All over

I deeply apologize for falling off of the blogosphere!  I blame the excitement of the summer.  The most important thing that you should know, dear reader, is that I have officially extended my Peace Corps service for an additional six months.  I will be staying in Pohnpei until May 2013 – that’s the plan for now, at least!

Proud to be a PCV

I spent the past three months helping out at the Pohnpei Public Library’s Summer Library Program, participating in training sessions for the M78’s (who are finally here!!!), and going on vacation.  Here’s a look:

Celebrating my host sister’s graduation from MHS

Goodbye Becca – MHS wishes you the best

Goodbye AP - you definitely inspired me to extend my service

My summer was super laid back and just what I needed after a busy school year.  For the summer library program, I was responsible for rewarding the kids who read a certain amount of minutes each week with different prizes and assisting with the overall running of the activities.  Check out Cori Jo’s blog on the right if you’re interested in learning more about it!

Balloon stomp at the library’s fundraising carnival

Early Literacy Program

A successful end

I also lent my expertise (haha) to the M78’s in the areas of diversity, mental health, social relationships, content based instruction in math, building good school relations, reporting volunteer work, living in Pohnpei, creating the ideal experience, and living with host families.

M78 Team Pohnpei!!!  You can follow their adventures via the links on the right.

I destroyed my camera late June (curse you water bottle!) so I have no photos of the PIBBA conference (Pacific Island Bicultural Bilingual Association, I believe) but I attended as an MHS teacher and the lone Peace Corps representative.  Later that week was the annual GLOW camp, which was very chill this time around but still very educational and FUN!

Pohnlangas GLOW girls

Truly empowering

In sukuhl

I am currently in the midst of Phase II of PST. The end of Phase I included the conclusion to the teaching practicum (I’m going to miss my class!), bonding activities with all of the trainees (including lots of cards games and pizza), and a party for all of the host families and co-teachers with the trainees (including myself) providing entertainment. My family gave an excellent farewell party to my cousin (another trainee) and we all did the Cha-Cha Slide. Even though I wasn’t going anywhere I went to the airport to take photos and say my final goodbyes to the trainees who were leaving. If I ever get free internet I will definitely post pictures! That same day I went to a feast in my village and somehow ended up doing the Macarena in front of everybody – I know I’ll be remembered as that crazy dancing Peace Corps.

Phase II kicked off with a trip to Nahlap with the Pohnpei trainees, our Program Assistant (PA), and his family. We went swimming in the ocean, ate leftovers from the feast, and basically had lots of bonding time (complete with card games, land crab chasing, and too many rats). Learning Pohnpeian has been quite interesting, to say the least. Our teacher is the chief of his village – Peace Corps has some excellent connections! I know lots of random vocabulary (some words not as practical as others) but putting everything together to form sentences is a totally different matter. I try to practice by speaking phrases at home but my family pretty much resorts to English (oh well)!

Speaking of which – after living with me for five weeks my family finally decided to bust out some very strange Filipino movies and, much to my delight, a genuine Magic Sing karaoke microphone. Besides singing and puzzling out the love squares the main thing I have been doing is watching lots and lots of LOST. We’re already halfway through Season 3! The best part is that I have gotten my family hooked, so we all watch (and are confused) together. I also went to a Catholic church for the first time since coming here (my family is Protestant), went with fellow trainees back to the waterfall (good exercise), and fixed my doorknob. Don’t laugh, I was very proud of myself for doing it on my own. Drinking sakau with my family has definitely made me more determined to study Pohnpeian, while dancing at feasts is pretty much expected of me (and the rest of the Peace Corps) from now on.

Phase II is basically language training with cultural, teaching, and community development sessions thrown in, which has definitely been good for me. However, so far I have benefitted the most from the overnights with current Peace Corps volunteers. The first night I stayed with a PCV in Madolenihmw (woot!). It was great seeing her interact with her family (they are all hooked on a Filipino soap opera) and observing her in the classroom (and helping out a little bit too). I hope to one day reach her level of Pohnpeian! The next night I stayed with a PCV in Sokehs. She is very comfortable with her family and vice versa. I ended up playing Super Smash Brothers and other N64 games with her brothers! I also got to help her catalog the non-fiction books in her library. For me, the entire experience (minus the island tour which got me slightly car sick) was a wonderful opportunity to get to know some of the current PCVs better and see what my own experience could possibly be like when I finally get to my permanent site.

Sorry for my lack of updates, I’m just monumentally lazy (for those of you who know me personally). I would like to give a big thank you to everyone who reads my (sometimes boring but hopefully informative) blog and for those of you who leave comments. Please look forward to more posts in the future!

Still in Kipar (for now)

October 1, 2010 is a day that all Micro 77s (my Peace Corps group) will remember because it was the day we FINALLY received our site announcements. After sitting through some interesting sessions (one on mental health, ironically enough) we all went outside and saw different colored flags. The Program and Training Officer (PTO) handed each of us an envelope with a colored slip of paper inside and told us to go stand at the flag that matched the color we got. After opening the envelopes all the trainees scrambled to get to their flags. As soon as I got to my flag I realized that I would be staying in Pohnpei! In case you’re curious, two trainees are going to Kosrae, eight are staying in Pohnpei, seven are going to Chuuk, four are going to Yap, and eight are going to Palau. I can’t know for sure until next year’s Mid-Service training, but I think everyone is well suited for their states and assignments.

Based on an interview I had two days prior I guessed that I would either be staying in Pohnpei or going to Palau. The Program Assistant (PA) of Pohnpei had asked me what grades I would prefer to teach, and I told him elementary because I look like a high school student and would get no respect from the students. He laughed it off and everyone in the room told me that I would be just fine in a high school setting. He also seemed to like my strategy of learning the local language – having a host family that speaks no English. That’ll work, right? I also should have suspected that I would be staying in Pohnpei after the Training Assistant (a lively, lovely Pohnpeian lady) said that she wanted to keep me here in Pohnpei so I could assist her with next year’s group. I thought she was just joking, but I guess she was serious!

I admit, I was a little disappointed to not go to a new state (how awesome would Survivor: Janelle be?). However, after that initial feeling I definitely got excited because I realized that all of my efforts to learn about Pohnpeian society and culture would not go to waste and that I had a solid foundation to go into Phase II of training. I got really excited when my PA handed me the folder detailing my assignment. I will assist in teaching Language Arts at Madolenihmw High School (you pronounce it Ma-doe-le-neem). Imagine that, me as a high school English teacher. XD

I’ll be teaching Language Arts from morning until lunch every day. My counterpart is a recent grad from the University of Hawaii, so hopefully together we can help improve the English abilities of our students. I also want to be involved in several extracurricular activities as my secondary projects, such as teaching a basic computer class (similar to what I did over the past summer), helping out a tutoring program for high achieving students aiming to go to college (known as Upward Bound), participating in the Talent Search Program (where students get extra instruction in core subjects on Saturdays and go on special field trips throughout the year), leading various clubs on campus (Anime Club, anyone?), and to top it all off, being an academic advisor (I am THRILLED at this prospect!). I would also like to get involved with the library since a grant was awarded to Madolenihmw last year. If I have free time (haha) I might try to help out at the elementary school that shares campus space with MHS.

My permanent host family seems really sweet. They are currently hosting a PCV so I know that they are definitely open and willing to accept me as part of the family for the next two years. I have a 32-year-old host brother (a Pohnpei hospital employee), a host sister-in-law (who I’m going to assume is around the same age), three little host nephews (aged 3, 8, and 12), and a host father (a Pohnpei Economic Development Authority employee). Hosting me is going to be a big change for them because their current PCV is a white, athletic male. I think it will work out quite nicely, since my host brother’s only comment was “to hope that the trainee will very much have some respect and willing to eat whatever we have in our house. Food is a major part of our culture and that we eat, we would like her to try and eat our food.” I definitely do not foresee that as a problem! They live in the village of Kepirohi, in the municipality of Madolenihmw. I will have internet access (so much for escaping from the world), indoor plumbing but an outdoor toilet, and two other PCTs in my municipality.

So what does all this mean for you and me? I will be staying with my training host family until mid November, when I will (hopefully) be sworn in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer. From now until then I will receive intense Pohnpeian language and cultural training, as well as participate in a teaching practicum at MHS. I will move in with my permanent host family after their current PCV departs. I will keep the same mailing address (P.O. Box 9).

You may also been wondering what have I been up to since my last blog post. Well, I have been observing/co-teaching English at the local elementary school. This has been a really positive experience for me since I was lucky enough to co-teach with the principal! The kids have responded well and are always so excited to learn. Stickers are wonderful motivators. I’ve also been eating a lot (boo weight gain), exercising a moderate amount (running/jogging/hiking/ power walking), watching a variety of interesting movies, trying to do my laundry by hand (I have succeeded once out of my three previous attempts) and hanging out with the trainees (we’re all going to be LOSTIES by the end of our service). One weekend consisted of water safety day, where I learned to love my Personal Floatation Device (PFD), and going to Nahlap, a nearby picnic island where I got to spend quality time on a boat in the Pacific Ocean.

I’m really happy and excited to stay in Pohnpei but slightly nervous to start learning the language and training to become a quality high school Language Arts teacher. God has blessed me in countless ways and I’ll do my best to succeed!

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. :)