Home (Kaleigh)

Hello... I apologize for not writing more, but one of the less fabulous things about Micronesia is that internet is pay-by-the-megabyte. Needless to say, I spent a lot of money on internet and wasn't able to access 'fancy' websites often.

So.... I will just give a brief synopsis. My research with Island Food Community of Pohnpei was fine. I did a qualitative project, which left me to fend for myself, basically. More help on logistics (transportation, etc) would have been appreciated (and probably granted had my project been quantitative). Oh well. My village was an hour away and had to be reached by a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. I only made it out there 4 times, unfortunately. (And it was a struggle to get those 4 times.) I completed the project, but I do not think it is thesis-quality, so I will write up a report but not plan on using it for a thesis. Conducting the interviews in a different language was too much for my first time carrying out a qualitative project. However, I learned A LOT and am so grateful for the opportunity.

Some of the great parts about the trip... I got to swim with manta rays. Awesome. We did a lot of snorkeling. The boat trips to outer atolls were really, really enjoyable. We spent a night on one of them and it was so neat. Hikes to waterfalls were slippery and trying experiences. :) Rewarding, too, of course. The place was just beautiful, but it took getting into a boat and seeing the island from the water to realize the incredible nature we were living in.

Michael Jackson died while we were in Pohnpei and I was actually sick that weekend, so while the other researchers were out exploring, I watched Michael Jackson tributes on TV all day laying in bed. That was special...

Leaving was much more difficult than I had expected. Because it is such a small island, going to the airport is a big deal. A plane comes and leaves once a day (Continental Micronesia). Entire families and friends will go to the airport to see people off. I wasn't prepared for it to be an emotional experience and couldn't look back when walking to the plane. Met some pretty special people.

Well, I guess that is all for now. More to come at the GFE presentation. Ha.
Hope everyone had good experiences - enjoyed your posts. What an amazing group of people you are. Look forward to seeing you back in Atlanta and wishing everyone a safe trip back.

Love,
Kaleigh