Letters Home

News!

2008-01-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

Since my island return, I had a children's book published, and now I am heading on a one year trip to Asia!

Join me! I've got a FAQ on the way, and will be posting minutiae quite often, along with photos of everything I eat and everywhere I sleep!

May 2, 2007

2007-10-21T18:38:00.003-07:00

Click through to Flickr for larger version.

April 1, 2007

2007-10-21T18:38:00.001-07:00

Click through to Flickr for larger version.

February 8, 2007

2007-10-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

Click through to Flickr for larger versions.

October 17, 2006

2007-10-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

Click through to Flickr for larger version.

Updates

2007-10-21T18:17:00.000-07:00

I've been back for quite a while, and managed to get most of the letters that were never posted! I will upload those right away.

Overall, my time in the Islands was fantastic, though the second semester was hard beyond words. Food proved to be a big problem over the course of the year, and there were serious security/safety issues for me that I really can't make public. However, I am glad I went and I miss the kids everyday.

A letter from Maya, 19 November 2006

2007-01-04T12:30:00.000-08:00

(Click each page for a large version, or for much larger versions, click: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4,.)

A letter from Maya, 24 September 2006

2007-01-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

(Click each page for a large version, or for much larger versions, click: Page 1, Page 2.)

A letter from Maya, 10 September 2006

2007-01-04T12:20:00.000-08:00

(Click each page for a large version, or for much larger versions, click: Page 1, Page 2.)

New Wish List

2007-01-04T02:26:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning I head back to Buoj! This time in Majuro was both difficult and necessary. I am really happy to go back.

School
. Pencil sharpeners (small, cheap, plastic)
. Simple board games; cards (used items are encouraged)
. Quality "C" Batteries
. Embroidery floss for art projects
. Stickers

Personal
. More than anything - letters (currently 48cents USA -> RMI)
. Photos of you, your family, pet, city, etc.
. Stationary
. Copies of your favorite poem(s)

Luxury
. Small silver earrings (studs or hoops)
. Small bottles or packets of fancy toiletries often given free in hotels or magazines
. Head lamp
. A note about food: I don't need any, but a small portion of something special will be enjoyed (package well)

These are all things that I have not been able to find here.

WorldTeach / Maya
PO BOX 627
Majuro, MH 96960
Republic of the Marshall Islands

Sending Packages:
Priority is best, takes 1-2 weeks to reach Majuro and hopefully no more than 2 weeks to reach my atoll, and costs about 25% more than sending priority within the US. You must use a customs form, or the package will be sent as Bulk Mail on a cargo ship which can take 2-6 months.

Good News

2007-01-03T03:46:00.000-08:00

Some of the old letters have been located and will be posted within a day or two!

This photo was taken outside my house in Buoj. Rainbows are disgustingly common.

I’m just going to start from the beginning… The Marshall Islands is one of just a few all-atoll nations. Millions of years ago, before the volcanic islands sunk, there was more land mass- something like Hawai'i. The islands are very, very skinny, and islets in the Ailinglaplap atoll are not an exception. I live on Airok (sometimes spelled "Aerok") in Buoj village. Airok is about 6 miles long and most seems less than 1/8 mile wide. There are about 220 people living in Buoj. In general, the soil in the Marshalls is not incredibly fertile, but on Airok we have three kinds of bananas, limes and papayas, as well as Pandanus, Breadfruit and Coconut.

I have my own house on the property of my host family. There are 10 people in the family- my host parents, Percy and Lapanij, their two children, her neice’s family and her mother. I’m very fortunate to have my own space and as much privacy as I need. For some volunteers lack of privacy is a problem… Though, my hammock and space along the lagoon are pretty popular with the kids!

Food… I’m eating many of the foods I try to avoid at home- white rice, shortening, high sodium foods, etc, but I’ve definitely learned that, at least for now, portions are what matters because I lost a lot of weight during my 4 months on Buoj. For breakfast I eat ramen, donuts, pancakes or crackers. Lunch and dinner include white rice and a meat- fresh fish about half the time and canned tuna, corned beef, spam or canned beef stew the rest of the time. An average of a couple times a week I am served local foods like coconuts, breadfruit or pandanus. We also eat chicken and pig on occasion- but usually at parties.

There is one small shop in Bouj which sells canned meats, sugar, rice, soap, flour and sometimes things like m&ms and soda!

The school is about ¼ mile from my house. There is one main building made of cement blocks with 4 classrooms and a small “office” that is currently being used as an extra classroom. There are also 2 single room buildings close by being used as classrooms. The Kinder kids have class in another part of town. I teach 7 classes a day: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 combined and 7 & 8 combined for 20minutes – 1 hour a class. I also teach an adult class once a week. Primarily my duty is to teach English, but I use other subjects often- geography and math are the most popular. The children are the most wonderful part of this experience. Overall they are very well-behaved, and many problems in class are easily solved by tighter lesson-planning.

Generally, men and women live separate lives. Women focus their energy around the home- cooking, cleaning and landscaping. Men collect coconuts for food or copra production, fish, do projects that require manual labor and just hang out. There aren’t many jobs on the outer islands, copra making is difficult work with little payoff and it is heavily subsidized by the government…. I feel like this same information may be in one of the more recent blog letters. In December a ship came to pick up several months of copra and doled out $10,000 in cash to residents of Buoj...

More soon!

Backlog Update 1: Why No Posts?

2006-12-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

I'm still unclear about the letters I sent to be posted. I have been told that two were received and subsequently lost, but seven were sent since the letter of August 25. As far as I know no other mail sent to the States was lost in transit. For the second half of the year there should be fairly regular updates as long as a plane comes to my island.

My 10 days in Majuro have gone by quickly. There are constant distractions and choices I am not comfortable making. I hope to return to Buoj January 2nd. In the coming days I will post often, covering basic information about my island and village, flora/fauna, my host family, my living conditions, the school, students, food, social life, some Marshallese customs (specifically gender roles), what I do with my time and an updated wish list. See you soon!

News

2006-12-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

As of Friday, December 15 I am back in Majuro for Christmas break, meetings, and a visit to the hospital. I only found out yesterday that the site has not been updated to reflect several letters and a memory card I sent. This is frustrating news (to say the least) and I will have a long normal update within the week. For now, I am alright, safe but sick, happy, though missing my island village.

Here are two pictures... The first is of the lagoon side beach outside my traditional pandanus leaf house. The second was taken a few days ago as I practiced "Beat" with a student while walking home after school. Churches all over the islands celebrate Christmas with elaborate programs of original songs and dances. They call the marches and dances "Beat" and I joined in every night for 4-5 hours in the past 2 weeks!

A letter from Maya, 24 August 2006

2006-09-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

(Click each page for a large version, or for much larger versions, click: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3.)

Wish List

2006-08-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

WorldTeach / Maya
PO BOX 627
Majuro, MH 96960
Republic of the Marshall Islands

Things To Include With Letters: (letters are 48cents)
* puzzles from the newspaper
* news articles
* photos of you and your family

Sending Packages:
Priority is best, takes 1-2 weeks to reach Majuro and hopefully no more than 2 weeks to reach my atoll, and costs up to 25% more than sending priority within the US. You must use a customs form, or the package will be sent as Bulk Mail on a cargo ship which can take 2-6 months.

Cheap $1 Store Things To Buy:
* durable party favor toys
* school supplies

School Supplies: (updates on this when i get to the island)
* stickers
* thick markers
* paper
* magazines (any school appropriate)
* large anti-bacterial hand gel
* children's books - elementary level
* reference books

Personal Needs:
* 24cent and 39cent peel-and-stick US stamps
* pens
* 3 sketch pads (strathmore spiral drawing pads 6"x8", 24sheets, 80lb less than $2)
* foil sealed pellet gum
* toothpaste
* blank cds (just a few) so i can get pics sent home

Island Necessities:
* dried fruit and nuts (package in cheap tupperware)
* nutrition bars or similar (package in cheap tupperware)
* AA batteries
* the largest possible container of instant coffee (they love it!)
* any and all spices or hot sauces (large sizes if possible)

Stuff You Might Have Around The House:
* old t-shirts (loose, Youth XL, Women's L, Men's M)
* BOOKS I might like to read and then share with others
* children's or reference books for my school

Fantasy Wish List:
* SD memory card
* sketch or grid moleskine

Almost Gone...

2006-08-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

Orientation is almost over! A lot has happened since I wrote the first letter below. A year ago I was living in an apartment alone, then moved everything to storage, traveled through Asia and moved temporarily to San Francisco in March. Living communally was demanding emotionally, and we have had several hours of classes and lessons most days since the July 16 arrival! It is impossible to encapsulate the experience, but there are wonderful people here, volunteers and Marshallese included!

In a few days I will post a detailed list of needs if you're interested in sending out school supplies or a care package. Letters and postcards are always appreciated, and I will write back (just know that it make take a while!!).

A letter from Maya, 19 July 2006

2006-08-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

(Click each page for a large version.)

More!

2006-07-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hello again!

Getting online is such a treat! I only have a couple minutes, but there is news from my kind principal! I was able to meet with him yesterday! His name is Donald but he will remain in Majuro for training/inservice during my school year. The acting principal is a rimajel (Marshallese person) named Hezgeld (!). The school may have up to 80 students total this year, and I will teach 1st-8th grade English. I have a post planned about the reasons and ethics behind teaching English in the Marshall Islands coming soon that may be of interest, but that is for later...

My host mom. Percy, is also a teacher. She lives with her husband and two sons (a pretty small family for the Marshallese). Donald told me that I have my own "house", most likely a one room shack thing, that is on stilts, has plywood walls and a traditional roof made of woven pandanus leaves! It is mere feet from the iar (lagoon side) of the island where there is a sandy beach- this is rare because most beaches are rocky (coral). Everyone there is very excited about me he said and I will have my own classroom. So, the students will cycle in and out of their homerooms to visit with me. The school is in GREAT need and there are few supplies. I am grateful for my preparation and the help of you guys.

Lisey and Sam I got your letters, and I was thrilled. Everyone please write. The letters are already tremendous support.

WorldTeach/Maya
PO Box 627
Majuro, MH 96960
Republic of the Marshall Islands

+ use a customs form if you send a package
+ wrap food well and do not send anything perishable
+ i will post a detailed and long list of needs within a week

Tiny Update!

2006-07-26T00:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of me in Long Beach with some of the supplies I purchased with the money raised! It was a great success and I can not thank you enough. There is still over $400 remaining which I plan to spend around Christmas break when I know more about what my school needs!

I have some more information about my placement. I will be in the VILLAGE Buoj ("Bouze") on the islet Aerok of the Atoll Ailinglaplap, which literally means 'island big big'. Aerok is six miles long and very narrow. On one end is the town of Aerok where there is a small store and an airstrip. A volunteer named Naita will be there, and her partner, Frederico will be two miles from her in a town called Jabot. I am four miles away on the other end of the island! At first I was a little disappointed to know there would be others so close to me, but the more I know about them and the Atoll the more happy I am about the placement. First of all, they are a great couple- fun, friendly, kind and interesting! There are two chains of islands in the Marshalls: Ratak, 'sunrise' and Ralik, 'sunset'. Ailinglaplap is in the Ralik chain, and four of the Iroji, Kings, have homes in Buoj! Furthermore, we went to the US Embassy recently and met with the outgoing Ambassador to the Marshall Islands, Greta Morris. She told me that there are a lot of dolphins in my lagoon! Buoj has a population of about 200, with 70 students, so my classes will be small.

More to come! Please send mail! My first paper update will hopefully arrive soon for posting. Within a few days I will most again with a detailed list of things I need. Thank you so much. Below is a photo I took from the plane just before landing in Majuro.

I'm Here

2006-07-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

Yokwe iok!

It really is impossible to sum up what has happened in the past week. I arrived safely with views of the most spectacular coastline I have ever seen. My Marshallese is coming along well and I know a couple hundred words, plus another hundred or more that are almost identical to their counterparts in English: hour is 'owa', minute is 'minit' etc. I'll write more when I can, perhaps two updates like this and hopefully the letters I am sending will arrive soon to be posted. Thanks for the support.

Heading Out

2006-07-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

For the past three nights I have had trouble sleeping. I've been falling asleep out of exhaustion between 2 and 3 am and waking up tired but alert by 7! There hasn't been much to do aside from massive iPod updates and the stray errand.

This afternoon I leave for the Los Angeles area where I will stay for two nights before heading to Honolulu and then Majuro on Saturday. Each flight is around 5 hours and there is a very short layover inbetween. I arrive in the Marshall Islands at 3:40pm Sunday, July 16 (they are 19 hours ahead of PST).

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to the Dropcash campaign! The total is even higher due to a few payments sent directly to Lisey's paypal account. I'm honored. In LA Lisey and I will do some of the shopping and with the remainder I will purchase supplies in Majuro and help fund repairs for school chairs and desks if needed.

This is my last post from the states, and I will continue updating during orientation, language immersion and training in Majuro. After that, I can only hope that my 'snail-mail' reaches you swiftly.

You can write me here:

WorldTeach / Maya
PO BOX 627
Majuro, MH 96960
Republic of the Marshall Islands

If you are interested in sending supplies or books please email me (micronomicon AT gmail.com) for detailed information (paper mail after August 10).

If you send a letter, please consider dropping something else inside:
* a sudoku from your newspaper
* a photo of your family/pet/hometown
* your favorite poem
* news article of importance

Thank you! I'll be writing!

Technicalities

2006-07-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

I found WorldTeach online just before midnight on June 20th, emailed the program director immediately, and started the application process the next day. Three essays, two recommendations, copies of my diplomas (did not have access to the BS, just the MA), official transcripts, an interview and a few other things later- one week later actually- I was invited to join.

Since then I have been taking care of various program necessities like an HIV test (negative), police clearance and doctor's visit, but other than that I SHOP. 9 thrift stores, 5 Walgreens, 1 Target, Amazon.com, Otterbox.com, Office Depot, Mervyns, etc etc. I bought eight pairs of underwear at once, a new camera (I needed one that takes AAs), bottles and bottles of spf50 sunscreen, a solar kit to recharge batteries and my ipod, cold meds, bed sheets, fishing lures, antibiotic cream, tiny portable speakers, flip flops, gifts for my host family, towels, calcium supplements, and much more. Sometimes shopping is fun, but trying to find exactly what you need in a set amount of time is frustrating and difficult. I'm still in need of snorkel gear, but I wear glasses so an off-the-shelf set is out of the question...

Some of what I need I have in storage in Texas, while I am now in San Francisco, so I am buying a lot. The task of preparing and packing is monumental when compared to the 13lbs of luggage I started with for my time in Asia. Nevertheless, none of this will matter much longer and I will be wondering if the tide is low enough to skip on over to the next islet for a coconut.

Updates tomorrow on the wildly successful Dropcash campaign when the final donations clear!

Please Help

2006-07-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

There is very little information about my school. I will be teaching elementary classes on the island of Bouj of the Ailinglaplap Atoll. There are simply not the same resources in the Marshall Islands as there are in schools in the Unites States and other Western or industrialized nations. Based on what I have read about the schools in general, and especially in knowing that I will be the first of my kind at the school, it is likely that there will be very few supplies available to me. I am not required to purchase any teaching materials, and it is possible to succeed with very little, but I want to do the most I can for the students and the school on Bouj. I have already spent $130 on materials for my students and my classroom. In the photos below you can see a few of the things I have purchased (many from thrift stores at great prices!): books; supplies like flash cards, colored pencils, chalk; games and lesson starters, dice, jump ropes, twister and Sesame Street dominoes.

A dear friend has started a Dropcash campaign. All the supplies I have purchased thus far will be covered by me. I am seeking to raise at least $500 to purchase additional supplies before I leave and during the school year when I am able to return to the main island Majuro. Before leaving I hope to purchase items that are not readily available in the Marshalls: wall charts, dry erase posters and markers, alphabet borders, stencils, a large wall calendar, stickers, markers, etc. After I arrive I will purchase what I can on Majuro (at a slightly higher price than in the US, due to shipping costs): pencils and sharpeners, paper, a stapler, construction paper, crayons, rulers, notebooks, etc. I will keep detailed and clear records of my spending and document as much as I can through informal financial reports and photography when possible.

If you would like to, as an individual or business, donate supplies or books, that would be fantastic! Sending packages to the Marshall Islands is quite economical- not much more than sending within the US! You can even send via MediaMail (though it may take several months), so Priority Mail is preferred! Please email me, Maya, for details through August 10th. micronomicon AT gmail.com

Again, donations HERE!

Furthermore, if you are a teacher and would like to arrange a pen-pal correspondence, please let me know!

My Assignment

2006-07-04T01:24:00.000-07:00

The Marshall Islands is a TINY country of around 60,000 in the Pacific Ocean just north of the equator (9 00 N, 168 00 E). You may have heard of them recently, as June 30th marked the 60th anniversary of controversial nuclear testing in the area. The islands comprise over 1200 islands with a total land mass of 70 square miles and sea area of 750,000 square miles! The Marshalls have a history with Japan, Spain, Germany and most recently the United States. After World War II, the UN Trusteeship Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands allowing the islands to be administered by the United States. In May 1979 the Republic of the Marshall Islands gained independence, but remains close to the US as a protectorate and under a Compact of Free Association (it was reworked and named as "Compact II" in 2003). The Marshall Islands is 19 hours ahead of PST.

I have been assigned to the Ailinglaplap Atoll, one of the 'main population centers' outside of the main island Majuro. The Ailinglaplap Atoll has 2,000 inhabitants and comprises 52 reef islets (islands) with a total of 5.76 square miles of land mass. I will be teaching on Bouj in the south, of which I do not yet know the size and population.

I am considered an employee of the Marshall Islands Ministry of Education, as this program is generously fully-funded by them. Their schools are tremendously in need; suicide rates among youth are high and in some areas a staggeringly low percentage pass high school entrance exams. The Marshallese have a predominantly oral tradition, and their language has only recently been translated into written form so there are very few Marshallese educational materials- and those that exist are not standardized. There are 76 schools in total, spread over great distances. On the outer islands, fewer than half of local teachers only have a high-school education. The government is greatly dedicated to improving the current system and enriching the lives of their students.

As with any supposedly altruistic venture, this project will likely leave me fuller than imagination allows at this point. Today I enjoyed a hot shower, ate green vegetables, wore jeans and spoke on the phone several times- all things I will not be able to do for most or all of my stay in the Marshall Islands. Images of paradise, fresh seafood, an embracing host family and cheery students fill my fantasies, but I know the real rewards may come long after I arrive. Hang around, I think we're in for something great!

What is this?

2006-07-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

I have joined the WorldTeach Marshall Islands program for the 2006-2007 school year. On July 15th I depart for training on Majuro, the main island. Join the adventure through my cultural tranistion and training! Once I relocate from Majuro to my rural teaching post, I will blog through handwritten letters- my only real form of communication after mid-August!