A testing and trying Thanksgiving...

Kaselel,

Well, if you're worried why I haven't posted in forever or talked to many of you, I apologize... It's definitely been quite a test of my emotional stability this past month. The good news is that I'm safe and content in a new apartment and continuing teaching at PICS. The bad news is that we not only got robbed once, twice, but THREE times within the past couple weeks. The most traumatic being the night that we returned to find our old apartment and personal items strewn about and the window pried wide open, and also waking up to see a black figure climbing out my bedroom window. Whoever is doing this has taken everything worth of any value from me, including my laptop, camera, iPhone, local phone, tablet, etc. It's more than just my personal electronics, it's a violation of my privacy and emotional safety. To be honest, the past month has been one of the most trying times in my entire life, and I've shed a lot of tears and done a lot of deep thinking in how I can feel safe and whole again. To think of some stranger going through my personal items, pictures, clothes, everything... it makes me shudder at the core.

I've tried not to let this alter my perception of this country and it's people overall. It's been hard, but I think I've come to a place that I have accepted that there are bad people anywhere you go. Throughout this experience, I've had many people, locals and friends, reach out a helping hand to get me through this. Yes, there is evil in the world... but you can't let that blind you from seeing the beauty in the innocent eyes of a local child, or the kindness in my students voice when they ask how I am, or the sincere apology of a complete stranger when they hear what someone has done to me. The people on this island aren't to blame- it's the few individuals that chose to make a bad decision. Yes, I do hope that bad karma comes their way and they will pay for their actions, but I am not the one that has to deal with that. That's on their own conscience and their own soul.

This whole thing has provided me with the silence and clarity (due to no laptop, phone, or any type of electronic device) to really think about things and ask myself some pretty deep questions. I never thought I would say that I could survive without a phone! But it's been okay. I have my friends and support here on Pohnpei, especially the other WorldTeach volunteers. We celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with good food, including my Red Lobster biscuits (thank you Grandma!). I was really able to think about what I'm thankful for in my life... which basically comes down to those special people in my life. There are so many distractions in our lives, and things can get so busy and stressful, but at the end of the day what you really have to be thankful for is the love you experience from those around you. The people in your life are what makes it worth living. Not your possessions, money, or luxuries... just the simple fact that there are people in this world that have made a difference in your life. So this goes out to all of you guys... my family, who have been more supportive than I could ask for, my friends, both college and hometown... we may not stay in touch this year as much as I want but you are constantly in my thoughts, and I can't wait to come back and catch up soon... and those few individuals who have been my rock and stronghold when I've come apart. You are the people that keep my holding on. And I cannot thank you enough- from the bottom of my heart.

On a brighter note, I'm starting a lot of new projects here on Pohnpei! I am officially the new head of the Children's story hour at the library, so all the little pwutak and serepein (boys and girls) better be expecting some fun songs and silly dances! Besides that, Aaron and I have also started a Debate Club at PICS high school. During our first meeting, I was able to meet our new debaters which range from freshman to seniors and I can tell it is going to be a fun year. Despite the fact that I know very little about debate, I'll do my best to help!

My most exciting new project is starting the Girls on Track club at school. This is an organization that I have also been involved with back in the states, and the motto and beliefs of this program I support wholeheartedly. It's a club that is dedicated to teaching girls how to live a healthy lifestyle, and to build their self-confidence and help them set out goals for their future. So far we've only had two meetings, but we've had over thirty girls in attendance! It's going to be interesting for me, planning the lessons with the Pohnpeian culture in mind, but we've already gotten to talk about some really important issues such as "Do you feel beautiful about yourself?" and "Why is it important to live a healthy lifestyle?". We've done some yoga (which proved to be more of a laughing fit than relaxation, but it was fun!) and jogging around the track field. I'm so glad to get to know some of these girls outside the classroom, where they can see me as more of an older sister than their teacher. I have big dreams for this club, and I will keep you updated on our progress throughout the year!

As for my own athletic activities- I've started going to a zumba dance class that is held right next door to our new apartment. Each night from 7-8pm, around 40 local women of all ages come together and we do our zumba dance to a mix of local music, Pitbull remixes, and the Macarena. I've realized that I'm not the most graceful or sexy dancer, but it's the fun that counts! I'm glad noone else can see me haha... you would get quite the laugh! But it's my time of the day to unwind and relax and just be in a group of women that are focused on physical health.

Well, I apologize that this isn't the most upbeat or positive post... but life isn't always easy, is it? I've had a lot of time to think and to focus on what is keeping me here. Although some days are hard to go in and teach and keep a smile on my face, my students are progressing a lot. At the beginning of the year, they could barely add and subtract basic integers in their heads... and now they are solving systems of equations using graphing, substitution, and combination methods! (that was for you math nerds out there) We have one more week of review and then it's finals and Christmas break. Wow- that first semester really flew by! I don't really have many plans for my Christmas vacation, but I know that the other WT volunteers and I are hoping to visit more of the island, and possibly go back to Black Coral island for a little paradise getaway.

December just isn't the same without snow! It truly is hard for me to believe that it really is winter right now. One of the biggest things that brings me back to reality is watching the Packers play on my roommate's laptop and seeing all the snowy and freezing yet damn proud and excited fans in Lambeau. Damn, do I miss Wisconsin!

---I'll be back sooner than you know---

Our Thanksgiving spread... yum!

Spooks is getting so big!

Project in Algebra II using linear equations

Some of my students from my A4 section

Sassy girls!! Love them

Four month mark

Can you believe it, it's already been over FOUR months that I've been on Pohnpei?! Some days it feels as if I just got here, and others is feels as if I've been on this island for years... To be honest, this month is the first time that I've finally felt really homesick. Seeing pictures of hunting and snow from back home really makes me miss it. Watching the Packer games on my computer in the 88 degree sun and heat just doesn't seem right somehow haha. I would love to spend even one day back home, bundled up in a blanket and eating some of dad's homemade food. To help from feeling so homesick, I've tried my best to keep myself busy this past month with lots of activities...

Halloween on the island was very fun. I celebrated in my classroom with candy and "Halloween graphing" (in which students plotted points on a Cartesian Coordinate plane and created spooky Halloween shapes). That night, Kolonia was filled with kids all over the place, dressed up in masks and fun costumes, trick-or-treating from house to house. Apparently, Halloween has been a growing holiday on Pohnpei in recent years, and it is celebrated the most right in town where I live. We did have a couple trick-or-treaters come to our apartment for candy, in which I gave them the Chewy bars that mom sent in my last care package (thanks mom!!). We celebrated later that night by going out to some of the bars on Pohnpei (the Rusty Anchor being the most packed) and had fun with the Costume Contest- my favorite being someone dressed as a local yam!!

We've done our fair share of waterfall hikes lately. In the Kitti (pronounced Ki-chi) municipality, there are many beautiful waterfalls to visit, including side-by-side Sawarlap and Sawartik Falls. My roommate and I hitchhiked our way out to Kitti through multiple generous truck rides and visited them a couple weeks ago. They are located on family property, so when we got there we had to pay the family to use their land (only $5 per person). One of the local boys was our guide, and he took us down into the valley. It ended up being around an hour hike, but it was beautiful and not too hard. Once we got to the waterfalls, I was able to look up at the 100-something foot waterfall spilling out of the jungly mountain above me. It was beyond beautiful. My favorite part about sightseeing on Pohnpei is that it is so natural and untouched- we were literally the only ones there, in the middle of the jungle, with no signs or tourists or touches of outside life- just the beautiful scenery around us. Many of the sights I've been able to see here are truly breathtaking.

This weekend was the Aussie Wombat Walkabout Sunset 5k Fun Run (you think they could shorten the name a little bit!) which was sponsored by the Australian Embassy. It was approximately 5k, starting and ending at Mangrove Bay and looping up to the Spanish Wall on the other side of town. Even thought it was later, starting at 5pm, I was still dripping in sweat as I ran (ok-walked/jogged) underneath the blistering island sun. It was totally worth it though- free t-shirts and entry fee! I try my best to stay in shape while on the island (all this salty/processed food is adding a couple extra pounds) so I often swim at the local pool or workout at our apartment. I'm so glad that the Embassy put on the event- it turned out to be a great evening and fun run.

Oh, the most exciting new news... we got a kitten!! On Halloween we were walking home, and on the side of the road we heard some meows- a tiny little black kitten was following us! It followed us all the way to our apartment and even up the stairs and wouldn't leave us alone! Here's my thought- it was so small and tiny and black that if we didn't adopt it, he probably would have gotten hit by a car. So long story short, we adopted the kitten and he is now living at our apartment for the time being. We call him Spooky, aka Spooks, on account of him finding us on Halloween. I'm guessing he is around 1 month old, because he is really tiny and still looks like a newborn. We've been feeding him some dry cat food, but also some scraps from our meals- including fresh yellowfin tuna sashimi and crab meat. He is going to be the most spoiled kitten on Pohnpei!

You can say that the island fever has set in on me a little bit... I often find myself sitting in my apartment, dripping from sweat, bored out of my mind... thinking of what I would be doing if I were not on this island. It's definitely not easy being away from home this long, let alone stuck on a small island, but I am very fortunate to be living in a beautiful area like Pohnpei. My goal is to learn more of the culture and language before I leave this year, and explore every inch of the island. My newest Pohnpeian phrase is "I poakpoakeiuk" (pronounced EE-Poke-Poke-Ay-Yuuk) which means "I love you". The language is far from easy here to say the least!

I hope all is good back in the US, and you guys are enjoying your first snow of the year! Believe me, I truly am missing it. I wish my students could experience snow and the cold- they've never felt anything below 70 degrees in their whole lives!

Peace and Palm Trees,
Kadinmadau

Our own private island?!!

Last weekend proved to be one of my favorite weekends so far on Pohnpei. Some of us WorldTeach volunteers, along with some Peace Corps and Jesuit Volunteers, pooled our money together to rent out an ENTIRE tropical paradise island for the weekend. Let me repeat... we rented out our own private island (and at $20 each, I don't know how it could get any better)!!

We took a boat out to Black Coral Island, which is about a 20 minute boat ride from the dock in Kitti. It is still inside the protective reef barrier that surrounds Pohnpei, so we didn't encounter any rough seas or have to take our big life saving equipment with us. There were around 18 people staying on Black Coral, which is a small enough island that you can see all ends of from any point. Black Coral is literally a honeymoon vacation island, accompanied with sandy beaches, small huts to stay in, hammocks to relax, and a beautiful channel for snorkeling. It literally couldn't get any better. So we spent our weekend drinking Red Horse and relaxing on our island.. I was even able to wake up early enough to watch the sunrise over the ocean. I cannot put into words how beautiful that moment was- just me and the ocean waves crashing up while looking at the sun come over the horizon. We also did some snorkeling in the channel that is next to the island, with beautiful colored coral reefs and millions of types of fish. I even was able to see an eel (don't worry, I stayed far away from it!) and a small seahorse. Wow, looking back at pictures I can't even describe the beauty of the scenery around us. I literally don't think I took my swimsuit off the entire weekend- that's how much we were in the water!

Group photo swimming at Black Coral

WorldTeach volunteers at Black Coral

This past school week was shortened due to Education Day (Thursday) and UN Day (Friday) so we had some free time on our hands. It is also Japan culture week here on Pohnpei, so they were offering free Japanese movies at the movie theatre here in town. Although I didn't really enjoy the long, confusing, crazy Japanese murder mystery we went to go see, I was able to sit in a fairly comfy theatre chair with AC for a couple hours- so, no complaints! Afterwards, we went to go check out a restaurant here on Pohnpei called Nett Ramen. Now, when I hear the word ramen I want to gag (literally, some people here on Pohnpei eat ramen for EVERY meal of the day!) but this was a real Ramen restaurant with homemade noodles, rich broth, and fresh vegetables. It's run by this cute little French woman and her Pohnpeian/Japanese husband, and it was one of the best meals I've had so far on Pohnpei! Sooooo delicious. Overall, it was a fun night with both new movies and new food!

Saturday, we were supposed to go on a snorkeling trip but opted out (money is low at the end of the month) so we took a day adventure instead. We hitchhiked (through 4 different rides) out to Kitti, which is an outer municipality of Pohnpei (basically, on the other side of the island from where I live in Kolonia). We arrived at the house of the family who owns the land that some waterfalls are on, and although it was a little late in the day they agreed to let us go visit the waterfalls. Our guide ended up being a high school student, and after he grabbed his machete and left his sandals to go barefoot, we were off into the jungle. Overall, it took us around 1-2 hours to hike down into this large gorge where we could get to the bottom of the waterfalls. I was stupid enough to wear flip flops (what was I thinking?!) so I left them to go barefoot as well. There were two different waterfalls that we visited, I would estimate that the first was around 60ft and the second one around 100ft tall. They were absolutely gorgeous! I wish I could show a video or somehow be able to describe how majestic they were. The coolest part is that there is no signs, no other people, no "touristy" stuff... just us! So many of the sights that I see here on Pohnpei are that much more beautiful just because it is 100% natural. This is their everyday life here- walks through the jungle and playing at the waterfalls.

Sawarlap falls (one of the falls I saw)

It is sooo crazy to think that my time here on Pohnpei is already 4 months gone! It seems like it was only yesterday that I was stepping off the airplane into the hot, humid air. They always say that one of the biggest things you remember about somewhere is your first smell when you get there. Mine was the smell/feeling of being near a swamp, because the air is so much more humid and sticky than I have ever experienced anywhere else. I never thought I could survive this long without my friends and family, but I'm learning to love this little island. There are so many small, beautiful things you can see if you open your eyes. The people here are humble and open, and will always be willing to chat (they could talk for hours and hours if you let them!). The pace of life is so much slower here- but not like a boring slow. Just more relaxed. Maybe I will learn a thing or two from this type of lifestyle.

That's all for now. I gotta go lesson plan #lifeofateacher

Random thoughts on first year teaching, Pohnpeian culture, and island life...

Kaselehlie maingko!

Ya iromai? (How are you?) My Pohnpeian is pretty much limited to these and only a few other phrases haha. So when our school meetings are run entirely in Pohnpeian.... yeah, I can get lost pretty fast! But I'm learning as much as I can every day. My favorite word in Pohnpeian is meleilei (meh-lay-lay) which means peace. I think it would be an absolutely beautiful name for a little girl!

I apologize that I don't have any picture to share this time. Ever since my camera and iPhone got stolen, I have no way of taking pictures anymore. It's a dilemma that I'm working on fixing soon, as I want to share so much of my everyday life with people back home. To be honest, I'm not sad at all about physically not having my items anymore... it's funny how living abroad can really open up your eyes to the truly important things in life. I've realized how unimportant my physical stuff really is. Back home, I've left boxes and boxes of clothes, jewelry, furniture, decorations... you name it. And I haven't missed it a single day since. My iPhone? Oh well. It's just an object. It sounds so corny, but I've really realized that I don't need any of that stuff that I thought I did. What's important are the people around you, and living and sharing those experiences with them. Even as far as physical appearances... I used to take at least an hour to get ready for school, and now? Maybe less than 15 minutes. I have so few outfits to choose from, it's pretty easy to pick one out in the morning. And makeup? I'll brush on a couple strokes of mascara but that's all. My hair? It's up in a bun every single day. No more straightening or hairspray or whatever I did.... and I still feel 100% beautiful and confident about myself! When it comes down to it, my students won't remember ten years from now what outfit I wore or how pretty I was a certain day... but what I'm hoping that they take with them is the confidence and strength that comes with learning, and the potentials that each of them have.

Which brings me to my next thoughts on my first year of teaching... It's hard for me to actually call it full-time teaching because I only teach 4 out of 8 sections, and many of the days are shortened due to rains (today, it was the case of a possible typhoon) or a broken cafeteria or you name it... But nonetheless, I am teaching. My four sections are extremely different, and each of them has a different personality which is the beauty of it. I'm learning every day better ways to teach them or new ways of thinking. Overall, I am extremely impressed and shocked at how smart, intelligent, and creative my students can be. Although they have been extremely shy, and continue to be at times, I'm starting to see their personalities and little funny quirks starting to come out. Pohnpeian culture is very different from American... the students are very shy, slow to speak up or stand out in a crowd, and often prefer traditional ways of learning in the classroom. Whenever I try something new like stations, vocabulary posters, group work or games... it usually takes a little bit for everyone to be completely comfortable with it. But give it a while, and these students will show you intelligence beyond measure. Last week, I saw a student who had never once spoken in class or asked a single question (I assumed she was confused and lost with the material) completely dominate her math quiz. Or when I see a student lend a hand to help their classmate out when their eyesight is so bad that they cannot see their own paper. These students have such beautiful souls- so quiet, so humble, and so selfless. I am constantly broadening my views of what a classroom should look and feel like, because these students are so different here. But it's a good kind of different. They are (most of the time) so focused and value their education. They are able to see that education is their only key at succeeding at life, so they take every opportunity they can to grasp onto that. I can only pray that I am strong enough to get them there.

This afternoon, I went to volunteer at the local library for "story time", in which around 10 students between the ages of 5 and 12 came to sing songs, listen to stories, and do some arts and crafts. I can be honest that I felt pretty silly doing the Hokey Pokey in front with everyone staring at me, but at least they got a good laugh! We read the "Real Story of The Three Pigs" (if you've ever read that children's book it's written from the point of view of the Big Bad Wolf). During arts and crafts, I was able to walk around and meet some of the children, learning their names, favorite colors, and what school they go to. It's funny, how you will see children here with almost nothing on their backs, wearing broken flip flops, torn shirts, stained shorts... but they are some of the happiest and most smiley kids I've ever met! The children here bring such a smile to my face, and they are always excited to meet me and learn more about someone different from themselves. I'll try to get some pictures at "story time" next week :)

There are some days that I am desperately missing life back in Wisconsin. When I see pictures from back home of the changing leaves, football games, and the crispness in the air... ahh those are some of my favorite things! What I wouldn't give to just bundle up in some blankets next to a campfire and enjoy some of my dad's cooking. I keep reminding myself that this experience, although hard, will teach me more about myself than I ever thought. At this point, the island is out of eggs, butter, cheese, and many fresh vegetables... yes, I will admit that I sit here and dream of food about 60% of the time (but let's be honest, that's nothing new haha). It's the little things that make me happy, like finding frozen strawberries at the store from which I was able to make my mom's famous Strawberry Shortcake recipe! I almost cried because it tasted exactly like hers :) Like I said, it's the little things that count.

Okay, well the rains are getting pretty bad right now and I want to be able to post before our internet gets knocked out. I hope everyone's school year is going well and you all are enjoying fall! I am enjoying the constant variations between scorching, humid heat and humid rain. The humid part never leaves haha. Kaselel!

Waterfalls, Long Hikes, and No Cheese!

This week, school is going good... the kids are progressing and we are having fun learning new Algebra stuff. Couldn't ask for anything more :) I can honestly say that I go home each day with a smile on my face because my students show me something new every day. Whether it be their creative drawings, funny jokes, or hard work learning the Commutative Property, they amaze me all the time.

Last week was only a two day school week (I know, cool right?!) because it was what's called Liberation Day on September 11th. Liberation Day here on Pohnpei is a national holiday, although I'm not 100% sure what is celebrates. I think it has something to do with the Pohnpeians and World War II, maybe it's the day that they were freed from slavery? Not exactly sure. Regardless, it is a day that is celebrated by all and huge sporting events are held around the island. Although we did not go to view any sporting events, we chose instead to go visit Liduduhniap waterfall.

Here on Pohnpei, waterfalls are considered sacred by the locals. It is thought that spirits of passed ones linger at the waterfalls, so it is extremely important to be quiet and respectful while visiting them. If you are too loud or being disrespectful, it is thought that the waterfalls may take your life (which has happened before in the past). For example, a couple years ago during the last Microgames, a group of visitors from Palau were at Liduduhniap (I think) and being extremely loud and noisy. Locals warned them to be quiet because of the spirits, but they did not listen. Soon enough, it started raining, and when it rains here it pours! It quickly turned into a flash flood, and they were carried down the waterfall and perished. Not a fun story, but it shows the importance of respecting the local culture!

Liduduhniap was beautiful, and a two-part waterfall. We payed the local family $1 for visiting the waterfall on their land, and made our way down the very groomed path. At the upper waterfall, we were able to stand on the riverbed and watch as the water tumbled over the giant waterfall. I felt like I was on the edge of the world! Then, after climbing down the path on the side, we were able to go to the second waterfall and sit at the bottom of the pool, looking up at the water falling down. Honestly, I could feel the majesty and spirituality that the locals talk about. Something about this place is so beautiful, and so pure. I sat there for a while, meditating and just taking in the scenery all around me. It was a very beautiful day- quiet, respectful, and scenic. 

*Not my own photo, my camera is MIA :( 

The next weekend, we took a hike with some fellow WorldTeach, Peace Corps, and menwai on the island. Our guide was a local Pohnpeian, and he helped guide us up the twisty and turn path through the jungle in Uh (one of the municipalities on the island). Once you get into the jungle with a treetop roof over your head, although it is not necessarily sunny it is EXTREMELY hot and sweaty. Not to mention sticky, slippery, and wet. So we took a 10 hour trek through the jungle, all of which the entire time I was dripping in sweat and slipping on moss-covered rocks. If you've ever seen the tv show LOST, that's literally what I was living. I was basically walking through the jungles of LOST (which is my freaking DREAM!!). Our guide used his machete to help cut our path as we walked. It sounds like a horrible time, but honestly it was really fun. The hike was beautiful, and we were able to see some Japanese cannons and bunkers leftover from the war. When we got to the top, which was around a 2,000 ft cliff overlooking the lagoon and island, I swear I've never seen a prettier lookout on the island so far. It was cool to look below me and see the birds flying over the treetops, while dangling my feet over the edge and feeling invincible. It was a beautiful day, accompanied with great friends and a great end to our weekend.

Best of friends! 

Our guide for the hike

The view at the top was spectacular!

Now, to the most important and heartbreaking announcement.... there's no cheese on the island!! I repeat, NO CHEESE! :( Being a true Wisconsinite cheesehead, I'm basically dying. Throughout the past couple weeks, I've gone store to store and cannot find any more cheese. Only a couple frozen, $30 bags of shredded mozzarella, which I cannot find in my heart to purchase quite yet. Not only an absence of cheese, but potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, green lettuce.... it goes on. At times, in-between boat shipments, the island can run quite short of many fresh produce. You would think that there would be some local produce, and there is, but it's hard to find any especially because I'm living right in the middle of town. If I were in one of the outer parts of the island, maybe I could have access to more farms, but right now I can only get what's shipped into Kolonia (town). So that means there's a lot of Chinese cabbage, yams, taro, onions, and cucumbers all the time. And tons and tons of bananas. Not that those are bad.. but I would like to have more of a variety sometimes. I can only hope that the next boat comes in soon, because then we can have access to a lot more produce from California, like grapes, tomatoes, fresh lettuce, and cheese. If you don't know, taro is a root that many locals eat on the island. They usually boil it in coconut milk to give it a sweeter taste, but to be brutally honest I think it still tastes like wood haha. But the locals love it!!

Local taro root

Ok- so that's it for now!! I really do appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my blog and stay updated with all my stories. It's one way that helps me to feel connected with loved ones back home. Although I do miss Wisconsin and everyone so unbelievably much, I'm only a letter or email away! If anyone ever wants to write to me on island, or send school supplies (I'm in dire need of pencils, reading books, and calculators!) you can write or flat-rate ship to this address:

Laura Tracy 

C/O WorldTeach

P.O. Box 2378

Kolonia, Pohnpei 96941

FSM (Federated States of Micronesia)

Stay cool everyone- I know I wish that I could!!! 

Kadinmadau

The weekend full of ups and downs

Kaselehlie Maingko,

We are officially on our third week of school now, and I can honestly say that I love getting to know more and more about my students every day! We are finally up to 8 periods per day (so I am able to see all my classes) but they are only 30 minutes long. Although it goes by fast, I have been managing to get a good lesson into the 30 minutes every day. So far, we've covered the topics of Order of Operations, Evaluating Expressions with Variables, Combining Like Terms, the Distributive Property, and Translating Algebraic Expressions. We usually do two days for each topic, where I will give many examples and the students then have time to work in pairs on a couple practice problems. Although they were very shy at first, I can tell that they are starting to open up to me and I even have students often come to the board to show their work to the class. It's so nice to have students that genuinely love math and are excited about their education- which is a big change from my teaching experiences in the US! We've already established our classroom rules and routines, which is most important (in my opinion), especially for a first-year teacher.

Picture of my classroom before the first day of school!

This past weekend was definitely full of it's own ups and downs..... To start, I'll talk about the ups (literally). Our friends Jason and Rachel came to visit us from Madolenihmw, and we decided to go to Sokeh (a municipality of Pohnpei) and hike Sokeh's rock. This is one of the "must see" spots if you ever decide to visit Pohnpei, and it is known for it's beautiful scenic outlooks and is considered one of Micronesia's best-known geographical features. Going into the hike, I knew it was going to be difficult but I did not nearly expect what I was getting myself into. I have gone hiking before, but nothing like this, equipped with no ropes or climbing gear. We took a cab to Sokeh's and met some high-school aged kids on the road who informed us that we have to have a guide to take us up the mountain, and they generously offered to be our guides. They turned out to be super cool and I'm so glad I got to know them! It took us only maybe about 15 minutes to hike through the jungle to the base of the cliff, in which I then looked up and realized we were going to be climbing straight up the rock face which was practically at a 90 degree angle! I struggled to find secure footing and somehow managed to pull myself up most of the way, breathing heavy and shaking from fear the whole time. I've always thought that heights did not bother me, but I know now that they do! There were a couple ropes and metal poles that were put in place into the rock, but it was barely anything by my climbing standards. If I would have slipped at any point, I would have literally fallen to my death! When we got to a certain point, I was able to see the top but I was unable to keep climbing. At some point (maybe later on this year), I want to go back and conquer Sokeh's Rock, but for the day I was finished and had enough life-threatening experiences. While most of the group continued to the top, I sat at a lookout point and caught a beautiful glimpse of the side of Sokeh's. To be honest, I was very glad I was alone in that moment because I finally had a chance to just breathe and take in the beautiful scenery around me. I feel as if I need to try and do that more often, because there is so much beauty surrounding me on this island. 

Lookout at Sokeh's rock (I can't take credit for this picture, I'll tell you later!)

After we finally got back on flat ground, we headed back to our apartment (we call the Party Palace) to hangout for the night. Most of our nights consist of Red Horse (a beer imported from the Philippines that I've grown to love!), card games, and spending time with friends. That night although, came the low point in our weekend. When I woke up the next morning, I noticed that my camera and iPhone were missing, but at first thought nothing of it. Then when Rachel noticed that her iPhone and Blackberry were also missing, we thought something was up. When I searched around the outside of our apartment, I discovered my purse with all contents on the ground, and it was then that I knew we were robbed the night before. Fortunately, they did not take anything other than my iPhone and camera, and no one was hurt. It happened while we were all sleeping, which is a little scary. To be honest, I'm very surprised that this would have happened because it is not in Pohnpeian culture to be any type of distrustful or violent. Everyone here is so nice and willing to help anyone out, which is why I cannot believe that someone would break into our apartment. I do have hopes that my valuables will show up again (word spreads fast around this island!) but if not, it's not the end of the world to not have my iPhone anymore. I'm just sad that I lost all my pictures from hiking Sokeh's! Oh well. 

Overall, although there were good and bad things about the weekend, it ended on a good note. On Sunday, we visited our friends who were house sitting for another couple and got to see their beautiful house right on the ocean. I was able to watch some of the Badger game using their wifi (in which they really disappointed, but I'll always be a Badger at heart!). My favorite part of the day was going kayaking in the ocean, where we explored the Mangroves and saw some cool coral reefs and colorful fish. It was the perfect ending to the weekend. We also were able to finally setup the Wifi at our apartment, so hopefully I can be in contact more often now! Ok, time to cook some dinner and get lesson planning. Goodbye for now!


*UPDATE* Since the weekend, I've been able to snag some pictures from a friend who had their camera the day of the hike. So here are a couple photos of me during the big climb up Sokeh's Rock! 

One of our guides for the hike

School is officially in session!

Kaselehlie maingko! (Hello, everyone)

We have officially finished our first “week” of classes. All of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday turned into half days and they sent the students home at lunch, so I haven’t really had much time with my classes yet. But so far, my students are very shy and timid, but respectful and really funny when you get to know them! They love to joke around and have fun. I am teaching 4 sections of Algebra II to seniors, which are supposed to be 45 minute classes. Most of my sections are bigger, my biggest being 33 students, and one is smaller, just 12 boys. The students are split up by majors, with the A students being Academic, B the Business, and V the Vocational. I have three different A sections and one V sections (12 boys who all want to be auto mechanics). I can already say that the all-boys section might be my most challenging yet my most fun group to teach! 

So far, I haven’t had enough class time to get into the math material, so we have been playing some getting-to-know-you games and going over the classroom rules. Today, I had the students create a big poster for the classroom and we came up with the classroom rules together, like “Ask permission to leave the classroom”, “Show up to class on time everyday”, “Do not hesitate to ask questions”, and “Do not chew betel nut in the classroom” (betel nut is a chewing substance on the island containing tobacco). They all signed the poster to agree to the classroom contract and that they will follow the rules. We also played a fun math game called “I have a number”.  At lunchtime, apparently the power went out so they couldn’t serve lunch and they sent everyone home (which has happened almost every day since). Tomorrow they will run periods 5-8 so it will be a half-day again. Although it’s frustrating, it’s kind of nice because I can really focus on planning out meaningful lessons since I have so much free time. So far, I haven’t gotten any lightbulbs for my classroom but I have gotten a working fan which has proved to be a miracle for me because it’s sooooo hot during the day! I feel so bad for my students because I am sitting in front of them talking and sweating so bad. They probably think I’m disgusting! lol. But I think the fan will help a lot. Overall, the other teachers are very nice and I have complete freedom to teach however and whatever I want for Algebra II, which is really nice. It will let me be creative in how I teach and lesson plan. I want to incorporate a lot of group work and reflection time into my classes. I’ve had the students start math journals in which they can write me notes and write down examples from class, and I keep the notebooks in my room after class so I can look over them. I like the idea of journaling and communicating through writing as well. 

Last weekend, Aaron (my roommate) and I went out to Madolenihmw (Mad-A-La-Neem) to visit some other WorldTeach volunteers (Rachel and Jason) at the house they are staying. They are living with the Augustine family who we have also grown really close to over the past month. Tony (one of the brothers of the family) and his wife Sasha, and their two children drove us out on Saturday which took around an hour. I really like the house out there because it’s more isolated and really far back in the jungle. Although they don’t have as much access to fresh food and amenities, I really like the location and feel of their home. We went to visit Kuproi (Cup-Roi) Waterfall, which was one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve ever seen in my life. Because it is on a family owned land, we first had to go to the house of the owner and pay her (it was supposed to be $2 each but she saw that we are menwai and she charged us $3- which I thought was a ripoff!) but it was well worth it. We were the only ones there and we got to bask in the beautiful scenery all around us. It was about a 40 foot waterfall, and Aaron and Jason climbed to the top on one of the sides which really scared me! But they were safe in the longrun. Because many of the rivers on Pohnpei are dirty with pig feces, I decided not to go swimming to try and avoid getting sick. Jason did, but he’s a little more of a risk taker than I am. 

Later that day, Tony took us to Nan Madol, which is an ancient ruins site on Pohnpei. I encourage you to research it more online, because it’s a really interesting area. Apparently, a long time ago the people of Pohnpei lived in this ancient site and created huge houses and tombs out of these very big stones. Nobody knows how they moved these stones there, because they are soooo big that no group of men could move them with their hands. Also, there are no horses or large animals on Pohnpei, so that creates more of a mystery. Anyway, we hiked through the jungle (about 30 minutes) and finally came to the ruins site. We saw the burial place for the kings, the dungeon that they put prisoners in, and the outer walls of the city. It was breathtaking and very interesting to see. It’s right on the ocean too, so we spent some time by the water and listening to the tides crashing in. After we left, because Nan Madol is on the land of the Madolenihmw king, we had to go to his house and pay him some money for letting us go on his property. Pohnpei is ruled by the nahnmwarki (Nahn-Mar-Kee) system in which there is a king, queen, and price for every municipality (there are 5 municipalities total). The kings are chosen by the clans, and each Pohnpeian is part of a clan. Anyways, the Madolenihmw king is the highest of the kings on the island, so we were basically going to go see the king of Pohnpei! We first had to stop on the road to get the leaf from a banana tree, and we wrapped our money in the leaf (totaling $12). Then, we drove to the house of the king, which turned out to be not very different from any other house on Pohnpei! The main difference was that they had a very large pig (the biggest I’ve seen) and a very large stone for pounding sakau. It turns out that the king was taking a nap, but the queen answered the door. We were very respectful, and always kept our heads bowed and did not speak hardly at all. Tony talked to her and told her that we were WorldTeach volunteers, and we asked permission to live and explore their beautiful island during the next year. She said yes, and we bowed and said “Kaselehlie Maing Wasa Lapalap” (I have no idea if I spelled that right) which means “Hello (formal) most highest one”. It was a very unique and cool experience, and I’m so glad we got to go! 

Outer wall of Nan Madol

Dungeon where they kept criminals

Nan Madol

That evening, the family welcomed our visit by making a big batch of sakau. All day, the men took the sakau root and pounded it on the big flat rock. Aaron and Jason took turns also pounding, and they had 4 men pounding at a time. They pound with stones, and it creates this rhythmic and meditative pounding sound. Rachel and I wanted to, but I don’t think it’s custom for the women to help out in the sakau process. From what I’ve been told, sometimes at traditional sakau ceremonies the women will do a special dance to the sound of the men pounding the sakau root with the stones. It’s very much part of the culture, and I’m glad we get to share in this kind of stuff with the Augustine family. That night, after they pounded the sakau, watered it down, wrapped it inside the hibiscus and squeezed the juice out, they put it in the traditional coconut cup and passed it around the circle. I drank only a little (sakau hurts my stomach) but some of the others drank more and got “sakaula” meaning drunk on sakau. We thanked the family for being so gracious and making strong sakau for us.  

The next day, the rest of the Augustine family came out to visit (the part that lives in Nahnponmal close to town) so we got to see some of our other family friends. We had barbecued reef fish over the fire, served with white rice on a banana leaf. We ate Pohnpeian family style, all digging into the food with our hands and eating together around the table. Then, Tony and his family drove Aaron and I back to town, and that evening Aaron and I tried to make fresh crab cakes. We got three live crabs from Saimon’s market (the local market in town), boiled them up, picked out all the crab meat, and made the cakes from scratch. They turned out delicious and I’m so proud of all the cooking we’ve been doing so far! We’re really having fun with buying local produce and seafood and trying out new recipes. Some of my favorite seafood that I’ve enjoyed so far are Skipjack Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna (great served raw as sashimi style!), Mahi Mahi, GT, Rainbow Runner, lobster and crab. We will often pair our dinners with some refreshing coconuts. I’m really getting into the island life :) 

I’m definitely starting to get a little homesick, and I’m missing a lot of Wisconsin culture. The beer, fish fry’s, cheese curds, Packers…. ahhhh I miss it all so much! There is a lot to see on the island, so I’ve done pretty well keeping busy and trying not to miss home too much. Since there’s so much downtime, I’ve gotten to do a lot of reading and reflection, not to mention relaxing and just getting to hangout with the other volunteers! We are working on getting internet at our apartment, but it seems to be a lot longer process than I ever thought. As for now, I’ll walk to a nearby restaurant with wifi to use (as long as I order a drink or two! :)

Well, that’s it for now! The first couple weeks of moving into our apartment and starting school have been busy but exciting. I can’t wait to get to know more of my students and start teaching more of the Algebra II material. Already, I have students come into my room during my free periods just to hangout and ask me all sorts of questions. I’ve received some pretty cool drawings and shown some cool island pop music! I can tell that it’s gonna be a great year on Pohnpei! 

Love, Kadinmadau (my island name, pronounced Katin-Matau) 

Cute neighbor girls hanging out on the hammock! 

Picture of a sea turtle that one of my students drew for me :)

First couple weeks and exploring the island

Kaselehlie maing ko! (Hello everybody) 

I apologize that I haven't done a blog post in over 3 weeks. My first couple weeks on the island have been SO packed full of surprises and adventures. I'll try to give you a recap of everything that's gone on so far...

First off, the plane ride(s) here were comprised of long, bumpy flights that I barely ate any food on. Overall, we were traveling for around 22 hours from LAX to Honolulu, to Guam, to Chuuk, and finally to Pohnpei. I was able to talk with some other volunteers and we got to know each other on our long flights, which was nice. There were about 20 volunteers that we left in Chuuk, and then the remaining 6 volunteers continues onto Pohnpei, which was about a 50 minute flight from the other Micronesian island of Chuuk. When I stepped off the plane, the first thought I had was "am I in a swamp?!" because the air was so sticky and humid. Take into account that it was midnight when we landed. It was 12:00pm and I was sweating since the first second I stepped off the plane. Regardless, we went to go find our luggage (which I found out was left in Guam) so we had to go without our stuff for the evening. We met our WorldTeach program director who drove us to our host families for the night. I felt kind of bad driving to this house in the middle of the night, but we did anyways. So we drove up, the dog was barking non-stop and my host mother came out and yelled at the dog to quiet down. Because it was so late (and I was so jet-lagged and tired from my long trip) I pretty much went right to my room and fell on my bed asleep. 

Right away in the morning, we had to go meet the Director of Education on the island and start our orientation. After a very nice breakfast of eggs, toast, and fresh mango, we went with the other volunteers to meet some very important people on the island. Despite the fact that I hadn't showered or changed clothes yet, I sweated my way throughout the day and learned some new Pohnpeian sayings and met lots of new people. The day ended with a scavenger hunt around the island, which I was finally able to see in daylight the beauty of my surroundings. I was absolutely blown away with how gorgeous everything is here- between all the different colors of flowers, the uniqueness of all the coconut and palm trees, and the jaw dropping lagoon scenes. I am definitely excited that I'll be able to live on this island for the next whole year! Our luggage came in that night, and I was able to go home and enjoy a nice cold shower and get to know my host family a little more. They are very welcoming and provide me with a gracious home and amazing food. I'm blessed to be living with such a family! 

Since then, I've moved into my apartment with a fellow WorldTeach volunteer that will also be at PICS high school with me. We live right in the middle of Kolonia, walking distance from both school and many local shops. Our apartment is nice and breezy with 2 bedrooms, a cozy living room, stocked kitchen and large bathroom. Although we don't have any hot water, it hasn't bothered me too much to shower in cold water. It's almost refreshing. We don't have internet at the apartment yet, but we've passed the time watching movies, drinking on our balcony, and getting to know the town. We often walk to the grocery store and look at the selection of produce (which is very limited at times- a block of cheese can be from $8-$15!!). We've been going to one of the local markets, Simon's, and trying whatever fish they have in that day. So far, we've enjoyed Skipjack Tuna, Rainbow Runner, Mahi Mahi and fresh Mangrove Crabs. We just ask what's best that day and they filet it right up for us! I've been pretty spoiled with all the home cooked meals we've made so far :)

Throughout our teacher orientation training, we were able to explore a lot of cool places on the island with the other volunteers. We have 8 volunteers altogether, but we will be teaching at various places on the island. Two will be in Kitti, two in Madelenine, two at the College of Micronesia, and I'll be with the other volunteer at PICS high school. We all had our orientation training right in Kolonia, so we got to know each other pretty well and had a blast going to some of the local bars and checking out the gorgeous views. Last weekend, we went out to Ahnd Atoll (pronounced Ant), which was the absolute prettiest place I've ever been in my life. Because it is privately owned by a local family, when we visited that day we were the only ones on the island. We were on a deserted island in paradise. We drank fresh coconuts (and maybe a little Malibu!), walked the beaches, found cool shells and went snorkeling. Because we were in the sun all day, I suffered from it the next couple days with a horrible sunburn lol. Words of wisdom- next time I go to Ahnd I will apply sunscreen every 30 minutes!! It was a gorgeous day that capped off our orientation in the perfect way.

The boat we used to travel to Ahnd

Fun on the boat!

We went to PICS high school and I was able to see my classroom. I met a lot of the staff, including my department head, and found out that I'll be teaching 4 sections of Algebra II to the seniors. I have three A sections (academic tracked students) and one V section (vocational tracked students). My classroom is very large, and I will be posting pictures once I have it all decorated. School starts in only 3 days, so I have a ton of work ahead of me to get my classroom ready and prepare my first few weeks of lessons! I'm really excited to start teaching in my own classroom, and get to know my students. From what I've heard, Micronesian students are a lot more timid and shy than students in the US, so this will force me to be creative in my lesson planning and running my classroom. I think it will be a challenge, but one that will be good for me! I can't wait to see what the school year brings.

As for the weather, it is tough for me to handle- especially in the middle of the day. The heat from the sun added with the humidity of the air is almost unbearable. I am doing my best to not complain and always stay hydrated, but I hope that I will get used to the weather sooner rather than later. Despite the heat, the island is so beautiful with coconuts and bananas within reach almost everywhere. There's a large Japanese influences on the island because of the close proximity to Japan, along with Australians and expats from the US. Overall, there's a lot more "white" people than I thought there would be on the island. I'm learning more and more of the language every day, and I hope that my students can help me learn even more. I doubt I will be fluent by the end of the year, but I want to be able to have a conversation with locals without trouble. 

One local custom that we've partaken in (and really enjoy) is the drinking of sakau. It's very similar to kava, if you've ever heard of that, but sakau is the Pohnpeian drink and it only is drank on this island. It is a local root taken and watered and pounded in hibiscus, giving it a liquidy, muddish consistency. Technically, it is a mild narcotic, and it gives you the feeling of a numb mouth and very relaxed. It is very much part of the culture here, and it is a highly respected act from the locals perspective. When we came, we were given a traditional sakau ceremony at one of the local sakau bars, and my good friends the Augustines. They rubbed our arms down with coconut oil (which is GREAT for skin, hair, and practically everything!) and we were given mar mar's to wear on our heads. We passed the sakau cup around and drank and enjoyed each other's company. We often drink sakau to just hangout and pass the time at night. I have yet to really feel the effects from it, but I'm sure it will come with more time on the island. 

At the sakau ceremony (coconut cup in my hands)

Overall, my first weeks on island went by so unbelievably fast! If it is any taste of what's to come this year, I'm very excited. I've loved getting to know the customs and traditions of the Pohnpeian people, and it is such a beautiful place. I'll try to post more and more picture and stories as they happen, but for now Kaselel and Pwohng mwahu! (goodbye and goodnight)

Picture from a dinner at Cupid's restaurant (with a gorgeous lookout view!)

Up, up and away!!

Well guys, this is it! The day has finally arrived for me to pack up my belongings and head off to a little Pacific island for 11 months. I worked for what seemed like hours on packing my entire life, including my Packers jersey (who could forget to represent Jordy?!), into only two suitcases and a backpack.

Saying goodbye to my family was far beyond the hardest thing I've ever had to do. As I stood there shaking and crying at the airport, walking away from Grant and my parents absolutely broke my heart. But as my sister reminded me today, isn't it a good thing that these goodbyes are so hard to do? It means you have such a loving and meaningful relationship, that saying these hard goodbyes mean you are leaving something truly amazing behind. I promise, it's only a "goodbye for now".... a "see you later"... an "I will miss you every single day until we are together again". I cannot say enough how thankful and blessed I am to have the support and encouragement of everyone back home for doing this.

So I flew off, alone to LA for the night. When I arrived, I met up with some other WorldTeach volunteers at the hotel. I met a married couple who will also be on the island with me, and we went and had some Mexican food for dinner. I'll admit it wasn't the best, but the hotel is in a super sketchy area of LA and we didn't want to walk too far! I also met some other volunteers who will be on neighboring islands of Chuuk and Yap, and they are all super cool! Very open-minded, free-spirited young people. A lot like myself :)

We all fly out together tomorrow at 10:30, but I gotta leave the hotel by 7am to make sure I can get there on time. It's going to consist of around 16 hours of flying altogether, not including the layovers. Can you say exhausting?! First stop is Honolulu, then Guam, Truk and finally Pohnpei. A lot of island hopping and feeder planes to get to our final destination.

Ok- well I am completely exhausted and ready for bed! I took my last hot shower for a while, and I savored every moment of it. I will update more when I arrive in Micronesia, but for now wish me luck! I'll be flying half way around the world pretty soon. See ya when I return everyone!!

But why?!?!!

When I first told people that I was going to spend a year as a WorldTeach volunteer in Pohnpei, Micronesia, the first reaction I got was "but... why?!". "Why would you leave home for a year?" "Why aren't you going to get a teaching job and start making money?" "Why would you ever leave Wisconsin?". My only answer to this is.... why not?

I've always wanted to travel abroad and now that I've graduated UW-Madison with a teaching degree, why not travel and teach at the same time? Student teaching this past year has put me through a great deal of work, with late nights of lesson planning and trials and errors of learning classroom management, but if there's one thing I've learned it's that I love kids. I absolutely love getting to know my students and learning more about them as unique individuals, and they are what brings a smile to my face each and every day. I cried as I left my last teaching placement at Jefferson Middle School, but they were tears that meant it will forever hold a place in my heart. I hope to someday see my students again and learn of how they've grown and gone on to accomplish all that is set in their own hearts.

When I applied to be a volunteer teacher with WorldTeach, I did not necessarily know where I would be placed. They told me that there was a position open in Pohnpei, Micronesia in the Pacific Islands. My first question was, where the heck is Micronesia?! Turns out is it very close to Guam, somewhere in between Hawaii and Australia. See that tiny little dot in the ocean? That's Micronesia!

5 fun facts about Micronesia:

• Pohnpei is a small island part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a United States territory.
• The official language is English, although the fluency levels on the Island may vary. Many people speak Pohnpeian, the local indigenous language. They also use American currency.
• The islanders of Pohnpei have a reputation as being the most welcoming of outsiders among residents of the Micronesian island groups.
• It is one of the wettest places on earth, receiving over 300 inches of rainfall each year in certain mountainous locations.
• Pohnpei, which stands for "upon a stone altar", rests on an exposed tip of a submerged volcanic mountain. The exterior is surrounded by a reef barrier, and the interior of the island is made up of dense rain forests and rugged volcanic mountain structures. 

I think that I am definitely in for a change of scenery, culture, and overall adventure. Although I am extremely nervous to embark on this journey, I am also excited to see what's in store for me. I leave in less than a month, so I will spend the rest of my time in the Northwoods packing, relaxing, and saying goodbye to my family and boyfriend. Through this journey, I hope to discover a better sense of myself, of who I am, and the ability to adapt to new situations and learn from others. Well, "Kaselehie" (hello/goodbye) for now!! 

Dad and I at graduation!

Fishing at home on Lake George

Grant (boyfriend) and I at graduation :)