Palagi visiting Samoa for the first time can be quite shocked with the relative poverty they see. The flip-side of this is that Samoans can view Palagi as a source of income. I’m frequently told, “Oh, many Samoans just see a Palagi’s wallet”.

I can empathise with both views. I definitely know what it’s like to view a Palagi as a welcome source of income when I have very little cash in my own pocket! I can also identify with the shock factor for the Palagi seeing rural Samoa for the first time. Such a different lifestyle with low-cost housing, cooking on fire, limited job opportunities and subsistence lifestyles is definitely an eye-opener. [Read more...]