"Upon an Alter"-Pohnpei

Check out more pictures of the trip....

2009-08-24T00:43:00.001-07:00

http://matthewjbritten.wordpress.com/

Boat trip to the outer islands

2009-08-24T00:16:00.000-07:00

Banana Printmaking

2009-08-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

Summer in Pohnpei

2009-08-23T01:32:00.000-07:00

I have dropped the ball big time on this blogging business. I apologize to those of you who may follow this blog. I've perfected the art of "snail mailing" here, but am slacking in the computer area. Believe it or not I am better with blogs than the average PCV in Micronesia. :)

Life on an island has been good to me this summer. I have learned a lot during my last few months of service and am really excited for my upcoming year in the Peace Corps.

I finished off the school year in May teaching Writing, Reading, Grammar, Science, and Spelling. During the last month of school, we took a field trip to an outer island of Pohnpei to grill out, swim, and enjoy life outside of the classroom. I ended up getting sunburned and taking an accidental nap under the trees for two hours...apparently Americans can't handle hours in the tropical sun...who knew??

I am pleased to note that there ARE beaches on Pohnpei, but you just have to travel to smaller outer islands to find them. I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed celebrating the end of the school year with my students even though my skin was extremely damaged and painful.

In June, I helped with a summer camp at Nihco Marine Park for eighth grade girls in Pohnpei. Six female volunteers from Pohnpei worked at this camp and there were over 50 girls to attend camp from seven elementary schools in Pohnpei. Camp was a big hit and I had a lot of fun getting to know the eighth grade girls outside of school. Several NGO's throughout Pohnpei came to talk to the girls about the environment, culture, local food, and health issues on Pohnpei.

We also had arts and crafts projects, a talent show, and games throughout the week. As an artist, I have been trying to find ways to incorporate the arts into my classroom and community development projects. My favorite medium to work with as a college student was printmaking and I've been trying to find materials in Pohnpei to be able to teach printmaking to my students. Resources are limited, but we were able to gather local materials this summer to teach a small class on printmaking during summer camp. We experimented with "banana printmaking" this summer and got excellent results. The girls used parts of banana trees to create designs with paint on paper. The beautiful patterns of the banana stalks make interesting designs and the girls were extremely creative with the patterns and shapes that they made with their "local prints".

The girls learned new songs, such as "LET ME SEE YOUR FUNKY CHICKEN", but I think I was WAY more amused with the camp songs than any of the girls. Some of them were too shy to sing the song themselves, but enjoyed watching all the PCV's make fools out of themselves. All ended well with girl's camp. The last night a dance party broke out and we were up until 1:00 in the morning dancing to country, salsa, and rock. An interesting mix of music, but it made a good "Last Night in the Wilderness Party". It was hard to be the responsible one and make all the girls go to bed when I myself was having too much fun.

After girls camp I got a few days off to relax at my site and spend time with my family. I went fishing with my brother Dihno, my sister Pwonai, and another family from my village. We left at around 7:00 in the morning and spent the whole day out on the ocean. I got fried, but had a lot of fun doing it. This time we went fishing with a net and caught over 200 fish. It was amusing watching my brother and his friends fish. First of all, they can still chew bettle nut while snorkling and they spit red water out of their snorkle after diving. Secondly, I'm not sure they are human because they can stay underwater for long periods of time without breathing.
They start out by setting up a long net under water. During this time, I normally swim around and try to look important and helpful. Then some people will get back into the boat while others stay swimming in the water. The people in the boat will drive the boat towards the net while smacking the water with sticks and pounding the sides of the boat. (I'm pretty good at this part.) While the people in the boat swim fast towards the net and smack their hands on the top of the surface. (This "style" of swimming looks the same as my butterfly so I am pretty good at this too!!)
The fish will all swim fast into the net and catch themselves in it. Once the fish are caught people can dive into the water and take the fish from the nets.
After about nine hours of fishing I was ready to collapse into bed and fall asleep, but apparently our day was not finished. Whenever someone buys a new fishing boat or fishing net in Pohnpei people in the community will have a "Kahpw Laid" ("New Fish"). After the family has gone fishing, the community will get together to sukesuk (pound sakau) and distribute the fish to people in the village with high titles. After all that work I didn't even get to eat fresh fish!! Ha, I was disappointed, but luckily the next day I had sashimi waiting for me at lunch!

Not long after camp I found out my sister and her husband Jon had bought a plane ticket to come visit me in Micronesia!! I am a lucky lady. Those of us who have experienced the "island hopper" plane ride know that it is not for the faint of heart! My family in Enipein spent the week before they came teaching me how to build an uhmw (local oven made of hot stones) and prepare Pohnpeian foods so I could impress Jon and Megan when they came! Ha. The first time we made an uhmw, I accidently fell asleep three hours into it and my brother has called me "marsuwed" (a little liar) ever since. After about three tries I have learned the art of oven making, but don't think I could replicate the process once I get back into the US.

The local foods of Pohnpei are really good, but also take a lot of work to make. To make an uhmw people will first place several small stones into a large garbage can and create a fire over the rocks. After the rocks are extremely hot, they will remove the garbage can and place the food on top of the uhmw. Then they take banana leaves to cover the rocks and food and trap the heat inside of the oven. It sounds like a fairly easy job, but in a tropical climate the heat can be to intense for a Wisconsin girl.

I had a lot of fun with Jon and Megan here. It was great for people from home to see that 1. Yes, Micronesia does actually exist and 2. Yes, I am actually working and not just on vacation.

We spent the first two nights at the village where we relaxed and tried to hide cockroaches from Jon. It was nice to have a vacation after months of school and work. After two days in Pohnpei, we headed to Enipein to go fishing and spend some time with my family. We spent the first night on a small man made island called "bikini island". I live in the mountains of Kitti and it is a long drive by boat through the mangroves before people can get out to the open ocean. Most fisherman will stay on their boats overnight or spend the night on an outer island in order to get in enough fishing time before they go back to the main island. Meg and Jon really enjoyed fishing and eating fresh sashimi right off the bone of the fish! For those of you who still think I am on a Sandals vacation, Meg and Jon may be able to vouch that that is not the case. In order to get to the benjo (outhouse) on this island people have to walk across a coral path that is covered with about a foot of water at high tide. Yikes. After sakau that is not an easy task and our friend, Ohn ,ended up falling into the ocean on his way to the bathroom.

After a few days in Enipein, we headed to Kolonia to meet up with the other PCV's and spend a week together in town. I volunteered at a reading camp during this time that lasted two weeks. Myself and four other volunteers worked with over 75 children grades 1-8 at the library in town. I worked with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders and had around 30 students during this two week camp. We taught students about books and how to use the dewey decimal system at the library. We also incorporated songs, games and arts and crafts projects into the camp. During this week Michael Jackson passed away and I was suprised that my students were singing "Thriller" and "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough". In fact, I think their "Michael Jackson knowledge" exceeded my own. Amazing.

After camp, I made the last minute decision to take a cargo ship to the outer islands of Pohnpei with other PCV's. We visited the islands of Kapingamarangi, Nukuoro and Sapwuahfik. The boat was supposed to leave on Tuesday, but when Tuesday arrived we were informed that "the boat would leave tomorrow...or after". On Wednesday morning, we were happy to hear that the boat was indeed leaving :) In the afternoon, we boarded "The Voyager" and made our cozy home under a tarp on the deck of the ship. People on the ship were all really friendly and I quickly made a new friend named Tori. Tori is a man from Kapinga and at every island he told me that I wasn't allowed to get off the boat and look at the islands because he could tell by my eyes that I was "trouble". Luckily, Tori wasn't in charge of who got on or off the boats and I did get to visit all of the islands.

The first island that we stopped on was Sapwuahfik. We visited with a fellow PCV, Nikki, and her family and spent the afternoon snorkling and swimming. I was suprised to find that people on Sapwauhfik speak a language very similar to Pohnpeian and I understood alot of what her family and people on the island had to say.

The next island, Nukuoro, was probably my favorite island that we visited. Nukuoro is an outer island of Pohnpei, but Nukuoron's are actually from a Polynesian background. The language and culture are very different from Pohnpei, but I found that many people here could speak English very well. Another PCV and I spent the morning walking around the island and looking at the school. We learned how to say hello, beautiful and thankyou in the local language, but apparently we were pronouncing "hello" wrong and were actually walking around telling people to bury us. I'm glad that they didn't listen to what we were saying.

The last island that we visited was Kapingamarangi. Kapingamarangi is also of Polynesian descent and the island is the farthest south in Micronesia. We spent the morning swimming, walking from island to island at low tide, and enjoying the children of Kapingamarangi. I spent some of the afternoon playing frisbee with some of the children and trying to encourage the children to paint with me. One little boy did end up painting and the other children thought it was hilarious. I couldn't understand anything they were saying, but had alot of fun with them. I hope they weren't laughing at me.

We spent the night on Kapinga and walked to church with our friend Tori at night to attend mass. A family dressed us all in local dresses and shirts. Maybe they thought we would "blend in" more in local attire...but it is difficult for six Americans on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean to blend in. After we were fed with local foods and coconuts we walked back through the village and spent the night in hammocks and mats under the stars. It was a great experience until I woke up with a crab crawling across my face...I prefer an alarm clock! Ha.

The outer islands were amazing and beautiful. Many of the islands cannot have PCV volunteers because they do not have airstrips and are so far from the main island of Pohnpei. I hope that they get an airstrip soon, because Kapinga and Nukuoro would both like to have a volunteer and I think that a PCV would have a great experience at one of these islands.

The boat ride back was interesting and also exhausting! I got sick on the way back and spent almost a whole day sleeping. I think some of the people on the boat were beginning to think maybe they left me on one of the islands, because I spent hours tucked away in our tarp. On the boat ride back the boat began to fill with high school kids (returning to Pohnpei for the school year), pigs and chickens. Hammocks were everywhere and people slept on the deck of the ship. It took a long time to load up the cargo ship at each island because small boats needed to take people from the islands to the cargo ship. Most of the islands are surrounded by coral reefs and it is impossible for the cargo ship to go near the islands. The trip was a great experience, but I was also relieved to have a good shower, meal and bed when I returned to Pohnpei.

My parents and Bronwyn have been visiting this week and it has been so great to see them! (You will all have to thank my mom because she was the one that encouraged me to upload my blog!)The first day they were here we went to the Kapingamarangi village in Kolonia and got to see the locals working on creating traditional wood carvings and jewelry. The necklaces are commonly carved from ivory nuts and many of the carvings are made from mangrove trees or trees from the outer islands. We spent Saturday visiting with my family in Kitti and Madelonihmw and also snorkled at Black Coral and Manta Road. On Thursday, we went to see Nan Madol (traditional ruins in Pohnpei) and got to kayak around all of the ruins. It was a really neat experience for me and I had no idea that Nan Madol was so large!! I have had a lot of great experiences with them, but will have to save that for another blog because it is 11:30 at night and I have school tomorrow!

This year I will be teaching 7th and 8th grade at Awok Elementary School. I have moved to the other side of the island and will also be working on several projects in Kolonia this year. Mainly, I will be working on a book project to provide schools in Micronesia with resources relevant to the students and also in the local languages. I have just finished working with another volunteer to create four books for ECE students throughout Micronesia in four different languages. The books will focus on colors, reading, counting, and shapes. I illustrated three of the books and will be spending the next year helping distribute the books to schools in Pohnpei and helping ECE teachers incorporate them into their classroom. I am really excited for this project and also excited to create more books for older grades.

You can check out the books at: www.islandresearch.org/index.html
(If the books are not on the website at least you can learn more about the group that is creating these books and their work in Micronesia!!)

Well I hope I didn't put you all to sleep with this blog! I myself need to get to sleep, or I am going to be a crabby teacher with some out of control students tomorrow!! I miss you all and would love to hear from you. If you'd like to write email me at mutchler.kath@yahoo.com . It's always good to hear from home.

Miss you all!!

2009-05-31T16:48:00.000-07:00

2009-04-10T22:17:00.000-07:00

April

2009-04-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

Spring Break. I've successfully avoided all sakau markets this week and therefore avoided all stomach dilemas that go along with it. I've just finished a week of no students, no school, and no alarm clocks. It has been wonderful.

I broke my watch on the first day of spring break spear fishing and have been watchless for about a week now. (I break pretty much everything I own here and think it is probably best that I don't own any technological devices from now on.) I'd like to say that I enjoyed forgetting about the concept of time, but I have not yet shaken my reliance on a clock (In some ways I will always be a "Menwie"-"American"). I spent today in Kolonia looking for a watch and was unsuccessful. All watches here are around $100 (Which is probably why no one owns one). So, I will be writing my mother once again for help and will ask for a watch. Other PCVs have Amazon.com...I have Sherry Mutchler.

Last Friday, my students had a track meet in Kolonia so I came into town to watch them run. It was so hot and I couldn't imagine running in that heat. My students also ran barefoot and I think that is amazing, because whenever I try to run barefoot I come home with huge blisters that make it impossible to walk pain-free for weeks. My family needs to constantly remind me that I am not Pohnpeian and there are just some things I just shouldn't do.

On Saturday, I went spearfishing with a volunteer, Nick, from Kipar and his students. We left around 3:00 to make the two hour hike to Pedieu to meet up with Nick's student, Pisau. We went out in a canoe around 5:00 and stayed out until 4:00 in the morning. The day before I bought a pair of goggles in Kolonia for $10 (bad choice...) which ended up breaking about two hours into fishing. Fishing at night is way easier than fishing during the day because the fish are sleeping and not swimming about. I ended up spearing two fish (Mwah sang sohte...better than nothing). My fish wouldn't exactly feed a family, or me, or even a 4 year old for a day, but I was excited. My friend, Nick, speared about three fish and his friend Pisau speared around thirty. Ahh, It's a good thing I have a family to feed me here. Once my goggles broke (probably around 9:00) I ended up sitting in the canoe for the next 7 hours while Pasau pulled me around. He didn't trust me paddling the canoe in the ocean so he tied a string to his waist from the canoe, so he could pull me along in the boat. (This reminded me of how my parents used to put a leash on me when I was little so I couldn't get lost. Same concept...more or less.) Around 3:00 am it started raining and we hid under the mangroves to avoid getting wet. I was exhausted by the time we were finished and ready for bed. I ended up sleeping almost all day Sunday.
On Tuesday, I went to a Nahlap (a picnic island) with other Peace Corps Volunteer. We stayed at Nahlap for two nights. Tuesday, I spent most of the day spearfishing (or at least attempting to). I ended up tying a line across my waist to hold on to all the fish I had caught (Didn't really need to talley them up. I only caught two.) It made me nervous, because locals have told me sharks will probably not attack you...unless you have fish with you. So, basically I was swimming shark bait (ho-ha-ha). After about three hours of fishing, a Pohnpeian man ended up giving me three of his fish, because he felt sorry for me. I ended up getting sick again from spending so much time out on the ocean and once again my family had to tell me there are some things that I probably just shouldn't do. I have also been told several times by my brother that I should not go spear fishing because it is "men's work" and not "women's work". This might be true, but then they shouldn't have let me use a spear gun, because now I am addicted. I love it! Once I became sick, I ended up spending all day sleeping on the hammock and reading out in the sun (Not a bad way to spend a spring break).

Yesterday was Good Friday. Easter week is a week long celebration for Pohnpeians and some families go to church every day during Easter week. Yesterday, church started around 1:00. I crawled into the back of the pick up truck with my family (I have perfected the "Pohnpeian art" of climbing into trucks with skirts on) By the time we got to church we had 24 people in the truck. I think if the truck had a weight limit sticker on it we would have definately exceeded the limit. Sometimes it amazes me that there are not more car accidents in Pohnpei. When we got to church we found that it was empty. We continued driving and soon came upon a large group of people walking down the road following a cross. My brother pulled over the truck and we all jumped out to follow the parade of church-goers. It was my first church experience outside of the church and I really enjoyed it. Although I could not understand what was exactly being said, I found myself (for the first time in my existence) trying to listen to every word that was being said. We all walked down the road and sang songs in Pohnpeian. Things are very symbolic and although I cannot always understand what is being said I understand what is going on. Our walk down the road was symbolic of Jesus' walk with the cross before his crucifixion. Most holidays I sit through church anxiously waiting for it to end so we can get to the "good stuff" (presents, food, family time), but we walked for around 2 hours and I enjoyed every minute of it. People were either silent, or singing and it gave me time to think and reflect. After our walk, we all crowded into the church for another hour of service. During this time, however, I felt as though I was going to pass out from heat exhaustion and kneeling. But, I lived.

For now, I'm going to take a break from coconut tree climbing and spear fishing until my legs are all patched back up. My family has been telling me I need to wear pants because my legs are pretty ugly (so I think it is about time). Monday I'm back to school. Only six more weeks until summer. I'm still working with other volunteers to get things together for "Camp Glow" (a girls camp) this summer. Trying to choreograph a "Thriller" dance for the talent show, but I'm not sure the girls here will quite understand it. I've debated switching it up with "Dancing Queen" or any "Mama Mia" song that will surely have them dancing. Actually, I haven't started planning anything, but I have an excellent vision in my head.

2009-03-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

Eh Cuk! It's been so long since I've posted on here. I'm going to try to attempt to recap on my last three months of service in Micronesia. I apologize for those of you who do read my blog...I'm going to use "Island Time" as my excuse.
First, I have to go back to 2008...
Christmas here was busy and quite entertaining. We had two weeks off of school and I just got to hang out with my family and community. This meant alot of relaxation and ALOT of sakau. Sakau makes the world go round in Enipein. Lets be honest...sakau makes MY world go round lately. In fact, my "nohno" grounded me from the sakau market after Christmas because it was starting to mess with my insides. We had a Christmas party the last day of school and I tried to teach my students the limbo with ABBA ("Mama Mia") songs. Traditional Christmas activities...my thoughts exactly. Actually, it was mildly entertaining, but I wish I had the "jack be limbo, jack be quick" song. It would have really enhanced the experience. We also exchanged gifts and ate ice cream...YES!! It was delicious. I received alot of gifts from my students (soap, toilet paper, etc) First time I received toilet paper as a Christmas gift and at first I thought this was odd, but as math books and cardboard began showing up in our benjo (outhouse) I became very thankful for this gift. I also recieved Pohnpeian skirts (I now have a total of 15!!!)
I went to mass with my family Christmas Eve. The church was beautiful. I spent the day helping my Nohno tie leaves on string to make "wreaths and garland". Christmas Eve I got all decked out in my MuuMuu and crawled in the back of a pick-up to head to Weno for a night mass. I love going to church because we always start off with 5 or 6 people in the vehile and end with about 20 (ahhh yes, Pohnpei taxis).
New Years Eve was quite the experience here. Pohnpeians celebrate New Years for DAYS! In some communities they were still have New Years Celebrations into the end of January. The celebration in Enipein was probably about one week long. New Years Eve my family built an uhmw (local oven) and began cooking dog for a celebration. It was a little overwhelming because there were probably about 12-14 dogs, so I sometimes had to observe from a distance (far distance). After dinner my brothers began to sukesuk (pound kava). I have even began to help sukesuk for the sakau at the markets. Its a good work out. Personally, I think my brothers let me participate because they find it amusing. The different part about New Years in Pohnpei is the celebration STARTS at 12:00 and NEVER ends. At 12:00 people will go from house to house and throw candy. We began dancing in our local Nahs (celebration porch/house) and I didn't stop dancing until about 6 in the morning. I was the first person to go to bed in my community. The next day my sister woke me up at around 2:00 to tell me that my brother Nansou wanted to talk to me. I was definately nervous, because my brother has a very high title and I was hopening that I did not offend him. When I left my room I saw Nansou and my cousin dancing in the Nahs. Apparently, the celebration had not yet ended. So, at 2:15... I celebrated New Years again.:)

Living with a host family has definately been a challenge, but is also one of the best parts of my experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer. My family is HUGE. Around 13 people live in my house and around 20 in my compound. My family is starting to let me help out around the house and I'm beginning to feel more apart of my family. In fact, I now have a title thanks to my cousin Kunda. My new name in Enipein is "Idignol" and now my cousin Kunda calls me "It"....excellent. It started out as a joke and spread like wildfire throughout my community.
My brother Dihno has been giving me coconut tree climbing lessons. Once again I think this is more a form of entertainment for my family, but I really want to learn. After two years I'm going to make it to the top. Compared to my brothers, I haven't really made alot of progress, but now I can get about 4 feet up the tree before I end up sliding down and damaging the bottom of my feet.
I have began to go spear fishing on Sundays with a volunteer in Kipar and a man named Toni and his family. Last Sunday, we went to a TINY island next to the reef called "Bikini Island". It is a man made island with a small shack on it. I wasn't to successful in the spear fishing department, but I did get to spend the day snorkling around and practicing with the spear. Next time I'm hoping to get A fish. It's a good thing I'm not the one bringing home the bacon. After lunch, we went out in the boat and I ended up catching two barracudas!! (My fishing career isn't completely doomed after all.)
Today, I'm going to Kipamarangi Village in Kolonia to look at Local Crafts with two volunteers. Although I might not make alot of money, I'm not spending alot of money either and I have been able to save up some money to buy some!
( Thats one advantage to living in a rural village on a small island...)

School was definately a challenge for me and still is. I struggle with classroom management and the language barrier. I'm suppose to be teaching in English, but I find that if I teach in English many of my students don't understand. On the other hand, when I teach in Pohnpeian I sound like an idiot.:) I'm really starting to enjoy my students though and have just began teaching Science which I love. Right now I'm having my students read local myths from islands in Micronesia and act out the myths in front of the class. Afterwards, I'm going to have my students write their own myths and create illustrations.

So...basically I'm sick of computers....

*Many volunteers are developing scars on their heals from sitting crosslegged. Some volunteers are getting bruises on their butts.
*My family ideally would like me to be about 20 lbs. heavier so I've been eating ALOT. After some meals my nohno will come rub my belly (which is most excellent). I eat mostly local foods....banana, fish, pig, breadfruit, taro, yam, and crab. My new delicacy at my site is Raumen with Kool-Aid....or bread with "peinas pwetcha"...peanut butter.
*Mama Mia is a big hit here. I had my mom send the DVD and immediately regret that decision. I have watched it 6 times in the last week :(.
*I've been sick alot in the last month, but am finally starting to get my immune system "in tune" with Pohnpei.
*I am starting to run and dogs are becoming less scary. Although I did get attacked by a small puppy on my walk to Weno last week. :(

& I'm spent. Thats all I got. I'm going to try to be a little better writing on here, but it definately can be difficult. My site doesn't have computers and now sitting in front of a computer gives me a headache. Until next time... (which may be a long time from now!!) I hope all is well back home. If you would really like to hear from me...Snail mail is the best way to go!! Miss you all.

Merry Times in Micronesia

2008-12-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! They have started playing Christmas music here and it is really wierd. Isn't it August? It's crazy to think that I have been in Kitti almost a month. It was a really lonely feeling at first but I'm really starting to enjoy it. The pace of life here is pretty slow. My typical day... wake up at about 6:00 AM, go to school, help my family with chores,play some basketball with my sisters, and visit at the sakau market. My family here is really friendly and my sister, Sienna, is so helpful.
School here is interesting. I have a long way to go with their languages. I have NO classroom management - but I'm just taking things slow and not letting things bother me too much. Individually, students are all great. My principal is tutoring me everyday in Pohpeian, but the best way to learn... Sakau (:>) I'm not as nervous then and people talk more slowly.
The waterfall hike was probably one of the craziest things I have ever done. Unfortunately, my camera broke before the really good stuff. I think I fell about 6 times during the hike. We had to cross streams - holding backpacks overhead- over rocks!
My swear-in went well. You can see some of the pictures on Facebook of me in a grass skirt. That's probably all until the New Year. I heard New Year's is a really big deal here. Looking forward to that! Your letters mean a lot. Until 2009....

Teaching in Kitti...

2008-12-01T18:37:00.000-08:00

I've been in Enipein for about two weeks now and things are really starting to come together. I still struggle with the language but am beginning to have full conversations. My family here speaks to me in Pohnpeian (even though some know English). This can be lonely at times, but is good because this way I will learn. My Nohno here is 67 and she is an amazing woman. She is very hard working and strong. Yesterday I saw her sprint across the lawn with a broom after her son who had sworn. Ha!

It seems that everyone here is related so my "new" family is huge. But at my house, I have four sisters - Seina (28), Selena (23), Regina (13), Silvia (8). It's really nice having sisters again and they really take care of me. I also have five older brothers and a lot of cousins/nieces, etc.

I have begun by teaching grammar and spelling to 4th graders at Enipein. I have 32 students. My teacher Evengar Walters is very interested in doing a correspondence program with middle schools in the states.

It can be somewhat intimidating trying to become part of a new community when you don't really know the language, but I'm making progress. Right now I'm looking for a tutor. Everyone is very nice and Kitti is beautiful. Everyone is also really active. They are always playing basketball, volleyball, and fishing or farming.

My home is right across from the school and right next to the sakau (kava) market. we have a Nas, a cookhouse, and an uhmu house. Also, a house to sleep in. Only the sleep house has enclosed walls. We have a benjo (outhouse) and an outdoor shower. This has been my dream for many years and I'm finally doing it. I love the pace of life and the simpleness. I eat all local food now - banana, breadfruit, yam, taro, fish, crab, pig. I'll send pictures soon of my newest home. Love to all.

Kaselehlie

2008-11-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

It's been exactly two months since my plane landed and I took my first steps on Pohnpei. Wow time flies! Looking back at pictures from 2 months ago seems like a decade ago. Ha - Okay maybe not that long ago! I can't believe I am a Peace Corps volunteer instead of just a trainee. I am now beginning to see why Pohnpei is the rainy island. Last week it rained almost nonstop all day. I actually don't mind because it cools the island down and gives me time to relax. The picture is of my new school, Enipean. it will be great to be in the classroom.

Last weekend I went to a Kamadip (feast) on Saturday in Wapar. We got honorary spots at the the feast in the front of the Nahs. We all danced and it was a lot of fun. These can be LONG days because you sit for hours! I spent all night Friday helping my Nonho prepare for the feast (making marmars and food). On Saturday night the Nahnmarki (King) passed away so we went to a funeral on Sunday. There were SO many people at the funeral.

I found out last week that my nickname (Katji) means "to throw rocks at".

Elizabeth, our program director, is having a Thanksgiving dinner for us all. My fellow PCV's are great. We have already gotten really close and bonded although I do miss some that are on the other islands. Anyways, I have my ups and downs but mostly this has been a really great experience and I love Pohnpei. The people here are so friendly and love to laugh. I really enjoy their way of life. I think I hit the Peace Corps Jackpot on Pohnpei. Kaselehlie!

On the Road Again

2008-11-14T13:03:00.000-08:00

Today, I move to Enipein ("N-Pain") in Kiti ("Kee-chee"). I am really excited to finally be in the classroom. I'm not sure if I've told you about the following helpful websites: http://www.micsem.org/, http://www.pohnpeiheaven.com/, http://www.fsm.com/, http://www.pohnpeivb.fm/, http://www.visit-fsm.org/. Language training is going very well and I really enjoy my instructors. There have been adjustments that I have made really quickly here. Kitti is so beautiful. Rolling mountains and lots of waterfalls. When you drive up and down the roads, you can see children swimming in the stream and also playing volleyball and basketball. My house is right next to the school and also the sakau market (great social opportunity. I also have 3 sisters and one brother. They eat mostly local foods which means I'll most likely be eating taro, yam, breadfruit (yum!), bananas, fish, sashimi, and pork. I also tried sea turtle the other day. I will be close to Madelonihmw and will be able to visit my first family on occasion. Pohnpei is beautiful, but there are no beaches. There are mountains, barrier reefs, flora, and waterfalls.
While I'm here, there are other projects I want to work on. #1 is health - diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are very common here; #2 Environmental conservation - Pohnpei is a beautiful place, but there are problems with conservation; #3 creating programs or helping schools develop opportunities for students with special needs.
Pohnpei History: Pohnpei was ruled 500AD to 1450AD by the Saudeleur Dynasty. Land was owned by the Nahnmwarki, a sacred ruler, who leased the land to landlords. He spoke only to the Nahnken who was an intermediary between the ruler and the people. Commoners harvested the land and provided tributes of frut and fish. This continues today at funerals and celebrations. The first inhabitants came from Melanesia. Canoes were made from hollowed out breadfruit trees and fishing nets woven from coconut trees. Children were raised communally. Only the chief had sakau stones, used to make the drink pounded out of pepper plants.

Write and tell me how things are with you.
Kate Mutchler, Peace Corps/Micronesia, PO Box 9, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM, 94961.

A little background....

2008-11-02T17:34:00.000-08:00

My island, Pohnpei, has been occupied by Spain, Germany, and Japan. Following World War II, the Federated States of Micronesia were part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI). In 1982, the TTPI ended but the US established a Compact of Free Association and established a trust fund to support the Federated States of Micronesia in exchange for military access. The five states here are Kiti, Madolenihmw,Nett, U, and Sokehs. The FSM have a Constitution, a president and Vice President, and a governor in each of the four states. On Pohnpei, there are about 33,700 people. Even though English is a common language, the currency is the American dollar, and postal costs are similar to the US Postal service, there are many different languages and cultures in the FM. There are many cultural groups or tribes on each island. On Pohnpei, some of these are Kapingamarangi, Mwoakilloa, Ngatik, Nukuoro, Oroluk, Pakin, Pingelap, and Pohnpei. As you can see, learning the language(s) is quite a feat! Respect should be given to the chiefs, the Nahnmarki and Nahnken.

I've talked about Nan Madol before and it is fascinating. Nan Madol are stone ruins accessible by sea depending on the tides. It includes a seawall of monoliths and speculation has it that the stones were dropped from the sky. The ruins at Nan Madol are still sacred to the people of Pohnpei. At one time is was very similar to Venice. It consists of 82 artificial islands of basalt crytal logs. All this was part of a lost Pacific civilization dating back to the 11th century.

Pohnpei is called a "high" island because it is a lush, volcanic island. I will be on the southwest side of the island in Kiti when I start teaching at Enipein Elementary School. Pohnpei is about 2600 miles from Honolulu and about 4700 miles from Los Angeles.

Pohnpei Heaven

2008-10-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

Language classes are difficult...but very helpful. I really enjoy my language teachers. The Mwoakalese teacher is so funny! His laugh is so contagious. They are really helpful and a lot of fun. Even though it is an emotional roller coaster sometimes, the highs outweigh the lows. Peace Corps Volunteers practice the art of humility and flexibility (both are saving graces in Micronesia). We have a lot to learn about Micronesia - its culture and its people. Check out http://www.pohnpeiheaven.com/ for some interesting information about my island.

Some things I have really enjoyed are snorkeling at Parem Island and swimming with the mantas at Manta Road. The ruins at Nan Madol are so interesting. I attended a feast and got to meet the Nahnmwarki (King). Men pounded sakau and gave speeches. When you meet someone with a higher title than you at a celebration, it is expected that you say hello to them first. You are not allowed to be higher up than the Nahnmwarki when in the front of the Nahs so men/women either walk on their knees or crawl to show respect. Since I am tall compared to many on Pohnpei, this can be a challenge. (:)) We are learning a Pinelapese Dance (with sticks) for our "swearing in ceremony" on November 15th. On this day, I will meet my permanent host family and say goodbye to my family in Madelonihmw. But, since the island is only 133 square miles, I'm sure I will see them for visits and fun.

My little brother, Daku, loves to draw. In the morning, he knocks on my door and he says "Kohdo monge" (come eat) and then runs into my room to start coloring. I have really enjoyed having brothers. My brother, Ace, really likes Gaelic Storm (ha-most excellent!)

Now, I live by the Pohnpei Agricultural Trade School (PATS) and Kepirohi Waterfall in Madolenihmw. Soon I will move to Kitti to teach at Enipein Elementary School. I went with my Nohno (mom) and her woman's church group who sang songs and said prayers at the prison on Pohnpei. The women all said prayers and sprayed perfume on the prisoners. Culturally, this is a sign of respect.

Kaselehlie Maignko!

2008-10-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

I have been living in Micronesia for one month now and live on the island of Pohnpei (about 2,700 miles west of Honolulu in the Pacific Ocean). Pohnpei is the largest island of Micronesia and also known as Micronesia"s "Garden Paradise" or the rainy island. Pohnpei gets roughly 190 inches of rain per year. There are four states in the Federated States of Micronesia; Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae.
Collectively, these islands have a small land mass smaller than Rhode Island. Pohnpei is the location of the national seat of government and the state capital is Kolonia. The population of Pohnpei is 28,902 (close to my hometown of Neenah, Wisconsin). There are several languages spoken throughout Micronesia. My Peace Corps group, Micro 75's, will learns these languages; Yapese, Chuukese, Mortlokeses (sp?), Pohnpeian, Kosrean, Pinalapese, Mogales, and Pauen. I will learn and speak Pohnpeian.
Pohnpei is divided into 5 tribes or municipalities: Madolenihmw, Kiti, Uh, Sokehs, and Nett. I am currently lving with a host family in Madolenihmw and in about six weeks I will move to Kiti and teach English as a Second Language at Enipein Elementary School.
It is crazy to think that a month ago I was landing at Pohnpei International Airport with a beautiful view of Sokehs Rock. It was a mix of excitement and nerves, but I can definitely remember thinking, "what am I doing?!"
At times this can be an emotional roller coaster, but the majority of the time I am really happy here. I am so fortunate to call Pohnpei my home for the next two years. Arriving in Madolenihmw was extremely exciting. My family greeted me with a marmar and it has been extremely fun, hospitable, and welcoming. It is the custom to welcome individuals with marmars and I believe I have received over 15 of them. I have also received several local Pohnpeian skirts which are so beautiful.
The first weekend my family took me to Nan Madol to see the ruins and go fishing. Some boys from Madolenihmw showed me a place where you could jump off of the rocks into the water. Right after I jumped, a reef shark swam by! Luckily, the sharks here are not aggressive like the dogs! I carry rocks to throw at them in case they attack me.
Nan Madol is the remains of a Pacific civilization that was around during the 11th century. There are several Pohnpeian legends surrounding Nan Madol. One is that the huge stones were dropped from the sky. It is only accessible from the sea at high tide. I also visited Kepirohi Falls. It is a short distance from my home in Madolenihmw and many children often go there to swim. It was great to jump off the rocks into the water but I am much more slumsy that the locals and therefor didn't date to clim as high!
I attend church every Sunday with my Nohno (mom). This is possibly one of the favorite parts of the week (I know - surprise right?) Women get dressed up in colorful dresses and marmars and the singing is beautiful. (Even though I can't understand the language) Most on the island are Christian.
On Saturday, October 3, my friend, James, and I walked to Wapar (roughly an hour and 1/2) for the funeral of the Nahnmwarki (high chief) of Madolenihmw. Funerals here are extremely important and most families were present for the four day funeral. It is the custom for families to bring gifts of taro, yam, pig, sakau and everywhere men were carrying massive taros and yams on wooden logs over their shoulders.
Men in the NAS ( a ceremonial gathering place) were making sakau by pounding the root of a pepper plant with rocks. There are many rules to drinking sakau at ceremonies. I still have yet to fiure them all out! After the funeral several PCV's (Peace Corps Volunteers) and I took a wooden raft to Joy Island (a picnic island off of Pohnpei). WE ate crab and went swimming. My knees were all scratched up from the coral beaches that are actually very rare in Pohnpei.
That night, my Nohno's church group, and other ladies from all over Pohnpei performed songs and dances in the Nas near my home.
On Tuesday, we had water safety day and I snorkeled on the barrier reef. We took a boat out to Manta Road and Lenger Island where I saw several fish and manta rays. Pohnpei is an ideal spot for scuba diving and snorkeling.
My diet has changed a lot but I really like the food. I eat a lot of crab, fish, sashimi (for breakfast!) taro, yam, bananas and breadfruit. I also eat a mot of ramen and Spam (...it's not as bad as you think).
Excercising and running is difficult here. For one, dogs are very aggressive and I carry a stick when I run. Also, children try to run with me and therefor my runs usually turn into walke... which is ok with me. (I can't take the heat anyway.)
I'll try to update my blog once more during training, but computers are hard to come by in Madolonihmw. My address is the same Kate Mutchler, Peace Corps/Micronesia, PO Box 9, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941.
Everyone runs on "island time" here and I can see how this might be stressful when I begin my community development work. Also, the best form of communication here seems to be "coconut wireless" and word travels fast. FOr example, I met a WOrld Teach volunteer who had already heard of me and knew I was coming to Kitti to teach. You have to be extremely cautious of your actions becasue EVERYONE seems to know what you're up to. I'd love to hear from you or would welcome a visit once I get settled. Although getting here from the US is quite a feat! I miss you all! I hope all is well. Send news on the election!!

Staging in LA

2008-09-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

For the past two days I have spent time preparing for departure to Micronesia with other Peace Corps Volunteers. This has given me more insight on what we will be doing in Micronesia and what life will be like as a volunteer.

Training has been very helpful and has allowed me to focus my attention and energies on my new life in Micronesia. It's also very reassuring that there are 27 other individuals that hold my same anxieties and aspirations. Finally the journey begins!!

Tomorrow, we will wake at 5 in the morning to take a total of four flights to the Federated States of Micronesia. In Micronesia, I will be staying with a host family for two weeks in Kolonia, Pohnpei. In Pohnpei, I will recieve training on culture, language, and safety. Speaking of language...there are a total of 18 different languages spoken in Micronesia. I have been told I will be learning 7. I definately have my work cut out for me!

Tonight is my last night in the States (possibly for two years)....you all know what that means...
LAST NIGHT IN THE WILDERNESS PARTY!!
(This will probably just entail getting a good meal and having one last hot tub. Tomorrow's going to be a long day. )

Survivor Island....

2008-09-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Where is Micronesia?

If you are a Survivor Island fan you may know, however, many people didn't even know where to begin to look. (Myself included.) It's slightly embarrassing to admit that the first time I found out I was going to Micronesia I had to find a map to locate where in the heck I would be spending the next two years of my life.

I'll save you some time and post a map on here.

Small specks on the global spectrum :) In fact, all the islands put together are about 1/2 the size of Rhode Island.

She's got a ticket to Ride

2008-09-08T16:31:00.000-07:00

I'm set to Jet. Tomorrow, I drive down to Green Bay to start this new excursion in the Federated States of Micronesia. For the first few months, I will be training with fellow Peace Corps volunteers in Kolonia, Pohnpei. I'm extremely excited to embark on this new adventure, but I'm not gonna lie...my nerves have been on an overload this past week. I've been trying to read more about Micronesia, but I still have a lot of unanswered questions about what my life will be like over the next two years. (Ahhh...delicious ambiguity. :)) But, Give me one more week and I'll have a little more of an idea.

Here is a brief overview on what I've learned so far:

The Federated States of Micronesia refers to the majority of small islands in the Western Pacific. It consists of four states: Yap, Chuck, Pohnpei, and Kosrea. Micronesia spans across roughly three million square miles in the Pacific Ocean. For the first two months, I will be located in Pohnpei. Pohnpei is the most populated grouping of islands (roughly 30,000 people).
I won't know what language I will be learning until I arrive to Micronesia. English is spoken throughout Micronesia, however, each state has various dialects and languages that are spoken among locals.
The climate in Micronesia remains relatively consistent (around 75-90 degrees throughout the year). I will definately miss the four seasons (especially snow!), but will have the last laugh when all of you are freezing during the winter months in Wisconsin (just kidding).

I'm not sure if I will have internet access, so here is my address if anyone wants to be penpals via snailmail:

Kate Mutchler
Peace Corps/Micronesia
PO Box 9
Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941

Here is a crash course on Pohpeian:
Hello- Kaselehie
Goodbye-Kaselehie ....(thats convenient)
How are you?-la iromw
I'm well-l kehlail
Thank you-Kalahngan
Yes-Eng
No-Soo.
Please-Menlam

This may not get me to far in Pohnpei, but it's a start:)

Kaselehie US of A!!! I'd love to hear from you all in letters!