2 posts: Mortlocks and A Good Day

Dear Family and Friends,

I know, it’s about time I update my blog. I’ve had trouble knowing what to write on here for a while because life became a struggle for a while and I didn’t want to publicly talk about the frustrations I’ve encountered here. While those still exist, I had a really wonderful and exciting weekend to share. (and currently, my biggest frustration is a kitten named Monkey that has been living with us and has been climbing up my leg since I sat down. Monkey NEEDS a new home! I am not a cat person!)

So onto my great weekend, last Wednesday I boarded the ship, Chief Mialo and set out for a 15 hour boat ride to the outer islands of Chuuk, the Mortlocks. I had been wanting to go to the Mortlocks for over a year now, so, FINALLY! I went out to the Morlocks because there was a 100 year Celebration of the Catholic Church in Chuuk. SCA’s principal set me, Sister Ina, and Seminarian Robert up with the diocese to go out for the celebration. So, me and Sr. Ina became great buddies and spent tons of time together.

We got on the ship for 15 hours and sat under an open stair well. Bad decision but there was no place else to go. So, it rained all night, and water flooded down the stairwell soaking the floor all around us, so the whole night instead of laying on the floor sleeping, we sat on buckets in corners trying to avoid rain. Thank Goodness we didn’t get sea sick!

Once we got to the Mortlock Lagoon we were told to get off with the Bishop at Moch. Getting off with the Bishop was a little of a surprise, but YES! I get to go to Moch. This is the island where most of my Mortlockese students are from and the island 2 of my volunteer friends, Steph and Alex are living on. So, after quite a cluster we get off and get to Moch. We go to a welcome prayer, and after the prayer Steph and Alex find me and welcome me! There were a lot of other things going on like flag raising AND FALLING, but less important. Later Sr. Ina, Steph and I were invited to dine with the bishop...first time i ever talked to him...i didn’t know what to say. Afterwards we set out to go to another island, Kuttu. So, I got to see another island and I knew of some people who had lived or live on that island so it was great! Sadly, I witnessed how the water is rising over the islands sea wall and flooding the island. Global warming and environmental issues do matter! Then i went back to Moch and had some time to hang with Steph and Alex and see Moch.

Friday we spend the day again on the ship picking up people from different islands to head out to the celebration at Lechinoch (sp?) Two more of the Peace Corps from the Mortlocks got on the boat and we caught up a little. After being on the ship from 10-6pm we got to Lechinoch and settled. The next day started the celebration with Mass said by the Bishop and singing competitions which went on all day and into the late night. Along with singing there were many speeches. The singing is a cultural highlight. Firstly, Chuukese people have beautiful voices. Second, they make is so much fun. They will sit and do hand motions they made up and their leaders and people from the crowd will get up and dance. Then people throw candy into the group singing and walk around spraying them with perfume. It’s very different from home, but so enjoyable. (I want to throw Monkey out on the streets!)

The next day there was another mass and then a meeting of all the parishes. I skipped this hard core and hung out with Peace Corps and Steph. Then we got back on the ship around 4ish, dropped people from Moch off, and took a 20 hour ride back to Weno. I got here around 10:30, and taught three periods of classes. Then i passed out! The ride back was better than the one there though.

Other things left out:
*i ate total of three times with the Bishop.
*We were with the Bishops secretary all weekend and she was helping us know what and were to go.
*The islands out there are much cleaner and more peaceful that in the lagoon.
*The president came, but the bishop seemed more important, but President Mori seemed to have made a good speech about children instead of campaigning which i respect.
*Last years VP Marz was there with Pres.
*It was an all around great trip. I wouldn’t want to take the boat ride again, but i am glad I had the chance to do it once.
*I think that’s it!

Blog # 2 of good things:

The Thursday of getting back to Weno was a great day. Sometimes with frustrations here, I forget to enjoy myself and notice good days, but Thursday was good. I only had three classes which probably helped a lot. The school day was more less normal, but i had an after school Lit class with two juniors. They were supposed to finish the book Of Mice and Men and we talked about the book and what they were to do for next week. Then, I asked them questions on the book and they did great. I think they really read the book. Any lit teacher knows getting students to read a book is a challenge. Most somehow trick you that they read, but i think these boys read most of it at least and got the questions right. They also seemed into the conversation we were having about the book and one said he really liked it. At the end of class, one of the two boys asked if he could end in prayer. Now, I don’t let students pray at the beginning and end of my normal classes because i see it as a tactic to make class shorter, but they choose to stay one min. extra after school to pray and it’s just the three of us and i love it!

After class I walked to the new college to look for a teacher and on the way out, was snagged by a student to sit as a coach at a volleyball game. I asked where the coach was and they didn’t know. The other team was already there and i wasn’t surprised that a coach just left the students out to dry and skipped something they were supposed to be at. This happens all the time. teachers don’t go to class, don’t follow through on their obligations, and the students get screwed. Knowing how often this happens i didn’t think twice in sitting in on the game with no questions asked. Game starts and i sit watching the boys coach themselves. I get really proud of them. Normally I get more frustrated with the male students but most of the boys on the team were some of the good students, or at least students i enjoyed in some form. I actually felt loving watching them which sometimes my anger and frustration blocks that love.

Well, the game got cancelled...i looked like a fool. Apparently there was no game scheduled and the coach STILL hasnt picked the official SCA team. I don’t know why there is no team, but i know i looked like a fool, and don’t really care. I prob. would have done the same thing again because the team should have been organized by the school, and the students were doing something that kept them out of trouble and they enjoyed. I don’t know who is at fault, and I am not investigating because there is fault in sooooo many place I think it would take away from the joy i felt just being with the students.

When the game ended I started to walk out to buy dinner and was easily roped into a conversation with one of the local priests who I talked to a little on the way to Moch. I have a lot of questions about the role of the Cathlic Church here, but this priest is WONDERFUL and really doing his best to live out the gospel and help Chuuk. We had a 1.5 hour conversation about so much from education to faith to social issues here. It was wonderful to talk to him and feel like i could be honest with what i witnessed and how in some unjust situations my hands seem tied. He has the same problem. I won’t go in depth about what we talked about, because that would be publicly detailing the frustrations in Chuuk and could have repercussions, but the conversation was really life giving and gave me some hope. I grew a lot in respect for him, but was forced to say a prayer for him and others like him who are working with so many road blocks. one step forward, two kicks back….

So at the end of the day, despite having a drunk guy try to kiss my hand on the way to the store, I realized that this day was something I really needed. I needed a pick me up, and these personal interactions did just that. I actually feel like Thursday has given me some energy for more than a day. Yeah!

That’s the end. I hadn’t written in a long time, so I wrote a long one that I doubt you really wanted so long. You know me, I’ve always been wordy!

Peace, Love, and God Bless,

Jessica