End of School - May 2011 Graduation!

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!

Made it to Guam.  Made it 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 of Tsun’s extended family.  They were nice enough to wake up at the crack of dawn and take Tsun and me to breakfast at McDonald’s.  After sharing an Egg McMuffin we continue on to his family’s house and spent some time with the family.  In the afternoon they drop us off at our hotel and we check in.  We made plans for dinner with his family and they were to pick us up at the hotel that night- it gave us a chance to get cleaned up, rest, and prepare for the Spelling Bee in the morning.

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

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

With all the Spelling Bee business complete, we had one full day to play around.  We went to the Micronesia Mall and I got the chance to introduce an important part of my culture to Tsun- TacoBell, Sabarro, Subway, KFC, and ColdStone.  Isn’t America great?  We also spent a few hours at the arcade and riding the bumper cars and indoor roller coaster in the mall.    I was very thankful that Tsun had such a great 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  our hotel 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.

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

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

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

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.