Working and living in Kosrae

Working on a tiny, remote island in the middle of the Pacific has its benefits. I wouldn’t still be here after five years if I didn’t love living here.

I’m now halfway through the spring semester at the College of Micronesia, teaching CA100: Computer Literacy and SC117: Tropical Pacific Island Environments. The students and I especially enjoy SC117 because we take lots of field trips. We took two this month.

Our first field trip was to Kosrae’s Aquaculture Center where six species of giant clams are being bred. These clams are key species in reef ecosystems because they keep corals healthy. On our field trip, we learned that the tissues of giant clams contain Zooxanthellae, an organism critical to both clams and coral. Although corals are subject to bleaching in the current climate crisis, giant clams aren’t affected by warming waters. Corals can recover from bleaching when ocean temperatures return to normal because clams release Zooxanthellae to rejuvenate the corals.

Giant clams were harvested nearly to extinction in many parts of the Pacific. Kosrae’s Aquaculture Center provides thousands of clams to the reefs of Kosrae and other Pacific islands. As part of their experience, students helped spawn Hippopus hippopus clams. Then each student adopted a juvenile clam to be planted on the nearby reef.

One of the most serious environmental issues in the Pacific is the introduction of invasive species. Hawaii, dubbed The Extinction Capital of the World, has lost more than 1000 of its endemic plants and animals due to invasive species. Kosrae is lucky to have only 25 invasive species. Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority (KIRMA) is working relentlessly to prevent these invaders from damaging our ecosystems.

Our second field trip was led by KIRMA’s staff. On our journey around the island, students were introduced to the plants and animals that shouldn’t be in Kosrae and what’s being done to eradicate them.

When I’m not in class, Stella and I like to explore Kosrae’s mangrove forests and estuaries. We time our trips with the tides so that a rising tide carries us into the forests and then carry us back out when the tide ebbs. On a recent adventure, we were accompanied by my Nashville friend Liz Van Volkenburgh and our local friend Justina. Liz has visited Kosrae three times to volunteer at KIRMA, at the high school and at the hospital. Justina was the flower girl at our wedding last June. I teach her English, and she teaches me Kosraean.

A few readers have asked about our housing. So, below are photos of our 2-bedroom apartment on the beach. This is where I’ve lived since I came to Kosrae in March 2020. Stella joined me here in December 2023. Living on the second floor, we don’t need A/C because the trade winds constantly breeze through. Although it’s a modest home, it’s all we need.

Our apartment is about 50 feet from a mangrove-shaded beach. When we want to go for a swim, we follow a path through the mangroves to the lagoon. Depending on the tide, the water ranges from 1 to 7 feet deep, and it’s always crystal clear. The incoming tide brings colorful fish, rays and turtles.

The lagoon outside our apartment is like a huge, private swimming pool. We’ve never seen anyone else there. To the right of these mangroves, we have a sunny beach about 2 miles long where we walk and picnic. I think we’re the only folks who enjoy this beach.

One of our favorite things to do is to have a have supper on the beach at sunset. The water is calm. As the sun goes down, the clouds and lagoon turn pink. We’re often accompanied by Justina who, like all children, loves water. Justina also loves dancing with me and Stella.

I have an airplane ticket to fly to Los Angeles on May 22. I plan to spend the summer in the US, and then return to Kosrae for the fall semester. Although I’m not looking forward to stepping onto American soil, it’s what I must do in order to see friends and family whom I haven’t seen in more than a year. Until then, I’ll post one or two more blogs about life in paradise to try to share with you some of the peace and beauty of this place.