Kini...Kasalelie!

Whoops, almost said Kinisou! I am currently in Pohnpei, the capitol island-state of the FSM working with the High Achievement Program, a Xavier-Pohnpei Catholic School summer program for students going into eighth grade. As you may or may not know, each island state has a unique language. My time here has been fantastic so far, living in a new summer community with Jessica (from Chk-Saramen) and Samantha (from PNI). We head back on August 1st for Chuuk, just in time to make sure we're ready for the NJV's!

What's happened since the last post? A lot!
I guess start with end of the year activities at Xavier.

My final exam experience went much smoother than last year, partially because we didn't have the difficulties of the database crash and also because I finally figured out how to make easy-to-grade exams (but, of course, they still required some knowing!). I received some personal affirmation in seeing how much many of the students learned and what they took out of their year and courses.

After finals, we had a big senior dinner with the staff which was fun. I cooked pizza for the first time in about a year and it was great. Steph even taught me how to make the dough a bit better and how to form it without a rolling pin!

Graduation, which is put on my the Junior class was also fun, exciting, and as all things seem to be, hectic. President Mori came as the commencement speaker and gave a nice speech. I was very impressed that both he and Fr. Rich talked about freedom so much (what does it mean to be free? what does it mean to be responsible people?), a topic I discussed with the graduates in religion class (ooo, so it's not just some weird thing Mr. T talked about!). After the graduation, we had some downtime until the big dinner, which included a bit of local food and music. The students sang some of their own songs on the CD that they just put out (XP 4, or Xavie Productions 4...don't worry, I bought a copy for you all to listen to when I get back home). You could tell it was a better sweet experience for the graduating seniors, but the atmosphere was overall a joyful one of celebration.

After graduation, was relaxing for a bit. Finished up grading, cleaning up the office (oh boy, was it messy!) and hanging out with everyone as well as the slow good-byes to those who were leaving for home.

Eventually, the JV office rolled around for the annual Re-O/Dis-O retreat which was held on Pisar. It was a great experience, both in terms of location (Pisar: the most awesome place on the planet), the company, and the reflection. One memorable moment: the sand sort of just dropped and one point, and we realized it was really fun to just run into the water and fall in. This entertained us for HOURS. :)

A few days after Pisar, Jess and I left for Pohnpei. We found ourselves in awe at the contraptions in the airline magazine and, when we landed, a bit taken aback by the speed of cars on Pohnpei thanks to paved roads (seriously? The cars can go over 25 mph? That is FAST!!). While here, I've gotten to spend some time at MicSem (which is actually where I'm typing now), as well as see some of the sights (Nan Madol, via a HAP field trip; some waterfalls, etc). It's relaxing. Perhaps one great thing here is I get to cook. Although I've discovered I'm not horribly inventive, eating something not that I usually eat at Xavier has been nice (at Xavier, the food is prepared for us and we have a regular schedule, it's wonderful, but breaking out of the cycle is nice too). I've even learned how to make Teriyake burgers!

Again, in August the NJVs are coming out. The biggest event is, if it works out, a trip to the outer islands for an ordination on Etal. We'll be taking a big boat. More on that after it happens!

This year has been great. And not necessarily in a "fun, happy" great way. This year has been incredibly difficult, with huge highs and very low lows. But in each, God has been present and helping me grow in each thing. As the next year makes its course, I'm sure this will only continue and perhaps even be amplified as I continue to get to know my students and community more.

A shout out to Erin and Dave; Tommy and Jackie; Andy and Holly; and Brian and Amanda on their new married life together. I’m praying and thinking of each for each of you!
Peace!

Simple Teaching?

Far be it from me to do a post two days in a row (has it been two days? I really don't remember). But today during 4th period I was hit with a sudden realization, which is the purpose of this inspired blog post (as I was typing this, I had a sudden loss of sanity due to a request from a student, so if this seems disjointed and funnily worded, that's why...I'm just finding many things funny at the moment).

Here at Xavier, it becomes very easy to ponder if one is "living simply" as a JV. We get our $60 a month, but we also have our laundry done for us by a worker and all of our meals are prepared for us every day. We have internet access and a number of movies and other things at our disposal to spend time with each other as a faculty and unwind from our 12-14 hour a day schedule of work.

However, today I think I got a glimpse of what "simple living" really means, particularly from a teaching perspective. You see, currently our generator only covers half of the school due to the engine getting weaker, and we chose that half to be the main building where the administrators work and we teachers do our lesson planning and printing. Unfortunately, it does not include 7 of our 8 classrooms, nor does it include our computer lab. So for four hours of the school day as well as past 8 pm, only part of our campus has power. As I was teaching fourth period in a classroom dimly lit and incredibly warm due to lack of lights and ceiling fans, I was realizing that at Xavier we are somewhat forced to live and teach simply. Not only that, but I realized today that I never teach in the same classroom twice in one day, meaning that I must always be re-writing my notes...unfortunately no overhead projector and even if we did it wouldn't work without power, and where exactly would I get the transparency sheets? I *could* do some powerpoint with a laptop, but having 17+ students trying to look at a 17" monitor is not always easy (difficult to actually see the notes).

Today, I had a paper due for the Juniors. To say the least, it was a comical and frustrating experience as they had very little class time to actually type their final drafts due to 1) the power and 2) the lab being already in use by other teachers who signed up before me. I blame the power for most of this frustration but at the same time can't help but laugh at this whole situation and think to myself: I wonder what teachers back home would do in these situations? Would they not know what to do? Would they be just as crazy as me right now? Or would they be calm and composed and able to easily handle these situations? I don't know (if any teachers want to answer in the comment box, that would be dandy). Perhaps this is cultural, but I'm amazed that students share their USBs so much. This causes issues throughout a paper writing process of needing to find the person with the USB that has a paper or research on it as well as a plethora of other complications. I can't help but laugh at it all right now.

If that sounds like a rant, very sorry...just trying to explain what simple living may mean up here at Xavier.

One last thing: I am realizing how much something which has become so obvious and simple to me must have been taught to me at some point in time...Apparently I completely forgot to tell the Juniors that a Works Cited page should be done alphabetically. Good to know that i still have things to teach them for this next paper! I understand that first year teaching is a time of learning what to do; but there is a type of desolation that comes with knowing that the mistakes come at the expense of those I am teaching right now!

Ok, another thing: this Thursday afternoon and Friday is Track and Field Day. Looking forward to seeing how our students do and how the other high schools do. Rather than have track and field meets against one school, we have them all at once!
Next week I'm going to be on the Junior's Emmaus Retreat. Stoked! It's basically like a Kairos retreat. Please pray for our students especially next Thursday through Sunday.

Ok, I think that's all.

Some poems

No, not by me, but the students! (Happy Easter, by the way!)
These poems are from last quarter as extra credit assignments for English Skills. They had to incorporate vocabulary into a story or poem. Most chose poem. Here are a few...

The world is corrupted
rancor filled the hearts of the people
guns are fired, bloods are everywhere
who would accede to a world like this?
What about the leaders?
Are they such cheaters?
The people don't listen
not even the demagogue can be recognized
kids vituperate adults
thinking it's a saccharine thing to do
but I bet you
if you pore over the law book
you will be amazed
at the highlighted phrase
that says "to abuse verbally
is not of paramount importance."
Some used calumny to make a distance
between groups of people.
What's wrong with the world??
Why are people using malediction
to make someone cold
is it to cause corruption?
The government can't husband well
making the society dwell
many are hated
because of their hubris created
no lithe movements are seen
everybody is frightened
no one has great aplomb
that they could make a change
nefarious deeds can't be change
the good image of the world is being sullied.

----
"For my Love Has Gone with the Plane"
My heart beats with abandon
Actuate pain when you're gone
your love forgo me and expunge me
my eyes are razed and my heart can't see
For my love has with the plane.

I know I'm tawdry in your eyes
But you forego me and go with other guys
It is a total gauche to my heart
Oh my tortuous heart has torn apart
For my love has gone with the plane

What should I do to stymie you girl?
Rapacious words or a beautiful pearl.
Your love is untoward for me
Oh why am I in pain for thee?
For my love has gone with the plane.

It is an onus to jump off the zenith of Fonachaw
My pain piles up to a palimpsest now
For my love has gone with the plane.
---------------------
The elephant danced with abandon.
He was at the zenith of his dancing career.
His rapacious love for peanuts
stymied the blood pressure of his heart.
He danced with gauche,
showing his palimpsets fats
which razed the audience down to their feet
His clothes were tawdry!
Making him untoward.
The judges fore[went] his silly dances
and decided to forgo him.
The onus of owning this elephant
has actuated his owner
to expunge him, for his dance could not meet the
standards of the tortuous dancers.
-----------

I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did :)

Dry Season and Other Things

Over the past few months, I've heard a lot from people back in CA about the rain that they're having. It seems that wherever I go though, drought follows. We're in the midst of the dry season, which is especially harsh this year due to El Nino. The only fresh water here comes from rain water, so as you can guess, lack of rain means lack of potable water. Right now, our million gallon tank (which we got filled to over 600,000 in November) is under 400,000. Sounds like a lot, right? Well, this tank is shared with the village (it was a gift from Chuuk govt to Sapuk, which we have been invited to also share in), plus about 90 boys, cooking, cleaning, and showering. Our goal is 30,000 a week, or less. This isn't meant to sound depressing, just factual due to the current weather patterns so that you all back home may join me in the realization that what is going on in the States (even with weather!) can effect the lives of people living on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific.

This Lent, I'm trying to eat more fish. I've been remotely succeeding in this.
My tongue has decided that my favorite local foods are: unripe mangos, Chuukese apples, and tapioca with coconut milk (although I can never eat much of it, but it tastes so good!).

And now, some pictures from Cultural Day:

Yapese Stick Dance

Pohnpeian Stick Dance

Pohnpeian Sakau

Palauan girls starting their dance

Cultural Day

Wow! It's been a crazy few weeks and the weeks are promising to get crazier.
At the beginning of the month, we celebrated Catholic Schools Week, which started off with a big Mass in Nepukos followed by games which the JVs planned and organized. Note for the future: Do not start with water games! Slipping ensued like crazy...

We received two of our three new Australian volunteers last week, Tom and Tom (Tom and Randy), who both seem pretty awesome. Lucky for them, they arrived just in time for Cultural Day, which was on Friday.

Pictures and videos to be posted eventually (hopefully be June), suffice it to say that it was a thoroughly entertaining day in which we got to see our students doing things they really enjoy doing while wearing traditional clothes. Used up pretty much my whole stipend purchasing a few things I wouldn't be able to get elsewhere, like a Marshalese necklace, and a few other things for people (sorry don't want to ruin the surprise for the person/people). I also got to try drinking some sakau (a muddy drink made only in Pohnpei) on Friday night with the Pohnpeian uppers, which was pretty cool, although I didn't stay very long due.

Saturday we took the boys down to Blue Lagoon to perform for some tourists. It was sad to see that a few of the tourists were completely uninterested as they watched and were too involved in their own conversations to watch something they may never see again, as well as because they probably didn't realize the amount of work and effort the boys took into practicing their dances. But overall, a good night and a nice chance to get off campus...the stars were amazing.

It seems like there's about a 90% possibility I'll be placed in Pohnpei in the summer, most likely helping with the HAP program.

Shout out to the men of the St. Claude de la Calumbiere house, who are celebrating their feast day today (Monday). My prayers and thoughts are with you all.

Micronesian Seminar Website

I can't believe I haven't shared this website with you all yet, but now is better than never.

www.micsem.org

A link to the site has also been posted on the side of my blog with the Chuuk info and JVC website.

You may be wondering what the MicSem is. Well, here's the scoop in short: Micronesian Seminar is an organization centered in Kolonia, Pohnpei. It contains information on many things Micronesian and is run by Fr. Francis Hezel, SJ, who has been living in the FSM for roughly 40 years now. The website includes things like photos, documents, videos, and forums for people to discuss and share their thoughts on various issues in the FSM.

Happy Sunday!

Spirituality

This past weekend, we had our Winter Retreat on Psiwi. It was great. Our last activity was to write a poem on spirituality (one of the four pillars of JVC). I thought it would be cool to share it with you all, in the spirit (no pun intended) of my last post.

Spirituality...
The need for a person to
enter into the self and
discover relationship to the
Creator is at its root.
In no other way can we act,
outside of it. We all
have one or maybe two
on which we base our lives.
Not just how we do, but
how we be.
There are few rules
but many guidelines formed,
shaping decisions made and
thoughts thought. All so
that one becomes self and
may understand the One.