Ripelles are Party Animals

This weekend I was
invited to 3 different parties. The
first was a an opening party for my new school. The senators from 3 different atolls came and gave speeches including
the assistant to the Ambassador. There
was lots of food and quite a few people there. Let me say that those senators and guests left with some awesome swag. They got a bouquet of Wotje wots, a lei, a
crown of Wotje wots, a little model canoe and a HUGE basket of food. It was nuts. The next party was for Women's
Day and it happened at the Protestant church. There were a lot of decorations and singing from various groups. The women served some more amazing
Marshallese food in the trademark coconut leaf plates. More singing and dancing. The last party was the wild one. One of the teachers, Connie, had a birthday
party and Kathleen, john, Gabe and I went. They served some more excellent food and then Glenn, Connie's uncle
coerced us to get up and give a "program" which means dance and
sing. Kathleen had taught me the
birthday song from TGI Fridays just in case so we were prepared. We sang our song and before we could retreat,
they had turned on the stereo and were dancing with us. I got thrown around like a rag doll. Marshallese women are shy and mild until
there's music . Then they turn into
professional wrestlers. Connie ran
inside to get clothes which she roughly pulled over my head and then she
smeared lotion on my leg and face. Kathleen
had the same done to her. We didn't know
what to do so we continued to dance. It
was a very bizaare thing. To my
astonishment, John and Gabe were not exempt. They were pulled on to the dance floor and Connie dressed them in
dresses and smeared lotion on their faces too. Then I'm not sure what happened, but Gabe was running and the ladies
were chasing him. They ended up tackling
him onto the floor where they proceeded to spank him and wipe more lotion on
him. At this point, Kathleen and I were
standing there trying not to die from laughter. We went back to our table with our pilfered clothes and hair accessories
and watched as Gabe was attacked. It was
pretty hilarious. After that excitement,
we all decided to go home, but not before they gave us more food to take home
and big piece of chocolate cake. I guess
it was their way of making reparations for the near slaughter of Wotje's
ripelle population. All in all it was a
great weekend and on Monday, Connie came up to me and invited me to the
Christmas party in December. I have
plenty of time to study up on my self defense moves before then.

Why Ripelles are like Pet Monkeys

As I've worked and lived with these amazing Marshallese people, I've come to realize that although
I am a reasonable intelligent, independent and hardworking person, here I am treated more like a pet monkey. I mean this is the most flattering way of course. It's more of a fact that I am an oddity and this brings out the same
tendencies and mannerisms a person might have towards a capuchin in a fez.

-I am asked if not
forced to dance at any and every special occasion

-I am rewarded with
either a pat on the head or food

-They always laugh
and indulgently smile when I try to speak Marshallese

-I often get dragged
places without knowing why or where we're going

-People come by the
house just to watch me do things like read or write

-People call out my
name everywhere I go

-Everyone just says
"come" or "go", simple commands

-I'm asked to give
speeches at events and everyone laughs even when I'm not being funny

-People talk about
me even when I'm sitting next to them

The first picture is me and the Senator. He's also the King of the Island of the Irooj. It was the opening ceremony of my new school. Notice I'm all decked out in my island finery?

Second picture is a Halloween picture with my 8th grade. Can you spot the Ripelle?

Third picture is me and one of my 3rd graders, Rana, at the Field Day. They play lots of games and have foot races. Plenty of fun for the whole family!

The Fall of the Internet

As you've probably
figured out, there is no internet on Wotje anymore. Something happened and it hasn't been fixed
yet so I'm sending these blogs out from Majuro since I'm here for mid service. I wrote them throughout the internet dry
spell so I could update everyone on what's been going on. The likelihood that the internet will be
fixed anytime soon is slim so if you'd like to send me letters, I would
probably kiss your feet with gratitude.
After January 6th, I'll be alone on an isolated island in the Pacific
without internet so any and all communication with me will have to be done by
snail mail. BUT the good news is, you
can definitely count on a reply because
writing letters a new hobby of mine. :)

For the last month,
there have been no planes an d no boats so, in effect, I have been completely
isolated on Wotje. It's a weird
sensation to be so totally cut off from everything. Thank God for the WorldTeach radio check
ins. Because of the lack of news here,
I'm going to have to apologize now for ignorance when I return. My friends and family will have to fill me in
on all the news. It's a novel sensation
to be almost entirely out of the loop.
Yet another reason for my friends and family to send me letters to
update me on life outside the RMI.