One thing I love about Pohnpei? That there's only one flight per day (with the exception of the tuna plane--that's right, a plane with only fish passengers) and it's always a thrill to look up and see it. Why? Not exactly sure. Maybe because I know where it came from and where it's going next--and I can often name some of its passengers. The plane brings a lot of happiness: returned family and friends, who often come bearing coolers stuffed with cheese, deli meats, and other treasured foodstuffs. And when the plane takes off, it seems as if this place is, once more, truly an island--in the sense that you can't access it unless you have a boat (at least not for another 24 hours or so, until the island hopper touches down on our runway again). Pohnpei often feels like a closed system; when people do leave, it's always in a trickle. Leaving is a big deal. Traveling anywhere is far and expensive. So the exodus is gradual. Arrivals are the same, for the most part, with the exception of volunteers who come in packs. When I arrived last year, I set foot on Pohnpei for the first time accompanied by six of my peers (and soon to be closest friends), the other World Teach volunteers. This time, I was traveling on my own. (However, allow me to say that this is not entirely true, as I arrived with my friend Mike whom I met in Guam, and who graciously gave me a driving tour and a place to stay during my 13 hour layover on that odd little US territory.)
I was off-island for six weeks and in that time, several friends left the island. A handful of my former students are now in the states, living with relatives and hopefully going to college. It seems like things are a little quieter than they were. Then again, I have not exactly been a party animal over the past few days. It was a long journey: DC to Newark to Tokyo (14 hours!) to Guam to Chuuk to Pohnpei--about 20 hours in the air and twice that with layovers. (Although I do think this route is preferable to flying through Hawaii, much less time on the damn island hopper.) I am still tired and slightly disoriented. Last night, Allois and I went to the Rusty for the first time since I've been back and I was so exhausted when we left; then I looked at my watch and realized it was only 9pm. So life has been tame, but wonderful. Went out on the boat twice this weekend, to Nah (a small island near Nan Madol) on both Saturday and Sunday. Allois caught a couple of big travellis and a small grey reef shark, which thrashed around and gnashed its jaws--bloody from the fish hook--until it was returned to the sea. I casted with my junior fishing pole (ha), but didn't have any luck. Yesterday we went to Nah again, via jet ski, but were chased away by droves of vicious sand fleas.
Right now, I'm applying for jobs and working my way through A Clash of Kings, both of which, luckily, can be done from my hammock. I'm trying to be productive by doing things like, oh, I don't know... writing blog entries? And, admittedly, taking advantage of Netflix streaming, a recent addition to Pohnpei's varied entertainment options. The weather has been beautiful, unusually sunny. I'm hoping to take the stand-up paddle board out later, but I'm waiting for the tide to rise so I don't scrape the fins on the reef. Until then... Mad Men it is.
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