Sweet Home Chicago

Better late than never, huh?

I don’t even know where to begin, dear reader, it’s been so long!  This is entirely my fault, as I let the winds of change sweep me away this past summer without taking the proper time to reflect back on the entirety of my Peace Corps service.

I think it’s denial.  Denial that I left behind almost three years of my life, denial that I adjusted so quickly back to the American lifestyle.  Keeping in contact with my Pohnpeian family and friends has been possible thanks to the INTERNET, but it’s very difficult for me to stay properly connected with everyone I love back on Pohnpei since I like to focus on the “here and now” and look towards the future.

That being said (haha), I would like to thank everyone who has reached out to me or has responded to my own efforts to stay in touch ever since I got back to the states.  Most notably Ap, my 오빠, Jerich, my kuya, and Brad, one of my best buddies in the latter half of my service.

I even got the chance to see Brad one last time before he's off to Hawaii - pai mwahu!

By the way, I am SO HAPPY for my fellow volunteers who have already taken the next steps in their lives - whether it be traveling the world, getting a real person job (CJ and Molly, booyah!), obtaining higher education, getting married to the person they love, or even having kids.  I hope to reach that level at some point but I know it’s okay to give myself time to just “be” for a while.  Now, though, I am on a quick break before grad school classes start up again in the fall.  I am on the job hunt, five months and counting (alas), since my readjustment allowance is quite gone.

I blame grad school, my book obsession, and readily available delicious food.

Since my last blog post - my favorite class of Madolenihmw High School students finally got their COMET results back, to some surprising results.  Regardless of the outcomes I am so proud of the Class of 2013 and I am so blessed that I had the opportunity to work with all 102 of them over the past two years.  We had the first prom EVER at MHS in celebration of our accomplishments.

With Leavson and Mihna

The contract for the librarian position has been renewed, much to my relief, and I look forward to seeing updates from Ms. Maymorleen.  I also know she is looking forward to getting books from me...Maymorleen also assisted with Camp GLOW 2013, which was a success (at least according to M78 blog posts, links are on the right).  They sent me a shirt (as thanks, I presume) which I proudly wore to an RPCV event in Chicago.

Pohnpei represent.

K-Ben named a kitten after me (Nahnsou!), Peace Corps made me do plenty paperwork (per norm), and I got to spend quality time with my host family and my volunteer friends before heading back home for good.

Even though K-Ben won't remember me I will always remember him.

Lovely ladies after Sunday mass at PATS

My service would not have been the same without all of you.

Once back home I got a smarter-than-me phone, gave a presentation to my Coverdell World Wise School students, visited my sister in California and took other small vacations, and most importantly started grad school!

Such an enthusiastic class!

オレたちはFamily

What I'd like you to think I'm doing in grad school...

I suppose a lot more can be said about these events but in all honesty, dear reader, you probably don’t care much about all that.  Instead, let me leave you with this.  I joined the Peace Corps so I could help change the world in my own small way.  Did I accomplish this after two years and eight months of service in Pohnpei, Micronesia?

YES.  :)

Acting like a mehn wai

When you have 40 days left in a country where you’ve been living for over 2½ years, you would too.  It’s slowly sinking in that I will actually be leaving Pohnpei and not be coming back for another ten years (or at least that’s what I tell the random people who ask me this question).  Marriage propositions have tripled for me – I’ve even gotten an offer from my nohno kahlap (grandmother) to find me a Pohnpeian husband to bring back to the states…it’s the thought that counts?

It’s best not to think too much when taking off or landing on Pohnpei’s runway.

My time and energy this past month have been devoted to assuring the sustainability of the library (always), joking around with MHS students (my way of showing how much I care), teaching my host sisters how to drive (totally legal), writing the single most important document of my Peace Corps experience (not an exaggeration, since the Description of Service will be the only official record of my service for the next 60 years), and preparing for graduate school starting this summer (going to UIUC, just in case you were wondering).

My victory pose for how productive I was

Over the spring break (since seasons exist here in Pohnpei – not) I was up to plenty things.  Seeing that it coincided perfectly with Holy Week (since separation of church and state exists here in Pohnpei – not) I attended Catholic mass and services both with my host family and in Kolonia.  One of my most favorite activities that I do in town is play flute in the international choir, which I did in a big way at Easter Sunday mass.   

Palm Sunday

Holy Thursday

Stations of the Cross on Good Friday

Happy Easter, courtesy of the instrumental section!

During the break I also saw my World Teach and Jesuit Volunteer friends fly off to Chuuk (I think they came back…), explored more of what Kolonia Town has to offer (there are some real hidden treasures), and climbed Sokehs Ridge a fourth time in the company of Christy’s family.

Ran Annim to Sam, Brian, and Brad

View from Nett Bridge

Japanese army tanks

Kay, Christy, and me on top of Sokehs Ridge

Dear reader, my time in the Peace Corps is almost over (AHH!).  Please stay tuned for a few more blog entries as I wrap up my service.  Much love to my family and friends for constantly supporting me on this journey.

Stateside

Before heading off on vacation I spent my last few weeks on Pohnpei wrapping up my classes (juniors wrote outlines and essays, seniors compared the novels they read the past semester and retold Micronesian legends), marveling at the progress of the MHS library (all thanks to the librarian), submitting my graduate school applications (wish me luck!), witnessing a reconciliation service in Pohnpeian, bonding with my fellow volunteers through baking cookies and Christmas shopping, enjoying island style advent season, attending pre-Christmas parties (complete with plenty ice cream), and watching The Hobbit at the only movie theater in the F.S.M. (on opening night, no less!).

Reconciliation service with three priests and sakau (in this case used for asking forgiveness)

Diana (right) did all the work, but Christy (left) wanted some of the credit!

Good times with the JVI’s

The nativity scene with a Pohnpeian twist

Having fun

My second trip back home was a much needed break and energy booster.  I saw pretty much all of my family and friends and ate “exotic” foods (like freshly baked lembas) that resulted in me gaining five pounds (which may be a slight exaggeration).  I met a new family member and caught up on the current happenings of my friends, as well as re-explored the Chicago public transportation system and gawked at all of the technological advancements I have missed.

Who is this strange person holding me?

Good food, good friends, good beer

My favorite family members

Maine South High School Stargate crew, reunited after six years

How old are we?  :)  Love my IWU buddies

In CHUUK

Let’s start with the basics.  The Federated States of Micronesia is composed of Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, and Yap.  As you know from following this blog, dear reader, I have been living on Pohnpei for over two years.  During this time I have often wondered how the experiences of my fellow volunteers serving in the other states compared to my own.  What better way to find out than actually visit?

 I had the opportunity to get a little taste of life in Chuuk thanks to my friend Becky, M77 volunteer on Tonoas (a lagoon island).  She is one of two volunteers (the other one being myself) who extended her service to oversee a project, in her case a basketball court.  Becky completely amazed me with her fluency in Chuukese, her level of integration into the community, and her ease in navigating Chuukese daily life.  I was not the only one impressed – the Chuuk State Legislature even wrote a resolution recognizing all of the things Becky did for her school and community!



Ran Annim

At Sino Elementary's Christmas party

Becky with the chief supporter of the community basketball court

I played games and sang with some of Becky’s current and former students

Slightly jealous that Becky got to see the ocean everyday!

Can you spot the PCV?  Ben W. is the M78 at Sino Elementary



Becky and Ziggy, her rambunctious host nephew (very similar to K-Ben)

Now I’ve attended Catholic mass in seven different languages!
English, Italian, French, Tagalog, Korean, Pohnpeian, and Chuukese in case you were wondering.

The infamous road of Weno, the capital

Kinisou Chapur for everything!





CoS-ing in Guam

It’s the beginning of the end at MHS.  For my final fall semester I am teaching a senior reading class, a senior writing class, and a junior language arts class.  I am also the Language Arts Department Chairperson (I have an official ID and everything).  Most important, however, is that there is a NEW LIBRARIAN YAY at my school.  I will train her in library management skills (the main reason why I extended my service) so I can leave the MHS library in good hands.

Right at this very moment I am in Guam with the remaining M77’s (18 out of 31 survived until the very end) for our Close of Service conference.  We have been discussing paperwork (thank you government agency), our diverse experiences, and how to reintegrate into the real world.  Thankfully I don’t have to think about all this for now but in about seven months I’ll be frantically trying to recall strategies for readjustment!  I’ll let you know how that goes.  I also used some of my dwindling vacation days to explore Guam with my fellow li en Pohnpei.

Iced chai

Two Lovers Point

Quite the drop

Beach

Caribou ride

Peace Corps Volunteers?

FUNNEL CAKE at Chamorro Village

Beautiful views

Love & peace GUAM STYLE

M77 Team Pohnpei!!!