Year's End

Yes indeed, we are back!  After a year in Micronesia, it is good to be home--although a bit disorienting. It will take some time to just decompress and realize where we are.  

As a final post, we had promised to provide a bit of detail on the long and circuitous route home.  Given where we wanted to go and just the sheer distance around the world, we spent an inordinate amount of time in airports and on planes.  That said, it was a small price to pay for all that we experienced.

Although not far as the crow flies, the island of Biak was difficult to get to from Pohnpei.  In our case, it meant a couple of days traveling from Pohnpei to Chuuk to Guam to Hong Kong to Jakarta to Sultan Hasanuddin to Biak—a classic example of “you can’t get there from here.”  Nor did Biak have much going for it as a typical tourist destination.  It was, however, of real interest to Roger, especially given the opportunity to see and experience some of the places his Dad wrote about while stationed there during WWII.  We were able to find a local person who had lived on the island for the last 70 years and who was willing to take us around to the places we wanted to see.  We visited the harbor where Dad worked supplying warships, the caves the Japanese soldiers defended until their death, and some coastal villages that Dad wrote about where he bartered for shells with the indigenous people.  Seventy years and far different circumstances separated our times on Biak, but for Roger, an incredible opportunity to connect with his Dad over time and distance.

An open-air museum of sorts containing WWII artifacts.  Located near the Japanese caves.

One entrance to the Japanese caves.

Coastal area where Dad traded for shells.

The Village of Seba, mentioned by Dad.  Fishing boats haven't changed much.

Another day or two on planes and an overnight in Singapore got us to Siem Reap in Cambodia. The temples of Angkor deserve their status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The Khmer Empire, which flourished from the 9th to 15th centuries left some incredible temples in varying states of repair/disrepair.  This is where we would have benefited from a much greater understanding of both Hindu and Buddhist religions and culture.  We were fortunate to have a guide with knowledge of both.  Along with a couple of days spent among the ruins we enjoyed a morning spent on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap, a huge lake upon which there are floating villages.  We also experienced a Buddhist blessing, which was just plain bizarre—and very wet.

The hotel was excellent—with luxuries far removed from our year in the Peace Corps.  Our only complaints were basically beyond anyone's control.  Siem Reap's current reason for being is simply tourism, and wherever we went there were multitudes doing the same.  Typical of a tourist destination, there were tacky market places full of Buddha statues and t-shirts.  On the other hand, there were some wonderful restaurants, high-end shops, museums, and tuk-tuks to get you wherever you wanted to go.  Even compared to Pohnpei, the heat was oppressive--95 degree temperatures and high humidity.

Angkor Wat at dawn

Angkor Thom

Ta Prohm where Tomb Raiders was filmed.

Floating village on Tonle Sap

A traditional Buddhist blessing ceremony--not what we expected.

Tuk-Tuk travel

Our hotel--a bit of luxury after the Peace Corps

Following a long day traveling via Bangkok, Doha, and Casablanca, we landed in Marrakesh.  We stayed in a fabulous Riad, a traditional Moroccan palace with an interior courtyard that was located only a short distance from the Medina, the walled center of the old city.  Marrakesh lived up to our expectations.  We had an excellent guide who took us around the Medina and showed us many areas of historical and cultural interest.  Being a Muslim, he was also a great source of information on all that we were seeing in this part of the world.  The market area of Marrakesh, with its hundreds of souks containing all sorts of items for sale, was also a highlight.  Again, our guide was knowledgeable and took care to introduce us to merchants who had whatever we were inclined to buy.  If interested in Moroccan carpets, leather, spices, clothing, silver, jewelry, etc. this was the place to go--all in all, a bit overwhelming.

The Koutoubia Minaret--tallest structure in Marrakesh

One of the gates into the Medina

 

One of many interesting faces

Doors within doors were a common architectural feature.

Our two days in the Atlas Mountains were the best.  From donkeys carrying our packs to our hotel to an outstanding trek through the countryside, this area was spectacular both in terms of scenery and experience.  The Berber villages we trekked through took us back centuries, albeit with elements of modern day irrigation systems and environmental planning.  The whole ambiance of the hotel and the small Berber village of Imill reminded Roger of his European hostel tour nearly 50 years ago; for Lin the Atlas Mountains served as a welcomed harbinger of home in the Adirondacks.

Tagine cuisine--Moroccan cooking

A group of goats provided lunchtime entertainment

Our guide demonstrating the traditional way of serving tea.

 

 


In short, an amazing couple of weeks that capped an incredible year-long experience serving in the Peace Corps.  That said, nothing beats arriving back home and reconnecting with family and friends.  Our thanks to all of you who have expressed interest in all of this.  Your support has been very much appreciated.  That’s pretty much it…!

Wheels Up!

With less than a week left in our Peace Corps service, we’re pretty anxious to move on.  Before we leave, here’s a brief recap of our last couple of weeks.

We both have finished up our work at the Pohnpei Department of Education.  For Roger, that has meant one last Principals’ Academy session.  He also facilitated another strategic planning session involving District Office leadership, principals, a couple of Pohnpei State legislators, and the Governor.  The goal was to give substance to the overarching challenges faced by the Department, along with identifying short- and long-range solutions to those challenges.  Similarly, Lin just finished up a final session with the newly formed Lead Teacher group.  These teachers have really taken hold of their new-found importance within the educational system and have been a fun group to help develop.  We have both been asked to return to Pohnpei occasionally to continue guiding some of these efforts.  For lots of reasons, we’re not sure that will happen, but it is gratifying to experience their appreciation.  Speaking of appreciation, we were honored by the Department with a dinner the other night—lots of food offerings and kind words.

Aside from work commitments we are hoping to get in one or two more hikes within the next week.  There is a waterfall Lin has yet to see, and we would like to climb to the top of Sokehs Ridge for one last view of the harbor and this end of the island.

(A few days later)  We did get in a last hike on Sokehs Ridge.  Quite fittingly for Pohnpei it rained for most of the hike.  When we climbed the look-out at the top, we saw absolutely nothing….everything was completely socked in with fog!  Lucky for us, we took our umbrellas.  

As most of you know, we are taking the long way home, heading west with an initial stop on the island of Biak, Indonesia where Roger’s father served during WWII.  From there, via Singapore, to Cambodia for several days at Siem Reap and the temples at Angkor Wat.  From there, via Bangkok and Qatar to Morocco where we will spend several days in Marrakesh and a couple of days trekking in the Atlas Mountains.  From there, home!  If all goes as planned, we expect to be back in the Adirondacks by April 20.

All of the above will likely generate one last blog post, once we are home and settled.  It has been fun sharing this Peace Corps adventure with all of you.  We look forward to reconnecting soon!

Sapwuahfik

“No plane on Sunday; maybe be one come Monday.”

Jimmy Buffet ran through my head as the plane’s arrival to take us back to Pohnpei kept getting pushed back from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to maybe 2:00.  But, that’s the end of the story; it began five days earlier.

Lin and I and another Peace Corps Response Volunteer were invited to travel with a couple of other Pohnpei Department of Education folks to do some staff development work on the Sapwuahfik atoll.  Considered part of Pohnpei State, this atoll is about 90 miles south of Pohnpei.  There are some 10 small islands around a large lagoon.  The only inhabited island is Ngatik, which is about a third of a square mile and contains around 400 or so pretty isolated folks.  Its population is of mixed origin.  There was a well-documented massacre that occurred here in the 19^th Century when the crew of a British ship, along with some Pohnpeian ne’er-do-wells, landed and killed all the males.  Apparently a bunch stayed on, intermarried, and developed their own unique language based in part on Pacific maritime jargon.  Many generations later there remains a unique group of people who speak their own distinct version of Pohnpeian.

There are two ways to get to Sapwuahfik—either by a small six-passenger plane that comes and goes twice a week, or more commonly, by an FSM ship that arrives every 2-3 months en route to the outer islands of Pohnpei and the other states of the FSM.  As you might expect, the arrival of the ship is a big deal.  There is no dock here, so the ship anchors outside the reef and people take small boats out to the ship to bring back or drop off cargo—everything from pigs and household supplies to food and clothing.  Apparently, it’s like a trip to the big city—school is cancelled and everyone heads out to buy and barter.  I’m sorry our timing did not work out to take the ship, but the plane was pretty exciting in its own right.  We (and all of our belongings) got weighed on a scale before departure.  Our captain was not reassuring when he said he could carry six people, although five would be better.  Once weighed and loaded, we took off from the Pohnpei airport.  It has been a while since either one of us have been in a small twin engine prop plane like this—very loud and subject to bouncing around a bit.  However, the view of Ant Atoll and then Sapwuahfik from the air was pretty incredible—well worth the trepidation.  Admittedly, our first sight of the runway at Sapwuahfik was a bit unnerving—seemingly much too short and separated from the island. 

Passenger view of takeoff 

Above and below - Ant Atoll 

We snorkeled in this cut several months ago

Sapwuahfik Atoll showing the small islands and lagoon 

Approaching the runway...yikes! 

Ngatik Island, from the runway

Kids greeting new arrivals

As described in previous posts, living on Pohnpei takes some adjustment; living on Sapwuahfik, even more so.  There are no motor vehicles, no roads, no stores, no electricity (except for some areas served by solar panels), no internet access.  Except for the school, a Sapwuahfik municipal building, and a couple of churches, there are no structures to speak of other than homes.  It is even closer to the equator, so all buildings are pretty much “open air,” taking advantage of any breeze off the ocean.  There is a wide “boulevard” around the island that is beautifully maintained by families and communities along its path. On the ocean side there is typically a stone (coral) wall separating most homes from the water and, we were told, to keep the pigs apart from the houses.  Wheel barrows and bicycles are in abundance, transporting everything from small children to coconuts.

The "Boulevard"

Coral walls

The people were wonderful, greeting us with a smile and in all ways generous.  Three adolescent girls were assigned to us, accompanying us around the island and making sure we had whatever we needed.  Parents are very much involved in their children’s education, with PTA representatives often attending classes, cleaning the grounds, and helping the principal deal with truancy or tardiness.  The PTA and teachers honored us with a couple of pot-luck dinners which consisted of various fish (both cooked and sashimi), bananas, taro, breadfruit, coconuts, and rice (the latter being the only food of choice that is imported).  All of these ingredients are offered in a wide variety of combinations—mashed, baked, raw, etc. 

Our tour guides

Traditional outrigger canoes carved from large breadfruit trees

The school principal and traditional boat builder 

The Sapwuahfik Elementary School is pretty much the only show in town and serves as both the educational and social hub.  It educates children from pre-school through grade 8.  Older children must leave the island to continue their education on Pohnpei.  In addition to the school building itself, the campus includes a cement basketball court, complete with solar lamps.  It was in use most of the time we were there.  Surrounding the area are five or six thatched nahs that are used for eating lunch or simply relaxing.  We provided several workshops on various educational topics and strategies.  I was not always sure we were hitting the mark—the assumptions that drive most of the work we do are not always accurate for a school in this setting.  But, teachers and principal were unfailingly appreciative!

Sapwuahfik Elementary School

First grade teacher "checking for understanding" as taught by Linda

Kindergarten kids' post-lunch clean-up

Lin and I stayed in a hut about 40 yards from the ocean, built on stilts.  We had a visiting pig underneath for a while, but he wandered off.  Most nights there was a nice breeze off the water.  The bathroom and (loosely defined) shower accommodations were down the road a bit next to the school.  We were pretty comfortable, although sleeping on the floor might best be left for younger folk.

Our "Hut"

As suggested by the above, our trip home was delayed a bit, but we made it safe and sound.  Another unforgettable experience!

The Caroline Islands Air Inc. weigh-in terminal

Waiting for our flight at the departure lounge