Semester 2 and Summer

It is said here, that Micronesians do not live so much by dates and time, but from event to event. Perhaps the long pauses between communication and the highlight reel that will follow is a testament to my acculturation, or perhaps, more likely, I simply do not have an aptitude for blogging. Either way, I would like to start by saying that my first year as a Jesuit Volunteer has been a hands down the most transformative experience of my life and I am so appreciative of all of the support I have received from home along the way, whether that is in the form of the experiences and conversations that lead me to this place or the many letters and emails during my time here. As I reflect back, I recognize that I have been immensely blessed to have had the opportunities to teach my students, to meet the people of Chuuk, and to live in a community so filled with love.

Without further ado, to pick up where I left off at the new year, we started the semester off right with a JV Retreat. This time we stayed on island and went to the Korean Oceanic Research Center where we were graciously hosted by Rose's host dad and his co-workers. The retreat theme was “Awakening the Light” a blend of all three JV placement site's mission statements. We discussed not only darkness and light in our own life and current experience but looked at the social issues facing Chuuk and the FSM. We also had a session on goals setting with community accountability, which in several aspects really helped us achieve what we were seeking. It was nice to retreat but still stay within the community were we work each day.

What would high school be without Dance Night?!? The Junior class is in charge of decorating so we spent the day transforming the gym with local decorations, balloons, lights, and steamers. The teachers snuck away for an afternoon swim at the Japanese dock, before heading back to join the party. From 7-10, we chaperoned, or more accurately joined the dance party, as student's had fun being themselves and having the girls spend time on campus outside of school.

In February, Xavier also celebrated Cultural Day, an event that only happens every other year. It is a change for students to learn about and share the customs of their districts. Each district: Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, and The Marshall Islands rebuilt their on campus hut and brought local food and handicrafts from their home islands. The day started with a special mass with each district contributing their own songs and rituals. After a feast at lunch, students performed traditional and war dances well into the evening. Many visitors, alumni, and parents came to watch the celebration. It was such a great opportunity for me to learn from my students, to better understand where they come from, and to appreciate the beauty of each district's unique and distinct cultures. The preparations took many hours and the students diligently practiced for months in advance, but there was their dedication and pride in their customs shown through on that day.

The Palauan War Dance

The Marshallese Flag Dance

February also brought a weekend trip to Pisar with just a few JVs. It was great timing for a chance to step away from the business of daily life a Xavier and enjoy the beautiful world around me. It is moments like these that I am reminded of how much I have been blessed with the people and place that I am surrounded by.

Pisar Sunset!

The spring semester in Chuuk means interscholastic volleyball season! This year I assistant coached both the girls' and boys' teams. Not surprisingly, just like with basketball in the fall, coaching was one of my favorite parts of the day. The students like to have fun and make Mel and I laugh through practice, but they also work hard and are willing to do anything you ask of them. I ended up reffing several of our games (an interesting experience to say the least), but had a blast encouraging and spending time with the students outside of class. The Lady Navigators placed third in the league while Navigators took home the championship! The championship game was quite memorable, our opponent, Chuuk High, was favored coming in and had already beaten us earlier in the season. After winning the first game, our boys dropped the second and allowed Chuuk High to close an early lead in the third game to bring the score to 14-15 (advantage Chuuk High). Then the boys, six seniors on the court rallied for a 3-0 run to when 17-15. I was incredibly nervous but so proud of their heart and concentration, never giving up on the win.

In mid-March, the Juniors went on their Emmaus Retreat, and as their moderator I was lucky enough to get to accompany them. We went to a small island in the lagoon called Param, which as a beautiful and peaceful setting. During the retreat, the Myrmz were asked to reflect on their own spiritual journeys, the brokenness in their own lives, and to reconcile with their classmates, recommitting to live as compassionate Xavierites who trust and care for own another. The retreat had a powerful effect on many students and it was amazing to be a part of such a transformative four days.

Easter was a special time at Xavier. Each part of the Triduum was a beautiful celebration. For me, the highlights were the walking stations of the cross on Good Friday and the Easter Vigil celebration. On Good Friday we traveled throughout the village of Sapuk with over 100 people gathered from around the island. It was powerful to see so many people gathered to worship. My host brother carried the cross during the service which ended at the chapel for Veneration of the Cross. The Easter Vigil was beautiful. The readings alternated in Chuukese and English with a combination of Xavier students and the Sapuk parish community participating in the mass. The singing was incredible and one of our sophomores was baptized. This weekend reminded me that our faith is a living faith and demonstrated to be the wondrous power of people coming together out of love.

The Boys Mile Relay

April brought about Track and Field in Chuuk, the pentacle of high school sports on the island, especially at Xavier. The week started with 3:30 wake up calls on Tuesday and Wednesday for our girls and boys distance runners. We traveled the 45 minutes into town to run the mile relay (where 10 runners each run one mile) and the marathon (12 miles for boys and 8 miles for girls) before school started. Thursday afternoon was prelims for the sprints and Friday was an all day affair. The entire school attended (the majority run at least one race) and everyone cheered into they lost their voices. Xavier cleaned up, winning the meet by over one hundred points. I have never experienced school spirit like our students on the buses on the way to and from the meet. It was such blast to share in the students' enthusiasm for their school, to watch them excel outside the classroom, and even have the chance to run a race against the faculty from other schools.

The Girls' Mile Relay

Also in April, we had our JV Re-orientation/Dis-orientation retreat (a week long retreat on the remote quarter mile around island of Pisar.) The retreat was exactly what I needed to become recharged for another year as a Jesuit volunteer, a time to recenter myself and reflect on the year that had transpired. During our day of silence, I spend a lot of time thinking about what lead me to answer the call or come to Chuuk and the ways in which I have grown since being here. It was the first time that I have felt completely silent during a silent retreat as there was absolutely no axillary or background noise other than the waves on the reef. We wrote mission statements for our second year and began our good byes for our second years who would soon leave us. We came back from Re-O and went straight to the hotel resort, Blue Lagoon, on Weno for our Xavier faculty retreat, which was a great time to continue intentional conversations with the larger support system and friends I have gained here at Xavier.

Mau House Community

In May, we had our Girl's Retreat. It was a great time to give the girls a voice and forum to talk about issues they face, to encourage and empower them to recognize the strong, amazing women that they are, and to honor the Lady Arkz (Seniors) who had served as leaders of the girl's community for the past year. This was one of my favorite days in Chuuk, because I got to spend it sharing, reflecting, and supporting girls who I believe in and love.

The end of school brought festivities like I have never seen before. Wednesday was District Dinners, in which each of the six districts from which our students come (The Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap, and the Republic of Palau) prepare feasts with foods from their home islands in their on campus huts. I had never seen so much food and was presented with a full dinner in each hut that I entered. It was true show of Micronesian hospitality. Thursday was the Baccalaureate Mass for the Class of 2014. As the junior moderator, I helped the juniors decorate the Cathedral for the ceremony and host the event. The ceremony was beautiful and the seniors did a wonderful job thanking their parents and sponsors. The mass was followed by another feast hosted by the community of Sapuk (the village where Xavier is located). Friday was graduation day itself. I was incredibly proud to watch my students stand for honors and receive their hard earned diplomas. The speeches by the valedictorian and salutatorian were thoughtful, poetic, and indicative of the capable young men and women that graduate Xavier and go on to set the world on fire. The week of graduation made me so thankful for the opportunity I have been given to be a part of this amazing place.

The JVs at graduation

The Arkz: Class of 2014

That is not to say that daily life does not have its challenges. Lesson planning and grading can become tedious. Late night encounters with the rat who is under the impression we are sharing an office can be obnoxious, but on the whole I would not trade the experiences I have had for anything.

For the summer, after saying good-bye to the second years in our community (Waioooh!), I moved down to Saramen Chuuk Academy (the other JV community on island) to teach summer school there and work at the Chuuk Women's Council. I had the chance to cook my own food, live in the “town” area, and visit my host family on weekends. The Chuuk Women's Council (CWC) is a NGO that works to empower the women of Chuuk, with programs that teach marketable skills, promote healthy lifestyles, increase awareness about domestic violence, and seek to improve the educational system. I found spending my afternoons at the women's council to be incredibly life-giving. I was able to learn so much from these women who are volunteering to make a difference in their community and came to better understand the issues and roadblocks that Chuuk and Chuukese women face. I helped design a program and wrote a grant for it during my six week internship and hope to see it implemented in my time remaining.

Over the summer, Annie also came to visit which was a huge treat. I so enjoyed showing her what my life in Chuuk looks like and all the places I have come to love here. From meeting my host family and watching me teach to spending a night at Pisar, she got the full tour. It was great to catch up with the big sis, and a hot shower in the hotel was also quite welcome!

Now summer school has long ended, the new JVs have arrived and for the last three months we have been starting to build our new community. This update has been written since August, but I am just now getting around to posting it. The start to year two has been great- more to come on that-hopefully sooner rather than later, but no promises. Peace and love from Mabuchi Hill!

The First Semester!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy New Year! Merry Christmas! Another semester has begun at Xavier and I realize I have failed to share anything about my experiences  throughout the first.  Thus I will try to hit the highlights of my first five months in Chuuk. Life here at Xavier High School is full of excitement, and though there have been many ups and downs, I have made it through my first teaching experience, learning and growing a lot along the way. To start at the beginning, I am teaching Freshman Literature, Junior English Skills, Junior College Counseling, and this semester I am also team-teaching an Economics elective for seniors. Outside the classroom, I serve as the Assistant College Counselor, the Head Girl’s Basketball Coach, the Assistant Boy’s and Girl’s Volleyball Coach, and the Junior Class Co-Moderator. It has been a challenge to find a balance between teaching, planning, grading, community life, and self care; however, I recognize that I have made great strides in all of these areas and am so appreciative of all the experiences that have moved me along my journey.

                The first week of school started with two days of going over the handbook and going special activities; as the moderator of the Junior Class, I spent time getting to know them and discussing school expectations. At the end of the week, we celebrated Mass of the Holy Spirit, which was a beautiful ceremony in which the students all presented their signed contract for the new school year. It was amazing to have this tradition continue, after it being a part of this wonderful celebration at Rockhurst.

                In mid-September, we celebrated Newcomer Entertainment, in which the students welcome the new freshman class, as well as any transfer students and new teachers. We were processed into the gym (dancing), served a feast at the head table (complete with a coconut, of course), and then entertained by skits and performances from the upperclassmen. I hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing student’s personalities and talents outside the classroom.

The Stage for Newcomer Entertainment

       During the first weekend in October, I attended the Junior CCSP (Christian Community Service Project) to help chaperone as a Junior Moderator. We went to the island of Tonowas, another island in the lagoon. The three hour boats ride, there was a relaxing time to bond with students and jam out to music (including Rock the SAT songs that I had taught them- making this teacher, oh so proud).  The weekend was combination of doing service work around the parish grounds, reflecting in small groups, sharing as a class, performing for the local community, and leading the Sunday liturgy at the parish. Having watched the Myrmidonz (the name of the Junior class) practice their dances and songs all week, I had a blast watching them rise to the occasion in all aspects of the weekend, working hard even through the rain.

The Boat Ride

The girls hard at work 

                The very next weekend was Girl’s Gathering, a weekend in which all the girls have a sleepover at Xavier. It is extra special for them to get to stay together since the boys are together in the dorms every night.  The four female JVs (also the only four female faculty members) chaperoned the event, which included me embracing my inner teen’s love for T. Swift and One Direction and dancing to The Wobble with my community mate. It was another weekend of little sleep, but it was such a blast to learn more about the girls and develop a relationship beyond strictly teacher-student.

                The Lady Navigators enjoyed their second undefeated season and snagged a back to back state championship (which really means we went 4-0 and won the end of the year tournament). However, the girls worked hard and deserved the success they enjoyed. As Rose, my assistant coach, could verify, I was ekis chuk (a little bit) nervous during our games, especially the championship! It is quite an adventure to enter the world of coaching and try to navigate the girl’s expectations. We only practice for about 45 minutes, three times a week, which can be frustrating at times, but the girls always show up willing to work and truly want to improve. I probably get more anxious coaching than I did when I played, but they never cease to amaze me, whether it is executing the press or setting up our offense or just free-styling, giving me a minor heart attack and then making it work probably better than if they had listened to me in the first place. Coaching was probably one of my favorite things about my job thus far; I loved passing on knowledge about the game I love and had a blast getting to know the girls outside of the classroom.

Team huddle before the championship game

                First semester also meant intramural softball season on Mabucchi Hill! The faculty team, The Fitikokos (Big Mess in Chuukese), lost in the championship series (3 games to 1) after finishing the regular season 3-1.  I enjoyed tracking down fly-balls in the outfield and the boys loved cheering (and jeering) at their teachers.

                 November 22-24 marked our first JV retreat. The nine JVs here on Weno went to the island of Folos (pronounced Phone - os) on the reef for the weekend. The retreat was exactly what I needed. It was a fruitful space to reflect on my first four months in Micronesia, to share my hopes and challenges, and to attain the support and rejuvenation I needed to finish out the semester. The theme of our retreat was guided by the song “Walking Far from Home“. We revisited the JVC covenant, looked at our blessings, set goals, examined the current balance in our lives, and wrote affirmations for each other. We closed on Sunday with a communion service followed by a walking mediation. It was a great mix of sharing time with incredible people and catching up with my journaling. Not to mention the swimming, gorgeous sunsets, and speed boat rides that made it a great weekend.

Our retreat shelter on Folos

                We celebrated Thanksgiving with an all school mass and after school the faculty had a feast. We cooked on our off periods and ended up with quite a spread with the faculty lounge transformed with festive decorations. We welcomed the JVs from Saram, Peace Corps, and Australian Volunteers to have a total of about 40 people.  It was a wonderful time to be reminded of how much we have to be grateful for and share our own traditions with new people.

                November 29 and 30 marked what is known as Xavier Day, a time full of school spirit, track and field games, and other competitions in honor of the feast of St. Francis Xavier, our patron. The freshman and the seniors are on a team competing against the juniors and sophomores. As the Junior moderator, I was decked out in green.  As I’m sure most of you can imagine, I was looking forward to these days with much anticipation. The first day of competition was mainly team sports, so I reffed the basketball and volleyball games. Saturday was mostly track and field competitions and the faculty is allowed to jump in whenever they feel so inclined, so I was having I blast running the mile, long jumping, and crushing the class moderator 60 meter sprint. The faculty also joined the relays such as the bamboo race, dizzy bat race, egg toss, and more running (much to my encouragement and everyone else’s chagrin). On December 3, the Feast of St. Francis, we brought our celebration to a close with a special school wide mass.

Xavier Day Spirit

National Anthems Ceremony

Despite being far from home, I celebrated my birthday in style, in fact it was nice to not be cramming for finals (though I was ignoring a stack of essays I had to grade). My students got wind of the fact that it was my birthday and pulled out all the stops. On Friday, I was greeted in the morning by a giant sign on my office door from my communitymates! At morning assembly, I was Mel and Rose made a special announcement on behalf of the JVS, the female faculty, etc. Then the freshman stood up to say, “On behalf of Ponyboy, Johnny, Sodapop, and the Juggernautz (the Freshman class name) we would like to ask Ms. Hart to ‘Stay Gold!’” (a reference to The Outsiders – making this lit. teacher so proud!!) The Mymz boys then were called on and started with an eloquent speech about remembering the lives lost on Pearl Harbor Day but also celebrating the lives gained, thus breaking into a Pitch Perfect rendition of “Since You’ve Been Gone” changed to “Since You’re Ms. Hart” and then out of nowhere my co-moderator Sir Rovan, had escaped from where the faculty sit and appeared among the Junior boys, and solos “You’ve Got the Magic in You.” I’m not sure I have ever been as red, singled out in front of an entire school, but it made me feel so welcomed and loved!  After school, the boys won the basketball championship at home, a great Xavier victory to join the girls! On Saturday, all the JVs from Xavier and Saram came together at the Saram community in town and we spent the day decorating for Christmas and swimming. We even ate lunch out and had pesto pizzas and cake for dinner! That night, I was given my birthday present, a remake of T-Swift’s “22” (I might have been listening to it on repeat for the last week) into “23” starring themselves and personalized for me. It was hilarious and perfect! When I got back, the Mymz boys had gotten me another cake and on Monday, we celebrated with yet another set of cake and ice cream for the entire Xavier staff. On Tuesday packages arrived and presents from home where welcomed; there was also a return to internet and I was inundated with love from across the ocean. The birthday marathon was quite a trip and made me appreciate everything I have here in Chuuk and all the support from home. I am one lucky girl!

1st Years in the Christmas spirit!

Though nothing quite gets you in the Christmas spirit like decorating the real live Christmas tree shipped in from Wisconsin with your community and jamming out to Christmas music in your office filled with Christmas lights and the smell of gingerbread and pine, after second quarter grades, writing finals, and grading finals, I was certainly ready for a break. We celebrated Rose’s birthday with a trip down to Truk Stop, the local restaurant and hotel, where we enjoyed our first HOT SHOWERS in 5 months! We headed back to Xavier with all of the JVS (the 3 from Saram and the 6 of us that live at Xavier), where we made Christmas cookies, watched Christmas movies, and wrapped the presents we had bought for the boys who stayed on campus over the break. On Christmas Eve, we attended midnight mass at Xavier (in uniform of course). It was beautiful service with both the Xavier boys and the Sapuk Village Community coming together. After mass, at the reception, Danny and Ted to independent volunteers performed Christmas Carols and played the French horn, which was a treat for all. The faculty and students enjoyed a Christmas feast together in the student center followed by the boys performing dances for entertainment and opening their presents. Christmas is a time that I think of spending time with my family, being together and sharing traditions. As I spent my first Christmas away from home, I was reminded of how grateful I am for my family that has supported my throughout my life with their unconditional love. I am also thankful for the Xavier family that I have been welcomed into here. As we welcomed Christ at His birth, I was reminded of my desire to spread the light of His hope in my work, but even more so, this season has made me realize that distance or proximity are secondary to the relationship and community of love that transcends physical barriers. I am blessed to see Christ in my students, in my community, and in my family and friends at home.

Midnight Mass with the Communitymates!

During our time off school while Rose, Chris, and Mackenzie (all three of the other first years) were getting dive certified, I bummed around at Saram, reading for pleasure, letter writing (sorry everyone who sent me a letter after September, I’m still working on that whole time management/over commitment thing), and catching up on some much needed sleep. I just got back from spending New Years with my host family which was a blast. We attended Mass at the Cathedral on New Year’s Eve which was packed and featured the youth groups from all of the different villages singing. Three of my brothers were all involved so it was fun to see them in action. After Mass we cruised around in the flatbed as midnight came. People were throwing candy, shooting off fireworks, singing chants, and making all sorts of noise. I was simply excited to ring in the new year without freezing while going outside! 2014 will be the year I spend completely in Chuuk; after hitting the six month in January, I am excited to see what this year and semester holds as I now in some ways have my footing. The adventure has been so remarkable in every way so far and as I continue to accompany my students and this community, I hope to continue to learn and grow.

Thank you for reading and sharing in my journey. I apologize for the obnoxious length and yet glossing over that this post has become, I will endeavor so improve my frequency of posts in the future! I appreciate all the support and words of encouragement from home; it always brightens my day. Kinisou!!!

The Adventure Begins

Raan Annim (Hello) from Chuuk! Welcome to my blog and thank you for sharing in my adventure in Micronesia I am settling into life here and want to share what I have been up to.

To begin, I want to say that I hope to use this blog as a way to share my experiences, keep in touch, and perhaps even open those who read it to new perspectives. However, I want to be careful about passing judgments on a culture and country that I do not fully understand or writing in a way that causes others to do so. I am a learner in this experience and want to discover as much as possible. However, my experience is only one perspective, unique to my personal lens; thus, I recognize that I am not an adequate mouthpiece for a society, only for myself as a JV, as a guest, as a seeker. I simply invite you to walk with me, keeping an open mind and heart.

Ok, so now some context of where it is exactly that I am. I am living on the island of Weno (pronounced Weda), which is one of the islands inside the Chuuk Lagoon. Chuuk is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (which is part of the geographic region of Micronesia that also includes Palau and the Marshall Islands). To visualize, the land mass of all islands in Micronesia is about the size of Rhode Island while the water area between islands is close to that of the continental United States. Weda is the largest island in Chuuk and functions as the state capital. I will be teaching at Xavier High School, a Jesuit high school that accepts students from throughout Micronesia. Xavier is located in the village of Sapuk on Weno. 

View from the roof at Xavier

View from the other side of the roof

Traditional huts built by the students for each region

(Yap and Palau are shown) 

It is hard to believe that I set off from Kansas City, MO over a month ago to start my adventure as a Jesuit Volunteer. During a two week orientation in Scranton, PA, I was able to both reflect on what has lead me to this journey and attain in new insights and information to consider as I begin my time at Xavier. As a Jesuit Volunteer, I have committed to a covenant based on four pillars: social justice, community, simplicity, and spirituality.  Orientation was the perfect way to center myself with these in mind before I took off. Then, on July 23, the Pohnpei JVs, my community mates, and I set out, traveling for 43 straight hours with six boarding passes, an adventure which included spending a few hours on the bay in San Francisco and catching a couple hours of sleep in the Honolulu airport.

The crew at Ghirardelli Square in San Fran 

(not a bad way to spend a flight delay)

Finally, we arrived we were greeted at the airport with leis and necklaces by some of our new community mates as well as local staff. We first went to Saramen Chuuk Academy (the other JV community on island where we were to be staying the night) and then immediately went for a swim in the ocean! That night we were invited to a traditional feast that included breadfruit, rice, and fish at Saram. The next day, we went to Pisiwi, a small picnic island a few miles off of Weno with the students who had just completed the Xavier summer school program for middle school students interested in attending Xavier. It was great to swim and get to know the kids, some of whom I may end up teaching. When we got back to Saram, we had dinner with Father Marc, our In-country Coordinator, and then headed to Xavier for the first time.

Arriving at the airport to a warm welcome

For the next three days, we went to our host families. My family was so welcoming. It was a great way to gain insight into the culture and family structure. Hospitality is incredibly important as is respect. There were times when I felt uncomfortable such as when I was told to sit in a chair while everyone else, including my host grandma, was sitting on the floor or when I was not only asked to eat first, but eat by myself while everyone else waited until I was finished. However, it was humbling and I could see the joy they received from honoring me as a guest. I started to pick up a few phrases in Chuukese but once I am more fluent, I know that our relationships will be even better. On Sunday, my host niece was baptized at. Xavier. I was so glad to be a part of such a special day.

Once we got back to Xavier, we started in-country orientation (ICO). First the Saram JVs came up to Xavier to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Ignatius and we heard several presentations from community members and educators. We also went on a hike to see the Japanese Lighthouse left over from WWII as well as the Japanese dock (where we went swimming of course). The history nerd in me came out and was fascinated to see the bullet holes from aircraft fire as well as the various gun turrets long abandoned that remain along the trail. We also spent time at the Micronesia Seminar, a library of resources and studies on Micronesia that is hosted at Xavier. 

Japanese Lighthouse

Xavier community at the top of the lighthouse

For the past week, the nine JVs on Weno went back to Saram to finish ICO. This was a great time to get to know each other better and set expectations/hopes for life in community over the next year. We also met the new Peace Corps and did a joint scavenger hunt to better learn the area of Nepukos (the main commercial area of Weno.) We also got a lesson in basket weaving and hiked up a mountain to a man-made cave which served as a bunker for the Japanese during WWII. It was great to explore the cave and climb on the rusted out cannons. And there is nothing quite like drinking a freshly cut coconut when you've just climbed a mountain!

Our guide cutting coconuts for us

My attempt at basket weaving 

On the last night of ICO, we went to Leiside, a pizza restaurant, where we enjoyed a slice of home, in the aircon no less! It was a great way to cap off the two weeks and rejuvenate. Now I am back at Xavier, preparing to settle into my new office.