Saying goodbye

M77 Team Pohnpei – you will be dearly missed, not just by me but by all of the lives you have influenced over your two years here.  I am so fortunate to have been with you for my own Peace Corps service – I could not have imagined it any other way.  I wish you the best in whatever the future holds for you.

Natalya and Erin – thanks for the memories that will always bring a smile to my face.

Molly and Cori Jo – my girls.  I can’t wait to meet up in the “real world”!

Jerich – my brother, for all intensive Pohnpeian purposes.

Happy Thanksgiving!  To all of my family and friends - without your support, I never would have been able to complete two years of Peace Corps service and stick it out for another half year.  Lots of love!

Walking around the island

I had the opportunity to walk around the island with two M78s, Ben and Nick, over a three-day weekend in October.  Nothing like 50 miles to motivate a person, huh?  Pohnpei has one main road that encircles the entire island – beforehand I calculated plausible walking distances based on places where we could spend the night.

First leg (approximately 14 miles) – Nett, Sokehs, and Kitti

The boys and I started off strong with a hearty breakfast and enthusiasm to get over many, many hills.  I had the bright idea of doing this walk Pohnpeian style (in a skirt and using flip-flops), which I quickly realized was a HUGE mistake.  We ended up not walking the entire way – I very much overestimated the distance – so we got a free ride via flatbed to our destination for the night.

The beginning

Welcome welcome!

Pit stop at Mia's host family

Return to my training school

Second leg (approximately 14 miles as well) – Kitti and Madolenihmw

We successfully completed this leg, I am proud to say.  I felt very comfortable in my own neck of the woods and served as tour guide for the guys.  My host family provided us with a very filling lunch that gave us the fuel to make it to our night’s destination.  I also switched to socks and gym shoes that allowed me to continue walking, but the flip-flops had already done their damage – my blisters were HUGE!

Much gratitude to JVI Sam and her awesome host family for letting us spend the night

Welcome from the other side of Madolenihmw

I know my host family already thinks I’m crazy, but they still indulge me

Mormon church

Danger danger!

Last leg (approximately 2 miles) – Madolenihmw and U

Setting out after a leisurely breakfast, I was mentally ready to walk the final distance but my feet were definitely not cooperating.  After crossing municipality lines (just so I could say that I have walked to each of the five municipalities) the boys and I got a taxi back to our point of origin, the Peace Corps office.  Even though we only walked 60% of the island I felt quite accomplished and satisfied with what we did do.

Check out my expression – no amount of hospitality (thank you Joyce and host family) could relieve the pain of my blisters.

I spent the next week or two making sure my self-inflicted wounds did not get infected and waddling around like a duck – which amused my students, of course.  Lesson learned!