Imagine...

*Habele. I have received many requests from friends and family on how they can support my work as a teacher here in the Outer Islands of Yap. Check out these websites for Habele, an organization striving to provide Outer Island students with educational opportunities.
http://www.habele.org/
http://habele.blogspot.com/2009/04/outer-island-micronesian-students-hard.html (this has a good summary of their work)
http://habele.blogspot.com/


*Tsunami. Yap Day 2010 Celebrations were on March 1st and 2nd. The day before, us PCVs received a warning that a tsunami was going to try to crash the party, which is the biggest cultural to-do here on the island (lots of local foods, dance, and dress). But what with all the prayers and support from family and friends heading our way, I guess the tsunami realized that it really wasn't on the guest list. Thank you for your concern and support.

*Potholes. Driving to work in America, day in day out, one comes to know the road traversed with its few rough patches and occasional potholes. Here in Yap, one comes to know the occasional smooth parts of the road otherwise bedecked by the ubiquitous expanses of potholes.

*Public Transportation. Here in Yap, you don't get stuck behind school buses. They get stuck behind you, speeding and veering into the other lane to pass in a very un-Micronesian hurry. (I'm glad I don't have to take the bus.)

*Chef Boyardee. When I first came to Yap, I was worried about my diet suffering from my "favorite canned meat." Now, I love Chef Boyardee and it's enriched noodles. Let's just say I've been flexible and come a long way from my vegetarianism and Royal River Natural Foods. Damn, I had it good.

*Nature vs. Nissan. When I was in America, I used to feel exposed to the elements when driving through heavy rain in a car (even in my trusty Buick Buelah who never steered me wrong). Now, I feel more 'battened down,' so to say, in a car than most anywhere else (esp. my host father's Nissan company truck). Most life is conducted outside here, and even the inside feels outside in many regards. Ants, slat windows, humidity. It's just interesting to consider how much our modern 'amenities,' like cars and windows, separate us from the natural world. Here, whether we like it or not, the natural world is going to have its way, so we have things that crawl, unsealed windows, and fuzzy layers of mold on things. But we also know our food comes from the land we work and the sun rises and sets over the water that defines our island life. That's not something we want to keep out. Ants? Maybe. But feeling connected to the natural world? Nope.

*Peanuts. My host brother Lindsey was reading a story problem from his math book about a girl eating peanuts at a baseball game. I started to tell him how cool it was to eat peanuts at a baseball game 'cause you can throw the shells on the ground. I caught myself, though, because I realized that what was novel or cool about this to me is just run of the mill for Lindsey. We throw food on the ground all the time here. Our 'kitchen' and 'dining room' are outside under a tin 'beranta' and the ground is our floor. Our trash compactors and vacuums are covered in fur and have four legs. Lindsey wanted me to finish what I was saying, so I struggled to explain that in America, where we cook and eat are inside, so we don't go around throwing or spitting fishbones on the floor. Weird.


In other, much less pleasant news, I made the discovery this weekend that I have intestinal worm(s). It's nothing serious and I am experiencing no symptoms, but I'm still taking the necessary medicine and going to get some bloodwork done to be sure.

In other, much MORE pleasant news, fellow Yapese PCVs Laura, Kanani, and I had a thoroughly delightful belated birthday celebration for Laura this weekend where nothing seemed to work out the way we planned and it was all for the better.

I'm not sure when the next ship will leave, but I am very happy to be here now.

Gareteli gai sa gashigeshige gemaase (really, thank you all so very much) for your support and love.

Sa ila, remaweshe (bye bye, my dears) - Emily LeGasugulmal :-D

PS - THANK YOU so much for all the wonderful care packages. At this point, I have enough yummy and delectable supplies to last me for quite some time. So I'd like to respectfully alter my request for care packages to the simple gift of correspondence. Again, thanks everyone SO MUCH. (Of course, little things here and there will always be appreciated, but I've got a happy collection of goodies already. I can always use notes and letters connecting me to you - they never go bad and the rats don't eat them :-D! Peace and love, emily)