“I have always relied on the
kindness of strangers…” - Blanch DuBois in ‘A Street Car Named Desire’
“We are all travelers in the
wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest
friend.” - Robert Louis Stevenson
I lied (again…fa'amalie atu) the last plogg
wasn’t the last plogg…I almost forgot the most important part. I am only sorry that I cannot name every
individual I should here- but, you know who you are if you are reading this...(most of the people I have named, will never read this…and that- for the sake of Miss Alanis Morrisette- is irony...)
To all below, and more- fa’afetai tele lava (I’m not going
to write 'thank-you very much' 72 times…so take it as a given from here…)
To the crew at SBEC…for your various
forms of entertainment, friendship and mild antagonism…I leave you the work I
have done and words from someone wiser than me...
“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” –Oscar Wilde
“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” –Oscar Wilde
Especially to Santy- thank you for your giggling hospitality and kindness- it almost hides your rare competence. Thank you for everything- but as Lulu sang 'How do you thank someone who has taken you from crayon's to perfume?'...I'm not sure, but you will always be welcome to visit :)...however we are never, ever sharing a hotel room again.
To Aunty Frieda…and your family - Paul, Ah Chong, Rasmussen, Ah Him and all the rest… (trust me when I say this
could go on...) I cannot thank you enough for treating me so kindly, and
teaching me the meaning of aiga in Samoa .
You have treated me like family, and I hope I will have to the opportunity
to repay your kind and genuine hospitality…
Especially to;
…Aunty Frieda for letting me share
your tremendous library to learn about Samoa's history …
…to Mark, for sharing your business experience in Samoa with me...
...to Luna & Norman for welcoming me, and every other volunteer waif and stray to Le Manumea for a cool swim and a cooler beer when we sought somewhere to rest …
...to Luna & Norman for welcoming me, and every other volunteer waif and stray to Le Manumea for a cool swim and a cooler beer when we sought somewhere to rest …
…to Memoree & Walter Imo who shared their home, their gym, their café and their car (and Buddy)…and a hundred conversations with me…thank you for your friendship, and balancing the odd mild hangover with brekky, caffeine & exercise…
…and to Aunty Therese and Willy- who
over many meals, and several beers- taught me more about Samoa and being Samoan
than I could have found in any number of books…
For Willy and Walter, who provided wisdom,
beer and coffee in equal measure…
“One is not a learned man by virtue
of much speaking. He who is patient, without anger and fearless, he is to be
called learned….even if he has only studied a little, he who has experienced the truth in
person- he is indeed a bearer of the teaching...”. Buddha- The Dhammapada
To Aunty Danielle and Uncle Hymie
who reached out to your family to make sure I would be known and taken care of- I was.
To Uncle David for showing the way...
To Uncle David for showing the way...
To George Churchward and William
Walker, who gave me some family history threads on which to pull…
To Nigel Stowers, who represented in
To the volunteers- Kiwis, Aussies,
Yanks and the rest…what a ridiculously talented and fun bunch of people you
are- thanks for the inspiration, memories, and for being there to support and
entertain one another…
Especially to;
…John ‘Air Vice Marshall
…’Eta ‘James’ McNeil- for teaching
me the difference between equity and equality and for having more spheres of influence than Lourde…
…Jo and Andy- for being more adaptable than a small purse and matching shoes made
entirely from chameleon skin... thanks for being the worlds
greatest neighbours, walkers, red wine connoisseurs, surrogate parents, therapists; and future producers, writers and
stars of “Animal Rescue Samoa”…
For the volies:
“Success consists of going from
failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”- Winston Churchill
“Success is not final, failure is
not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” – Winnie again, but clearly on a
better day
To everybody who visited me… Leanne, Brent,
Fran, Jada, Mum, Dad, Joc,& Jesse and to Aunty Pam, Richelle, Pia, Teuila
and Uncle Hymie…you bought a little bit of home to me, when I needed it…I hope
you took something back too... The Jacques Cousteau award goes to Dad for most exciting visitor...
To the Sainsbury’s, Newmans, Rouses,
Stowers, Maggoffs, Kahuis, Chan Boons, Phillips…and everyone beyond that
in our extended aiga in NZ, Aussie, or floating about the globe like leaves on
a breeze …thank you for your support in spirit and thoughts…
To my Gran- who supports us all ceaselessly with energy and by example...
To Nana & Apa- who left Samoa to offer their family a better life 50 years ago- and who could never have envisaged how successful and widely spread their progeny would become, when they took that chance...
To everybody who donated to VSA …you have helped them to carry on what they do. A very special thank
you to all of the mates of Mum, Brent and Dad- who backed me based on family links…Mum, Brent or Dad will fix you up with that ‘thank you’ drink...
To Viking, and to Kerry Sainsbury…thanks for the
support intangible- but thanks especially, for your help in allowing me to
leave 2 laptops in Samoa, donated to some people who need them more than I do…
To the security guards, the bus
drivers, the cabbies, the street-side sellers, the gardeners, the kids,
…and everyone I see on that 8km stretch of Cross Island Rd between Smurfy and
SBEC…who made sure that every day I woke up started and finished with smiles,
waves and kind words…I arrived at my destination everyday with a smile and
feeling better than when I left. That walk was the everyday highlight…
It’s said that one needs 3 things in life...something to do, something to look forward to and something to
love…and it is for the latter that thanks go to the Captain, Constanza, Lefty and
El Presidente, Spot, Not Spot…and every other creature that wound up hungry or
homeless on my doorstep… for unconditional friendship, and the occasional
sleepless night…
To Shannon and Curtis and Nicole and Jackson and the host of friends and family who have supported Leanne at home...
To Shannon and Curtis and Nicole and Jackson and the host of friends and family who have supported Leanne at home...
And lastly…to my wife, without whom I could not have come, and without whom I would have no reason to return home. I have often thought of the words which you wear on your bracelet ...
"...grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change those things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference" - Reinhold Neibhur
Fa'afetai, fa'afetai, fa'afetai tele lava, ma alofa tele.
"...grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change those things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference" - Reinhold Neibhur
Fa'afetai, fa'afetai, fa'afetai tele lava, ma alofa tele.
If I missed anyone out- I’m
dreadfully sorry- hate mail to jacob.stowers@gmail.com...(ok…that’s the last plogg now…promise…uma)
