Skirts, dogs, and showers.. Pohnpei style

The Breakfast of Champions... Coconut Milk... Fresh Banana.. and canned Ham.. Yum!

Proof I'm really here

A view from the plane.. Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands

Finally Here at Last

Read the sign... State Department of Education Pohnpei

Kaselehlie (hello in Pohnpeian)

Today has been another exciting day of shots and groups and wandering around Kolonia trying to soak in as much information as I can. This place is a mixture of absolute beauty and 3rd world differences. For instance... while walking today to the health office I had to step over intestines. I'm not sure what type of intestines they were or why exactly they were located on the sidewalk of a busy town road but there they were. I almost stepped on them with my flip flops which would not have been good at all. Another volunteer who has been here a year said it was most probably a dog that had eaten another dog after a fight. That's where the expression "dog eat dog" comes from, incase you are wondering. Dogs here are treated very differently than in the U.S. They are not pets. Not that they aren't owned, but they do not come inside, they are not pet and groomed like we do in the U.S. Here they can be vicious. It is not uncommon for someone to kick a dog or throw stones at it. Mainly because of protection. Like I said I've been warned many times that the dogs will attack, will chase, will bite. I've even been advised to always walk with a rock in my hand just incase I encounter a nasty one on my walk somewhere. Now I'm not saying that all dogs in FSM are vicious, but some are bad enough that it is something to be cautious about. The main point for me is... don't just go up and start trying to pet a dog.. it might not be a good idea.

I bought a beautiful handmade skirt for 10 dollars today. Here it is inappropriate for women to show their thighs or shoulders, so they advised us to purchase at least one locally made skirt. They are so beautifully made. Very colorful, with lots of stiching and cutouts. I'm sure that I will return home with many skirts. I don't mind wearing skirts all day, however it will take some getting used to when I have to wear a skirt while I'm bathing. Yes... since while we are in the small village for training our host families do not have indoor showers, we will have to learn how to bath in a skirt. What you do is pull the waistband of the skirt up over your chest, wearing only the skirt, then use a bucket with water to bath. Usually the outdoor bathing area has some walls, but is definately not truly private. So, I'll be bathing in a skirt. This should be an interesting experience.

Another difference that I'm about to experience is that tonight I will be taking the last hot shower I will have untill Mid-service conference after my first year when they bring us all together at a hotel. So tonight I'm saying goodbye to the feeling of hot water, and hello to the lifestyle of cool water bucket showers. It shouldn't be too bad though, considering it is hot here all the time.

Well... this seems like more than enough info to share today. Just know that I am happy and think this place is going to be incredible. The fresh sashimi tuna and coconut and banana are also pretty darn sweet. Kaselelhei (also goodbye)