Micronesian Opinon: FSM citizens awarded prestigious scholarships, Micronesia in Hawaii schools and Positive COVID19 cases found at pre-quarantine

News from and about Micronesia:

Prestigious Scholarships for Micronesian students

Two students from the Federated States of Micronesia recently were awarded prestigious scholarships to Sophia University in Japan.  Both students will be pursuing Master's Degrees in Global Environmental Studies.  The students are: 

• Natasha Gorong from Yap
• Tara Shaniah Arnold from Chuuk

The scholarships, according to the article are: 

offered by a partnership comprised of The Micronesia Conservation Trust, Sophia University, the Association for the Promotion of International Cooperation, a private foundation based in Tokyo, and partners of the Micronesia Challenge. This is the fourth year that the two graduate school scholarships, which cover all expenses, are offered to citizens of the FSM, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau.

Good luck to these students.  It's always a good thing to see young people advance, move forward, become educated, succeed.  To come from far away Micronesia, enter the big western world, succeed and continue to succeed is inspiring.  These two young women are representing our people well, as young as they are, with their accomplishments thus far.  

Reminds me of a time, when our people left their islands after a world war, to learn new ways.  It was almost like taking a time machine into the future, the west.  Those men and women were the educational pioneers of these two young ladies and many before and after.   

Hawaii Schools Weaving Connections with Pacific Islander Students

A pilot program has started in two Honolulu-area middle schools to:

 promote inclusivity for Micronesian students in hopes of fostering better relations and cultural understanding. Roughly 8,650 DOE students, or about 5% of the entire student population, are categorized as Micronesian, specified as Chuukese, Marshallese and Pohnpeian on DOE enrollment forms.

The program seems like a good start to integrating.  I don't like the word inclusivity.  It usually means someone is excluded, right?  I think the more you separate based on race, origin, etc., then the more the issue of not fitting in continues.  School should be a place where you learn to be a part of something, play with others, follow the rules, know how to act in a socially acceptable way.   As a Micronesian, I think Micronesian kids living abroad should learn to assimilate into the culture of where they are living. They can still retain their culture, practicing at home, while learning to be good citizens of their community.  It's been done before and it can be done again.  I wouldn't want to have attention called to myself, instead, I would like to learn the ways, adapt, overcome and integrate into the place I am living in, instead of calling attention to my plight.  That's just me.  All respect and props to the folks who are behind this program. 

Four tested positive during pre-quarantine in Guam

FSM continues to repatriate her citizens.  During the last repatriation, four people were tested positive in pre-quarantine at Guam for COVID19.  A total of 9 would-be passengers to Pohnpei, FSM were taken off the repatriating flight. 

This is great news.  This means the system set up to catch and prevent the virus from entering Pohnpei and the rest of the FSM is working! How about that?  So far, in over one year, there has been not even ONE positive case to land onto our shores.  Repatriations have already started.  We are moving right along.  

Meanwhile over in Palau, reports that over 90% of the adult population have received their first dose and 70% overall have been vaccinated is comforting.  The pandemic has shown what our little countries are capable of.  We have been successful at prevention.  We can do it!

We are getting close here in Pohnpei: