Sunday, March 30, 2008

1966 The First Peace Corp Teacher on Pulap Island

Henry Block went to Pulap with Micro I (the very first Peace Corp Volunteers in Micronesia). Micro I trained in Key West, Florida. Henry went to Pulap as a TESL teacher. But, as Henry and many other PCVs admitted, "We learned much more than we taught!"

In those days the Department of Education strongy advised outer island teachers, and the Peace Corps Volunteers were also told, not to come to Weno wearing a loincloth. Good luck, the ship shows up at the Moen (now Weno) dock and Henry, Bill Ryder (Hok 1966-68), Phil Bogetto (Puluwat 1966-68) step off the "Truk Islander" wearing - yes, of course - a loincloth.

Of course, one of the funny things about PCVs in loincloths were the occasional white buttocks and legs (As you can see in this photo of Henry). But, if Henry was white on the outside, he was definitely brown on the inside. He loved Pulap and never forgot it!

7 comments:

Ambo said...

I am from Pulap Island. Can you please name some of your students back then?

Unknown said...

Ambo: My name is Bob. I was the Peace Corps volunteer two after Henry. I lived with Chief Phillip, and Dominique took care of me. Any information on where Dominique is now. His father was Lucio. Thanks

cgaudette said...

Hi bob, do you take enzyte?

Nekumon said...

Bob: FYI, Dominique is living on Moen now after a long stint as a sailor on one of those ships in Truk. He has two sisters (Julie and Ansi) living in Greenville, North Carolina. I am from the neighboring island, Tamatam, and known of these people whereabouts because they are my close relatives and from time to time I'd spent good portion of my adolescence on Pulap at Betlem homestead.

becky1965 said...

Hello- we just found an old, undated framed certificate sgned by Peace Corp Director, Jack Vaughn, thanking our school "in helping to build Pisarach Island School, Micronesia". Does anyone know the history of the Peace Corp asignments that would be willing to share our joint history? Thank you-- Becky Remington, Records Management Clerk of Archives, Palmyra-Macedon CSD, 151 Hyde Parkway, Palmyra, NY, USA 14522 >
315-597-3401 (ext 5501) > becky.remington@palmaccsd.org

bob said...

Nekumon: any suggestions on how I can get in touch with Dominique or his sisters?

ray12 said...

here bob,you call this number but they can give their number...417-793-6211...we all close relative