PST II in Chuuk

Ron Anim!
I am in Chuuk and have just finished the first day of my second week of Pre-Service Training II. PST II has been good. We've been having intense Chuukese language and cultural training. I'm learning the language with a fellow trainee who's going to be serving in the lagoon with me but on a different island. The other trainee in our group is learning Mortlockeese since he'll be in the Mortlocks on an outer island. My host family here in Weno has been great. My host father is a police chief and my host mother also works for the police department so I fell very protected. I have a 10 year-old brother, a 15 year-old sister and an 18-year-old brother who is attending the College of Micronesia in Paliker, Pohnpei's capital. They've been feeding me very well. My host mother wants to get fat to which I told her is impossible. I got to try turtle this weekend. It was served in a plastic tub and every part was still in tacked. The meat was stringy and very tough, very similar to dog meat from what I hear, but it tasted like steak. I've been eating rice everyday and ramen noodles for breakfast every morning. Also this weekend, I made a map for my village for an assignment. My cousin drove me around our community and pointed out stores and important buildings that I took note of. Yesterday, he helped me draw it on a piece of flipchart paper and labeled all the buildings. On Saturday, I got my first haircut since I've been in the FSM. My brother and I went to a salon that was in a grocery store. I guess it was the Chuukese version of a mall. It took 2 hours for the barber to cut both our hair but it was an opportunity for me to practice patience, since that's an importance skill I'll need during my 2 years of service. My hair is now shorter than I picture it being but it helps keep me cool in the heat. I've met all of the current volunteers in Chuuk except for one. They seem very approachable and knowledgeable about being productive PCVs. One Micro 73 volunteer left Chuuk today to go back to the states. He said goodbye to us today. Elizabeth, our training director, came by our training site and said hi to us and talked to us about the schedule for the rest of training. She said me and the other trainee assigned to the lagoon, will shadow a volunteer for a day and a night during the middle of training. We will be able to shadow him in his classes and learn about the projects he is currently working on. Chuuk is pretty much what I pictured it. The roads are full of pot holes and puddles, the electricity goes off regularly and the people are friendly. The weather is hot but not as humid as it was in Pohnpei. For fun, I go out on the boat, hang out with my brother, sister and cousins and practice my Chuukese. I am enjoying myself here so far. Chuuk is less developed than the other states and it is in desperate need of native English speaking teachers. I got a cell phone that uses calling cards and give me your number is you want me to call you. I hope you all are well and enjoying the coll autumn weather. I won't have internet access in Fefan so the only times I'll be able to update this blog will be during my trips to Weno. I hope to update this blog at least one more time during my training.
Take Care,
Ben