Posted by Editor: FDBobko
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The FOGHORN 
ROTARY CLUB OF HALF MOON BAY
April 1, 2021 
  
Live from Micronesia - Nick Zoo 
Stuck in Paradise During a Year of Pandemic
Article by Stacy Trevenon
Photos by Dianne Bobko
 
President Mary welcomed Nick Zoa, who captivated the club with his presentation, “Marooned in Micronesia.” Though it was via Zoom, you could feel the rapt attention of the listeners.

The notes Mary sent around the club about Nick’s presentation gave this information: Nick Zoa landed on Kosrae in Micronesia on March 6th, not knowing that he would be the last tourist to come to this tiny South Pacific island in 2020.  Although Nick planned to continue to nearby islands on March 9th, all his flight reservations were cancelled when Micronesia declared a Covid-19 travel ban on March 8th, 2020.

Nick soon realized that being marooned in Kosrae isn't such a bad thing.  The island is a tropical paradise with high mountains, dense jungles, a warm ocean and healthy reefs.  With his background in geology, Nick has been in demand by Kosrae's environmental management authority.  The local college offered him a furnished apartment on the beach in exchange for teaching a few classes.  Thanks to the travel ban, Kosrae is one of the few places in the world that remains 100% virus-free.  Life is normal here.  There are no masks.  There's no need for social distancing.  Schools, businesses and churches have stayed open.

Although Nick has visited 158 countries in the past two decades, he's been confined to an island less than 10 miles long for almost a year.  The island life is comfortable and healthy.  The Kosraeans are some of the friendliest and most generous people he's met anywhere.  When this pandemic is over, Nick will resume his travels, thankful for having had the chance to know a place that the rest of the world has never heard of.”
 
 
Nick’s presentation came to us live from Micronesia, where he has been for 13 months. He began with information about his life: he had earned a PhD in seismology from the University of California, Berkeley; he is the founder of three computer companies; of the 158 countries he has visited he has worked in 29 of them and his ambition is to visit all the countries of the world and to finish his book.

He calls himself a seismologist with a travel addiction; wryly drawing parallels to “Gilligan’s Island.” He spoke of spending a year in Paradise, marooned on a Covid-free Pacific island, and focusing on seismology on the Pacific rim.

He showed a large and detailed map of Micronesia, and gave some historical and pertinent details: the arrival of explorers in the 1750s; how Polynesia means “many islands;” he spoke of Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, south of Micronesia and west of Polynesia; how its name means “islands of black people” in reference to their dark skin. Back in the Ice Ages, he said, you could walk to Micronesia from Australia.

The islands were among the last parts of the world to be discovered roughly 2,000 years ago, though humans had inhabited the area for thousands of years.
He said he’d wanted to check off islands that he wanted to visit. His list looked like this: Guam, the point of entry to the island chain; Yap, known for stones that marked houses; Palau, with its beautiful scuba diving; sobering sights of World War II wrecks off the island of Chuuk; Nan, the “Venice of the Pacific.”

He spoke of the international airport at Kosrae, and how he caught the last plane allowed to leave it due to the Covid travel ban. He spoke fondly of Kosrae, describing it as “heaven on earth,” and pointed out how an island can be described as “Island of the Sleeping Lady” by its shape. He had planned to be there three days; flights were limited anyway but he wound up staying due to the cancellation of flights on whag would have been the second day.

The largest airport was on Guam; some 5,000 miles from San Francisco. He gave some historical context too: back in whaling days, Kosrae was the first place that seafarers could find water, lumber or fruit.  He spoke of the area becoming a Spanish colony thousands of years ago; American missionaries from Massachusetts arrived there in the early 1850s. Later, it had German, Japanese and finally American occupation, including the Japanese fleet based in Truk Lagoon during  World War II. In the 1970s it began moving toward independence which it gained in 1990. While its history also included buccaneers, he mentioned that in more modern times people there dress tastefully. There is no caste-like ordering of the social system; Christianity is the predominant religion. 

There are four states that make up Micronesia: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. Kosrae has the smallest population; the island is roughly circular and tourism is slight – Nick estimated about 12 visitors each year.

He spoke warmly of the educational work he did in his volunteer time there, working with a high school after which some (the roughly 400) students headed for college and others worked in the fishing industry. He described the small store there which stocked only the necessities. He would pay $6 for a haircut; the zip code there was 96949. There were medical, military and postal services; it would take two weeks for a letter to go to the United States; there was a dish that allowed for Internet access.

He spoke of the area’s strategic importance to the U.S. and China. Currency was the U.S. dollar; there has been a limited exchange of cash since the Covid-related shutdown.  Vaccines have been donated by the U.S., at the time he spoke, about 30-40 percent of the population had been vaccinated using the Moderna vaccine. There is about a 30-minute wait time for a vaccine.
 
He spoke of the beach as his “front yard;” there is a jetty built by the Japanese in World War II times. A reef surrounds the island; he described it as a “gigantic swimming pool” six to seven feet deep. To collect fish for dinner, all you have to do is to wade out an whack them on the head.  The scuba diving is “fabulous,” Nick said.

He spoke of thousand-year ruins making the island an “archaeological wonderland.” The terrain tends to be steep; people live at the edge of the island and there are streams of clear water and lush vegetation. There can be heavy precipitation; temperatures tend toward the cooler. The vegetation includes citrus fruit that he described as a cross between tangerine and lime, and there are plenty of coconuts. Coconuts, in fact, serve as almost a currency. They are a juicy and rich food; what you find in Safeway can’t touch them, Nick said. Turtles are also a dietary staple.

He said there were  churches there and Easter was celebrated with an Easter egg hunt. Religious services included full-immersion baptism in the clear water; services were followed by potluck dinners after church, with local fruits and fish. Part of the services was choral singing; there were more than 20 choirs, and Christmas was a popular event, with observances drawing international visitors and gifts for children.

Warren asked about humidity; Nick said about 99 percent.

Another question had to do with animal life; Nick said there are few mammals there but dogs, cats, pigs and a lot of birds. You can expect big monitor lizards, crabs, fish, turtles, and farther out, sharks and rays.

Eighty percent of the population speak English, Nick said, though the literacy rate is not high. Children do learn their ABCs. Nick himself spoke some Moroccan, and he said the language there is similar to Indonesian. He credited missionaries with bringing English.

In answer to a question about discrimination among the residents, Nick said that that, and color differences, were not problems. Many of the residents are related to each other. Nick spoke of a recent event at which he was a guest of honor.

I answer to a question about the region’s economy, Nick said that there are two primary sources of income there: fishing, primarily for tuna, with fishing rights extended to the U.S., Germany and Japan with economic benefits for the islands. The U.S. and China are other sources of income. Tourism is the other source of income. Fishing, farming and government jobs are major parts of the economy.

At about age 20, young Micronesian residents go to college of join the U.S. military, where the can obtain college degrees and pensions. The Army or the Marine Corps are attractive to young residents; many look forward to going to the U.S. which has good relations with Micronesia. Young recruits are not allowed to become officers unless they are U.S. citizens.
“It’s one of the best places to be stuck,” Nick said. He will remain there till June, when he plans to return to California, but with flights being cancelled his plans are a little uncertain.
Asked about medical care there, Nick said there is a clinic one can go to; though major medical cases are typically sent out via MediVac. He spoke of the situation of families separated due to Covid; when patients have died, funerals have been held via Zoom.  He urged getting the vaccine; “roll up your sleeves,” he said.

Zoe Kersteen-Tucker asked about a push to modernize there; Nick said there was not a major push to do so; with fish, vegetables and drinking water easily available, a push to modernize was not really seen. Many younger residents, between about 20-30, seek a different life in the U.S., with California, Washington, Texas,  Georgia and Mississippi and college towns being places where many congregate; some marry and stay in the U.S. It can be hard to get flights, he said, citing Guam or Hawaii as connections; but the people there like visitors.

Warren said he’d like to visit the islands (I agree!!!) Nick mentioned that regularly, container ships from Guam bring supplies. More discussion followed about the local economy and minimum wage, and consulting jobs; such as geology, around large building projects such as a gymnasium, construction or environmental projects. Non-biodegradable garbage collection is a problem; Nick mentioned that he may do some consulting on environmental issues. 

Mary presented Nick, as the speaker, with a certificate of appreciation from the club.
 
 
 
Club Meeting - April 1, 2021 (No Kidding - April Fools Day)
President Mary called the meeting to order.
 
Pledge of Allegiance - Mitone led the Pledge of Allegiance. 
                                      

Inspiration ThoughtNew member Sean Engmann offered the motivational thought for the day, a quote by President Ronald Reagan: “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”

Happy/Crappy News yescrying

 

Robin Jeffs, greeted his fellow Half Moon Bay Rotarians from his hospital room, along with wife Freda and their daughter Catherine.

Announcements

John Evans updated on our local young wrestler who is in Colorado right now participating in final trials for a spot on the Olympic team. She spoke to our club a few years ago about her experiences.  

Rose updated on our Club’s Special Delivery program, and said she is still coordinating volunteer assistance with Mary. Rose also gave a Relay for Life update, and said she would be sending an informative email around to the club; she has about $1,000 so far and her goal is $4,000. She also acknowledged the Club’s generosity with the Abundant Grace’s different programs including delivery of sandwiches. 

Joe Brennan updated the club on the car rally fundraiser; the date has been pushed back until the late summer. He pondered venues for club activities (i.e. picnics) such as the Johnston House, though such activities have to go on hold for now. He’d like to see more volunteers in the summer for these activities. 

Mary update us on our participation in the Coastside Gives, fundraising event, which would be a good event for us; she said more information will be coming about how we can all reach out to get donations. 

Mitone mentioned Earth Day, April 22, and asked if club members had any ideas for that? Community events? Beach cleanups? She also mentioned the points-based club awards program coming up.

Zoe spoke more about efforts around Earth Day, specifically Rotary Global Action activities; specifically trash cleanups. 

Mary said that the points for our Club for the 2021-2022 year have gone to Rick Chinn with the District, with an eye toward Best Club recognition. Warren has been working very hard on this with Mary. Our club’s projects will be posted on the Rotary International Web site, with a potential citation in mind. 

Marble Draw  sad surprise New member Zoe had a chance for the white marble, but no luck.  Maybe next time.

 
 

 

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