Hello Everyone!
I am so sorry I have been so off of my blog game! It really
is inexcusable. But I am hoping to make up for it in the near future! (like
now…)
So it’s been a whole 2 months (and some odd days) since my last post and for those of you not on The Book (ie my parents) you’re missing out on a whole bunch of pictures and exciting adventures.
So let me just take this opportunity for a bit of a catch up…
Since I’ve last talked to you, I have been on retreat, enjoyed Valentines Day, visited my host family a bunch, partied with the Peace Corps, finished my third quarter of teaching, tried betel nut, witnessed the craziness that is school fair, MC’d for the PCS talent show, attended the funeral of one of my best student’s mom, traveled in the lagoon to two picnik islands, finished watching a couple tv show seasons, ate dog, and skyped almost a dozen people!
It’s been a jam packed few months and that is not even to mention the daily struggle of teaching 6 classes comprised of 90 students. But we keep on keeping on.
I think I am finally truly settling in here. I’ve found my place and I like it. I always kind of rebelled against the idea of culture shock because often, when I go someplace I don’t have problems with the new culture. I understand there will be differences but I tend to recognize the common humanity without a problem. HOWEVER, here I realized that my narrow idea of culture shock was just plain wrong. For me it was not about disliking the new culture I was placed in, it was more about just really missing the culture I had been accustomed to and felt was my “real life”, whether that is New England or college. It was a big change to full time teacher in the Pacific. But recently, I had one moment where I was driving with my host brother and I was just like this is such an amazing place, the weather is perfect and it’s so green and I have this amazing family and I just started laughing because it was like I could feel myself moving on to the next stage. Don’t get me wrong, I still have problems and I still miss home like crazy but I just feel more secure and comfortable at where I am. Which is AWESOME!
So it’s been a whole 2 months (and some odd days) since my last post and for those of you not on The Book (ie my parents) you’re missing out on a whole bunch of pictures and exciting adventures.
So let me just take this opportunity for a bit of a catch up…
Since I’ve last talked to you, I have been on retreat, enjoyed Valentines Day, visited my host family a bunch, partied with the Peace Corps, finished my third quarter of teaching, tried betel nut, witnessed the craziness that is school fair, MC’d for the PCS talent show, attended the funeral of one of my best student’s mom, traveled in the lagoon to two picnik islands, finished watching a couple tv show seasons, ate dog, and skyped almost a dozen people!
It’s been a jam packed few months and that is not even to mention the daily struggle of teaching 6 classes comprised of 90 students. But we keep on keeping on.
I think I am finally truly settling in here. I’ve found my place and I like it. I always kind of rebelled against the idea of culture shock because often, when I go someplace I don’t have problems with the new culture. I understand there will be differences but I tend to recognize the common humanity without a problem. HOWEVER, here I realized that my narrow idea of culture shock was just plain wrong. For me it was not about disliking the new culture I was placed in, it was more about just really missing the culture I had been accustomed to and felt was my “real life”, whether that is New England or college. It was a big change to full time teacher in the Pacific. But recently, I had one moment where I was driving with my host brother and I was just like this is such an amazing place, the weather is perfect and it’s so green and I have this amazing family and I just started laughing because it was like I could feel myself moving on to the next stage. Don’t get me wrong, I still have problems and I still miss home like crazy but I just feel more secure and comfortable at where I am. Which is AWESOME!
It is absolutely nuts to think that I have been here for
over 8 months. Sometimes, I feel like I have been here forever but most of the
time it feels like it flew by. And I am disheartened at my low knowledge of
Pohnpeian and teaching ability, but I have high hopes. I am also VERY excited
for the summer! Two wicked exciting things are happening: Micro Games (like the
Olympics of Micronesia) and my parents are visiting! But Brian is also leaving,
along with so many other friends we’ve made since being here. I clearly am not
over my dislike of passing relationships, but I will have to get better at it.
Okay, so let’s unpack my first paragraph to explain a couple of these adventures in greater detail.
First, our community went on retreat on this picnik island called Nahlap in February. It was unreal. We reflected and swam and read and shared and relaxed and it was so rejuvenating. I don’t have that much experience with retreats but I’m sure that was a good one! We also rode back in the pick-up in the rain, which, of course, was awesome. But by far my most memorable experience was on the second morning. Brian, Kristin and I decided to sleep right on the coral (with about 7392813 hermit crabs underneath us) and then I woke up to the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen. It was magical.
Okay, so let’s unpack my first paragraph to explain a couple of these adventures in greater detail.
First, our community went on retreat on this picnik island called Nahlap in February. It was unreal. We reflected and swam and read and shared and relaxed and it was so rejuvenating. I don’t have that much experience with retreats but I’m sure that was a good one! We also rode back in the pick-up in the rain, which, of course, was awesome. But by far my most memorable experience was on the second morning. Brian, Kristin and I decided to sleep right on the coral (with about 7392813 hermit crabs underneath us) and then I woke up to the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen. It was magical.
I have also been to Kitti a few more times since January and
enjoyed every second of it. My family is very proud of my sakau drinking
abilities and I have made a bunch of friends under the age of 12 (mostly due to
my hilarity when profoundly sucking at all their games). On my most recent
visit I even tried some dog cooked in an uhmw (a local earth oven). I know what
you’re thinking, “Brittany, how could you?!? That’s so sad.” And it is. But
they were pretty insistent and I’m pretty much up for trying anything at least
once. And actually, it was pretty good.
There have been a lot of happenings at the school over these past months. Two exciting events were the talent show and school fair. I was the MC for the talent show… so basically I am a professional MC now (I also MC’d for the Japanese key ceremony at the beginning of the year). Everyone wants to see the mehn wai (white American) try to pronounce the local names of songs and dances! I will try to make a video of the talent at some point… We also had school fair, which is basically just a fun day to do activities at the school and raise money. We raised over $3,000! Although, 8th grade was definitely not the highest earners of the day. I mostly played soccer all day and got a horrific sunburn. But then I MC’d again for the PCS beauty pageant. We had four drag couples from 8th grade compete for this honored title. Oh man, it was so great! Mr. and Mrs. Japan took home the prize, pretty sure it was because they said they had been married for 69 years. Oh, middle schoolers. In much sadder news, the mother of one of my best students passed away last week. She was actually one of the first people I met on island and was a wonderful woman. She was vice president of academics at the college and was on the board of PCS. She will be greatly missed. Please keep her and her family (including her three children at PCS) in your thoughts and prayers.
Finally, this past weekend I had a total blast! We first helped celebrate the birthday of my friend Vince at this really cool secret place in Awak. And it was there that I tried betel nut for the first time. Now betel nut is arguably chewed by like half of the population here but it originally came from the island of Yap. You take this nut and you bite it in half, pour in some lime, and a folded pepper leaf and then you chew it up. It turns your spit this dark red color and it gets everywhere. I had seen plenty of people chew but I didn’t really think it had an effect…but then I tried it. It was crazy! It made me really hot all over and a little light headed. People often chew it to wake themselves up and the effects only last about 5 minutes. But it was quite the experience. (Also, some chewers also put half a cigarette in the nut too, but I wasn’t about that).
There have been a lot of happenings at the school over these past months. Two exciting events were the talent show and school fair. I was the MC for the talent show… so basically I am a professional MC now (I also MC’d for the Japanese key ceremony at the beginning of the year). Everyone wants to see the mehn wai (white American) try to pronounce the local names of songs and dances! I will try to make a video of the talent at some point… We also had school fair, which is basically just a fun day to do activities at the school and raise money. We raised over $3,000! Although, 8th grade was definitely not the highest earners of the day. I mostly played soccer all day and got a horrific sunburn. But then I MC’d again for the PCS beauty pageant. We had four drag couples from 8th grade compete for this honored title. Oh man, it was so great! Mr. and Mrs. Japan took home the prize, pretty sure it was because they said they had been married for 69 years. Oh, middle schoolers. In much sadder news, the mother of one of my best students passed away last week. She was actually one of the first people I met on island and was a wonderful woman. She was vice president of academics at the college and was on the board of PCS. She will be greatly missed. Please keep her and her family (including her three children at PCS) in your thoughts and prayers.
Finally, this past weekend I had a total blast! We first helped celebrate the birthday of my friend Vince at this really cool secret place in Awak. And it was there that I tried betel nut for the first time. Now betel nut is arguably chewed by like half of the population here but it originally came from the island of Yap. You take this nut and you bite it in half, pour in some lime, and a folded pepper leaf and then you chew it up. It turns your spit this dark red color and it gets everywhere. I had seen plenty of people chew but I didn’t really think it had an effect…but then I tried it. It was crazy! It made me really hot all over and a little light headed. People often chew it to wake themselves up and the effects only last about 5 minutes. But it was quite the experience. (Also, some chewers also put half a cigarette in the nut too, but I wasn’t about that).
After, Vince’s birthday our community joined Peace Corps to
celebrate our friend’s birthday on the picnik island Black Coral. Let me just
say, we rented the island. Like we had this island all to ourselves. It was
crazy and it only costs $10 per night. Pohnpei is so cool. So we swam and
snorkeled (I saw a shark, yep that’s right I was swimming with sharks) and ate
cake and drank beers and got a BU alumnus to admit she wanted to transfer to
BC(win!). It was so lovely. I also realized the awesomeness that is sleeping in
a hammock all night. However, I will say I’m pretty sure I have about 70
million bug bites right now. Picture evidence might be possible at some point…
Okay, well I’m sure 3 pages is enough for one blog post so I
will wrap it up. Once again, I apologize to all of you who were anxiously
waiting to hear how I am doing. I promise I will be better from now on.
And, as a special gift since I was so awful, I made a video! It is not that good but it has some of the videos I have taken here as well as some very popular songs at the moment. The videos are from the past 8 months and it showcases a bunch of things including my students, my host family, my friends, my community, and of course, the beautiful scenery. One of the songs is also from the choir in Kitti from Dioceses day and it is wicked beautiful!
You can find the video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIKwK3Ofr6c&feature=youtu.be
It should work…let me know if it doesn’t.
Also, get ready for a picture post bonanza over the next few days showcasing all of these wonderful events!
Well, that is all from me! I love and miss you all and I am sending out tons and tons of love from my tiny island in the Pacific!
And, as a special gift since I was so awful, I made a video! It is not that good but it has some of the videos I have taken here as well as some very popular songs at the moment. The videos are from the past 8 months and it showcases a bunch of things including my students, my host family, my friends, my community, and of course, the beautiful scenery. One of the songs is also from the choir in Kitti from Dioceses day and it is wicked beautiful!
You can find the video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIKwK3Ofr6c&feature=youtu.be
It should work…let me know if it doesn’t.
Also, get ready for a picture post bonanza over the next few days showcasing all of these wonderful events!
Well, that is all from me! I love and miss you all and I am sending out tons and tons of love from my tiny island in the Pacific!
Oceans of Love,
Britt
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