Throughout my time on Pohnpei I have witnessed a constant dynamic among the local people.  While the western influence has pervaded into almost every aspect of society there are still elements of the original Pohnpeian culture.  As I have mentioned before, many of these elements have been perverted by the western influence.  A great example of this is sakau.  Previously, sakau was a ceremonial drink that was only drank by the high traditional leaders on very special occasions.  Now it is drank by over 70% of the islanders daily.

    This constant dynamic I speak of is how the islanders are “stuck in between.”  They are Pohnpeians, which holds its own traditions and customs, but also have the western culture and its accompanying expectations forced upon them.  How does one strike a balance between these two cultures?  How do young Pohnpeians form their identity amidst all the confusion?  There aren’t any easy answers to these questions and the lack of answers often leads to fatal consequences.  Suicide rates in Micronesia, particularly for young adult males, are among the highest in the world.  Even during my six months here, I have heard several tragic stories of young people taking their lives.

    This problem is far more complex than I could ever address in a short blog article.  It’s worth noting though that suicide is a major issue in areas where the original culture has been taken away or perverted.  Look no further than Native American reservations.  In many ways, Micronesians are facing the same issues as the Native Americans – both struggle with alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide, unemployment and many other issues.

    While there are numerous factors that contribute to all the issues facing these indigenous people who have lost their culture, I believe that one of the largest causes is the loss of community.  It’s a well-known fact that the modern western culture champions an individualistic narrative, while community is tossed to the side.  In my opinion this is a troubling issue for all people, but is especially so for individuals whose entire culture revolves around the community.  We really shouldn’t be surprised at these horrific consequences given what these people have been through.

    As I have mentioned before, I believe the easiest way to “fix” Pohnpei would be to shut down the airport and stop all the ships from carrying in cargo from the outside world.  Pohnpei would be forced to go back to its original culture and while the transition would be tumultuous at times, I believe many of the issues facing Pohnpei today would slowly diminish until they were eliminated completely.  However, this will likely never happen.  Where do we go from here?

    Well that’s not an easy question and there are many things that need to be done to help these people cope with being stuck in between two different worlds.  With our education program, we are helping hundreds of students with their English skills so they can pursue further education and hopefully return to their homeland and find modern-day answers to the issues present throughout these islands.  The challenges facing indigenous communities are complex beyond our understanding.   But while reform can only come from within, we as outsiders can help create the environment in which change is possible.

    This post was inspired by FSM Cultural Day which was this past Friday.  I found it mind blowing to see people adopt one identity in these cultural dances, then watch them adopt another identity by hopping in their car and picking up some soda at a local store.  A not-so-great video I took of one of the dances is posted below.  If you're really interested there's a longer, well-done video someone did of the days events below that.

_     I have written extensively of the many roadblocks and frustrations we encounter throughout our work here in Pohnpei, but trust me, I barely scratch the surface.  I knew when I came here it wasn’t going to be easy and our collective perseverance and resolve would be tested.  Of course though, knowing something in your head is entirely different than experiencing it firsthand.  I remember the exact moment when all this hit home.

    Way back in October, a few weeks after I arrived, Mr. B and I were in a slight state of shock with just how bad the schools really are.  We were sitting in the car about to leave from a school that had only one teacher for three grades.  Most of the kids were sitting around or had gone home, even though it was only 11:00.  Despite the negative circumstances Mr. B was often making jokes and laughing about the whole thing.  I said while laughing along with him, “Mr. B, what are we going to do?!?  Why are you laughing?!?”  His response was priceless and classic Mr. B ---

_While his response obviously made me laugh, there is so much truth to it.  This attitude has served Mr. B extremely well throughout his life on Pohnpei working to help his people.  Indeed, he very well might have had a heart attack by now if he didn’t have this approach!

    Today we went to our largest adopted school which has six classes – two classes each for 6th, 7th and 8th grade.  There were only three teachers and the principal wasn’t present.  This left each teacher responsible for their 20 some kids, plus the 20 some other students.  When the teachers are left with this predicament they stay with their class and give the other class a bunch of busy work a few times throughout the day.  You can imagine how productive a group of 6th graders are when left alone to do busy work from a textbook.  This happens all the time on Pohnpei – I have never heard of substitute teachers.

    When we got to the 8th grade classroom, and saw that there was only one teacher for the two classes, I had to step outside the classroom and remember Mr. B’s wisdom.  I had seen both 8th grade teachers earlier that morning, but one left for Kolonia during lunch.  Heck, without any principal, who is there to enforce anything?  It's worth noting that this is one of our better schools!

    Despite all the frustration, I have learned, and rather quickly, that you can’t expect change to happen quickly, if at all.  What I mean by this is that change can take years, even decades.  In order to survive days like today, it is critical to have an even-keeled mindset.  And it helps for personal health, when working in a place like Pohnpei, to take everything with a grain of salt, and if at all possible, laugh about the craziness.

    There are countless lessons I’ll take with me when I leave this island, and this will be at the top of the list.  We all encounter difficulties but if we can laugh about it and recognize how imperfect this world is and all the people in it, then we’ll be better for it.  And less likely to get a heart attack.

__

Last year at this time I spent spring break going on a service trip with my college to New Orleans, spending a week rebuilding homes.  During the trip we kept a group journal which was later typed up and sent to everyone.  I thought I would revisit the trip a year removed from the experience.  The words I wrote jumped off the page.  Before I explain why, here are a couple excerpts:

 


March 13, 2011
    Today during our large group reflection a common theme was the frustration over government inefficiency in solving the many problems presented in the city.  Ultimately what it boils down to is the current state of the city, and particularly its education system, simply is not good enough.  As a nation we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard – the wealthiest nation in the world should not have desolated communities such as the ones we saw today.  While perhaps this is a bit idealistic, I am hopeful that we as a generation, and as engaged Dickinsonians, can work to improve these communities by attacking flawed, corrupt systems of oppression and implementing innovative and comprehensive policies to create lasting change.  This is a broad idea in theory however, as it is abundantly clear that these problems are complex beyond our comprehension.  I found myself dumbfounded today to see homes completely refurbished that would fit well into any normal neighborhood, surrounded by abandoned homes, clearly destroyed by the storm.

    While we all will learn a lot during our time here, I believe it is important to recognize that our understanding of the problems facing New Orleans and the effects of Hurricane Katrina will always be limited.  We can hear survivor’s stories, see the destruction and experience the culture, but we will never be able to fully comprehend what this city and these people have gone through.  It is with this approach of humility that I hope to attempt to grasp the infinitely complex problems presented, all the while doing my best to lend a helping hand.  This week we will be making a small contribution to rebuilding New Orleans by repairing homes.  However, I believe the lessons we all learn and the experiences we all have this week will lead to a changed mindset, forever reminding us of the desperate need for compassion and understanding in this world.

March 17, 2011
    A strong focus of this trip has been actively reflecting on our experiences.  While I believe this is a valuable activity, something I have learned is how the most valuable reflections have come after much time has passed.  It can take weeks, months, and even years to learn all the lessons from one specific trip or experience.  I’m sure that my reflections of this trip will continue to grow and change as time distances itself from this moment.


    While New Orleans and Pohnpei are on the opposite ends of the globe, it has become abundantly clear that many of the problems facing these developing communities are the same.  In my journal entry, along with many of the others written by my classmates, it was cited how frustrating it is to witness government inefficiency and lack of action.  Well, if you thought American bureaucracy can be a headache, you haven’t been to Pohnpei!  The fact that I then went on to specifically state how the “education system simply isn’t good enough” made me laugh considering what I have been doing the past five months.

    Looking at what I wrote, I see a fundamental shift in my approach to social change.  Specifically, this sentence stood out: “While perhaps this is a bit idealistic, I am hopeful that we as a generation, and as engaged Dickinsonians, can work to improve these communities by attacking flawed, corrupt systems of oppression and implementing innovative and comprehensive policies to create lasting change.”  I read this now and shudder.  Even if you look back to my October and November posts, I used this type of language.  Let's dissect it: It is well written, and uses several big words and phrases when it comes to social change like “systems of oppression,” “innovative and comprehensive,” and “lasting change.”  I read it and it sounds very appealing – who wouldn’t want to attack “systems of oppression,” being “innovative” to create “lasting change?” 

    Here’s my point: it’s all talk.  When the rubber hits the road, big sentences like this might sound good, and maybe help people open their wallets to support whatever cause, but it doesn’t do anything.  It’s not necessarily wrong to talk like this, but if it’s not supported with action, it doesn’t do anything but inflate the ego of the speaker.  When it comes to social change, especially in developing communities, it is essential that the leaders are men and women of action.

    I’m really happy though that I followed up that “big” sentence with acknowledging that it is “abundantly clear that these problems are complex beyond our comprehension.”  I knew when I went to New Orleans for only a week that I would not even start to slightly understand the problems that the communities there are facing.  I thought however after spending five plus months on this tiny isolated island in the middle of the Pacific I would begin to grasp how to address the many problems on the island.  Today I found myself saying, “The longer I stay here the more confused I get at how we can help this place.”

    I think that whenever attempting community reform we will find ourselves saying something similar to this.  There are just so many factors – culture, government, race, education, history, religion – the list goes on and on.  From New Orleans to Pohnpei, Somalia to Lima, Peru, Afghanistan to Sierra Leone, the difficulties in bringing “lasting change” to a developing community are vast and remarkably complex.  There are no silver bullet solutions, despite how tempting it might be to search for them.  I have become more and more convinced however, as evidenced in my last post, that when tackling any type of social change, the best and most effective approach is not attempting to reform a government policy or institution.  Rather, it is to take an individual approach, working with the members of the community, learning how as an outsider you can best serve them in their efforts to better themselves and their community.  This is a much less attractive approach – it doesn’t have the glitz and glamor of “fighting systems of oppression” and it certainly is much more difficult than finding the silver bullet solution.  But in the end what’s most important?

    I look back a year ago in my week in NOLA with fond memories of friendships that were strengthened and created and being surrounded by like-minded peers who chose to attempt to grasp the complex problems of the world for a week rather than having fuzzy memories of a night on some beach.  We left an indelible mark on the communities where we served, making them one step closer to recovery.  We weren't working to reform vast institutions.  Instead, we worked to help individuals, serving them the best way we knew how.   As far as the future of New Orleans goes, I’m sure that most of us can look back at our time there and conclude that we learned a lot but ultimately left with more questions than answers.

    This struggle persists and always will.  There is no utopia, no happily ever after.  However, I have been taught by several individuals, and have come to believe, that there is always hope.  I know this is cheesy but let me explain.  I’m reading a biography on Abraham Lincoln, entitled “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns Goodwin.  In the book, Goodwin describes how Lincoln was “acutely aware of his own emotional needs,” finding rejuvenation and relief in several ways from the overwhelming burden of leading America through its most perilous years.  Goodwin goes on to reference Daniel Goleman’s study on emotional intelligence which states, “Having hope means that one will not give in to overwhelming anxiety, a defeatist attitude, or depression in the face of difficult challenges or setbacks.  [Hope is] more than the sunny view that everything will turn out all right, [it is] believing you have the will and the way to accomplish your goals” (631).  Goodwin then writes, “More clearly than his colleagues, Lincoln understood that numerous setbacks were inevitable before the war could be brought to a close.  Yet in the end, he firmly believed the North would prevail.”

    All those in the field of social change, especially those working in developing communities, could learn from Lincoln and his emotional intelligence.  While there will inevitably be countless challenges and a never-ending stream of questions, if we have hope we are armed with the power to make a difference.  And that is needed everywhere in the world, from New Orleans to Pohnpei.

_     Way back in October I e-mailed my college president, Dr. William Durden, asking for any general advice in our education efforts here in Pohnpei.  While he provided plenty of great advice the quote that stands out in my mind is “Reform must come from within and cannot be imposed.”  I took this to heart and throughout our efforts to reform the education system on Pohnpei, I have been constantly searching for how we can motivate the students, teachers and administration to excel.  We have informed the students of their extraordinary position of privilege, talked with teachers about their struggles and paths to improvement, and reported to administrators the severe deficiencies we have found in the classroom.  Ultimately though, I’m still left wondering what we can do to encourage the majority of the locals to improve the education system.  We can help in many ways but as Dr. Durden wisely noted, we can’t force motivation upon them.

    I have learned firsthand the need to understand a people before you can “change” them in any way, shape or form.  You don’t have to go that far back in Pohnpeian history to see that their current lifestyle is vastly different from the past.  Before the white man ever arrived on island, the Pohnpeians were largely living a very comfortable life.  They didn’t work a 9-5 job, doing the same thing every day of the workweek.  Instead, they were mostly sustenance farmers, living off the land.  Pohnpei is known as the “Garden Island” of Micronesia.  All three other states of the FSM, Yap, Chuuk and Kosrae, have more difficulties in growing food and have to worry about water collection.  Food is abundant in Pohnpei and water is one of the least of their concerns. 

A few examples illustrating Pohnpei’s “Garden Island” title:

• In November we were eating papayas here at the MAHI International Hospitality Center and tossed the seeds off the balcony.  There are now ten papaya trees, the tallest being seven feet tall.
• Mr. B told me that the old canoes found in Pohnpei were not designed for the open ocean.  The fish were so abundant inside the reef they didn’t need to go outside of it.  The canoes found in Yap, Chuuk and Kosrae however were all designed for the open ocean.
• All throughout Pohnpei there is so much food that is waiting to be harvested.  Everywhere there are Giant Taro patches, Breadfruit, Coconut, Banana and Papaya trees, and much more.
  

    Living with such plentiful resources produced a unique lifestyle on Pohnpei.  While they still had to work, the transition to the typical Western work life has been very difficult.  Throughout our time in the schools I have asked every class if the students have been off the island before, and only a handful that were born off island answered yes.  It’s worth noting that every time we have encountered a student who is clearly far ahead of their classmates, we have discovered they came from Guam or the US.  Every student who was born on Pohnpei has never left.  How are we supposed to motivate these students to excel in their education so they can go to college, if they have never been outside of this tiny island?

    What we’re ultimately trying to do here in Pohnpei is not just reform the education system, but influence the culture so that reform is possible.  As Dr. Durden noted, our real challenge is “cultural resistance and cultural change.”  How does one begin to change a culture?  Is that a desirable goal in the first place?  The fact is that much of Pohnpei’s culture has been lost due to the pervasive Western influence.  Many of their traditions have not been completely lost, but perverted.  A great example of this is sakau.  Previously, sakau was a ceremonial drink that was only drank by the high traditional leaders on very special occasions.  Now it is drank by over 70% of the islanders daily.

    It’s crystal clear that it is ridiculously difficult to reform a culture and the deeply entrenched institutions that lie therein.  Given this, I have sought to influence individuals, believing that if even one student is positively impacted by my being here, my time will have been well spent.  Institutions and certainly a culture are simply too large to tackle, especially in the short-term.  While the vision of grand change might be admirable and worth seeking, at the end of the day what we’re seeking to change are individuals.  Only the local people can shape their culture.  Indeed, reform must come from within.

_     I remember in college I would begin each semester imagining myself conducting a perfect academic symphony – reading all material twice, completing all assignments early, breezing through exams, and writing an amazing, well-researched final paper.  While I did well in school, my symphony was never on the level of Mozart or Tchaikovsky.  Indeed, once the semester got underway it was always harder than imagined to maintain momentum.  Semester after semester I learned the same lesson.  I know I’m not the only college student, past or present, who can identify with this story.

    When I came to Pohnpei I remembered the lesson.  I still envisioned a symphony – working with principals and shaping them into better leaders, exposing teachers to new techniques, motivating students to commit themselves to their education – all in an effort to make a deep and lasting change on the education system in Pohnpei.  This time though, I knew it wasn’t going to be a smooth ride.  Right now we are in the thick of it.  We are teaching in the schools every week, working to improve our program and building for the future.  As you might have gathered through past posts, we face our fair share of obstacles every day here in Pohnpei.  Several times we have pulled up to an empty school due to a funeral or an unfamiliar holiday.  Perhaps our largest obstacle that I have hinted to in my previous two posts is the teachers’ lack of English skills (see picture below).  Given obstacles like these, it’s not surprising that each of us has asked “Can we really make a difference here?”  

_     When not working, I have been doing a lot of job searching over the past few months looking at what I am going to do post-Pohnpei.  Throughout my research I have been astounded at the incredible number of non-profit organizations that exist.  There are literally thousands and so many of them are doing the exact same thing.  I believe this is the case for many reasons, but I think a main one is because it is exciting and commendable to start something new.  While there are obviously many non-profits that do great work, I can’t help but wonder how many of these organizations started off with lots of momentum and slowly faded away when things got tough. 

    It’s easy to start a new program or initiative and to set goals.  While most of us have never started a non-profit organization, most of us have set goals, including resolutions a couple months ago.  When we share our goals we can make ourselves sound quite accomplished and respectable.  As my favorite author Donald Miller brought to my attention, we shouldn’t share our goals.  As Miller writes, studies have shown that “when you share a goal publicly, your brain enjoys the sharing in the same way it enjoys the achievement itself, and you’ve lost some of your motivation.”  Instead, we should focus on the work rather than any positive publicity from the admirable work we are doing.  We should be proud of what we accomplish, not what we say we will accomplish. 

    Ultimately, the strength of MAHI International’s work here in Pohnpei rests on its mission.  Specifically with our education program, we are addressing a desperate need.  As long as we continue to be blessed with the resources to execute this work, we will continue to persist in our efforts.  Like everything on Pohnpei, our progress is slow.  In many ways, living in Pohnpei is like living in a different world.

    It’s not anything new to acknowledge that the modern world is run by instant gratification, with people constantly distracted by the beeps and buzzes of technology.  I remember going on a run to Red Square on Georgetown’s campus when I was interning in Washington, DC and stopping for a few minutes to witness how many people were on their cell phone.  I ended up staying 20 minutes and literally saw every single person, well over 50 individuals, all talking or texting on their cell phone.  It has been challenging to adjust to the slow pace on island, including living without a cell phone. 

    Education reform on any level, anywhere in the world, is incredibly difficult and takes time.  The fact that we are seeking to reform the education system on Pohnpei only exacerbates this fact.  Despite the ever-present obstacles, I’m learning that only those individuals and organizations that diligently stay the course hold the opportunity to create positive and lasting change.

_     When I think of the word “policy” in a government context, I naturally think of government red tape amidst a giant world of bureaucracy that hinders any forward progress.  After spending four years in college studying political institutions and the principles and conduct of government, including spending eight months interning in Washington, DC, I have become somewhat jaded and weary of bureaucracy.  While this frustration with “the establishment” is understandable, I have been constantly reminded that despite the sometimes perceived barriers bureaucracy can impose, there is a momentous need for strong and sound policy.

    Without being too brash, many of policies here in Pohnpei just plain stink, which is of little significance as the existing policies are hardly ever enforced.  One policy in particular demonstrates the remarkable need for reform.  Students here are not taught in English until 4th grade.  However, when they enter 4th grade they are handed the same 4th grade Math, Science and English textbooks given to their counterparts who are the same age in America.  Unless a child has been raised in an English-speaking household in Pohnpei, which I doubt exists, this student is expected to go from knowing hardly any English to reading at a 4th grade level overnight.  It simply makes no logical sense.  The argument goes that the locals don’t want to lose their local language by teaching in English beginning in 1st grade.  This is an understandable and valid point.  I would counter however that in many places throughout the world, students are learning in both their native tongue and English from the beginning of their education, becoming proficient in both languages.

    Put yourself in the shoes of that 4th grade student handed a 4th grade Science textbook.  It might as well be written in hieroglyphics.  Progress is made, but at a very slow pace.  I have learned the importance of a student’s “instructional reading level.”  If a student who is reading at a 1st grade level is handed a 4th grade textbook, he/she is going to become quickly frustrated and discouraged.  This inevitably leads to a student not wanting to learn and likely having a negative approach to education for the rest of their life.  If that same student is handed a 1st grade level book though, he/she will make progress and move up to the next reading level.  This information is critical and explains why we spent two months assessing and compiling each student’s instructional reading level.

    So from the very beginning, each student is already starting three grades behind.  Despite this being a horrible policy, I wish it was enforced.  The fact is after traveling to and assessing dozens of 6th, 7th and 8th grade classrooms throughout Pohnpei, I have only witnessed one classroom being taught in English.  Even English lessons are being taught in Pohnpeian.  When I first discovered the “starting out three years behind” phenomenon, I instinctively thought we should petition for a policy change so students would start being taught in English in 1st grade.  After visiting so many classrooms though, with no enforcement of the current policy whatsoever, I realized that would be a gigantic waste of time.

    Let’s recap: students in Pohnpei don’t start learning in English until 4th grade and are, except in rare circumstances, never actually taught in English, from what I have witnessed through the 8th grade level.  I hate to say this, but it gets worse.  Much, much worse.  I’m going to save for my next post what I believe to be the largest obstacle for education reform in Pohnpei.

    This is just one policy that matters among many here in Pohnpei.  It has become obvious to me throughout this experience that the environment in which a student learns is just as important, if not more so, than a student’s innate abilities and commitment to learning.  Just look at that student receiving that 4th grade level textbook.  He’s not dumb.  He’s a product of a failed system.

    On a lighter note, this weekend a few of us had a nice short hike up a little mountain that is lovingly called “Chickenshit.”  I forgot to mention in my Nan Madol post one legend of how Nan Madol was built.  The story goes that chickens carried the large columnar basalt rocks across the island.  Apparently, these chicken “relieved themselves” on this part of the island.  The little mountain is coned shape, and I can see how the locals could see how it looks like…well, ya know.  Pictures below! 

    Lastly, this is my most recent post since my Giants were victorious in Super Bowl XLVI!  Here are some glorious highlights of the epic game!

_
The opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of Drew Robinson.