guests in my new home and I couldn’t have asked for better.

 P. S.  I deliberately left all the curtains open while the guys were here.  After they left, I closed them, turned out the lights, lit the candles and put on some music, which has become my evening routine.  About two minutes later, there was a knock at my door.  I was shocked, since no one has ever come to the house after dark.  It was Peter.  His father had sent him to see if the guys needed an escort to get them safely back to the beach fales.  I don’t know if the concern was their safety or my reputation, but either way it was a nice gesture.