Group 82 Year Book

Group 82 at the All Volunteer Conference
January 2011
We were the 82nd group of volunteers to arrive in Samoa. There were 23 of us who stepped of that plane from L.A. on that hot and humid morning of October 7, 2009. Now, over two years later, 15 of us remain, and our journey together reveals many stories about the lives we’ve helped change, and the ways we have changed as well.

My friends in Group 82 are some of the few people that will ever completely understand what this experience has been like. Although we’ve all lived in our own village, with our own school, and our own house, we can all relate to the overall journey we’ve been on, and the trials and successes along the way. When we first began, 26 months felt like an eternity, but here we are on the doorstep of our departure.

Although we all arrived together, our exits from the country will take place on different dates. Next week, the first volunteers from Group 82 will begin to head back to the United States. Recently, I asked my friends to share a few things about their time in Samoa. The first question I asked was what was the most useful item they packed for their Peace Corps service. After two years, we all know what that one thing is that we couldn’t have lived without. Secondly, most Peace Corps volunteers can explain in vivid detail certain foods they craved during their time overseas, and this leads most volunteers to plan out their first meal back in the United States months in advance. Therefore, I asked my friends what that first meal would be. Finally I asked them each to share a special memory about their time in Samoa.

As we begin to pack our bags and say our last goodbyes, I offer this tribute to Group 82, and wish them all the best in the months ahead.

Introducing Peace Corps Samoa—Group 82:

Kaelin
Most useful item packed for service:
Faded, old, red baseball hat.

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Philly soft pretzel

Samoa memory:
I loved being together with our whole group on the last night of our Close of Service Conference. The true highlight of that night was Kyle’s stand up comedy. He had us all laughing hysterically.

Rachel
Most useful item packed for service:
Pocket knife and duct tape.

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Everything bagel with garlic and herb cream cheese; Starbucks iced vanilla latte.

Samoa memory:
Running the Perimeter Relay Race as a part of “Kope Keine.”

Cassie
Most useful item packed for service:
Camera

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Salad

Samoa memory:
I know this sounds cheesy, but I will always remember the other Peace Corps I’ve met here. They have become another family for me. I will never forget my family and watching my two younger siblings, Fuaesi and Lehini learning how to ride a bike. Fuaesi was on the handle bars and Lelini was riding her around. I will also remember the chickens, pigs and the occasional horse running around.

Dana
Most useful item packed for service:
Computer and soccer ball

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Green Chile cheese chicken enchiladas

Samoa memory:
The tsunami evacuation on the first day—crazy! All other cyclone and tsunami evacuations (3)!

Matt
Most useful item packed for service:
Guitar

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Mexican

Samoa memory:
Climbing Mt. Silisili [the highest Mt. in Samoa] and only having 1 liter of water for the entire second day—about 10 hours of hiking. At the end of the hike, we walked through plantations and I drank 4 niu (coconuts) and the first sip is probably the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted. Upon finishing the hike and entering the village, we were celebrated as heroes.

Tiffany
Most useful item packed for service:
My kindle

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Fondue (chocolate & cheese)

Samoa memory:
I told my host brother I wanted a niu (young coconut). He agreed to climb a tree and get some down for me. Once he got some niu he told me that he was going to teach me how to husk a coconut. I’ve seen it done with a stick in the ground, so I asked him where the stick was. He told me that before the stick there was the rock. He then showed me how to use a rock to open the coconut by pounding the rock against the coconut to soften the husk before pulling it off the coconut inside with my hands. At one point I put my feet on the coconut to pull at the husk. After about 10 minutes I finally got the husk off so I could drink the water inside the coconut.

Alli
Most useful item packed for service:
I-pod, floss, coffee and French press

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Mom’s lasagna

Samoa memory:
Waking up with a chicken in my bed in the training village. Scary in the morning!!

Emilie
Most useful item packed for service:
The most amazing thing is that its taken me 15 minutes to think of anything I brought that hasn’t broken—that I cherished and would be lost without—nothing! I don’t need anything I brought!

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Green Chile Enchiladas with a Mexican Martine

Samoa memory:
The first few weeks (which felt like months) were so challenging for a million reasons. Our daily walks to the ice cream shop in the training village, sharing memories, envisioning Target trips, commiserating on digestive discomfort and cultural misunderstandings helped mitigate the pre-integration trauma. The fate of our deep enduring friendship was sealed early on when we revealed our vulnerabilities. You were ther for me, a shoulder to cry on when I couldn’t stop crying, and I was there when you opened your mail and smelled the envelope—ha! I’ll always remember the morning of your birthday as we talked in your fale (house). I cared about you so much after a few short weeks, still do, and always will. I’m grateful to this crazy Peace Corps madness for that.

Corina
Most useful item packed for service:
Backpack

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Mom’s Chinese food

Samoa memory:
Representing my village at the Teuila Festival as the taupou.

Elisa
Most useful item packed for service:
Audiobooks

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Dad’s homemade mushroom & bean casserole, cottage cheese and a Dairy Queen chocolate malt.

Samoa memory:
I was sitting in the bathroom at my host family’s house, shuffling my feet on the floor to discourage cockroaches from crawling on me and when I grabbed a piece of paper from the “toilet paper box.” I started flipping through, disinterested at it, and saw that the title said ironically, “Lo’u Olaga Fou” (Your New Life).

Lilli
Most useful item packed for service:
Sneakers or computer

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Eggplant parmesan with garlic bread

Samoa memory:
I was biking home from a nearby village and made the mistake of leaving too late. To avoid the heat on my first huge climb uphill, I visited Pat (Group 83) for lunch. However, right after I left it started pouring. Someone I didn’t recognize was calling my name to invite me to their house. (I was over an hour’s drive away from home—forgot about biking distance). I hung out with this family for an hour for the rain to stop. I then continued. As I got to the next village which has a Peace Corps volunteer, it started to rain again. I was welcomed into Dana’s host family’s house with big arms (Dana was away). Of course after the rain let up, I left and was stopped again. The people there yelled at me to come inside. I am glad I went because the rain never let up. I stayed there for several hours, laughing and joking with the family. Of course it became dark. I had a choice: I was invited to spend the next few days with the family (no biking the next day on Sunday) or find a ride. Thankfully the fish truck drove by and offered me a ride home. I realized how easily and quickly relationships with Samoans are made and how many I’ve been able to make during my time in Samoa.

Jenny
Most useful item packed for service:
Non-stick pan, good small backpack

1st meal back in the U.S.:
A big fat veggie burrito or sushi!!

Samoa memory:
That first training village siva (dance) when we all had to dance traditionally for the whole village and other Peace Corps Volunteers!

Jenny
Most useful item packed for service:
Kitchen knife

1st meal back in the U.S.:
Peaches and watermelon

Samoa memory:
I recently headed out with a former Peace Corps Volunteer, Max, to catch Palolo, a worm that comes out from the coral during one night in October. We were heading out into the water and had to swim across a portion of water to reach the reef. As we were swimming, Max dropped his flashlight we were using, and then his shoes started to slip off. In the whole mess, Max started making noises as he tried recovering the lost items. Nearby, men heard him and misunderstood his cries of frustration as if he were drowning. The men rushed out and started to drag Max to safety, while the whole time he was ok, just without his flashlight and shoes! It reminded me about how generous and quick to act Samoans are towards their neighbors and even complete strangers.


Leah
Most useful item packed for service:
Wrap-around skirt


1st meal back in the U.S.:
A pot of my sister’s homemade beans

Samoa memory:
I was sleeping one night when a rat walking on top of my mosquito net peed on my face. I just rolled over and went back to sleep!

Kyle
Most useful item packed for service:
Leatherman knife kit.

1st meal back in the U.S.:
For the trip home from the airport, Dairy Queen’s chicken strip basket with a chocolate chip cookie dough blizzard!! The next day, my mom’s lasagna with garlic bread and a salad.

Samoa memory:
While in the training village for my first two months in Samoa, I shared the family’s bathroom on the compound. There was a string you could wrap around a nail from the inside to “lock” the door, but my host family didn’t use it, because one day I rushed to the bathroom with an emergency and found my host sister sitting on the toilet texting on her phone. We both gasped and the rest of my host family in the house heard and saw the incident and started to laugh hysterically. They yelled at her to hurry up as I waited in embarrassment outside for her to finish!