Exploring Tonoas

Well it’s almost April and the school grounds are considerably more quiet now. Not that I haven’t been busy. After a hectic graduation and cultural day week, all the staff and students left during the week. Some go back home, some staff go to Pohnpei to start a summer teaching program, and a handful of us are left behind here.

I have been preoccupied with ICU which comes to an end next week. I have been teaching and driving around downtown dropping off homework. (I’m excellent at manual now!) We will probably accept 10 Chuukese students from the group of 17. We will also start another program during the summer break for the 7th graders to help them prepare for the Xavier entrance exam.

The generator is fixed and power is constant. And the telecom people finally installed ‘T1’ – the new broadband connection, so hopefully it will be running probably in the next few weeks! The weather is varied, and I have plenty of books to read, movies to watch, food to cook, basketball to play, and projects fro the summer break. I plan to do kayaking, and exploring around Weno, as well as traveling to the closer Chuukese islands.

Last Tuesday I went to Tonoas with Buddy and Rufina for the day. Tonoas is a smaller island next to Weno (10 min ride by boat) and it is markedly different. It is beautiful - so much cleaner and better infrastructure. It was the main Japanese base during the war, so there are plenty of relics including Japanese graves, guns, a hospital and underground caves and tunnels. The local priest and parish looked after us for the day and I had an amazing time! The island of Fefan may be our next stop.

Jeremy arrived back from Australia as well on Friday. He left on the afternoon of graduation day to see his sick grandmother. He saw lots of Aloys boys and had a really nice time with his family and his grandmother, but was eager to get back. He also brought lots of goodies that my family sent to me. How I missed Minties! I also got a wonderful package from Grandma & Chris and a letter form Betty during last week. Thank you!

Last night I played Tekken tag on PS2 with two of the Xavier boys staying on campus. Who would’ve thought I could play PS2 over here!

Jeremy brought back news that no yr 12 boys from Aloys are interested n coming to Chuuk next year. We have to email Murray Happ and try and send something to entice those lazy seniors to come over!