Floatin’ along

“You want to read this fantasy book?”

“Why not?”

“You want to listen to this Korean boy band?”

“Why not?”

“You want to join the Peace Corps?”

“Why not?”

My “why not?” philosophy in life has made me the person I am today, I like to think. Why not give something a try? If all doesn’t go according to plan, at least there will be no regrets.

So when I read the email inviting me to spend the weekend in Pakin, of course I replied yes. Since this was right after GLOW I was already packed with everything I would need. Following a brief respite, I boarded the boat that would take our band of adventurers to this outer island atoll of Pohnpei. The ride itself was beautiful – bright blue skies and clear ocean waters, with the greenery of Pohnpei disappearing in the distance. Our destination was the Chief’s Island, inhabited by only two families. After some enthusiastic greetings I set out to explore the land in the fading light. “Gorgeous” does not do justice to describe what I saw.

Rising with the sun the next day, I took in all of the little things that made Pakin a lovely place. The sound of the waves breaking on the sand. The breeze hitting my face as I swayed back and fourth on the chair swing. The kids singing bright tunes accompanied by a boy playing a ukulele shaped like a rock guitar. The gang set out to explore the rest of the atoll via boat. I was mesmerized by the vibrant colors of the ocean as we visited the other islands.

Our longest stop was on Pakin’s main island, home to most of its population (100 or so people), its school (three classrooms), and its tireless PCV (pictured on the left). I actually made a shot into that basket!

Upon return to the home base I spent the rest of my time swimming in the ocean, making sand castles with the resident 4-year-old, showering using well water (makes me appreciate Pohnpei’s never-ending rain all the more), and drinking tea while watching the stars. Absolutely glorious.

August so far for me has been a time of recovery from the business of the summer. I attended the 45^th anniversary of the Peace Corps in Micronesia at the U.S. Embassy (wow!). I am honored to be a small part of that legacy. Now I am back to working in the library (organizing the fiction books), planning for the school year (teaching sophomore language arts classes and BIOLOGY WHY), spending quality time with my host family (going to parties and rainy day picnics), and contemplating my future while floatin’ along in the Pacific Ocean.