In May of this year I returned from a four-year trip working as a volunteer in the South Pacific island country of Samoa (smaller than Lake County with a population of about 185,000). About three years of that time was as a volunteer with Peace Corps, and the majority of the fourth year was as a civilian. I taught welding at a technical college in the country's only city, Apia, made up of about 24 villages with a population of about 40,000. The school has five different career paths, with a total enrollment of about 300.
The whole thing began over five years ago when I asked Google what my life expectancy was. After spending about 15 minutes filling out the questionnaire, I was told I would live to be 89. Wow, I thought, I can't continue to waste my life away just having fun for the next 26 years (I'm 70 now), I should be doing something productive. That's when I began looking for a productive project. Peace Corps seemed to be an answer.
After nearly a year of medical tests and written questions, I was ready to say good-bye to friends and family. When I drove out to catch a plane headed for the Pacific, I turned to have a last look at my home on a lake near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I never would have believed that I would be gone for nearly four years, that I would assimilate into a culture that is so totally different from ours, or that I'd return to my own country feeling like a foreigner.
I'm still at awe of our lifestyle in the U.S. Even after being back for months now, I still enjoy wandering around a large grocery store just enjoying the variety of goods that we can pick from. Or the fresh produce and the quality of everything we have available to us. I know it sounds corny but we are truly blessed in this country.
When I flew into LAX from Samoa, I literally got tears in my eyes looking down at the city as we landed. Concrete streets, lawns, swimming pools, large homes, AC, cars and every other convenience a person could dream of. The airport we flew out of in Samoa is a landing strip on the edge of the Pacific. When you drive by it on the road (speed limit in the country is 25 mph) you'd never know there was an airport there except for the control tower. Seldom have I ever seen a plane on the tarmac.
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Since being home I've done my best to wear shoes most of the time (that's not easy after being barefoot for years), I've given up on trying to walk as fast as everyone else (what's the hurry?), and I've tried not to let our political dilemma affect my internal peace. Nearly every day I receive or send e-mails to friends I made while a volunteer (Samoans as well as expatriates) and I now feel more like a citizen of the world, not just a citizen of the U.S. I hope I haven't given you the idea that somehow my opinion of my country has diminished in any way. On the contrary, I love my country more now than ever.
