this weeks tour…Kaselehlie (hello in Pohnpeian)
*I would like to give a shout out to the best dad ever!
Happy Father’s Day! Miss you, Love you!*
Kaselehlie everyone! I have arrived safe and sound!
It has been one week since my arrival in Pohnpei! There is
so much to say, but so little time to say it all.
So here is the shortest version (the major highlights) I
have time (and money) for…
I am part of the M78 Micronesian PC group (we are the 78th
group to be sent to FSM since it started in 1966). There are 24 of us! (one
married couple, 6 guys, and 16 girls). They are all so wonderful and amazing! (oh
yeah there are two others from Colorado too!)
June 6, 7 – Staging in Hawaii was awesome-we did go to
Waikiki one afternoon! We left our hotel at 3am to catch a 5:25am flight! (yay!
I am official a PCT – Peace Corps Trainee)
June 8, 9 – We crossed the International Date Line! On
our way we made 3 stops on Majuro, Kwajalein, and Kosrae. It was raining when
we landed in Pohnpei so we walked from the plane to the airport with
complementary umbrellas. We had a huge welcome from current PCVs. (PC does not
mess around we went straight into training once they dropped us off at our
hotel-tons of info my mind could not keep up!)
June 10 – I went to a Catholic church with some other PCTs,
it was amazing! The Pohnpeian language is beautiful (I will not be learning too
much of it because I may not stay here for my permanent site)
June 11 – I moved in with my host family! My nohno
(Pohnpeian for mom) was so excited when she met me she gave me a huge hug! I
feel so welcome in their home!
June 12 – I met my Pohnpeian co-teacher (I will be paired
with her for a summer school with the kids)
June 13 – In the evenings we pray together as a family.
Nohno prays, reads a passage, and they sing a prayer. I love this because
everyone is together and participates (even though I am not sure what she is
saying-I know God is in the room!)
June 14 – Experienced my first spider!!!!!!!!!!!! (he
hangs out in our shower and it is so creepy because he is huge!)
June 15 – I ate reef fish and liked it! (yup that is
correct I said I liked it-bet you never thought you would hear me say that!)
June 16 – Laundry (we actually have a washing machine!
But it hangs out to dry…eventually!)
My typical day is spent in class/training from 8-5.
8-12 is TESL training with our co-teachers, 1:30-5 is PC
training.
Most PCTs live in Kolonia, and can walk to training. I
live on Sokehs Island (I have also heard it called Sokehs Rock – I do not
really think it is an island because it is still connected to the main land) so
my nohno drives me (a little too far to walk on my own).
Everything here is pretty expensive, so I have to decide
carefully what I want to spend it on, I use it for food for lunch (I eat
breakfast and dinner with the family). Calling and the internet are expensive
(I bought a $5 phone card to call my parents and let them know I was alive and
that was for 10 minutes of talking time!)
Here are some random things that pop into my head…
-It can rain on a moment’s notice, for anywhere from 5-15
minutes at a time. (I am talking downpour!)
-Steering wheels are on the right side of the car but
they drive on the right side too-kind of weird!
-I have electricity and running water (for at least 6
weeks – yay!)
I have felt nothing but peace since my arrival! Thank you
all for your prayers I can totally feel them!! (I do miss you all very much!)
I thank God everyday for the blessings He has given me so
far on this amazing journey!
-a great group of new friends
-peace
-a loving and great host family
-a beautiful place to live (for 2 years anyways!)
-strength and courage to keep my head up
-all my prayer warriors back home
Until next time…Kaselehlie (it also means good-bye)
