According to my oldest son, today was “relaxation day.” This was said with much excitement as even 8 year olds need time to just chill occasionally. Yesterday was fairly lazy, but we did attend a couple of events and spent several hours outside of the house, so today was truly a lazy day. I didn’t take a shower until after 1 pm, and the boys stayed in their pajamas until I finally made them get dressed around 3 pm, so we could run some errands. So, what did we do on “relaxation day?” Well, the boys mostly watched Looney Tunes and the movies we rented for the second and third times, and my oldest played his DSI Pokemon game as the youngest is on restriction from playing games right now. I, on the other hand, completed an almost 600 page book that I needed to finish before my book club meeting this week. It is a fictional serial killer murder mystery, and I knew all those who had finished it at the meeting would want to talk about it in detail, and I didn’t want to risk having the ending spoiled for me as it had just started to get really exciting.
I used to feel guilty if the boys spent a whole day watching movies and playing games, especially if I was involved in my own pursuits as well, such as reading all day, but I realized that we all need those days of doing nothing. I think I felt guilty mostly because I didn’t and still don’t have a place to stay with them on my own permanently, so it becomes a matter of making the most of every minute with them when I have a chance to be with them. Now, I am still in the same situation, but running them around like crazy everywhere and trying to pack in the most “quality activities” I can in one weekend, is not always best for everyone. There are still plenty of times when we spend the days camping, snorkeling, and staying busy, but it doesn’t have to be every weekend for me anymore. Today, reiterated that to me as the boys got so excited to show me their favorite parts of the movies we rented and as they cuddled up next to me in the oversized chair in the living room to watch all together. I love when I have a place to hold relaxation day with them!
Monday, September 13, 2010
September 12, 2010- Seeing the World Through a Child’s Eyes
I’ve spent the better part of last night and today renting and watching kid movies with my boys. Honestly, we haven’t just vegged out and watched movies together for quite some time. It’s not all we did as we started the day with Sunday School and hit the Putt-Putt golfing event they put on every so often at the golf course. It’s a cute little 9 holer that the golf course manager sets up on the small putting green near the clubhouse. He’s very inventive though as the challenges include hitting the ball through a large piece of PVC piping which runs over a small fence from one of the tee-boxes across the walkway and onto the putting green where the hole lies. A particular favorite for my youngest son is the “toilet bowl” hole where a red toilet seat marks the entrance to and surrounds the target. There’s also the water hazzard hole with the small plastic baby pool to launch your ball over to hit your mark. It’s small and simple, but loads of fun for the kids. They also usually set up the bounce house and sell hot dogs and such in the club house, so you can make an afternoon of it, and the kids can play as much as they want all for no charge. The only downside is that it takes place in the middle of the afternoon from 1-4, so it’s quite hot. In addition, the golf course is not short ride from the housing area on the island, and upon returning, the boys simply wanted to rest for awhile, and the movie watching resumed where we left off the night before.
There’s a lot to be said for kid’s movies these days. I love children’s books and have been disappointed in the past by the movies made from the most popular of these books, but there’s just as many that I absolutely love, mostly because of how much fun I have enjoying them with the boys. Tonight, we are watching “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” which had to add a good bit to make a full length movie from the book, but even before the movie, it’s always been a favorite of mine, my kids, and most of the children I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading it to. One of the second grade classes even did a mini unit on the book in class last year as a fun activity when they were done with their other work.
What I love about reading kid’s books, writing them, and watching movies made for children is that it helps me go back and view the world through a child’s eyes. For example, tonight as we started watching the boys commented on their favorite part of the movie (as they’ve seen it a few times before), and it was when the two main characters get to jump in a house made of Jello! And if we adults stop long enough to think about that, we’d appreciate that part the most too. Doesn’t it sound like fun? It’s whimsical; it’s creative, imaginative, and just plain funny to think about and watch on the big screen or to picture in our minds. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes is the stuff of our best dreams, our silliest moments when our “giggle boxes” get turned over, and we just can’t stop laughing, and it feels good. There’s rarely a time when at the end of watching movies with my kids or reading books to them at bedtime that I have any lingering heaviness from the day, that I don’t feel more relaxed, that I haven’t improved my health by laughing and daydreaming together with them. It’s another form of therapy that I wouldn’t give up for the world! Gotta get back to the movie...one of my favorite parts is coming up soon!
There’s a lot to be said for kid’s movies these days. I love children’s books and have been disappointed in the past by the movies made from the most popular of these books, but there’s just as many that I absolutely love, mostly because of how much fun I have enjoying them with the boys. Tonight, we are watching “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” which had to add a good bit to make a full length movie from the book, but even before the movie, it’s always been a favorite of mine, my kids, and most of the children I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading it to. One of the second grade classes even did a mini unit on the book in class last year as a fun activity when they were done with their other work.
What I love about reading kid’s books, writing them, and watching movies made for children is that it helps me go back and view the world through a child’s eyes. For example, tonight as we started watching the boys commented on their favorite part of the movie (as they’ve seen it a few times before), and it was when the two main characters get to jump in a house made of Jello! And if we adults stop long enough to think about that, we’d appreciate that part the most too. Doesn’t it sound like fun? It’s whimsical; it’s creative, imaginative, and just plain funny to think about and watch on the big screen or to picture in our minds. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes is the stuff of our best dreams, our silliest moments when our “giggle boxes” get turned over, and we just can’t stop laughing, and it feels good. There’s rarely a time when at the end of watching movies with my kids or reading books to them at bedtime that I have any lingering heaviness from the day, that I don’t feel more relaxed, that I haven’t improved my health by laughing and daydreaming together with them. It’s another form of therapy that I wouldn’t give up for the world! Gotta get back to the movie...one of my favorite parts is coming up soon!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
September 11, 2010-Where were you when...
Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. On the news today, they were asking for viewers’ stories of that awful, awful day. Here’s my story. I was living on the atoll at that time, married and pregnant with my first child. He was due on December 7, which people kept referring to as D-day because that was the day Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese and hence the start of WWII for Americans. I did not particularly like the idea that the only thing people could think about when I told them the due date of my son, was that it was D-day, which happened some 60 years before, and I wonder sometimes if that’s how people whose birthdays or anniversaries lie on September 11 before the World Trade Center bombings feel. I agree it’s something we don’t want to forget, but let’s also celebrate victories and successes that occur on that day instead of only focusing on the tragedies associated with it.
Getting back to my story, I was about 6 months pregnant, and the construction shop was at the time working on the eaves of my house, which were crumbling over the porches on both the first and second floor, so they boarded up all the front windows entirely, and it caused the house to be covered in darkness even in the middle of the day. My husband received a call while we were still in our early morning REM sleep cycles as the events of the day happened several hours before the sun rose here on the atoll. The call was from a co-worker who had already seen the news that morning and told him to turn on the TV. We were, of course, shocked and awed, and weren’t even sure if work on the atoll would continue that day, but nonetheless, it did, to some extent.
After my husband left for work, I was left in the dark of the boarded up “windowless” house, which was depressing in itself, and the only thing I could think about was the fact that we were bringing a child into a world that no longer seemed safe, a world where people could plan, execute, die for, and defend such acts of terror and hatred. What kind of world was that in which to raise a child, I wondered. In the meantime, work on the base continued, but the base itself was completely locked down to all outsiders, including the 1,000 plus Marshallese employees who came from Ebeye each day to run the stores, chow hall, snack bar, and so much more. All of a sudden, Kwajalein was a ghost town with only Ri-belle faces to be found at the registers and performing the blue collar labor normally taken care of by our RMI neighbors.
It was a couple of days before anyone was allowed from off island again, and things gradually returned to normal or as normal as they can be after such as event. To this day, there’s part of me that would like to visit New York, to see the damage for myself. Sometimes living so far away from the rest of the American world makes it all seem so unreal, like a movie instead of real life. The other part of me wants to just continue to move forward and pray for a better future, for a resolution to the hatred, violence, and religious turmoil in the world. This is the part of me that wanted others to simply congratulate me on the upcoming due date of my child instead of telling me that it was D-day. This is the part of me that wants the media to stop focusing so much on the negative and playing off of people’s fears instead of balancing their stories with encouragement for the future and the inspiration that can be found in life every day if you simply take the time to stop and look.
Either way, I can appreciate that we need to honor those who gave their lives, unknowingly or not, in such a horrific event, and I can understand why we need to remember, so we will continue to be diligent to protect our freedoms and our country from threats to our lives and future. And I wanted to write this journal to share my experience from that day because as far removed as I was from the events, it still shook me to the core and made me question life in general and our future in it, but I am so happy to be able to say today that we rose above it all as a country and as families and friends and Americans. No one promises us that life will be easy, and it’s times like September 11 that can either bind us together or tear us apart, and I’m proud to say that the ties that bind are strong, and we did not give up or let it destroy us. If nothing else, let us celebrate that today, we are strong and capable and able to go through one of history’s most senseless acts of violence against innocent citizens and come out better for it in the end. Don’t you think that’s what honors most those whom we’ve lost, the fact that we have learned from this event and grown closer and stronger because of it. I do.
Getting back to my story, I was about 6 months pregnant, and the construction shop was at the time working on the eaves of my house, which were crumbling over the porches on both the first and second floor, so they boarded up all the front windows entirely, and it caused the house to be covered in darkness even in the middle of the day. My husband received a call while we were still in our early morning REM sleep cycles as the events of the day happened several hours before the sun rose here on the atoll. The call was from a co-worker who had already seen the news that morning and told him to turn on the TV. We were, of course, shocked and awed, and weren’t even sure if work on the atoll would continue that day, but nonetheless, it did, to some extent.
After my husband left for work, I was left in the dark of the boarded up “windowless” house, which was depressing in itself, and the only thing I could think about was the fact that we were bringing a child into a world that no longer seemed safe, a world where people could plan, execute, die for, and defend such acts of terror and hatred. What kind of world was that in which to raise a child, I wondered. In the meantime, work on the base continued, but the base itself was completely locked down to all outsiders, including the 1,000 plus Marshallese employees who came from Ebeye each day to run the stores, chow hall, snack bar, and so much more. All of a sudden, Kwajalein was a ghost town with only Ri-belle faces to be found at the registers and performing the blue collar labor normally taken care of by our RMI neighbors.
It was a couple of days before anyone was allowed from off island again, and things gradually returned to normal or as normal as they can be after such as event. To this day, there’s part of me that would like to visit New York, to see the damage for myself. Sometimes living so far away from the rest of the American world makes it all seem so unreal, like a movie instead of real life. The other part of me wants to just continue to move forward and pray for a better future, for a resolution to the hatred, violence, and religious turmoil in the world. This is the part of me that wanted others to simply congratulate me on the upcoming due date of my child instead of telling me that it was D-day. This is the part of me that wants the media to stop focusing so much on the negative and playing off of people’s fears instead of balancing their stories with encouragement for the future and the inspiration that can be found in life every day if you simply take the time to stop and look.
Either way, I can appreciate that we need to honor those who gave their lives, unknowingly or not, in such a horrific event, and I can understand why we need to remember, so we will continue to be diligent to protect our freedoms and our country from threats to our lives and future. And I wanted to write this journal to share my experience from that day because as far removed as I was from the events, it still shook me to the core and made me question life in general and our future in it, but I am so happy to be able to say today that we rose above it all as a country and as families and friends and Americans. No one promises us that life will be easy, and it’s times like September 11 that can either bind us together or tear us apart, and I’m proud to say that the ties that bind are strong, and we did not give up or let it destroy us. If nothing else, let us celebrate that today, we are strong and capable and able to go through one of history’s most senseless acts of violence against innocent citizens and come out better for it in the end. Don’t you think that’s what honors most those whom we’ve lost, the fact that we have learned from this event and grown closer and stronger because of it. I do.
Friday, September 10, 2010
September 10, 2010-New Day, New Job, New Life
Today and tomorrow will be my final two days as the full time ELL teacher for the K-6 grade at George Seitz Elementary School. I will begin training with and shadowing my predecessor beginning on Tuesday. (We work a Tuesday-Saturday work schedule here to coincide with the states for conducting business as we are a little less than one full day ahead due to our location across the International Date Line.) Already, as I do with any new job, event, or activity coming up in my future, I have begun planning and brainstorming things I would like to contribute to my new workplace and the people I will be training and working with and for. I do this by talking things out with my new colleagues (fortunately for me living on such a small island and having worked in my new department previously, I know most of them already), and I start making to do lists and schedules. I have to think and talk and write things out to sort everything it all in my mind and move forward in a clear and effective direction.
My organization skills, attention to the little details, and communication are definitely my strengths, and I want to play to these and use them to help out in any and every way I can in my new job. I have also found over the years in various jobs that my willingness to just jump in and do what it takes as well as work collaboratively with others, makes all the difference in affecting positive change as well as earning the respect of and a rapport with my colleagues. So, today, I am excited for the challenges ahead and for going back to work with old friends as well as making a few new ones. It’s a new day, new job, and just maybe a new life because of the possibility to finally obtain housing with my boys on the island after 3 long years without this luxury. Say your prayers for me tonight as that would be a dream come true which includes a job I look forward to going to each day, a boyfriend who is so much more than I could ever have dreamed of in a life partner, and to have a home with my 2 sweet boys and all on a beautiful atoll in the middle of the Pacific where life is safe, secure, and peaceful.
My organization skills, attention to the little details, and communication are definitely my strengths, and I want to play to these and use them to help out in any and every way I can in my new job. I have also found over the years in various jobs that my willingness to just jump in and do what it takes as well as work collaboratively with others, makes all the difference in affecting positive change as well as earning the respect of and a rapport with my colleagues. So, today, I am excited for the challenges ahead and for going back to work with old friends as well as making a few new ones. It’s a new day, new job, and just maybe a new life because of the possibility to finally obtain housing with my boys on the island after 3 long years without this luxury. Say your prayers for me tonight as that would be a dream come true which includes a job I look forward to going to each day, a boyfriend who is so much more than I could ever have dreamed of in a life partner, and to have a home with my 2 sweet boys and all on a beautiful atoll in the middle of the Pacific where life is safe, secure, and peaceful.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
September 9, 2010-Putting it All into Perspective
If I could be underwater enjoying the wonders of the ocean or cuddling with my children while we talk about our favorite part of the day with smiles and laughter every day, then I could keep the clouds of frustration and disappointment from ever dampening my door, and I would know complete peace all the time, but alas, most days I am landlocked on a tiny island far from the rest of the outside world, and some days my children are whiny and over-tired and generally grumpy and fighting, and today has been one of those days for me. I admit, I let it all frustrate me more than I probably should, but it’s been a long 3 years, living like a gypsy away from my kids, and tonight I tried to have some time with them in a friend’s home who is currently on vacation and graciously offered his house to me for house-sitting and hanging out with my kids while he was away, but tonight was just not a good night for it, and the funny thing is, I felt it going downhill before it even started.
First, the boys didn’t want to take a shower somewhere besides their own shower, then they didn’t want to sleep somewhere that wasn’t their bed, and although I can relate to all these things, we’ve been living this way together for a long while now, and you would think it would get easier with time, but the fact is, it doesn’t, and I’m tired. I’m tired of waiting for things to change; I’m tired of depending on others and begging others to help me solve my problem of not having a house to live in with my kids as it is my right as their mother and by law with 50% joint custody. I’m tired of working so hard and giving 110% to everything I do career-wise and feeling like I’m getting nowhere in regards to bettering life and providing a viable future for my boys and myself. It’s been one of those days.
So, what did I do when the boys said they didn’t want to stay with me at my friend’s house? Well, I took them home, to their dad’s home, to the only home they’ve ever had with either of us and formerly with both of us, and that in itself tastes like vinegar in my mouth at times. I stayed with them until bedtime, making sure they got their baths and were settled in, and what did I get in return for that, not that I was asking or expecting anything in return. I got apologies from my oldest son for not wanting to stay the night with me in a strange place. I got giant legs wrapped around my waist with hugs and smiles from my little one and even a “I wanted to stay with you” comment at the last minute as I got ready to leave, and I got support from their father that it will get better and that he would help me achieve my goal to have a place to be with them in whatever way he can. And for today, that’s so much more than enough. Who else can say that they are amicable with their ex’s? No, our relationship as a divorced couple who share custody is not perfect, and it’s not always conflict free, but it’s so much better than most, so much better than what it could have turned out to be. And who else can say they have as much time with their children daily as I do because of the lifestyle of living on an atoll, even those who are not divorced rarely experience the quality time I have with my kids because life in the states is so non-stop crazy at times. Who else can say they have an 8 year old son who is so insightful and thoughtful about an awkward adult situation to come to his mom and apologize for something that’s not even his fault simply because he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings?
At the end of day, no matter what, I am blessed. Even as I sit in this friend’s house by myself tonight and write this, I am blessed beyond measure, and I must remember that on these days, when frustration sets in, and it would be so much easier to just cry and complain, I must focus on the blessings and stand strong and patient and faithful, knowing there is a reason for everything and “a time for every purpose under heaven.” Don’t you just love that Beetles song? Goodnight, my little atoll and my little darlings. Tomorrow is another day, and we’ll simply try again.
First, the boys didn’t want to take a shower somewhere besides their own shower, then they didn’t want to sleep somewhere that wasn’t their bed, and although I can relate to all these things, we’ve been living this way together for a long while now, and you would think it would get easier with time, but the fact is, it doesn’t, and I’m tired. I’m tired of waiting for things to change; I’m tired of depending on others and begging others to help me solve my problem of not having a house to live in with my kids as it is my right as their mother and by law with 50% joint custody. I’m tired of working so hard and giving 110% to everything I do career-wise and feeling like I’m getting nowhere in regards to bettering life and providing a viable future for my boys and myself. It’s been one of those days.
So, what did I do when the boys said they didn’t want to stay with me at my friend’s house? Well, I took them home, to their dad’s home, to the only home they’ve ever had with either of us and formerly with both of us, and that in itself tastes like vinegar in my mouth at times. I stayed with them until bedtime, making sure they got their baths and were settled in, and what did I get in return for that, not that I was asking or expecting anything in return. I got apologies from my oldest son for not wanting to stay the night with me in a strange place. I got giant legs wrapped around my waist with hugs and smiles from my little one and even a “I wanted to stay with you” comment at the last minute as I got ready to leave, and I got support from their father that it will get better and that he would help me achieve my goal to have a place to be with them in whatever way he can. And for today, that’s so much more than enough. Who else can say that they are amicable with their ex’s? No, our relationship as a divorced couple who share custody is not perfect, and it’s not always conflict free, but it’s so much better than most, so much better than what it could have turned out to be. And who else can say they have as much time with their children daily as I do because of the lifestyle of living on an atoll, even those who are not divorced rarely experience the quality time I have with my kids because life in the states is so non-stop crazy at times. Who else can say they have an 8 year old son who is so insightful and thoughtful about an awkward adult situation to come to his mom and apologize for something that’s not even his fault simply because he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings?
At the end of day, no matter what, I am blessed. Even as I sit in this friend’s house by myself tonight and write this, I am blessed beyond measure, and I must remember that on these days, when frustration sets in, and it would be so much easier to just cry and complain, I must focus on the blessings and stand strong and patient and faithful, knowing there is a reason for everything and “a time for every purpose under heaven.” Don’t you just love that Beetles song? Goodnight, my little atoll and my little darlings. Tomorrow is another day, and we’ll simply try again.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
September 8, 2010- Ri-Katak Ramblings
Ri-Katak is the Marshallese word for “person who studies,” roughly translated. Katak is the word for study and Ri is a type a prefix meaning “person,” so it’s like the English word “student” in this case. Another example of the use of the word Ri would be Ri-belle (white person), Ri-Majol (Marshallese person) and Ri-kaki (teacher or person who teaches). The students who attend school on Kwajalein, but reside on the nearby island of Ebeye are called Ri-Katak students. The Ri-Katak program here on Kwajalein was started back in the late 1980’s to foster positive relationships between the base and their host nation. The main focus of the program is to contribute to the education of the Marshallese by allowing 5 students from Ebeye to enter into the Kwajalein School System each year.
In order to do this, there is a screening process at the end of every school year to choose the 5 students out of the top 25 students at the Ebeye schools who have completed a year of kindergarten on Ebeye to come to Kwajalein the following school year. So, at any given time, we could have up to 65 Marshallese students commuting from their home island every day to attend K-12 classes on Kwajalein. As the program has grown over the years, other on island activities have been added to support their educational and all around development, such as the CYSS (Child, Youth, and School Services) sports program for K-6th graders and privileges such as participating in Youth Center activities after school instead of taking the LCM straight back home as when the program fist began and school events were the only ones sanctioned for them to participate in.
As far as our sports programs go, Ri-Katak participation has actually become vital to its success as the population here decreases and fewer children are signing up for after school sports than we used to see. It’s an important program we want to help preserve, especially in these very uncertain transition times on the island, so we decided to set up a meeting with Ri-Katak parents and children on their home island of Ebeye tonight to talk to the parents about the CYSS programs, fill out registration paperwork, and generally answer questions parents may have and encourage them to come over and support their kids sporting and after school events. Last year, I began these meetings in relation to the school and the children’s academic success specifically, and they were very successful, so this year we are expanding the meetings to include CYSS because it’s beneficial to the students as well as Kwajalein’s programs to have the students be well-rounded, participating in academic, athletic, and after schools clubs and such.
For me, the Ri-Katak program has become somewhat of a “baby” to me, career-wise. I have always been very involved in education in the Marshall Islands, starting with my professorship at the College of the Marshall Islands over 12 years ago, and filtering into other college English and teaching programs as well as professional development for RMI (Republic of the Marshall Islands) teachers and finally, the last couple of years, working with the children of the adults I’ve taught on Ebeye for so many years. Because so much of my life and career has been dedicated to education in the RMI, I have a hard time living here and performing a job that does not contribute to that in some way or another. In other words, whenever I do not have an opportunity to work or help on Ebeye for a period of time, I begin to really miss it. That means even when my job does not directly require it, I always find a way to bring Ebeye back to me.
Before my job here at the school, I was the 4-H Liaison for CYSS, and I started an Ebeye Citizenship Club between the older elementary kids here and there, helping them get to know each other and share their culture and traditions in a fun and educational way. Last year, I became heavily involved in helping with the Ri-Katak kids after school and assisting them in the classroom as the ELL (English Language Learning) teacher, and now I am in transition, job-wise, again, but the Ri-Katak families and the rest of the Marshallese living on Ebeye will always be a part of me, and I will continue to serve them in whatever way possible and make their experiences with Kwajalein and Americans the most positive I can as they’ve made my years here the most inviting and memorable.
I was telling my colleagues last night on the walk back to the boat that I’m always up for scheduling a work or play trip to Ebeye as it’s like a “vacation” for me. I know that sounds funny because I’m usually on business when I’m there, but it’s my home away from home; it’s a respite from the sometimes isolating “small town” life on Kwaj that can just get under your skin. I always feel welcome on Ebeye. I am trusted by my friends and colleagues there, and I know how I serve there does and can make a difference, and more than that, it’s appreciated in ways that touch my heart unlike any other job has ever been able to do. Life is not easy for them on Ebeye, which is often called the “slum of the Pacific” due to it’s third world conditions, and especially for the families who live between two cultures daily with a job or school on an American military base, and a personal and family life in the heart of the RMI on the evenings, holidays, and weekends. So, hat’s off to my Ebeye friends and the Ri-Katak families. You are truly incredible, and keep up the good work! You and your kids are fantastic!
In order to do this, there is a screening process at the end of every school year to choose the 5 students out of the top 25 students at the Ebeye schools who have completed a year of kindergarten on Ebeye to come to Kwajalein the following school year. So, at any given time, we could have up to 65 Marshallese students commuting from their home island every day to attend K-12 classes on Kwajalein. As the program has grown over the years, other on island activities have been added to support their educational and all around development, such as the CYSS (Child, Youth, and School Services) sports program for K-6th graders and privileges such as participating in Youth Center activities after school instead of taking the LCM straight back home as when the program fist began and school events were the only ones sanctioned for them to participate in.
As far as our sports programs go, Ri-Katak participation has actually become vital to its success as the population here decreases and fewer children are signing up for after school sports than we used to see. It’s an important program we want to help preserve, especially in these very uncertain transition times on the island, so we decided to set up a meeting with Ri-Katak parents and children on their home island of Ebeye tonight to talk to the parents about the CYSS programs, fill out registration paperwork, and generally answer questions parents may have and encourage them to come over and support their kids sporting and after school events. Last year, I began these meetings in relation to the school and the children’s academic success specifically, and they were very successful, so this year we are expanding the meetings to include CYSS because it’s beneficial to the students as well as Kwajalein’s programs to have the students be well-rounded, participating in academic, athletic, and after schools clubs and such.
For me, the Ri-Katak program has become somewhat of a “baby” to me, career-wise. I have always been very involved in education in the Marshall Islands, starting with my professorship at the College of the Marshall Islands over 12 years ago, and filtering into other college English and teaching programs as well as professional development for RMI (Republic of the Marshall Islands) teachers and finally, the last couple of years, working with the children of the adults I’ve taught on Ebeye for so many years. Because so much of my life and career has been dedicated to education in the RMI, I have a hard time living here and performing a job that does not contribute to that in some way or another. In other words, whenever I do not have an opportunity to work or help on Ebeye for a period of time, I begin to really miss it. That means even when my job does not directly require it, I always find a way to bring Ebeye back to me.
Before my job here at the school, I was the 4-H Liaison for CYSS, and I started an Ebeye Citizenship Club between the older elementary kids here and there, helping them get to know each other and share their culture and traditions in a fun and educational way. Last year, I became heavily involved in helping with the Ri-Katak kids after school and assisting them in the classroom as the ELL (English Language Learning) teacher, and now I am in transition, job-wise, again, but the Ri-Katak families and the rest of the Marshallese living on Ebeye will always be a part of me, and I will continue to serve them in whatever way possible and make their experiences with Kwajalein and Americans the most positive I can as they’ve made my years here the most inviting and memorable.
I was telling my colleagues last night on the walk back to the boat that I’m always up for scheduling a work or play trip to Ebeye as it’s like a “vacation” for me. I know that sounds funny because I’m usually on business when I’m there, but it’s my home away from home; it’s a respite from the sometimes isolating “small town” life on Kwaj that can just get under your skin. I always feel welcome on Ebeye. I am trusted by my friends and colleagues there, and I know how I serve there does and can make a difference, and more than that, it’s appreciated in ways that touch my heart unlike any other job has ever been able to do. Life is not easy for them on Ebeye, which is often called the “slum of the Pacific” due to it’s third world conditions, and especially for the families who live between two cultures daily with a job or school on an American military base, and a personal and family life in the heart of the RMI on the evenings, holidays, and weekends. So, hat’s off to my Ebeye friends and the Ri-Katak families. You are truly incredible, and keep up the good work! You and your kids are fantastic!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
September 7, 2010- The Crater and Lost Tank Diving Part 3
As we biked to the Scuba Shack on Roi today, we noticed the trade winds were picking up, and once we were on the water, we certainly felt it, but it did not deter us from diving the site known as “The Crater.” This is a large round coral head with a sandy patch in the middle which can be seen from the surface of the water on a calm day. As we headed down to the sandy spot, we watched a shark and two eagle rays swim by on the outskirts. Normally, this area is teeming with sea life like the sharks and rays, but today, these were the only ones we saw the entire dive. All around the coral head, the ocean drops to unknown depths, but in order to get the most out of our dive, we hung around 30-60 feet, so we could examine the life chomping on the coral all around.
Lately, I’ve been fascinated by the abundance of the black and green crinoids growing on the reefs around Roi-Namur. A crinoid is also known as a sea lily or feather star with a mouth on the top surface surrounded by feeding arms that flow with the current underwater. They can pull these arms in to form a fairly tight ball as they sometimes do when touched, but more often their arms will stick to your glove when gently putting a hand out, and you have to be careful not to pull away too hard as part of the arm may come with you. Although they appear to me to be attached to the coral of the reef, they are mostly free swimming. Upon learning this, my boyfriend told me that actually had one attach to him one time while diving, which I didn’t know they could do before hand or I might have been more careful about touching them to begin with. :)
In addition to these creatures, I stopped for some time to watch a network pipefish, which is a cross between a seahorse in the face and an eel in the body. It’s a tiny little thing, but fascinating to watch, especially since he didn’t seem to even know or care that I was so close. While I was playing with the pipefish, one of our dive partners was snapping pictures of a beautiful filefish, and in the midst of this action, a school of barracudas swam by my boyfriend. So, despite the fact that this was tame compared to the activity normally found in this spot, there was still plenty to see.
I love to see the Peacock and Greasy Groupers swim around as they are less skittish than some of the smaller fish, and of course, the colorful butterfly fish are always lovely to see. Finally, I noticed an abundance of black fish with yellow outlining on the dive today, and upon going home to look them up, I figure it’s probably a type of surgeon fish, but I can’t be certain. I guess it may be time to find appropriate underwater housing for my point and shoot camera, so I can begin taking pictures and ramp up my fish identification skills. :)
Remember the LCM we found at the “Lost Tank” dive site some weeks ago? Well, today we decided to try and locate that LCM again as we never had a chance to mark its spot exactly while looking for and retrieving the tank on the two previous dives. As we headed down to the sandy bottom of the lost tank site, we noticed the water was even murkier than usual. We moved in a square pattern searching at least 4 different coral heads for the dumped wreck, coming up empty this time. We did see some sort of man made ladder or platform at about 100 feet buried in the sand and thought something else might be near by, but it was a false alarm. Somehow, we got our bearings off and will have to try again another day. The main problem is the depth of the dive. We have limited time down there, so we’ll have to narrow down the spots where we’ve been and start a new search next time as it’s most likely one of the many dumping grounds for equipment from WWII like the airplane graveyard, so WHEN we find the LCM again, there’s no telling what else we’ll come across nearby. Anyway, a lot of the fun is in the search and seeing what’s down there, so we’ll keep trucking until we find what we’re looking for. More to come another day...
Lately, I’ve been fascinated by the abundance of the black and green crinoids growing on the reefs around Roi-Namur. A crinoid is also known as a sea lily or feather star with a mouth on the top surface surrounded by feeding arms that flow with the current underwater. They can pull these arms in to form a fairly tight ball as they sometimes do when touched, but more often their arms will stick to your glove when gently putting a hand out, and you have to be careful not to pull away too hard as part of the arm may come with you. Although they appear to me to be attached to the coral of the reef, they are mostly free swimming. Upon learning this, my boyfriend told me that actually had one attach to him one time while diving, which I didn’t know they could do before hand or I might have been more careful about touching them to begin with. :)
In addition to these creatures, I stopped for some time to watch a network pipefish, which is a cross between a seahorse in the face and an eel in the body. It’s a tiny little thing, but fascinating to watch, especially since he didn’t seem to even know or care that I was so close. While I was playing with the pipefish, one of our dive partners was snapping pictures of a beautiful filefish, and in the midst of this action, a school of barracudas swam by my boyfriend. So, despite the fact that this was tame compared to the activity normally found in this spot, there was still plenty to see.
I love to see the Peacock and Greasy Groupers swim around as they are less skittish than some of the smaller fish, and of course, the colorful butterfly fish are always lovely to see. Finally, I noticed an abundance of black fish with yellow outlining on the dive today, and upon going home to look them up, I figure it’s probably a type of surgeon fish, but I can’t be certain. I guess it may be time to find appropriate underwater housing for my point and shoot camera, so I can begin taking pictures and ramp up my fish identification skills. :)
Remember the LCM we found at the “Lost Tank” dive site some weeks ago? Well, today we decided to try and locate that LCM again as we never had a chance to mark its spot exactly while looking for and retrieving the tank on the two previous dives. As we headed down to the sandy bottom of the lost tank site, we noticed the water was even murkier than usual. We moved in a square pattern searching at least 4 different coral heads for the dumped wreck, coming up empty this time. We did see some sort of man made ladder or platform at about 100 feet buried in the sand and thought something else might be near by, but it was a false alarm. Somehow, we got our bearings off and will have to try again another day. The main problem is the depth of the dive. We have limited time down there, so we’ll have to narrow down the spots where we’ve been and start a new search next time as it’s most likely one of the many dumping grounds for equipment from WWII like the airplane graveyard, so WHEN we find the LCM again, there’s no telling what else we’ll come across nearby. Anyway, a lot of the fun is in the search and seeing what’s down there, so we’ll keep trucking until we find what we’re looking for. More to come another day...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)