July 4th and Peace Corps FSM and Palau 50th Anniversary

Every 4^th of July the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Peace Corps on Pohnpei celebrate the holiday with a big gathering at the Spanish Wall Softball Field, located across the street from the Peace Corps headquarters here in Kolonia.   Aside from the heat and humidity, you could believe you had been transported back to Hometown, U.S.A. with all the red, white, and blue bunting, balloons, flags, lemonade, hot dogs, speeches, face painting, and crowds you remember from years past.

There were some differences, however, most notably the heavy presence of both the U.S. Embassy folks, including the Ambassador, and the Peace Corps crowd, including employees and volunteers.  This year was also a bit special given that this is the 50^th anniversary of the Peace Corps presence in FSM Micronesia.  There were a number of speeches from local officials, all of whom praised the presence of the Peace Corps over these many years.  It is a fairly small island and the number of volunteers pretty substantial, so there are few families here who have not been touched by the Peace Corps in some capacity.  Many have hosted Peace Corps volunteers in their homes; even more have been taught be a Peace Corps volunteer teacher.  There were also some speeches given by returned Peace Corps volunteers who spoke of how their lives were changed by the experience.  All in all, a moving tribute to the value of the cultural exchange that the Peace Corps was designed to bring about.  

Another difference was the presence of students from the College of Micronesia who performed traditional dances.   First came male dancers from the island of Chuuk; second was a mixed group of male and female dancers from Yap.  It was entertaining, although I wish there had been an explanation given as to the significance of each of the dances.  The former seemed more aggressive—war-like; while the second was a bamboo dance that perhaps falls under the heading of “make love, not war”—but I am only guessing.

On my way to help set up for the festivities this morning a woman stopped and offered me a ride—happens a lot here, there are not that many white folks around, and I think people assume (rightfully) that if we are walking we could probably use a ride.  Anyway, I ended up having breakfast with the young woman who picked me up.  She is a Ph.D. anthropology student at NYU who has finished all of her coursework and will be pursuing her dissertation on the topic of how the Micronesians are maintaining their cultural traditions in a changing westernized world.  She is a former Peace Corp volunteer who served one tour in Romania and a second tour here on Pohnpei.  She just returned from Guam where she attended a region-wide Festival of Pacific Arts.  In a couple of weeks she will return to Brooklyn where she is now living.  But, given her dissertation topic, she anticipates spending a good deal of time here over the next several years—perhaps a modern-day Margaret Mead!  Anyway, a great conversation to start my day.

Doria Rosen, U.S. Ambassador to the FSM

These girls first sang the FSM National Anthem and then the U.S. National Anthem

Who knew the President would make an appearance

Face painting by new Peace Corps two-year volunteers

What is more American than hot dogs and lemonade?

The campaign made it to far-off Pohnpei

"The Spanish Wall" Fortifications built by the Spanish prior to the Germans, prior to the Japanese, prior to the Americans