Your passion- Where does it come from?

Green Green grass of Samoa, taken this morning on the way to work

Every now and then, you meet someone who asks questions you don't have the answer to.  The intriguing part is, that someone has never crossed your path  or know you personally.  I have met some very interesting people in my life.  Whenever I travel, especially on long haul flights, I try and get acquainted with those sitting next to me. You never know when you'll need help from a stranger.  I have learned that single,young woman traveling alone can be the target of many dangerous, twisted,vile and evil things in this world, specifically one that is well traveled and whose a bit too friendly with strangers sometimes.  Additionally, one has been given a brilliant mind and a sound discernment to know right from wrong and the ability to CHOOSE who you speak to, befriend and share thoughts with on these voyages.

I am grateful to my papa that out of his six (yes 6) daughters, I'm the one he's least worried about when I am out there in the big big world. Maybe that's what he likes me to think. I used to picture his white hair growing whiter because of all my adventures! When I was away from home and went a month without calling home (was a bit too busy with studying and living?), I finally called him to say that I'm well, I'm still alive and setting out to make a future for myself.  After sharing about the pumpkins,watermelons,cows,EX-150,our motorbikes,Jesus, my mother and all the green -farm-things-he lives for.  He said to me 

"Enid, you are like the grass! I never worry when I don't hear from you in a while, because I know you are like the grass.  Wherever you travel, study or live, unlike your other shy sisters (I have two), you easily make friends, you talk to people, you are vocal about the things you are passionate about, you go to church and surround yourself with people who can help you and so you are like the grass. You make up your mind, put your roots down and grow! "

At first I chuckled to myself thinking, 'Wow papa, vao (grass) is the hardest thing to get rid of". No matter how many times we kill, destroy,mow etc,  grass grows back more green and more leafy each time.   Resilient. One word which sums up the character of grass.  Unlike other plants in our gardens/farms, grass is the least needy plant, we don't need to water, shelter, harvest,protect or even decorate it.  For some countries, grass is a luxury, they do all those for their lawns! Imagine the amount of water it takes to keep all those lawns green just to complement the white two-story house, white picket fence and a dog named Spot.  Water that could be bottled and shipped to Africa for those dying without it. Then again, that's not how the world works, those who hold the power and wealth will it to their benefit. It's a rarity to find a rich man who just donates for the sake of donating.

Anyway, I do hope I become more like grass, the good parts.  Even when we have the greatest odds against us, we fall,we break, we get up, pick up the pieces and try again, we never give up. So when one bright mind asked me last week, where my passions come from, this is my written word. I said some answer that popped into mind at  that instant, I can't remember now (choose to forget).

I did not wake up one day and decided to be the person that I am today.  It took years of discipline and hardship.  It took years of molding, training and experiencing life itself. Still, those things do not entirely answer the question.  My passion comes from within translating to around. I could be sentimental and say it comes from above, entirely true but still not a holistic answer.  My passion for our people, for my beloved Samoa, well---comes from Samoa! It comes from seeing, experiencing, talking,listening, feeling, tasting Samoa.  How can I not be? I'm made of the stuff!My passion for family, comes from being in one. It comes from concentrated, living, flowing blood that is indeed thicker than water.  It comes from the willingness and genuine desire for all of them to do well in their lives, to experience the blessings that God has given to each and everyone of us. The blessings that I've received.  We just need to tap into his favour, his faithfulness and an ounce of his thoughts.  My passions are specific to each part of my life, whether related to aiga (family), God, youth, work, side projects, education, writing, etc.  These passions, come from a place that is far beyond anything that we can think of or imagine. I'd like to think that when passions for life are awakened, God sparks them in us, the ignition actually come from our Maker in the form of dreams, visions, thoughts, people around us and nature. When are passions are true, pure and our intentions are to fulfill our purpose, the result will be like grass.  They are contagious, they grow and become resilient in the face of opposition, jealousy, hatred etc. They will ignite other passions and like dominoes they will fall over and become one big flame that will not be easily put out by the mere, temporary, fickle things of this life.  One has to tune their hearts to this ignition because it is a wonderful thing to be taken over by your passions especially if the motive is right. 

I leave you now with this 

Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly~ Julie Andrews.

 So my fellow passionate people, if you have no passion in life, you will be lost and will easily lose sight of what your path should be. Discover it and once you do, don't ever let go because that passion will take you to places and paths you have never dreamed of, well and above your wildest imaginations.

Samoa loss

Samoa loss

 
We no longer eat with our fingers or
Hear the calm silence
No longer sit around the table
Eating, talking, laughing
We no longer laugh at the
Silly nothings of life
Walking five miles to
School replaced by free bus
to Massey University
We no longer tie mosquito
nets to keep them out at
night
we no longer sing in the
church choir but in front of
cameras
for NZ idol
no longer swim at Mulinuu
or sink feet in the sands of
Vaiala
now and then we wear
lavalavas
reminding us of island bonds
tied to make umu in the
stomach of the Earth
no longer rest
in the shades of
the tamaligi trees
and walk bare feet,
embracing the Fa'asamoa

Pasifika Arts & Literary Series

Copyright ©2009 Juliet Enid Westerlund

A view of Samoa from the top, I took this photo from a RNAF helicopter

First time on TV

As part of the public consultation workshops for the Samoa Aviation Investment Project (SAIP),  a major project at Faleolo Airport, I along with 3 other managers from the Samoa Airport Authority were to take part in an interview on TV1 channel. This television program is planned to air the following day at 7:00 pm (20th September).  In other words, the show is pre-recorded and there is no audience. 

We were briefed about what to expect and rehearsed at the office.  Then, off we went to the TV1 station. When we arrived, bit was so windy my skirt almost blew away! There was no fancy hallway or walkway, no m&ms in shiny bowls or cold mineral water to greet us.  There was no audience! The program was planned to air for only 15 minutes.   

I thought ..hmmm how cliché is this..15 minutes..15 minutes of fame haha, it will be over before I know it. I did not feel excited or nervous or even special.  In the back of my mind, I thought this was a program I hardly ever watch and hopefully now that I’m on it, public announcements should be something I pay more attention to.

Instead we were greeted by a plain square table with five chairs facing three large studio lights (more like hunting headlights!).  The lights had so much glare, it felt like I was under the sun with a magnifying glass on my face! Okay, maybe not that extreme but it was quite hot! I was expecting buzzing camera men, multiple shows going on at the same time..some hint of excitement. Nothing,nada,zilch,leai,meso akoa. The decor were 3 paintings that have seen better days stuck to the fake wall, the microphones kept falling off a few shirts and the news booth sat right opposite that. There was a pile of dust right in front of me. Our management team looked around and spoke about how much better it all looks on TV compared to reality.

The interviewer smiled and described that what they create in the studio was an ‘illusion’…An illusion alright, spot on.  It was all a bit weird, those 15 minutes of fame.  The chair was uncomfortable, I sat at an angle which  presented all the wrong sides to the camera.  I was sitting sideways and  it was a bit awkward not to laugh. Good thing, I don’t know the first thing about makeup and  I don’t wear foundation/concealer or those girly things that takes too much time unless on special occasions (usually overseas). Otherwise, those would have melted right then and there.

The interview was based on aviation…specific to the airport runway upgrade.  A major project funded by the World Bank that will benefit aviation in Samoa in the next year as well as in  the long term.  Sometimes we forget that the most valuable asset of any airport (or Tourism destination) is its runway because without it, no flights.  No flights, no business, no need for air traffic controllers and certainly no need for airlines or baggage handlers.  Our runway should have the following words painted on it 
“Samoa’s most valuable asset/Handle with care/Money maker/too high or too low?May be under water in the next 15 years?”

The interview began with a brief introduction of the Project, who we are and the aim of the Project. We were to answer the following questions in Samoan:

1. What is the objective of the project?
2. What is the time frame of the project?
3. What actions have been taken by the authority so far?
4. Will the usual flights be affected during this project.

The objective of the Project is geared towards improvement of airport safety and security facilities.  This includes runway resurfacing and apron, replacement of fire trucks, installation of new weather monitoring systems, upgrading runway lights, water tanks, communication equipment and security monitoring.  The objective of this TV program was to provide background information for public awareness to the above project and to reassure the public that their flights will not be affected during this project.  Our interview went well and when it was my turn to speak.  The interviewer while asking the last question not only introduced me as the Business Consultant  but a mother as well!
If I wasn't in such a hurry to get those hot lights away from my face, I would have corrected the him.  However, I shifted in my chair and focused on the question at hand. Since I opted to go last, I didn’t have much to say.  I reassured the viewers that this major project will not affect usual flight times during the project. Also the Airport Authority will ensure that all other supporting services will experience minimum effects as well.

Note to journalists/reporters/interviewers

1.       Do not assume the information you have is factual (ASK)

2.       If you are going to introduce someone, make sure you pronounce their name right

3.       If you choose to announce their marital status (which they shouldn’t for any public announcements) make sure you have the right information because all five viewers of the program will think I am nursing a baby and forgot to send out my wedding invitations!

4.       If it’s a pre-recorded show..use EDIT for crying out loud

5.       If you do make mistakes (and you will) make sure to own up to them 
 For TV interviews, tell your interviewees where to bloody look! 

Because half the time I looked at the camera man to avoid the light in my eyes

Overall it was a good experience even if it was just 15 minutes.  I did learn a few things :

1. Not everything on TV is beautiful, example the studio seemed better on TV
2. Not all the shows are live 
3.   Do not wear heavy makeup or else, there is a chance of it melting off your face
4. Make sure you take your time while answering the question to ensure you don’t miss anything out 
5.   Sit in a posture that will make you comfortable
6.  Speak with confidence and not with a small voice

So my readers, have you been on TV? What was it like for you?Do you dream on going on TV?

Cock-pit to fe-pit

With the speed of technology these days and the vast information that is out there, I wonder at times how many people stumble upon articles about us (about me). What is the image that is being portrayed about us online? How do we deal with that perception of us whether we are painted in a positive or negative way? How often do we want to reinvent ourselves due to those reviews? How true are these painted words about us?

Being one of the few females working in the aviation world of Samoa (however small that is) I am continuously reminded of those women who went before me.  The few females who paved the world that was and is still very much predominantly male.  There is a reason why the flight deck area is called a 'cockpit' after all.  These are some of the women that overcame numerous challenges so that people like me can enjoy the benefits of aviation.

Of course the men cannot be downgraded, they are a part of the aviation world but nowhere near challenged bombarded like us.  I remember when I first applied to be a pilot at the Massey University Aviation School.  One of my teachers in high school strongly discouraged me from applying simply because I 'will not get in'.   I wondered if it was due to me being a Pacific Islander or that my Math skills weren't as shiny (I gave up on Math a long time ago), maybe both.  

"NO' and "YOU CANNOT" are two phrases that simply leads to more determination on my part.  I come from a place where women do not sit idly while life goes by, where tama'ita'i do not let the men do all the talking while they take the back seat, where women do not shy away from the hard and rugged road.  I come from a place where women are warrior queens, where women take courage in the face of animosity and take a challenge when their souls say so.  In the words of a true warrior queen -Vaimasenu’u Zita Martel “E au le ina’ilau o Tina ma tama’itai.” translated to English “The legacy of women is one of total achievement.”

I ignored what my highschool Dean of Students told me, I went ahead and applied and was one of the five girls in the whole course.  It was no easy feat, we had to work twice as hard as the men.  You don't have to be an Einstein to fly a plane but it is not easy feat either.  In the end, the women graduated and to this day, I know that four of us are still in the aviation industry.  

You might ask, ok so what does the first part of this article have to do with the mini testimony in the second part? There may be a substantial amount of information about us on the internet these days, our facebook pages might be splashed with glamorous shots (or not) and our Linkedin profiles might speak of great achievements (or not).  These bleeps of our stories do not give a full picture of our journeys, they do not define or validate us, they are just that---bleeps.  So next time you ask someone what they do make sure you ask them the following

• what their story is
• what their journey is like
• the challenges they faced along the way
• if that experience has added value to their lives

I'd like to add a link of the small bleep that is my aerosexual or my aviation aficionado side (acidionado defined)...my journey through the aviation folds.

my journey

Me flying a B787 Dreamliner  simulator @ the Boeing HQ in Singapore before the actual plane entered the market

 If you are a young woman (which I once was and still am at times) and if you want to take up aviation, do not let a person or fear hold you back.  If you want to be a pilot, go for it.  If you want to be an airline manager, go for it. If you want to be an air traffic controller, flight inspector, aviation specialist, ground handler, baggage handler, aviation consultant ....there are endless possibilities.  Life is what you make of it.  Take that step and never look back :)

If you are interested in aviation and have some questions, feel free to leave a comment and I shall try my best to answer.

 

aerosexual defined by the Urban dictionary - 

1. someone who loves planes and generally flies them.  Also know as a pilot. Usually face large dilemmas such as choosing between the curveness of a Cirrus SR22, verse the tenderness of handling a piper
2. the industry term for aviation aficionados (I like this one)