In Class

“This is a joke, right?”

“Nope, I actually want to hear what you have to say about your ideal boyfriend. Now get up there!” ~ Exchange between a student and myself about a speaking exercise

I love being the “Peace Corps” at my school because I get away with making students do the craziest activities. Usually a lot of laughter and multiple reminders to SPEAK ONLY IN ENGLISH are involved, but overall I think my students are, little by little, gaining confidence in their English speaking abilities. My big plan to do interviews for the rest of the semester lasted for about two weeks, so I am actually teaching some lessons now. The interviews themselves went really well – I was able to speak individually with all of my students and I learned a little bit about their lives while gauging their conversational skills.

After multiple and last minute changes, I now have a set teaching schedule until the end of the semester. I team teach two freshman Language Arts classes and teach one freshman Language Arts class on my own. I am mostly in charge of writing and speaking while my co-teachers do reading and grammar. These poor kids now have someone who will return their multiple writing assignments back to them, red scribbles and all, and expect them to correct their papers to receive a grade. They also have someone who will force them to use English in class, which has definitely been good for them already.

What else…by the end of the first week I was put in charge of coaching junior and senior students in a writing contest and in the debate team. This was extremely last minute for everyone involved, so the students didn’t get much time to practice. However, the debate team and coaches were able to speak with the Vice President of the FSM regarding the topic! At the end of the session the VP shook my hand and wished me luck during my service. How cool is that! The debate team didn’t win but I felt that they did well, considering the circumstances (so much for the free trip to Kosrae though!). The principal was disappointed – I think he thought that having two Americans (there’s a World Teach volunteer at MHS) coach the team would guarantee victory, but it did not really matter in the end. We’ll try again next year!

Whenever I am not in school I am with my host family. They’ve taken me to several feasts, church every Sunday (Advent!), and Kolonia to do errands. Usually, though, the family just hangs out at home watching movies, chilling on the porch, and playing with the baby (my host father especially!). During these times I practice my poor Pohnpeian skills and read lots of books, ranging from books on how to teach English to the excellent Three Cups of Tea given to me by my cousin. Food has been interesting – sometimes I get tasty local food, sometimes I get ramen and rice for the whole week. The chores I do mainly revolve around keeping my room and my personal belongings in order, but I did get to rake garbage once – that was exciting. I feel useless around the house, mostly because I don’t know what to do or want to get in the way, so I spend that extra time planning for school, grading papers, or doing things to keep me sane. I also feel very needy whenever my family has to do something for me, such as buy a new light bulb just so I could shower or drive all the way to a different village just so I can get water, but I figure that they knew what they would be getting into signing up to take care of the Peace Corps.

Thanksgiving was fun – after a half day of school I went to Kolonia with Team Madolenihmw (woot!) to do errands and hang out in the PC lounge before THANKSGIVING DINNER hosted by the Deputy Chief of Mission (second only to the U.S. Ambassador in importance). It was a mini reunion since most of the PCVs came. I chatted with a Foreign Service Officer (I am considering that as a possible career choice) who, I was able to peg, majored in Japanese in college. Also present were the U.S. Ambassador, the new PC Country Director (a very cool guy), and a former PCV who now works in the embassy. Dinner consisted of turkey, mashed potatoes, assorted vegetables, stuffing, potato salad, rolls, my favorite butter and sugar bread, and extremely delicious cheesecake with oreo crust! I was so stuffed at the end.

Speaking of thanks…I want to give a big THANK YOU to my very awesome and understanding mom and dad who constantly encourage me, my friends who support me a world away, and everyone in my new Pohnpeian family.

The U.S. gave money to the FSM to construct new educational facilities, and M.H.S. is the proud recipient of the very first, up to standards, school building. To celebrate the occasion, all schools in Madolenihmw canceled classes and everyone, including the Nanmwarki (King) of Madolenihmw, the Governor of Pohnpei, and the President of FSM (!), showed up for the big feast. It was quite exciting, but I didn’t have enough courage to ask the President for a photograph. Oh well! I don’t get to teach in the new building because it is reserved for the upperclassman, but I now have my very own classroom. I also have a possible secondary project – a school library! Now that there is space to organize the many random books MHS has, I have decided to help MHS organize a functioning library. The principal has jumped on the idea, so I just need to get started and hopefully all will go well! The principal has also decided that I will help out the Social Studies department next semester due to my Sociology degree – we’ll see how that all works out.

I have a request of you, my dear readers. If you have the time and money, please send me books containing speaking and writing activities in them. I want my students to get a wide variety of exercises that engage their creativity and imagination. While you’re at it, please send me books for the new library and more books for my personal enjoyment! Mwahaha. :)