More recent posts about Micronesia
Articles from Micronesia
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Katherine's Island
I created a map for my friends and family to better visualize the small island on which I lived.
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How To Catch a Reef Fish
This is a bottle and line for reef fishing used by my host brother to catch supper. Surprisingly effective.
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Meeting Worlds
In July 2006 my United States parents journeyed the thousands of miles and days of cramped airplanes to the tropical heat of Kosrae. Here my best friend Betra and my host sister Shiela wait at the open walled airport for a glimpse of Ninac and Pahpah fashfash (white mom and dad). The visit resulted in much sharing of clothing and many laughs.
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Halloween in the tropics
Because we all had those times we needed a little (or big) taste of home and such comfortable memories, the PCVs on Kosrae always had a Halloween party. Complete with long thought-out costumes. And generally bad beer.
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Awaiting... Fate
This pig found a cool spot to rest before its participation in a cooking demonstration at the Pacific Island Bilingual Bicultural Association conference on Kosrae in June 2007.
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Nephews and My House
Robby, pictured here are 3 months, was born to my host sister during my service. Baby rearing is communal in Kosrae, usually I was responsible for the early mornings, when Robby and I would walk the beach as the sun rose. In the background you can see our tin roofed house and well swept lawn. The room all the way on the left, and the only one with screens, is mine.
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sunrise from a boat
The tides again determined our approach to Walung. Our silent, dark departure from Tafunsak marina allowed a sunrise approach to a community still attuned with non-electrical rhythms.
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bananas and coconuts
This is one of my favorite photos from my two Micronesian years, it was taken from inside a tiny fruit stand at my Uncle Natsuo's house where I often bought the pictured produce.
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Return To Past
On my first trip to Walung with the Yata Youth Group (where I did all my singing) I found myself awake in the early morning, but not nearly before the cooks or those feeding the pigs or the grandmothers. As I walked on the beach I came across this canoe floating beside modern outboard motor fishing boats. Before the picture was taken I watched a young man paddle the boat into the harbor and unload his nights worth of spear fishing catch.
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Pohnpei Training Group
June 1995 Training What a blast we had. I'll never forget the month we spent here.
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Boat to Nan Madol
I remember this moment so well. It was so beautiful the boat ride to this island with ancient ruins. I couldn't believe I was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean--what a paradise.
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Fifi, Dandan, Karenkaren
This photo is of my wife Karen (on the right) with a couple of the teenage girls in our host family. They are all wearing typical floral-print Trukese dresses and maramar garlands in their hair.
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Yap Day
On the tiny Micronesian state of Yap Proper, each year Yap Day, a celebration of culture, is held. Men and women from villages all over the island prepare traditional costumes and dances to share. Even the youngest girls in the village are invited to participate.
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Basketball at the school?
I was struck by how this was set up. The small plane came to a delapidated building where they would check in people for flights. This was located on school property and at the end of the basketball court- which had a hoop on a coconut tree trunk and patchy grass/sand/coral floor... if you could call it that. The dispensary was also on the property.
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Western Islanders Sailing Canoe
Western Islanders in Chuuk sailed to Udot during our training program to meet future Volunteers assigned to their islands.
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Yes, I Do Know How To Swim
The Department of Education is responsible for classroom observations. Four times a year we are supposed to go sit in on a few classes at each of the seven schools; six elementary and one secondary school. Five of the elementary schools are easy to get to, you drive along Kosrae's one road and you pass them. But Walung is reachable only by boat or down a really steep, one year old, hold-on-to-your-stomach rough dirt road. Electricity in Walung is provided by a rarely used generator. Often W...
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Micronesian Family
I was very lucky to have lived with two really great Micronesian Families--during training and after. It was kind of weird living with a family again after not having lived with my own for quite a while. But as I said, both families were wonderful and very protective. They made sure I had everything I needed and I felt very wanted and loved. It was tough being that far away from my friends and family (I'm from NY) but they really tried to make my stay as comfortable as possible.
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Where are you going?
During training we were encouraged to practice our language skills in the community after class. We had just arrived on our home island, Yap where our permanent assignments would be after spending the first part of training on the capitol island, Pohnpei where the Peace Corps country office is. Our training on Yap was held in town (Colonia) where most government office buildings, stores, etc. are. We lived with our host families in villages around the 37-sq mile island. There are school buses...
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Dengue Fever in Micronesia, 1974
Dengue Fever in Micronesia, 1974 Letter from Karen Knudsen to her mother describing husband Greg Knudsen’s bout with dengue fever during their Peace Corps service as teachers in Truk (Chuuk), Micronesia, in 1974. Karen later came down with the fever, too. November 10, 1974 Dear Mom, Boy, I hope you never get a letter as miserable as this from me again. Right now everything is so bad! Things are just falling apart. The major issue at hand is “sicknesses!” Peace Corp...
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Bring the World Home -- Greg Knudsen in Chuuk, Micronesia
This is a half-hour interview of ME by the Hawaii Returned Peace Corps Volunteers about my 1974-76 Peace Corps experience in Chuuk (formerly Truk), Federated States of Micronesia. The video was for HiRPCV's "Bring the World Home" and aired on Olelo (Hawaii's public-access cable channels) during Sep./Oct. 2010. It was recorded in Aug. 2010. Mahalo (thanks) to producer/interviewer Linda Chock. Links to other "Bring the World Home" videos are posted by the Hawaii Returned P...
