10th grade students

These are comments from some of the 10th graders who are in my English Skills and homeroom.

The question was: What would you want Americans to know about Chuuk?

"I would like to tell them about our Kinship between family and friends. I really like Chuukese local food. They really taste good. Also about the Chuukese myths." Alex

"For me Chuukese culture is the most important thing in my life. There are many best thing about Chuukese culture. For us it's the best, but I don't know what would you think. The relationship between peole that is the best thing in our culture. In our islands people belong to each other. In families we just stay together, share things that we have. No one on top and under, we all just equal to one another. I f someone have problem in his/her family like funeral, we the relatives also get involve to help. Or anybody just want to help he/she can also help."-Lovelyn

"First and most importantly; to know that we Chuukese are not as stupid as we look. So mainly they have to learn not to be arogant, ignorant and at least face that fact that we are all equal, no high or low!" -Chris

just Chuuk

For the time being I will say that I am safe, my students are responsive, I can kind of hula, I have been inspired by the JVI values (spirituality, community, social justice, and simple living), and most importantly I am challenged. There is a quote about the islands by E.M. Forster which says,

"The ends of the earth,

the depths of the sea,

the darkness of time,

you have chosen all three."

While this brings about valid thoughts about where I am and how I feel at times, it only romanticizes a seemingly down to earth experience thus far. I will attempt to communicate this all to you in hopes of avoiding down playing the differences in culture as well as the significance of these differences, which is woven into the culture.

For example, people drive cars on the island I live on, teenagers listen to rap music and "pop" dance, spam is wildly popular, we have school assemblies where students fall asleep, little kids will play fight in their fronts yards, families will gather from all over for funerals, my student's Christmas play was almost perfect, women go to the bathroom together, and teachers will stay up late grading tests.

Some of these commonalities are universal, others are socialization, and a few are outside influence. As I learn more about the differences I will try to convey stories that have helped me to understand myself and my culture better through seeing Chuuk.

Kathy Martin

Kathy is from an island in the Chuuk lagoon called Piis. After graduating from Saramen Chuuk Academy she earned her Bachelors degree in Social Work from the University of Guam. She came back to Chuuk to teach, even though many who have their degree tend to stay in Guam or head for the mainland. I asked her what she would want you all to know about Chuuk and the islands. She decided to speak about this time of year and what it reflects about the social tendencies of Chuukese culture:

“This time of year people really like to give gifts, like in the U.S. Gifts are given with your family, church, and school. On my island, Piis, we all exchange gifts-everyone on the island. There are 500 people on Piis who meet in their clans at the church and the uut (traditional meeting house). We are always sharing everything all of the time; food, kitchen supplies, clothing…and we are always taking care of each other’s children with out pay or notice. It is my job, my duty for my family. We all live in a compound together so we share living space too and just sleep where ever. There is no exclusivity. This is really shown through my student’s journals. They will write and always use the pronoun ‘we’ when they mean I or you. We…we is all over their journal. People are very communally here. Most of the Christmas and New Years traditions are similar to the ones in the U.S. People yell, and make noise during New Years (last year a JV saw three children dragging a refrigerator down the road banging on it). This is all to celebrate the New Year and go out to visit others around the island.” –Kathy Martin

There are two parts of Chuuk that Kathy speaks to which have struck me the most since being here. First, the kinship and community which provides and overwhelming social safety net for the Chuukese. Second, the extent to which the U.S. has influenced a place that most of its citizens don’t even know exists. This is logical considering that all of Micronesia only covers half the land mass of Rhode Island and spans across an area the size of the mainland of the U.S. Still, it is important to understand or at least examine the affects the U.S. has on the world. Since being here I have been the most surprised by how present U.S. culture is here in the islands.

the basics

it occurred to me the other day that many people may not really know exactly what i am up to for the next two years. so here is an over view:

where: the middle of the pacific ocean. country: federated states of micronesia. state: chuuk. island: weno. village: neppokos. residence: Saramen Chuuk Academy, across the road from the ocean where the freight boats dock- in between Holy Family Catholic church and the Sisters of Mercy. (yes, i live at a school)

what: i am doing a program called jesuit volunteers international. this program gives individuals the opportunity to do service abroad. so, i am teaching 70 tenth graders and 65 eleventh graders english skills and literature at SCA.

when: i arrived here august 2, 2007 and will stay until june 2009. no visits home, but if anyone would like to come visit you are welcome to stop by after july 2008.

who: i live with three other jvi folk: caitlin, who is a first year from long island/went to holy cross in MA-marcos, who is a second year from LA/went to loyola in CA-lincoln, who is a second year from canada/went to oberlin in OH. we are also connected to another jvi community of 4 who live and teach at the other catholic school in weno: katie, josh, ellen, and colleen. i will expand on this "who" section later with more of the people who enrich my life.

how: the way americans travel, vacation, serve, or live abroad is not an action to take lightly. considering the influence our country has in the world it is important to understand the implications of all we do as visitors in a country. how do our habits, preferences, culture, life style, attitudes, values, and beliefs affect our hosts? how does our privilege translate in these new settings? because these are important questions the way JVI sends volunteers to countries is in light of a very humble perspective. we are visiting and learning in an effort to bring equality through opening our minds. our presence should be in the spirit of solidarity, simple living, spirituality, social justice, and community living. we are not saving, leading, or correcting anything here in weno.

why: isn't this the question...why do middle class americans, right out of college have an urge to live abroad and do service for two year? everyone has different reasons ranging from a desire to see the world, a desire to help the world, a desire to do something different. really for me it was about the challenge of practicing and focusing on the four values of this program: simple living, community, social justice, and spirituality. by participating in a service program which would take me out of everything i have ever known, i could find myself in a deeper way. i wanted to understand people in a deeper way, to know God in a deeper way, and to ask questions which took me deeper.

i will attempt to post blogs of substance eventually, but for now i am going to invite some of my co-workers, students, and friends to post their thoughts. this will do the most justice to weno through providing an opportunity for a chuukese voice to ring in your ears. i hope that this blogging method brings you closer to our spear fishing, coconut grinding, harmonized singing lagoon while putting weno/ chuuk on the map in your minds.

kinamwe out

blogness

this blog is to save your e-mail accounts any extra stress they may experience over the next two years. so please feel free to check in with me when you feel like it. a few times a year i may let you know that i am still some where in the middle of the pacific eating spam, wearing mumus, "teaching", and witnessing extreme beauty.

it has been 3 weeks and has felt like 3 months. there is much to say, but right now i am heading out to a chuukese wedding. you are all in my thoughts as i unlearn many things you have taught me, but hold on to what i know is real.