Nov. '10--On the Main, a-gain (Weno)

Now for some pics from the past few weeks. We've got shots from around Weno, of course: the office (my obnoxious hair-do), a hotel, pics from my host family's place (sunrise/sets and moon), and various places in-between. I went to another lagoon island, Tonoas, to meet the new volunteers, watch them swear-in and hangout with the PCV from my group stationed there. Also went to Eot, a small island that one of the PCVs who is just about to finish his service is placed on. A big group of PCVs and Jesuit Volunteers went together as a sort of Thanksgiving celebration. Be warned, we buried one guy in the sand, made him into a mermaid and gave him very voluptuous breasts. The final photo is of a jelly fish sting I got. You can hardly see it, and I could hardly feel it (wasn't sure it had actually happened). Fitting, no? Not pictured are the week I spent substituting at a local private high school on Weno, meeting with reps from the Chuuk Mental Health Department to discuss some collaboration between our offices, three straight days of submitting stool samples to a clinic here for my mid-service medical exams, or my new application - a 3D model of the human brain with labels and fairly in-depth overviews of each lobe/function area. It's badass.

Some Perspective

So the blog has taken a bit of a downer tone as of late, yes? As a friend recently commented, I sound 'broken'. Well, I'd like to strive for a bit more balance and hopefully demonstrate my very much not-broken-ness-scousity... Anyhow, here's a clip from an email I just sent my pops this week. I'm doing okay, please don't worry.

"Thank you for the encouragement, Pops. This experience has certainly lived up to the whole 'life changing' billing it received from everyone I talked to about Peace Corps before joining. What's most amazing to me, right now, is how this has become the hands down most turbulent time in my life (physically, emotionally, locationally) and yet, I'm finding new, unimagined and incredibly deep levels of peace, happiness, joy, and child-like mirth. My blog has been a little heavy on the somber notes lately, but just yesterday, I was buying some groceries, and thought of a silly little joke from some TV show. The impulse to laugh out loud and my full-bodied reaction to the humor of it was overwhelming--stronger than the reactions I recall having while in the States. In some ways, I'm a more reflective, serious, anxious and sad person than I was before, but I'm also much happier, more joyful, silly, relaxed, laid back and peaceful than ever in my life. And it's all that much more special, important, and eye-opening to me for the juxtaposition. If I can be feeling these positive moments so viscerally WHILE I'm also burdened by the other side of the coin, just imagine when it's lifted! Such an exciting time to be alive!"

Theory of Intelligence

I shit you not, my mom sent this to me. Such a great woman.

Cliff's (from the TV show Cheers) theory of intelligence, as explained to Norm:

"Well you see, Norm, it's like this .. . . A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

My brain, oh-ho, it's efficient. Thanks for the knowledge, Mom. Theory made practical has never been more enjoyable!

Nov. 5th-8th, '10--Riding the Nien Chuuk

Here are photos from my ride in from on a fishing boat. Took four days, visited four islands, landed on three of them. It was pretty freakin' cool. Hope you like the pics!