We went to the #RunForAutism Awareness event this morning, organised by the Saturday Seawall Run Club. Great to see the turnout and to hear from some parents of young children with autism, sharing about their experiences. One asked for people to have more kindness, understanding and compassion. 💛 I'm glad to see initiatives here in… Continue reading Autism, Samoa and the Seawall Run Club.
Tag: Lani Wendt Young
15 years of fiapoto?!
2026 is the 15 years anniversary of publishing my first novel TELESA. I can't quite believe its been fifteen years since?! Which has me reflecting on my writer road, how did it begin and where I am now. (And yes its making me feel super old too.) Born and raised in Samoa, I'm number three… Continue reading 15 years of fiapoto?!
Ancestral Wisdom and Engineer Daughters
Once upon a time, long ago, my mother rented a shop unit in my grandfathers building in town. (Her store was called MJ DESIGNS back then, before it was Plantation House Samoa) My grandfather, (my dads father) Papa, would sit in his office and observe all his domain, all the activities of his tenants in… Continue reading Ancestral Wisdom and Engineer Daughters
Do you like doing all this?!
My day began at 4.30am to go lead the training squad for the Pacific Mini Games in a time trial mini duathlon. Someone asked me today if I enjoy doing this work? DO YOU LIKE DOING ALL THIS?! My immediate answer YES surprised me 😆 I had to stop and think about it (wait up,… Continue reading Do you like doing all this?!
Light switch moments
From 7th August, 2022. Alzheimers /dementia is a lightswitch journey, where you're never sure when the switch goes on or for how long. But when it does, you savor every precious minute. Dad will have long stretches where he isnt quite present. He doesnt speak, he restless fidgets constantly, he can be lost in doing… Continue reading Light switch moments
Who’s the teacher?
Its been 22 years since I taught in any school anywhere. (I can reliably count from when daughter Zion was born because that's when I quit teaching so I could be a full-time parent to our second premature baby!) In those 22 years, I have taught children, teenagers and adults at church, I've done the… Continue reading Who’s the teacher?
An Open Letter to the Minister for Sport in Samoa, and to the Oceania National Olympic Committee, I write as a triathlete (the slowest one in the country), the wife of a triathlete (who's not the slowest one in the country), a volunteer triathlon organiser, and more recently, the Team Manager for the National Squad.… Continue reading
Changing the world for my Daughter
Bella's doing NCEA English, and she needs to read and then write essay responses to poems and short stories. I'm ridiculously proud-happy I could give her a copy of Va and say, HERE YA GO. CHOOSE SOMETHING FROM THIS ANTHOLOGY OF WRITING FROM 38 MOANA WOMEN. I didnt have those choices when I was in… Continue reading Changing the world for my Daughter
Random Kid on a Beach
Yesterday at triathlon training, we had an aquathon (swim and run). As the squad is doing warmup laps and we're organising the setup for transition, I notice a young boy come wandering over. Ragged shorts, no shoes. Avidly curious as he watches the squad swim. He goes up to Darren. Greets him with a confident,… Continue reading Random Kid on a Beach
Give me the Night.
Storytime. About Darren. About my Dad. About family. And the practicalities of death. When a burial must take place within 24 hours SOMEBODY has to make it happen. Somebody who knows what they're doing, has all the necessary equipment, somebody who can drop everything and come make the grave ready. For us, that somebody, was… Continue reading Give me the Night.
Lani Wendt Young 