WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?
Woo-hoo I'm 65! Turned the magic number on May 21. To celebrate I decided to challenge my fear of the water and booked an awesome dive instructor and spent the whole day on the water. I even saw dolphins and fished for tuna on the ride back from the diving site. They often catch 30 - 40 pound tunas on these trips and then sell the fish to the local restaurants.
I did well on the dive considering I don't swim, and it was truly a beautiful day, but boy did I get sunburned. You know how people get tan lines above their ankles when they golf. I had a sunburn line three inches beneath my shoulder and way below my knee since to be culturally respectful I had to wear a T-shirt with sleeves and yoga pants on the boat and in the water. The sun burn has finally healed after two weeks!
I think I may go to the "blue hole' this weekend - a part of the lagoon that locals use - and practice swimming. I'm told there's a portion that isn't over my head when the tide is right, so I'll feel safer - and be safer - while practicing. If I can pass the minimal requirements of the swim test - 200 yards and ten minutes floating - I'll take the certification class. I would love to conquer my fear of the water, pass that test, and earn my diving certification in my 65th year of life!
Woo-hoo I'm 65! Turned the magic number on May 21. To celebrate I decided to challenge my fear of the water and booked an awesome dive instructor and spent the whole day on the water. I even saw dolphins and fished for tuna on the ride back from the diving site. They often catch 30 - 40 pound tunas on these trips and then sell the fish to the local restaurants.
I did well on the dive considering I don't swim, and it was truly a beautiful day, but boy did I get sunburned. You know how people get tan lines above their ankles when they golf. I had a sunburn line three inches beneath my shoulder and way below my knee since to be culturally respectful I had to wear a T-shirt with sleeves and yoga pants on the boat and in the water. The sun burn has finally healed after two weeks!
I think I may go to the "blue hole' this weekend - a part of the lagoon that locals use - and practice swimming. I'm told there's a portion that isn't over my head when the tide is right, so I'll feel safer - and be safer - while practicing. If I can pass the minimal requirements of the swim test - 200 yards and ten minutes floating - I'll take the certification class. I would love to conquer my fear of the water, pass that test, and earn my diving certification in my 65th year of life!
On the work front - I've been here two months now and I've made some progress but work is often slow, muddled by cultural issues, and little follow through. Flexibility is definitely the most important soft skill to bring with you to a Peace Corps assignment. Setting up an official State Youth Council is proving to be especially challenging since they currently have no youth department, no employees working for youth, absolutely nothing structured within the government focused on youth, which means no counterpart to train, an essential component for sustainability. It's amazing what they don't tell you in job descriptions or during recruitment meetings and calls. The youth group they mention in the job description - a 40 member youth association that I'm supposed to be working actually has only about eight active members - only eight actually showed up at the meeting I finally had with them last week anyway - all in their 30's with families and full time day jobs. And it is a volunteer association, there are no paid positions for youth anywhere in Kosrae. My counterpart, the president of this group, is 31 years old and an extremely nice man, He's committed to the cause, but he is without the tools, resources, or support to make anything happen -- and he has a full time job and a family, a busy man. To say the work arena is frustrating, is an understatement.
While 49% of the population in Kosrae is under the age of 19, there is no group representing these young people or giving them a voice in the future of their country and its government, or listening to their interests and issues. Apparently the real reason I'm here is to create that department, provide that structure AND figure out a way to convince the government to pay for it. There are always so many unknowns and cultural barriers in small undeveloped countries – but I'm trying to navigate successfully around them. And I'm hopeful that I will, and that the next ten months will be good for Kosrae, its youth, and time well spent for me.
On a positive note - I did make a good start last week when I met with the Governor and pitched my "Department of Youth Empowerment" plan. He approved the overall plan and even agreed on my very lean suggested operating budget.
Then we got a call from the Speaker asking me to present during the afternoon session of the State Legislature. We had 30 minutes notice to plan what I was going to say and I was feeling a little frazzled by the rushing, but I was able to focus and get it done. I gave a 15 minute presentation to all 14 of the Senators. Fortunately I had a PowerPoint ready to go, same one I used for the Guv. They voted on a resolution immediately following the presentation and they approved unanimously approved the project. They also approved a special sitting of the Legislature for November 10 to recognize the 16 award winning young people, who will then -if my plan works -become the first official State Youth Council. After the award ceremony, the plan is that I'll organize a two day workshop, train this group in leadership and other important life skills, meet with them weekly for the remainder of my time here and work with them to draft a State Youth Policy. And then my service will be over and Kosrae and the Guv will have their model program for the Federated States and the kids will benefit in a positive way. And I will be on my home!
My electricity was out for 24 straight hours - Tuesday and Wednesday. It came back on Wednesday night at 5:00 p.m. It was dark black, no moon, no stars - blinking made no difference - black like I imagine it was before "let there be light" was commanded. Kind of scary, and very hot and humid without the fan. Eventually, I wore out the batteries on all my electronic devices - nook, computer, flashlight - and was left on my own lying in the dark listening to the clicking talk of the gekkos as they scurried across the walls.
The only other Response Volunteer on the island was medevaced to Bangkok (a seven hour flight and closest decent medical facility to Kosrae) a few weeks ago. He was an IT guy and he'd been here for 9 months of his one year commitment. Anyway, I found out yesterday that he's not returning - PC decided to medically terminate his service. Not sure what was wrong with him and he won't be back to Kosrae to pack up his space, so I guess I won't find out. In fact I hear they've already sent him back to the U.S. and the Volunteer Support Specialist will be packing up his stuff. Kind of a sad send off - don't you think?
I'm attaching some photos of my casita. I've cozied it up as much as I can and I'm really quite comfortable now.
Shower. Note the hose like shower head. No hot water in Kosrae, only cold, when there is water!
Stuff I wash my hair and body with, and the broom I use to sweep the water in that tiny drain.
Duct taped window - windows don't close - trying to keep critters and rain out. Duct tape is my best friend in Kosrae.
Bed - sheets courtesy of my friend Shari. Pillows I brought from home. End table covers are sarongs I brought with me for the beach, but are much more valuable as table cloths.
Clothes rack where I keep my culturally appropriate mid calf length dresses.
Living area
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