Bradley

Bradley is a family history consultant in Pohnpei and he spent most days with us. He is such a good friend and was so helpful in assisting us in many ways. We had a little time one day and so we went to Nan Madol. The complex Nan Madol is constructed on a series of artificial islets in shallow water next to the eastern shore of the Pohnpei island. The site encloses an area approximately 1.5 km long by 0.5 km wide and contains nearly 100 artificial islets.

According to local legend, the stones used in the construction of Nan Madol have been flown to the location by means of black magic. Archeologists have been located several possible quarry sites on the main island, however the exact method of transportation of construction material is still not determined. 

Family Search Training

We were able to do Family Search Training when we arrived in Pohnpei. Family Search is updating the site daily and we were able to train many consultants while in Pohnpei.

The youth were excited that they can connect to Facebook, get pictures and attach to Ancestry which connects to Family Search. As soon as we finished training, they started connecting to Facebook and finding relatives to attach to their family tree.

Keiji's friend kept the children entertained while we trained the parents!

Pohnpei

We arrived in Pohnpei on Tuesday, October 20, three days later than planned. We had sent some computers for the Family History Center from Guam. So, once we checked into our hotel, we drove to the church to make sure they had arrived. We were able to meet some of the people and set a time to meet them the next day for training. Wednesday morning, we went to the National Archives where we are digitizing the microfilm they have. Fifty rolls of microfilm had been sent to Salt Lake, technicians there had clean them, remove tape that was holding them together and digitizing them. They had received the films back and were so glad that we were able to help preserve the records. Now we are sending more than 100 rolls of microfilm to have them digitized. Unfortunately, the films are in poor condition because of the humidity here in the islands and their ability to store them. The films we are digitizing have records from all of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.

National Archives, Pohnpei

I found some interesting collections in the archives from states in the United States. 

This is Betty, she is over the collection that we are digitizing. When we finished, we were then directed over to the College of Micronesia to their library and to discuss the possibility of digitizing some of their vital records.

Majuro

Since we were in Majuro, we were able to help with family history. We were able to help members with issues they were having on family search and train leaders. One of the leaders came on his lunch hour on Monday to continue to learn about family history. The senior missionaries were very helpful while we were there. We even met a senior missionary whose brother knew my cousin and her husband. Sometimes it's a small world.

We did have some time to drive on the island. The people there are very poor, most of them live just in the jungle. Most don't have running water or electricity. We took some pictures as we drove on Majuro. It is a beautiful Island, it is 38 miles long and 1/4 to a mile wide. We spent four days in Majuro. 

View from our hotel room.

The trip to Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk!

We were scheduled to visit three Island groups, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk (formally known as Truk). United Airlines has an island hopper that goes to all these islands and then to the Marshall Islands and then to Hawaii. We were supposed to start at Kosrae and then work our way back to Guam. When we left Pohnpei there was a heavy rain storm on Kosrae and so the plane circled waiting for it to clear so we could land. Unfortunately, the airplane did not have enough fuel to keep circling, so we flew to the Marshall Islands. The first stop was Kwajalein, a military base and we could not get off there, so on to Majuro, they had all the passengers going to Kosrae get off there. At eight we landed, waited an hour in the rain to go thru immigration, then customs. When we were trying to decide what we should do a lady came up and said you need to call your church, she called a senior missionary on the island. They came to take us and find a place for us to stay. Now it would not have been a big deal except a tribal chief had passed away and there were no hotel rooms available or rental cars. So, we ended up staying in an apartment that the owner of the complex uses for hotel rooms. The next morning, we learned that it would cost us $250 a night. Luckily the general manager of United works with the mission home to fly the missionaries around so we received the news that they had planned for us to stay at the Marshall Island Resort and gave us vouchers for our meals. 

MARC (Micronesian Area Research Center)

Tony, Omeria, Marie and Art

On Friday we spend the morning at the MARC, they are digitizing a collection for the church. When they finish the church will get a copy and the MARC will also get a copy. When we volunteered here yesterday we found out that Tony's father grew up in the small town in Idaho that my mother's family lives in. We are checking to see if we might be distant relatives. Sometimes it is a small world!

Air Force Base

Thursday, we went to the air force base with the Thomas', they are here as missionaries for military relations. They keep track of the military members serving here. They were meeting with a young man that is stationed in Minot, North Dakota. They invited us to go meet him since we are from North Dakota. The first picture is of us on a beach that is on the military base. Then some pictures of this beautiful island we are on.

 Art took the picture of the Thomas' and me.

Chamorro Village

Wednesday evening the Chamorro Village has a festival, Chamorro's are the native people on the island. They set up booths and sell items that are made by the people on the island. Here are a few pictures we took last Wednesday night.

This is a local gentleman who gives rides on his Carabao and takes pictures for folks. This animal is a symbol of the island. It's used for farming. They use chickens for fighting.

 There are also plenty of vendors selling typical Chamorro food!

Leo Palace

The Senior couple's get together on Monday. This Monday we went to Leo Palace for a Musical Experience. The Honorary Consulate of Italy in Guam and The Leo Palace Resort in Guam sponsored Japanese Concert Pianist Keisuke Shimatani and Jazz Pianist  Yuki Tateichi performance. There was also a jazz flute player a member the Consulate of Italy,
it was an amazing evening. 

Bugs!!!!!

So one morning last week I went to sit down to eat breakfast, I felt something under my foot, I looked down and there is a big cockroach!!!! So here are some pictures of the creatures we live with........

Not by choice!!!! We have ants, cockroaches, snails, geckos, if that's not enough we have brown snakes! They brought them in to kill off the rodents, they ate bird eggs thus they're are not many birds on the island. I saw a bird today for the first time on the island!