We sat with George and talked about why he moved his family from Papua New Guinea to Kirabati 9 years ago…his wife is Kiribati. George has 4 girls from age 21 to 30. They are all in the process of getting advanced educations and we got to meet 3 of them. The other is away at school in Fiji. Georgina, who is his oldest, is working next door at the Adventist School to try to save money for her 3rd year of school in Fiji. The University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji is the center of the universe for an islanders advanced education. The youngest is studying for her exams to try to get scholarship for school next year. It’s obvious that education is a priority for his girls. He explains that he does not have a pension from anywhere, so his girls know that they must get good jobs to take care of themselves.(and maybe him too) He talks openly that education and making a good living is NOT just for boys anymore – his girls must be able to support themselves. He and his wife met in teaching school in PNG and brought their girls up there until it became too dangerous to live there anymore. He says that he enjoys going back to this simpler life, where his home can have open doors and windows, and he doesn’t have to worry about his family’s safety anymore. When you ask the girls how it compares, they say they miss the great food of PNG, but they love the open air houses and that they don’t have to lock things up and worry about their safety here.

We borrowed George’s push bike for me to ride while Patrick did his power walk. One day in one direction on the single island dirt road, the next day in the other direction. Meeting people along the way, and resting under coconut trees with snacks was a nice way to pass 2 days here and get some exercise at the same time.

Greeted along the road image 11

This is an extremely remote island. There is no central electricity or water yet the 7th Day Adventist school has a satellite dish and computers and internet. We were able to use the computers at the school one day for internet. This island for sure has been, besides Tarawa, the most technologically advanced atoll so far. The people seem to be much more affluent for the most part here, with little stores to help them make a living, and lots of copra production. We are constantly impressed by how industrious and busy these people stay throughout the day. They do their share of sleeping during the hottest part of the day, but they always seem to be working on something to advance themselves and their families. George’s wife Mary works as a teacher on the far end of the island, and seems to always be at work, as does Georgina, the daughter.

While we visit with George, he is always watching for customers at his store, and working on his pile of coconuts for harvesting copra. These people do not wait for the breadfruit and coconuts to fall of the trees, and for the SPAM supply boat to arrive like they do in the Marshalls…they are movers and shakers to say the least. And they have good family values and morals. And although not all of them can afford to provide higher education for their children, even the poorest children will tell you that education is important.

As in any society there are all levels of citizens. We met a very charming little girl, maybe 10 years old, who was very outgoing and spoke very clear English. She very soon told us that her father had been a seaman and had died in Tarawa when the motorbike she and he were riding on collided with a bus. He was killed, and she had injured her leg in the same incident. Her mother…was a “bad girl” and now “dances for the men on the fishing boats in Tarawa.” She lives with her grandparents now on Abiang and never sees her mother. So some girls apparently do go off in the wrong direction here too, as in any country. I do wonder how much influence her mother had on her though – her poses for Patrick’s camera were a little suspect, and I do wonder where she will go with it all when she gets older. I hope her grandparents give her a little more direction and she turns out to be a “good girl”.