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.