The COMET is upon us!!

You guys,

First of all, I'm sorry that I haven't been too updated with this whole blog thing. Although I'm on this island whose number one hobby is sitting around and doing nothing, I've kept myself surprisingly busy the past couple months. Not only am I running the Girls on Track club, library story hour, and teaching four sections of Algebra II, but I've found this great new Zumba women's workout group who meets once per night (once the sun goes down- it's impossible to workout here during the day!). I tell myself that it's good to keep busy, otherwise I think I would go completely insane some days.

This whole year I have been preparing my students for the COMET exam (College of Micronesia Entrance Test) which is comparable to the SAT. To gain entrance to the college here on the island, they must pass this multiple choice test comprised of a math section, essay, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. As their math teacher, we have spent these past couple weeks focusing intensely on algebra (mainly quadratics), basic geometry, and problem solving techniques. For most of my students, this is the most important test of their lives because it decides if they will be able to go to college and possibly gain their ticket off of this island. I asked my students today what their plan was after high school (assuming that they pass the COMET) and I got a variety of answers including starting a family, attending COM on-island, transferring to another island college like Palau or Guam, and attending college in the States. I can only hope that I have adequately prepared them for this exam, as the rest of their life can easily depend on the outcome. The exam starts tomorrow, so I'm crossing my fingers that they do well!

Christmas here on-island was the hardest holiday I've ever had, if you want the truth. Not only have I never experienced Christmas without snow, but never one away from my family. I was able to Skype with them back home, so that helped me feel connected. I spent Christmas day in mid-90's weather walking along the Nett Point beach and collecting seashells, which was beautiful to say the least, but still a struggle for myself. It's hitting that point in the year that I'm counting down the days until I can return to Wisconsin and just be home again. I genuinely and truly appreciate the experience to live in another country and culture for this year, and it has taught me more than I can compose in words, but at the heart of it I realize that the culture I come from back home is pretty great.

It's surf season right now on Pohnpei, which by the fact is considered one of the top surfing destinations in the world. Professional surfers have been visiting every few weeks to catch the waves out at Palikir Pass, which have been in the high 20ft range! It's fun to see new faces out at Mangrove Bay bar every weekend, and I've been able to meet people from all over the world, What a small world- for all of us to be pulled to this tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean to meet at this short place and time. Sometime it still fathoms me that I am actually here. When I look up at the stars and realize that I am on the complete other side of the world, although scary and overwhelming, it can be very eye-opening.

Thank you to those of you who have stayed in touch these past few months- even a short message or few words can help me to feel connected back home. I could not have done this journey without your support.

Time for Zumba~~ let's dance!!