My New Favorite Song...Ever

Well..other than "Like A Prayer."



This is a group called Rupa and the April Fishes. I really like this song becuase it reminds me of me life in NC and of my Dad. She is a Dr. and a muscian and really gives it all in her songs. She is one of my new favorites. I ordered her CD and I hope it comes really soon! Give it a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGcAp3GBk6k

I used to dream of my red ship
That would take me away from here
To the open sea to the biggest blue
Complete with the cast of unsavory crew
That would show me things
That I shouldn't do

Well the masts were tall and impressive
And the old wood creaked perfectly too
And the full sails held promises of something true
And when we get bored of the way treat you--> (not sure of the words here..if someone knows)
We'll simply set a course for the moon

To my suprise as I've grown older
Living these days like dreams with you
I've discovered this ship waits inside my chest
And the winds fill its sail of the days I like best
Well it takes me it takes me alone
To this strange world that I've never known

Now I don't know when tides will call me
Away from the sweet life with you
And I wish...I wish I could stay forever
But since I was young I knew that was never
Such a thing but this wishful thinking

And so our stories rising while our lives are sinking
In time I will kiss you goodbye
On my way I will kiss you goodbye
Don't wanna go but I'll kiss you goodbye

wow....that is just a GREAT song! I hope you guys listen and like it too!!

Miss you,

D

"I take weapon and sut Defngad."---> sut =shoot

or

"The person that is most wisdom is Deven. i like him becuase he has lots of cash." -->Do I?!!?

There are some prime examples of the work I got today. The prompt was, "Write a paragraph about the wisest person you know. Use four vocabulary words in the paragraph."

My favorite:
"Devin is the wisest person I know. I am fond of the way he teaches us. Sometime he threatened us to do our work in classwork. He is nice because he lend us his arasus" (erasers..which we fixed later by sounding it out).

So...I just thought I would share with you a small taste of school here. Sometimes it's so funny! For example: One time I asked the students where their thighs were. Yapese women are NOT supposed to show their thighs...it's dirty. Well..they didn't know. I ask a student Defngad to stand. "Defngad...touch your thighs." The look on his face...he thought I asked him to touch something he shouldn't right in front of the whole class. Trust me...my Yapese counterparts and I laughed about that one for days.

Other times....Yap is odd. My principal, who is white and American, showed me a note from the last principle to all the staff saying, "I know we are not Americans. We will never be Americans and we can't work like Americans." He and I just sighed and shook our heads. How are people supposed to take your seriously when you place yourself in that kind of position? Very weird.

Other times, especially with drunken friends, it's hilarious here. Tori, who is great, said it best. We were playing a game of Battle of the Sexes. A card game that girls ask boys--GIRL questions and boys and girls--BOY questions. Complete gender stereotyping came...I am sure you can imagine.

One of the questions Tori asked while drinking, "What type of orGASim is a truffle?" All of us looked at each other...I quickly thought to myself, "I didn't know those had a name!!" Then I yelled out, "Oh No...you mean OrGANism!!" We all just died...especially Tori. She wasn't even phased as she was reading and she was waiting for the answer! What a fun day that was.

Other times, it's just sad. There are things I can't talk about on here...because it's just not appropriate...but...if you ever want to know I can tell you stories that make the eyes water. Sometimes this job is hard and not because of the teaching.

Mostly, it's an interesting journey. I have dreamed of being in the Peace Corps since high school. The idealism is tarnished for me now. I am trying my best yet, one thing I learned: Not all dreams that come true are happy ones. It's been an interesting juxtaposition for me. I have way too much time to think too..which doesn't help!

Anyway, just finished reading, Hannibal by Thomas Harris. Man...did the movie version change or what?!?! The plot is essentially the same...but wow....some of the changes were crazy! Anway...as I always say: I miss you all.

Perhaps some interesting news in the near future. I will keep you posted.

Yap Day is coming up, March 1st and 2nd. I will dress traditionally again! Lots of pictures, I promise.

Be good!

Love,
D

You Must Be My Lucky Star/All She Wants to Do is Dance!

So...gross/fun combo for you all!!

As you know the water to my home was broken over the weekend. Well..during the weekend...nature came calling and I had to GO! It was nighttime and under the most amazing sky that I have ever seen in my life...I did the business!

It was the weirdest feeling ever...not being an avid camper...or ever really going to the bathroom outside of the house much. So...when I was done...I just sat on the overhanging rocks and watched the sky until is was too cloudy to see anything.

Since light pollution is so little here you can see hundred of stars. This is also the first time I have ever really seen a star twinkle. I know we have all heard the old song..."Twinkle, Twinkle" but it take on a whole new meaning when you actually see it. I will take pictures of our over the ocean toilet for you all to see. The toilet paper was newspaper and I just had to laugh. At first I thought it was reading material but Yap is not the place to lounge in the toilet area.

Some of you may be thinking, "Good God! Why on earth is he sharing this"?!!? Well...it's a part of the culture here. Not everyone has flush toilets. In fact, few do. I found it to be great that ours was outside and didn't have the festering smell like in Pohnpei!

Mr. Hanky the Christmas Poo! Gross but fun!

Then...on Sunday I went to a village dance! What a great dance. Screaming, yelling, dancing, topless people all around. Followed by a huge meal complete with a roasted pig. They cook it in an underground pit and serve it with skin, fat, and all. It gives a new meaning to the words: Pig Picking. Man...I was doing some picking.

The dance was a "stick dance" with bamboo people use to swing around and make crashing noises and yell at the top of their lungs. It is really loud and the feeling is amazing. Everyone is in traditional attire: thuw, turmeric with coconut oils, nu-nus (flower leis), ankle coverings. It was awesome. I really liked wearing all that stuff for swear in. So it's really interesting to see the Yapese people wearing it. The turmeric turns their skin to this golden brown...like honey coated chocolate (GO India.Arie). I got some video and I doubt I will be able to post it...but I will at least put up some pictures in the next few days.

Anyway, no more poop news...just thought I would share!! I miss you all...and my toilet too!

Much Love,
D

More Gossip in the Yapese Court...

So..how fitting, after I entered a blog about gossip that I hear more about myself! So...my host father asked me last night, "Devin, did you hear about the water pipe"? "Yes, it's broken," I replied. He asked, "Did you break it? Because _______ said you did".

Well...I did NOT break the water pipe!! So..this morning..I had to use the outside shower again. Which I never thought I would like an outside shower...but I DO! The only thing is, I am not sure if I am supposed to be naked or not. It's kind of weird. I can see out....everything. I am so tall here that while most people can't see above the wall of the shower, I can. I know people can't see me...but it's still weird. Attribute it to my Puritanical American foundations. I just don't like to get naked outside. Maybe that's changing here! ;)

So..I quickly washed of...and did decide to strip down to my birthday suit. I felt so weird about it. Now..I should add, you can see through the back of the shower house when you go to use the outside toilet (over the ocean). I THINK that if someone is using the shower you are just not supposed to go to the bathroom. Yet, if I had to GO...I mean GO...it would be hard to ignore the bathroom urge. So..I just felt so weird and at odds. What is my host mother walked around the corner. But..it was another adventure.

I also have another story that I shouldn't post up here..but if you are interested..Just ask me about the purse story sometime. It makes me REALLY angry...but...what can you do? My cultural patience is wearing quite thin. The culture here is to gossip. You do nothing directly and there should be no confrontations (unless you have had three beers). So, as I said before, it's like a royal court without the glamour.

Anyway, have a good day!

Who's A Queen?? (Oh you got that right!!)

A picture of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.


So...I just finished reading, "The Other Boleyn Girl"...good god!! I LOVED it. Man..it was like reading a Soap Opera. I couldn't stop!!! Now, I have never been one for history...especially pre-Elizabethan-Tudor era history but...I loved this book!

So..after devouring all the pages and being completely captivated, I have to say, it's sort of like living in Yap minus the glamour. Here, gossip is all the rage! For example, people have started to talk about me behind my back here at school! Remember Yap only has about 8,000 people on its main island...so word does travel quickly...very quickly! It has gone around that I scolded (yes...we say that here) two teachers for not speaking English in class. Which class? ENGLISH class!!

I felt badly for awhile. I know the exact conversation in question. I was asked, "Should we translate for the kids"? I acidly shot back, "No, if we stopped translating all the time these kids would actually be able to use English." Now...I must say, I did feel bad about it. The second it left my mouth I realized it came out rather harsher than I wanted it to. Yet, the truth still remains...these kids must speak English and hear English to learn it. You can't teach English by speaking Yapese!!

It's incredibly frustrating when it takes 6th and 7th graders MINUTES of wait time to answer a simple question. For me, I feel as though I am waiting for Godot! I want to help improve these kids and "at court" I am chastised for laying down a little structure in an otherwise unstructured environment. Now..just a thought...isn't that my job here?!?!?!

Maybe I am being to flippant...but I just want to scream. I want to be used in such a way that I can help the kids. It's enormously frustrating to take a back-seat, in English class, and hear nothing but Yapese with an American, I, in the room!

So...maybe I am being too much like Queen Anne. She vehemently went for what she wanted and crushed those who opposed her. I don't want that...but I do want English to be spoken in ENGLISH class! Is that really too much to ask? If so, what AM I doing here? I could be doing the same job in America!!?

Tell me...my friends, family, readers...am I being to dramatic here? Am I being too much of a (pardon the pun) drama queen? I would love to hear your input on the matter. And, if you get a chance, your thoughts on "The Other Boleyn Girl".

Otherwise, things are going well. I am looking a graduate school programs in teaching and that is very exciting. I miss my family and friends dearly. One of my best friends in the world, Cara, just had a birthday...and I am very sad I missed it! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARA! I have also been thinking about my tattoo twin, Sibel, and wondering how she would deal with this English dilemma? Or how another wonderful friend, Amanda would teach in the environment.

I understand the Peace Corps is not easy....god...don't I know it. But, small successes within the school, other than with the students, would be nice. Eventually, I WILL leave. I am not going to stay on Yap forever and I want the teachers to be able to have more knowledge and strategies at their disposal. The Peace Crops calls that sustainability and it's a really great idea! Does it work in practice...the jury is still out...but when the axe falls, I won't have a definite answer.

Anyway, my rant is over for now. Any responses would be so very helpful. To end on a lighter note...don't you just love Anne's Ugly Betty Necklace? I don't think I will ever be able to see Betty the same way again! Now there is a show I miss!

Much love,
D

Who Doesn't Love Katy Perry?!!?

Gosh..I have so many things to blog about!!

First...let me share how super BUTCH I am (only to shoot it down later)! Yesterday, we went out to some of our family land to "clean". Now, for you Americans, cleaning in Yap does not mean you put on the yellow rubber gloves and get the toilet brush. No. It means, you get a machete and cut the hell out of everything around you!!! YESSSS!!! So..I sharpened a machete and went out to cut down trees and "grasses" with my family. It was hot, I was sweaty, I got blisters on my hand...but...we cleared all that land!!

Then...really cool cultural note: As we were walking home my oldest brother, Mowaath, called me over and gave my a long green branch. He explained that since I didn't have a basket to carry my machete (like him) I have to cover it with a green branch. This is to signify (vocabulary word!!) that I am going in peace...not going to cut someone into pieces!! If you don't carry the branch apprently word goes out that you are on a rampage and getting ready to kill someome or hurt them. The thing is...that happens here!! I have heard of a few people getting cut to pieces sashimi style for one reason or another. Green branch..."Naw...I'm cool!! I am just cleaning my garden or my family "land pieces."

So...all in all, that was a super fun experience!! Then, I came home and I made my Yapese family, southern style banana pudding (pronounced puddin'). Not the butchest thing ever...but fun nonetheless!! It was really quick and really, really good! I want to give a shout out to my cousin Karen for helping me out with that! Man...it was SO tasty!! The cool thing is...it was made with FRESH bananas. Now...who there can tell me they have eaten a banana off the tree?!?!!? HMMM?!!? HMM!!!?!?!?

So...now to the really funny, super silly, not butch side. But before that...another funny song story. My bother, 16, is into music videos. So the other day he was singing something and I couldn't figure it out. I have heard him sing this a few times and I just assumed it was in Yapse...umm...no. He was sining, "Gramolous." Instead of G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S...he mixed it up..and was just singing it with all he had...I started laughing (which I really need to stop) and I said.."Ray, It's Glamorous!!! Glamour, fame...that kinda stuff." His response, "That's what I said!"

Then we move onto another fun song and the main reason for this blog. Other than just showing I am a big old girl sometimes....HA. We listened to a song called, "Hot 'n Cold" by Katy Perry. I have heard my brothers sing it around the house..but I hadn't heard of it before I left the U.S. Of course I had heard, "I Kissed A Girl" Barry and I used to sing that all the time and had so much fun with it during our Froot Loops! Well...I love this song even more. The reason is twofold: the amazing video, and the dance routine that me and my sixteen year old brother have made to it.

The Video--WATCH IT!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-LhyAVzDBI

It's so good...Katy Perry and her jilted Bride friends get into all sorts of crazy situations chasing her finance that ran away from the altar. I mean..I feel like there is a nod to Madonna in there. And the little girl that is WORKING the hula-hoop near the end of the video...just awesome. And not to mention Katy Perry is HOT. I have heard that she is described as a Brunette Barbie! I mean that dancing is super fun and who doesn't like brides riding on old school bikes chasing a man in a tux??

Our Dance Routine---I wish you could watch it!!

So..for the Chorus Katy Perry sings:

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down

You're wrong when it's right
You're black when it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

You don't really wanna stay no
You don't really wanna Go-o

So for --you're hot then your cold----we use a fan with our hands then we shiver!
--yes and no--we shake our heads no then nod yes
--in and out--we point our fingers to us then away from us
--up and down--fingers up...fingers down---or for flair...palm up and down
And so on...

We do all this while we are just laughing and singing pretty much at the top of of lungs! Please don't tell me I have corrupted my Yapese bother?!! HAHA...but come on..the song is GREAT! So...there is my world of duality is Yap just like Katy Perry's!! I machete then super dance. I'm banana pudding and spearfishing!!

I miss all of you!! Listen to that song...think of me!!

Love, D

Transfomers....What did you say?!?!?

So...here are two a funny language stories for you...

My little brother loves cartoons...and so DO I!! So, it's been a lot of fun to watch things with him. Yes, we have a T.V. and a HUGE satellite dish that basically only gets Chinese channels, but hey, it's T.V.!! We also take to watching music videos on Sunday mornings.

One of the first weekends I was here in North Fanif we watched a video called "Midnight Madness" by the Chemical Brothers. It involves this crazily dressed, glam rat/man doing crazy dance movies to a bitchin' beat. so my two brothers sing along: "Midnight Rat....Midnight Rat!!" I just start laughing!! My older bothers swears he wasn't singing that (he was) and he starts to make fun of the smaller brother. It was pretty funny. For what it's worth...I can see how you can think it's Midnight Rat on the video if you don't really know English and never read the title!

Here is the link to prove my point...check it out for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoaeEAdDv-c

So..it's kinda nice...we go around singing Midnight Rat to each other and just laugh about it. Language is a pretty funny thing...if you think about it!

Story two...the other night my bother was singing a a song to himself, "Transformers....la la (undesirable muttering)..." So I asked, "What did you say?" He sings louder, "Transformers!! Meatballs in Da' Sky!!" I couldn't help it...I just DIED laughing. Tears were starting to run down my face.

I saying while laughing..."It's not 'meatballs in da sky' it's Robots in Disguise!!!! Disguise means a costume..like dress up!!" So he says, "You mean like Bumblebee is a car...but not really?!!?" YAY!!! Learning has taken place. Though I have watched the transformers since the 80's and thought the movie was ok...I will always think of Micronesia and look at the sky with a smile! Sing it with me!!! "TRANSFORMERS!!! MEATBALLS IN DA' SKY!!!!!!!!"

PS...Mom I am thinking of you here...with Da' City :)

Wow...what a night!

So...let me start of with something exciting: I went through my first earthquake last night! Talk about wild!!! I was in my room starting to go to sleep when the bed started moving under me. I opened my eyes and it was over. It was really nothing at all..BUT...it was an earthquake!! WOW! It was around 11 p.m. and I started laughing because it was just so funny to me!!

In other news, Yap has has 6.51 inches of rain...this MONTH! I heard that on the radio this morning and I just had to share. I mean..here we are in January and have so much rain. I guess that's what you get when you live in the rain forest region....Yes, I was looking up biome maps in an Earth Science book, OK?!?!

I also finished a book called, "Letters to a Young Teacher" by Johnathon Kozol. It was really amazing. I suggest that anyone in teaching...first year or not...read this book. I went through some of the EXACT same issues. It's also very interesting because living in Micronesia they copy the American Education System...flaws and all!

While, everyone is trying their best, well....most of them, the same innate problems of our system raise their ugly heads here.

--Special Education Labeling
--Large class sizes (thank the lord I don't have that problem)
--Qualifying Teachers
--Lack of Teachers
--Lack of Diversity--Segregation (think echelons of wealth instead of color)

...the list goes on and on.

So..anyway...READ the book!!

Lastly, I just thought I would share a small highlight of my day. I have a student, a solid student, that get embarrasses to speak English. I know he understands...but he just had trouble putting into the words that are in his mind. So usually, he starts to laugh, giggle, or smile. The funny thing is he has a chipped front tooth (about half is missing). When he laughs you see this gap in his smile that just make me smile as well. I can't help but laugh!! Any irritation I feel simply melts away!

Anyway, just thought I would share.

Miss you all,
D

Oh Coconuts!! What Can't You Do?!?

So..it's been a little while since my last blog. Things are ok. Still having some rough spots. I really miss everyone and I am trying to fight the urge to come home. Nothing is wrong or bad here...I don't want to give that impression. That are just some cultural differences that I don't know if I can overcome...AND...the fact is, I MISS ALL OF YOU!

I know, I know...it's part of the process. I have lived in NC my whole life. So to come out here when my life was really good!! I mean REALLY good! Sometimes, I want to kick myself. I don't regret coming here at all. Yet, I do miss my friends and family very much. Sometimes it's just easier to escape home than to escape here!

But...today...I have some fun stories for you. I don't know if I have said...but I teach 7th and 8th grade science here. I teach the two seventh graders by myself....which is fine. Recently, I have been bored with my own class. I wasn't really seeing WHY we were studying the things in the curriculum and was fed up. So I said to the kids, "Hey...pick anything out of this book...and I will teach you! Anything at all is fine...just talk together and pick."

So...they picked plants and plant reproduction. I have no idea why...but it was a great start to energize us! What better place to study about seeds than the place that contains the biggest seeds on the planet!?!?! Coconuts!

Here is the fun part (even though I was already having fun): We went outside and found two hardened coconuts called marow (MAR-OWW). I found a machete. Odly enough, we have those at schools and kids bring knives everyday! I asked the students to cut the coconut in half. I knew he could do it better than me...I have tired...it takes me FOREVER. Every other Peace Corps too for that of you that are thinking of smart-ass comments!

Well...this kid takes this coconut and positions it...the WHHHHAMMM!! He brings that machete down like a rocket! He turns it over....WHHHHAMMMM!!! The coconut was pretty much open...he just pried it open a little! It was AMAZING!! He does the same thing with that other coconut that has a leafy seedling coming off of it! It was crazy!!!! So...we sat there and I explain to them about seed coats, food for seeds, water, etc. And they got it. Afterwards, we ate the coconut!

I also got a letter from my family asking about fishing here and they wanted to know if the Yapese use rope. The answer is, yes! Not only do they use rope...it's made from............you guessed it......coconuts!! I haven't seen it made...but it's used everywhere!

Also, we use coconut oil for our hair, cooking, skin, dancing. If you have seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding when they father always says, "Put some Windex on it!" Well Yapese say, "Just put coconut oil on it!" I am not kidding everything!!! "Mom!! I have a sunburn!!!" She replies, "Put some coconut oil on it." "Mr hair is dry!!" They reply, " Put some coconut oil on it!!" "I have an earache!!" "Put some coconut oil in your ear!!" It's funny!!

Dancing the coconut oil is mixed with turmeric and applied all over the body. When it's done to a white person they look kinda green and weird...but to a Yapese....their skin turn golden and shines brilliantly!! It's hard not to stare....even though that is a BIG no-no here!

I also see kids with coconut everyday: It's what they feed the pigs! When I asked where I could find a coconut for class the lady asked me, "Are you doing to feed the pigs or the dogs?" For a minute, I had no idea what she was talking about!

Last night, I bought some chicken from our family store to cook. I wasn't sure how I was going to prepare it....so I asked my brother to help me BBQ. Guess what the charcoal was......you are SO smart.....coconut!!! Let me tell you...that chicken was good!

My favorite use of the coconut is they hollow out a coconut shell and use it to drink out it. For example. For New Year we had a party and I drank some coconut alcohol something...called tuba. It tastes a little eggy...but it's made from and drank out of out favorite seed!! It's kinda strong too and will give you a buzz quickly! mmmmmMMMMmmm!

And drinking....coconuts in a different stage are used to drink. If you have diarrhea...you take this coconut called an uchub (ew-chew-b). You cut it off the tree...cut a hold in it...and drink the coconut water inside. It's better than Pedia-lyte!! It's also really fatty!!! One glass has maybe double the calories on a can of Coke!

Even our dog is named after coconut!!! So...to all coconuts: I love you!! At first I only thought you were the stuff of Almond Joy....but I have come to realize that you are a treasure among seeds!! Coconut.....my hat goes off to you!!

Some days...it's worth it!

So...today was a good day. I have been having a hard time recently. I have talked to family and friends about it...I am just going to have to make due.

But...the good news!! Today I taught my eighth graders how to make a graph. They have never made a graph before and they barely could read one! They were so into it that I had to take them away during class because they wouldn't stop working on them during other classes!!

They were also really excited about doing more graphs for homework. It was wild! As you know, I am in Yap...these are not computer graphs....they are handmade graphs from scratch with a ruler.

They were also really excited about their paragraphs! I am teaching them how to write strong topic sentences and how to keep paragraphs consistent and clear. So after a few tips and in class examples, we wrote some. The bell rang....the students continued sitting. I said, "Go...you have another class. You can leave." I didn't want to think that I was keeping them in the class. They replied, "We want to finish our paragraphs!!" I just smiled to myself!

When they came in from their other class they asked, "Did you like our paragraphs?? Are they better?!" Today...it was worth it.