Paw Paw - Log Day 198: A Strange, but Fascinating Cultural Contrast

After exercises on the foredeck followed by breakfast we headed ashore to try and complete the clearing in process. First stop was Customs Service, where the individuals seem clueless again on what to do with us. Then another sailing couple arrived and they indicated that we should go to Immigration first. So off we went, only to discover mass confusion at the service counter there as well. Fortunately we encountered another group of sailors who helped direct us again. It was amazing that once we found the correct individuals the process was completed within ten minutes. That was true also for our trip back to Customs. The final piece of the jigsaw was Port Authority. Turns out there are no fees to pay, hence the confusion yesterday about us wanting to pay anchorage fees. A very laborious and confusing process indeed, but at least we are legal again!

With that we headed into town to enjoy lunch at one of the cafés, arange a data service and purchase a Samoan flag. Our visit to Digicel for our data service was not without incident either. While Roy was at the counter being serviced, Elaine decided to perch on the edge of a window sill as there was no seating in the store. Seconds later a security guard ushered her off the sill. No sooner had Elaine started to feel a little perturbed when the unexpected happened. The security guard brought out a chair from a back office for her to sit on.

In many ways this incident highlighted the huge cultural differences we have already begun to experience here and have concluded that the influence may well be related to the dominance of the church in the daily lives of the people as well as a possibly outdated German culture. For instance, at 05H30 and 18H00 every day the bells of the Catholic Cathedral are tolled calling everyone to prayer. At 09H00 every morning a siren sounds to inform the government workers that the work day has begun. The siren rings again at the start and end of the lunch break and one last time at the close of the work day.

Outside of this discipline and structure people merrily go about their daily business and one has a sense that Apia is very cosmopolitan. Mix all of this with a strong Polynesian culture and the result is a strange, yet fascinating cultural contrast; one we are thoroughly enjoying.