Letter from Palau (Part 3)

Beth and I planted a lawn today. I have a picture but am having technical difficulties.

I am celebrating the 4th of July tomorrow - where else? On the boat with Greg, Earl and Roe. Report to follow. 

Final installment: Letter from Palau, May 13, 1992 continued -

I play on the legislature basketball team in the "old timers league", age 33 and over. You have never seen such ugly basketball in your life. But, everybody has a good time.

I still go on the hash runs every other Saturday. This is a great opportunity to get a little exercise, meet with friends and get rip roaring drunk. I won $500 (which I will never collect) in  a drunken hash bet from a New Zealander, Mick Black, who bet 2/1 that New Zealand would win the America's Cup. Everybody, myself included, drinks too much here. I have had to cut back a little. With the heat, it is easy to down 8-10 beers.

I play poker with the boys every "payday" Friday. This place comes alive on payday. All the Palauans go out on the town and get drunk, fight and try to get laid. You have to remember that 80% of the people work for the government and get paid every other Friday.

Amongst the expatriate community (90% American) there are many characters. Many men are living out Hemingwayesque fantasies (doing manly things having to do with the ocean and native women). Most people have boats. We are trying to get one. It is like being in Los Angeles, without a car. On a nice weekend day, everybody leaves Koror and heads south to the rock islands to fish, dive or lay on a beach. Two Sundays ago, when we were deserted in Koror, we realized that we had to get a boat.

We really miss the three F's: friends, family and good old American food. Alan Scharlach will be here May 18 for a diving vacation. My parents will be here for a visit May 23. Palau is a great place to come for vacation. Please try to come. We are starved for visitors. The food shopping is a joke. Usually the produce section  of the stores is bare. Occasionally there are a few rotting items. At first you refuse to look. After a while, you decide you can cut off the bad part. When I get home my first stop will be Berkeley Bowl. The dairy products are amusing. You learn to ignore the freshness dates, or consider them only a suggestion.

As far as future plans, we will definitely come home after a year. We sometimes wonder whether we'll even last a year. Beth is going to come home for a couple of weeks in June or July to vaction (maybe). I would come home too, if we could afford it. The Senate is sending me to beautiful downtown Guam in late June. Guam is like civilization compared to Palau. My new definition of civilization includes pizza, fresh vegetables and movie theaters. There are movie rentals here but is is not the same. Otherwise, you can get almost everything here, but it is more expensive.

My job is interesting but slow paced. We are currently working on the impeachment of an American Justice of the Palau Supreme Court and a petition to amend the anti-nuclear provisions of the Palau constitution to adopt a Compact of Free Association with the U.S. That would end the trusteeship agreement, give the U.S. military rights in Palau and provide millions of dollars to Palau. In my opinion, it is a bad deal for Palau because they give up too much and get too little in return.It will probably not happen, but you never know.

Beth has several part time jobs just like at home. She teaches childbirth at the hospital, tutors English at home and teaches telephone etiquette and other exciting courses at the Resort.She has made a lot of friends but overall she would be happier at home. Her upcoming trip will help.

We have found some playmates for Peg. She swims at the resort and loves to play with the assorted cats and dogs around. She misses Laika, her grandma and her cousins.

Last weekend we went on a huge camping expedition. Peg got sick, it rained unmercifully, the island was covered in garbage, and our tent was full of ants a half inch long. Other than that, we had a wonderful time. We had looked forward to that trip for weeks. Good luck trying to convince Beth to go camping next time! 

That is the news for now in Palau. I would really like to hear from everyone in California. We live for mail and packages and faxes and even phone calls. Goodbye for now.

Love, 

Barry, Beth & Peg