Micronesia - Kaleigh (super long)

Hi!
Warning – this is very long – I probably won’t write often, as it is a lot of effort and expensive to use the internet. –
I am writing this from the Island Food Community of Pohnpei building, where I am working. I will email it when I go to the Telecom building later (it is the only place where we can get on the internet). The Telecom building is air conditioned, so we love it. (It is very, very, miserably hot here.) The Telecom building also has couches and a flat screen TV with usually CNN or ESPN on, so it is an enjoyable place to be. It kind of resembles a bank (with tellers who deal with phone services and internet rather than currency).

Kim and I are living together in a hotel (for 2 months) called Nara Gardens. It isn’t as nice as it sounds. It is quite old and run down. There is no airflow and it smells of mold, is dirty, etc. We were hoping for a home to house-sit, but it doesn’t look as though it will work out with dates and all. I’m really happy that Kim is here.

There are two other public health students (female) working with IFCP this summer. Sueko is from Japan but attends Johns Hopkins. She is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. We met in Honolulu and stayed in a hotel together and began our journey to Pohnpei at 3:30 am together. Alyssa is from the University of Arizona. She did Peace Corps in Zambia.

My research project will take place in two rural villages. It was originally going to be qualitative but it has changed and is now going to be quantitative (a questionnaire about how often certain foods are eaten). I think this is better, although I may no longer do my thesis on this. Instead I might just write a report or something for IFCP. I want my thesis to be on high-quality data collection and I don’t know how well this will work out – I would also like my thesis to be qualitative.

We spend all day right now (before research starts) at the IFCP with our supervisor, Lois. We have met state and federal health officials the past two days (today we drove to the federal capital – Palikir – we live in Kolonia – the biggest city). We also get to go to numerous events that the IFCP is invited to, which might be fun. The first is this afternoon.

As far as first impressions of Kolonia, Pohnpei… the town reminds me of a miniature Fort Cochin in Kerala, India. It is kind of like a fishing town. It is along the water and the landscape is beautiful. It is kind of boring though, I’ve not seen anything unexpected yet. It is not crowded. The people here are very nice, which is enjoyable. I feel pretty safe. Even though we are on an island, it doesn’t sound as though there are many (if any) safe places to swim (water quality, currents, etc). We have pretty much already walked around the whole town… multiple times. Kim and I went for a walk last night along the causeway and next thing we knew, we were at the airport.

The food here is…. Interesting I guess. They eat a lot of tuna sashimi (the raw fish), which I love. But I am trying not to eat it every day… we have already been advised to get de-worming medications upon our arrival home. (Fabulous.) Apparently it is likely that we will get worms while we are here. Other foods are breadfruit – which is eaten like a potato. The food environment is basically a combination of local, Japanese, and American food (sometimes all at the same place). There are many varieties of banana… ranging from some which are used like a potato to those that are eaten with ice cream (I, of course, like the ones eaten with chocolate chip ice cream – a dessert Lois’ husband made for us).

I had a good time this afternoon and evening. We went out to a ‘marine park’ for a Peace Corps event that IFCP was participating in. It is a camp for girls who just graduated from 8th grade and it teaches them how to care for themselves, the environment, etc. Very neat. They stay overnight in traditional huts next to the ocean. It is beautiful there. We went swimming in the ocean. Afterwards, we had a dinner of local foods in a large community hut and the food came on a woven basket/plate, you eat sitting cross-legged and with your hands. The fish were fully intact (on one side). It was a good time.

I think I’ve written enough for a book now, so I will close.

Hope everyone is doing well. Look forward to seeing you back in Atlanta. Kaselehlie (hello, good bye, and other greetings in Pohnpeian).