--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I grew up in Samoa and, looking back, I…" description: "\"I grew up in Samoa and, looking back, I don't think I realised how wonderful life was back then. The chickens used to run wild on the family plantation..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/monica-galetti-5793_chickens_i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-do_1315999.jpg" --- # I grew up in Samoa and, looking back, I don't think I… ![“I grew up in Samoa and, looking back, I don't think I realised how wonderful life was back then. The chickens used to run wild on the family plantation and we'd collect their eggs. We'd pick guavas, pineapples, papayas. It was such a normal thing to do.” quote by Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/monica-galetti-5793_chickens_i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-do_1315999.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/monica-galetti-5793_chickens_i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-do_1315999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/monica-galetti-5793_chickens_i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-do_1315999.jpg) > “I grew up in Samoa and, looking back, I don't think I realised how wonderful life was back then. The chickens used to run wild on the family plantation and we'd collect their eggs. We'd pick guavas, pineapples, papayas. It was such a normal thing to do.” [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on nostalgic childhood in Samoa, appreciating simple, abundant natural life that now seems overlooked **In simple terms:** Childhood in Samoa felt abundant and simple, but was unappreciated at the time Key Takeaway Recognize and cherish everyday simple pleasures Themes nostalgia gratitude simple living Mood reflective warm Type personal nostalgic When to use this quote - Family farm life - collecting eggs - fruit picking - reflecting on past Key Concepts Cultural memory environmental appreciation mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How might you notice simple joys today? - What does ‘wonderful life’ mean to you now? A Different Perspective May romanticize past, ignoring hardships of that era ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-back/) [Samoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/samoa/) ## Related quotes > [I grew up in Samoa, where food is an important part of our culture. I remember this sea worm, called the palolo, that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-grew-up-in-samoa-where-food-is-an-important-part-of-our-culture-i/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [We had a family beach house in Savai'i in western Samoa. When the tide used to come in it would come under the house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/we-had-a-family-beach-house-in-savai-i-in-western-samoa-when-the-tide/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [The people of Samoa have a gentle way, and they have the humility that comes with managing to get by on the very basics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/the-people-of-samoa-have-a-gentle-way-and-they-have-the-humility-that/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [Samoa culture demonstrates how much the tragic or the easy solution of the Oedipus situation depends upon the inter-relationship between parents and children, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/samoa-culture-demonstrates-how-much-the-tragic-or-the-easy-solution/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“Excuse me? You're the one who was out to mislead me with your alluring bimbo slinkiness! What if I had believed your act last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-wendt-young/excuse-me-you-re-the-one-who-was-out-to-mislead-me-with-your-alluring/) [Lani Wendt Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lani-wendt-young/) > [I have a massive Samoan family. And the Samoan culture has always played a massive part of my life. I've got hundreds of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kj-apa/i-have-a-massive-samoan-family-and-the-samoan-culture-has-always/) [KJ Apa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kj-apa/) > [I have zero animosity with Samoa Joe. I found him my first day back at WWE after my injury and we had a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-kidd/i-have-zero-animosity-with-samoa-joe-i-found-him-my-first-day-back-at/) [Tyson Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-kidd/) > [“You don't love someone because they're a dream of perfection. You love them because of the way they meet their challenges, how they struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-wendt-young/you-don-t-love-someone-because-they-re-a-dream-of-perfection-you-love/) [Lani Wendt Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lani-wendt-young/) > [I've always been a huge mark for Samoa Joe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-douglas/i-ve-always-been-a-huge-mark-for-samoa-joe/) [Shane Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-douglas/) > [I remember surfing in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, even Madeira, when local fishermen had never seen a surfboard before, and refused to believe that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-finnegan/i-remember-surfing-in-fiji-samoa-tonga-even-madeira-when-local/) [William Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-finnegan/) > [My parents moved to American Samoa when I was three or four years old. My dad was principal of a high school there. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stoltz/my-parents-moved-to-american-samoa-when-i-was-three-or-four-years-old/) [Eric Stoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stoltz/) > [Every time Samoa Joe and myself have stepped in the ring, we've always created a little bit of magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/every-time-samoa-joe-and-myself-have-stepped-in-the-ring-we-ve-always/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [ I did not write it \[Coming of Age in Samoa\] as a popular book, but only with the hope that it would be intelligible… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/i-did-not-write-it-coming-of-age-in-samoa-as-a-popular-book-but-only/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [My father's a keen sportsman, and so is my mother. My mother's brothers all played international rugby for Samoa. That's where I got my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filo-tiatia/my-father-s-a-keen-sportsman-and-so-is-my-mother-my-mother-s-brothers/) [Filo Tiatia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filo-tiatia/) > [“His fingers painted my skin with ruby red patterns of desire. In Keahi’s kiss I could taste the red burn of chili encrusted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-wendt-young/his-fingers-painted-my-skin-with-ruby-red-patterns-of-desire-in-keahi/) [Lani Wendt Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lani-wendt-young/) ## More by Monica Galetti > [Some people find the appearance of cuttlefish off-putting, but I think this lesser eaten fish is really exciting and versatile. It's similar to squid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/some-people-find-the-appearance-of-cuttlefish-off-putting-but-i-think/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [I have a little garden, and I quite enjoy fiddling about in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-have-a-little-garden-and-i-quite-enjoy-fiddling-about-in-it/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [I never had holidays when I was a kid, because my parents couldn't afford them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-never-had-holidays-when-i-was-a-kid-because-my-parents-couldn-t/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [Sharing good food with your children is the purest form of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/sharing-good-food-with-your-children-is-the-purest-form-of-love/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [When the earthquake hit Christchurch in 2011, the factory that produces Marmite was closed for two years. The supermarket shelves were empty and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/when-the-earthquake-hit-christchurch-in-2011-the-factory-that/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [I think people took a while to accept me for who I am, and I've learnt to articulate myself better when on camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-think-people-took-a-while-to-accept-me-for-who-i-am-and-i-ve-learnt/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [We're all equals - once you've got a jacket on, you're a chef. It's not about gender - it's your ability to cook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/we-re-all-equals-once-you-ve-got-a-jacket-on-you-re-a-chef-it-s-not/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [Fresh, ripe cocoa is amazing. It's so sweet but if you eat too much you get a sore stomach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/fresh-ripe-cocoa-is-amazing-it-s-so-sweet-but-if-you-eat-too-much-you/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [As a child I loved to be in the kitchen with my mum and aunties, eavesdropping on the adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/as-a-child-i-loved-to-be-in-the-kitchen-with-my-mum-and-aunties/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [I was raised in the Pacific Islands, so I remember picking fruit every morning for breakfast or collecting the eggs from the chickens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-was-raised-in-the-pacific-islands-so-i-remember-picking-fruit-every/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [I always go for something like mac and cheese if I'm hungover. Pasta is great for soaking everything up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-always-go-for-something-like-mac-and-cheese-if-i-m-hungover-pasta/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [I hate my smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-hate-my-smile/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [We had a family beach house in Savai'i in western Samoa. When the tide used to come in it would come under the house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/we-had-a-family-beach-house-in-savai-i-in-western-samoa-when-the-tide/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [Growing up as a young chef, the cookbooks I had, and I remember, were the Roux brothers. The Roux brothers for me back then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/growing-up-as-a-young-chef-the-cookbooks-i-had-and-i-remember-were/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [The people of Samoa have a gentle way, and they have the humility that comes with managing to get by on the very basics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/the-people-of-samoa-have-a-gentle-way-and-they-have-the-humility-that/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) [Explore all 100 Monica Galetti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) ## More Chickens quotes > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) Christoph Niemann > [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/) [Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/) > [I've never even been into those supplements or any of that. I don't even drink energy shakes. I'm not into that kind of stuff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-ve-never-even-been-into-those-supplements-or-any-of-that-i-don-t/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [One of the mistakes I made was thinking chickens and penguins could sing, just like all the other animals in the 'Muppets.' But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-mckenzie/one-of-the-mistakes-i-made-was-thinking-chickens-and-penguins-could/) [Bret McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-mckenzie/) > [My dad was proud of himself when he farted. He sounds like he's strangling a chicken when he farts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-barron/my-dad-was-proud-of-himself-when-he-farted-he-sounds-like-he-s/) Carl Barron > [I joined PETA for minks and dogs. I need my beef, my chicken, my seafood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waka-flocka-flame/i-joined-peta-for-minks-and-dogs-i-need-my-beef-my-chicken-my-seafood/) [Waka Flocka Flame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waka-flocka-flame/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [In a way that somebody else converts to Judaism or becomes a Hare Krishna, I belong to the church of fried chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/in-a-way-that-somebody-else-converts-to-judaism-or-becomes-a-hare/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I eat a lot of chicken with salad or salmon with salad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ellison/i-eat-a-lot-of-chicken-with-salad-or-salmon-with-salad/) [Jennifer Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ellison/) > [To this day I over prepare. I draw storyboards for every scene - chicken scratches so crude that they amuse and horrify the crew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stoltz/to-this-day-i-over-prepare-i-draw-storyboards-for-every-scene-chicken/) [Eric Stoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stoltz/) > [Just erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-erotic-nothing-kinky-it-s-the-difference-between-using-a-feather/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You want a drumstick? Like a ice cream cone or a chicken wing!?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/you-want-a-drumstick-like-a-ice-cream-cone-or-a-chicken-wing/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [I'm such a fitness freak that I eat so plain, it's gross. I have oatmeal in the morning and then I have chicken breasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-such-a-fitness-freak-that-i-eat-so-plain-it-s-gross-i-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The chickens have come home to roast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-ace/the-chickens-have-come-home-to-roast/) [Jane Ace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-ace/) > [Dinner Special - Turkey $2.35; Chicken or Beef $2.25; Children $2.00](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/dinner-special-turkey-2-35-chicken-or-beef-2-25-children-2-00/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) Browse all 1,079 Chickens quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I grew up in Samoa and, looking back, I don't think I realised how wonderful life was back then. The chickens used to run wild on the family plantation and we'd collect their eggs. We'd pick guavas, pineapples, papayas. It was such a normal thing to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Monica Galetti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-don-t-think-i-realised-how/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chickens" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-don-t-think-i-realised-how/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/monica-galetti-5793_chickens_i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-do_1315999.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/monica-galetti-5793_chickens_i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-do_1315999.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/monica-galetti-5793_chickens_i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-do_1315999.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I grew up in Samoa and, looking back, I don't think I realised how wonderful life was back then. The…” — Monica Galetti", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Monica Galetti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I grew up in Samoa and,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-don-t-think-i-realised-how/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/i-grew-up-in-samoa-and-looking-back-i-don-t-think-i-realised-how/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```