Hi Everyone!!
A few days before Christmas, I learned about a ship that takes cargo and people to outer islands on the eastern part of Micronesia. I talked with a few other volunteers from Peace Corps and they too were interested. The ship would go from Pohnpei and make the first stop at Mokil, then eventually leave for Pingelap and return in 3 days to Mokil. I called up the transportation authority and was told that all the spaces were taken. As you can imagine, I was bummed, so I called back and spoke in Pohnpeian. Well, what would you guess, they immediately put my name on the list, as well as the other volunteers, and told us to show up early with our stuff and that they would get us on the boat.
On Dec. 27, we all headed to the port. I helped my PC boss get some boxes put in the hole of the boat, packages that belonged to the 2 volunteers on the island, then patiently waited to pay for our tickets and get on the boat. The boat is a pretty large cargo ship. There are 2 decks and one was already full. People put down the local mats, duct taped them, and put all their belongings on their mats. Fortunately, the 2nd deck was empty, so as soon as we got on the boat, we staked out our spot! After a few hours of wondering if the tarp would be erected on our deck, we were pleasantly surprised to see it go up. Our spot was pretty large. Large enough for at least 8 people to sleep comfortably. Since there was only 4 of us, we were quite comfortable. We watched the ship get all the cargo. This included pigs and chickens. The pigs were in their boxes and a crane moved them from one side of the ship to the other. When they got put in their area, they were released and allowed to move freely on one side of the boat. Around 6pm, the boat set sail! The water was very rough and the Dramamine (Grandma’s meat- right Dad?! HA) definitely did the trick. What I thought was a great spot, turned out to not be so good. After we had eaten our dinner- cans of food directly from the cans, they pushed this extended pole out into the middle of our “camp” site. The pole had a very bright light attached to it and immediately illuminated our entire camp. This all happened right when I was nearing a peaceful sleep. So, there I am on a boat trip that is 12 hours long, not able to sleep, and when I finally did fall asleep, it started to rain. No biggie. I guess you could say that I heard every person throwing up throughout the entire trip. Poor kids were not doing well. The pigs were loving it, as you could tell when someone was throwing up because the pigs would go nuts! Gross.
We finally got to our first island, Mokil in the early hours. It was at this time that we found out that the ship would then leave for Pingelap, anther 7 hours, before turning around and coming back to Mokil. With this news, we realized that we would have maybe a few hours on Mokil then would have to get on the boat and not reach land until late in the evening and eventually only spend 1 full day on Pingelap before coming back. Erica, a Peace Corps Volunteer, and I were too excited to see Kate and 2 other World Teach volunteers, Tyler and Jonathan, wanted to stay with us. So, the other 3 volunteers (one Peace Corps, one World Teach, and one Jesuit) decided that they’d go to Mokil for the few hours then would hop the boat for Pingelap. This meant that we would have to unload ALL our stuff and we had a lot. We watched and waited patiently for our turn to deboard the ship onto a small motor boat which eventually took us to the island. The boat was outside the coral and the tide was considerably low, so we had to wait for it to rise before loading. This was very interesting as everyone on the ship and the little boats worked together to move supplies down the ship via this small walkway that went directly into the water. Of course, there were only a few of us and we don’t speak Mokillese so it was very nerve racking to know if we were going to get off the ship with all of our supplies. I asked various people and explained that I was Peace Corps, and once again it worked. I told one woman and man that I was there to deliver some packages to the volunteer on island. This set forth word and before I knew it, a man came over to me and Erica and said the next boat was ours. We had a lot of stuff, packages for Kate (the volunteer on island), all our food, water, bags, etc. We did an assembly line from the ship to the motor boat and eventually we got ourselves on the boat. I rode with a few other volunteers and 2 men- one of which remembered meeting me in Pohnpei at a meeting with the Dept. of Education and another gentleman who is the senator of Pohnpei (can we say small island?).
When we arrive on Mokil, I am immediately taken aback. The island is shaped like a horseshoe and is only about 1.5 miles long from tip to tip. Everything is so green and the palm trees are taller than any I’ve ever seen. When we unloaded it was like a new world. It was completely different than I had expected and nothing like Pohnpei. The houses and yards are manicured. The street (one street on the island) is as wide as 3 wheelbarrows and the “gravel” is actually coral. The houses are put together and everyone prides themselves by keeping plants and such in pots. Great decorations!
Kate, the volunteer, was thrilled, shocked, elated—I’m sure there are more words to describe her feeling when she saw Erica and I. Imagine not seeing another white person for a few months and then out of nowhere and with no knowledge, there are 7! Needless to say, she didn’t really know what to say or do. We spent a few hours with all the volunteers before they had to leave for Pingelap, just a quick tour of the island, then eventually they left. Kate’s host family was excited to have us but I think they were very excited to know that we had brought all our own food and water and the only thing we needed was a floor and a shower. Everyone was very welcoming of us and well, I’ll be honest, I was just happy to see Kate. J
The first day, we did the short tour of the island, then decided it was time for the beach. Kate took us down to the beach, which was in her backyard. But I should stop here before going on and explain the set up of the island. Again, it’s shaped like a horseshoe with one part facing the lagoon and the other on the sea side. The houses are set up on strips of land, remember that this is land owned by generations of families, so each parcel of land has it’s own history. On the lagoon facing side is where the front of the houses overlook. The view is difficult to explain. Just imagine looking out your front door and all you see is beautiful clear water and off in the distance 2 other islands, both uninhabited. As you walk down to the beach, you walk past the pig pens, which compared to Pohnpei do NOT stink and are considerably quiet, then you pass the taro patches, and eventually (okay 2 minutes later) you are at the beach. The beach is part sand part coral. It’s a pink color from the red and white coral smashing together. The water, amazing! 4 different colors of blue! We did a lot of sitting/laying on the beach. Kate, Erica, and I chatted endlessly and the 2 guys napped and swam. That night we had dinner and played with Kate’s brother’s and sister. They too enjoyed having us there. There was lots of guitar playing and singing. Kate’s host father is a popular guy, so there was a steady flow of people stopping by to visit and such. That night, us volunteers took a mat out to the beach and watched the ocean via the light of the moon. Amazing. No words can describe this place.
The island system is amazing as well. If democracy works, it works on Mokil- small government anyway. The 120 people are equal in everything. When the ship comes, like it did while I was there, everything is distributed equally to each family. The locals use motor boats for fishing. Gas is expensive, as you can imagine, but the way they have it set up is one family will buy enough gas for the entire community for 3 months before the next family is in charge of the purchase. During the holidays, Guam dropped a big supply of Christmas presents near the island. They spent many hours hauling all the supplies back to island where they again, distributed everything equally. There are no title system in Mokil like on Pohnpei, so everyone is generally the same except for the oldest man is the chief/mayor. That guy rides a bike and has a gray fro. Sweet! Like I mentioned, the strips of land are owned by family. Many times, families leave Mokil to move to Pohnpei. When this happens, the house stays as it is. No one is allowed to use the land or collect the fruit from the trees. It's a bit eerie at times as some houses are completely abandoned.
The next day we woke up later and took a walk to the airstrip which is located on the far end of the island. The waves were crashing and the breeze was amazing. We walked though the rain forest to get to the spot and the trees were absolutely amazing. Of course, we decided that we should do some beach time, so we took our mat to our little spot and soaked up the sun while the guys set off to swim past the reef. They didn’t make it past the reef because the waves were over 6 feet high! Later that day, Kate’s host father asked us if we’d like to go for a boat ride and of course we said yes. It was getting late but we did get to see an amazing sunset from the reef. Wow!
The following day, Kate’s father agreed to take us past the reef for some snorkeling. I wouldn’t have believed that the snorkeling would be any different from the snorkeling inside the reef but man was I wrong! This was beyond words! The water is so clear that you can see straight down for 120-150 feet. I swam with sharks and sea turtles and saw so much marine life I haven’t a clue! Barbara, I did use the book you found me, but didn’t take it with me to Mokil. I tried to remember from memory what all I saw, but now I know to always take the reef fish identification guide when traveling in the waters of the pacific! Huge angel fish swam behind the turtles and the red snappers were ginormous! The first time I saw a shark in the open water was at Mokil. So, I’m swimming along, Erica is behind me, and I come around a beautiful cylinder of coral when I see a reef shark. At first I’m cool, then I realize what I saw. No, it wasn’t BIG but it was a damn shark and I was all alone. So, what do I do? I freak. I’m perpendicular to the water and my legs and arms are flailing. I suddenly have this thought that not only am I not cut out to be a snorkeler but what in the world and I’m thinking getting scuba certified. My head pops up above water and I yell at Erica “Shark”! Obviously the worst thing to say. Eventually, I calm down a bit and realize I need a break from the sun and water. I crawl into the boat, so not gracefully, and rest for awhile. This was our last day on the island, so when we got home, we had to pack up our stuff and mentally prepare for the boat trip.
Later that day, Kate’s dad and Kate took us to the ship. We watched them hoist another motor boat us the side of the ship and eventually into the cargo hold. Crazy! Getting our stuff onto the ship was not as easy as it looked. I was on the top, so I had to push myself around people to set our stuff down before going back to ladder to receive more gear. Tyler was on the bottom of the ladder and about lost his flip flops 2 times. Kate’s little brothers were holding onto the ship for dear life while we unloaded. Needless to say, we got everything and everyone safely on board. We also scored a great spot on the same deck….minus the huge pigs, only baby one’s on the way home. We boarded at 6pm and the ship wasn’t sailing until 10pm, mainly on weather and tide reasons. So we had plenty of time to whip out our camp stove and make some delicious chili before the waves. I figured that I wouldn’t sleep again, but was completely shocked when I woke up around 4am and had been asleep since 8pm. We made it home to Pohnpei with no cuts or scrapes and many many fabulous memories. That was New Years Eve, so you can only imagine us that night when a bunch of already sea legs people decided to go out dancing! All I can say is that it topped everything I had expected to do this Christmas break. The best part, the round trip ticket on the ship- $22. *smile*
This summer there will be another ship that goes out for a 10 day cruise. My bags are already packed! Who’s in?
I’ll have pictures posted soon on FB so please check them out. I’m sure you will be able to put the story into pictures once you see them.
I hope everyone had a Happy New Year and I look forward to hearing about your adventures.
Much love and many hugs from Pohnpei,
amber
Monday, January 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Official Volunteer
Well, I made it through all the training and am now an official Peace Corps volunteer. I was sworn in Friday and met my new host family!
I had my language exam on Thursday. I didn't do great but I suppose good enough to pass me on. I really hoped to pick this language up quickly but I've definitely struggled with it. Just when i thought I was getting it...boom, I'm sucking yet again and feeling completely lost. I feel like an idiot at times, but what's new! Anyway, there's no crying in pohnpeian!
Our ceremony was pretty hi-larious. A few local leaders gave short speeches then we were sworn in by the country director. It took place directly outside our cafeteria area so it was right along the lagoon. Beautiful view! During the various speeches, the dogs entertained themselves by lounging on the "stage" and at one point a cat found the snacks. It was entertaining to say the least. The finale involved all us newbies dancing with sticks while chanting a local song. I meant to record it but accidently forgot my camera. But, other volunteers got pictures so there will be some great incriminating evidence.
After the ceremony I said my final goodbyes to my family. I was very sad to leave them. I can't imagine being in pohnpei and not living with them. They are fantastic and so loving. I'm so blessed to have entered this country with such great support. I will make it back to visit. Maybe not every weekend, as they all would like, but often enough.
I met my new family and rode home with them. I am now living about 30 minutes (walking) outside Kolonia. My family includes a mother, Truscilla, father, Kiester, and 4 sons- Kiestrue, Kayward, Kaye, and DJ. These boys are darling! So handsome! The youngest is 3 and the oldest is 14. I will not be teaching any of them this year, but Kayward will have me as his teacher next year.
My house is lovely! My room has a closet and desk and is very big. The house is equipped with indoor plumbing!! I get to brush my teeth in a sink. It's the little things! My family seems very excited to have me here. They really want me to work with the boys in school. They too want to better their English. So expectations are set. It's nice to finally be in my placement.
I also started teaching at my school in Sekere. The first day my teacher was late gettin to school, so I started my lessons immediately. No I was not prepared so I pulled some shit out of my ass. No fear. The kids seemed to enjoy it and honestly that is all that matters. My brothers and cousins walked me to and from school. It was quite precious.
Not much more to report here. Not many funny stories as of late. Though I am searching high and low for some goodies! So please stay tuned.
PS (can one include a ps on a blog?)... I am no longer allergic to sakou! You have no idea how happy I am about this! Freak face is gone for good. Though my nose is swollen and cut from hitting it 2 times on my glass blinds when attempting to shoosh the damn roosters from outside the window...at 3 am...so loud! Old MacDonald can suck it.
I had my language exam on Thursday. I didn't do great but I suppose good enough to pass me on. I really hoped to pick this language up quickly but I've definitely struggled with it. Just when i thought I was getting it...boom, I'm sucking yet again and feeling completely lost. I feel like an idiot at times, but what's new! Anyway, there's no crying in pohnpeian!
Our ceremony was pretty hi-larious. A few local leaders gave short speeches then we were sworn in by the country director. It took place directly outside our cafeteria area so it was right along the lagoon. Beautiful view! During the various speeches, the dogs entertained themselves by lounging on the "stage" and at one point a cat found the snacks. It was entertaining to say the least. The finale involved all us newbies dancing with sticks while chanting a local song. I meant to record it but accidently forgot my camera. But, other volunteers got pictures so there will be some great incriminating evidence.
After the ceremony I said my final goodbyes to my family. I was very sad to leave them. I can't imagine being in pohnpei and not living with them. They are fantastic and so loving. I'm so blessed to have entered this country with such great support. I will make it back to visit. Maybe not every weekend, as they all would like, but often enough.
I met my new family and rode home with them. I am now living about 30 minutes (walking) outside Kolonia. My family includes a mother, Truscilla, father, Kiester, and 4 sons- Kiestrue, Kayward, Kaye, and DJ. These boys are darling! So handsome! The youngest is 3 and the oldest is 14. I will not be teaching any of them this year, but Kayward will have me as his teacher next year.
My house is lovely! My room has a closet and desk and is very big. The house is equipped with indoor plumbing!! I get to brush my teeth in a sink. It's the little things! My family seems very excited to have me here. They really want me to work with the boys in school. They too want to better their English. So expectations are set. It's nice to finally be in my placement.
I also started teaching at my school in Sekere. The first day my teacher was late gettin to school, so I started my lessons immediately. No I was not prepared so I pulled some shit out of my ass. No fear. The kids seemed to enjoy it and honestly that is all that matters. My brothers and cousins walked me to and from school. It was quite precious.
Not much more to report here. Not many funny stories as of late. Though I am searching high and low for some goodies! So please stay tuned.
PS (can one include a ps on a blog?)... I am no longer allergic to sakou! You have no idea how happy I am about this! Freak face is gone for good. Though my nose is swollen and cut from hitting it 2 times on my glass blinds when attempting to shoosh the damn roosters from outside the window...at 3 am...so loud! Old MacDonald can suck it.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Housecleaning
I've been thinking that my blogging has not been too exciting lately, sobi thought I would provide you with a few stories. Please laugh...
My host sister asked me the other day what i ate in the states. I
mentioned burritos, cheese, pasta, cheese, nachos, fish, cheese. She was stunned that I didn't eat spam or corned beef. When i first arrive in Pohnpei I found a pig leg with hoof still attahced in
freezer. If anything drills home the reality of the situation, it was this surprise.
Thankfully my family is careful when they cut up pig as I don't have
to worry about eating pig hair, unlike a few of my peers. The huge chunks of fat on the diced meat, well that's another aspect I have a feeling I will never learn to appreciate.
Ive perfected the art of eating dried apricots and prunes. After many
failed attempts of my snacks becoming infested with ants I now eat with freedom from ants...or so I believe, anyway. You see, I stand in the middle of my room, shoosh all the ants off the bag, then open it. I have to be very careful as to not let any remaining ants make their way to my hands. You would be surprised how ants just appear. Oh, as soon as I finish my apricot serving I must immediately wash or sanitize my hands. It appears that ants can sense apricot nectar from afar. The one time I didn't wash my hands about 10 tiny ants were crawling all over my hand and arm as I was reading on my mat, which is located on the floor. Last night I was scaveging for a snack and decide to try to finish my trail mix. I was snacking away when I noticed an ant. After careful inspection it became apparent that the ant have taken over my trailix. A sad day. I loved that mix from my brother and Natalie. This morning I went to throw the bag away and noticed something very strange. It was no longer controlled by the tiny ants as ninja ants now ruled the mix. Very weird!
A few nigts ago I woke up at 4:45am and had to pee. I'm very lucky
that I have an indoor bathroom and that it's located next to my room.
So I make my way to the bathroom, open and close the door when
something catches my eye. By this point I'm on the toilet and just
inches from my head is a huge spider- about 4"x4". I found myself
leaning the opposite way looking at this spider directly in his/her
eyes. Creepy. Back home I would have freaked out and probably not been able to fall back asleep. Here- no problem. I slept like a baby with my host of ants and mosquitos.
Oh! I figured out what is causing my freak face! Sakou! The local
drink that gets ya drunk after many many times drinking it. Anyway I drank Sunday with some family members and got drunk! I realized that I felt awesome when I looked up from my chair and all of a sudden I felt as if I was tripping. Later I was walking up to my house through a shortcut in the jungle when I felt all wobbly (yes I had wobbly knees and for those who know me and my wobbly knees you can only imagine what I looked like). When I got to my house I was taking off my flip flops, lifted my head, and knocked a vase of fake flowers (don't ask why we have fake flowers when real ones grow wild everywhere) out of the holder. My host brother was walking by and busted out laughing. Later that night I was reading my chic book, which reminds me, when i read its with a flashlight on my chest- every few pages i have to wind it to brighten the light. I love flashlights! I was wearing my glasses and the words were blurry. However the more I tilted my head back the better I could see. It wasn't until later that I realized I could see better with my glasses off. It was at this point that I thought maybe I forgot to take out my contacts. So I get up and nope they were in the case. So sakou cures farsightedness! However I will never get to test this theory because Im allergic to it. So sad.
I woke up in the middle of the night scratching my face off. At 4am I'm trying to look in my tiny compact mirror to see if i'm
freak face and sure as shit, red face is back. 3 days
later and I'm still red faced although it has dissipated somewhat. So
I've come to the conclusion that I am allergic to sakou.
Disappointing that I will not be able to get drunky on sakou as it
was quite an enjoyable time.
I have 2 weeks left with my current family. My host mom told me that she's going to cry when I leave. I have been instructed to come back every weekend to spend time with them. I don't know about every weekend but I'm sure I will be coming back. They have been a wonderful family. I've been blessed to have had this experience. I have developed a great relationship with my sisters and, this is shocking, tend to only speak pohnpeian in the hose. It's a great feeling. I look forward to my next family but they have a lot of work ahead of them to compare to my current. Regardless, I have faith in knowing that it will be a good placement.
Stay tuned for more stories!
My host sister asked me the other day what i ate in the states. I
mentioned burritos, cheese, pasta, cheese, nachos, fish, cheese. She was stunned that I didn't eat spam or corned beef. When i first arrive in Pohnpei I found a pig leg with hoof still attahced in
freezer. If anything drills home the reality of the situation, it was this surprise.
Thankfully my family is careful when they cut up pig as I don't have
to worry about eating pig hair, unlike a few of my peers. The huge chunks of fat on the diced meat, well that's another aspect I have a feeling I will never learn to appreciate.
Ive perfected the art of eating dried apricots and prunes. After many
failed attempts of my snacks becoming infested with ants I now eat with freedom from ants...or so I believe, anyway. You see, I stand in the middle of my room, shoosh all the ants off the bag, then open it. I have to be very careful as to not let any remaining ants make their way to my hands. You would be surprised how ants just appear. Oh, as soon as I finish my apricot serving I must immediately wash or sanitize my hands. It appears that ants can sense apricot nectar from afar. The one time I didn't wash my hands about 10 tiny ants were crawling all over my hand and arm as I was reading on my mat, which is located on the floor. Last night I was scaveging for a snack and decide to try to finish my trail mix. I was snacking away when I noticed an ant. After careful inspection it became apparent that the ant have taken over my trailix. A sad day. I loved that mix from my brother and Natalie. This morning I went to throw the bag away and noticed something very strange. It was no longer controlled by the tiny ants as ninja ants now ruled the mix. Very weird!
A few nigts ago I woke up at 4:45am and had to pee. I'm very lucky
that I have an indoor bathroom and that it's located next to my room.
So I make my way to the bathroom, open and close the door when
something catches my eye. By this point I'm on the toilet and just
inches from my head is a huge spider- about 4"x4". I found myself
leaning the opposite way looking at this spider directly in his/her
eyes. Creepy. Back home I would have freaked out and probably not been able to fall back asleep. Here- no problem. I slept like a baby with my host of ants and mosquitos.
Oh! I figured out what is causing my freak face! Sakou! The local
drink that gets ya drunk after many many times drinking it. Anyway I drank Sunday with some family members and got drunk! I realized that I felt awesome when I looked up from my chair and all of a sudden I felt as if I was tripping. Later I was walking up to my house through a shortcut in the jungle when I felt all wobbly (yes I had wobbly knees and for those who know me and my wobbly knees you can only imagine what I looked like). When I got to my house I was taking off my flip flops, lifted my head, and knocked a vase of fake flowers (don't ask why we have fake flowers when real ones grow wild everywhere) out of the holder. My host brother was walking by and busted out laughing. Later that night I was reading my chic book, which reminds me, when i read its with a flashlight on my chest- every few pages i have to wind it to brighten the light. I love flashlights! I was wearing my glasses and the words were blurry. However the more I tilted my head back the better I could see. It wasn't until later that I realized I could see better with my glasses off. It was at this point that I thought maybe I forgot to take out my contacts. So I get up and nope they were in the case. So sakou cures farsightedness! However I will never get to test this theory because Im allergic to it. So sad.
I woke up in the middle of the night scratching my face off. At 4am I'm trying to look in my tiny compact mirror to see if i'm
freak face and sure as shit, red face is back. 3 days
later and I'm still red faced although it has dissipated somewhat. So
I've come to the conclusion that I am allergic to sakou.
Disappointing that I will not be able to get drunky on sakou as it
was quite an enjoyable time.
I have 2 weeks left with my current family. My host mom told me that she's going to cry when I leave. I have been instructed to come back every weekend to spend time with them. I don't know about every weekend but I'm sure I will be coming back. They have been a wonderful family. I've been blessed to have had this experience. I have developed a great relationship with my sisters and, this is shocking, tend to only speak pohnpeian in the hose. It's a great feeling. I look forward to my next family but they have a lot of work ahead of them to compare to my current. Regardless, I have faith in knowing that it will be a good placement.
Stay tuned for more stories!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Too hot to handle, too cold to hold
Have you ever encountered so many issues that it makes you ill to even think about them? That when you begin considering how to deal with them, you don't even know where to begin? It's so overwhelming that you just want to scream?
Obviously I have come to this enevitable point. Only 1.5 months into my pre-service training and already the issues are too much. It's mind boggling. No, I'm not going to quit. It's actually quite the opposite. It's given me the power to want to do something. Make a difference. Do what I came here for. And so I begin...
"The Compact"
Did you know that a portion of your tax dollars goes to The Federated States of Micronesia? In exhange for air, water, and of course land, the Micronesians receive a chunk of change (which compared to the amount of money to finance the iraq war is really nothing) for various things such as education, healthcare, roads, etc. This all began in the early 1980's and was recently reenacted under the bush administration. After the reenacted, Micronesians have to be more accountable for the money they receive. Plus they have to divide the money amongst the four states, which is another problem. Since the money must be divided evenly some states have to let the money sit in a trust account until there is enough money for projects to be completed. A great example is Chuuk state which does not have a main paved road. Currently there's a dirt road that circles the entire state which according to current volunteers is a complete mess...huge potholes and muddy terrain. Not fun shit. This year the trust contained enough money to begin the road project which, thankfully, is underway.
Return to the compact...this money flow is supposed to end in 2023 with the hopes that Micronesia will be well established. The money is also accruing interest so it is anticipated that the people will be able to use the money accordingly and will no longer be involved with the States. What will happen to Micronesia when the compact ends?! Well it looks like China is getting in on the action. They are currently building an embassy here in Pohnpei and have been tending to a pilot garden project. Both projects employed only Chinese workers and used little resources and people from the island. The garden project now sells their produce to local markets which has taken away the opportunity for local farmers to sell their whole foods. Currently the govenor of Pohnpei is in talks with the Chinese about a casino. The casino would, of course, be built by he Chinese and would serve as a travel destination for Asian tourists. It would provide job opportunity for locals-after the construction is completed, but if you talk to any local person, a casino on this island is unheard of.
So what does a little peace corps volunteer do? I've recently started getting out in the community. My home is behind my family's store which is located on the main road. On my family's property there is also a thatched roof enclosure that has a sakou rock and bench seating...a great setup. The area is always a hot spot for sakou drinking and serves as a spot to simply rest and chat. It's a great place to meet many locals. It's taken some time for me to be comfortable and "read" and understand the culture. I've taken to chatting with many who speak English. I've neglected working to speak pohnpeian but have instead decide that's okay as I have gained a better understanding of the issues.
The Catholic Dicone and I have chatted on several occasions about Pohnpeian issues- issues that seem so easy to fix but making things come together here is a problem within itself. My perspective on various government issues and the risk on education have heightened my awareness of what is not being done. The government is all English speaking. However English isn't even "officially" taught until the children are in 4th grade and even then it's loosely a piece of the instructional element. By 7th grade all subjects need to be taught in English. By this time retention of students is compromised. There is an 8th grade exam that students must pass in order to go to high school. So most students get in but their grade level is approxmately 2-3 grades below. So a freshman is at a 6th grade reading level. Many of the teachers try to speak English in the classroom, but seeing that it's so easy to speak their native language, lessons tend to be taught in Pohnpeian.
Another aspect that has recently astonished me is that elementary students K-8th are not provided a lunch. Nothing! High schoolers get fed at school but not the little ones. Apparently the recently elected govenor pledged that he would provide school lunches for all public education citing specific funds to use. Unfortunately those funds disappeared as did the " school lunch for all kids" promise. Many kids bring food but those who don't spend $ 1-2 to purchase ramen noodles and a soda. Awesome nutrition. Get them hyped up on sugar and preservatives and wonder why they misbehave or are simply lethargic. My knowledge of how this is affecting these hildren developmentally is heart breaking. They deserve lunch for Christ sake.
One must return to the government. They only speak English and the majority of pohnpeians don't have the language ability or the confidence to speak their minds. There are leaders, congressmen and such, in the community, ones I haven't met, but I really hope have the pohnpeian best interests in mind. These people need to have their voices heard. If they continue down the current path they will lose power of their state, and the younger generation may not be able to pull them through.
All in all, I've become acquainted with various aspects of what Pohnpeians are doing right and wrong. More importantly, I'm learning why I'm here. Although it's quite overwhelming and sometimes nauseating, I honestly believe that I'm in the right place- physically and emotionally. I can only hope that I will do what is right for the people here and, of course, be of an asset to the society. Only time will tell...
Obviously I have come to this enevitable point. Only 1.5 months into my pre-service training and already the issues are too much. It's mind boggling. No, I'm not going to quit. It's actually quite the opposite. It's given me the power to want to do something. Make a difference. Do what I came here for. And so I begin...
"The Compact"
Did you know that a portion of your tax dollars goes to The Federated States of Micronesia? In exhange for air, water, and of course land, the Micronesians receive a chunk of change (which compared to the amount of money to finance the iraq war is really nothing) for various things such as education, healthcare, roads, etc. This all began in the early 1980's and was recently reenacted under the bush administration. After the reenacted, Micronesians have to be more accountable for the money they receive. Plus they have to divide the money amongst the four states, which is another problem. Since the money must be divided evenly some states have to let the money sit in a trust account until there is enough money for projects to be completed. A great example is Chuuk state which does not have a main paved road. Currently there's a dirt road that circles the entire state which according to current volunteers is a complete mess...huge potholes and muddy terrain. Not fun shit. This year the trust contained enough money to begin the road project which, thankfully, is underway.
Return to the compact...this money flow is supposed to end in 2023 with the hopes that Micronesia will be well established. The money is also accruing interest so it is anticipated that the people will be able to use the money accordingly and will no longer be involved with the States. What will happen to Micronesia when the compact ends?! Well it looks like China is getting in on the action. They are currently building an embassy here in Pohnpei and have been tending to a pilot garden project. Both projects employed only Chinese workers and used little resources and people from the island. The garden project now sells their produce to local markets which has taken away the opportunity for local farmers to sell their whole foods. Currently the govenor of Pohnpei is in talks with the Chinese about a casino. The casino would, of course, be built by he Chinese and would serve as a travel destination for Asian tourists. It would provide job opportunity for locals-after the construction is completed, but if you talk to any local person, a casino on this island is unheard of.
So what does a little peace corps volunteer do? I've recently started getting out in the community. My home is behind my family's store which is located on the main road. On my family's property there is also a thatched roof enclosure that has a sakou rock and bench seating...a great setup. The area is always a hot spot for sakou drinking and serves as a spot to simply rest and chat. It's a great place to meet many locals. It's taken some time for me to be comfortable and "read" and understand the culture. I've taken to chatting with many who speak English. I've neglected working to speak pohnpeian but have instead decide that's okay as I have gained a better understanding of the issues.
The Catholic Dicone and I have chatted on several occasions about Pohnpeian issues- issues that seem so easy to fix but making things come together here is a problem within itself. My perspective on various government issues and the risk on education have heightened my awareness of what is not being done. The government is all English speaking. However English isn't even "officially" taught until the children are in 4th grade and even then it's loosely a piece of the instructional element. By 7th grade all subjects need to be taught in English. By this time retention of students is compromised. There is an 8th grade exam that students must pass in order to go to high school. So most students get in but their grade level is approxmately 2-3 grades below. So a freshman is at a 6th grade reading level. Many of the teachers try to speak English in the classroom, but seeing that it's so easy to speak their native language, lessons tend to be taught in Pohnpeian.
Another aspect that has recently astonished me is that elementary students K-8th are not provided a lunch. Nothing! High schoolers get fed at school but not the little ones. Apparently the recently elected govenor pledged that he would provide school lunches for all public education citing specific funds to use. Unfortunately those funds disappeared as did the " school lunch for all kids" promise. Many kids bring food but those who don't spend $ 1-2 to purchase ramen noodles and a soda. Awesome nutrition. Get them hyped up on sugar and preservatives and wonder why they misbehave or are simply lethargic. My knowledge of how this is affecting these hildren developmentally is heart breaking. They deserve lunch for Christ sake.
One must return to the government. They only speak English and the majority of pohnpeians don't have the language ability or the confidence to speak their minds. There are leaders, congressmen and such, in the community, ones I haven't met, but I really hope have the pohnpeian best interests in mind. These people need to have their voices heard. If they continue down the current path they will lose power of their state, and the younger generation may not be able to pull them through.
All in all, I've become acquainted with various aspects of what Pohnpeians are doing right and wrong. More importantly, I'm learning why I'm here. Although it's quite overwhelming and sometimes nauseating, I honestly believe that I'm in the right place- physically and emotionally. I can only hope that I will do what is right for the people here and, of course, be of an asset to the society. Only time will tell...
Red-faced no more!
The rash is gone the rash is gone! You have no idea how jubilant I was last week when I realized that the frickin rash had finally subsided. Who knows what caused it and why. All that is left, yes, I did lie a bit but really the freak face is no longer as apparent as before, is dry skin. Moisturizer helps but I'm rather paranoid putting anything on it! Anyway, I feel much better these days.
Language class is going well as well as the rest of training. Today we learned how to gut a fish and de-scale it. Don't worry Dad and Hal, I proved my skills and actually one teacher commented on my fisherman abilities. You would have been proud. I sliced the stomach open and yanked out the guts. This sounds odd, but yanking the guts reminded me of sucking the head of a crawfish. Is it weird that my mouth started salivating? Damn. Just thinking about it makes my stomach growl. My friend Erica was having problems so j took over for her. Dealing with the guts and smell didn't bode well with her.
Speaking of Erica- this past Saturday was her 23rd birthday! So to celebrate, she, Kate, and I went to Nan Madol. We checked out the ruins quickly before making our way into the water. Although the bottom isn't sandy and glorious, the water was amazing. We sat in the water looking out at the nearby island and simply enjoyed the beautiful day. Our friend Morgan, a local, tagged along as our tour guide and when it came time to depart, he decided to take us an around about way home. I was game and although Kate was a bit whinny, we went ahead and followed him. He prefaced the journey by saying 1)this will only take about 10 minutes and 2) you will get to see our town from a high point...2 statements that I will be more cognizant of in the future.
So the journey begin...we hike up this road and up the mountain that is now made up of deep ravines that even a truck can not get up. It's hot and were all wet from swimming. Kate is complaining that her legs are chaffing and Erica is commenting that she's going to sprain her ankle. I am trying to remain optimistic and peppy and tell Morgan that everything is fine.
We are hiking along and it's nearing 5 pm. We come to a house and end up cutting behind it into the jungle- literally the jungle. We are now going down the mountain and are following the water pipe. The shit is scary! I'm sliding all over the place, tripping over roots, and sliding down deep trenches, where I have to shimmy my way down. Kate keeps commenting and muttering under her breath and Erica is now convinced that, yes, she is going to break her ankle. I'm still maintaining and ask Morgan several times "how much longer?". He responds with "3 minutes and we will be at the highest point in this district.". I tell the girls but they aren't buying it. Finally we reach a place where we can see our training site in the distance and before we can marvel in it, Morgan pushes us on. So, now were in the middle of this jungle going down the mountain and have passed our scenic lookout spot. My optimism is fading and I'm starting to feel a bit nervous. We are wet, tired, and hungry and it's getting late. If we have to climb the mountain, we are not getting home until well after dark.
So the expedition continues...I cut my foot, Kates shoes are rubbing blisters(don't forget about the chaffing on her legs) and Erica has grown quiet, also not a good sign. Eventually I can't go on without a break. I tell Morgan that we have to stop and evaluate and he seems confused. I don't care at this point and we stop for a rest. Kates muttering that she doesn't know how she's climbing back up this mountain, blah, blah, blah...and I'm simply tired. We pee and hang for a bit before deciding that were losing daylight- and so we press on. Oh, but what's that 100 feet in the distance? A road?! No shit! It's a road...that forks...and yes, we are now almost home! Morgan hooked it up with a great shortcut through the jungle. You can only imagine how thrilled we were to know where we were. A first of many lessons on communication barriers.
Needless to say, we all made it home safely and indulged in a cocktail and laughed about the entire day. I can't wait to see what we do for my birthday!?
For my exciting news...I started scuba diving class last night and will go out on my first closed water dive on Saturday. I'm super stoked to get certified especially since I will be living close to Kolonia and will have access to many dive sights. The teacher for the class is a peace corps alumnist from the 1960s and never left the island. He looks like Santa and is super jolly! Haha!
The weather has been interesting. According to locals we are entering the rainy season as well as the trade winds. Wind is awesome! Rain is good mainly because it really cools the air. Humidity- well that's a given. But actually my body is adjusting to it. It's much more intense than living in New Orleans but half the time I don't even take notice of it. I'm just excited about having some sort of breeze!
Food is still an interesting aspect of this experience. This morning I ate oatmeal while my sister ate rice and canned Vienna sausages. Muy interesante. I considered taking a bite of the sausage...I love those things! Remember Mer when your parets would buy me a case of them monthly freshman year? So fricking tasty! Yam season is upon us and will be here through March. They are pretty good, although starchy, but when dipped in ketchup- deeeelicous! I'm over rice. Totally over it. My sister asked me the other day what I ate in the states. She was shocked that I didn't eat pork, rice and was in a state of complete confusion when I said I didn't eat canned food- particularly corned beef and spam. The good part is that I won't have to eat it for the rest of my stay...canned tuna and Vienna sausages though will do just fine. :)
Last week I made black bean burritos! So so so good. The tortillas I found at a wholesale outlet cost me $7 but it was worth it. I made them last for 4 meals. Oh how I miss cheese...I considered buying some but it would have cost me $25 for a considerably large chunk...I couldn't bring myself to pay that much. I'm sure once I get settled I will indulge myself.
I heard through the coconut wire that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize...how did that go over with the majority of Americans? What other news am I missing out on? I feel out of the loop so please write me! I need details of American life...aham@huskers.unl.edu.
Grandma Modie- thank you for the lovely letter! I love you!
Brian, Misty, and Janet- thank you again for the packages. You don't know how great it is to get a piece of mail. Jenny-I look forward to the letters from the students. I know the kids here are gonna dig corresponding with American students!
Peace out, y'all!
Language class is going well as well as the rest of training. Today we learned how to gut a fish and de-scale it. Don't worry Dad and Hal, I proved my skills and actually one teacher commented on my fisherman abilities. You would have been proud. I sliced the stomach open and yanked out the guts. This sounds odd, but yanking the guts reminded me of sucking the head of a crawfish. Is it weird that my mouth started salivating? Damn. Just thinking about it makes my stomach growl. My friend Erica was having problems so j took over for her. Dealing with the guts and smell didn't bode well with her.
Speaking of Erica- this past Saturday was her 23rd birthday! So to celebrate, she, Kate, and I went to Nan Madol. We checked out the ruins quickly before making our way into the water. Although the bottom isn't sandy and glorious, the water was amazing. We sat in the water looking out at the nearby island and simply enjoyed the beautiful day. Our friend Morgan, a local, tagged along as our tour guide and when it came time to depart, he decided to take us an around about way home. I was game and although Kate was a bit whinny, we went ahead and followed him. He prefaced the journey by saying 1)this will only take about 10 minutes and 2) you will get to see our town from a high point...2 statements that I will be more cognizant of in the future.
So the journey begin...we hike up this road and up the mountain that is now made up of deep ravines that even a truck can not get up. It's hot and were all wet from swimming. Kate is complaining that her legs are chaffing and Erica is commenting that she's going to sprain her ankle. I am trying to remain optimistic and peppy and tell Morgan that everything is fine.
We are hiking along and it's nearing 5 pm. We come to a house and end up cutting behind it into the jungle- literally the jungle. We are now going down the mountain and are following the water pipe. The shit is scary! I'm sliding all over the place, tripping over roots, and sliding down deep trenches, where I have to shimmy my way down. Kate keeps commenting and muttering under her breath and Erica is now convinced that, yes, she is going to break her ankle. I'm still maintaining and ask Morgan several times "how much longer?". He responds with "3 minutes and we will be at the highest point in this district.". I tell the girls but they aren't buying it. Finally we reach a place where we can see our training site in the distance and before we can marvel in it, Morgan pushes us on. So, now were in the middle of this jungle going down the mountain and have passed our scenic lookout spot. My optimism is fading and I'm starting to feel a bit nervous. We are wet, tired, and hungry and it's getting late. If we have to climb the mountain, we are not getting home until well after dark.
So the expedition continues...I cut my foot, Kates shoes are rubbing blisters(don't forget about the chaffing on her legs) and Erica has grown quiet, also not a good sign. Eventually I can't go on without a break. I tell Morgan that we have to stop and evaluate and he seems confused. I don't care at this point and we stop for a rest. Kates muttering that she doesn't know how she's climbing back up this mountain, blah, blah, blah...and I'm simply tired. We pee and hang for a bit before deciding that were losing daylight- and so we press on. Oh, but what's that 100 feet in the distance? A road?! No shit! It's a road...that forks...and yes, we are now almost home! Morgan hooked it up with a great shortcut through the jungle. You can only imagine how thrilled we were to know where we were. A first of many lessons on communication barriers.
Needless to say, we all made it home safely and indulged in a cocktail and laughed about the entire day. I can't wait to see what we do for my birthday!?
For my exciting news...I started scuba diving class last night and will go out on my first closed water dive on Saturday. I'm super stoked to get certified especially since I will be living close to Kolonia and will have access to many dive sights. The teacher for the class is a peace corps alumnist from the 1960s and never left the island. He looks like Santa and is super jolly! Haha!
The weather has been interesting. According to locals we are entering the rainy season as well as the trade winds. Wind is awesome! Rain is good mainly because it really cools the air. Humidity- well that's a given. But actually my body is adjusting to it. It's much more intense than living in New Orleans but half the time I don't even take notice of it. I'm just excited about having some sort of breeze!
Food is still an interesting aspect of this experience. This morning I ate oatmeal while my sister ate rice and canned Vienna sausages. Muy interesante. I considered taking a bite of the sausage...I love those things! Remember Mer when your parets would buy me a case of them monthly freshman year? So fricking tasty! Yam season is upon us and will be here through March. They are pretty good, although starchy, but when dipped in ketchup- deeeelicous! I'm over rice. Totally over it. My sister asked me the other day what I ate in the states. She was shocked that I didn't eat pork, rice and was in a state of complete confusion when I said I didn't eat canned food- particularly corned beef and spam. The good part is that I won't have to eat it for the rest of my stay...canned tuna and Vienna sausages though will do just fine. :)
Last week I made black bean burritos! So so so good. The tortillas I found at a wholesale outlet cost me $7 but it was worth it. I made them last for 4 meals. Oh how I miss cheese...I considered buying some but it would have cost me $25 for a considerably large chunk...I couldn't bring myself to pay that much. I'm sure once I get settled I will indulge myself.
I heard through the coconut wire that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize...how did that go over with the majority of Americans? What other news am I missing out on? I feel out of the loop so please write me! I need details of American life...aham@huskers.unl.edu.
Grandma Modie- thank you for the lovely letter! I love you!
Brian, Misty, and Janet- thank you again for the packages. You don't know how great it is to get a piece of mail. Jenny-I look forward to the letters from the students. I know the kids here are gonna dig corresponding with American students!
Peace out, y'all!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Rain, ants, and a site assignment
I realize that it has been quite some time since I've updated so please bear with me...grab a coffee or soda, take a break and see what's been happening in Micronesia.
This past week it rained a lot! Now that i know about the tsunami (the day after it hit america samoa) i can understand why. Needless to say, my shower water was brown with floaters. It was dark in the bathroom when I noticed it. At first I thought I was seeing things. No, after investigation with the flash light, it was obvious that there were floaters. Eh. No biggie.
No major roach stories as of late...though ants never cease to amaze me. I bought ant traps thinking that I was a genius but the damn ants are too smart! They see the ant trap, walk up to it, turn around, and continue to go around it. After awhile they stop their trek around or near the trap but this just results in them migrating to another place. Most notably my underwear.
Yes, the ants have eaten thru my underwear- my clean underwear!
Little holes were showing up in random pairs...i thought, hmmm hats strange- I just bought these. During school some other
volunteers were discussing holes in their underwear. It turns out that they too have been victims of under eating ants. I sprayed a shit ton of Off in my room...I left and came back and to find my sheets covered with dead Mosquitos and ants. My underwear now reside in a ziploc bag that is inside a plastic grocery bag that hangs from a nail on the wall. Awesome!
Speaking of ants--after we received our site location, the volunteer group that will remain in Pohnpei got to go to Nahlap, an island off the reef on the western side of Pohnpei. The island is about 1 mile long and a quarter wide. It's located on the reef so during high tide, we were able to swim out pretty far. The island had water slides located in various places along the reef so we were all thoroughly entertained. In addition, on the far end was a nice lttle place to swing from ropes into the water. I didn't partake, I was exhausted and just wanted to relax, so a group of us watched the sun set along the horizon. It was beautiful!
For the first time, I realized that I'm a peace corps volunteer in Pohnpei, Micronesia...you would have thought that this was realized before, but after being so busy and just reveling in the fact that I was surrounded by all these new and amazing people, I had forgotten I was here. Needless to say, Nahlap made it all real.
We ate great local food and relaxed in the hammocks that were stationed along the beach. There were no beds but the island people provided us with mats and pillows in our little wooden huts with tin roofs. The downfall- abundance of ants- Nahlap ants. The ants in pohnpei are somewhat level headed- in Nahlap they are cracked out! They have no governing system and are everywhere. After awhile I referred to them as ghost ants because you could see only their shadow. In addition, the damn things bite! Fortunately I didn't get bit...until I got home. I had taken a pair of cotton pants and only wore them a short time due to the heat, so when I got home I put them on, until I started feeling these weird tingling on my legs. I quickly rip off my pants and sure enough- ant bites all along the inside of my legs. Awesome. It turns out that I brought some Nahlap ants back with me. Maybe the Pohnpeian ants will educate them on order and such.
I started language training this past week. It has been pretty intense and
will end up being over 100 hours of Lang training in 6 weeks. My
instructor is funny- total pohnpeian. His laugh is hysterical and his
smile always makes me giggle a bit as he's missing some front teeth.
The other instructor also kills me. He's this shorter pohnpeian but
could completely pass as Italian. He has white hair and wears these
round blue eye glasses. When he doesn't have his shirt pulled up
above his potbelly, he wears silly sayings on his clothes. His shirt
today was a picture of him from some birthday bash drinking
sakou...it read "I may be old but I can still do it!".
I've decided that I will learn the
language in time. I'll do my best and use the locals to help me
through it....though I'm really picking up words and phrases and am
feeling confident. It takes time and thankfully these peole are very
forgiving. Unlike Spanish this language emphasizes short responses.
What's crazy is that they have over 10 counting systems...such as one
for ordinal numbers (no problem), long objects, general counting, days
of the week, coconuts, poop!, people...nutty!
My biggest concern right now is this rash on my face. Obviously it's
an allergic reaction- the culprit i have yet to deduce. What started as a
mere nuisance has spread to cover my entire face, ears and neck. It
itches and when I get hot, which is the majority of the time, I get
super red face and it just explodes in freakiness. Now it is swollen
around my nose and under my eyes. My host family was very concerned. I met with the medical officer and she believes it's a virus. I wonder if maybe it's mold. As of now, benadryl
and cortisone do nothing...as the mutant on my face has become
immuned. I refer to myself as freak face. Awesome. The med officer gave me some super strong benadryl that does the job but it's still there.
I had a bit of a breakdown the other night. It was so hot in my room...my
face was itching and the benadryl wasn't doing anything for me both
with the rash and sleep. I was tempted to borrow a fan from my family
but abstained from projecting my problems on them. So I ended up
sleeping on the tile floor with only a pillow probably in an ant
colony. I woke up at some point and moved to my mattress but again
couldn't sleep. Finally I slept but woke at 6 am to the damn rooster
directly out my window. The only thing I can do is accept the
reality...which I have. But good news as of recent- my host sister gave me her fan. I slept like a baby and my face didn't look near as bad. It was so chilly in my room that I had to turn it off in the middle of the night. I was so elated when this occured...some of the best dreams!
So the good things....i met my future school staff at Sekere Elementary! Fortunately I will be working with mainly women including the principal and co-teacher. The principal prefers modern day instruction practices and the teacher uses these in her classroom. I will be teaching 8th grade (originally it was going to be 5th grade but after my principal saw my background she switched teachers) in all subjects. My teacher was recently nominated to begin a health club at school- yet another perfect match! This will definitely make a great secondary project in which i have to complete by the end of service. We chatted a bit and I found out that my teacher is 34, has a background in health education, has been teaching for 11 years, and is single with 2 younger children. She gave me an overview of her work day and I honestly believe this is going to work out great. They both seem very excited to have me and at one point my teacher said, "I admire you. You go to school for many years and then decide to join the peace corps. You must be a free soul." I was delighted.
All in all, everything is well on this side of the world. Just living the life and learning so much about myself and this "new world" that I am continually impressed with. Each day is a new day and there is rarely the routine that I remember and dread about America. Of course I sometimes wish for the finer things in life, but honestly, those pass. All it takes is one glimpse out my bedroom window...oh and a root beer float! Yes a root beer float! The Pohnpeians have yet to really embrace the deliciousness, but I will work on them!
Loves....
Ham
This past week it rained a lot! Now that i know about the tsunami (the day after it hit america samoa) i can understand why. Needless to say, my shower water was brown with floaters. It was dark in the bathroom when I noticed it. At first I thought I was seeing things. No, after investigation with the flash light, it was obvious that there were floaters. Eh. No biggie.
No major roach stories as of late...though ants never cease to amaze me. I bought ant traps thinking that I was a genius but the damn ants are too smart! They see the ant trap, walk up to it, turn around, and continue to go around it. After awhile they stop their trek around or near the trap but this just results in them migrating to another place. Most notably my underwear.
Yes, the ants have eaten thru my underwear- my clean underwear!
Little holes were showing up in random pairs...i thought, hmmm hats strange- I just bought these. During school some other
volunteers were discussing holes in their underwear. It turns out that they too have been victims of under eating ants. I sprayed a shit ton of Off in my room...I left and came back and to find my sheets covered with dead Mosquitos and ants. My underwear now reside in a ziploc bag that is inside a plastic grocery bag that hangs from a nail on the wall. Awesome!
Speaking of ants--after we received our site location, the volunteer group that will remain in Pohnpei got to go to Nahlap, an island off the reef on the western side of Pohnpei. The island is about 1 mile long and a quarter wide. It's located on the reef so during high tide, we were able to swim out pretty far. The island had water slides located in various places along the reef so we were all thoroughly entertained. In addition, on the far end was a nice lttle place to swing from ropes into the water. I didn't partake, I was exhausted and just wanted to relax, so a group of us watched the sun set along the horizon. It was beautiful!
For the first time, I realized that I'm a peace corps volunteer in Pohnpei, Micronesia...you would have thought that this was realized before, but after being so busy and just reveling in the fact that I was surrounded by all these new and amazing people, I had forgotten I was here. Needless to say, Nahlap made it all real.
We ate great local food and relaxed in the hammocks that were stationed along the beach. There were no beds but the island people provided us with mats and pillows in our little wooden huts with tin roofs. The downfall- abundance of ants- Nahlap ants. The ants in pohnpei are somewhat level headed- in Nahlap they are cracked out! They have no governing system and are everywhere. After awhile I referred to them as ghost ants because you could see only their shadow. In addition, the damn things bite! Fortunately I didn't get bit...until I got home. I had taken a pair of cotton pants and only wore them a short time due to the heat, so when I got home I put them on, until I started feeling these weird tingling on my legs. I quickly rip off my pants and sure enough- ant bites all along the inside of my legs. Awesome. It turns out that I brought some Nahlap ants back with me. Maybe the Pohnpeian ants will educate them on order and such.
I started language training this past week. It has been pretty intense and
will end up being over 100 hours of Lang training in 6 weeks. My
instructor is funny- total pohnpeian. His laugh is hysterical and his
smile always makes me giggle a bit as he's missing some front teeth.
The other instructor also kills me. He's this shorter pohnpeian but
could completely pass as Italian. He has white hair and wears these
round blue eye glasses. When he doesn't have his shirt pulled up
above his potbelly, he wears silly sayings on his clothes. His shirt
today was a picture of him from some birthday bash drinking
sakou...it read "I may be old but I can still do it!".
I've decided that I will learn the
language in time. I'll do my best and use the locals to help me
through it....though I'm really picking up words and phrases and am
feeling confident. It takes time and thankfully these peole are very
forgiving. Unlike Spanish this language emphasizes short responses.
What's crazy is that they have over 10 counting systems...such as one
for ordinal numbers (no problem), long objects, general counting, days
of the week, coconuts, poop!, people...nutty!
My biggest concern right now is this rash on my face. Obviously it's
an allergic reaction- the culprit i have yet to deduce. What started as a
mere nuisance has spread to cover my entire face, ears and neck. It
itches and when I get hot, which is the majority of the time, I get
super red face and it just explodes in freakiness. Now it is swollen
around my nose and under my eyes. My host family was very concerned. I met with the medical officer and she believes it's a virus. I wonder if maybe it's mold. As of now, benadryl
and cortisone do nothing...as the mutant on my face has become
immuned. I refer to myself as freak face. Awesome. The med officer gave me some super strong benadryl that does the job but it's still there.
I had a bit of a breakdown the other night. It was so hot in my room...my
face was itching and the benadryl wasn't doing anything for me both
with the rash and sleep. I was tempted to borrow a fan from my family
but abstained from projecting my problems on them. So I ended up
sleeping on the tile floor with only a pillow probably in an ant
colony. I woke up at some point and moved to my mattress but again
couldn't sleep. Finally I slept but woke at 6 am to the damn rooster
directly out my window. The only thing I can do is accept the
reality...which I have. But good news as of recent- my host sister gave me her fan. I slept like a baby and my face didn't look near as bad. It was so chilly in my room that I had to turn it off in the middle of the night. I was so elated when this occured...some of the best dreams!
So the good things....i met my future school staff at Sekere Elementary! Fortunately I will be working with mainly women including the principal and co-teacher. The principal prefers modern day instruction practices and the teacher uses these in her classroom. I will be teaching 8th grade (originally it was going to be 5th grade but after my principal saw my background she switched teachers) in all subjects. My teacher was recently nominated to begin a health club at school- yet another perfect match! This will definitely make a great secondary project in which i have to complete by the end of service. We chatted a bit and I found out that my teacher is 34, has a background in health education, has been teaching for 11 years, and is single with 2 younger children. She gave me an overview of her work day and I honestly believe this is going to work out great. They both seem very excited to have me and at one point my teacher said, "I admire you. You go to school for many years and then decide to join the peace corps. You must be a free soul." I was delighted.
All in all, everything is well on this side of the world. Just living the life and learning so much about myself and this "new world" that I am continually impressed with. Each day is a new day and there is rarely the routine that I remember and dread about America. Of course I sometimes wish for the finer things in life, but honestly, those pass. All it takes is one glimpse out my bedroom window...oh and a root beer float! Yes a root beer float! The Pohnpeians have yet to really embrace the deliciousness, but I will work on them!
Loves....
Ham
Thursday, September 24, 2009
A curious case of the roach and water
I've mentioned in past blogs incidents with cockroaches. Well let me take this moment to update you on the most recent encounters.
A few nights ago the power went down. No not just my house but all houses in the area. After charting with my host family, I decided to take a shower- yes the infamous shower. Some of you may question my decision to tuhtu during a blackout but seriously it's no different than when we have power for two reasons: 1) the night light in the bathroom illuminates the toilet area only and 2) my showers are cold water only, which honestly is fine with me since it's 80 degrees everyday.
So I gather up my shower accessories and make my way into the bathroom. I'm all lathered up getting ready to rinse my face when I have an "itch" on my back. I reach around and realize the itch is moving and is "raised". I swipe at it and off flies a fucking cockroach. A roach on my back! In the nude on my back. Suds in my eyes I scream. I'm trying to blink the soap out while keeping an eye on the friggin' nasty ass roach, kids knocking on the bathroom door to see if I'm okay and the roach scurrying around my feet to safety. It ran into the shower wall and fortunately didn't reappear...that night. The next morning I go to tuhtu...I creep in and swing the door wide open. Sure enough that bastard again makes way toward my feet before scurrying into the wall. Thank god. Oh but if that's not enough....I'm in the shower with one eye open just waiting for the nasty thing to come out when I look up and yes, a huge spider watching me. You people back home may think- ha just a spider. No! You know the bathroom tiles, they're what, 3x3" or so? Yes this marvelous creature expands beyond! Beyond! And when it moves up...all it's legs come together behind it with it's ginormous head/body leading the way and making it look ten times as large. That thing sat there and watched me the whole time- the whole time...who am I kidding, I finished washing my face and busted out of there. Later that day he was still in the same place which by this point was just fine with me. At least I knew where he was. The next morning, mr ginormous spider was in the toilet...dead I would assume. I don't know though as I refused to flush him. I held my pee until school- an hour later.
On to the good things...this week as been filled with exciting events. Saturday I joined a group of volunteers and made our way to Keporhi Falls. I believe this is the largest waterfall on the island. The great part- it's about 5 minutes from my house!
The waterfall was spectacular! A few of the other volunteers and I immediately got in the water and waded around the huge rocks- water splashing on our faces. It was one of the best feelings I've had up to this point. It was breathtaking. So much that I sometimes forget that I'm in Pohnpei, Micronesia. It's moments like this that drill it home to me. I spent some quality time in the water but eventually made my way to a boulder. I climbed upon the wet rock and just looked around. Living in America, I think we tend to forget to just be. To take the time and watch the life around us. Me being here has made me more aware of my surroundings. Shit how could it not? This island is full of beautiful and sometimes obnoxious (nasty roaches and annoying ants) elements but I have to remember to just grasp the fact that this is one of the most exotic places in the world and deserves much appreciation. With that in mind I shot some pictures and tried out a few features on my camera. I hope I captured the essence I was searching for and you will be able to at least get a remote understanding of what I'm attempting to portray.
Before I forget...photos. I sent my dad my SD card and he will be posting pictures on my flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/theamberham
So check the site from time to time for any additions.
In addition to the water fall I also enjoyed my first snorkeling exhibition. I knew that I would love this recreational activity but didn't think I'd fall in love so quickly and without hesitation.
Peace Corps emphasizes the importance of water safety so they inadvertantly have to give us a chance to understand that we are surrounded by water and will most likely spend much time in it. As a result-we spend a full day snorkeling!
We arrived at The Pohnpeian Surf Club just outside Kolonia in the earmy morning and set sail (or motor in this case) for Lagnar Island (don't quote me on this). This island was used for the Japanese during WWII and served as a runway way. As of late, though not currently, it seves as a clam farm. Regardless we stopped here to do some training and get familiar with the water and reef. After a quick lunch we headed for a spot to dive along the reef. The moment we took off in the boat I will never forget.
You know that feeling you get when you realize that you're alive and free? That sensation rushed through my body. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. The water is crystal clear, the air blowing through my hair, and the jolting of the boat sent me somewhere else. I can't even contemplate the last time I had that emotional response. I don't intend to sound corny, but all this reaffirmed the fact that I'm here. I'm finally here. I'm in the damn Peace Corps...so many years of contemplation have finally come to fruition. Wow! What a mesmerizing experience.
The reef that we dove around contains a large population of manta rays. Unfortunatley there were only a few for our viewing pleasure. I actually got a decent picture of one...thanks to Mike who pointed it out to me! The coral was quite beautiful and the marine life rather lively. The only downfall- the excessive current. I was exhausted by the time I got back to the boat! After we all loaded up, our captain took us to our next destination...a lovely spot right off the reef where the waves were breaking...beautiful and nice sized waves. Just seeing them made me more aware of the fact that I must learn how to surf. Before I get sworn in I will be a certified scuba diver! Yippee! A returned volunteer who has lived in Micronesia since the 70's certifies PCV for a reduced rate, so within the next month, I'll be a diving novice!
Our 3 weeks of training in pohnpei is finally coming to an end. I'm very sad to see many of the volunteers departing and beginning the next phase of this experience. Damn Micronesia for being so spread out! So to all my peeps moving on- good luck and peace out!
I apologize foe the delay in posting but this week has been chaotic. I begin language training on Monday as well as some practicum experience over the next 6 weeks. So hopefully I'll be able to make it up the hill to post some messages here.
I'm going to Nahlap this weekend for an over night trip with the other Pohnpeian volunteers. Nahlap is a resort island decked out with beaches and water slides...I can't express how excited I am to get away, even if just for the night!
Until I get the energy to make it up the mountain...
Ham
A few nights ago the power went down. No not just my house but all houses in the area. After charting with my host family, I decided to take a shower- yes the infamous shower. Some of you may question my decision to tuhtu during a blackout but seriously it's no different than when we have power for two reasons: 1) the night light in the bathroom illuminates the toilet area only and 2) my showers are cold water only, which honestly is fine with me since it's 80 degrees everyday.
So I gather up my shower accessories and make my way into the bathroom. I'm all lathered up getting ready to rinse my face when I have an "itch" on my back. I reach around and realize the itch is moving and is "raised". I swipe at it and off flies a fucking cockroach. A roach on my back! In the nude on my back. Suds in my eyes I scream. I'm trying to blink the soap out while keeping an eye on the friggin' nasty ass roach, kids knocking on the bathroom door to see if I'm okay and the roach scurrying around my feet to safety. It ran into the shower wall and fortunately didn't reappear...that night. The next morning I go to tuhtu...I creep in and swing the door wide open. Sure enough that bastard again makes way toward my feet before scurrying into the wall. Thank god. Oh but if that's not enough....I'm in the shower with one eye open just waiting for the nasty thing to come out when I look up and yes, a huge spider watching me. You people back home may think- ha just a spider. No! You know the bathroom tiles, they're what, 3x3" or so? Yes this marvelous creature expands beyond! Beyond! And when it moves up...all it's legs come together behind it with it's ginormous head/body leading the way and making it look ten times as large. That thing sat there and watched me the whole time- the whole time...who am I kidding, I finished washing my face and busted out of there. Later that day he was still in the same place which by this point was just fine with me. At least I knew where he was. The next morning, mr ginormous spider was in the toilet...dead I would assume. I don't know though as I refused to flush him. I held my pee until school- an hour later.
On to the good things...this week as been filled with exciting events. Saturday I joined a group of volunteers and made our way to Keporhi Falls. I believe this is the largest waterfall on the island. The great part- it's about 5 minutes from my house!
The waterfall was spectacular! A few of the other volunteers and I immediately got in the water and waded around the huge rocks- water splashing on our faces. It was one of the best feelings I've had up to this point. It was breathtaking. So much that I sometimes forget that I'm in Pohnpei, Micronesia. It's moments like this that drill it home to me. I spent some quality time in the water but eventually made my way to a boulder. I climbed upon the wet rock and just looked around. Living in America, I think we tend to forget to just be. To take the time and watch the life around us. Me being here has made me more aware of my surroundings. Shit how could it not? This island is full of beautiful and sometimes obnoxious (nasty roaches and annoying ants) elements but I have to remember to just grasp the fact that this is one of the most exotic places in the world and deserves much appreciation. With that in mind I shot some pictures and tried out a few features on my camera. I hope I captured the essence I was searching for and you will be able to at least get a remote understanding of what I'm attempting to portray.
Before I forget...photos. I sent my dad my SD card and he will be posting pictures on my flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/theamberham
So check the site from time to time for any additions.
In addition to the water fall I also enjoyed my first snorkeling exhibition. I knew that I would love this recreational activity but didn't think I'd fall in love so quickly and without hesitation.
Peace Corps emphasizes the importance of water safety so they inadvertantly have to give us a chance to understand that we are surrounded by water and will most likely spend much time in it. As a result-we spend a full day snorkeling!
We arrived at The Pohnpeian Surf Club just outside Kolonia in the earmy morning and set sail (or motor in this case) for Lagnar Island (don't quote me on this). This island was used for the Japanese during WWII and served as a runway way. As of late, though not currently, it seves as a clam farm. Regardless we stopped here to do some training and get familiar with the water and reef. After a quick lunch we headed for a spot to dive along the reef. The moment we took off in the boat I will never forget.
You know that feeling you get when you realize that you're alive and free? That sensation rushed through my body. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. The water is crystal clear, the air blowing through my hair, and the jolting of the boat sent me somewhere else. I can't even contemplate the last time I had that emotional response. I don't intend to sound corny, but all this reaffirmed the fact that I'm here. I'm finally here. I'm in the damn Peace Corps...so many years of contemplation have finally come to fruition. Wow! What a mesmerizing experience.
The reef that we dove around contains a large population of manta rays. Unfortunatley there were only a few for our viewing pleasure. I actually got a decent picture of one...thanks to Mike who pointed it out to me! The coral was quite beautiful and the marine life rather lively. The only downfall- the excessive current. I was exhausted by the time I got back to the boat! After we all loaded up, our captain took us to our next destination...a lovely spot right off the reef where the waves were breaking...beautiful and nice sized waves. Just seeing them made me more aware of the fact that I must learn how to surf. Before I get sworn in I will be a certified scuba diver! Yippee! A returned volunteer who has lived in Micronesia since the 70's certifies PCV for a reduced rate, so within the next month, I'll be a diving novice!
Our 3 weeks of training in pohnpei is finally coming to an end. I'm very sad to see many of the volunteers departing and beginning the next phase of this experience. Damn Micronesia for being so spread out! So to all my peeps moving on- good luck and peace out!
I apologize foe the delay in posting but this week has been chaotic. I begin language training on Monday as well as some practicum experience over the next 6 weeks. So hopefully I'll be able to make it up the hill to post some messages here.
I'm going to Nahlap this weekend for an over night trip with the other Pohnpeian volunteers. Nahlap is a resort island decked out with beaches and water slides...I can't express how excited I am to get away, even if just for the night!
Until I get the energy to make it up the mountain...
Ham
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