TONGA SIDE SCHOOL 1995-2000

At first when I was sent to Tonga, I remember crying on the airplane when we were leaving for Tonga. It was Aug 1994 when I left and I was only 6 years old. I was joined with my 2 lil brothers. Now Im grown, Im so thankful for that opportunity I was given to grow up in tonga,learning the language and the culture, not just that... but Im fortunate to have grown up with my Great-grandmother Margaret Hansen and My grandmother Siunipa Takai who I am proud to say Im named after.
My life growing up in Tonga was THEE BEST, no lie. I first started at a government school named Kolonga G.P.S(Government.Primary.School) where I was Class 1, which every village has a G.P.S, The next year I was registered into Tonga Side School, I guess there was a waiting list, because back then, EVERYONE and they dogs were trying to get into T.S.S(LOL) In the mean time my brother and I had to go to this seventh day adventist school waiting for our names to reach the top...really? In just 2 months we got accepted into T.S.S, by then the year ended so I was to start Class 2 in T.S.S......


               HOW IMPORTANT SCHOOL IS IN TONGA


I just remember every time we had a test, Literally everyone couldn't wait for the teacher to announce who was top on the test and 2,3,4,5,and on.... Ok Im not trying to brag but I was SMART(hear me I WAS smart)lol. Every friday we would have like a competition against classes on the stage in front of the rest of the school. There was Class 1 through Form 2 (first grade-8th grade) at my school. We would compete on everything,  MATH was major in Tonga. It was like if you failed math you would be ashamed(for reals though). When I was in 2nd grade I knew how to say my times tables from 1-12 and at a sec beat, no lie the teachers there were crucial!!


                  GRADUATION**TANAKI TU'UNGA**


AT the end of every year there is graduation. Every class graduated to the next, so it was a ceremony for Class 1-Form 2... And what everyone shoots for is CAPTAIN OF THE CLASS. When I was in 2nd grade I was CAPTAIN of my class, it never really meant anything to me besides my grandmother being so happy. The older I got the bigger my head got,as I was the little girl from Kolonga always captain of the class. I was Captain every Year until Class 5 I came second place....oh was I soooo Mad when my name was called second to last... The beginning of Class 6, it was April 2000 my mom came to tonga and brought us all back. I was happy but then I was sad. I really wanted to go to Liahona High School. My dads mom was methodist so she wanted me to go to Tonga High. I really wish I just stayed in Tonga and finished school. Who knows maybe I would be on my way achieving my Law Degree (lol). School in tonga is DIFFERENT from out here. Kids in tonga would rather be known being a geek. Where out here in the states, if your a geek your out of the picture. people can say that school is the same everywhere, which is true. But I can actually say School in Tonga is different, ONLY because everyones mind set in tonga is the same that the results will show at the end of the year at graduation, and its pretty embarrassing because its an Actual ceremony so if you last in the class you cant hide it because its announced at graduation,lol. They also announce the top student in math/language/science. Pretty cool stuff maybe if they do that here kids would be more serious.lol
Miss my T.S.S days

                                        CLASS 5T 1999

                                                     CLASS 4 V 1998

some pictures that my T.S.S mates tagged me on fb