We’re back to lots and lots of rain in Samoa. Yesterday morning I did my laundry and then hung it out to dry. Within forty-five minutes it was dry, but I decided to just leave it up for a few more hours while I went to the computer lab. Big mistake! I forgot about it until around 4pm when it started raining. It hasn’t really stopped since then and my clothes, which had been dry, are still sitting in the rain. All I need is another hour or so of sunshine!
I said a little big about Fiji yesterday, but there is really so much more that can be said. Before I came to Samoa deep down I had the misconception that all Pacific Island nations were somewhat similar. That’s not even close to being true. Fiji looks different, sounds different, was formed differently, and has a different history and culture. One of the very unique aspects of Fiji is its huge Indo-Fijian population. I think I talked about it a little bit when I was discussing the coup earlier. It was really amazing to see the two side-by-side in Fiji itself. I also think it is incredibly sad to see the amount of racial tension between the two groups. Seeing it in another country makes you realize just how stupid and pointless it is to judge someone else by the color of their skin or by their ethnic background. Is cultural heritage really that important that it can cause such huge divides?
We had a few afternoons free while we were in Suva so we walked around and did a little window shopping/shopping. Most of the shops were owned by Indo-Fijians and there was an interesting mix of stores with designer labels and stores with ultra-cheap t-shirts. One of my favorite things was the bread shops. I loved walked by and getting a whiff of fresh bread. Mmm. Food is one thing I’m really going to miss from Fiji. I loved all the Indian food. It was everywhere and so cheap.
note: This is my house in Abaca, Fiji.
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