HILARY HOSIA
Turning down a high school trip to Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia is not something eight teens from Ebeye’s Seventh Day Adventist senior class took well. Or so they thought.
Traditionally, SDA seniors travel to the FSM capital city as a right of passage before graduation. However, slight changes in their itinerary landed them in Majuro last week.
The rest, as they say, is history:
The students later told the Journal their weeklong visit affected them in a positive way they never thought possible.
Following their mood changing visit with President Hilda Heine, red carpet treatment followed as the week progressed. The students were serenaded left and right by senators, ambassadors and VIPs. Their journey led them to sit in a live Nitijela session where senators individually greeted them. They were then hosted by the nation’s parliament to a hearty luncheon at Riwut Corner as a “on the house” treat as proclaimed by Speaker Kenneth Kedi.
During their luncheon, the group shared with the Journal their excitement of already meeting with Japan Ambassador Hideyuki Mistuoka and US Ambassador Tom Armbruster.
Being the awesome individual that he is, the reporter made several calls and got the group onboard the ROC/Taiwan Naval ship Pan-Shi, where Ambassador Winston Wen-Yi Chen hosted a dinner for the students and VIPs of Majuro.
Later in the week, Public Works Minister Tony Muller entertained the kids on a trip to Enemanit.
Following their tour of College of Marshall Islands, the group steamed off to Laura beach.
To finish off their week, Education Minister Wilbur Heine, Kwajalein Senator David Paul and Public School System Commissioner Evelyn Konou treated the students to a lunch at Special Restaurant.
Marshall Islands Resort General Manager Hirobo Obetekang saw the group as they exited the Special Restaurant reserved lounge with the VIPs and inquired about the occasion. Then, Hirobo offered them free pizza dinner at MIR.
Read more about this in the April 8, 2016 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.