12-12-01
I was in a bit of a funk today, so I decided it would be a good idea to decorate my room with all the pictures of my family and friends that I brought with me and all of the letters and postcards that I have received so far. I’m not sure why this hasn’t hit me until now, but I am unbelievably lucky to have such incredible group of friends and family. I’m not really sure how to put this without sounding dramatic and overly sentimental, but all the love and support has not gone unnoticed and is greatly appreciated.
I may be “roughing it” by American standards, but I’m definitely living well. I’m physically comfortable and healthy, I’m surrounded by good people here, and I have the greatest friends and family I could ask for. That’s pretty much all I need to be happy.
Lots of love,
Ben
December 12, 2010
Campaignin'
12-8-10
Today there was a “campaign rally” the incumbent candidate running for Senator At-Large for Chuuk State. By campaign rally I mean that the guy showed up on the island and the whole island had a meeting. This is not a post about Chuukese politics, but rather just a few interesting observations I made during the meeting.
1. The set up—This is clearly a big event for the people of Satowan. I guess it’s not every day that a senator comes to visit a tiny island 180 miles from the state center. The meeting was held in a large, well, meeting hall next to the Catholic Church. The municipal government of Satowan only owns a handful of chairs, so everyone except the important people (i.e. the senator, the senator’s posse, the mayor of Satowan, myself) sat on the ground. The chairs were arranged and rearranged no less than 12 times before the ceremony began—apparently they had to be perfect.
2. The police presence—I don’t know whether they came with the senator or if they were already here on Satowan, but there were at least 20 police officers present for the ceremony. The best part was when the senator was marching in to the meeting hall, and all of the police officers did a military-like heel turn and salute. This kind of precision is something rarely seen in FSM, and it almost made me laugh out loud. After the senator walked by, the police officers carried on with what they had been doing, namely smoking cigarettes and lounging.
3. The jacket--The senator wore a heavy winter jacket throughout the entire 2 hour meeting. Keep in mind that while it is cold in the States right now, it is decidedly not cold here in Micronesia—it was easily 85 degrees today. It was clear that he wasn’t wearing it because he was cold as he was sweating bullets and fanning himself the whole time. I don’t know if it’s a sign of authority or what, but he looked totally ridiculous and pretty uncomfortable too.
4. The cigarettes—In the middle of the meeting, one of the members of the senator’s posse got up and started passing out cigarettes to everyone in the audience. Here on Satowan, there isn’t a question of whether or not you smoke, just how often you smoke. The reason for the handing out of cigarettes was simple: the senator wanted votes. What the Chuukese call “campaigning,” Americans would call “bribery.” Before he left the island, the senator had given out some 30 bags of rice, cases and cases of canned meat, and countless cigarettes.
5. The breast feeding—Picture this: you’re at the DNC. Barack Obama in in the middle of a moving speech defending some policy decision that he made, and a woman in the second row lifts her shirt and begins breastfeeding her son. Well, I wasn’t at the DNC and it wasn’t Barack Obama defending his policy decisions, but the rest it true. I guess this should stop surprising me by now—I’ve seen women breastfeeding in church, watching basketball, and, my favorite, while driving (yes, I mean operating a motor vehicle not just riding in one). That’s just impressive.
Ben
Today there was a “campaign rally” the incumbent candidate running for Senator At-Large for Chuuk State. By campaign rally I mean that the guy showed up on the island and the whole island had a meeting. This is not a post about Chuukese politics, but rather just a few interesting observations I made during the meeting.
1. The set up—This is clearly a big event for the people of Satowan. I guess it’s not every day that a senator comes to visit a tiny island 180 miles from the state center. The meeting was held in a large, well, meeting hall next to the Catholic Church. The municipal government of Satowan only owns a handful of chairs, so everyone except the important people (i.e. the senator, the senator’s posse, the mayor of Satowan, myself) sat on the ground. The chairs were arranged and rearranged no less than 12 times before the ceremony began—apparently they had to be perfect.
2. The police presence—I don’t know whether they came with the senator or if they were already here on Satowan, but there were at least 20 police officers present for the ceremony. The best part was when the senator was marching in to the meeting hall, and all of the police officers did a military-like heel turn and salute. This kind of precision is something rarely seen in FSM, and it almost made me laugh out loud. After the senator walked by, the police officers carried on with what they had been doing, namely smoking cigarettes and lounging.
3. The jacket--The senator wore a heavy winter jacket throughout the entire 2 hour meeting. Keep in mind that while it is cold in the States right now, it is decidedly not cold here in Micronesia—it was easily 85 degrees today. It was clear that he wasn’t wearing it because he was cold as he was sweating bullets and fanning himself the whole time. I don’t know if it’s a sign of authority or what, but he looked totally ridiculous and pretty uncomfortable too.
4. The cigarettes—In the middle of the meeting, one of the members of the senator’s posse got up and started passing out cigarettes to everyone in the audience. Here on Satowan, there isn’t a question of whether or not you smoke, just how often you smoke. The reason for the handing out of cigarettes was simple: the senator wanted votes. What the Chuukese call “campaigning,” Americans would call “bribery.” Before he left the island, the senator had given out some 30 bags of rice, cases and cases of canned meat, and countless cigarettes.
5. The breast feeding—Picture this: you’re at the DNC. Barack Obama in in the middle of a moving speech defending some policy decision that he made, and a woman in the second row lifts her shirt and begins breastfeeding her son. Well, I wasn’t at the DNC and it wasn’t Barack Obama defending his policy decisions, but the rest it true. I guess this should stop surprising me by now—I’ve seen women breastfeeding in church, watching basketball, and, my favorite, while driving (yes, I mean operating a motor vehicle not just riding in one). That’s just impressive.
Ben
Island Time vs. American Time
12-7-10
Two facts of life here: 1) planning doesn’t really exist in Chuuk, especially on outer islands and 2) even when there is a plan, nobody pays too much attention to it and therefore it is rarely followed. I have been here for over three months now, and I would like to think that I have adopted “island time,” in many capacities. I know that I cannot control the schedules of other people or companies and I acknowledge and accept that. In a way it is very freeing to be on island time. Don’t worry about it, whatever it was that you had to complete today can probably be completed tomorrow.
In general, island time and American time do not mix. When talking with other volunteers, you have to be specific about what kind of time frame you are operating on (e.g. “Please be there at 2:00, American time.”). There are, however, instances when island time and American time have to intermingle. This tends to causes problems.
My December 6th, 2010:
Today is a Monday, but school has been cancelled because there is a funeral on the island. Funerals take precedence over everything, work and school included. However, the funeral is on the other side of the island and the deceased is not related to my family, so nobody in my family is planning (there’s that word again) to go. Therefore, I have nothing to do today except have radio conference with other Peace Corps Volunteers at 4:00 pm (American time). I have already talked to one of the teachers at the high school, Thomas, and he said that I could use the radio at the school. All set, right?
7:20—I wake up and am immediately told that I sleep very late. My host father has apparently been up since 4:00 for some church function. I eat a leisurely breakfast, knowing that I have nothing to do for another eight hours.
8:15—I go swimming/fishing with my host father and a couple of other guys.
10:30—I get out of the water and go take a shower. Afterwards, I lie down, listen to some music and do some reading.
11:30—I eat lunch.
12:00—I call the Peace Corps office in Weno using my Satellite Phone. I have questions about the School Improvement Plan (SIP) that I am working on for my school and would like some help from another volunteer. I talk to my friend Porter, and while he gives me some advice about the project, it is mostly nice to just hear another American voice.
12:15—Having nothing else to do, I take a nap.
2:00—I get up and begin to consider this radio conference. This will be the first time that I have used one of these radios. Also, I have no idea what I am supposed to talk about or even who is going to be on the other end.
2:15—Thomas, the teacher at the High School who has agreed to let me use the radio, says he wants to meet with me about their school’s SIP. I remind him about the radio conference at 4:00, but I tell him that I can meet with him after that.
2:18—I learn that the ship carrying all of my belongings (oh yea, did I mention that because I came on the plane I was only allowed to bring 20 pounds of stuff… so I’ve been living out of the contents of my small backpack for a week now) is due to arrive at the dock around 4:00. This is a problem. I need to get my stuff off that ship, but I also need to use the radio. I ask my host father if he will help me. He says that he is going to the burial (remember that funeral?) but after that he will get my stuff from the ship.
2:45—My host father and I walk to the burial. It’s only about a 10 minute walk from out house. I run into Thomas there and remind him (again) about the radio conference.
3:30—Thomas and I leave the burial. We have to stop at the principal’s house to get the key from him so that we can get in to the school and use the radio.
3:35—We arrive at the principal’s house and are told that he is at a canoe blessing ceremony down the road.
3:40—We arrive at the canoe blessing ceremony. The principal is there, but he is somehow involved in the ceremony and is unavailable at the moment.
3:45—Food is served. Thomas and I are given a huge plate of rice and three sizable fish to eat. I remind Thomas that I need to use the radio soon and that we still haven’t talked to the principal about the keys. He nods and says that we should probably eat quickly.
3:53—The ship arrives. My host dad, who is also at the canoe ceremony, leaves to go get my stuff.
3:57—Thomas and I finish eating (he has eaten the vast majority of the food) and finally talk to the principal about the keys. The principal leaves to go get his keys.
4:07—The principal still has not returned. I go to his house and find him sitting on his porch eating a banana. When he sees me he gets up, goes into the house, and returns with one key and a hammer. He tells me that he lost one of the keys so he will just pry the lock off.
4:12—We finally get to the school. The principal pries off the outside lock and unlocks the inside door.
4:14—I finally get to use the radio. I turn it on, call for any Peace Corps Volunteers, and hear nothing but static and Chuukese in return. For 15 minutes I call for Peace Corps and get nothing. I am either too late or the radio is not working. Great.
So, to recap, I had one thing to do all day, and it didn’t happen because everybody on this island operates on island time and not on American time. I was pretty upset that I missed the radio conference, but now that I think about it, I really didn’t miss anything important. I’m sure that there was nothing discussed that we can’t talk about next week. All of the volunteers that I would have talked to know how island time works, so none of them will be pissed that I wasn’t on the radio.
Island time, baby. Take a breath. Relax. Everything's OK.
Two facts of life here: 1) planning doesn’t really exist in Chuuk, especially on outer islands and 2) even when there is a plan, nobody pays too much attention to it and therefore it is rarely followed. I have been here for over three months now, and I would like to think that I have adopted “island time,” in many capacities. I know that I cannot control the schedules of other people or companies and I acknowledge and accept that. In a way it is very freeing to be on island time. Don’t worry about it, whatever it was that you had to complete today can probably be completed tomorrow.
In general, island time and American time do not mix. When talking with other volunteers, you have to be specific about what kind of time frame you are operating on (e.g. “Please be there at 2:00, American time.”). There are, however, instances when island time and American time have to intermingle. This tends to causes problems.
My December 6th, 2010:
Today is a Monday, but school has been cancelled because there is a funeral on the island. Funerals take precedence over everything, work and school included. However, the funeral is on the other side of the island and the deceased is not related to my family, so nobody in my family is planning (there’s that word again) to go. Therefore, I have nothing to do today except have radio conference with other Peace Corps Volunteers at 4:00 pm (American time). I have already talked to one of the teachers at the high school, Thomas, and he said that I could use the radio at the school. All set, right?
7:20—I wake up and am immediately told that I sleep very late. My host father has apparently been up since 4:00 for some church function. I eat a leisurely breakfast, knowing that I have nothing to do for another eight hours.
8:15—I go swimming/fishing with my host father and a couple of other guys.
10:30—I get out of the water and go take a shower. Afterwards, I lie down, listen to some music and do some reading.
11:30—I eat lunch.
12:00—I call the Peace Corps office in Weno using my Satellite Phone. I have questions about the School Improvement Plan (SIP) that I am working on for my school and would like some help from another volunteer. I talk to my friend Porter, and while he gives me some advice about the project, it is mostly nice to just hear another American voice.
12:15—Having nothing else to do, I take a nap.
2:00—I get up and begin to consider this radio conference. This will be the first time that I have used one of these radios. Also, I have no idea what I am supposed to talk about or even who is going to be on the other end.
2:15—Thomas, the teacher at the High School who has agreed to let me use the radio, says he wants to meet with me about their school’s SIP. I remind him about the radio conference at 4:00, but I tell him that I can meet with him after that.
2:18—I learn that the ship carrying all of my belongings (oh yea, did I mention that because I came on the plane I was only allowed to bring 20 pounds of stuff… so I’ve been living out of the contents of my small backpack for a week now) is due to arrive at the dock around 4:00. This is a problem. I need to get my stuff off that ship, but I also need to use the radio. I ask my host father if he will help me. He says that he is going to the burial (remember that funeral?) but after that he will get my stuff from the ship.
2:45—My host father and I walk to the burial. It’s only about a 10 minute walk from out house. I run into Thomas there and remind him (again) about the radio conference.
3:30—Thomas and I leave the burial. We have to stop at the principal’s house to get the key from him so that we can get in to the school and use the radio.
3:35—We arrive at the principal’s house and are told that he is at a canoe blessing ceremony down the road.
3:40—We arrive at the canoe blessing ceremony. The principal is there, but he is somehow involved in the ceremony and is unavailable at the moment.
3:45—Food is served. Thomas and I are given a huge plate of rice and three sizable fish to eat. I remind Thomas that I need to use the radio soon and that we still haven’t talked to the principal about the keys. He nods and says that we should probably eat quickly.
3:53—The ship arrives. My host dad, who is also at the canoe ceremony, leaves to go get my stuff.
3:57—Thomas and I finish eating (he has eaten the vast majority of the food) and finally talk to the principal about the keys. The principal leaves to go get his keys.
4:07—The principal still has not returned. I go to his house and find him sitting on his porch eating a banana. When he sees me he gets up, goes into the house, and returns with one key and a hammer. He tells me that he lost one of the keys so he will just pry the lock off.
4:12—We finally get to the school. The principal pries off the outside lock and unlocks the inside door.
4:14—I finally get to use the radio. I turn it on, call for any Peace Corps Volunteers, and hear nothing but static and Chuukese in return. For 15 minutes I call for Peace Corps and get nothing. I am either too late or the radio is not working. Great.
So, to recap, I had one thing to do all day, and it didn’t happen because everybody on this island operates on island time and not on American time. I was pretty upset that I missed the radio conference, but now that I think about it, I really didn’t miss anything important. I’m sure that there was nothing discussed that we can’t talk about next week. All of the volunteers that I would have talked to know how island time works, so none of them will be pissed that I wasn’t on the radio.
Island time, baby. Take a breath. Relax. Everything's OK.
That Satowan Post
12-5-10
Well, here I am.
Satowan is a small island—it only takes about 40 minutes to walk from one end to the other. All the people live on the lagoon (west) side of the island and there is one main road that goes the length of the island. The road is made mostly of packed sand and is pretty well maintained. One thing that I never considered before coming to the FSM is how much of an impact a good, clean road has on the aesthetics of a place. It makes the entire area feel safer, cleaner, and like that people care about their island. I live about 100 yards from the ocean and can go swimming whenever I feel like it. To be honest, I haven’t really taken advantage of this yet, but I’m sure that I will once I get a little more comfortable. My house and living conditions are very comfortable. I have a real queen sized mattress, a wardrobe-ish thing to hang my clothes and some cubbies to store my things, and a manual flush toilet (as in, you dump a bucket of water in the bowl).
My first two weeks have actually been pretty busy. The Department of Education in Chuuk mandated that every school in the state complete a School Improvement Plan and turn it in to the DOE by December 15th. This is a large document that schools and communities were supposed to work on all semester. Well, I arrived on December 1st and quickly discovered that my school had done pretty much no work on their SIP and expected me to essentially write it for them. I did my best to throw together some meetings so that this would be as much of group effort as possible, but I still ended up writing pretty much the whole thing. Also, the principal of the high school on the island asked me to “help” write their SIP as well. I kind of put my foot down about that because that isn’t my school. I told him that I would minimally help correct it, but that I wouldn’t write it because it isn’t my job to do that. I’m not here to do anyone’s job them. I am happy to help you do your job better, but I will not do it for you.
The whole SIP fiasco and just school in general has been a bit frustrating. I will save my ranting for private emails and letters, but suffice to say that there are a lot of issues with the school. The principal clearly sees me as an all-inclusive fixer of everything and defers to me on pretty much everything even though I have made it clear that I work for him, not the other way around. Hopefully things will improve the more we work with each other.
Other than the school situation, pretty much everything else is good. My Chuukese is coming along, albeit slowly. I have met some people in the community and I meet more every day. I have gotten into a routine of playing basketball with a bunch of the guys every afternoon for about an hour, which has been really nice. I do end up spending quite a bit of time alone, which has taken some getting used to. I am not a solitary person at all, so living even a partially solitary lifestyle is a bit tough. I find that I often think about friends and family back home and my fellow PCVs who I won’t see until March. I have learned, however, to see the benefit in being alone at times as it gives me time to process what I am doing and why I am here. As it turns out, the answer to those questions is much more complicated now than they were before I left. I guess it’s all part of the adjustment.
Happy holidays everyone! Christmas and New Years are supposedly the two biggest holidays of the year here, so I’m sure I’m in for a good old time.
Lots of love,
Ben
Well, here I am.
Satowan is a small island—it only takes about 40 minutes to walk from one end to the other. All the people live on the lagoon (west) side of the island and there is one main road that goes the length of the island. The road is made mostly of packed sand and is pretty well maintained. One thing that I never considered before coming to the FSM is how much of an impact a good, clean road has on the aesthetics of a place. It makes the entire area feel safer, cleaner, and like that people care about their island. I live about 100 yards from the ocean and can go swimming whenever I feel like it. To be honest, I haven’t really taken advantage of this yet, but I’m sure that I will once I get a little more comfortable. My house and living conditions are very comfortable. I have a real queen sized mattress, a wardrobe-ish thing to hang my clothes and some cubbies to store my things, and a manual flush toilet (as in, you dump a bucket of water in the bowl).
My first two weeks have actually been pretty busy. The Department of Education in Chuuk mandated that every school in the state complete a School Improvement Plan and turn it in to the DOE by December 15th. This is a large document that schools and communities were supposed to work on all semester. Well, I arrived on December 1st and quickly discovered that my school had done pretty much no work on their SIP and expected me to essentially write it for them. I did my best to throw together some meetings so that this would be as much of group effort as possible, but I still ended up writing pretty much the whole thing. Also, the principal of the high school on the island asked me to “help” write their SIP as well. I kind of put my foot down about that because that isn’t my school. I told him that I would minimally help correct it, but that I wouldn’t write it because it isn’t my job to do that. I’m not here to do anyone’s job them. I am happy to help you do your job better, but I will not do it for you.
The whole SIP fiasco and just school in general has been a bit frustrating. I will save my ranting for private emails and letters, but suffice to say that there are a lot of issues with the school. The principal clearly sees me as an all-inclusive fixer of everything and defers to me on pretty much everything even though I have made it clear that I work for him, not the other way around. Hopefully things will improve the more we work with each other.
Other than the school situation, pretty much everything else is good. My Chuukese is coming along, albeit slowly. I have met some people in the community and I meet more every day. I have gotten into a routine of playing basketball with a bunch of the guys every afternoon for about an hour, which has been really nice. I do end up spending quite a bit of time alone, which has taken some getting used to. I am not a solitary person at all, so living even a partially solitary lifestyle is a bit tough. I find that I often think about friends and family back home and my fellow PCVs who I won’t see until March. I have learned, however, to see the benefit in being alone at times as it gives me time to process what I am doing and why I am here. As it turns out, the answer to those questions is much more complicated now than they were before I left. I guess it’s all part of the adjustment.
Happy holidays everyone! Christmas and New Years are supposedly the two biggest holidays of the year here, so I’m sure I’m in for a good old time.
Lots of love,
Ben
November 28, 2010
Packing up and shipping out
Hey friends,
It's been almost three weeks since swear-in, and I'm still not at my permanent site. But that's about to change! On Thursday, the three of us Mortlocks volunteers are flying out there, and I'm starting to get really excited. I'm happy to be flying, although from what I have heard the flight is, how do I say this... a little terrifying. The plane is an 8 seater twin prop and the runway on Ta (the only island in the Mortlocks with a landing strip) is short and narrow. I have been assured that the pilot is very skilled, but I'm sure it will be an interesting experience.
The last three weeks have been very mellow for me. I did help write that grant for the Chuuk Women's Council, but that really only took up about 3 or 4 days of my time. I spent about two weeks on Tonoas with my host family there who I absolutely loved. I played a lot of chess with my host father and had some great conversations with him on everything from his experiences living on Satowan to his (sometimes heated) conversations with the Jehovah's Witnesses who stop by every week. Any time I come in from the Mortlocks I am really going to make an effort to see that family.
For Thanksgiving, a bunch of volunteers came in to Weno from their various islands (everybody else has gone to their permanent sites by now, so I don't see them very often any more) and we had three Thansgiving dinners, one on Thursday one on Friday and one on Saturday. None of them involved turkey or mashed potatoes, but they were all pretty tasty. Although I expected to become friends with my fellow PCVs, I didn't think we would become this close. It's a little hard for me to believe that I have known these people for less than three months. They are all awesome people and we have become not only a support group for one another but also really good friends. Needless to say, it was great to see everyone one more time before I head out to Satowan.
Living here in the Pacific, there are many things that remain constant no matter what. It is always hot. It is always humid. The sun rises and sets at the same time no matter what time of year it is. That being said, there are times when I briefly forget where I am or what I'm doing here. If I get absorbed in a book, or am checking my email or Facebook, or am watching a movie, there's always a moment when I snap out of it and think "Holy crap! I'm thousands of miles away from home on a timy island in the biggest ocean in the world." I don't know if it still hasn't really sunk in that I'm really here, or if that will just be a constant feeling.
I'm doing my best to keep my mind in the present and focused on what I am doing here. It's hard though. I often find my mind wandering back to Colorado or Silver Spring (or sometimes my fellow PCVs) and wondering what everybody is up to. I'm hoping that once I get out to Satowan, I will be able to focus a little more on my work and my community. But maybe not.
Overall, my first three months of Peace Corps have been absolutley increadible. I couldn't have asked for better host familys or better Peace Corps friends. I am of the opinion that I can do anything and be anywhere as long as I am surrounded by poeple who I care about and who care about me, and I have that here.
So this is probably going to be the last post for a while. I'll be back in Weno next February or March (there's a chance I'll be able to access the internet before then, but no guarantees). Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah everyone, and I'll catch you up on my adventures in 2011!
Lots of love,
Ben
P.S. My old SAT Phone wasn't working properly, so Peace Corps issued me a new one. The new number is 8816-4141-9876. Same instructions as before to send a message, but new number.
It's been almost three weeks since swear-in, and I'm still not at my permanent site. But that's about to change! On Thursday, the three of us Mortlocks volunteers are flying out there, and I'm starting to get really excited. I'm happy to be flying, although from what I have heard the flight is, how do I say this... a little terrifying. The plane is an 8 seater twin prop and the runway on Ta (the only island in the Mortlocks with a landing strip) is short and narrow. I have been assured that the pilot is very skilled, but I'm sure it will be an interesting experience.
The last three weeks have been very mellow for me. I did help write that grant for the Chuuk Women's Council, but that really only took up about 3 or 4 days of my time. I spent about two weeks on Tonoas with my host family there who I absolutely loved. I played a lot of chess with my host father and had some great conversations with him on everything from his experiences living on Satowan to his (sometimes heated) conversations with the Jehovah's Witnesses who stop by every week. Any time I come in from the Mortlocks I am really going to make an effort to see that family.
For Thanksgiving, a bunch of volunteers came in to Weno from their various islands (everybody else has gone to their permanent sites by now, so I don't see them very often any more) and we had three Thansgiving dinners, one on Thursday one on Friday and one on Saturday. None of them involved turkey or mashed potatoes, but they were all pretty tasty. Although I expected to become friends with my fellow PCVs, I didn't think we would become this close. It's a little hard for me to believe that I have known these people for less than three months. They are all awesome people and we have become not only a support group for one another but also really good friends. Needless to say, it was great to see everyone one more time before I head out to Satowan.
Living here in the Pacific, there are many things that remain constant no matter what. It is always hot. It is always humid. The sun rises and sets at the same time no matter what time of year it is. That being said, there are times when I briefly forget where I am or what I'm doing here. If I get absorbed in a book, or am checking my email or Facebook, or am watching a movie, there's always a moment when I snap out of it and think "Holy crap! I'm thousands of miles away from home on a timy island in the biggest ocean in the world." I don't know if it still hasn't really sunk in that I'm really here, or if that will just be a constant feeling.
I'm doing my best to keep my mind in the present and focused on what I am doing here. It's hard though. I often find my mind wandering back to Colorado or Silver Spring (or sometimes my fellow PCVs) and wondering what everybody is up to. I'm hoping that once I get out to Satowan, I will be able to focus a little more on my work and my community. But maybe not.
Overall, my first three months of Peace Corps have been absolutley increadible. I couldn't have asked for better host familys or better Peace Corps friends. I am of the opinion that I can do anything and be anywhere as long as I am surrounded by poeple who I care about and who care about me, and I have that here.
So this is probably going to be the last post for a while. I'll be back in Weno next February or March (there's a chance I'll be able to access the internet before then, but no guarantees). Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah everyone, and I'll catch you up on my adventures in 2011!
Lots of love,
Ben
P.S. My old SAT Phone wasn't working properly, so Peace Corps issued me a new one. The new number is 8816-4141-9876. Same instructions as before to send a message, but new number.
November 13, 2010
Volunteer!
Hey friends,
Well, I made it. Last Wednesday I swore an oath to protect the constitution of the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic, and officially became a Peace Corps Volunteer. The ceremony was really nice. There were speeches from the mayor of Tonoas, the lieutenant Governor of Chuuk, and the Country Director of Peace Corps Micronesia. All of the new volunteers gave speeches as well, in the local language. I'm sure mine wasn't great, but I think I got my point across.
So as a brand new Peace Corps Volunteer, I'm heading off to my island of service, right? Well, not yet. The plane that flies to the Mortlocks isn't running until the first week of December because the pilot is on vacation. So I'll take the state-run ship, The Milo, right? No, actually The Milo is dry docked in Japan right now for repairs. So I'll take one of the privately owned ships, right? Yes, but they only run when they feel like it, and right now it appears that none of the ships really feel like going anywhere. So... I might be stuck in the lagoon for a while. It could be anywhere from a week to a month. Realistically, I'm not expecting to get out there until after Thanksgiving. Oh well, I can roll with the punches.
So for the next however long, I'm going to be splitting time in Weno and Tonoas. I'm trying to keep myself busy, and actually stumbled into a pretty cool project. I randomly met the president of the Chuuk Women's Council, a few days ago. She needs help writing a grant proposal, so I readily offered to write it. I figure it will not only give me something to do for the next couple of weeks, but will give me an in with a relatively important person. Yay!
Besides that, I plan on playing my guitar a lot, going spear fishing (I'll be sure to write about that), climbing coconut trees, and enjoying the island lifestyle.
All the best,
Ben
P.S. My address will be the same once I go out to Satowan, but you can start addressing the letters to Ben Perdue, Peace Corps Volunteer instead of Ben Perdue, Peace Corps Trainee!
Well, I made it. Last Wednesday I swore an oath to protect the constitution of the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic, and officially became a Peace Corps Volunteer. The ceremony was really nice. There were speeches from the mayor of Tonoas, the lieutenant Governor of Chuuk, and the Country Director of Peace Corps Micronesia. All of the new volunteers gave speeches as well, in the local language. I'm sure mine wasn't great, but I think I got my point across.
So as a brand new Peace Corps Volunteer, I'm heading off to my island of service, right? Well, not yet. The plane that flies to the Mortlocks isn't running until the first week of December because the pilot is on vacation. So I'll take the state-run ship, The Milo, right? No, actually The Milo is dry docked in Japan right now for repairs. So I'll take one of the privately owned ships, right? Yes, but they only run when they feel like it, and right now it appears that none of the ships really feel like going anywhere. So... I might be stuck in the lagoon for a while. It could be anywhere from a week to a month. Realistically, I'm not expecting to get out there until after Thanksgiving. Oh well, I can roll with the punches.
So for the next however long, I'm going to be splitting time in Weno and Tonoas. I'm trying to keep myself busy, and actually stumbled into a pretty cool project. I randomly met the president of the Chuuk Women's Council, a few days ago. She needs help writing a grant proposal, so I readily offered to write it. I figure it will not only give me something to do for the next couple of weeks, but will give me an in with a relatively important person. Yay!
Besides that, I plan on playing my guitar a lot, going spear fishing (I'll be sure to write about that), climbing coconut trees, and enjoying the island lifestyle.
All the best,
Ben
P.S. My address will be the same once I go out to Satowan, but you can start addressing the letters to Ben Perdue, Peace Corps Volunteer instead of Ben Perdue, Peace Corps Trainee!
October 25, 2010
Pictures!
After relentless nagging from my mother, I've posted some pictures. They're not great, but they will give you an idea of where I am.
http://picasaweb.google.com/benjamin.perdue
http://picasaweb.google.com/benjamin.perdue
A Nation in Between
A few weeks ago, when I was still in Pohnpei, I saw something that really stuck in my head. My host sister, Lolima, was sitting in the living room watching a DVD of the Jonas Brothers on the family's flat-screen TV. As she was sitting there, a chicken walked into the house and started pecking at the floor next to her. Lolema laughed and shooed the chicken out before returning her attention to the Disney Channel stars.
This image is very indicative of the state of the FSM: it is a nation caught between. It is between two huge continents, individual states and and a federation, and between tradition and Westernization.
Lets take those one at a time:
There are reminders of the fact that they are geographically located between two continents everywhere. Chuuk was the headquarters of the Japanese Navy during WWII and there are remnants of Japanese infrastructure from the war all over the place. I've seen countless bunkers, caves, and towers, not to mention the tourists on the cruise ships who go diving every day to look at the ship wrecks. Most of this infrastructure, as I have been told multiple times, was built by Chuukese people who were essentially enslaved by the Japanese. As you might imagine, there is a fair amount of resentment towards the Japanese here, although much of it has died down in the time since the war.
The Federated States of Micronesia is composed of four states--Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap, and Kosrae-- and was established in 1986. The preamble to the constitution (which was actually written by a former Peace Corps Volunteer) states that "the ocean does not divide us but unites us." I couldn't agree more. The only problem is that the ocean is pretty much the only thing that the islands have in common and unites them. They have completely different languages and cultures, and therefor do not have a strong national identity. The political system was based on the the US's, so there is a national government as well as state governments, but the FSM government is almost entirely funded by the US as laid out by the Compact of Free Association. I'll write more about the Compact later because it is really important here.
The tension between tradition and Westernization is palpable. As the story above shows, it's present in all aspects of daily life. Here's another example. Micronesians are overwhelmingly Christian--the missionaries came in and went to town! That being said, many Micronesians hang on to traditional superstitions and stories. Magic is also everywhere. Ask someone how Nan Modal (which is a impressive and really old fort in Pohnpei) was made, and you'll hear that it was made by magic. Satowan, the island where I am going, is rumored to produce the most powerful love potion in all of Micronesia. Just spray a little of the perfume on yourself, and the girls will come running. (I'm not making that up.)
That's enough rambling for one day. Hope all is well on the homefront. Pictures are coming, I promise!
All the best,
Ben
This image is very indicative of the state of the FSM: it is a nation caught between. It is between two huge continents, individual states and and a federation, and between tradition and Westernization.
Lets take those one at a time:
There are reminders of the fact that they are geographically located between two continents everywhere. Chuuk was the headquarters of the Japanese Navy during WWII and there are remnants of Japanese infrastructure from the war all over the place. I've seen countless bunkers, caves, and towers, not to mention the tourists on the cruise ships who go diving every day to look at the ship wrecks. Most of this infrastructure, as I have been told multiple times, was built by Chuukese people who were essentially enslaved by the Japanese. As you might imagine, there is a fair amount of resentment towards the Japanese here, although much of it has died down in the time since the war.
The Federated States of Micronesia is composed of four states--Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap, and Kosrae-- and was established in 1986. The preamble to the constitution (which was actually written by a former Peace Corps Volunteer) states that "the ocean does not divide us but unites us." I couldn't agree more. The only problem is that the ocean is pretty much the only thing that the islands have in common and unites them. They have completely different languages and cultures, and therefor do not have a strong national identity. The political system was based on the the US's, so there is a national government as well as state governments, but the FSM government is almost entirely funded by the US as laid out by the Compact of Free Association. I'll write more about the Compact later because it is really important here.
The tension between tradition and Westernization is palpable. As the story above shows, it's present in all aspects of daily life. Here's another example. Micronesians are overwhelmingly Christian--the missionaries came in and went to town! That being said, many Micronesians hang on to traditional superstitions and stories. Magic is also everywhere. Ask someone how Nan Modal (which is a impressive and really old fort in Pohnpei) was made, and you'll hear that it was made by magic. Satowan, the island where I am going, is rumored to produce the most powerful love potion in all of Micronesia. Just spray a little of the perfume on yourself, and the girls will come running. (I'm not making that up.)
That's enough rambling for one day. Hope all is well on the homefront. Pictures are coming, I promise!
All the best,
Ben
October 12, 2010
Chuuk!
Hey friends,
I finally made it to Chuuk, but not without some excitement first. We were supposed to leave Pohnpei on Saturday afternoon, but I've already learned that nothing happens when or how it's supposed to here. There was apparently too much rain for the plane to land in Pohnpei, so it skipped Pohnpei and and went all the way to Chuuk. (Side note: Pohnpei is one of the rainiest places on Earth. This overflying business is apparently relatively common.) Continental thoughtfully sent a "rescue flight" from Guam to pick up the stranded passengers in Pohnpei. Less thoughtful was the fact that the flight was going straight back to Guam without stopping in Chuuk. So... after all was said and done, I ended up staying in Kolonia for an extra two days, hanging out at a hotel with the other Chuuk trainees.
...But I'm here now!
Chuuk is a different world from Pohnpei. As my friend Naavid (another Chuuk trainee) put it, "Pohnpei was Beverly Hills compared to Chuuk." Even in the rural municipalities of Pohnpei, there was a well-paved road, electricity, running water, and some small shops. In Weno, the capital of Chuuk, there is intermittent electricity, crumbling buildings, and a "road." I would say that the road is full of potholes, but it would be more accurate to say that there are potholes with occasional road. You can't drive more than about 10 mph without bottoming out and you pretty much have to drive either a pickup truck or an SUV. Bear in mind that Weno is by far the most developed place in Chuuk.
Right now I'm living in Tonoas, which is another island in the Chuuk lagoon. There are pretty much no cars to be found on the Tonoas. I live in a pretty nice house with a really nice host family. I sleep on a foam pad, shower with a bucket, and use a "benjo" or local toilet, which is glorified hole in the ground. I'll be here for five weeks and then it will only get more rural when I go out to Satowan.
Because I'm going to an outer island, Peace Corps issued me a Satellite phone. This is great for communicating with Peace Corps staff, but it's also great because I can receive text messages for free! Here's how it works:
1) go to www.iridium.com
2) click on "Send a Satellite Message" at the top of the page
3) type in my number: 881641419881 (no need for a reply email, just tell me who you are)
4) send me a message!
I should have pretty consistent internet access for the next 5 weeks, so if you have questions you can feel free to email me and I should be able to respond.
All the best,
Ben
I finally made it to Chuuk, but not without some excitement first. We were supposed to leave Pohnpei on Saturday afternoon, but I've already learned that nothing happens when or how it's supposed to here. There was apparently too much rain for the plane to land in Pohnpei, so it skipped Pohnpei and and went all the way to Chuuk. (Side note: Pohnpei is one of the rainiest places on Earth. This overflying business is apparently relatively common.) Continental thoughtfully sent a "rescue flight" from Guam to pick up the stranded passengers in Pohnpei. Less thoughtful was the fact that the flight was going straight back to Guam without stopping in Chuuk. So... after all was said and done, I ended up staying in Kolonia for an extra two days, hanging out at a hotel with the other Chuuk trainees.
...But I'm here now!
Chuuk is a different world from Pohnpei. As my friend Naavid (another Chuuk trainee) put it, "Pohnpei was Beverly Hills compared to Chuuk." Even in the rural municipalities of Pohnpei, there was a well-paved road, electricity, running water, and some small shops. In Weno, the capital of Chuuk, there is intermittent electricity, crumbling buildings, and a "road." I would say that the road is full of potholes, but it would be more accurate to say that there are potholes with occasional road. You can't drive more than about 10 mph without bottoming out and you pretty much have to drive either a pickup truck or an SUV. Bear in mind that Weno is by far the most developed place in Chuuk.
Right now I'm living in Tonoas, which is another island in the Chuuk lagoon. There are pretty much no cars to be found on the Tonoas. I live in a pretty nice house with a really nice host family. I sleep on a foam pad, shower with a bucket, and use a "benjo" or local toilet, which is glorified hole in the ground. I'll be here for five weeks and then it will only get more rural when I go out to Satowan.
Because I'm going to an outer island, Peace Corps issued me a Satellite phone. This is great for communicating with Peace Corps staff, but it's also great because I can receive text messages for free! Here's how it works:
1) go to www.iridium.com
2) click on "Send a Satellite Message" at the top of the page
3) type in my number: 881641419881 (no need for a reply email, just tell me who you are)
4) send me a message!
I should have pretty consistent internet access for the next 5 weeks, so if you have questions you can feel free to email me and I should be able to respond.
All the best,
Ben
October 3, 2010
October 1, 2010
Site announcement!
Hey everybody!
For the last two weeks, the other trainees and I have been anxiously awaiting the day that we would find out our permanent sites. Well, today was the day—I finally found out where I will be for the next two years!
Drumroll please…
I am going to Satowan, an outer island in the Mortlocks of Chuuk. Satowan has a population of about 400 and has no electricity except for a few solar panels. There are two ways to get there: the “metal coffin” (as the locals call it), a 9 seat plane which takes two hours, or a 24 hour ride on a fishing boat. Peace Corps sends me out there on the plane, but I’m going to try to take the boat at least once. Needless to say, I’m pumped! There is apparently an island in the Mortlocks which is about a 45 minute boat ride from Satowan which has internet access. This means that conceivably every month or so I will be able to go there and access the magical interwebs and all the wonders contained within.
There are 7 of us who are going to Chuuk and we will have the next five weeks of our training on one of the lagoon islands of Chuuk near the main island of Weno. I will be learning Mortlockese, and you can be sure that I will do my best to learn it because I think that the chances that anyone in Satowan speaks English are slim. I can’t wait to update my resume: “Conversational in Mortlockese.” I can hear the interview question now—“What and where are the Mortlocks?
Because I’m moving, my address is changing! I updated the address posted on this blog, so effective immediately, be sure to send any mail to that address. Yes, I can receive and send mail! It may take an extra week or so to get to me, but it will get to me.
One month down, and doing well! Google Satowan and see what comes up!
Lots of love,
Ben
For the last two weeks, the other trainees and I have been anxiously awaiting the day that we would find out our permanent sites. Well, today was the day—I finally found out where I will be for the next two years!
Drumroll please…
I am going to Satowan, an outer island in the Mortlocks of Chuuk. Satowan has a population of about 400 and has no electricity except for a few solar panels. There are two ways to get there: the “metal coffin” (as the locals call it), a 9 seat plane which takes two hours, or a 24 hour ride on a fishing boat. Peace Corps sends me out there on the plane, but I’m going to try to take the boat at least once. Needless to say, I’m pumped! There is apparently an island in the Mortlocks which is about a 45 minute boat ride from Satowan which has internet access. This means that conceivably every month or so I will be able to go there and access the magical interwebs and all the wonders contained within.
There are 7 of us who are going to Chuuk and we will have the next five weeks of our training on one of the lagoon islands of Chuuk near the main island of Weno. I will be learning Mortlockese, and you can be sure that I will do my best to learn it because I think that the chances that anyone in Satowan speaks English are slim. I can’t wait to update my resume: “Conversational in Mortlockese.” I can hear the interview question now—“What and where are the Mortlocks?
Because I’m moving, my address is changing! I updated the address posted on this blog, so effective immediately, be sure to send any mail to that address. Yes, I can receive and send mail! It may take an extra week or so to get to me, but it will get to me.
One month down, and doing well! Google Satowan and see what comes up!
Lots of love,
Ben
September 24, 2010
First few weeks
Hey friends,
A lot has happened in the last three weeks, so I’m not really sure where to begin.
I guess I’ll start with the basics. I’m living in the south of Pohnpei with a large host family. Anywhere from 7 to 12 people are at the house every night. They’re all related in some way—siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents—and I still don’t know everyone’s name. Everyone is really nice, especially my Nohno (host mother). All of the adults speak decent English, so it hasn’t been too hard to connect with them. The house I’m living in is pretty nice too, at least by Micronesian standards. I have electricity, running water, a shower (cold, of course), a flush toilet, and a really comfy bed. The house is about a 15 minute walk/hike up from the road, but it’s a pleasant walk and it’s good to get some exercise.
The food has taken some getting used to. A basic lunch or dinner consists of rice, fish, chicken, and/or pork. Pretty much everything is fried, is incredibly greasy, and contains absurd amounts of salt. I have on occasion seen my Pahpa (host father) add salt to soy sauce and then dip his fried fish into it. Like I said, lots of salt! Breakfast is usually pretty good: pancakes and fried eggs and white toast with peanut butter. A few times I’ve had Frosted Flakes with whole milk, which is a significant change from the Honey Nut Cheerios with skim milk that I’m used to. The other think to report about the food is the amount of it. The serving sizes are enormous. It’s not uncommon for my Nohno to eat an entire plate of white rice, several pieces of fried chicken or fish, tapioca, breadfruit, and yams. Let’s just say nobody in my family is going hungry, not by a long shot. Oh, also, we eat everything with our hands, not utensils.
Craziest thing I’ve eaten so far: pig brain (not very good). I’ve also had pig intestine (also not good) and pig heart (edible).
There’s a huge rock up in the jungle above my house that I can hike to. It’s only takes about twenty minute or half hour to get up there, but there is some serious elevation gain. The view from the top is incredible—you can see out over the blue-green reef and way out into the Pacific. I’ve been up there a few times and taken lots of pictures that I will upload on this blog if I can figure out how. I usually go up with my host brothers and sisters, but last week I went up alone. When I got to the top, I set up my travel hammock and hung out (literally) just looking out at the ocean. After a while it started raining, so I got out of the hammock but stayed on the rock. I must say, standing on a huge rock peak in the pouring rain looking out into the ocean all by myself was just as epic as it sounds. It’s moments like that that make me truly appreciate the fact that I’m here on this crazy adventure.
I find out my permanent placement site on Friday, and I can’t wait! I could be on Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk, Yap, or Palau—main island or small outer island. I definitely have my preferences, but I’m sure I can make it work wherever they decide to send me. I suggested that the Peace Corps staff announce our sites Harry Potter Sorting Hat style. “And you’re going to… YAP! Go join the Yap table.” I’ll let you know if that’s how it actually happens.
Thank you so much to everyone who has sent me mail. Props to Sarah Davis for sending the first letter. Thanks Sarah! I hope everyone is doing well with school, work, job searching, and everything else.
Lots of love from the middle of the Pacific,
Ben
September 5, 2010
Pohnpei
I made it!
After an eleven hour plane ride which stopped at three islands along the way, we landed in Pohnpei. There are 31 new trainees in the group and we're called the Micro '77s or M '77s because we are the 77th Peace Corps group to come here. We were met at the airport by the staff and a few M '75s with a huge banner and flowers. It started pouring just after we landed, but apparently in Micronesia if it rains when you arrive it's a blessing. That night we had an awesome welcome dinner with lots of tuna sashimi, bananas, breadfruit, and of course Bud Light.
We've been in Kolonia (the capital of Pohnpei) for two nights now, and have had time to meet with the Peace Corps staff, get some shots, and buy anything that we might have forgotten. There's a Wallmart in town (yes, with two Ls) which is a grocery store that has a few other things as well. The store has no affiliation with the Wal-Mart that I know and love, but I think they just put a huge "Wallmart" sign on the front to attract people.
Yesterday I had the chance to go out to a bar with some of the current volunteers. It was really nice to just hear them talk about the experiences and pick their brains a little. They didn't tell me anything earth-shattering, but it was reassuring to hear that they were still having a good time. Apparently, FSM is part of the US Postal System, so if you want to send me a letter, all you have to do is put a normal stamp on it and drop it in the mail. If you want to send a package, flat-rate boxes are far and away the best method.
Today we are going to a small municipality on another part of the island (as per Peace Corps regulations, I can't say exactly where), where I will meet and move in with my host family. I'm excited, but I'm also a little nervous. I have no idea how much English my host family will speak, so I might be in for a lot of gesturing. I will be living with them for the next five weeks until I get my permanent assignment. I will almost definitely not have internet, so who knows when I'll be able to update this next.
I'm trying to make it through small accomplishments. Plane ride and Kolonia: check. Now I'm off to my next adventure...
Ben
After an eleven hour plane ride which stopped at three islands along the way, we landed in Pohnpei. There are 31 new trainees in the group and we're called the Micro '77s or M '77s because we are the 77th Peace Corps group to come here. We were met at the airport by the staff and a few M '75s with a huge banner and flowers. It started pouring just after we landed, but apparently in Micronesia if it rains when you arrive it's a blessing. That night we had an awesome welcome dinner with lots of tuna sashimi, bananas, breadfruit, and of course Bud Light.
We've been in Kolonia (the capital of Pohnpei) for two nights now, and have had time to meet with the Peace Corps staff, get some shots, and buy anything that we might have forgotten. There's a Wallmart in town (yes, with two Ls) which is a grocery store that has a few other things as well. The store has no affiliation with the Wal-Mart that I know and love, but I think they just put a huge "Wallmart" sign on the front to attract people.
Yesterday I had the chance to go out to a bar with some of the current volunteers. It was really nice to just hear them talk about the experiences and pick their brains a little. They didn't tell me anything earth-shattering, but it was reassuring to hear that they were still having a good time. Apparently, FSM is part of the US Postal System, so if you want to send me a letter, all you have to do is put a normal stamp on it and drop it in the mail. If you want to send a package, flat-rate boxes are far and away the best method.
Today we are going to a small municipality on another part of the island (as per Peace Corps regulations, I can't say exactly where), where I will meet and move in with my host family. I'm excited, but I'm also a little nervous. I have no idea how much English my host family will speak, so I might be in for a lot of gesturing. I will be living with them for the next five weeks until I get my permanent assignment. I will almost definitely not have internet, so who knows when I'll be able to update this next.
I'm trying to make it through small accomplishments. Plane ride and Kolonia: check. Now I'm off to my next adventure...
Ben
August 23, 2010
All my bags are packed...
Hey everybody,
My bags aren't actually packed yet--in fact I still need to go get a duffel bag to put all my stuff in. I am, however, very much ready to go and have been for quite a while now. I've gotten a couple of new toys that I will be bringing with me--a nylon pack hammock, a wind up flash light, and a fancy new waterproof digital camera. I've also found out just about everything that the wonderful and all-knowing internet has to say about Micronesia, which if you wondering is not very much.
More than physically having everything I need, I am emotionally ready to go. As much fun as it is to tell people about what I'm about to go do, it can get a little frustrating. There are so many questions that I can't answer yet and it gets a little old saying "I don't know" to everyone. What language will you be speaking? I don't know. Will you have phone or internet service? I don't know. What will you wear? I don't know. What age group will you be teaching? I don't know. I pretty much won't know anything for sure until I get there.
Here's an update as to what I do know. I know that I will be on Pohmpei until the middle of October for Phase 1 of training, so the address you see on the right will be good until then (hint, hint...). If and when it changes, I will be sure to update it. (A quick note on mail: if you send a postcard, put it in an envelope or else it may end up on the wall of the Micronesian post office. If you send a package, it's more likely to actually make it to me if it's in a padded envelope as opposed to a box. I'm not really sure why, but that's what they say.) In mid-October, I will move on to Phase 2 of training, which will happen at my permanent service site. (Where? I don't know!)
I've had a couple of interesting conversations about my upcoming Peace Corps service. A few people have thanked me for my service, which is bit strange to me. While I guess I am technically "serving," I see it much more as a personal experience where I can hopefully teach some English and help out a few people along the way. Thank military personal if it makes you feel good, but don't thank me. I've also had a few people tell me to "enjoy your trip." This one kind of bugs me. I'm not going on a "trip" or a "vacation," I'm moving to a new country for the next two years. The word "trip" implies that I am already thinking about my return back to my "real life" or "normalcy." I am a big comics fan, and there's a quote from Calvin and Hobbes that really strikes a chord with me.
"We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are."
One of my goal for this experience is not to think about what comes next. My real life is happening in Micronesia for the next two years; I'm not gonna miss out on it worrying about what's next.
One week to go...
Lots of love,
Ben
My bags aren't actually packed yet--in fact I still need to go get a duffel bag to put all my stuff in. I am, however, very much ready to go and have been for quite a while now. I've gotten a couple of new toys that I will be bringing with me--a nylon pack hammock, a wind up flash light, and a fancy new waterproof digital camera. I've also found out just about everything that the wonderful and all-knowing internet has to say about Micronesia, which if you wondering is not very much.
More than physically having everything I need, I am emotionally ready to go. As much fun as it is to tell people about what I'm about to go do, it can get a little frustrating. There are so many questions that I can't answer yet and it gets a little old saying "I don't know" to everyone. What language will you be speaking? I don't know. Will you have phone or internet service? I don't know. What will you wear? I don't know. What age group will you be teaching? I don't know. I pretty much won't know anything for sure until I get there.
Here's an update as to what I do know. I know that I will be on Pohmpei until the middle of October for Phase 1 of training, so the address you see on the right will be good until then (hint, hint...). If and when it changes, I will be sure to update it. (A quick note on mail: if you send a postcard, put it in an envelope or else it may end up on the wall of the Micronesian post office. If you send a package, it's more likely to actually make it to me if it's in a padded envelope as opposed to a box. I'm not really sure why, but that's what they say.) In mid-October, I will move on to Phase 2 of training, which will happen at my permanent service site. (Where? I don't know!)
I've had a couple of interesting conversations about my upcoming Peace Corps service. A few people have thanked me for my service, which is bit strange to me. While I guess I am technically "serving," I see it much more as a personal experience where I can hopefully teach some English and help out a few people along the way. Thank military personal if it makes you feel good, but don't thank me. I've also had a few people tell me to "enjoy your trip." This one kind of bugs me. I'm not going on a "trip" or a "vacation," I'm moving to a new country for the next two years. The word "trip" implies that I am already thinking about my return back to my "real life" or "normalcy." I am a big comics fan, and there's a quote from Calvin and Hobbes that really strikes a chord with me.
"We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are."
One of my goal for this experience is not to think about what comes next. My real life is happening in Micronesia for the next two years; I'm not gonna miss out on it worrying about what's next.
One week to go...
Lots of love,
Ben
August 1, 2010
First Post
Hello everyone,
Welcome to my lovely blog. I've never done this before, so please bear with me as I get accustomed making my thoughts known to whomever would like to read them.
As I'm sure most of you know, I am joining the Peace Corps as an ESL Teacher & Community Development Worker in the Federated States of Micronesia. As of about two months ago, I couldn't point out Micronesia on a map, much less tell you anything about the islands (yes, "islands" plural--very plural) or what the Peace Corps does there. If you are similarly clueless and somewhat interested, you can check out the links I have conveniently posted on the side.
So here's what I know: I leave on September 1st and meet up with the rest of the group--I don't know how many--in Honolulu. After a couple of days in Hawaii, we will all head to Pohmpei, the capital island of Micronesia. I will have 2-3 weeks of training there before heading out to my actual placement, which could be on pretty much any island in Micronesia. I have no idea what the phone or internet situation will be, but I will do my best to update this blog whenever I can.
My address is posted over to the right. That will be my address from about September 2-20. I will be sure to update it if it changes. Mail service is supposedly pretty good, but it will probably take a week or more for letter or packages to arrive. I can pretty much guarantee that I will absolutely love receiving mail from anyone so friends, family, acquaintances, randos who accidentally found this blog--send me some love!
Speaking of addresses, I need yours! I am bringing lots of stationary and envelopes with me, so if you want me to send you anything, I need your address. You can email it to me at benjamin.perdue@gmail.com, leave a comment on this blog, facebook it to me, call me, text it to me, telegram it to me, carrier pigeon it me, or pony express it to me (owls not accepted).
One last thing, you will notice that you can subscribe to this blog. If you would like to be notified when I post something new, the wonders of technology can make it so! I promise I won't spam you with zillions of posts. I'll consider this blog a success if I can manage to post every month or so.
Lots of love,
Ben
Welcome to my lovely blog. I've never done this before, so please bear with me as I get accustomed making my thoughts known to whomever would like to read them.
As I'm sure most of you know, I am joining the Peace Corps as an ESL Teacher & Community Development Worker in the Federated States of Micronesia. As of about two months ago, I couldn't point out Micronesia on a map, much less tell you anything about the islands (yes, "islands" plural--very plural) or what the Peace Corps does there. If you are similarly clueless and somewhat interested, you can check out the links I have conveniently posted on the side.
So here's what I know: I leave on September 1st and meet up with the rest of the group--I don't know how many--in Honolulu. After a couple of days in Hawaii, we will all head to Pohmpei, the capital island of Micronesia. I will have 2-3 weeks of training there before heading out to my actual placement, which could be on pretty much any island in Micronesia. I have no idea what the phone or internet situation will be, but I will do my best to update this blog whenever I can.
My address is posted over to the right. That will be my address from about September 2-20. I will be sure to update it if it changes. Mail service is supposedly pretty good, but it will probably take a week or more for letter or packages to arrive. I can pretty much guarantee that I will absolutely love receiving mail from anyone so friends, family, acquaintances, randos who accidentally found this blog--send me some love!
Speaking of addresses, I need yours! I am bringing lots of stationary and envelopes with me, so if you want me to send you anything, I need your address. You can email it to me at benjamin.perdue@gmail.com, leave a comment on this blog, facebook it to me, call me, text it to me, telegram it to me, carrier pigeon it me, or pony express it to me (owls not accepted).
One last thing, you will notice that you can subscribe to this blog. If you would like to be notified when I post something new, the wonders of technology can make it so! I promise I won't spam you with zillions of posts. I'll consider this blog a success if I can manage to post every month or so.
Lots of love,
Ben
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