Coconuts and Turtle Eggs

December 14, 2009

Adios! (Hello/Goodbye)

Hosa heatfae? ( How are you?) Iy chil forui chog. (I still make fine)

Ngang fahoy Wisconsin bwo iy dipli life we yai wol Federai. (Me miss Wisconsin but I like life here I have a Federai)

Iy mongoi cholop cholop iigg mo peras. (I eat plenty plenty fish and rice)

Palleng bong kawe iy bwe loahduuduu le teth irel cholop yalwich kawe fluiyach. (Every night that I don't presently see I go shower in the ocean with plenty children I don"t presently see from our island)

Iysa madeth sugfed fluiyach. (I understand little of our island language.)

Seral ngaligich. (Some day to us)

Ilae ngae. (Good bye)

Sensi Alee (Teacher Alyssa)

Well that was a fun experiment! Now to give you a little more insight into the daily life of Alyssa Joy, using my big girl English words...brace yourself! First of all I must apologize. I realize it has been quite awhile since my last email update. Please remember we do not have technology on my island, and frankly when I get to the big island there are so many distractions it is hard to find myself in front of the computer for extended periods of time. I am still not a fan of technology and would be lying if I said I missed it. Computers, cell phones, and TVs are fun, but meh. Our island actually has power now, a nice little solar power present from the European Union, which means that a few of the houses now have light and a freezer. These luxuries have made life quite enjoyable. The women are now able to weave all night, and we are able to freeze fish, Frozen fish in not nearly as enjoyable as the freshly caught meal, but it is nice for those days that the men are working and do not go . Apparently I am turning into a fish snob....at least I still love it and want to eat more, luckily I still have a year left to enjoy it!

I have one more year left, but I feel like it is going to go so fast. I recently just returned from my Mid -Service Conference, a nice little week vacation on an outer island of Pohnpei (another state in the FSM). It was a good time spent reflecting on the past year of service, reconnecting with the remaining other 18 volunteers from my training group, and thinking about the future(only seven months and we will all be together again, for the last time, for our Close of Service Conference!). Mostly it was a time spent away from our sites acting like sillly Americans, with fellow Americans. After a week I think we were all ready to return home! One personal highlight of the week for me was during a relay competition. Our task was to find good coconuts, husk them, open them, and then clean the meat out of them. I do not want to brag, hehe, but I was pretty good at cleaning them out. I had three done before my competitors had one done. I guess having nime pigs is good for something!

I have to say that one of the things that amazes me the most about being here is the various uses of coconuts, evey part of the coconut and tree is savored. They can be used for everything, and I mean everything! Food, sugar, wine, rope, candy, medicine, a refreshing drink, soup, ice cream ( a recent discouvery thats to the EU!), oil, baskets, hats, decorations, my gosh I could go on forever.

My family laughs at me because I love coconuts so much and don't really understand why I want to eat the pig's food.

It seems like the majority of this is concerned with food, which is appropriate. I believe our Country Director put it best when he said that life here is just one great big "gastro adventure!"
Nonetheless, Food is a major part of the life here. I cannot go anywhere without someone telling me "ho budoh mongoi" (come eat). The food is great, and we eat plenty. (Plenty is another amazing incorrectly used phenomenon in my life!) I feel fortunate because my family eats mostly local foods. Of course it is all covered in extreme amounts of sugar, soy sauce, and slat, but somewhere deep down in my meal is a hint of localness!

Aside from food, my time is spent weaving and at school. I love weaving. Actually, I am not very good at it ....I still make things a little too chaotic for the locals ( and Themina) to appreciate, but it just feels good to be making anything again. My host sister is one of the best weavers on the island, so I am trying to learn as much from her as I can. My first few months were spent primarily making baskets and watching. Now I am weaving lava lavas. I even have my own loom in my room. Weaving has been a great way to bond and connect with plenty (hehe) of the women on my island. In fact they are all on the man hunt for me now. Since I now know so much about the culture I must find a husband so I can stay forever. Let's just say it makes for some pretty interesting conversations!

While at school, I teach Eighth Grade English and Science, and First Grade English. Some days are more challenging than others, but the kids are all amazing, In fact my students are my best friends on the island, meaning my ability to have adult converstions has somewhat deteriorated, but I guess in a good way?
All on my classes have only four students, and there are 21 in our school this year. They are all a lot of fun and love to play. Our school and community have a really good relationship, and we work and play together on several occasions.
Before I left, they were all getting ready for the Christmas program and party. The kids are all very excited and are working very hard learning new songs and making new dances. Christmas, New Years, and Holy Family are all very important and pleasantly celebrated days on our island. We even use coconut branches to make a Christmas tree. :)

Our school year was started, I think much like the school years around the world. We too were affected by the H1N1 Swine Flu crisis. Our school was delayed about two weeks starting because all of the teachers, a few of the students and myself were stranded on Yap. Transportation to the outer islands is not exactly reliable, and when everyone is turning into a swine, well transportaion is obsolete. After weeks and weeks of waiting, we finally got the clear that we were able to return home, under a few conditions. We were all to wear the creepy dentist face masks, wash our hands regularly (yes we need to be reminded), and we had to remain isloated from the rest of the islanders for seven days. I didn't really understand how these circumstances could change anything, but it got me out of seven days of feeding the pigs and preparing the food, so I guess it was a nice little break? Luckily no one on my island became deathly ill, and we are all still, for the most part, um, healthy? I think I might save the health factors of our island life for another email; I am starting to feel the itch to get away form the computer!
Mostly the greatest upset that H1N1 did in my life was delay my return to Federai, my outer island. After my amazing summer of watching a local outer islander become ordained ( I joined the choir), went hiking and riding an elephant through the jungles of Thailand, and enjoyed the splendors Northern Wisconsin had to offer, I was tired and wanted to go home. I arrived in Yap and was stuck in the middle of a weird host family situation and I could not wait to get back to Federai. Luckily, though I was able to find ways to entertain the two year old in me . I had permission to paint a mural in the Peace Corps office. I am still amazed that people trust me with a paintbrush when it comes to their walls! (I may have exaggerated the size of Federai ...just a little!)

Currently, I am again waiting patiently for a plane in Yap. At the end of the week I am to meet my real family in Hawaii. I am sad that I am going to miss such a fun time on my island, but words cannot begin to describe my level of excitement at the thought of seeing my family again. My mom, dad, Jason , Molly and the girls and I are all going to enjoy Christmas, a few very special birthdays, and New Years together. I feel like my recent travel to Pohnpei and the mattress I had one night, were just a vicious tease and I can not wait for two weeks of the real thing. I might even get a cheeseburger!

Well I hope this gives some insight into my life here. It has been an interesting experience so far, full of ups and downs, but that is life anywhere. I am intrigued to find out what my second year (less than a year!) of service will bring into my life.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and a Happy Holy Family (does anyone else in the world celebrate that?) I also want to thank you for the letters and packages I have received. They really help my crazy island fevered head and remid me that life is still happening inother places around the world. This experience has definitely taught me to appreciate my friends and family. Thank you all so much!

I love you all,

Alyssa Joy