Say Goodbye Palau

Say Goodbye Palau

This is the first real entry to this blog, which is fitting, because it’s the end of a chapter in my life, three long years in Palau, and the beginning of another, yet to be determined. I sit undecidedly between eager anticipation of what lies ahead, improvised travels through SE Asia and beyond, and loyal reluctance to leave this little Pacific jewel I’ve grown accustomed to.

After two years working through the Peace Corps at the local office of The Nature Conservancy, I decided to stay here in Palau and work another year for real wages. The Coral Reef Research Foundation, a small, non-profit organization dedicated to learning more about the marine environment, hired me to work as their collection manager for the past year. I had been volunteering for them during the last six months of my volunteer service, helping them monitor the famous Jellyfish Lake once a month, so it was an easy transition and a great year filled with new and wonderful experiences. I just finished there a few days ago, and I don’t think it has quite sunk in yet, because I’ve been too busy seeing good friends off to realize that for all intents and purposes, I have just begun my indefinite summer vacation.

The feel of summer is palpably in the air here, as the wet season seems to have finally turned over to the shorter dry season, and the sunny, warm weather reminds me of summer at home. The Palauan public schools, at least the ones in Koror, have also just begun their break between semesters, due to a delay at the beginning of the year for renovation of most of the classrooms. I live in a small village called Echang, where most of the people from Palau’s Southwest Islands live and more or less keep to themselves. There are a lot of kids here, and they’re more visible than usual because of being on break, so I’m often filled with the urge to just go outside and play.

And I do. Having no schedule to speak of, I’m finally getting around to exploring the area around the village, and the island that it’s on. Of the three islands that make up Koror (Koror proper, Malakal and Arakebesang), I know this one the least, so I figured it’d be good to see it before I start visiting all of my old favorite places for the last time, what my roommate jokingly calls Spuns’ last month tour. The few friends of mine who know me well, are already signed up, because they know my tour is one of a kind. Apart from the few jaunts I’ve already made (waterfalls in Airai and Ngiwal, and Airai summerhouse and trail), here are a few of the remaining items on my list (my assumption is that after I check ‘em all off, I’ll feel better about leaving): 5 day kayak trip from Airai to Peleliu, motorcycle tour of Babeldaob, weekend trip to Angaur island, Ngardmau waterfall, closeby kayaks (oasis lake, two-story cave, sea-snake cove, chicken lake), rescue diver certification, dives (blue holes, blue corner, new drop off, turtle cove, devil fish city), surfing in Melekeok, wake boarding in Nikko Bay, a few games of fusbol at Kramer’s bar and restaurant, and one last dinner of Bangladeshi curry.

I guess it just remains to be seen if after all of that I’ll change my mind and decide to stay:)