In Kipar

I am sorry sorry that I have not been able to update this lovely blog for the past two or so weeks! I have been extremely busy preparing to become a Volunteer (I am still a lowly Trainee – I need to level up my TESL, language, and culture skills in order to gain that status). I currently live with an awesome host family in Kipar, a small village in Kitti (which is one of the five provinces of Pohnpei). I have learned so much about Pohnpeian culture (not so much the language) and PC policies (including medical, safety, and cultural stuff) in the little time I have been here, so if the rest of this entry seems a bit jumbled I apologize in advance!

*Note: I will be saying Pohnpeian culture, not Micronesian culture. Micronesia consists of four separate states who banded together to form the FSM because of the U.S. government. There is no sense of unity among the states because each is so different and so unique. I do not know (yet) what the culture is like on Kosrae, Chuuk, or Yap. I only know about Pohnpei.

Where to begin…my host family consists of my nohno (mother), father, two brothers, and two sisters. They all do their best to make me feel like a part of the family – I feel like they do so much more for me than I do for them, but I’ll keep at it! Crazily enough, we might actually be related since there is a Santos somewhere in the family tree. You never know! I also have host siblings and family in the States (even some in Cincinnati!). I have a bunch of host cousins (elementary school aged) running around. We all like to play together, whether it be jump rope, baseball, or Go Fish (which they speak only in English for – very impressive!). They also follow us (me and other trainees) whenever we go jogging (power walking), hiking, or exploring the village. Older host cousins have shown me how to husk, break open, and grate coconuts as well as how to start a fire and gut fish.

Speaking of food…I have been eating lots of rice (with soy sauce), fish, chicken, pork, spam, bananas, taro, breadfruit, and oddly enough, cucumbers. My favorite dish thus far is breadfruit dipped in coconut milk and fried – absolutely delicious! Breakfast is usually instant ramen, coffee, and some sort of baked good.

My nohno is a great cook and feeds me a little too well (wouldn’t it be sad if I gained weight in the PC?). She has a daughter currently serving in the U.S. Army, so she’s been to the States and speaks English fluently. Actually, all of the older family members speak English really well…my family has hosted a PCV before (back in 1996), so my nohno knows how to deal with me and my American tendencies. She has patiently taught me how to wash clothes by hand and how to wash dishes with a coconut husk. She does, however, seem impressed with my ability to knit (thank you again Joyce!) so I knitted her a placemat (recently finished yesterday).

Cultural Lesson: The Pohnpeian family, as I have learned, has mastered the art of hanging out and just being. On any given day as I walk back to my house from training I see people just chilling on the porch. Some days they feel like talking, some days it’s just everyone relaxing in silence. Sure, there may be a movie in the background and random people eating a late meal, but the family (including plenty of extended family who randomly drop by) is always together. I initially tried to fill what I perceived to be awkward silence with questions, but I have since learned that it’s quite alright to just sit there and be.

My room is sweet – it has a door lock, a broken air conditioner (where plenty of geckos live), and a nice big bed. There is one down side – the room is susceptible to insect invasion, so whenever a cockroach (or two) shows up I attempt to fend it off with my awesome broom wielding skills until my host sister shows up to save me. On my wall right now is a birthday card sent to me by my absolutely wonderful friends (you know who you are) and posters my host sisters made for me for the same occasion. The house itself is always home to many small creatures. My hygiene standards have gone down drastically ever since being here, but on the up side I love eating with my hands! I also like to follow custom and shower twice a day (if you didn’t already know, it’s incredibly HOT and HUMID in Pohnpei, so I tend to get sweaty very quickly. Showering often is necessary).

Cultural Lesson: Thighs, in Pohnpeian culture, are absolutely not to be exposed, so the local women (and now PC trainees) normally wear skirts (or capris for more daring women) that go below the knee. I have gained at least three skirts from my host family. They are absolutely beautiful – one is a bunch of random scraps of cloth sewed together to create a gorgeous skirt, the other ones have very detailed embroidery. I’m getting used to wearing skirts everyday, so those occasions I have worn pants I have felt slightly scandalous.

So you may be wondering what exactly have I been up to. Well…Mondays through Fridays I attend training and weekends I hang out with my host family. In training, trainees learn how to become effective and safe Volunteers. Some highlights included when the Ambassador came to speak with us and when current PCVs came in and taught us how to run a classroom. Week nights I spend eating dinner, watching movies, or playing card games with my host family. The activities we do on the weekends have been all over the place, such as me learning how to wash clothes by hand (long and hard, let me tell you), going to my host sisters’ baseball game (they crushed the competition), going to a feast for the king (spontaneous DANCE PARTY), and exploring the ruins of Nan Madol (really cool). If you want me to elaborate on any one of these exciting times just let me know!

Cultural Lesson: Men and women in Pohnpeian culture have very distinct roles. Women are expected to do everything around the house (cook, clean) while men are expected to…well, I’m not sure. Use the machete? Kidding aside, men and women hang out separately, eat separately, even sit on separate sides of the church. Both genders, though, are responsible for rearing children (which was a surprise to me) and bringing in the money. Also, both males and females love to chew betlenut (google it) and drink sakau, which is a whole other lesson…

Oh, sakau. Where do I begin? Sakau is THE DRINK of Pohnpei. It is used for apologizing to people, proposing to a future spouse, celebrating big events, and honoring the nan marki (the king, who holds considerable power considering he has none politically. Everything goes through this man before anything can be accomplished). It is a plant that is pounded on rocks and twisted in hibiscus to produce a grayish brownish liquid with a questionable texture. Its effects are said to be similar to that of opium. I’ve had it on several occasions (most notably my birthday, when I reportedly wobbled back to my room) and I think I like it. You should google it just it case I am completely wrong.

I apologize again for the spazziness of this entry, but hopefully you can get a small picture of what life is like for me here. In short, I absolutely love it and am learning a lot about the Peace Corps, Pohnpeian culture, and myself (of course).

In Kolonia

It was SO GREAT to visit Hawaii again! (For those of you who might not know, I took an IWU May Term class at the University of Hawaii in May 09). Peace Corps placed all of the volunteers in a swanky hotel on Waikiki beach, so I got to go back there. My last three meals in the United States were all Korean dishes (love it!). Staging went well. All of the other volunteers seem awesome and we're all really excited to begin our service.

We flew out at 7AM for an 11 hour plane ride, with pit stops in three places. When we finally arrived at the airport in Pohnpei, current PCVs and staff were there to greet us with the Micronesian version of the lei. Everyone was so enthusiastic and genuinely happy to see us, which was wonderful. We drove to the hotel and had a mini-orientation, and after that I had a medical interview with two Filipino doctors (excellent). Dinner was buffet style at another hotel, where adorable little girls danced some traditional Micronesian dances. I slept like a rock after that.

Today I've be wandering around Kolonia a bit, mostly to find food and explore. We had a host family orientation in the morning - I am beyond excited to finally meet my training host family tomorrow!

The 31 volunteers that comprise of Micro 77 (as we are affectionately called) are very diverse, coming from a variety of backgrounds (educational, ethnic, etc.). There's even another Fil-Am, much to my surprise! We're all pretty much on the same page, sharing the same anxieties and aspirations for our time in Micronesia.

In sum, I can't wait to begin! Thanks for all the support, and I'll update whenever I can. :)

In Chicago

For the moment. At approximately 10AM on September 1st I will fly out to Honolulu, HI (sweet) and spend the rest of the day preparing for what the Peace Corps calls staging, a "brief yet intense" pre-departure orientation.

You might be asking yourself, "shouldn't Janelle already be prepared"? About that...I have spent the last three days packing for the next 26 months or longer (I somehow did it!). The rest of the time I hung out a lot with family and friends, ate at many different restaurants and gained weight (WHY SO DELICIOUS), volunteered as an ESL teacher, and traveled both domestically and internationally. Ah, the life of a recent college grad waiting for the next phase of her life to begin. Good times. :)

For those of you curious, I joined the Peace Corps out of an intense desire to do what I can to slowly make the world a better place. I know that sounds idealistic and slightly ridiculous but I genuinely believe that by enabling others to help themselves everyone benefits.

I am super excited to finally begin my service (after seven months of paperwork and waiting) and to get away from the excess that is American society (reality TV and the ability to buy in bulk), but there are some things I will miss. Pants, for one thing. Hi-speed internet access. Streaming anime and buying the latest manga volumes. Reading the latest k-pop news and not downloading music (haha). My wonderful friends (VISIT ME) and my family (I'm missing my cousin's wedding :o).

I am also anxious about becoming an effective English teacher and community developer. I wonder, will I be able to learn the local language and become accepted enough in my community in order to bring about real change? Or will I crash and burn and come home crying after four months? Hopefully not! I will leave all my hopes and concerns in God's hands.

I will do my best to keep this lovely blog updated, but no guarantees. XD Kaselehlie!