Palau, my Digs, and a Geography Lesson

I've been in the Republic of Palau for a little over a month, living in the town of Koror and working at the Environmental Quality Protection Board.  Most of my time here thus far has been spent learning about the work of the EQPB, assisting on permit reviews, meeting people at various government ministries where I will also be providing some assistance, and getting my apartment set-up.

Relative to Pohnpei, Palau is a prosperous country.  As a result, even the cockroaches are bigger here than in Pohnpei.  So my first job after moving into the apartment was to deal with the roaches and ants.  As of now, I've won the battle, and after doing a few "home improvements" I've managed to create a very nice place for myself.  Connie will provide an independent assessment at the end of December.

My apartment is on ground floor, lower right

The apartment consists of five rooms:  a large bedroom, a living room (could be another bedroom) which I don't use and have closed off, a large bathroom, kitchen, and separate dining room.  The bedroom has an excellent A/C unit, and I use a fan for the rest of the apartment.  Those cars in the photo belong to other tenants.  Peace Corps regulations forbid me from driving (just like Freshman year at Rutgers).

My office at the EQPB is about a mile from the apartment.  I generally walk to and from work along a road that is currently under construction.  I share the road with cars (most people have cars and few walk anywhere), dogs, and an occasional chicken.  Lately the Director of the EQPB, feeling sorry for me, picks me up in the morning after dropping her kids off at school.

There are some very nice houses along the road to work.  One of ones I like best is on the right.  But the housing stock is mixed.  There are quite a few that don't look so great from the outside (see photo below).  Inside many are well maintained.  The heat and humidity tends to damage the exterior of house here.

 

Geography Lesson

In 1947 Palau became a Trust Territory of the U.S., and in 1994 it gained sovereignty under a "Compact of Free Association" with the U.S.  Under the Compact, the U.S. provides financial assistance in exchange for international defense authority.  The Compact is for a set period of time and has been renewed at least once with the Republic of Palau.  The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands are the other countries that have compacts with the U.S.  Clearly, the U.S. has determined that this region is strategic from a defense point of view.

Palau's population, as of 2015, is about 21,000.  Although not the smallest country in the world in terms of population, it's one of the smallest.  The country is divided into 16 administrative regions called "states" located on 10 islands.  The smallest island (area 0.32 square miles) is Tobi with a population of about seven people.  The three largest islands are Babeldaob (on which there are 10 states), Koror (which has the largest city, also called Koror, and the bulk of the country's population), and Peleliu (where a major battle was fought at the end of World War II). 

The Battle of Peleliu, fought between the U.S. and Japan, is said to have had little strategic value, but it had a casualty rate that exceeded all other amphibious operations during the Pacific War.  

Koror, where I live and work, consists of three islands connected by bridges or causeways, and the Rock Islands.  It is also connected to Babeldaob by a bridge. More than half the citizens of Palau live in Koror, and most if not all of the government Ministries have offices here.  The capitol and official governemnt offices are located over 20 miles away, at Melekeok, on Babeldaob island.  The legislature meets there, but most government business is done in Koror.  (I'll have more to say about Melekeok at another time.)

There is one main street in Koror and no traffic lights, although I'm told at one time there was at least one light, but it tended to cause more problems than it solved.  The main drag get's very busy during morning and evening rush hour.

Koror's main drag during evening rush hour

There are two large department stores in town on the main drag, facing each other.  Each includes a grocery store.  One tends to have some merchandise that is more upscale than the other.  The comparison would be Macy's v. Sears.  I've been surprised at the variety of products carried by each store.  The more upscale store is known as WCTC (for Western Carolines Trading Company).  WCTC also owns several hotels scattered around town and at least one other grocery store.

This is WCTC.  The grocery and pharmacy are on the  ground floor, with clothing and household items on the second and third levels.

Both department stores have separate hardware stores (in the case of WCTC it's an Ace Hardware). 

I frequent both hardware stores as often as I can think of an excuse to buy something for fixing up my apartment.  I'm curently in the process of replacing all the screening material in four window screens.  I also plan to repair some missing grout on my kitchen tile countertop, and hope to use the same grout on a mosaic.  By the way, if you are planning a visit, the currency here is U.S. dollars.  The same holds for the FSM.

Next time I'll describe my work.