the whitworthian NOV. 13, 2013
a&c 09 YOU
{ i saw } Content in the “I Saw You� section comes from student submissions and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Whitworthian.
Friendly
Mariella Mladineo | Photographer
Freshman Apolonia Fealofani dons a traditional outfit she would wear in her native country of Samoa.
From Samoa to Spokane
Island ‘princess’ pursues education at Whitworth
and make it more available to people on our side of the island.� Growing up, however, Fealofani sometimes had other responsibilities. When a tsunami killed threeIn Samoan culture, freshman Apolonia Fealofani is fourths of Fealofani’s village population in 2009, she the equivalent of a princess. At Whitworth, she goes rushed home, she said. “It happened on a Thursday, and Saturday was the by Nia. Back home, though, the people of the village of Savai’i know her as the granddaughter of the High first day they were letting flights out, so I flew home on Saturday,� Fealofani said. “We were cleaning up and Order Chief. Her grandparents believe education is important, rebuilding, looking for people, clearing debris.� The next day after her arrival, their Sabbath, was a and therefore sent Fealofani to a Christian boarding lot like any other Sunday, Fealofani said. school in Oahu, Hawaii. “Sunday we all showed up to church. It was weird, She attended the school until it closed her sophomore year due to lack of funding. At that point, her because the only building that was intact, actually parents bought an apartment in Oahu to allow Fealo- still standing was our church,� Fealofani said. “The windows were gone, and everything had floated out fani to attend public school in the U.S. Fealofani’s education has been geared toward a through the doors, but it was still a building. Everyone specific goal throughout her whole life, as her family showed up there. We all sat crisscross applesauce on the ground and we held service and prayed and our has always wanted her to go into medicine, she said. pastor was there.� “They put me into a mindset The closest person she lost in the where I loved science and wanted “I want people to know tsunami was a childhood friend of to be a medical doctor,� Fealofani said. “After coming to Whitworth, I the name of my village hers who was only 16 years old, Fealofani said. realized that I’m not that great at sci“She ran back to the village to ence. I struggle in biology, and that’s if they need something get her grandmother, but she didn’t been hard.� [medically].� know that her grandmother was Even with all of their expectations, gone for the week,� Fealofani said. Fealofani said that the pressure from — Apolonia Fealofani “On the way back, she got caught her family does not bother her. on a big piece of debris and it tore “I know other people think it’s freshman through half of her thigh.� pressure, but to me, I think presFealofani’s friend made it back to sure is self-inflicted,� Fealofani said. “That’s my motto. I know that they’re pressuring me safety, but they had to amputate her leg. Because the into medicine and all that, but it doesn’t seem like it to Red Cross had not yet come, the leg became infected me, because I learned to love science eventually after and her friend died. Fealofani’s personal experience all those years of schooling. It’s not so much pressure with the tsunami really impacted her, she said. “In America they said that only 150 people were anymore, because I have passion in the field.� Fealofani has already been re-evaluating some of killed,� Fealofani said. “They were only counting the the life decisions that come with college and choosing American citizens. Really, it was about 300-400 people that died, so that really hit home for me. I realized that a career path. “Also, I’ve been challenged socially,� Fealofani said. nobody really cares for you unless you’re an Ameri“People have been asking me, ‘What do you want can. Unless you’re actually educated, you’re basically to do? You know what your village wants, but what nothing, and I didn’t want that for my people.� The tsunami has influenced Fealofani’s hopes for do you want to do?’ Just having them ask me freaks me out, because I don’t know what I want. Now, I’m the future of her village, she said. “I just hope for my village to get on the map,� Fethinking again about what I really want to do with my alofani said. “I want people to know that we’re there, life.� One might expect life as the granddaughter of the because no one ever knows about us until something High Order Chief to be weighted with numerous re- significant happens. I want that something significant sponsibilities. However, Fealofani has only one re- to be because of the medicine there. I want people to know the name of my village if they need something.� sponsibility right now, she said. “The only responsibility I have now is going home with a degree,� Fealofani said. “Eventually, my responsibility will be to start a clinic. We have a medical clinic there, but it’s not as advanced, so my grandpar- Contact Alyssa Brooks at ents want me to come back and improve medicine abrooks17@my.whitworth.edu.
Alyssa Brooks Staff Writer
I saw you wave at me from across the loop on the way to your Monday/Wednesday/Friday 9:05 class. It makes my day every time. Your friendliness is appreciated!
True Love
I saw you riding bikes with your fiancĂŠ up Waikiki on Sunday evening and my heart melted a little.
Silence in the Library
I saw you snogging in the library. I hope that’s all you were doing.
Water Pong
I saw you at the Duvall 4th floor party, where all the freshman come to practice for beer pong by playing water pong.
Shirts Required
I saw you taking off your shirt at work. Keep it on, please. Keep it on.
Submissions published as received.
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