Rob's Log - A Peace Corp Blog

End of School - May 2011 Graduation!

2011-11-03T20:56:00.002-05:00

Another school year has finished and Angaur Elementary School has another graduate. Again this year, there was only one in the 8^th grade class. Unfortunately, the weather that day was horrible, so instead of having the event outdoors in the usual beautiful tropical paradise that is Angaur, it was conducted in our community center. Enjoy the pictures.

The graduate giving his graduation speech.

The graduate with the PTA president and the Principal.

Friends pose for a celebratory photo.

No Palauan celebration is complete without dancing!

GUAM!

2011-11-03T20:51:00.001-05:00

Made it to Guam. Madeit there bright and early Friday morning. We had some time, as the Spelling Bee was not until Saturday morning.The flight was uneventful and we were picked up at the airport by a member ofTsun’s extended family. They were niceenough to wake up at the crack of dawn and take Tsun and me to breakfast atMcDonald’s. After sharing an EggMcMuffin we continue on to his family’s house and spent some time with thefamily. In the afternoon they drop usoff at our hotel and we check in. Wemade plans for dinner with his family and they were to pick us up at the hotelthat night- it gave us a chance to get cleaned up, rest, and prepare for theSpelling Bee in the morning.

Then comes a change of plans. Earthquake in Japan and tsunami warnings goout all over the Pacific. The streets tothe hotel are closed, and we are instructed by local authorities to go back toour room at the hotel and wait for the waves. We were not too worried, as we felt that being on the 15^thfloor of the Guam Mariott, we’d be safe. Before we barricaded ourselves in our hotel room, we went on the searchfor something to eat, since the dinner plans from earlier had to becancelled. We work our way down thestreet in the tourist area to find all the restaurants either closed or in theprocess of closing. The only thing thatis open is a souvenir shop that also happens to sell snacks. The place is packed to the gills withtourists buying water, chips, snacks, etc. We pick out some chips, beef jerky, apples, and some muffins and makeour way back to our hotel and sit on the balcony and wait for the waves. Luckily for everyone, the waves didn’t comeand Guam was spared from any damaging waves.

So the next morning we are well rested and ready for theSpelling Bee. We make our way down tothe convention hall at the Mariott and check in and do some last minutepracticing of words. Tsun didphenomenal- he made it to the fourth round and was in the top half of thecontestants there. He had a small groupof fans there cheering for him, we were all very proud. After the Spelling Bee, another extendedfamily member found us and insisted on taking us to dinner.

With all the Spelling Bee business complete, we had one fullday to play around. We went to theMicronesia Mall and I got the chance to introduce an important part of myculture to Tsun- TacoBell, Sabarro, Subway, KFC, and ColdStone. Isn’t America great? We also spent a few hours at the arcade andriding the bumper cars and indoor roller coaster in the mall. I was very thankful that Tsun had such agreat group of family members that took care of us while we were in Guam. They really made the trip a great success.

Some pics of the champion as we explored Guam.

Some pics of the champion with his extended family.

The view from ourhotel room.

Hotel Pool

The view at night- as we waited for the tsunami

Waiting for the tsunami

The spelling bee is about to start.

Calm as a cucumber.

Orthographize.

2011-03-08T17:10:00.004-06:00

Six of my students in the 7th and 8th grade have spent several weeks practicing for the national spelling bee in Palau. We had nightly sessions at my house in Angaur where we studied practice words from different origins. English words that have been adapted from other languages such as French, Spanish, Japanese, Slavic languages, German, and even some eponyms were all included in the practice lists. My students worked extremely hard and we were able to make it to Koror to compete.

While we were in Koror, we took advantage of our time there and did a few field trips. We went to Dolphin Pacific which is a non-profit, eco-tourism organization in Palau that gave us a tour of their facility and took the time to show us some of the feats their dolphins are trained to do. Also, we went to the Coral Reef Center and had a tour that showed the kids all of the species and varied habitats in Palau. Lastly, we went to the Belau National Museum. There we had a guide show us around the museum and walk us through Palau’s history- and the effects from the Spanish, German, Japanese, and Americans who have influenced this island over the years. Of course, while in Koror we took advantage of a few other treats we don’t usually get on Angaur: pizza, burgers, and ice cream!

The spelling bee was a success. My students did phenomenally well. Angaur has not participated for some time in this competition, at least a few years. Our geographic location and small enrollment has proven to be a hindrance in the past. Luckily our team had great support from the principal, teachers, and parents- as well as some of the state government officials. Without that support, I doubt that we would have been as successful as we were.

My sole 8th grade student, Tsun (I call him “Tsunami”- because he’s a force to be reckoned with) got first place. He spelled word after word correctly, and was up against one another one of the smartest students I’ve ever seen, a student from Koror (she was the returning champ). I was sitting on the edge of my seat watching these two students battle it out for the first place title. Then it happened, Tsun was to be given a word- and if spelled correctly, he’d win. The word: “Orthographize”. When I heard that, my heart sank- it was not a word we’ve studied. Frankly, it was not a word I even knew existed. But Tsun, like a pro, nailed it. Cheers and applause filled the room and his father rushed up and gave his son a huge hug.

Now- it gets even better. Because Tsun won the spelling bee, he gets to compete in the next stage of the bee. Tsun won an all expense paid trip to Guam for him and me, this coming weekend where we’ll compete Saturday night. Tsun has never been out of Palau, so he is very excited (and a little apprehensive) for trip. So, wish us luck this weekend, and I’ll update my blog with details from the spelling bee.

AND- for those of you, like me, who didn’t know what “Orthrographize” means “to spell correctly or according to usage; to correct in regard to spelling.”

When we arrived back in Angaur, everyone was there waiting for us. They gave a hero’s welcome to the students when they arrived.

The team.

My winning team and the trophy.

The top three winners, and their coaches (all Peace Corps Volunteers).

Our Champ and his family.

“Can you repeat the word please?” – Student
“Yes, your word is ‘thespian’” – Announcer

My team.

Our pre-Spelling Bee snack. Bem Armii- burgers and fries.

A special dinner put on by Angaur government officials to show their support for the students before the spelling bee.

My mama and me.

My 7th grader very excited to be learning about Palau’s history at the National Museum. I tried match his enthusiasm.

Watching a turtle at the Coral Reef Center.

At Dolphin Pacific, the kids got to be really close to the action.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-12-09T00:47:00.010-06:00

Sorry that it has been so long since my last update. I’ve not been off my little island since my last posting and now that I have time I figured that I’d share what I’ve been up to the last several weeks.

Halloween went well in Angaur. I got both of my brothers a costume. Valdez was the grim reaper and Cortez was supposed to be Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. I got some pumpkins and set out to have some fun this Halloween. Regrettably, Cortez decided that it’d be a good idea to try chewing betel nut with tobacco early Halloween afternoon. Being a inexperienced chewer, he swallowed more than he spat. The unfortunate result was violent vomiting for the next 36 hours. I was mildly sympathetic, but treated the situation as a good learning experience for him. I’m pretty sure that he hasn’t chewed since. Sad to say, the island of Angaur did not get to see Captain Jack Sparrow this Halloween. Maybe next year!

After Halloween not much has been going on. I’m still teaching at the school. This semester we’re focusing on microorganisms in my science class. We’ve cultured bacteria in Petri dishes, examined molds and fungi on the island and looked at everything we could think of under a microscope. English class is going well too, I focused a lot on writing. The students seem to be getting into it; at least they stopped complaining about it.

About two weeks ago I took a spur-of-the-moment weekend field trip to the old lighthouse in Angaur. During WWII it was a fully functioning lighthouse that was built by the Japanese. It toppled over during a battle I’m told. Now nature is in the process of reclaiming the massive tower and it is quite a sight. Many of the students had not seen this landmark on their own island, so I was glad to be able to share a bit of their own history with them.

And I made a turkey for the first time. I have (well, had) one of the only ovens in Angaur in my house. So when the President of the Legislature for Angaur State donated a turkey for the school, I was volunteered to make it. It’s funny what they assume I’m capable of just because I’m American. It was to be served on Wednesday for the student’s lunch as a Thanksgiving treat. Anyways, I woke up at 3:00am and put the bird in. After consulting friends and family both local and abroad, I finally had a game plan. I cut up some onions, garlic, and used what seasonings I had locally available to get it all flavored up. Then I put the bird in the oven and basted every 15 minutes (which I was later told was a waste of time). At the 5:30 baste, the electric oven started sparking and popping with loud and bright explosions. Annoyed, I unplugged the oven and thought about my options. It’s 5:30 in the morning and I’ve got an almost cooked turkey. I could either cut it up and cook it on the stove, or try the oven again. SO, I plugged in the oven again. Luckily the fireworks stopped, but the heating coil in the oven stopped working. Fortunately, Valdez was “helping” and he turned the knob all the way to “BROIL” and the upper coil heated up- so I spent the next couple hours trying to keep the oven at a somewhat constant temperate, which is harder than one might think. In the end, the bird was completely cooked and transported to school to be eaten. I got many compliments, but I’m pretty sure that they were just being nice.

Valdez cleaning his pumpking before cleaning on Halloween.

One of the Trick-or-Treaters

Our two Jack-o-Laterns and one carved papaya.

Magnified MSG- they eat it like salt here. Someone had donated a ProScope, which is like a microscope, but you connect it to your computer; it came in handy this quarter for my science class.

My sole eighth grader. Because he is the only one in his class, the room is partly used as storage.

Cortez showing off his slingshot skills.

Three of my students and one harmless community member who enjoys his alcohol a little more frequently than he probably should.

My student conquering his fear of heights by climbing a ladder to the top of the old lighthouse.
The adjacent building to the lighthouse has been used as a hangout for generations of Angaur youth, as evident by the graffiti. My students were laughing when they saw the current principal's name carved into the wall from when she was young.My students leaving their mark.

One student took my picture was I was telling him not to touch my camera. He insisted I put it on my blog so everyone could see how mean I am.

My turkey once it arrived at school.

My students did not believe that I could make a turkey.

Serving up a feast - Fried chicken, rice pilaf, turkey, stuffing, gravy, oranges, and pumpkin pie.

Kids enjoying their Thanksgiving meal.

Liberation Day

2010-10-14T19:36:00.006-05:00

Liberation Day is a state holiday for Angaur. We celebrate the liberation of the people of Angaur sixty seven years ago. It is a day to remember those who were affected by the war in the Pacific and to celebrate the ending of WWII.

Anyways, the celebration has since evolved into a day-long competition. The island is separated into four sections. The part of the island in which you inhabit dictates what team you are on. There are four teams: Red, Blue, Green and Orange. Because I live on “I’Waikiki” section of the island, I’m on the Green team. The students and adults all take part in the competitions, it is just like a track and field day with activities ranging from relays, three-legged races, spear throwing, and a baseball tournament to top it all off.

The kids are required to participate, most are very excited. We’ve been practicing after school for the last few weeks. Rain or shine, the kids have been sprinting, pushing tires, kicking soccer balls while blindfolded and jumping rope to prepare for this day. Prizes for the students were notebooks and pencils. Most students get enough every Liberation Day to last an entire school year.

To entice the adults to participate, there are cash prizes. I participated in a relay where I had to balance a bottle of water on my head and race around the track. My team won (of course) and we got to split a $32 prize four ways, making me $8 richer!

Overall, a great time was had by all. It was really great to see the island get together like that and really enjoy the day. A band was hired to perform that night for everyone. The commotion was quite a change from the normal calmness that this island is usually known for.

Here are some pictures from the day:

Mom and Dad

Relay Race

My brother, Lopez, showing off his winnings

Me showing off my winnings.

My brother, Cortez, pushing a tire.

Another tire-pusher

My host mom helping team Green win the relay.

The students watching the games

More tire-pushing

Big City Life: Things I Love About Koror

2010-10-04T00:32:00.005-05:00

Bem Armii:
English translation, “Come taste”. Bem Armii is a small burger stand that is a local favorite here in Koror. While there are other options for late night burgers (open until 4 AM on weekends), this one is the best by far. Nestled in the heart of the city, right next to the Asahi Baseball Field, Bem Armii boasts freshly grilled burgers, greasy fries, and even chocolate malts- all served with a big smile from the friendly staff.

Rock Island Café:
Palau is known for their “Rock Islands” a series of roughly 300 limestone or coral uprises in Palau’s Southern Lagoon. The “Rock Island Café” is known for its pizza. Although I’ve had better pizza in the past, there is none in Palau that can compare. They use real cheese, real pepperoni, and other fresh toppings. And don’t be fooled, they have a full American menu (burgers, lasagna, chicken strips, burritos, etc) as well- but I rarely go there and swerve from my usual pepperoni and jalapeño personal pan pizza.

Sunset on the Meyuns Causeway:
While in Koror I do find myself missing the quiet of Angaur. There is a causeway here that connects the island of Koror to the neighboring island of Meyuns. Ironically enough, on this causeway I’m able to find some of that quiet and peacefulness that I love about Angaur. Here is the perfect place to watch the sunset while in Koror. No two sunsets are the same and you are almost guaranteed to get a good sunset picture

Jello’s:
Want the latest season of your favorite T.V. show? How about a copy of that movie that was just premiered in American theaters last week? Well, you are in luck. Jello’s (pronounced like the gelatin snack) is a normal corner store that also dabbles in the Chinese bootleg movie trade. For $5, you can get an entire season of shows such as The Office, My Name is Earl, Weeds, Nurse Betty, or a new movie release like SALT, Resident Evil: Afterlife, or anything else the Chinese think that people might want to watch. The quality is hit and miss- sometimes they are near DVD quality (complete with subtitles) while other times the movies are recorded from a handheld camera inside a movie theater. What did I get this time around? I went with the newest season of 30 Rock and a collection of 20 children’s movies (on one disk- quite a deal if you ask me).

Peace Corps Office:
The Peace Corps provides its volunteers with a resource lounge. The lounge itself is great. We’ve got two computers with reliable internet access, hundreds of books in the Peace Corps’ informal library, and two comfortable couches for lounging. All of this is enclosed in air-conditioned comfort. It’s a great place to do research for projects, read mail, catch up with other volunteers or just take a quick nap during the heat of the day.

Ben Franklin’s and Surrangel’s
Koror boasts plenty of shopping options. I would say that they two main stores here are Ben Franklin’s and Surrangel’s (Surrangel's is pictured). Both of the stores have a grocery store on the main level where one can get nearly anything they might desire. Both have a small department store on the second level. Both remind me of a small scale Super Target- they have just about everything. Odds are, if you’re looking for something in particular and you can’t find it at one of these stores- you’re probably not going to find it at all. Which one do I prefer? Let’s just say both get their fair share of my Peace Corps monthly stipend.

Coffee House:
This one is pretty self explanatory. Seeing that there are no Starbucks or Caribou Coffee here (yet) this coffee house does a pretty darn good job at filling that role. Palauans are not as snobbish as Americans are with their coffee. Most coffee drinkers drink instant coffee. This coffee house also does a good job with smoothies and other iced drinks. What did I get today? Just a normal iced coffee.

The Republic of Palau Postal Service:
Let’s just say I like getting mail. Despite the fact that I’ve been terrible at maintaining a blog, some people still remember I’m here and drop a note or package from time to time. To those people, Thank You! This post office is part of the US Postal system, so mailing a letter or package back to the states is the same as the domestic postal rates. This is the only post office in the country and the only place where the mail is delivered- inside is a ton of post office boxes and a very familiar USPS service desk.

ACE Hardware:
Yup. We got one of those. I really don’t shop here often, but it has come in handy on many occasions. When my toilet was leaking for a few weeks, I was able to get a new seal kit at ACE. When the armrest for chair fell off, I was able to locate the right size replacement bolt to repair it at ACE. When I need things for my garden, ACE has it. Like I said, I don’t go here on most trips to Koror, but it’s like a safety net knowing that it is there should I need it.

Bank of Guam:
Ok, maybe this isn’t one of my favorite places to be while in Koror, but I tend to find myself there on nearly every visit. This is where my monthly stipend is deposited and the only place that I can access my money. Like any other bank it keeps banking hours, but unlike normal banking hours this bank is only open from 9:30am to 2:30pm. The lines are long, the hours suck, and the fees would qualify for highway robbery in the States- but because it has my money; it made it on my list.

Summer Update

2010-07-04T02:48:00.002-05:00

It’s been a while since my last update. Not much has happened here on the small island of Angaur. Since school let out, the pace here has certainly slowed. I’ve gotten a few inquiries about what it is exactly that I’m doing over the summer here, so I thought that I’d share what I’m up to.

With regard to my work here- I’m working the summer reading camp at my school. It’s basically summer school, but the only focus is English and reading. I’m working with the first through third graders, which is proving to be a challenge for me. Older students you can reason with, but these young kids you just can’t do that. Oh well, it’s a learning experience for us both.

Summertime also holds a lot of special Peace Corps meetings and trainings. I’ve completed a training earlier this month where we focused on the collaboration between the volunteer and host agency. We also focused on different team teaching strategies, and how to best implement them at our specific sites. The coming week I will be attending a volunteer forum, where I am the representative for my team in Palau. We’ll share successes, work out problems, and discuss policy and how we can make this whole thing better for the incoming volunteers.

Lastly, I’m working with some members in my community on a campaign to keep the older teens off drugs and alcohol. I don’t think that it’s a huge problem in Angaur, but we got a grant to do some fun projects with the teenage kids. We are going to be painting a mural on one of the walls of the community center. Angaur is lucky to have a very good artist as one of its youth; I’ve seen his sketches and am eager to see what the finished product will look like. Also, we’ll be updating the signs on all the government buildings (hospital, state office, community center, school, etc.) and some landscaping around the state buildings- all things that will help the students take pride in their state.

Other than that, I’ve got a lot of time to explore, swim, read, “stroll”, and get to know the people in my community. I’m thoroughly enjoying my summer here.

Games; plenty, plenty games! No night here is complete without a game of some sort. Usually Hanaguda or Crazy 8’s. Speed is another favorite. Unfortunately, I rarely win.

Just hanging out with my cousins, the girl is Seba- a high school student and the baby is Joe. He insisted on seeing what was so intriguing about the book I was reading, and why it commanded all my attention (that could have been used on him).

My family just built a new house, and so we spent a few days clearing all the trees around it. It didn’t seem like much work, but after the 10th trip to dump a truck full of foliage, it became apparent that this would be a big task.

As I have more time, I’ve more of an opportunity to cook. Here I’m making white chicken chili. This particular dish led to a fiercely tongued debate between my host father and mother, as he much preferred my way of preparing the chicken for soups (de-boning and de-skinning) than my host mother’s (just cut the chicken into small pieces, bones included).

After swimming, we usually stick around to watch the sunset before heading home for dinner.

Graduation Day

2010-05-26T04:27:00.003-05:00

This last Monday was the “Promotional Day” for my school. This is the day that the 8th graders graduate and all the other students get promoted to the next grade. This year Angaur Elementary School only had one 8th grader. It was a very emotional day for her.

In Palau, there are 16 public elementary schools and only one public high school. The high school is in Koror, the only real city in Palau. It is customary for the child to live with relatives in the capitol city to finish their education.

My graduate had to say goodbye to the only school she has known for whole life. Say goodbye to her life-long friends and say goodbye to the family that raised her in Angaur. When I asked her to explain how she felt in a writing assignment about graduating and moving on in life, she only wrote one word; bittersweet.

Me and the graduate.

The whole school congratulating the graduate.

The special cake, just for her (the bakery misspelled "Angaur")

The graduate with the old and new principal of Angaur Elementary

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-23T02:41:00.004-05:00

Not much to report, the school year is flying by. Our last day of school is May 21 and we've got a lot to cover in a short amount of time.

Here is a picture from yesterday's Earth Day festivities. Each one of the students were instructed to bring a tree from their home to plant on the school's porperty. Mango trees, coconut trees, lemon trees, betel nut trees, and many floral bushes were also planted.

EAW

2010-03-24T17:45:00.008-05:00

The last week here was “Educational Awareness Week” (EAW) in Palau. During EAW the students spend time doing various educational activities. We did a beach clean-up, field trip to the mangroves, learned how to tie knots for fishing, and many other fun things. The last half of the week was spent presenting to the parents all of the things that we have learned so far during the school year. The parents came here and tolerated the two full days of presentations. Spelling bees, essays (in both English and Palauan), cultural dancing, singing, science presentations and even a volleyball game where the parents played against the students.

Overall, the week was good. The kids spent a lot of time and energy preparing for this and did really well. I was very happy to see the turn out of parents- maybe 90% of the students had their parents (or some other family support) show up.

Here are some pictures of what we did:

My host brother, Valdez, trying to concentrate and focus on knot tying, as he wasn’t paying attention when the instructions were given- he eventually did successfully tie the knot.

This is Vance and Beches, sixth graders, who are explaining the life cycle of stars to the crowd.

These are our two first graders, Pohai and Niro. Pohai is in a coconut leaf skirt and Niro is in a usaker (loincloth). They did the Mengesols, which is a traditional Palauan chant.

This is the fourth grade presentation for their career class. They did a fashion show showing what careers they’d like to pursue. From left to right we have Modesta that wants to be a dancer and eventually a dance instructor, then Klikm wants to be a singer, followed by Ucheliou who wants to be a teacher, and finally Tito who wants to become a doctor.

One of the most enthusiastic fourth graders happy with his EAW treats. We do not normally serve ice cream or oranges.

My host brother, Cortez, reading his expository essay that was prepared in both Palauan and English.

I’m showing off my find of a mangrove crab. Usually they stay in their homes during the day and only come out at night to eat. I let this one free, but I told it I’d be back to get it when it got a little bigger.

My sixth grade student, Beches and my seventh grade student Tsun show off their find from the field trip to the mangroves. Even though it’s been decades since Angaur has seen any fighting, there are still reminders of what this island went through during WWII.

On our field trip to the mangroves, Teacher John is showing off a specific type of plant and explaining its medicinal uses and its historical significance to the Palauan people. Most of the kids don’t have the same knowledge of their environment as the older generations do.

My and one of my sixth graders, Bizk. I tutor him every day after school and as a thank you he gave me the head band that I’m wearing in the picture.

While the boys tied knots, the girls learned how to make Bilum- the traditional preparation of the tapioca plant. Bilum was eaten regularly until the discovery of imported white rice, which has since replaced the native carbohydrate for most of the people on this island.

This is the fourth grade class taking a break from the hard work of the clean up.

This is just a picture of some of my students as we clean the beach.

This is Keo and Bizk impressed by their find of a hermit crab who has, “adapted to it’s new environment” by making it’s home in an empty beer can. Good thing we made it to the beach to clean!

Heyo

2010-03-10T01:35:00.001-06:00

I’ve got not much new to report and I’m in a slight hurry (at least as hurried as one can be on a remote island in the Pacific) so I’m going to make this brief.

1. I met the President of Palau today. He made the trip from the mainland of Palau to the outer island of Angaur to give a motivational speech to the kids and get to know the school staff. He listened to the students, staff, and a few parents when they let him know what they thought the school needs. I had to explain to my students that it was a big deal that they were meeting the president. They just assumed that the Obama made visits to all the elementary schools in the USA too.

2. We are out of water at my house. Apparently El Nino is back and while it means warm winters in Minnesota- it means droughts in Angaur. Don’t get me wrong, sunny day after sunny day is nice (it’s GREAT, actually). But, I’ll take a few days of rain if it means that I can get a drink of water every now and then. You might be wondering where I’m getting water now. We still have running water that is not suitable for drinking- that keeps me clean and my garden watered. My drinking water is mooched off of others in the community who have a more adequate supply. Sadly, this El Nino is expected to drastically reduce rainfall through June- so I might need to be more creative in my search to quench my thirst.

3. On one of the aforementioned “Sunny Days”, I took a hike with a few of my students on the weekend. My eight grade student said, “It’s F***ing hot”. I gave her a scowl of disapproval and said, “At least say ‘Hucking Fot’ or something else when you’re around adults”. Well, that caught on and now all of the upper-graders in my school are having a blast using curse words without actually using curse words. “Yuck fou”, “aumb dss”, and (my personal favorite) “Sull Bhit”. It’s things like this that really make me feel like I’m making a difference.

Ak Milruul a kall. (I prepared food)

2010-02-25T18:12:00.001-06:00

I’ve gotten the question, “Rob, what do you eat?” so let me go over each meal and tell you what is normally on the menu.

Breakfast: Bread- white bread with peanut butter and jelly. Everyday.
Lunch: Rice with fried fish, crab patties, or fried chicken
Dinner: Rice with a wider selection of main dishes- Fish (raw, fried, grilled, or in soup), Chicken (fried, baked, or on a special occasion grilled), Crab (crab patties, ogaib, or whole coconut crabs), and canned/processed delicacies (SPAM, Hormel Luncheon Loaf, hot dogs, and corned beef).

For the most part my host family cooks for me and when I get to cook it is a little bit of a novelty for me. So, I got a chance to cook last night and my main dish (chili) won the approval of my host mother. I made her take a picture of me cooking so that I could let the people at home know that I’m actually cooking for myself a little bit.

Also, as an update for my garden- the only thing that has turned into anything edible are the green beans. I was able to get enough to go with a meal of some sort. My host mother took them and told me she’d “fix that one”. It was thrown into a pot with a can of corned beef. Not quite what I had in mind, but good nonetheless.

Update... and some pictures

2010-02-09T18:06:00.004-06:00

Well- the tests have finished and a new quater is upon us here at Angaur Elementry School. We did alright on the quartly assessments. We are short a teacher so everyone is doing a little more than normal to help bridge the gap. I'm now teaching 6th and 8th grade English; 8th grade math; 6th, 7th, and 8th Health; and 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Career Guidance. I've got a much busier schedule, but like it a lot.

Besides that, there's not much new to report. I now leave it up to you- after being scolded by my parents for not updating my blog, I've decided to do a Q&A format. So ask away. Let me know your questions, if you have any- and I'll write a post to adress it. You can email me at rsteffens@gmail.com or leave your question as a comment.

Also- I'm looking for some pen-pals for my sixth grade class. There are seven student who would love to team up with some kids their ages in America. So if anyone can help with that, I'd be aprreciative. We're in the US postal system, so mail comes very quickly and it doesn't cost any more to send a letter to Palau than it does to send a letter anywhere in America.

Enjoy some pictures:

Just a normal, everyday sunset in Angaur, Palau

My host brother, Cortez, taking a dive off the dock.

My host family's house

A little lizard that I found in my house.

The retired principal of Angaur Elementry- also my host uncle.

Another sunset.

The school kids at Christmas with Santa there to visit.

My host father, Emiliano.

My host brother, Valdez

My host brother, Cortez.

Testing, Testing, 1...2...3... (January 7, 2010)

2010-02-09T17:58:00.002-06:00

It’s a cold (relatively) and rainy day in Angaur today. There has been a constant rain for the last six or seven hours. I’m not adverse to the rain, as it brings cool breeze and will inevitably help my garden grow. However, this time it is a bit excessive. There are small ponds where small ponds have not previously existed. Overall it is just the beginning of a gloomy Thursday.

Right now in school we are preparing the students for their quarterly exams. Each quarter, the Ministry of Education tests the students in Science, Math, English, Social, Palauan, and Health. About a week before the tests, we are given a “review sheet” from the MOE to provide us a guideline as what to prepare the students for specifically. Unfortunately for the students, this means an intense review/cram session. Also, since the school is so small, each student’s grade is even more significant.

I have one eight grade student. And we’ve been working this quarter doing some writing, fiction reading, character analysis, grammar rules, etc. I got the review sheet which has a list of ten items that will be covered on the test. Having just the one student, and being her only teacher, I’m starting to feel the pressure for her to succeed. If she fails the test, that means that Angaur Elementary School will have a 0% passing rate for 8th grade English, which needless to say, looks bad on paper.

Needless to say, I’m looking forward to the new quarter to begin.

Open for Business!

2009-12-27T23:34:00.001-06:00

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.

We wish you a merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T23:10:00.001-06:00

A nice Christmas song from my students:

I’ve got a green thumb!

2009-12-27T19:15:00.002-06:00

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

After

Happy (late) Thanksgiving Everyone!

2009-12-08T18:29:00.002-06:00

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.

In Angaur

2009-11-24T23:13:00.001-06:00

I’ve arrived in my permanent site now, and I must say- I love it. Angaur is small island about fifty miles south of the main island in Palau. This island has everything from lush forests, rocky shorelines, and sandy beaches. The population is small (about 150) but the people that do live here are awesome- very kind and welcoming to me as a guest on their island.

My host family is great as well. My dad is a fisherman and my mom manages the household, her four children (20, 16, 11, and 10), and me. She is a great cook, and I’m becoming a big fan of fried fish as well as sashimi (raw fish). The two oldest children spend the school year in Koror, the capitol city, while the youngest two live in Angaur.

I’ve been assigned a counterpart at the elementary school. She is to provide help and support during my stay here. If I have problems at home, school, or in the community- I have someone to turn to. We also team teach English classes. I think that I really lucked out with my counterpart; she has made my transition to Angaur as easy as it could possibly be.

The food here is good- lots of fish and crab. I’ve requested that my parents take me “crabbing” with them the next time that they go. I’m not sure what the process involves all I know is that they do it in the forest at night.

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and the students (all 24 of them) all have school off. I had wanted to do some exploring on the island, but the weather is not cooperating with me. I guess it is the rainy season, as is evident by the daily torrential rains. Instead of exploring, I’ll be converting a storage room at the school to a small classroom for me to teach in and do some tutoring after normal school hours. Cleaning is not nearly as fun, but at least it is productive.

Overall I’m happy and healthy. Feel free to drop me an email anytime. I don’t get mail unless I take the 4-hour boat ride into the city to check it. So, apologies if you’ve written and not gotten a response, I’ve not received your letter yet.

I'm In!

2009-11-17T18:47:00.003-06:00

After nine weeks of training, I’m officially a Peace Corps Volunteer. I swore in on Monday, November 9, 2009. It was a quite an event. Our training host families, community members, permanent host families, future team-teachers, principals, representatives from the Ministry of Education, Peace Corps, US Embassy, Governors and many others all came to the ceremony to show their support. The ceremony itself was short, maybe an hour or so. We had words of wisdom from those chosen to speak. It was really nice to see such support for what we are doing in Palau. My participation in the event was to give a speech in Palauan and humiliate myself by attempting to do some contemporary Palauan dance (and a hula?).

There are supposed to be pictures below, however I'm having issues uploading them from here, so they'll have to wait until I get into the capitol city next time. I’m told that it was recorded for the local cable access channel. So, I’ll see if I can’t get a copy of that somehow.

Overall, it wasn’t that bad. I guess that it is Palauan custom for the audience to get up and dance with you and give you money- I earned $22 in a matter of minutes! After the ceremony, all of the Volunteers were whisked away with their new host families and spread across the entire country of Palau. It was a bittersweet goodbye, even though we were all excited to get to our permanent sites, we knew that it’ll be an adjustment not seeing a familiar American face everyday. I was headed for the capitol city of Koror to wait a few days for the boat to take me to my new home, the small island of Angaur.

October 4, 2009 - Update

2009-11-09T22:50:00.005-06:00

This post (with the exception of the pictures) was written and saved to my computer- I've finally been able to get some internet access to update.

My first phase of training has completed, and my group of 30 trainees, has been separated from each other by hundreds of miles of ocean. Five other trainees and I arrived safely in Palau on Saturday, September 26. We had the longest flight from Phonapei, with stops in Chuuk, Guam, and Yap. (Luckily though, I’m racking up the frequent flier miles!)

As we arrived late in the evening, Peace Corps put us up in a hotel for the night. I think that it was a courtesy to us and the host families. After a restful nights sleep in an air conditioned room, a shower where I could completely disrobe, and a breakfast that did not include hot dogs or spam- I felt as if I was more than ready for the next phase of training.

The training site is in Ngermetengel, Ngeremlengui. It is a nice little town in a more rural state. I think that they are trying to keep us out of the main city, so we can focus on the training rather than other, more distracting things (cough:::bars:::cough). The actual training center is a community center called the “Old Age Center”. It resembles a Bai and is right on the water.

I have training every weekday from 7:45 – 5:00. The days can get pretty long- we have multiple, two-hour sessions of language. Even with that, I’m not picking it up as fast as some of the other trainees. We’ve met with the Ministry of Education, the Governor, and made multiple trips to the main city, Koror, as it has been a holiday week for Palau. I’ve been to festivals, fairs, and boat races- and the best part is that all that counts as “cultural training”. The first week is now over and I’ve got five more before I swear in as an actual Peace Corps Volunteer.
The rest of my time is spent with my host family. I lucked out, yet again, and got a really awesome family. They call me “Junior”, as my host-dad is named Robert too. I’ve got a mom, dad, three brothers (29, 24, 9) and one sister (11). My room is bigger than my room at home, and the bathroom (yup, you heard that right) is just feet from my room!

There’s been some bad weather earlier in the week, which for Palau just means rain. They are not in the typhoon belt, or at least that’s what I’m told. Even with Palau being more developed/advanced than the other islands, I don’t have any access to internet and haven’t heard/seen a news report since we first arrived and stayed in a hotel. I have heard though, through the “coconut wireless” that there has been some bad storms over the other islands.

I’m doing well here, meeting many great people and getting to know my new community. I’m still adjusting to the heat (although I’m unsure if I’ll ever get fully adjusted to it). I’m going to leave you guys now with some Palauian phrases and some pictures- hope you enjoy them:

Good Morning: Oungil Tutau
Good Afternoon: Oungil Kbesnei
Delicious: Oisii
I’m going to bed: Ak mo mechiuau
Yes: Choi
No: Diak
How are you?: Ke Uangerang
I’m fine: Ak ma sisiich
I’m full: Ak mla mo medings

My host sister and brother in their school uniforms. They were very concerned that I did not have a picture of them in their uniforms, so they posed so nicely for one.

This is the capitol building in Palau- does it look familar?

This is one of my Palauan Language trainers, Johnny and I next to a stone monolith.

Darline, Lauren, me, and Mr. Lamb. This was at a birthday party for a relative. Mr. Lamb was one of the first Peace Corps Volunteers in Palau back in 1966.

My brother and sister on Halloween. They are ghosts.

These are the kids that are all family and stayed with us- from left to right: Casey, Coby, Kyle, Ashley, K-Tissja.

Working hard in class. We are playing a game to help us learn Palauan.

The sunset from our training site.

Fruit bat! It didn't taste that bad- although I didn't eat much of it.

Found a shark while snorkling

Jellyfish I saw while snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake-

The Palau group at the waterfall.

Beefy and Asahi- the two dogs that run the town.

Hanna, Young, and Johnny: Hanna is the PC Head Honcho here in Palau, and the Young and Johnny are language teachers.

Lauren, Kyle, Me and K-Tissja at another waterfall.

The group on a bird-watching hike. Alan (the man to my right) was a Peace Corp Volunteer in Palau back in 1966.

The group again.

I'm Here/Safe/Alive

2009-09-20T20:00:00.003-05:00

Hello all, sorry that I haven’t been able to dedicate much time to my blog until now. The last few weeks have flown by.

All of the volunteers are living with host families in a rural community outside of the capitol. It isn’t until just now that I’ve had a chance to get back into the city, get internet connection and update my blog.

I’m currently living with a host family. I’ve got a 15 year old brother (Don) and a 14 year old sister (Darleen or Doi). My mom’s name is Lynn and my dad is Bumio, although we call him by his title, Nahlem. They are taking great care of me while I’m in Pohnpei.

I’ve had a chance to explore this community a little and have seen the ruins of Nan Madol- some call it the Venice of Micronesia. It is what is left of an ancient city that was built on the water. My brother acted as a tour guide and was able to share what he knew about it. Also, I got a chance to see one of the island’s waterfalls. It was beautiful. Have a look at the pictures below and see!

The end of this week, I will be leaving Pohnpei and the Federated States of Micronesia. I have been assigned a permanent site in an outer island of the Republic of Palau. It is a small island with only 150-200 people. I will be working at a school that only has 30 or so students. But, before I get to go there, I have another six or seven weeks of training (in Palau, but not at my site) where I’ll learn more teaching strategies and learn the local language.

Should you want to drop me a note, feel free to email or send some snail mail my way:

Robert Steffens
C/O Peace Corps
P.O. Box 158
Koror, Palau, 96940

(Palau, like the FSM, is part of the US Postal system. So a regular stamp will work)

Enjoy the pictures, and I hope to get some more updates soon.

The Palau Group- Six New Volunteers.

The whole M76 Group

Jumping into the ocean.

Me and my brother in Nan Madol

The Waterfall

My brother and sister bored at the waterfall

My host mom and dad

The view from our training site.

I'm Off...

2009-09-02T06:06:00.001-05:00

It’s here, the experience I’ve been waiting nearly a year for. In a few short hours I’ll be on a plane to Los Angles to begin my Peace Corps journey. What was excitement and anticipation a few days ago has changed into anxiety and apprehension. The “good-byes” from the last few weeks are really starting to set in. Luckily, the Peace Corps literature says that this is normal. I’m certain that once I set foot on the airplane things will be different. By then all the “good-byes” will have been said and I will start doing just the opposite, meeting new people.

I do believe that I owe everyone a big thank you- I really couldn’t do this without the love and support from my family and friends. These last few weeks really reaffirmed how lucky I am to have you all in my life. From the baked goods to the help shopping/packing- thank you, thank you, and thank you.

Not knowing exactly what the near future holds for me, I don’t know when the next time I’ll be able to update my blog will be. I will do my best to update as soon as I can.

MN State Fair, How I Will Miss You…

2009-08-31T08:17:00.003-05:00

Being a Minnesota native, I have never missed attending our “Great Minnesota Get-Together”. I have many good memories of going to the fair with friends and family. This year, I’ve done something I’ve never done before- I went three times in three days.

In those three days I saw the birthing of a cow, discovered my blood type (A+), won my sister an oversized stuffed animal, listed to a Frank Sinatra impersonator, and ate. “Just how much did you eat?” you might ask. Well, here’s a list of all the foods I tried:

BBQ Pork Sandwich
Big Fat Bacon
Cheese Curds
Chocolate Covered Bacon
Chocolate Covered Salted Nut Roll
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
Corn on the Cob
Cotton Candy
Cream Cheese Wontons
Deep Fried Veggies on a Stick
Egg rolls
Foot-Long Hot Dog
French Fries
Gyro
Hamburgers
Ice Cream
Kettle Corn
Krumkake
Mini Donuts
Perfect Pickle (w/ ranch dressing)
Pickle Wraps
Pizza
Potato Chips
Potato Lefsa
Pronto Pup
Salt Water Taffy
SPAM bites
Sweet Martha's Cookies
Vietnamese Iced Coffee

So here I lie in bed the morning after my last excursion, reflecting on my recent three day fair binge. I have mixed feelings. One the one hand, I had a great time- on the other hand is the unsavory gut rot. Overall, I’m satisfied- I’m pretty sure (although not certain) that these fair foods will not be available while in Micronesia.

Dolla Dolla Bill Y'all

2009-08-21T07:09:00.002-05:00

Just found this information this morning- according to recovery.gov (the site that tracks all the stimulus spending) the Federal States of Micronesia and Palau are each getting a nice little chunk of cash for their respective departments of education.

FSM: $3,619,000
Palau: $931,000

I’ve got no idea of what this will mean (if anything) to the work I’ll be doing in the area- it will be interesting to see what comes of this.

Click here to see the spending in your area.

On another note, I’ve got just under two weeks before I leave and need to start packing!

Adiós!

2009-08-03T20:12:00.003-05:00

I just got home from my last day of teaching at the Adult Basic Education center. Although I only started working here earlier this year, I have quickly grown to look forward to my Monday nights with this group. My role has not been too demanding, I lead a conversation class and really enjoy getting the chance to talk with people from all over the world. Enjoy the picture I was able to sneak (these are usually camera-shy folks).

Also, the staff was kind enough to get me some going-away cookies. Thanks again!

FAQ's

2009-07-24T12:06:00.002-05:00

So, I was reading some other blogs of people who are going to be going on the same journey as me and came across a FAQ section. I'm totally stealing his idea- so thanks Dan!

Where again are you going?
I'm going to be headed to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) for two months or so of training and then will either be stationed in FSM or Palau.

When are you going?
I'll be leaving on or around September 3, 2009

How long will you be gone?
The Peace Corp is a two year commitment. Add in the training- and I'll be away for 27 months.

Wont you miss us?
Of course I will. I cannot believe you even have to ask.

Where will you be staying?
I will be staying with a host family the entire time.

What will you be doing there?
Teaching English and being a Community Development worker.

What will you eat there?
From what I've read, a lot of fish, rice, and spam. I'll have more information on that once I'm actually there.

What's the weather like?
Lots of rain. The temperature is pretty stable year-round- with highs in the upper 80's and lows in the mid 70's.

Won't you get sunburn?
Yes, I will. Probably very badly too. Peace Corp provides sun block, so I think that I'm going to be OK.

Will you have reliable internet access?
I don’t know. I do know that there is internet access on some of the islands- but as I don't know exactly where I'm going to be stationed, we'll have to wait and see.

Can you at least call?
From what I've read, the international phone service to and from FSM and Palau is very good relative to that in other developing countries. Phone cards are available for purchase, and even though my host family may not have a phone, I should be able to find one to use should the need arise.

What if there is an emergency? How do I get a hold of you?
The Peace Corps' Office of Special Services provides assistance in handling emergencies affecting trainees and Volunteers or their families. My folks will have all the information necessary- so hit them up if there is an emergency.

What do you get to bring with you?
I wont bore you all with the recommended packing list, but I will say that it seems the list is very long and I might find some difficulty fitting it all in two suitcases.

Can you take a vacation while serving?
Each volunteer accrues two vacation days per month of service- so yes; I can take vacation.

Can we come visit?
Family and friends are welcome to visit, so long as it does not interfere with my work. The Peace Corp is not able to provide any travel assistance to my visitors- and I need to be mindful that visitors may cause a stressed situation with my host family. So if you do come, just be polite.

What is the religion there?
Mom and Dad can rest easy here- half the population in FSM is Roman Catholic and the other half belong to a variety of Protestant denominations.

What if you get sick or hurt?
I will be provided with a medical kit that I can use to self-treat most minor injuries/ailments. The Peace Corps also maintains its own health unit with a physician's assistant and a full-time nurse. If I'm stationed too far from that health unit, healthcare will be provided by professionals in the capital center. Should I become seriously ill and local resources prove to be inadequate, I'll be transported to a medical facility in Guam, Hawaii, or Washington DC.

Can I send you a letter or package?
Yes, you can- while in training the first few months feel free to send to:

Robert Steffens, Peace Corp Trainee
Peace Corps Micronesia
PO Box 9
Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941

You didn't answer my question. Where do I go for more information?
Well, you can ask me- comment here, facebook, email, or call. Otherwise you can check out this link- as that's where I got most of this information anyways.

MMM.... I can't wait.

2009-07-12T14:03:00.004-05:00

If you were going, you'd be excited too.

Weather in Micronesia

2009-06-12T07:55:00.005-05:00

While I can't write for each and every island specifically, for Pohnpei the records and averages of temperatures and precipitation can be seen below. Also, be sure to look to the right side of my blog to see the current weather conditions.

Where is Micronesia?

2009-06-01T08:22:00.001-05:00

One of the first questions I'm asked when I share with someone that I'm going to become a Peace Corp volunteer in Micronesia is, without fail, "Where's Micronesia?".

Simple answer:

It's a bunch of islands northeast-ish of Australia.

Complex answer (courtesy of Wikipedia):

Micronesia is a sub-reigon of Oceania, comprising hundreds of small islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Philippines lie to the northwest, Indonesia, Paupa New Guinea and Melanesia to the west and south, and Polynesia to the East.

If neither of those help you out, have a look at the map: