It is raining today, and with all rainy days here in Chuuk, the few ways to pass the time become even fewer. The Peace Corps library here has some great books, but our office was recently renovated, and in the process we lost a lot of good material. Hence, I've assembled a list of books that I would love to read (I'm on some huge Robert Ludlum kick) for academic and recreational reasons. Here is the URL:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html?
ie=UTF8&type=wishlist&id=3EFGPKUS6WC07
(copy and paste this into your address bar - the whole thing - both lines)
If this doesn't work, you can go to Amazon.com, click on Wish Lists, and type in Alex Plum and it will come up. *Note: From the list, if you click on "Add to Cart" it will assume you want to buy a more expensive version of the book. To find a cheaper version or used book, click on the link under the button which says, "27 New & Used From" (or some other number) and then a price. Some of the Ludlum books are only a penny. Shipping will be the same rate as within the United States.
My address over here is saved to the Wish List, too, so you can send it to me via Amazon directly. If you can't find the address there, here it is again:
Alex Plum, Peace Corps
PO Box 39
Weno Chuuk, FM 96942
(For city, put in "Weno Chuuk" and for state put in "FM")
Thanks in advance for any great reads (on the list or otherwise) that you forward on!!!!! If you happen to send one out, would you respond to this post so it doesn't get re-sent? Thanks!
Peace,
Alex
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Chuuk: Settled In
Raan Allem! (Good Day, in Mortlockese)
Chuuk is a very different place from what I experienced in Pohnpei. For starters, the roads are… well… they aren’t. Massive potholes fill up with water after each torrential downpour, making it nearly impossible to ford each individual Lake Huron in a tiny sub-compact from Japan. That said, it’s impossible to speed, and the only drivers likely to fall asleep would have to suffer from epilepsy. These were my first impressions of Chuuk.
I soon found out that the island is completely without power. The government has “run out” of money to provide electricity. This means that individual families rely on small generators if they must have electricity. With gas hovering right around USD 6.00/gallon, it is cost prohibitive for most of the island to have regular electricity, though some do run generators at night for fans, lights, etc. My family does not have a generator, though this has been less of a hassle that one might think. I have a flashlight (one of the windup kinds that doesn’t run on batteries), and there are plenty of lanterns. If you’d like to send candles or similar lighting devices that don’t require batteries, that would be super-duper.
The bathroom has a shower area with a giant garbage bin full of water and a cup for dipping, rinsing, etc. There is also a water-seal toilet, which requires one to dump a full bucket of water after using the toilet to flush. Not enough water, too much toilet paper, or pouring the water too slowly can cause the bowl to fill, but not flush. This has happened far too often to me, but I am slowly getting the hang of it, blushing cheeks and all.
Yesterday I attended a fundraiser at Holy Family Catholic Parish. Eight parishes from different islands sent choirs of kids, young adults, and adults here to perform songs, attend Mass, and then raise money for the next group of young seminarians. They raised on-site over $1,600, totaling around $16,725 with the cash they raised on their islands and brought with them. In a country with no electricity, no vegetables (currently), and infrastructure which mimics that of Chuuk 1945 (after the US bombed the heck out of the Japanese forces held up here), one has to be surprised and inspired by their willingness to give for a purpose and a need they hold to be dear. It is an interesting paradigm of development – from very little comes very much.
For your curiosity, some Chuukese superstitions/cultural tidbits. When walking or driving somewhere and a cat crosses your path, you must stop and spit on the ground, or else: bad luck. If a leaf of the breadfruit tree falls on you, you must pick it up, tear off the stem of the leaf, fold over the edges of the leaf, and stab the middle with the stem. This means you will eat fish. For New Years Eve, the Chuukese make huge drums and stay up late just parading around and making noise. They trick-or-treat on Halloween, but don’t wear costumes. I explained the term “trick or treat” which made sense to them; they said I could dress up if I wanted. They love Steven Segal here…enough said.
Peace,
Alex
Chuuk is a very different place from what I experienced in Pohnpei. For starters, the roads are… well… they aren’t. Massive potholes fill up with water after each torrential downpour, making it nearly impossible to ford each individual Lake Huron in a tiny sub-compact from Japan. That said, it’s impossible to speed, and the only drivers likely to fall asleep would have to suffer from epilepsy. These were my first impressions of Chuuk.
I soon found out that the island is completely without power. The government has “run out” of money to provide electricity. This means that individual families rely on small generators if they must have electricity. With gas hovering right around USD 6.00/gallon, it is cost prohibitive for most of the island to have regular electricity, though some do run generators at night for fans, lights, etc. My family does not have a generator, though this has been less of a hassle that one might think. I have a flashlight (one of the windup kinds that doesn’t run on batteries), and there are plenty of lanterns. If you’d like to send candles or similar lighting devices that don’t require batteries, that would be super-duper.
The bathroom has a shower area with a giant garbage bin full of water and a cup for dipping, rinsing, etc. There is also a water-seal toilet, which requires one to dump a full bucket of water after using the toilet to flush. Not enough water, too much toilet paper, or pouring the water too slowly can cause the bowl to fill, but not flush. This has happened far too often to me, but I am slowly getting the hang of it, blushing cheeks and all.
Yesterday I attended a fundraiser at Holy Family Catholic Parish. Eight parishes from different islands sent choirs of kids, young adults, and adults here to perform songs, attend Mass, and then raise money for the next group of young seminarians. They raised on-site over $1,600, totaling around $16,725 with the cash they raised on their islands and brought with them. In a country with no electricity, no vegetables (currently), and infrastructure which mimics that of Chuuk 1945 (after the US bombed the heck out of the Japanese forces held up here), one has to be surprised and inspired by their willingness to give for a purpose and a need they hold to be dear. It is an interesting paradigm of development – from very little comes very much.
For your curiosity, some Chuukese superstitions/cultural tidbits. When walking or driving somewhere and a cat crosses your path, you must stop and spit on the ground, or else: bad luck. If a leaf of the breadfruit tree falls on you, you must pick it up, tear off the stem of the leaf, fold over the edges of the leaf, and stab the middle with the stem. This means you will eat fish. For New Years Eve, the Chuukese make huge drums and stay up late just parading around and making noise. They trick-or-treat on Halloween, but don’t wear costumes. I explained the term “trick or treat” which made sense to them; they said I could dress up if I wanted. They love Steven Segal here…enough said.
Peace,
Alex
Sunday, September 28, 2008
My placement!
Hello all...sorry for the long wait in sending you info! I will be placed on Satawan Island of Chuuk State - no electricity, no internet, no phone! I leave on 10/4 for Chuuk, but I will be in the capital of Weno for 6 weeks until I depart for the island. During that time I will hopefully have access to internet/phone.
My new address is (effective immediately):
Alex Plum, Peace Corps
PO Box 39
Weno, Chuuk, FM
96942
If you send me a blank CD I can burn you some of the pictures I’ve been taking and then send it back to you (loading images onto the computer is very, very expensive and time consuming). Yesterday I went to the ruins of Nan Madol, one of the first ports/kingdoms/forts built on the southern coast of Madolenihmw thousands of years ago. After taking pictures of the ruins, you can swim out to an outpost about 50 yards off the coast, climb to the top, and jump off into the waters below, about 20 feet down. It was about an hour walk from my host family’s home.
The Ringlen family is hosting me here. Rizal and Jayleen (30 and 28, respectively) are the parents of Rijay (10), Richie (6), and Richen (1 ½). Rizal’s dad, Edwin, also lives with us (I believe it is Edwin’s house). It’s a great place to stay; tile floors, big kitchen, my own room, running water toilet, and a bucket shower (fun experience). The kids are interested in all the weird gadgets that I brought, from my iPod (current favorite song is the theme from Snakes on a Plane) to my computer (taught Rijay how to use MS Word last night..hahaha) to my camera (they like to mimic Western culture whenever I take their pictures, which basically means they turn into gangsta thugs and flip the bird…thanks, USA).
Well, that’s enough updates for now. Hopefully I will have more regular internet connection for the 6 weeks I’m in Weno for the second phase of Pre Service Training. Once I’m placed on Satawan, however, these posts will come monthly at best…such is the life of a Peace Corps soon-to-be Volunteer.
Peace,
Alex
My new address is (effective immediately):
Alex Plum, Peace Corps
PO Box 39
Weno, Chuuk, FM
96942
If you send me a blank CD I can burn you some of the pictures I’ve been taking and then send it back to you (loading images onto the computer is very, very expensive and time consuming). Yesterday I went to the ruins of Nan Madol, one of the first ports/kingdoms/forts built on the southern coast of Madolenihmw thousands of years ago. After taking pictures of the ruins, you can swim out to an outpost about 50 yards off the coast, climb to the top, and jump off into the waters below, about 20 feet down. It was about an hour walk from my host family’s home.
The Ringlen family is hosting me here. Rizal and Jayleen (30 and 28, respectively) are the parents of Rijay (10), Richie (6), and Richen (1 ½). Rizal’s dad, Edwin, also lives with us (I believe it is Edwin’s house). It’s a great place to stay; tile floors, big kitchen, my own room, running water toilet, and a bucket shower (fun experience). The kids are interested in all the weird gadgets that I brought, from my iPod (current favorite song is the theme from Snakes on a Plane) to my computer (taught Rijay how to use MS Word last night..hahaha) to my camera (they like to mimic Western culture whenever I take their pictures, which basically means they turn into gangsta thugs and flip the bird…thanks, USA).
Well, that’s enough updates for now. Hopefully I will have more regular internet connection for the 6 weeks I’m in Weno for the second phase of Pre Service Training. Once I’m placed on Satawan, however, these posts will come monthly at best…such is the life of a Peace Corps soon-to-be Volunteer.
Peace,
Alex
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