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…”