Sport, Picnic Island, Misko Beach

Kasalehlia Maigo. Last Friday I met the National Olympic Committee Chairman (Jim) for the Federated States of Micronesia. FSM currently has a world-class weightlifter from Yap State and has sent athletes to the last two Olympic Games! I also met with the new Secretary of Health (Bob) and both he & Jim want to help me to come back here and develop a sports program. There are recreational volleyball, basketball, and softball leagues, but that is about the extent of organized sport. The government doesn't pay any attention to sports and doesn't really see it as important. There aren't even PE classes in the school system (maybe a major reason why heart disease and diabetes are prevalent). They really think there is a need for some sort of sports & PE program to be set up from a recreational and health aspect. They both seemed genuinely interested in helping me with research grants and anything else that would help me set up a program. They seemed to have a ton of confidence in my abilities to do so. This could be because there is nothing, but it still felt good. It is something I'll have to think hard about, but it is comforting to know that I can find work and change somethings if I felt so compelled.

The following Monday was the type of day that I am really going to miss. We were staying in Enipein (Kitti) and we got up early to head out to a small picnic island at the very inside edge of the reef. There was about 15 of us and we boarded a small motorboat and weaved our way through the swamps of the tropical forest. This swamp was is the quintessential dark, mucky, swamp with the roots of the trees rising out of the mud that you see only in movies. It was fairly dark other than the beams of sun that made their way through trees. It was beautiful in a creepy sort of way.

After the swamp, the ride tot he island took only about 10 minutes. The island is very small - maybe 30 yards long, 15 yards wide. There is one house that had just been built for anyone who wishes to spend the night to stay in. Electricity is provided by a generator and freshwater is collected in a huge drum. There is a small hut to nap, eat, or just hide from the rain. The whole island is well shaded by the tall palm trees and an ocean breeze keeps you cool all day.

My day was spent in the water. I snorkeled, swam, and dove for hours. I have really changed my attitude about saltwater. I hated it until this trip. I've had so much fun in it. There is a reef about 20 yards out that I explored and saw tons of beautifully-colored fish. Unfortunately I missed two sharks (or the same shark twice). The little kids saw him both times and when I asked if they were afraid they shook their heads and looked at me like I was crazy. You never hear of any shark attacks here and no one is afraid of them. I want to see some more, but I'll be spooked.

For lunch we ate the rice and canned meet we brought and for dinner we ate the fish some of the men caught while diving off their outrigger. The men dump the speared fish off at shore and then help clean them. Most of them get gutted, but not all, and they don't fully scale them. They scrape the top layer of scales off the body, but don't bother with the head or tail because no one eats them. But they they leave the head and tail and you just sink your teeth into the body and eat the meat raw. It was actually pretty good with the lime/soy sauce they made. They cook some of the fish, but most prefer sashimi. I was so hungry I didn't feel like waiting.

In the evening, the men pounded sakau and then those who wished to drink sat in a circle and drank. I wasn't in the mood, so I went and sat at the edge of the island and just stared off waiting for the sun to set. It was that moment that I am going to miss the most. Completely in my own world, unaware of anything except my thoughts, and staring at pink clouds - the pink caused by the reflection of the sun off the ocean. It was another one of those peaceful and relaxing moments that are so hard to achieve back home.

We left just before the sunset I was waiting for, but it didn't really matter because the sun was lost behind a rain storm at the very edge of the horizon. When I got home I was exhausted and just relaxed and went to bed.

Last night I went to the movies again and say I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. It was actually really funny with a lot of funny cameos.

Today I walked to Miko Beach to swim and soak in the sun. It wasn't much of a beach. It was really hard-packed "sand". There are no naturally beaches here because the island is surrounded by mangrove, so all the "beaches" are really rocky. I was still able to lay down, soak some sun and swim. I grabbed some lunch at the restaurant and then went out to draw. I have found myself drawing a lot out here. I never really drew before, but I guess there are plenty of things to draw here. I drew some pictures of traditional houses, a palm tree, and Sokehs Rock. Maybe it will be a hobby I continue?

That's all I've really been up to. Leave some comments please. I want to know if there are more than 3 people reading this! Haha. Kalahngan. Justin

PICS, Sokehs Rock, Enpein

Kajalel koros - Okay I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. My laptop is on its last leg and the charger is broken. I have wanted to wait to post until I fixed my computer so could upload some pictures, but it doesn't look like that will happen until I get home. So I'd like to apologize in advance - it doesn't look like I'll be able to upload MY pictures - sorry. I'll do my best to find pictures that capture what I saw.

I am going to fast forward to Friday the 13th because my time was pretty uneventful between my last update and the 13th. The only thing I can really say is that I went swimming in Awak (U municipality) and got extremely sun-burned. That is literally all I have to report.

Friday the 13th:

I woke up and walked out to PICS (Pohnpei Island Central School) High School - the high school my Grandpa taught at around 40 years ago. The size of PICS really surprised me. They have separate buildings for math, business, agriculture, etc. - a lot like Central High School before the renovations. The High School was a little worn, definitely could have used a paint job, but I imagine that the campus is beautiful during the school year. There is a stream and waterfall at the back of the campus and a few big trees that probably provide great shade for the students during lunch. The classrooms are average size and have fans, but I can't imagine how hot it must get in there when it is packed with students.

After taking pictures for my dad, I set off to find the house he grew up in. That was a pretty easy task because it was right across the street. I'm sure my Dad would appreciate it a lot more than I did because it is where he grew up and he could see what has changed and what has remained. I really wanted to go inside, but no one was home and wasn't in the mood for B&E, so I took pictures and left.

I walked up to some neighbors across the street to find out if they knew my family and they did. I visited with them for about an hour and then headed for the track and field complex just down the road. I had brought a soccer ball to kick around, but that didn't last long because I was exhausted from the long walk and the field and net were in bad shape. The field is comparable to the practice field used at Central High School (not a good base of comparison for those of you not familiar to TCC - sorry). The field and track are used for the Federated States of Micronesia Games. This may be a way to put things in some perspective: the field used for practice by my high school football team is equivalent to the field used for a nation-wide sporting event. It's understandable though. Sport here doesn't have the same meaning and importance it does back home. Here sport is something that is done on the occasion there is free time. It isn't something that many devote their lives to or even dream about. I must say though (if I haven't already) Pohnpeians are some great volleyball players. They don't let the fact that there is no beach here stop them - they play on concrete.

Friday night I saw "Live Free or Die Hard" at the local movie theater. It is the only one on the island and it has three screens. The three movies currently playing are: Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Live Free or Die Hard, and Evan Almighty.

Saturday July 14:
I went up to see if my friend Andy was around, but no luck. Instead I sat and talked to his younger cousin for a while. He was asking my thoughts about Pohnpei compared to America. He said, "It is safe here. Is it true that kids can't run around at night there (America)?". His sentiments are shared by many here; they think the U.S. is dangerous. I explained that it is dangerous in some places and safe in just as many, if not more. I think their only experience with the US is what they see on TV and movies. I always find it interesting to hear what people hear/think about the US. While I sometimes am not proud of the decisions our government makes and have made, I am proud to be an American and what it stands for. While I am also Pohnpeian/Mwoakillese and damn proud of it, I was still born and raised in America, and I have never been more aware of how American I am than now. I feel lucky to have the ability to be more than one thing.

Sunday July 15:
My cousin Stargel and I went up Sokehs Rock. Sokehs Rock is about 620 ft. high and served as a defense location for the Japanese during World War II. We didn't go to the part that butts-up with the Ocean because that apparently requires some serious climbing. Instead we drove up halfway and walked the rest of the way to a plateau where old Japanese guns and a radio tower are located.

The view from where you part the car is great. You can look East and see Kolonia and the things most visible from here are the Catholic Bell Tower, the softball field, Ohmine Drive, the huge satellite at the Telecommunications Center, and the airport/marina. From this spot you walk about ten minutes up to the plateau I mentioned. It was an easy hike up a stone-filled two track used only be trucks going to the radio tower. There were a few huge trees jutting out the side of the basaltic rock. At the plateau there is a metal-roofed hut to rest and picnic under and two huge WWII guns, but we continued further up to the radio tower. The walk was flat and took another 10 minutes. On the trail there was a small, natural taro patch. Taro leaves are so huge!


I'm not sure if there were once guns where the radio tower now sits, but there are still Japanese hideouts and caves there. There is a little plaque at the top that has something written in Japanese. The view is AMAZING. I got a great view of the North side of the island - including a different view of the rear of Sokehs Rock. It was so relaxing up there too. I just sat and looked out into the sun-reflecting, endless, blue Pacific. The reef was so easy to trace because of the continuous white of waves breaking on it. I think this was the first time I saw the NW coast. It isn't easy to see the water from Kolonia or Kitti because of the thick vegetation - it was refreshing to get this view. It was really the first time I noticed how high the island actually is. It isn't as tall as Hawai'i but it is still bigger than I'd imagined. The view gave me a unique view of the island - one you aren't able to get from the ground.

Next we headed back for the guns. The guns are enormous - I couldn't imagine hauling them all the way up the side of the mountain. I climbed around the guns and tried to imagine what they would have looked like when they were actually used. Each gun has two long barrels and a few shorter ones. It seemed as though they could rotate 360 degrees and the carrels could maybe move a full 90 degrees vertically. It probably took 3 or 4 men to operate these guns, but I'm not sure.

I went in one of the caves that was maybe 10 feet in length and shaped like an "L". The walls were made from the basalt rock, but it was too dark to see anything. There were a few tunnels that went about 8 feet down, but again it was too dark too go down.


I can't imagine what it would look or feel like to see gun/explosive yielding planes flying at you. This is partly because the vegetation has grown back thick, but it honestly made me appreciative and thankful for those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces.

Back at the truck, Stargel and I took in the view again. Here I really realized just how relaxing it was up there - the amazing view, no rush, and the only noise was the wind in the trees, birds chirping and the distant hum of a boat engine.

Monday the 16th - Thursday the 19th:
After getting a $5 haircut (and I got what I paid for ha) I headed out to Enpein in Kitti municipality. It is an even slower pace out there. Sometimes it is downright boring. Monday night I drank sakau again. I figured I won't get any opportunities to do it back home and I was in the mood. I can never sleep when I drink that stuff and I was up until about 5 am. I woke up the next day around 9 and a bunch of the kids and I went swimming all day. Then I played some basketball which was a lot of fun, but I was dead tired. Wednesday we went swimming again and today (Thursday) we came back to Koloinia. I was getting extremely bored because there isn't much to do out there. Everyone my age or older works all day and then relaxes or drinks the rest of the night. Today I was literally watching the grass grow. I enjoy my time out there, but I can't stay for too long.

I am planning to meet with some people about going out to go fishing. I really really want to go out on the ocean, but it is tough because gas is so expensive ($4.20/gallon). I met the founder of the Pohnpei Surfing Club today and I am going to see if he wants to take me out on the ocean. I can't surf, and it isn't the season anyways, but it would be nice to go out on the water. I am also planning on going to one of the close outer islands to swim and snorkel. It doesn't look like I'll get to go to Mwoakilloa this time. Menlau for reading. Justin

Poco Marina, Church, Folklore

On Friday I found myself going for a walk and looking for a place to grab a late lunch. I wanted to find a place close to a hotel in hopes of getting the opportunity to talk to people. I ended up at this open-air café/bar called Poco Marina with a decent view of the lagoon. It had a very relaxing feeling – probably from the contemporary adult acoustic rock.


At first it was just me and a few of the workers so I decided to start conversation with them. After a few minutes of small talk I ended up telling them I am part Mwoakillese and that my family grew up around PICS – a local high school. The waitress ended up being a distant cousin of mine. She (Angie) was so surprised and kept saying “what a small world”. It was great to get to talk to her and her husband - who was classmates with my dad - and we made plans to meet up for church on Sunday. At first I wasn’t extremely keen on going to church, but I figured I probably didn’t have anything better to do and it was an opportunity to meet family.

I got what I wished for at Poco Marina: people! I talked to an old rugby fanatic from New Zealand. I asked what brought him to Pohnpei and he replied, “Life works in weird ways”. It was easy for me to imagine him here because of Pohnpei’s proximity to New Zealand, but the next two guys are from a place probably equally as far as Michigan – Croatia. CROATIA?! I talked to them a little bit about European football, Croatia, and Pohnpei. I found that they spend about 6 months here on a fishing boat and 6 months back home. Their manager is Croatian and recruited them. I thought it was really weird to find two Croatians working on a Pohnpeian-owned fishing ship.

I really shouldn’t find it that surprising. Pohnpei is an island steeped in foreign “discovery” and foreign rule. It is really impossible to discover a place ("discover" in the Western sense) that is already inhabited by thousands, but the first European to see Pohnpei was a Spaniard named Alvaro de Saavedra in 1529 en route to Mexico aboard his ship Florida. However, credit for “discovery” is awarded to Pedro Fernandez de Quiros sailing for Spain although he was Portuguese. He was sailing from Santa Cruz to Manila in 1595. Whalers from the U.S. and Europe were mainstays in the mid 1800’s – including an Irishman who charmed his way out of death by dancing an Irish jig. He was later given traditional tattoos and is known as the “The Tattooed Irishman”. The island has seen Spanish, German, Japanese, and United States flags raised in the name of occupation. So it really should come as no surprise for me to meet Croatians on an island that has been the home for people from New England to Japan.

After they left I talked with a college kid from Austin, TX. He went to USC. That should have been enough for me to ignore him (Rose Bowl losses…ugh), but he ended up being a really cool kid. He is here to help lead a character training workshop – pretty much summer camp. We are going to plan to circumnavigate the island via the road that goes all the way around.

I also talked with an expatriate lawyer – scratch that. I listened to a windy expatriate lawyer. I’m not sure if there is anything more frustrating than holding a conversation with someone who doesn’t allow you to talk. It is almost passively dogmatic. Anyway, he gave answers to the few questions I could through in including a denotative and connotative explanation of an expatriate. He was almost so adamant about the fact that there is no negative connotation to the word “expatriate” that I seriously began to question him on this point. Anyways…when we were talking about Pohnpei he used the word primitive (not to describe it now, but not so long ago) and so I decided to fall out of conversation with him. I really didn’t see a point in explaining how I hate that word and that he was an idiot because it was difficult enough to squeeze in a question. The only good thing about this guy was he told me where to find the head of the National Olympic Committee here.

Instead I started talking to a local couple. They were pretty drunk and I really thought they were trying to turn a trick on me. Her husband kept saying “I like when you talk to my wife. I am just going to listen.” And they kept dropping subtle hints about how casual their marriage was. I eventually caught on and backed out of that conversation as well. When they asked if I wanted to go play pool at a bar with them I declined. It really started to hit me that this man was trying to pimp his wife to me when the owner was watching them talk to me (one on each side) and asked me in a concerned tone if I was going with them. She seemed relieved when I said no.

They finally left and I chatted with the Attorney General of FSM, a Mwoakillese woman named Marcella who was classmates with my family. She was extremely nice and kept feeding me drinks (“give another drink to that beautiful Mwoakillese boy over there”. I wasn’t sure if she was hitting on me or just being friendly to a fellow Mwoakillese). Anyways, she promised to fly me and my Grandma to Mwoakilloa. This was an alcohol-induced promise, so I am not going to get my hopes up. I’ll ask her anyways. I really need to go there!

I went with my Kosraean friend Moses to a local bar where I met a bunch of his friends. They were all extremely friendly and most of them had recently graduated from the University of Hawai’i or the University of the South Pacific. We went to Club Flamingo and danced for the rest of the night.

Saturday was uneventful. I watched some softball and relaxed. I haven’t drank munch since leaving for Hawai’i, so I had a decent hangover. I was useless to say the least.

As I said, I wasn’t doing kart-wheels over going to church, but it ended up being very pleasant. Most people from Mwoakilloa are Protestant through missionary works. Actually, the first missionary on Mwoakilloa wasn’t exactly welcomed. In fact, they tied him to rocks and dumped him in the ocean. When they returned they found he had clung to the hull of the canoe. This time they tied his hands up too and he sunk to the bottom of the ocean, but because of this, Mwoakillese believe they are cursed. Some people go out fishing and don’t return and this credited to the curse. This is the story according to my grandma and I get the feeling that it is more of folklore than an actual belief.

Anyways, church was very pleasant. I met a lot of family and Angie and her family was really nice. After church we went out for lunch and I had the most delicious "Pohnpei Pepper Tuna Steak". After that I went up to Sokehs to meet my cousin Fletcher. We sat and talked and he gave me the impression that Mwoakillese are proud that they aren’t as traditional in their ways/beliefs as other Pohnpeians or Outer Islanders. He pointed out that Mwoakillese were the first to learn how to build Western boats and they were the first to erase the Nahnmwarki (King) system. I asked him about some Mwoakillese folklore and he dismissed it as simple myth and said he didn’t really believe it. But then I got just the opposite impression when he talked about traditional war songs and dances – in particular he talked about an old war dance (sounding similar to Brazilian capoeira) that is in jeopardy of being erased because it is no longer taught. It was really hard to get a read on his take on tradition. He told me about a Japanese man who studied Mwoakilloa and its myths and stories and I am going to try to find him so I can learn more. That is after a significant reason I am no this journey – to learn about my culture and heritage.

In the Pacific (maybe more than anywhere else) oral histories were, until a little over 100 years ago, the only histories. It wasn’t until missionary work and foreign occupation that language and stories began to be recorded. I think it is important for these stories to live on in order for a culture to survive. I think the best aspect of Pohnpei is the fact that it doesn’t rely on modernity and technology. What I mean is, while wireless internet and phone lines are available, they are almost apathetic towards it – it isn’t a necessity. It is a refreshing change from American society. But Fletcher’s (and others’) attitudes towards myths and folklore worries me. I hope the attitude might just be one they display to me because I am American and they might think I will see it as silly. But I don’t – it is important and something I think is important because of its uniqueness.

Hopefully I can learn a lot from a meeting with the man who studied these stories and I am also looking forward to meeting with National Olympic Committee. Menlau for reading. I look forward to your comments. Justin

(Pictures - Sorry for only 3, but it literally takes about 15 minutes to load the three. Also, the LCD on my camera is broken making it hard to see how a picture turns out until I load them to my computer. I will make an effort to put more pictures up in future posts...

1. Poco Marina Cafe; 2. View from Ocean View Hotel/Restaurant; 3. View of road in Sokehs from Fletcher's porch)

Happy Independence Day

As I’ve said before, life is so different and it gives me some perspective on many things – including my own life. I live a relatively stress-free, care-free life – especially compared to lives led here. I wake up and there are so many things that are certain: I can use the bathroom and shower in privacy; I can eat until I’m full with plenty of options just by opening the fridge – I have a fridge. My concerns? What am I going to wear? What will I do today? What day of the week is it and is there a favorite program on the TV that corresponds with this day? Did the Tigers win? You get the point…I have the freedom, time, and choice to do things when I have some leisure time (for me that is more often than not).


But most people here don’t have much leisure time. They wake up and maybe eat some chicken and rice or leftovers if you have it. Then go to work all day, and, for most, work doesn’t mean sitting in front of a computer from 9-5. Work means fishing or farming to provide food for their family – and even then usually just take what they need so they can sell the rest; maybe they can use the cash to buy gas, electricity, or maybe some soap.

The reality of how easy I really have it hit me on Monday. We had a feast that night for Mooka’s birthday, but this required much more work that I suspected. You can’t just throw some food in the oven and wait for the “beep” of the time. First you have to grab a machete and head for the forest to chop and chop and chop wood – fuel for the fire. Then you have to haul all of the wood to your home. Then you have to chop the wood again to size it correctly for the fire. Then you have to buy or find a pig and kill it – something I experienced for the first time yesterday. Then once all of the food is prepared you may eat.

This is just a basis for comparison. I’ve never had to catch & kill my own meal out here that is a daily occurrence for many. I feel like an idiot when I think of the time I got pissed at things like missing the latest episode of The Office. There are more important things to worry about.

I can’t really blame anyone at home for living like we do; we live and prosper the only way we know and within the society we live in. I’m not saying we are lazy or anything like that – most people work hard to provide for their families. It just seems harder because there aren’t as many guarantees. Hopefully I can remember how tough life can be and not waste my time worrying about Paris Hilton or if a stain will come out of my shirt.

The thing is that I don’t the feeling that anyone here is miserable. In fact, everyone is happy – always laughing and smiling. It’s just the way their life is and it is all they know, so it is normal to them. It is different for me because it is different than my life back home. I should also say that just like anywhere else life isn’t the same for everyone. There are still those who work harder than others and those who are more privileged than others.


After dinner we went to a relative’s house and had what we would call a “dance party”. I was by far the oldest for a long time so I just observed for a while. Man everyone out here are great dancers. The style is different that back home. It is a lot more fluid. Americans dance so stiff ha-ha. Finally some older kids my age showed up and we all danced. It was a lot of fun. It is funny cause once the song starts then someone will come grab you to dance or vice versa. You dance for the whole song and then once it ends everyone caps and sits back down. Then once the next song starts you do it all over again. It was the same at the club I went to a couple weeks ago. Once the song was over everyone cleared the dance floor, and then 10 seconds later when the song started again they piled back onto the floor.


I guess this would be a decent segue to talk about dating. Dating doesn’t really happen – at least for people my age. It is considered rude to show up at the house of your crush and ask to take her out – in fact, there is a good chance you’d get a whoopin’ from the father or brothers. If you like a girl you have to be sneaky. You have to plan to meet sometime at night in some location that you won’t get spotted. There really isn’t the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing here. Most get married at a very young age – like 15 or 16, and it isn’t a conventional wedding. Actually most of the time there is no wedding or filing of papers. You just stay together for various reasons – pregnancy probably being the most prominent. So instead of bowing on one knee and presenting a ring you go to the family’s house and bring gifs (sakau, rice, pig, etc.) and ask to marry the daughter. If the family approves then they are married. I don’t really know much about divorce or separation though.

It is so weird not celebrating Independence Day (sorry no ease in that transition). As I write this, my friends are probably well down the drunken path and getting settled on the beach. No red, white, or blue here – but understandably so. I think Pohnpei’s Liberation Day is September 11 (weird – I couldn’t exactly see myself celebrating on that day).

If it seems like my posts are getting a little deep it is because they are. Traveling and being away from home allows you to reflect – and most of this reflection is aimed at your life and your existence. Travel writer Paul Theroux puts it this way:

“Travel, which is nearly always seen as an attempt to escape from the ego, is in my opinion the opposite. Nothing induces concentration or inspires memory like an alien landscape or a foreign culture. It is simply not possible (as romantics think) to lose yourself in an exotic place. Much more likely is an experience of intense nostalgia, a harking back to an earlier stage in your life, or seeing clearly a serious mistake. But this does not happen to the exclusion of the exotic present. What makes the whole experience vivid, and sometimes thrilling, is the juxtaposing of the present and the past…”

Life, Work, Education

What is the purpose of life? I mean as a human being, what, if at all there is one, is the ultimate goal? Are we bees where we spend our whole lives working for the benefit of one? (One being an owner, President, Board of Directors, etc.). Are we here to simply spread the word of religion? Are we supposed to help ourselves more than others? Or is it just the opposite? Obviously the answer to this question depends on the individual, but it is an important question to ask. What is the purpose of your life? What do you want to live for?

I bring this question up after discussing life in full detail with Reed Oliver. Reed is a local business man and a friend of Dr. Larry Cunningham from the Traditional Seafaring Society on Guam. I met Reed a few days ago and he wanted to take me to Fort Richie – his property in Nett. He named his property Fort Richie because of his son Richard who was in the U.S. Army and died in 1999. More on that later.

Anyways, after he showed me around the property we began to sit down and talk and we talked about life. So now I sit here and I am reflecting on the conversation we had. What do I want to do with my life? What is its purpose?

Well let me start by saying I am not a subscriber to the aforementioned “Bee Theory”. I’m not ready to waste away the best years of my life working 40+ hours a week in an office. Sure it would be nice to accumulate some monetary wealth, but even more important to me is the accumulation of mental wealth; learning about myself, living and learning in and about other cultures and lifestyles. I try to meet life with an open mind and a curiosity about things unknown to me. What a better way to know more about yourself than to know about others? It gives you a basis for comparison and allows you to expand your understanding of the world you are living in and the people you share it with. It is unfair to yourself and others to live a life full of egocentricity.

Now I understand that there will be a point in my life – no doubt to happen sooner than later – where I will need a job to support a family. Family is the most important thing in my life, and another goal of my life is to be a great father and husband and this requires work. But I think it is also important for me to do the things I have always wanted to do now so I can devote myself to a family later. What I mean is this; when I am older and have a wife and have children I don’t want to think to myself, “I really wish I could have experienced this” or “I wish I would have went there” because it will be much harder for me to fulfill those desires. At this point in my life I have a lot more to gain that I do to lose and it won’t always be that case. I know I will have to work, but I have the rest of my life to do that.

Right now, I don’t want to devote my life to working for the next promotion or living for the next deadline. Let me put it to you this way, and I am going to borrow a line from the keynote speaker at Josh’s graduation: “Get a life – a real life. You can win the rat-race, but you will still be a rat.”

Now understand that this is only my outlook on my life. Some people don’t have the same desires as me and I respect and understand that. Some don't even ever get a chance to do this, so I feel fortunate to get this opportunity. I am just reflecting on my life with the hopes that some may learn or just consider a different point of view from this reflection.

As for Reed’s son. Actually, this will be more about Micronesians in the US Army. Almost weekly since being on Guam and Pohnpei I have heard about Chuukese, Palauans, or Pohnpeians who died in Iraq and I don’t think it is fair. First of all, I appreciate the fact that these people are serving the United States of America, but they are giving their lives for what? They are fighting and dieing for a nation in which they can’t even vote or obtain citizenship. People like Reed’s son Richard give more to this country than millions of other Americans (including myself) and deserve the right to be a US citizen (if the are so compelled).

This isn’t something that is unique to the war in Iraq; thousands of Philippines were “guaranteed” citizenship during the Philippine-American war if they fought for this country, but the US reneged on this after the war was over.

I understand that these people join the US Army voluntarily, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t grant them certain rights that citizens (again, including myself) are guaranteed simply because we are born here. I haven’t ever even thought about joining the Armed Forces yet I am able to move about this country freely, but a man, such as Richie, can go to war for this country, yet not even vote for his Commander in Chief. It just doesn’t seem right.

Friday morning I met with Willy Kostka to discuss an internship opportunity with the Micronesia Conservation Trust and the Micronesian Challenge. The internship involves training workshops and the development of educational programs that teach youth about conservation. However, we both decided that it would be best for him to consider the other candidates. Willy is looking for people who are committed to working with conservation in Micronesia long after the internship and I don’t know if that is the path I want to travel. Don’t get me wrong – I feel strongly about conservation; the Earth isn’t a disposable entity and we really need to start taking care of it. The problem is that I don’t have any conservation background/education/training. I had interest in this internship because it was an opportunity for me to work here and educate myself in the conservation aspect of Micronesia.

Speaking of education – I want to continue mine. I don’t necessarily regret studying Sports Management because it was something I was passionate about at the time, but I found I had a stronger desire to learn about Pacific Island(er)s after enrolling in my APIA Studies classes. Unfortunately the program is young and only offers a minor degree (thus my need to continue my education). Most people who study PI studies go on to get their doctorate and that is something I can see myself doing (imagine that: Justin Thorington, Ph.D. Or maybe I should go with J.Glen Thorington, Ph. D. haha only kidding).

There is definitely the opportunity for me to undertake endeavors that will allow me to improve the quality of life in the Pacific. I don’t like the way that sounds. How can I put this? I just think there are systematic areas (the government in general, education, public health, etc.) that can be improved. I am not an imperialist (in fact, probably the opposite) and I don’t want to sound like one. If I find that people are fine with the way things are then there is no need for help, but I don’t get that feeling. Man all I can think of as I write this is everything I learned about Empire and colonization and I hope it doesn’t sound like I have that same sort of superior-inferior mentality because, believe me, that is far from the truth. PLEASE let me know if it sounds like that though.

Later that day I walked around Kolonia again as a tourist and saw some historic things. For example, I saw the Spanish Catholic Bell Tower and climbed to the top to get some cool views of Kolonia and Sokehs Rock and I saw an old WWI tank in the midst of some buildings in Kolonia. I also walked up to the Kapingimarangi Village where they are master carvers and weavers. They make everything out of coconut tree wood/palm leaves and ivory nut.

Well kalahngan for reading. I think I maybe circumnavigating the island tomorrow with Reed's son Andy. I need to start hanging out with people my own age! I look forward to your comments or replies. Kasalehl koros. Justin

Spanish Wall, Kitti, Reflection

On Friday I went with Mooka for a walk around Kolonia – pretty much the hub of FSM although Palikir is the capital. They have a really cool baseball/softball field with the Spanish Wall as their outfield fence. Spain controlled Pohnpei (then called Ascension) and after the Sokehs Rebellion (natives from Sokehs refused to accept knew labor requirements and a battle ensued) they built a square wall as fortification and protection. Most of the wall was torn down by the Germans when they acquired the island via the Spanish-American War. Even more of the wall was demolished by the Japanese and then by WWII bombings, but the little section that remains is used as an outfield fence.

Later that day I met a University of Michigan graduate who is a Supreme Court judge for the state of Chuuk (Truk). We went out for a few drinks that night and I actually met a ton of family. Almost everyone out here knows my family – especially a few of my uncles.

On Sunday we headed out to Kitti Enpein Pah. I like being in Kitti because it is the true Pohnpei experience. Kolonia is the only real “town” on the island and isn’t really indicative of life for the rest of Pohnpei. Most families are settled on property their family has owned for generations and this is the case for the place we stayed in Kitti. My goal for this trip was to learn about Pohnpei and its people (my people) and to do this I wanted to be totally immersed in their culture and lifestyle. When we stay out in Kitti is when I feel that I am fulfilling this goal. I start to feel more and more like a local and less like a mehn wai; everyone sleeps in one room, shower under with a bucket and water, use the bathroom in an outhouse (although a lot have regular toilets – just in the outhouse). It is great.

Life out there is much slower and much simpler. One of the guys I met described it to me perfectly – he said something along the lines of: “In America it is much harder. You have to pay for everything. If you want chicken, you pay for chicken; if you want fish you pay for fish; if you want to hunt, you have to pay for a license. Here you hunt and fish for free. You sell and eat what you kill and eat what you grow and that is all you need”. I think he has a good point. Their land is their life. They may not have extra money to buy gidgets and gadgets, but they don’t need it.

Monday some of the kids and I went to the local river to go swimming and then hiked up to a waterfall for more swimming. I really regret not brining my camera because it was beautiful. It is fun to swim in Lake Michigan or the ocean, but not many can hike to a remote waterfall and swim. We played around in the water for hours and then headed home for some lunch.

That night we had a big feast. The meal: reef fish, tuna sashimi, rice, pineapple, hot dogs (probably made for me), chicken, and tapioca. I tried a little bit of everything, but wasn’t a big fan of the tapioca or raw tuna, but at least I tried.

Today I went and met with Rufino Mauricio who is the VP of the Historic Preservation Office for FSM. He is an extremely nice guy and offered to help me with any kind of research I am doing now or in the future. In other words, he will probably be my go to guy for grad-school papers. He had nothing but kind things to say about the University of Michigan, especially their anthropology department. He was a great guy and I’m glad that I met him.

I also met a man named Reed Oliver, a local businessman. Reed owns a restaurant and a roadside market (there are roadside markets EVERYWHERE). Reed took in and fed some navigators from the TSS when they were sailing to Puluwat (I THINK) and Larry told me to meet up with him. Reed is also a great guy. He offered to take me around and I think we are going to get together on Friday.

It has been really great to be out here. I have had time to learn and relax at the same time. It is so quite and at nights I can just sit and reflect. I enjoy sitting with everyone who is drinking sakau and just take it all in: conversations, mannerisms, personalities. I don’t really say much mostly because I don’t know the language, but I have been content just living and learning in Pohnpei. Kalahngan for reading. Justin

Nan Madol

Kasalehlie koros! I had a great day today. I went on a water-guided tour to Nan Madol, a waterfall, and snorkeling. I was a little worried at first because it was rainy – in fact it has rained everyday I have been here – but once we reached Nan Madol it cleared up and the weather was beautiful.



Nan Madol – meaning “in between places” (in reference to the canals) was a civilization made up of 92 total islands. The earliest civilization is traced back to about the first or second century A.D. By the 8th or 9th century construction of the islet began and the distinctive architecture seen today wasn’t completed until the 12th or 13th century. Each island served its own purpose. The elite center was a place of residence for the nobility and of mortuary activities presided over by priests. Madol Powe, the mortuary sector contains 58 islets in the northeastern area of Nan Madol. Most of the islets once were occupied by the dwellings of priests. Some islets serve special purposes, such as food preparations on Usennamw, canoe making on Dapahu, and coconut oil preparation on Peinering. High walls surrounding tombs are located on the mortuary islets of Peinkitel, Nandauwas, Karian, and Lemenkou. I’d recommend google-ing it for more information.

This place could be considered one of the wonders of the world because of the way it is built. The stones had to be transported from Sokehs rock or other places on the island by rafts. Some stones weigh more than 5 tons and local lore says that the stones were lifted and placed by magic. It is kind of like the Stone Henge and the huge stone on Easter Island in that many today can't understand how it was built.

Nan Madol was so majestic. As soon as you see Nan Madol you know it is someplace special; you know there is history. The stories and traditional beliefs give this place an aura that I have never felt before. We explored Nandauwas which was an ancient burial ground. Four walls are built up about 22 feet high to make a square and there is no roof. Inside there were a few burial chambers and an underground chamber. Some believe this chamber to be a jail while others think it is meditation chamber. From that island you can see many of the other islands and visions of people canoeing through the channels and people bustling around the island occupied my thoughts. It is really hard for me to put into words what I was feeling. It is truly a special place.

After Nan Madol we went to a beautiful waterfall on Pohnpei. On the boat ride over we saw the belly of a huge manta ray feeding – a sign of things to come. The hike was only about 10 minutes, but the scenery was beautiful. Pohnpei has been so grey since I have been here that I haven’t really notice how lush, green, and beautiful the foliage is. There were also many beautiful flowers that accompanied us on our hike. We went swimming in the waterhole right there at the waterfall and it was a refreshing treat.

We then boated over to a man-made island for lunch. The island was just remnants of the bottom of the channel floor that had been trenched for ships. From the island you could see and hear the waves crashing on the reef. Pohnpei is surrounded by a reef about a mile off the island. The waves sounded like an airplane. It was an extremely peaceful lunch.

Finally we went snorkeling. Unlike on O’ahu and Guam, we were in deep water and not in a reef. We were right in the middle of a school of small fish which meant there would be some bigger fish feeding. The first thing I saw about 10 feet below me was a white-tip shark. I couldn’t believe it – the first time I have ever seen a shark. It was small though; only about 3 feet long. However, the manta rays we were swimming with were huge. We swam with about 4 of them and they were only about 5 feet away. I’m not going to lie, I was a little scared. I am still not used to the aquatic life – nothing to fear in Lake Michigan, but the ocean is another story. Anyways, the manta rays feed by making loops through the schools of fish, so they kept flashing the white of their bellies. It was a great experience, but I still have to adjust to the wildlife.

Nan Madol was probably the top priority on me “To See” list and I am grateful that I got a chance to see it! Next on the list is Sokehs Rock. Hopefully I’ll see that this weekend. If the weather permits, I am going to explore Kolonia on my own. I want to see the Spanish Wall and some other landmarks around here. I am having a great time. Miss you all. Menlau for reading. Kasalehlia. Justin

First days on Pohnpei

KASALEHLIA from Pohnpei!! I finally made it! The flight went extremely fast. It seemed like we had only reached our flying altitude when we were beginning our descent to Chuuk. The flight from Chuuk to Pohnpei was even faster. We landed around 12:40 a.m. and I finally cleared FSM Immigration around 2:00 a.m. Our shuttle to the Village Hotel had already left, however, so we were stranded at the airport for a while. Thankfully one of the airport workers was able to give us a ride out there. The problem was that he drove a truck, so Mooka and I rode in the bed of the truck. (Mooka appropriately looked at me and said, “Welcome to Pohnpei” ha ha).

The ride in the bed was no problem for me. I actually really enjoyed it. I was able to let my senses take in Pohnpei for the first time. I saw thousands of stars almost spray-painted across the sky. I got a good smell of the aroma of thick, green foliage. I heard the bugs and running waters of a river we crossed. And I felt the warmth of a small truck engine heat the bed of the truck and subsequently my butt.

We are staying at the Village Hotel for a few nights. This place is amazing. It is set off back in the forest and each room is a big thatched-roof bungalow made from breadfruit wood and the roof is made from the leaves of a coconut tree. The view is beautiful as well – mine a lookout over the water.

On Tuesday I went with my Grandma and Mooka to my Aunt Judy’s house. There I met Judy, her daughter Stephanie, and her son Arwo. They live in Kolonia (see map). We ate there and I explored Kolonia a little. We will be staying there after our stay here at VH.

After we visited them for a while we went to Kitti Enpein Pah (or just Kitti). That is where all of Mooka’s family is from. At first I just kind of sat around because the kids disappeared and the elders were visiting, but Mooka’s cousin Stonney (13 – aisuk seelu) took me to the basketball court where a bunch of us played for a while. There were also many people playing volleyball. One thing I’ve noticed since I’ve been out here is that Pohnpeians love to play volleyball and they are really good. Anyways, we had to play with the fear of a volleyball smacking us in the face from the volleyball court right behind us.

Later that night we all sat around and ate and then all of Mooka’s cousins showed me a little clapping game they all love to play. Then they all sat around and taught me Pohnpeian language. It was a lot of fun and I am starting to learn a lot – although I can’t really put a sentence together other than “I’m going to…” (E pan kola…).

Pohnpei is beautiful, but I definitely feel like an outsider (men wai). I thought maybe I’d be able to blend in with the tan I got in Hawai’i and Guam, but no way. I am definitely one of the lightest colored here other than the other Caucasians on the island. Because I can greet and say some other things most of the kids thought I was in the Peace Corps or Navy. On the drive out to Kitti I was sitting in the bed of the truck and every person we passed just stared – Mooka had fun pointing that out too. But I don’t think they stare in a bad way, but rather just because I am a stranger and I don’t look like I’m from the island. I am probably close to the darkest I’ve ever been, but I definitely don’t feel it.

Anyways, I am having a great time and look forward to spending some quality time on the island. Kalahngan for reading. Kasalehlie. Justin.

KASALEHLIA EN POHNPEI

Kasalehlia all - I don't have much time because I am access from the hotel's computer, but I just want to let you know we made it safely and I am having a great time. Pohnpei is beautiful and I've already been able to see a lot of the island. I should have a full update tomorrow or the day after.

The Village Hotel is amazing and not a hotel at all. You rent single rooms which are thatched huts. They are beautiful with amazing views of the jungle and the water. We went up to Kitti Enpein Pah (or just Kitti - pronounced 'kichi') and visited Mooka's family.

Sorry that is all, but kalahngan for reading.
Kasalehl. Justin

Kasalehl Guam

Kasalehlia all. Well last night I drank sakau again. As I mentioned in a previous post, you don’t get “the feeling” the first time you drink. Well this time there was no doubt that I got the feeling. The feeling is a mix between being light-headed and drunk, but sans any discomfort or out-of-control feelings. It is relaxing in a way. My limbs felt heavy, but I felt happy (but not giddy happy). The feeling is really hard to explain and is probably best explained through experience. The problem is that sakau is unique to the Pacific. In fact, for a time sakau was only made on Pohnpei, but is now made here on Guam and in some other places like Samoa and Fiji (according to some fellow sakau-drinking-Pohnpeians last night).

Tonight we drank sakau straight from the rock which makes it much more potent. Instead of mixing batches we drank the first batch. While the sakau may be thicker and slimier it is much stronger. Unfortunately, my stomach wasn’t ready for the strong stuff. I was feeling good until we got in the car. It was a bumpy ride and I got sick.

Some other things to know about sakau (again according to fellow drinkers):
• You must close your eyes when drinking
• When you are done drinking sakau for the night you then drink at least a beer – this is known as kapobo (spelling?)
• At first the sakau numbs your tongue and upper throat


It is hard for me to sleep right now – probably the reason I am writing this tonight instead of tomorrow. I have insomnia right now because of a couple of people. I am praying for them - and I'm not really religious. I hope everything is okay and everything turns out to be okay. Just know I am thinking about you. Out of respect for both of them I won’t say any names – you know who you are.

I want to give a special thanks to a few people who have sort of taken me under their wings during my stay here. The first is Dr. Larry Cunningham. He is the president of the Traditional Seafaring Society. I thank you for allowing me to spend time with the TSS, taking me to the BBQ, and inviting me to your presentation. I appreciate that you were genuinely interested in making sure I had a great stay hear on Guam. Kalahngan and if there is anything I can do for the TSS on Pohnpei please let me know.

The next person I owe a thank you to is Andrew – my professor’s nephew. Thanks for teaching me about Chamorro culture, showing me around town and taking me to the property. Your standup was hilarious and I had a great time. Kalahngan.

Guam Update

Wednesday I went with Andrew to his father’s property on the north side of the island. The property was amazing and a real privilege to visit. The snorkeling was a million times better than the snorkeling at Hanauma Bay – maybe because it is remote property instead of a Nature Reserve visited by millions yearly. The water was a lot deeper making it easier to swim around and the fish were bigger and I saw a giant clam for the first time.

After we snorkeled we just chilled and enjoyed the scenery. The property is thick with bamboo, palms and other foliage and it really has an ancient feeling to it. There are still latte stones around the properties which ancient Chamorro houses were built on some 500 years ago (sorry I didn’t get any pictures).

Wednesday was also John’s birthday, so we went to the Chamorro Village and grabbed some dinner. After that we went to Louis’s house (another Pohnpeian) to drink sakau. Sakau is a drink unique to Pohnpei. It is a mixture of grounded pepper root, water, and hibiscus. It looks like muddy water (which is essentially what it is) and tastes the same. The taste really reminded me of spinach, but, as Louis said, “you don’t drink for the taste, you drink for the feeling”. I didn’t get “the feeling” because first-timers rarely get it, but I was assured it will happen the next time I drink sakau. I am told it is similar to a marijuana high, but I will save my description until the next time I drink sakau.

On Thursday Mooka, grandma, and I got some pizza for dinner – my treat. The price of pizza is one vast difference between the continental United States. For one medium-three-topping-pizza plus two salad bars the cost was $40…yikes.

On Friday I just relaxed all day by the pool. It seems that there isn’t as much for me to do here. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that Josh is gone. I’m not as proactive as far as going out and doing things because he is not around. It also doesn’t help that I don’t know about hikes or special beaches to visit. But on the flipside I have done more cultural-relevant activities (like visit the canoe-house, learn about Micronesia, learn Pohnpeian, etc). I am still having a great time; it is just a different change of pace.

I am excited to leave for Pohnpei on Sunday night! Kalangan for reading. Kasalehlia Justin.

Canoe Cultures of the Pacific

Yesterday Manny took me out on the canoe MAISA. Originally I thought we were going on the canoe Quest, but Manny didn’t have enough time. It was still loads of fun to go on the MAISA though. It was really windy and because of how small the canoe is, we couldn’t leave the channel. I hope to go on the Quest once before I leave. I told you I would tell you about traditional seafaring the Pacific, so here I go. I may give you some information that isn’t 100% correct, but I’ll do my best! Most of the information I will provide is from a class I took with Vince Diaz: Canoe Cultures of the Pacific. If anyone is interested and has some open credits, it is listed under AMCULT 496. I strongly recommend it although I am not sure when it will be offered again.

The practice of inter-island navigation in the Pacific can be traced to 3000 B.C. to the Austronesians – a group of people linked by a common language. The Austronesians left South Eastern Asia and expanded their population throughout the Pacific (to Easter Island in the East and Madagascar in the West). They depended on navigation to survive; the small islands of the Pacific left little room for population growth and resources were limited, thus expansion was necessary. Austronesians have been traced through language and through pottery with a common pattern known as Lapita.

Seafaring is a visceral, highly embodied pre-occupation and this is illustrated through Merak Heki. Merak Heki is the system of teaching the art, science, and culture of becoming a Palu – a navigator. Merak Heki means “unfolding the mat and opening the heart.” The “mat” is knowledge about stars, clouds, winds, ocean, waves and swells, islands, reefs, creatures, concepts and practices for calculating distance traveled, position at sea, directions, speed, proximity of islands, building canoes and canoe houses, healing, martial arts, and magic – each subject being a different “mat”.

Austronesians and future Pacific Islanders navigated without the luxury of maps, GPS, sextons or even compasses, so they had to find other ways to guide their boats towards a desired destination. This feat was accomplished through the use of rising (tan) and setting (tolon) stars. To put it simply you steer toward whichever star rises or sets in the direction of the island you wish to visit. But paafu really is not that simple, for the star or star course an island lies under is different for every island in the Pacific. For example, the star course to Saipan from Puluwat will be different than the star course to Saipan from Pohnpei.


To compensate for this children are taught star paths and star compasses at a very young age. In a star course, a single star is named to identify an entire star path. It is not necessary to know the name of each trailing star, but rather only a few significant ones. In fact, on most islands, all of the stars in a star path have the same name. Children of a specific island learn the star path for every island. One way this is done is through the Carolinian Sidereal Compass – a system of orientation by the horizon points where chosen stars rise and set. It is called a “Sidereal Compass” because the position of the stars is similar to the points of a compass. Usually thirty-two stars (points) are named – each point representing a specific island. The bearing of the stars are symmetrical at rise and set (except for the pole star which remains stationary). Of course, a certain star needed to navigate may not have risen yet or may have already set; this is when you use the other stars in the star path.


The first step in training the young navigators is to lay down stones to represent the stars of the compass. The children then memorize each stone and what island they represent. It is not a chart, but rather a way to memorize each star. By memorizing the thirty-two stars/islands, it is possible to determine the direction of an infinite number of islands that lie past, before or in between islands. Once the children have demonstrated that they have memorized each star compass, they are a step closer to become Palu.


The stars are much more than a navigational tool; they are a way to identify the culture of Pacific Islanders. The fact that Islanders are able to navigate from island to island without the luxury of the aforementioned modern tools shows the intuition, adaptability, and intelligence of Pacific Islanders. The original navigators had no maps or compasses and relied on intuition to expand their people throughout the Pacific. They had the intelligence to memorize these paths and pass them down through oral traditions. They were able to adapt each star path specifically to each island they inhabited. They respected the stars; the stars were their culture. These practices are still exhibited today and stars are still a large part of Pacific Islander culture.

Navigating by the stars is a way to navigate during the night, but seafarers also have techniques during the day. Birds are often used as navigational guides and are described as “the navigator’s best friend”. This is because birds predict landfall – they are usually found within 50 miles of shore (but only land-based birds). It is also important to understand that these birds only predict that land is near not the direction of land during the day. However, birds, during the early morning and toward evening, can be used to direct navigators toward land because they are flying to their fishing grounds (morning) and back to land (evening).


The use of birds, as well as the use of stars, also shows how nature is a large part of Pacific Islander culture. Land, water, stars, birds, fish, vegetation and everything nature offers is utilized, adored, and essential to the survival and growth of Pacific Islander, and no part is less significant than another. Pacific Islanders identify with every part of nature whether it is for survival, growth, or navigation.

Merak Heki is not only a science or a way to teach navigation. Merak Heki is also a way to define a culture. It “unfolds the mat” and teaches navigators the techniques of reading stars, the sea, birds, and spirits. It also “unfolds the heart” and instills culture and heritage to Pacific Island navigators. This culture is in the process of renewal. Elder Pacific Islanders are unfolding the mats to teach younger generations the practice of seafaring with hopes of keeping the heart beating (i.e. Manny Sikau, Larry Cunningham, and the TSS).

If you are interested in more information, check out the book We the Navigators by David Lewis. Feel free to ask me any questions. If the prior explanation is too academic (I copy and pasted from an old paper), just send me an email and I can explain more. I hope this was informative and interesting.

Last night Mooka, my grandma and I went to Tumon to a barbeque with some other Pohnpeians. It felt good to finally get back in the water. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous and I got some great shots. We leave for Pohnpei Monday morning. Kalangan for reading. Kasalehl Justin.

Guam

Kasalehlia (Pohnpeian for ‘greetings’) everyone! I am doing great out here in Guam. Guam is hotter than O’ahu – or so it seems because of how muggy it is. I went for a run this morning and it felt like I was running in a sauna. Guam isn’t a very big island (only about 36 miles around) and it seems smaller because of the amount of military-restricted land. It is a U.S. territory, so it still has all of the things you would find stateside – my first night we went out to eat at Outback Steakhouse. Guam is full of hills but they are very different than the mountains of O’ahu.

I am staying at my grandma’s house in Santa Rita on the western side of the island. She lives with her husband John, daughter Mooka, and Mooka’s brother Kelen – all Pohnpeian. I have had to do a lot of adjustment since arriving here. They all speak Pohnpeian, but I have actually enjoyed that because I really want to learn. I have learned how to say a few things, but have no idea how to spell – I’ll do my best:
• Kasalehlia (Greetings – formal)
• Kasalehl (Hi & goodbye)
• Ia iromw (How are you?)
• Malek (Chicken)
• Ay pwun (I’m tired)
• Pako (shark)

They have taught me more, but that is all I have retained. Hopefully I will be semi-fluent by the end of my travels.

The toughest adjustment for me is adapting to the living arrangements. They live in an apartment that would be modest at best compared to U.S. standards, but I don’t really think of it in that way. The culture is totally different out here. There isn’t the need for huge houses, fancy cars, fancy toys, etc. You will find all of those things out here, but it isn’t the dominant lifestyle. I wouldn’t even call it poverty – some just live with less because that is all they need. Nevertheless, it isn’t what I am used to, so I am a little out of my comfort zone. But I think it is good for me (or people in general) to be out of my comfort zone once in a while. It gives you character and teaches you to be independent and how to appreciate things.

Everyone here has been extremely friendly. As I mentioned in a previously post, Dr. Larry Cunningham took me the Micronesian Area Research Center (MARC) at the University of Guam for a cookout. I met so many people that seemed genuinely excited for me and my travels. Andrew (Vince Diaz’s – my former professor - nephew) took me out for the night. First we went with his girlfriend Asia to the House of Brutus for his comedy show, which was extremely hilarious. Andrew was the funniest one there, but they were all good. I met a ton of Asia’s friends and a ton of Andrew’s friends who all grew up on Guam. It was a great night.

The next day I went to the Traditional Seafaring Society’s canoe house where I met even more people. One spectacular person in particular is this man named Manny Sikau. Manny has the title of Master Navigator and Master Carver (equivalent of a PhD is Western culture). One of the major goals of the TSS is to revive and continue an ancient seafaring tradition in the Pacific. They sail and build canoes traditionally and teach others these practices in order to revive what is probably the most important practice in the history of the Pacific. These traditions are something that has fascinated me and I am extremely excited to learn more about them in the near future. The TSS builds Chamorro (native people of Guam) canoes. Canoe styles vary from island to island throughout the Pacific. Polynesian canoes are usually huge and double-hulled for long-distance travel. Micronesian canoes are smaller, faster, but not meant for long-distance travel. But even throughout Polynesia and Micronesia canoes vary. Anyways, I got a chance to use an adze (used to carve the canoe) and just hang out and help around the utt. Manny is taking me out on the Quest on Monday. I can’t wait.

The TSS has plans to build a 35-40 foot Chamorro-style canoe known as a “Flying Proa”. This canoe will be traditionally built at their canoe house and will be filmed as part of a documentary. It will take them 6-12 months to build this canoe if they work fulltime on it. They are actually using breadfruit trees from Pohnpei to carve the canoe. I will devote my next post to some of the aspects of traditional seafaring in the Pacific.

Other than going to the canoe house, I haven’t been up to much. I have really enjoyed spending time with my grandma Kiniya and really getting to know her. I wasn’t able to spend much time with her growing up because she lived so far away. It has been great to just hear her stories, eat her food, and connect with her. Her stories are really getting me excited to go to Pohnpei and Mohkil. Mohkil is an island about 90 miles off the main island of Pohnpei. It is where my grandma was born and raised (so to be more technical, I am Mohkilese). We will spend time on both islands. Right now it looks like we are leaving a week from today (Sunday in Guam, Saturday in the states). I will probably update again tomorrow after sailing on the Quest. Thanks for reading. Kasalehl. Justin

Pics: 1: me heling Manny with a 10 ft. hull; 2. me and Master Navigator Manny Sikau; 3. me with a traditional paddle, Quest in the background

Hafa Adai!

Hello all. Well I haven't had much Internet access and I have to make this quick sorry. I should have a full update tomorrow or the next day. I landed safely and the flight was long...about 7 hours. I was put on the direct flight here because the other plane was grounded in Japan.

Guam is so beautiful, but very muggy. Apparently it is the dry time of the year and it is still really humid. Guam is more sprawled than O'ahu but probably just as Westernized. Yesterday I met with Dr. Larry Cunnigham who is the president of the Traditional Seafaring Society. He took me to a barbecue at the University of Guam and I met a lot of interesting people there. Most everyone there had spent some time on Pohnpei and had nothing but good things to say about it. There I met my former professor Vince Diaz's nephew Andrew. He took me from Larry and we went with his girlfriend to his comedy show (he does stand-up). After the show we went out on the town. It felt great to meet new people and people my own age. Andrew and I are going to hang out again soon.

Today I spent time at the Traditional Seafaring Society's utt (canoe house). I will go into further detail about this when I have more time. Just know that I am going out on their canoe Quest on Monday with Master Navigator Manny Sikau.

Sorry this is so brief. My next update will be in thorough detail and hopefully tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for reading. Justin

Picture: Rio, me, Andrew, Asia (Andrew's girlfriend).

Last days in Hawai'i

Aloha all. Well it is my last night here in Waianae and my last night in Hawai’i. I will miss my grandparents and O’ahu, but I think I am ready for the next leg of my trip. First I would like to say mahalo to my grandparents for the hospitality. The company, food, and time spent with you were amazing. Hopefully I will see you both on my way back through to the mainland.

Now let me tell you about my last few days here. On Sunday Josh and I went on a hike around the westernmost point on O’ahu. It was more of a walk because there was no elevation gain, but it was a scenic walk. The whole walk is on the edge of the ocean on an old army road from WWII and offered some great views. I must say that there was a decent amount of trash in the rocks below – either washed up debris or just trash from hikers and fishers. I really wish people would have respect enough to keep such a beautiful place pristine, but some people are lazy or just plain ignorant. There was even a truck down in the rocks that was probably stolen and abandoned there to rust. The earth is a beautiful place and it doesn’t take much to keep it that way. Anyways, Josh and I reached the westernmost point which is now a bird sanctuary. We didn’t see many birds though – although there were a few albatross. There was also a fallen lookout from WWII which wasn’t much to see but it reminded me off the historical significance of Hawai’i.

After the hike my grandparents had a little lunch/dinner (dunch?) party. They invited their Chinese friends Kevin and his wife, Theresa, and their neighbors Min & Svetlana. The dunch was great, and as usual, there was tons of food. I ate shrimp, fish, ribs, chicken, sushi, cabbage, mushrooms, and veggies, of course. It was great food and all of their friends are great. I had a wonderful time.

On Monday Josh and I hiked to Kaala – the highest point on O’ahu. The hike was extremely tough. The elevation gain was about 3,600 hundred feet and the climbing was relentless. It was also raining which made the hike more difficult and scarier. There were points on the hike where the path was only about a foot and a half wide and then just drop-offs on either side. With rain obviously comes clouds and we were hiking in the thick of them (a.k.a. we had no views). Another frightening part of the climb was scaling the vertical rocks and the near-vertical mud paths high in the mountain. The ropes, car cables, and garden hoses offered a little help and security, but we had to be very careful. It felt good to get to the top, but we couldn’t see anything. The trail ends at an army satellite tracking center, but again there was nothing to see. On the way down it cleared a little, so I was to get a few good pictures. Overall the hike was a little miserable because there was no view and we were soaking wet from the rain. My favorite part of the hike was through a citrus forest. There was citrus fruit all over the ground and the smell was delicious. From start to finish the hike took 5 hours.

Today Josh and I went to the beach all day. The weather was perfect – 88 degrees and partly cloudy. The water was warm and there were actually a few tourist girls at the local beach. Tonight all of us went to my grandma’s friend house for a great dinner and played a few last games of mahjong.

So my time in Hawai’i is over for now, but now on to more new experiences. I leave for Guam tomorrow morning. Here is a map of Guam for those of you who don’t know where Guam is. I will be staying in Santa Rita. I will be updating my blog regularly so keep checking for updates. I won’t have use of my cell phone, but email me please. I will miss you all. One last mahalo for reading and one big aloha to my family, friends, or anyone reading. Love Justin