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