Let Us Break Bread Together

Let us break bread together on our knees, (on our knees)

Let us break bread together on our knees. (on our knees)

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees, (on our knees)

Let us drink wine together on our knees. (on our knees)

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees, (on our knees)

Let us praise God together on our knees. (on our knees)

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

            In the past year I have probably heard the song “Break Bread Together” about once or twice a week. But what does it really mean to break bread together? I have broken bread almost every Sunday since I made my first communion in the second grade. I have shared my faith and the scriptures with others. I go to church, a lot.  I have traveled to places in and out of the States. But when have I truly broken bread with the people around me.

            It was not until a Chuukese wedding reception and a little advice from the book “The Irrestible Revolution” I came to realize what breaking bread was actually about. Sitting in the middle of my students and a couple fellow teachers eating rice, breadfruit, taro, lobster, shrimp, and sharing cans of root beer I noticed for the first time it was not just about culture. I have done the eating with my hands and sharing everything on plate for a good year. But it was about breaking bread, literally. When we eat together, share food and drinks, its not only about filling our tummies, its about being a part of a community. Not only a community of Xavier students and staff, but a community of Christians, standing together, sharing our lives.

            We didn’t need a church, a homily, or even a priest. We didn’t need a big show or even gospel music. It was simple. It was Jesus, who turned a couple pieces of bread and fish into a meal for everyone. And it was Jesus who ate bread and wine at His last supper. He was not a man who ate feasts of food or dined in the best places. He broke bread with His followers. He ate simple meals. Looking around on Saturday night at the wedding, I noticed the meal in front of us. There was plenty of food to feed everyone, but it was simple. Rice, taro, fish, shrimp, pig, breadfruit, potato salad. Simple things from the land and the sea. Simple things Jesus may have eaten. Simple foods, that bring a community together, and truly live out the gospel; sharing life and sharing Christ. A simple thing I have been lucky enough to experience. A simple thing, in a simple place, with everyday people, that has continued to teach me more about the gospel and Jesus than any church ever has. 

My One Minute View from "Paradise"

Even I needed to look at this picture. This picture was from about a month ago, before school when we were just floating along enjoying our time here. Were getting into the third week, with work piled up, there was hardly any power or internet today, and NO WATER. All I wanted all day was a shower...and its the one thing I couldn't do. Sometimes I still even need a reminder about how lucky I am here. I pray that I remember that as much as  I can this year.

Warren Buffet and Micronesians-The way we should all be living!

Our director, Fr. Rich recently gave a homily applauding Warren Buffet for making the public statement, by announcing that the upper class should have to pay more on taxes. He said that the rich get out of paying taxes, even though they have the money for it. He believes it would be in the best interest for the US to give higher taxes to the rich. After recently hearing what a fiticoco (Chuukese word for tangled mess) the US is, how they want to abolish unions (really, Wisconson?) and soon eliminate the middle class, this brought tears to my eyes. I know I am far removed from many things happening in the States, but I believe what Buffet is talking about is something that I have had the privilege of seeing in the past year.
Though the Micronesians don't have much, and many live off of the land, I have seen something so beautiful in this culture. Micronesians share everything. Literally, I have not opened a can of soda, candy bar, or bag of chips and not shared it. Everything I have is not mine, its everyone's; its the communities. Its actually something that is expected, that we will share everything with the community. Even when someone from the family gets a big monetary bonus at work or gets brought food to feed an army (which happens a lot more then you think) they share it with their neighbors and their clans. For an American girl, this took some getting used to, and at first I wanted the bag of chips or the soda to myself. But after living here for a year, I believe this is one system, that actually works, people are actually happy, and money really means buying more goods for our friends and neighbors. Sharing is caring. Government leaders and high chiefs (our upper class) also give away everything to share with the people, because that is their culture and it is the right thing to do.
So what do Warren Buffet and Micronesians have in common? The idea of sharing, the idea that everyone is created equal, and everyone deserves to be treated as a child of God. Its a simple thing really, share. Share what you have with everyone. And in the end, I have faith, that you will be blessed in the most beautiful way.

Girl Power!

One really great opportunity we have as Micronesian JV’s is the opportunity to have a summer placement. For the summer, Peaches and I are in Pohnpei for Xavier’s Higher Achievement Program, a summer school-like program for soon to be 7th and 8th graders who want to go to Xavier. They are the top students at their schools and we practice English, Reading, and Math skills with them in order to prepare them for the Xavier Entrance Test they will take in January. We also get to live in community with the Pohnpei JV’s Rachael and Molly and live as they do for the summer.


Pohnpei is about an hour plane ride away, but much more developed then Chuuk, and we saw this immediately when we got off of the phone. One of the first signs of this was the automatic door. I was about to push the door open when it, almost magically opened by itself! It seems so strange, I have seen many of these throughout my life, but was somehow blown away but how this door. We have heard all about Pohnpei and how much more developed it is, but this was something I really had not expected.

Moving out of the airport, and still today, little things amazed me. Sitting right now, Rachael and I are at Coco’s Resturant, while the Hawaiian (granted it is 2 weeks late) is playing and we are sipping Iced Coffees! The roads, are drivable and we can even go over 25 miles an hour! In the stores they have what seems like a surplus of fresh fruits, veggies, and even yogurt. There are ten times more restaurants, a movie theater (were going tonight!), and a field for baseball, soccer, and ultimate Frisbee leagues.

Power is something else I have grown pretty used to not having in Chuuk. Even we when did have it, I knew it was only seconds, minutes, or if the power company was being nice, an hour before it would go out. We had gone days without power in Chuuk. Now in Pohnpei is experiencing power problems (not having power for maybe 3 or 4 hours), but it still seems so much better then what is going on in Chuuk. Here I am always expecting the power to go off, and when it doesn’t, it’s still really surprising! It’s really crazy how much of a difference power, roads, and food can have on a person!

Another thing, and this will be really tough when I go home, is I am not used to seeing so many white people. For the first time in my life I am the minority. It’s something I have grown really used to and not really thinking too much about. I think total in Chuuk I have seen between 20-30 white people. Here they are all over the place; working at for Embassy, World Teach, Peace Corp, college teachers, or just ex-pats who own local bars, restaurants, or hotels. Its really crazy, I am still the minority, but not used to having so many people look like me.

One of the great things I have really come to enjoy about Pohnpei is not something that can be seen downtown were all of the action is. Rachael has been able to take me out to her host family and I have also seen a couple of my Xavier students families houses as well. Even though there is so much infrastructure on the island, there is still something so great about experiencing the local setting at a real Pohnepian families house. It looks very similar to Chuuk and they still live on the bare necessities; no beds, no furniture, a TV or two, a cook house, and enough clothes to share amoungst the many family members who live there. Its really great to see that when it does come down to it, it’s just a more glamorous version of Chuuk, just with fruit, veggies, power, and roads. The true Micronesian is still there underneath it all.

There are so many other things I could say about how Pohnpei and Chuuk are different and all of the culture shock I am experiencing just an hour away from Chuuk, but this summer has not been all about the how Pohnpei and Chuuk are different. I have also loved working and being with my community.

Working is very different, then the typical Xavier lifestyle. Instead of teaching 15 hours a day and dealing with teenagers, I only work 3 ½ hours and teach soon to be 8th graders. In the afternoons we have a chance to experience the Pohnepian culture and get to know the island and our students a little bit more. Even though I am teaching Math, I have found it to be a lot of fun and much more interesting then say an English skills class. The 8th graders are also a lot more fun. I feel more like my “goofy camp counselor” self with them, as opposed to the eye rolling I get from the high school students. And I really do love the high school students, but I have really enjoyed the innocence and immaturity that these kids bring. I also really miss all of my high school students, especially the ones who just graduated and the soon to be seniors. They are wonderful and this experience has taught me how lucky I am to get to build such a strong relationship with those who I am serving.

Other then work and Pohnpein life, one aspect of my life in PNI has outshined everything and made my summer one of the best yet. The community of girls I live with Molly, Rachael, and Peaches has been so life giving and wonderful. Immediately have been calling ourselves the “Girl Power Summer Community” and have been having so much fun. Whether we are being silly and dancing to our favorite jams, shopping at thrift stores, watching the baseball games with the locals, dance parties with the host family, sleepovers with Princess movies, or just being our goofy selves, which ends up in all of us laughing until it hurts. We have been blessed to also have deep, meaningful conversations that bring us closer together both intellectually and spiritually. This is what I have always wanted out of community in JVC and I want to bring all of this hope and joy for community back to Xavier as our newbies, Jay and Gabe. Community reall has been the biggest blessing for me this summer and I cannot imagine myself being any happier.

I have also been doing a lot of self-growth here. Prior to summer, I have had so much trouble being myself. At Xavier and in Chuuk, I don’t really feel like I am able to be myself. With the students, fellow faculty, and Chuukese eyes on me, I am the opposite of what it is to be Micronesian. I am loud, talkative, emotional, and a girl who can’t get enough sports! Here, especially with the community, I finally feel like I am more of myself then I have ever been in Micronesia. I not only feel accepted for who I am by the community around me, but I also feel as though my students, and the local people are more excepting of who I am as well. I feel like I am finally getting my grove back, just in time to go back and live up my final year here, the best way possible.

My summer goals have been going strong, even though I know I could practice the guitar a lot more. But I do try and practice Chuukese a couple times a week and have really explored Pohnpei, jumping off waterfalls, hiking, visiting host families, and just exploring. There is a whole lot more to see here, and I have really tried to make the most of it (by still living simply of course)! And on Wednesday, Mom and Dad arrive! I only hope they are ready for PNI and the adventure it will bring!!

Summer Lovin'

Having a BLAST in Pohnpei for my summer placement! The 7th graders are amazing and teaching math is actually really fun!

The "Girl Power" community is so life-giving and we are having one of the best summers ever.

I will update very soon!

You Made Me Laugh, You Made Me Cry, But I Hate Saying Goodbye

Wow, what a week it has been! We just finished up the school year and I am officially done with my first as a teacher!! I cannot believe how fast time has flown by! In the past week we have had our last Honors Assembly, Baccalaureate Mass, and Graduation! And to top it all off we said goodbye to Alex yesterday and she made her way back home to continue her journey. All of this reminded me of how short this experience is and how fast it goes by. I feel like it was just yesterday we were at Orientation at Boston College talking about how we would live simply if we found treasure buried in the Pacific Ocean that we might stumble upon during a snorkeling adventure. Soon we will also have to part with our second years who have supported us and given us so many irreplacable gifts and memories in the past year. But knowing how close we have become, I know I will see these people again, I know these goodbyes are only for a little while.
Then there are the students: OH, the students. I have to say if I were to teach anywhere in the world, I am so happy it has been at Xavier and with these students. Having spent a year with the seniors I am very sad to know they are moving on to the next chapter of their lives. I cant help but think, did I teach them enough, did I prepare them enough, do they know how much I love, care, and respect them as individuals, and most especially, do they know they will also be kept in a very special spot close to my heart and I will never forget them. They are wonderful individuals and I have tried my best to be all that I could be for them everyday. I know I will not be the best teacher they ever had, but I do hope I taught them how to be good Christians and live their lives as moral people. I guess that might be something I will never find out or ever know. And I know for a majority the goodbyes I say to them are unfortunately forever, but their memory will be everlasting.
Saying goodbyes and knowing how much change will come in the next few months only reminds me how short-lived my experience is here. Coming here, after spending 4 years in college, 2 years seemed as if it was such a long time. But I have only still begun my journey here, I have only begun growing as a person, and I am excited for the year ahead. I know where to put my focus. I know how to balance my life as a person, JV, teacher, daughter, and everything I am apart of here. I am sad to say all these goodbyes and sad to know how much things will change, but I am excited for what the next year will bring. I am excited to get even closer with the students and I am excited to see the change.

So all in all, times are changing and I am saying more goodbyes then I thought I would have to. But, change can be beautiful and I am excited for what is ahead of me. One year down, one more to go and I know this next year is going to be something more beautiful then I can ever imagine!


Pohnpei Summer Goals:
Study Chuukese
Learn to Play the Guitar/Uk
Read whatever I can get my hands on
Climb Shoke's Rock (mountain top in PNI)
Jump off all the Pohnpean Waterfalls!
Drink Sakua
Shop at Black Sand

Love,
Ems

Peace, Grace, & SHARKS

The past semester has flown by, and my adorable seniors will be graduating in about a week! Though time is flying by and I will miss the people who are leaving, I am excited and ready for what this next year is going to bring. New students, new faces on staff, and I am continuing to grow into a new me.

The past couple of weeks have been very busy! The week of Holy Week we went on Re-Orientation and Dis-Orientation. We went to the beautiful island of Pisar, a small island on the edge of the reef. It is possibly the most It is the closest thing I will come close to as a Paradise or “Private Island.”

This was one of the best retreats that I have ever been on, and though that only leaves a few to compare it to, I still feel completely spiritually and mentally satisfied and fulfilled. My cup and it was running empty and I needed something to fill it back up, and that is what the retreat gave me, an even greater supply of “living water.” I found myself reflecting on not only the passage or prompts given but also on my life here at Xavier and in Chuuk, who I am and who I want to became. In that, what I need to get myself free of, what I need to let go of, and continue to get negative or painful things out of my life. Though I thought I was living an extreme Christian lifestyle in Chuuk by following the JVC values of living simply, living in a community, sharing my faith life, and learning to do justice by just being, this retreat reminded me that though I was living in these ways, that I still was not role modeling a Christian lifestyle, or at least the Christian lifestyle that I hoped to truly live out here.

Since the retreat I have found an inner drive to be there and do all that I can, while continue to take more breaks and lazy days then I ever thought I would do at Xavier. I have found a confidence that I did not know I possessed and an inner strength that I also thought would take years to achieve. I remember someone saying that through the experience at Xavier and in Chuuk, we would not only grow 2 years older, but 10 years through the struggles we overcome and memories that we make here. One goal I have given myself is to wake up everyday and say to myself, “I am a JV, I am here to serve my students and the people of Chuuk. I only have 1 year left, so make everyday count.” So doing that, I can remember how this experience, as frustrating as it can be at times, will not last forever and therefore I need to live it up everyday. Sometimes working as much as we do and having so many obligations I forget that I will not be here forever and these little frustrations are only making this experience less beautiful. I hope this will continue to make my experience here even more special and life-alternating.

The week we returned was a complete “catch up” week as we returned back to classes, grading, and lesson planning. That weekend we had Worker Appreciation Day where we celebrated our local workers with Mass, a cookout, and all sorts of fun and games! It was such a great day! It’s a really wonderful experience to feel a personal connection to the people here…when they do funny things or dance silly, its feels good to know that you have a connection and a love for that person. For my first 6 or 7 months, I did not feel that connection at all. It took 6 months to find a host family and I was still transitioning into the culture even then. But for one of the first times I felt such a connection to local people. That same weekend our soccer girls played in the Championship Game and WON!! All of our girl’s sports teams placed in the top 2 this year which has been very exciting! About a week ago I throw a “GIRLS PARTY” for them and we ate cake, ice cream, and pizza! It was a lot of fun and I think the girls were really excited! 

This past week was our last teaching week of school and we start finals tomorrow! The seniors have finals for two days then go on senior retreat and I was lucky enough to get asked to on retreat with them. The rest of the school will be taking finals Wednesday-Friday whil we are on retreat, back on the island of PISAR!

And then there was today…Alex organized a trip for us and the Saram JVs to Jeep Island, one of the resort islands so we could snorkel all day! It was the best snorkeling I have ever seen and I cant believe how many fish we saw! We even got to swim with SHARKS!! They were little, not as big as us, but they were SO COOL!! It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience!!

So as exciting as my life has been, it has been super busy and doesn’t seem like it is going to settle down before graduation! I hope everyone is doing well and I cant wait to get some updates (through email J) on everyone!!

Love and Peace

em

P.S. I should have pictures up on Facebook SOON! <3