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Leonia Otolose Filiaga.our long journey home
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In July of 2020 my Aunty Oto told my mom that she was diagnosed with cancer. And my mom, who is the oldest in her family, had to make a huge sacrifice in order to save her little sister. We needed to travel to Hawaii because the doctors in American Samoa couldn’t help....

![Aunty Otolose & Leonia on the bus in Hawaii — going from quarantine to the airport to catch the 1st repatriation flight home to American Samoa. Leonia’s essay, “Our Long Journey Home to American Samoa”, by the 14-year old — a freshman at Samoana High School, tells us in about her experience as a Repat resident, due to the COVID-19 pandemic — finally joyfully coming home. [Courtesy photo] Aunty Otolose & Leonia on the bus in Hawaii](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/our_long_journey.jpg?itok=Vv1fr5SK)