Day in the Life (Posted by Nancy - no edits to the email message)

A normal day in Chuuk: Wake up around 7am, shower shave all that good stuff Walk the 12 mins to school, arrive around 7:30 most days In the morning i generally try to check email or grade some papers or maybe look at what we will be doing in class today Classes are from 8:30 to 12:15, 5 45 minute periods 1-10F Math, 2-9C Science, 3-9B Science, 4-9A Science, 5-10D Science Then after class I generally sweep out the room and straighten up since it is always just wrecked After that I will either grab some prepared food from a stand/shop across the street from the school, usually its fried rice with a slice of spam or half an egg and a hotdog If I dont eat that its generally some rice at the apartment or maybe a can of tuna If im feeling like splurging I go out, like today i am probably going to eat at truk stop and go swimming Our afternoons are generally napping, cards, movies, or reading/grading course work. Or we go shopping downtown or swimming. Sundown at 6 is generally when u have to be back unless you are crashing at another house Dinner is either we go to High tide restruant for internet and food or lei side for the same, that is always a group venture since its dark out then. If i am cooking for myself its generally ramen or like yesterday i fryed up some julianned? potatoes and called that good enough, I buy veggies when i can and fresh fish every once in awhile.

Segments of emails from Kyle - Posted by Nancy (no edits)

Housing: My apartment is fine, two partitioned in little bedrooms but I have the one with the window unit AC so I'm not going to complain. It has a kitchenette with a mini fridge, sink, microwave, and a heating element. A little folding table and chairs are kind of pushed into the kitchen hallway area there too. The bathroom is pretty nice once I seal up all the crack to keep the bugs out! Sink, shower, toilet all working fine. 10 of us live at the apartments there in five apts on the third floor. The others all live in 3s or 4s at house families compounds. One of these compounds is a little bit of a hike past the school. School: I will be teaching 9th grade Earth Science and I'm adding a section on Environmental science at the end of the year. Our principal Paul is an American who's lived here for like 23 years so we are in good hands here at school. I have my schedule now, 1st period is currently an open work period, 2nd period is my 9th grade level C class, 3rd is 9th lvl B, 4th is 9th lvl A, and 5th is 10th grade lvl D and and 10F Pre Alegebra Basic Math. The levels are students English skills abilities with A being the best English speakers. Fun in the Sun:(and sometimes the rain) Then on Sunday we just went swimming and eating over at a hotel called Truk Stop which is like little America here so the girls can swim in shorts and suit tops and not shirts and skirts. Not a lot of it on the island though if I like go out to eat at High Tide I can get a cheeseburger! I have swam plenty at Truk Stop and snorkeled with other peoples gear, but havent paid to snorkel yet. I did a little snorkeling at Blue Lagoon resort this last saturday and it was some good snorkeling in comparison. I had fun weekend at one of the picnic islands called Pisaar. (Pronounced Peace-ar) It was an island that you can pay to just stay for the night and it was just a small atoll with like 30 palm trees and is right on the edge of the lagoon so we walked out to the reef and enjoyed watching the surf and the tidal pools. I found an eel! Unfo I was a coconut tree climbing and coconut machetying master this weekend. One of the local boys that lives at one of the other volunteers compound taught me the basics on tree climbing and then preparing a coconut. Ill have a video made up of me doing it, its a blast and I really enjoy it, obviously due to the climbing a tree with a 2 foot machete part haha. Links http://www.bluelagoondiveresort.com/index.html http://www.trukstophotel.com/index.html

Hello people of America! Friends and family, I am doing well in Chuuk. I am finally uploading because the page will finally load, I am at the best internet cafe in town and was shocked to see this screen appear. I am making a my adjustments for now, culture shock can be a crazy thing but I have a great group of volunteer family around me. I will be attempting to upload pictures on my next visit, as well as writing up some blog posts to simply copy over for a more detailed account of my island life so far. Miss you all at home and my second family up in Yankton too. Shout out to Jay Scoblic for a belated Happy Birthday! Love you all, Kyle

Bags Packed

I have accepted a position as a volunteer teacher in the Federated States of Micronesia through WorldTeach. You can read more about the WorldTeach program on their website: WorldTeach Micronesia

I have been placed in Chuuk. Here is a map to give you an idea of where on Earth this place is.

My bags are mostly packed, and I will be flying out of Omaha, NE at 6:00am on Saturday, July 13th. I arrive in Chuuk at 9:35pm on Sun, July 14th local time.

I will be posting on this blog from time to time while I am spending 11 months living and teaching on this island in the South Pacific. Feel free to follow my blog.