Talofa lava o lou igoa o Kenese which translates to greetings my name is Kenese. I grew up in the island of American Samoa where I was raised by my mother with two brothers. Growing in the island was a rough lifestyle for me and my family, especially when your oldest out three. You have two younger brothers who look up to you, so you have to set an example, my father was a thousand miles away from us working to provide. For my mother she was a stay-at-home mom, always prioritizing us before herself. Seeing my mother work so hard providing for us impacted me a lot and showed me the meaning of selflessness, most of the time she would restlessly clean and cook. Even though we didn’t have enough money to get by, I am blessed with parents who would do anything for their kids. There were times when we would rely on other family members for some change and most of the time they would help. When we had no food, we relied on our plantations such as breadfruits, banana, taro and much more. There’s a saying that goes “The island provides” and island does provide.
I grew up in such a positive environment with family that helps put me on the right path whenever I stray. I remember freshman year in high school, I got into so much that the school decided to expel me. It was skipping classes, smoking, drinking and fighting. When my mother heard the news, she went to school and pleaded to give me a second chance. As we headed home my mother said something that stuck in mind she said ” e kuli aku oe le aoga e sue le maguia ae ke alu fai mai le leaga faia” which translates to “I sent you to school so you could be successful not to cause trouble”. When I got home my uncles (my dad’s cousin and brother) were waiting for me, they sat me down and asked me why I got expelled from school. Throughout the whole time I was getting scolded I remembered a saying my uncles told me it goes like “You’re the oldest and your dad is not here, so you need to become the support system for your mom”. As I progressed through high school and graduated, I enlisted in the Army and soon shipped out after graduation. It was definitely one of the most difficult decisions of my life, to be away from home and family it was like entering uncharted territories. Although it was difficult, I had to in order for me to provide for my family.
During my time in the military, I’ve learned how interact with different people and how to spread positivity and happiness. I had a soldier who work with myself come to me and said, “thank you for always being so cheerful and positive, you made this workplace enjoyable for me.” Little did I know later on she said she was suffering from depression and seeing me so energetic in a not so energetic place made her happy. Hearing her say that made my day and it filled me with so much joy. As to who I am becoming, I am becoming a support system for my family, friends and anyone who needs it.
Hailey Luder
Hello! First, I’d like to say that I relate to a lot of aspects about your childhood, so it seems we have that in common, and I commend you for making the best of it. I’m impressed that you managed to overcome your struggles in school. High school is difficult, and that’s without having personal or family problems on top of it. Everyone makes mistakes but it’s all about learning from them. Thank you for sharing.
Madison Sawyer
I think its fair to say high school is where teenagers tend to make the most slip ups. My high school experience was also messy, I was very baffled at how intense some of the other students were. High school is like the animal kingdom. Sometimes in order to become a better version of yourself, you have to go through certain life events – like being away from your family and going off to the military which is a different way of living. It’s great that you were able to grow while being enlisted, the world needs more support systems!
Daisy Wesley
Hey!
I agree with Madison, high school is where teenagers tend to make slip ups and being away from family members is hard but I am glad you had a good support system!