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_     One of the first things I read about when researching Pohnpei was Nan Madol.  As I noted last week, Nan Madol is the site of an ancient kingdom.  The whole complex of Nan Madol is constructed of very large, heavy rocks.  Nobody knows how these rocks got there and how this immense rock city was constructed.  The first thing I thought of when I was reading about Nan Madol was how it is like the Stonehenge.  I then made the large leap to call it the “Stonehenge of the Pacific.”  While walking around Nan Madol last Saturday, I became more convinced that my title was fitting.  The whole complex is expansive and I only saw a small part of it as you can only navigate the channels within Nan Madol by kayak or paddleboard.  I also was shocked at how tall parts of the wall are – I measured one section at easily 25 feet using an old Boy Scout trick.  Calling some of these rocks immense is an understatement.  I have been told there are rocks over ten tons.  All of this brings us to one question: how in the world was this place constructed?

    No one has an exact date on when this city was inhabited, but the construction dates range from the 8th – 13th century, with inhabitation through the 15th century.  However, some carbon dating has shown the construction to have started as early as 200 BC.  What makes this even more interesting is that the rock used to build Nan Madol is found on the other side of the island.  The Pohnpeian myth is that the ruined city was built by magic.  After witnessing the landscape and size of Nan Madol, I can’t blame them for scoffing at the notion this complex was built simply by human strength and ingenuity. 

    Believing in magic and superstition is not uncommon in Pohnpeian culture.  While I’m not an expert on local beliefs, I have witnessed several individuals give warnings to heed local tradition.  We have been told not to camp on Ahnd (an outer island an hour away from Pohnpei) because it is the home to demons.  It was also interesting to be warned not to visit the river behind our house.  Apparently, there is an old Pohnpeian lady with white skin and wears a red lava lava (a local dress) who walks along the river at nighttime.  I suppose on an isolated island in the vast Pacific Ocean, it’s easy for myths to flourish. 

    As a history buff I’m a fan of learning and knowing as much as we can about the past, but there is something intriguing about the unknown.  There are those who will look at Nan Madol and come up with several theories based on science and reason on how this rock city was built.  There are others who will let their mind wander, believing structures such as the Stonehenge or Nan Madol must have been built by aliens or some mythic creature.  I don’t know where exactly I fall on this spectrum, but I love the debate.  The best part: no one will ever definitely know the answer to these mysteries.  In between all of the speculation though, I hope we never forget to cherish these beautiful pieces of history and marvel at what can be created when we harness the limitless potential of human (or perhaps alien?) ingenuity.

Next post: Education Update!

Click here for pictures from hiking up Mt. Kupwuriso (the second highest peak in Pohnpei) two weekends ago, all of the Manta Ray pictures, and the full collection of shots of Nan Madol!


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Some massive rocks making up an exterior wall of Nan Madol
 
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Hanging out with students at Sokehs Pah Elementary
_     This past week we finally jumped into the classroom with both feet, teaching English.  We broke the students into two groups, with the lowest performing students working with me on the very basics and the rest being taught by Mr. B.  I always try to talk with students after school and during recess to help them practice their English.  I ask them things like what they do for fun, what their favorite movie is, and who they know from America.  I have some bad news: the number one answer to the latter question is Justin Bieber.  The number two answer doesn’t get any better: Miley Cyrus.  Despite my disappointment, I had a blast getting to know the kids and it really helps them to practice their English with a native speaker. 

    I should be clear though that the amount of work to be done is immense.  This week I taught letter sounds and some very simple vocabulary words.  All of this was kindergarten, first and second grade material being taught to 6th, 7th and 8th graders.  What I’m stressing to the students and constantly reminding myself though is it doesn’t matter where the students are now – what is of the greatest magnitude is if they make progress and are stronger in their English skills when we leave.  I suppose this type of rationalization is necessary when facing a challenge of this size.

    We are currently waiting to hear back from one of the embassies where we have submitted a grant to receive 15 iPads.  MAHI International has also written a grant for 160 iPads – for a total of over $100,000 when adding in the carrying cases and application costs.  These will be incredibly helpful educational tools that will pay huge dividends in the classroom.  We are currently seeking to get five people like me next year – one volunteer in each of our adopted schools.  It has become abundantly clear that we need a native English speaker in each of our schools every day; once a week simply is not enough.  I am very confident we’ll make great progress in our schools this year, but having a volunteer in each school every day will produce truly tremendous gains.  Below is the description of the position in case you or anyone you know is interested in serving here in beautiful Pohnpei!

    Outside of work, this past Saturday was one of my favorite days so far here in Micronesia.  John, Dale and I woke up at 6:00am to go to Manta Row, to swim with the Manta Rays.  It is about a 45-minute boat ride from Kolonia and we needed to get there early when it was at the right tide.  I had been there once before, a couple of days before Christmas but it was with a big group and we got there too late, so the current was very strong and most of the Mantas were gone.  This time, with just the three of us, we arrived right on time.  It was truly incredible.  There was a giant school of Rainbow Runners, where the Mantas like to feed on the tiny fish.  We stayed close to the Rainbow Runners and the Mantas were right next to us.  One time, John grabbed my arm and pointed to my right, and a Manta was literally five feet away.  A quick safety disclaimer for those who are wondering, Manta Rays are harmless.  It is advised though not to touch them as they have bacteria on them that makes humans sick.  Throughout all of this I was excited to capture these incredible creatures on film thanks to my recently arrived underwater camera.  I have been told continually that I need to post more pictures, so this pocket camera will literally remain attached at my hip from here on out!  Check out the video below to see the Mantas in action!  I will just say quickly that no video or image can capture what it’s like to be surrounded by so much life.  It can only truly be experienced firsthand!

    After an hour and a half of swimming with the Mantas we headed back to Kolonia.  Dale and I each had a chance to drive the boat which was really fun!  We grabbed some food real quick and headed to meet with our friend Kohei, a professional surfer from Japan who recently moved to Pohnpei.  He took us, his kids and some friends out to see Nan Madol, the site of an ancient kingdom, made up of these gigantic, extremely heavy rocks.  Nobody knows how these rocks got here and how this immense rock city was constructed.  I like to call it the “Stonehenge of the Pacific” and have also heard it called the “Atlantis of the Pacific.”  It really is an incredible place.  Below is a picture of Nan Madol, and I’ll elaborate on the history and structure in an upcoming post.  After walking around Nan Madol for a while we hung out on Kohei’s boat fishing and snorkeling.  To top the day off, Dale and I went to Joy Restaurant which has the best fried tuna and sashimi I have ever eaten.  All in all, an awesome day.  (Side note: I'll post all of my recent pictures in my next post!)

    Just a quick note – my apologies for not posting every Thursday (EST) like I said I would; as you can see I have been very busy!  I will do my best though to hold true to my weekly deadline from here on out.  Thanks for reading!


Volunteer Posting

MAHI International is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization based in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, focusing on healthcare, education and leadership development projects throughout Micronesia.  Committed to serving the individuals and communities throughout the Pacific Island region, MAHI International’s vision is to increase the quality of life of the people in undeveloped communities.  Focusing primarily in Micronesia, MAHI International works largely on improving healthcare and education throughout the islands, while training local Micronesian leaders. For more information, please visit www.mahi-intl.org

Position Description
MAHI International is looking for English teachers to instruct students throughout public schools on the island of Pohnpei, FSM.  Teachers will be placed in one of MAHI International’s adopted schools to focus on improving the reading proficiency of students in grades 6-8.  Teachers will also collaborate with school administration, community leaders and parents. The position is for the 2011-2012 school year.  No teaching experience is required.  Teachers will receive free housing and a living stipend.

Qualifications
  • Fluent English speaker
  • 21 + years in age
  • Minimum 2 years of college experience
  • Hold a US Driver’s License
  • Ability to live and work in a remote location within a small community
  • Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team
  • Excellent communication, social and problem-solving skills
  • Willingness to be flexible and adjust to changing circumstances
If interested, please contact Kat Schroer, Program Director at [email protected]

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Manta Ray up close
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View of our boat while snorkeling with the Mantas
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Driving the boat!
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Dale showing the size of a wall at Nan Madol
 
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_     I had the opportunity last week to visit the Kapinga Village here on Pohnpei to witness local dancing.  The Kapinga people are from the island of Kapingamarangi, the southernmost island of Pohnpei State, 740km away.  The dances were in celebration of the New Year, a big event here on Pohnpei.  For an entire week locals banged on pots, pans, 55 gallon drums – anything.  A common scene was having 10-15 people piled in the back of a pick-up truck driving around making plenty of noise.  For those not driving around, groups assembled on the side of the road to make a ruckus and spray water on all the cars driving by them.  Often, many would be screaming “HAPPY NEW YEAR” or “PARAKUP MWAO” with a blood clenching intensity.  It was an interesting cultural encounter to be sure and unlike any New Years I have previously experienced.

    Below is a video of some Kapinga boys demonstrating proper hula technique.  Pardon my giggling, MAHI works with and mentors Nicky (inset) - and this was just too funny!  The rest of the pictures can be found here.  Overall, the whole event was an eclectic mix of dances and skits.  It went from country music ho-downs to hula to toddlers gracefully expressing themselves through dance. 

    On the education front, we visited all our adopted schools this past week, meeting with the principals and setting up our schedule for the rest of the school year.  Currently, our plan is to travel to one school each day (five schools for each day of the week), teaching a 30-minute lesson in grades 6, 7, and 8 and staying after school to work with the students who are most in need.  Mr. B will be working with the majority of the students while I will be taking the lowest performing 5-10 students per class.  MAHI International has been given the generous donation of several Hooked on Phonics programs which I will be using in bringing these kids up to speed.  We are hopeful we will receive our iPads within the next month to use them in our program.

    I have no illusion of how difficult and challenging the task will be to teach students to read who are reading at a first grade, kindergarten or even illiterate level.  In the same breath, I can think of few things more worthwhile than teaching a child how to read.  I will not be alone in this endeavor as Mr. B will be a guiding hand with his 35+ years of experience in education.  It’s incredibly exciting though after all of this time evaluating and assessing to actually have the opportunity make a difference.

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One of my favorite most recent shots entitled "Young to Old"