“A friend is a Gift you Give Yourself” Robert Louis Stevenson

Grandmother lived on the island with my youngest uncle. One day, my father received a phone call from home to say that Nana had been taken to hospital due to her usual illness of asthma. Then my parents decided to move to Samoa to care for Nana back home. Everyone, including myself, got so excited. We were going to move to a new place. I knew I would miss my home and friends but my parents had assured me that we would be back - our move was temporary. So the next day, we had packed our suitcases and said our farewells.

Samoa is very hot, when our plane landed, I immediately took off my jumper and wore just my inside shirt. The trip to our new home was not so far. But when we reached our new house, I started to doubt our move. The house was small and it had a little hut in front, as did all the other houses on the block. I had to remind myself that this trip was temporary.

My mother said she had called ahead and talked to a friend who lived in Samoa and asked her to enrol me at the same school as her son and to buy me two sets of uniforms. Apparently, I was to start tomorrow as it would be Monday and I had to attend. So, therefore, they called a Sunday lunch (toanai) with my parents before we unpacked. 

Before going to bed, I first said a prayer. On my first night, the buzzing of mosquitoes kept me up almost the whole time. I could not stop thinking that I had to go to a new school in the morning, and about how I would be able to easily get myself attached to the new environment of learning. Plus the way boys in blue lavalava and white shirts appeared and especially how am I going to find a kid to be friends with? 

I felt sorry for my mother for she had to put on my uniform with a handkerchief in my pocket on that first morning. It felt awkward having my mother do my hair properly but it also felt very nice at the same time because my mother and I just had a good laugh the whole time. 

When we arrived at 8 am the school was standing in lines, in front of the flag pole. The teacher in front looked very scary with a stick in her hand. The next bell started to ring and most of the students joined. I thought to myself, “How am I ever going to get used to this?” 

My parents kissed me goodbye after taking me to the principal then he took me to my new classroom, Year 9. In addition, this was my first time being in a Samoan school and I’d never seen so many students either in one room. However, I put on my best smile and introduced myself: "Levanya Magia of Mangere, New Zealand, 14 years old and loves to play rugby."

The students smiled back except for the girl in the back row, oddly enough. The seat next to her was the only vacant one and I knew for certain it was going to be mine.

She introduced herself as Epi Iakopo I turned and said, “Hi!” but she was already looking in her bag for her textbooks, so I did the same. English for the first period, maths for the second, and Samoan for the third before lunch. Epi and I became best buddies. After the first period, Epi told me all about herself. After the second period, I told her all about me too, so by the third period, she and I realised we had so much in common. I wish I could say I learned something in the first three periods. Unfortunately, I was too lost in the conversation to pay attention to what was happening in front. During lunch, I was introduced to Epi’s friends. Fina and Ataoa who were also in our class and Jay who was in the other Year 9 class. They all took the bus coming to school and I thought I would ask Dad if he could drop them off when he picked me up after school.

The fourth period was computer studies and our last period was religion. Believe me, Epi and her friends made my first day unbelievable – I mean they gave me affection and happiness right from the start. From then on, school was an interesting part of my visit to Nana because of my friends whom I called “The True Friends.”

The principal, Mr Selulo was hilarious. I thought principals didn’t tell jokes, but apparently, he did. I had never laughed so hard in class before until today. When the last bell rang, I couldn’t believe the day was over. Normally, I couldn’t wait to go home but today, I was excited for tomorrow. Reaching home, I was thinking that having Samoan friends is such a memorable bond. Being with them on the first day was unforgettable.

It’s been two months since I started at Alofi o Taoa College. Every day my father picks me and my friends up from school and drops them off to their homes. Mother is much better at organising my school uniform and preparing breakfast for us and Nana every morning Father is happy that I love going to school and he has seen a big improvement in me since we came. As for myself, I wake up every weekday morning happy to put on my shirt and blue ‘ie faitaga’, stand in line singing my heart out to the national anthem as the Samoan flag is raised for I am very proud to be a Samoan, proud to have had this experience and always looking forward to seeing what my mischievous friends will do tomorrow. 

• Levanya Magia is a Year 9 student at the Alofi o Taoa College. This literary piece earned her 2nd place in the Year 9 English category of the Samoa Observer Short Story competition.