‘Great place with friendly people’

By Emily Dunn 24 June 2017, 12:00AM

Learning from the best of Samoa, Physio Therapist Janus is loving his working holiday


Janus Juul, aged 25, is taking a break from work in Denmark to undertake a trip around the Pacific.

He is gaining valuable experience working alongside the Physio therapists of Samoa, at the Samoa Rugby Union. 

Having been on the island for a week already his initial impressions are that his stay will be unforgettable. 

“I’m enjoying my time here, it’s a nice place with friendly people” he said.

“I’ve come at an exciting time because of the Manu Samoa vs Wales match, so it’s a great opportunity for me to see how they do things here.” Fridays match will doubtless provide lots of hands on experience for the young practitioner. 

He also added thankfully that, “it’s actually not as hot as I expected which is great.” Janus has been lucky enough to be placed with a local family, he is finding this experience an eye-opener in terms of Samoan culture as there is always people coming and going; family is of paramount importance and what defines Samoan tradition.

Janus knew to expect a relaxed atmosphere but had no idea that life would be so chilled, he said, “I expected it to be laidback, but didn’t realise it would be as much as it is.” 

He is also shocked but thankful at the number of locals that can speak fluent English, this will undoubtedly make his stay and communication much easier. In his line of work, communication is key.

On the weekend he has been exploring all the island has to offer, having just got back from To Sua Trench. “It’s a really nice place, so I made sure I took a lot of pictures there. We sat by a really nice pool and the blow holes were so interesting.” Janus describes his stay to the Observer. 

In order to gain some perspective on the local’s heritage, Janus went to a cultural show and the tourist village in Apia. “At the cultural show I tried the traditional Umu food. I also saw slap dancing, carving and a woman making clothes in a traditional way. It was really interesting, and the presenter was very humorous, as he included some modern things too.” 

He would recommend a visit to the show to tourists to develop their appreciation of local culture. 

 

By Emily Dunn 24 June 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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