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9/30/08
Hello Y'all! Greetings from Pohnpei, Micronesia!!!

Wow has it been a busy, crazy couple of weeks! So far some of my highlights include jumping off a cliff into shark infested water, fish and rice every meal(yum), exploring the ancient ruins of Nan Madol, climbing and swimming in a waterfall, snorkeling coral reefs-and seeing the largest manta ray of my life! , learning how to cut grass with a machete, meeting the American Ambassador, sakkau, attending church with my family, rafting out to islands, an outdoor toliet full of hundreds of cockroaches, sleeping on a mat on the floor, ants everywhere...and I mean everywhere!! , bucket showers, attending a ladies festival where pigs were definitely sacrificed, boating with the host fam, ...I promise pictures will come!

I am in love with Micronesia!!!! I am still in shock that the U.S. gov is paying for me to do this! I love America!!!

I also learned this last week of my permanent placement... I will be placed on an outer island of Yap call Ulithi....I am very excited . This island does have electricity ...sometimes, but no phones or computers. So other then snail mail I will only be in contact every three or four months.
It is one of the most cultural places to be in Micronesia - meaning lavalava's and thu's all around.(Lavalava = lady skirts and Thu = loin cloth!!!) I will be learning how to weave....This is truly going to be an amazing place to be, and I promise to tell you more at a later date.....
Kaselehie!! Alyssa Joy