Beginning with my June 2008 post "It's Been Five Years," the following is the continuing story of my travels from the United States into Micronesia ~ Pohnpei, Guam and Saipan ~ and my life since June 2003.
Monday, September 1, 2003 ~ Pohnpei
My sister sent me a care package of spices and marinades. She must have picked out every variety of sauce and marinade they had. Should be a lot of fun trying them out. (They also decorate my kitchen shelves nicely.) She sent Old Bay, too, which will be perfect with the fresh crab and lobster here.
Lynn's been after me to cook for her instead of going out to eat. She's always after me to eat, too. "Did you eat lunch today?" When I first visited the sakau market where Lynn lives, one of her cousins or aunts were laughing at me and telling her in Pohnpein that I had no ass. So, Lynn's trying to fatten me up.
Interesting day, today. There's a guy, originally from some South African country, I think, now living in Australia, the head of some important marine resources institute, something-or-other. He's putting on a ten day education seminar for FSM government officials on the "Law of the Sea." Fascinating stuff, about how nations carve up the waters that surround them, compacts, international treaties on everything related to nations and the sea ~ fisheries, mineral resources, piracy, law enforcement, customs, immigration, etc. The stuff I'm learning and doing here, can really help set the next stage of my career, and take it in a whole different direction I'd never have been able to go before considering my legal pedigree.
And he's a great teacher. I took an international law course, maybe it was Admiralty, in law school, maybe both. Very boring, or poorly taught. I don't remember much about either, other than certain terms and concepts he's talking about sound familiar, vaguely. But this guy, with his interesting African accent, and sense of humor, and communication style, makes this stuff really neat. I was just blown away the first few minutes. Unfortunately I missed the first two days, but I should have time to attend most of the rest of his seminar, as my work is in a bit of a lull. Which is good ~ that the work is in a lull ~ so I just try and read statutes and case law, and get boned up on new areas of law.
Seven and 1/2 of us lawyers for the whole executive branch of a whole country! Congress and the courts have their own, all mehn why. There's so much work that can be done, re-writing statutes, and writing regulations, none of which I've gotten to yet.
I am continuing to become more and more comfortable with it all. My background in the Alabama AG's office serves me well. The locals I'm working with/for seem to like me. I just wish I could remember everyone's names, but I'm getting better. They like that I'm open to things local, food, culture, tradition, whatever. That I'm not coming on like John Wayne and gangbusters. They like that I'm trying to learn to speak Pohnpein, that I have a local girlfriend, that I'm trying to respect the culture and tradition. I think word is getting around that I'm an OK guy. There's more kidding, more teasing of me, here and there. I take it to mean I'm doing something right.
Lynn's mother returns to her home in Guam tomorrow. Lynn wanted to throw a little something for her tonight, and I'd promised to buy a case of chicken and 40 lbs. of rice. (I spent a whopping $26.14) Other people will bring other things. Lynn's been helping to prepare sakau. I'm not sure what she did, wash it, I assume, maybe more.
Watching people prepare sakau is very interesting. Someone pulls the root of this certain pepper plant from the ground. Then it's washed, to remove the soil. Then it's put on a large flat stone and pounded with round rocks from the rivers. (Lynn's been building me a small rock collection from every river or waterfall we've been to. It took me until the other day to realize what she's doing.) A rhythmic beat to the pounding. Much work. A millstone would be much more efficient, but who am I to offer suggestions? Then it's wrapped in the inner bark of the hibiscus tree and twisted/squeezed into a bowl. People just seem to know when it's time to take over a job, and you see people coming and going and taking over various parts, and so there's a real communal thing to its preparation. There's still a lot of sediment and stuff in it when it's done. It looks like chocolate milk, but tastes like...earth. Very mild, mellow narcotic.
I was at the sakau market (bar) with Lynn and her mom and others last night. Very pleasant time, sharing sakau and cigarettes, and sugar cane, and talking with Lynn, and occassionally her mom. I keep thinking that she and my mom would like each other, somehow (although I worry that mom's questions would drive Lynn's mom crazy. Sorry Mom). I decided to leave around 9 p.m., but then Lynn called me around 12 a.m., and I went and picked her up, and brought her home, and I didn't get much sleep. Dumb idea in retrospect, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. And it was nice being with her. We're in a really good place right now. So, I was too beat to attend the goodbye party for Lynn's mom, and asked Lynn to convey my apologies.
Lynn was teasing me last night about the 17 year age difference between us. I don't remember what brought it up. So, to tease her back, I leaned across the table to her mom, and asked if that's a bad thing ~ our age difference. The mom said as long as there's love, age doesn't matter. Lynn's mom's last boyfriend, or maybe the current one, the mom's, is 13 years younger than her. Very common among these people ~ older women and younger men.
When I dropped Lynn and the chicken and rice off in front of the sakau market near her house, one of her cousins came up and said, "Rob, come drink sakau with us." That's a good sign they're warming up to me, the younger ones anyway. I declined, and said I needed to go home, leaving him with the impression that I had something I had to do other than rest.
Still no word on the AG's confirmation. Could be this Friday.
A ship came in with the fruit and vegetables. Apples, oranges, broccoli, cauliflower, watermelon, cantaloupe melons, some asian pears. Not a big variety, but it's better than nothing. And it's nice to see the fresh produce in the stores after nearly a week of empty shelves.
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