So for the last few months, the “C.V.’s” (U.S. Navy Civic Action Team) have been on my tiny island doing random projects. One of which was building a new restroom for the school. What the school had before was a set of outhouses that were nowhere near as nice. Since its creation back in 1945, this is the first time there have been flush toilets.
Anyways, the restrooms were finished back on Thanksgiving, but we were not allowed to use them until the official “Ribbon Cutting” has taken place. So, nearly a month later and after much preparation there was a big ceremony. Principals from the other schools, the governor of Angaur, representatives from the Ministry of Education, the C.V. Team, PTA members, representative from the U.S. Embassy, parents, teachers, and students all gathered to celebrate the ribbon cutting.
Needless to say, I’m grateful for the new amenities. Enjoy the short clip of the actual ribbon cutting.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
I’ve got a green thumb!
I’ve got a green thumb! Well, not really. Here in Angaur we are far from the capitol city and so all imported foods (read: fruits & vegetables) are very hard to come by. So, I’ve expressed interest to my host mother that I wanted to start a garden. I’ve dropped enough hints to her and those in her circle of my desires that finally one day she found me some seeds, planters, and designated a part of our yard that I could use to grow.
The first step was the seeds. As of now, I’ve got 300 seedlings started. Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, snap beans, cucumber, squash, watermelon, okra, and a few other vegetables are soon going to be on my dinner plate. They are all growing decently, and should be ready for transplant soon. The part of the yard designated for my project is said to have “good soil”. Cortez and I worked to clear the land. We cleared it completely, which is no easy task. There were trees we chopped down that were at least as old as me, stumps that we had to dig out, tons of root-rich ground cover, a bunch of crabs, beetles, ants hills, and remnants of WWII (nothing interesting, just rusty scrap metal)- and everything had to go. After a gnarly sunburn (we cleared the trees providing shade before clearing the undergrowth- poor planning on my part) and nearly suffering heat stroke, we finished. I’m pretty proud of myself. I’ve got blisters on both hands from the digging, chopping, and swinging of the machete.
I’ll let you all know as soon as I can how good the veggies taste.
Before
AfterTuesday, December 8, 2009
Happy (late) Thanksgiving Everyone!
Thanksgiving is celebrated here in Palau. Although I didn’t have turkey, I did have grilled chicken- which is close and welcome substitute. No stuffing, no cranberries, no mashed potatoes, no gravy- but plenty of good food and people to share it with.
I’ve been in my site now for a month, and I cannot believe how fast the time is actually going. Every week has gone faster than the last. Nothing too notable has happened, so I’ll just share a few random thoughts:
1. I love fish now. For 23 years I’ve not eaten fish. I’ve refused, avoided, and even lied about possible allergic reactions to get away from eating it. Now I eat it every day. My parents marinate it with fresh lemon from our lemon tree and pepper and then pan fry it to perfection. Also, I’m learning to eat Sashimi (raw fish). Usually, it is caught only a few hours earlier, expertly cut, and chilled. Dip that in some lemon juice and soy sauce- and you’re set. The fish I eat is also sometimes in soups- that is my least favorite, but that’s only because, in my opinion, it’s way to hot here to eat soup.
2. Last weekend I took the 6-8 mile walk (I’m not really sure how long it was) around my island. Although I might be a little biased, I think it is awesome. There are multiple war memorials, remnants of battles, abandoned mines, and even a coast guard base that’s been aboandoned since the 1950’s. Nature is slowly reclaiming everything left behind- it is truly amazing to see. My island also has numerous beaches and rocky cliff-like shorelines that make for some amazing views- especially during sunrises and sunsets.
3. I’ve got two toothbrushes in my bathroom. One I use for brushing, the other was used to clean. There is no storage area in my bathroom except for the medicine cabinet, and every time I brush my teeth, I tell myself, “You should really move that toothbrush, you’re going to use the gross one next time”. I then get distracted and never move it. Well, Wednesday morning, it happened. While brushing I noticed the texture of the bristles were different, and was slow to realize what was actually going on. I was brushing my teeth with a toothbrush that has been on every surface in the bathroom (including toilets and drains) and was now in my mouth. Immediately, I rinsed with mouthwash and brushed again with the correct toothbrush. You would think that I’ve learned my lesson, but to this day the cleaning toothbrush is still in the medicine cabinet, only inches from the correct toothbrush.
I’ve been in my site now for a month, and I cannot believe how fast the time is actually going. Every week has gone faster than the last. Nothing too notable has happened, so I’ll just share a few random thoughts:
1. I love fish now. For 23 years I’ve not eaten fish. I’ve refused, avoided, and even lied about possible allergic reactions to get away from eating it. Now I eat it every day. My parents marinate it with fresh lemon from our lemon tree and pepper and then pan fry it to perfection. Also, I’m learning to eat Sashimi (raw fish). Usually, it is caught only a few hours earlier, expertly cut, and chilled. Dip that in some lemon juice and soy sauce- and you’re set. The fish I eat is also sometimes in soups- that is my least favorite, but that’s only because, in my opinion, it’s way to hot here to eat soup.
2. Last weekend I took the 6-8 mile walk (I’m not really sure how long it was) around my island. Although I might be a little biased, I think it is awesome. There are multiple war memorials, remnants of battles, abandoned mines, and even a coast guard base that’s been aboandoned since the 1950’s. Nature is slowly reclaiming everything left behind- it is truly amazing to see. My island also has numerous beaches and rocky cliff-like shorelines that make for some amazing views- especially during sunrises and sunsets.
3. I’ve got two toothbrushes in my bathroom. One I use for brushing, the other was used to clean. There is no storage area in my bathroom except for the medicine cabinet, and every time I brush my teeth, I tell myself, “You should really move that toothbrush, you’re going to use the gross one next time”. I then get distracted and never move it. Well, Wednesday morning, it happened. While brushing I noticed the texture of the bristles were different, and was slow to realize what was actually going on. I was brushing my teeth with a toothbrush that has been on every surface in the bathroom (including toilets and drains) and was now in my mouth. Immediately, I rinsed with mouthwash and brushed again with the correct toothbrush. You would think that I’ve learned my lesson, but to this day the cleaning toothbrush is still in the medicine cabinet, only inches from the correct toothbrush.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)