Fa!...

Talofa, blog readers!...The day is finally here!...I'll be leaving American Samoa tonight and heading back home to Wisconsin...I have fufilled my contract, and I am now ready to move on to the next stage in my life...Well, that means this entry will be the last for Samoa Joe...Sure, in a few weeks I may post a "Epilogue"...But this is technically the last entry written on the island...I'd like to make this post short...I have a ton of stuff to do...Besides, I don't want my last day in Samoa to be spent on the computer...So, lets begin...

As you can see above, I got a tattoo...Samoan style...Er, sort of...It's a little too big...And it's not quite what I imagined...And, dare I say, I kinda think it's weird lookin'...However, it's growin' on me...One reason why I'm beginning to appreciate it more is that it symbolizes my experience here in American Samoa...Both the beautiful and the ugly...It fits it perfect!...Although, the most significant reason why the tattoo is alright with me is because of the story behind it...I can't wait to tell my children and my grandchildren my bad ass Samoan tattoo tale...

First, lemme explain the tat...It says "Tama Toa"...That's Samoan for Warrior...I wanted something that would remind me of Tafuna High School and my students...I also had him put a secret "F" for FuamUsos...Can you find it?...Yeah, it looks like an "E"...But, hey, it is hidden...Inside an "E" :-)

Here are the reasons why this is a bad ass Samoan tattoo tale...

1. It was done by a kid from the class of 2006!...I think it was one of his first tattoos...He even did the thing for free...I was really, extremely nervous to have this total amatuer ink me...But I found myself that night in a "eh, what the hell"-type mood...Sometimes you gotta go balls out in life and just have no worries...Even if the consequence means forever...I'll have to live with this tattoo for the rest of my life...Well, at least it's on my back...I'll forget it's there most days ;-)

2. This third tattoo of mine actually makes me admire my tree tattoo more than I did before...I look at the tree tattoo now and see a gorgeous piece of art that I still think is a little too big for my tastes...But the two tattoos work wonderfully together...I got the tree tattoo to represent growth, wisdom, and strength...I truly believe that I did not grow in strength and wisdom until I had this experience in Samoa...I mean, in a way, I don't believe I experienced LIFE until these past two years...The emotions I went through here are emotions I've never felt before...And they've made me grow tremendously in strength and wisdom...Therefore, having the tattoo that symbolizes my experience on this island in the soil and roots of the tree is actually a perfect, beautiful metaphor...



3. The last reason why my tattoo story is kinda bad ass is because of those pictures above...Yup, that's the tattoo gun the kid used...It was completely homemade...In fact, it broke several times and we had to go through my sewing kit for new needles...Yeah, no sanitation here...Just random, real sewing needles to create a tattoo!...We also had to search the house for pens to use...Like actual Bic pens!...Will it become infected?...I wouldn't be surprised...But, hell, I feel all fia kama now...I mean, I'm like a Spartan now...Pain is weakness leaving the body, bitches!...And it was the most painful thing I have ever done...By far more excrutiating than my other tattoos...I think the tool used is why it was so painful...I literally thought I was gonna die at some points...I really wanted him to stop in several moments, but I knew I couldn't quit...Warriors neva down!...Hmm, is the tattoo worth this bad ass experience?...I think so...No regrets...

These next few images were taken at the farewell party the faculty had for me...It was nice...The night was filled with gifts and money...They gave me 100$ and a bunch of stuff...They also made me dance the traditional Samoan siva...Which I never took lessons in but witnessed a hundred times...I was embarrassed but I tried my best...Notice me laying on the floor on my belly...Samoan men do this during the siva as the girl pretends she's sorta surfin' on him...The staff got a kick outta me doin' that...ChooHoo!...

There's Tolu...The famous Tafuna High School secretary that I love so dearly...I hope there's arsenic in that laddle...Nah, jokes...

It's the last time we play everybody's favorite gameshow!..."How Many Fafafines!?"...This is the final chance to play this classic American trivia game...Don't make a mistake!...Who's a fafa?...Who isn't?...Look in the pic above and make your guess...

By the way, thanks to all who have donated to Sammy and Gene's Pledge Page...We have already recieved enough money to buy one ticket!...And we are about half of a ticket away to send both boys to the states for college...It's amazing how generous people have been...I am astounded by the love shown to two strangers...And the boys are, too...They tell me they are incredibly thankful for everybody that's given from their hearts...Fa'fetai...We only need a little bit more to meet our goal...So, please, if you can donate, visit their page at http://sendtheboystoschool.pledgepage.org/ ...Once again, thanks to all who have donated...Malo!...

Alright...I gotta go...So, all I wanna say is thank you to all my blog readers who have remained loyal and have stuck with me since the beginning of this American Samoan experience...All good things must come to an end, and this blog has truly been a integral part in my wonderfully inspiring experience moving to this island in the South Pacific...If I didn't have this blog and my blog readers, I really wonder if I would've been able to survive...Thank you...I love you all...American Samoa has taught me so much about myself that it can't be explained in words...I am a changed person...A stronger, wiser man...And I will be forever grateful for all of you who have been there with me through the good and bad times...Thanks for listening to me bitch and moan...Thanks for listening to my stories of joy and love...Thanks for discussing complex cultural issues with me...Thanks for reading about my obsessions with pop culture...Thanks for listening to my blabbing on Sammy and Gene and the Fuamination...Thanks for supporting me, even if I made poor decisions...Thanks for being my friends and family when I didn't have any on this rock...Especially to those random strangers I've never met...My blog readers were my anchor...Keeping me safe and calm on this island of craziness...Fa'fa'tai...

Leave me a comment...What'd you think of my bad ass Samoan tattoo story?...Can you believe it's been two years in American Samoa?...Should I keep a blog when I go home?...What should the blog be called?...Or will it pale in comparison to this Samoa Joe blog?...And how do you feel about this being the final Samoa Joe blog entry?...Let me see your alofas!...

Love ya and miss ya...

-JOE

"Man's feelings are always purest and most glowing in the hour of meeting and of farewell."

-Jean Paul Richter