After nearly 23 years of answering to the same name, its been surprisingly easy to pick up a new one. Within hours of moving in with my new host family, they asked me if I had a Kosraean name in mind. Lenson had told us that we’d most likely be named after deceased or notable family members. For some reason I expected to be given a Kosraean name, and then it would be used just within the immediate family.

“Kosraean name? No, I don’t really know, it’s up to you guys,” I shrugged. That night I went to bed nameless and woke up to my host mom (ninac) ending a phone conversation. “Our daughter Srue (shroo-ay) just called and she asked if we had a name for you. What do you think about the name Srue? Then we can have 2 Srues. She is named after my *insert important family member that I shamefully don’t remember*” “Sounds good,” I figured they knew better than I the good Kosraean names.

As I introduced myself “Inek pa Heather.. oh, or Srue” I gradually noticed that people enjoyed the novelty of a white girl with a Kosraean name.  I think the tipping point was when I was preparing for my swear-in ceremony and ninac said “We would be very proud if you used your Kosrae name in the speech.” Well, can’t say no to that, haha. After introducing myself to the prominent community figures as Srue during swear-in, there was no turning back. Even with my students, I used both names and they stuck with what the adults did. 

In Kosrae when a woman gets married, her husband’s first name then becomes a sort of add-on to her first name. Prior to marriage, the add-on is her fathers name. The distinguishing factor between my host sister and I is that she is married, and I am not. Srue and her husband split their time here and with his family, at about a 30/70 ratio. So whenever she’s around, we both inevitably turn our heads at my ninac calling “Srue!” Then she laughs, noting her mistake, and clarifies with “Oh, I mean Srue-John” (host-sis) or “Oh, I mean Srue-Pastor” (moi). For some reason, it’s a little different when we’re in public though…

Background info: “Asit” (aw-sit) is a term meaning foreign person, or, frankly, white person. It is the equivalent of Pohnpei’s “menwai”. 99% of the time it is meant as a statement of fact and not an insult. There are some cases in which it could be used as derogatory, but between you and me, I’m not nearly advanced enough in the art of Kosre-nglish to know if/when I’m encountering this. Legend has it, the term came from way back when the first white people visited the island. “Ah, shit!” the Kosraeans heard them say over and over. And well, it just kind of stuck. Cute, right?

When both Srue and I are at birthday parties or church events, ninac presents me as Srue-asit. From Heather to Srue white person/ Srue “Ah, shit!” Sure enough, I answer to it. Those clever, clever Kosraeans…

Well I’ve been in Kosrae for a little over a month, and it’s time for me to post some pictures and stories.

Swear-in happened on August 13th and Alyssa, Liz and I graduated from lowly PCTs to official PCVs! That’s right, you’re reading the blog of a sworn protector of the Constitution of the United States, as I have promised to defend it from enemies both foreign and domestic. PCVs- we’re kind of a big deal. Liz had a Kosraean host family in Pohnpei and her ninac (mom in Kosraean, pronounced nnnn-neh) was generous enough to make us matching muumuus for the occasion! As hesitant as I am to admit it, the muumuu has been quite handy to have and throw on as a go-to “fancy” outfit. Haha, muumuus, the Kosraean Little Black Dress.

The first two weeks of school consisted solely of classroom observation. This was some good time for me to watch and get a feel for how they do things, but it also made me pretty restless to be sitting around all the time. At the end of both 6th and 8th grade, Micronesian public school students are subject to the NST, the National Standardized Test, which aims to evaluate the students’ English speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Because these 2 specific grades are in the spotlight, most of the M78’s (if not all of us) teaching in public schools will be working with one or both of these groups.

The way my school’s schedule is currently set up, all grades have English Reading and Writing the first 4 periods of the day. Unless my principal happens to have a time-turner up his sleeve, (Harry Potter reference), or until someone decides to adjust the schedule, I’ll be working exclusively with the 6th graders. The day starts of with a short oral communication period, then Reading, then Writing. So far I’ve enjoyed teaching Reading the best, because our textbook provides a little framework, and my co-teacher and I come up with activities to supplement the reading selections. Plus, this gives me the opportunity to use my outrageous reading voices. I especially enjoy modeling the difference between sentences that end in periods, and those that end in exclamation points. The students seem to enjoy my ridiculousness, which is a good sign, and they aren’t afraid to laugh at me when I spill water all over myself drinking out of my nalgene.