Teachers vs. The Police...YIKES!!!

Back home in Malem I was recruited to play in the summer Baseball tournament. Prior to this game I had been a disgrace. No one knew about my excellent, hidden, credentials waiting to be rediscovered from little league. But alas, 3 hits, 2 rbis, 2 tags, and only one overthrow (according to motherly statitician) thrilled my teamates. I am now back in the startling line up and the teachers defeated the police to squeak our way into the quarterfinals next weekend. Stay tuned...

Cairns

After our adventures in Sydney we moved on to Cairns. Since my camera died on the voyage to the Great Barier Reef I have no pictures of that ocean water adventure...wait a second...the last 10 months I have lived 10 feet from the ocean in one gigantic advnture. Here are 2 pictures from an art exhibit I visited while there along with a coffeeshop that caught my attention. Music is still on my mind.

Sydney Conservatory of Music

Sandwiched in between the Sydney Opera House and the botanical gardens is the Sydney Conservatory of Music. It originally was the stable grounds for the British Governor of New South Wales in the 1850's.

Summer Vacation in Sydney

Feeling the need to leave my stetle, I met my mom in Australia for a 10 day workshop/vacation into life outside the 3rd world. We stayed downtown Sydney in the middle of 4 million people. A bustling melting pot of people representing the diverse culture of down under. Realizing it was winter there our first stop was to purchase 2 sweatshirts (made in China). We caught a saturday night show at the Sydney Opera House, A Little Night Music. We took a ferry to Manly Bay. Visited the historic area in Sydney called the Rocks, and walked around the Daurling Harbor the night before the World Cup final between Holland and Spain.

Where Sydney broadcasts World Cup games.

A view of the beach from Manly Bay

Spent sometime being entertained by street artists in Sydney. This particular performer caught our fancy when he was able to select 4 strangers from the crowd to hold him up on a bicycle while he juggled flaming torches, knifes, and swallowed a baloon. Yay.......

Sydney Opera House

My Office...

Preparing lesson plans for summer school while enjoying the breeze outside my house. This is perhaps my favorite spot in Kosrae...

Memorial Service

Last saturday I attended a memorial service for a previous Peace Corps Volunteer on the Island. Midlred, was a volunteer from 1981 to 1983, and 67 years old at the time of her service. She passed away this past April and in her will requested her ashes be scattered in the ocean by her family she lived with while in Kosrae.

I went to the service and it was amazing to see 40 people attend. Mildred left Kosrae over 20 years ago and still people remember her. It was a very amazing event.

Mildred's ashes being scattered in Lelu, where she stayed as a volunteer.

Pastor Madison Nena (My Boss) leading the memorial service with the Peace Corps car in the background.