Working at the English Department at the College of Micronesia - FSM

COM-FSM Home Page

A Short History of COM-FSM
Pohnpei Weather
Practicing Patience for Mental Survival

Where is your college/department?
How are the beaches?
What do you do for fun?
How many students do you have?
What language do you speak on Pohnpei?
What's the teaching load / class sizes?
What are the salaries and benefits?
What's the cost of living?
How much can I ship?
Is Pohnpei a safe place to live?
What about the health situation?
Can I send my children to school/church?

Municipalities of Pohnpei: Madolenihmw, Kitti, Nett, Sokehs, U

Population: 34,000

Time Zone: GMT -11

Size: 130 square miles

Lat: 6' 54'' North Long: 158' 14' East

Languages: Pohnpeian, Kapingamarangi, Pingelapese, Mokilese, Mortlockese

This web-page  pertains to the English Department on the National Campus of the College of Micronesia in Palikir, Pohnpei. Each of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia also has one college site as part of the COM-FSM system. For more basic facts about the FSM, please refer to FSM Telecom's map page.

How are the Beaches?

There are no beaches on the main island of Pohnpei. Pohnpei is surrounded by a fascinating fringe of mangrove swamp. The reef islands and the islands of Ahnd and Pakin both have beaches. These are accessible by boat.

Photo of Pohnpei Mangroves by Robert Roberts

There is one disco/nightclub, Club Flamingo, which is frequented by young people and can get rowdy past 2AM or so. 

There are frequent parties and social gatherings, among foreigners or Pohnpeians, that you will be invited to.

And if all else fails, you can watch cable TV.

Here is a link to a longer article on this subject.

How Many Students Do You Have?

Attendance at the National campus is usually around 900 students in the fall, 650-700 in the spring, and 200 or so over the summer.

The students at the National campus are almost all from one of the four states of the FSM, with a few foreigners in attendance also. As of 2007, most (about 70%) of the students at National campus went to school on Pohnpei.

Chuukese student Sinopia Sifferin at COM-FSM Founding Day games.
Photo by Jonathan Gourlay

Some Pohnpeian Words:

Kaselehlie - Hello
Pwoahng Mwahu - Good night
Doadoak - Work
Namwharki - Chief / King
Baku - Shark
Pwoakapwoak - Love

The COM-FSM national campus is truly unique in that Micronesians from all four states are represented here. (Though, increasingly, this is less the case.) Each state (besides Kosrae) has many different outer islands with different languages spoken. Don't be surprised to find 10 different first languages in any given class.

In Kolonia, the only real "town" on Pohnpei, everyone speaks at least some English and it is quite possible to get around in Pohnpei without ever learning a word of Pohnpeian. The words you'll hear on the street, however, will almost always be Pohnpeian.

Pohnpeian language is helpful, of course, if you want to learn more about the island and its culture. We hope you do, because why else do you want to come here?

Basic Pohnpeian courses are regularly offered at Pohnpei State Campus.

Teaching Loads and Class Sizes

The typical teaching load is 4-5 sections of 2-3 classes. The maximum contact hours per week is 15. All of us in the English department teach one or two writing classes each semester. Often the grading load can be quite significant with the writing classes.

In addition, faculty are academic advisors and are expected to participate in at least one committee.

Class sizes in our core courses (which include writing, reading, and ESL courses) are usually 20-25 students.

Gene Ashby spent over thirty years at COM-FSM. He passed away in 2006.

Students in Philosophy class.

A typical starting salary for a candidate with a Masters' Degree and two years experience is around US$16,000 per year. A Ph.D. would be offered somewhere nearer to $20,000. Housing is also provided for off-island hires. Airfare and for you and your immediate family is provided at the beginning and end of a contract. A shipping or cash allowance is also given to aid in moving.

COM-FSM offers a  health and dental care plan. The college has begun a retirement program.

For a longer article on this topic click here.

What's the Cost of Living on Pohnpei?

Yes, it is possible to live on Pohnpei with a COM-FSM salary and enjoy yourself. However, it is not very easy to save money. 

You'll probably find most of your salary going to gas, electricity and groceries. 

It is possible to get many western-style foods (pizzas, etc.), but imported items are expensive.

Costs of some common items:
Gallon of Gas: $5.25 to $5.75 per gallon and rising (as of 5/08)
Box of Cereal: $6.00
Red Baron rising dough pizza: $6..50
Locally caught tuna: CHEAP & GOOD
Bananas: Very little $
Month of Electricity $100 or so (going up!)
Month of Electricity with a family and an air conditioner: $200
Decent Used Car: $3000-$4000
Decent Used Pick-Up: $6000
Cheap Round-Trip Ticket to Guam: $700
Round-Trip Ticket to Honolulu: $1800
Half-hour phone call to US $30
Used boat and engine $5000
Night out at The Village for two: $50
Lunch on campus: $3
Lunch in town: $7
Computer supplies: Often unavailable
Auto Service: Cheap; parts may be unavailable

Is Pohnpei safe? 

Violent crime is rare in Pohnpei, but it does occur. Most crimes are thefts and ex-pat houses can often be targeted for this. Ex-pats are also singled out by peeping toms. Those living on land owned by a respected local land-owner who is living nearby probably won't have problems.

Other, more serious, crimes usually involve alcohol. Late night jaunts around town alone may not be a very smart idea.

In general Pohnpei is a very safe place.

Students on a recent Marine Biology field trip to Ahnd Atoll.

It's not recommended for a naked baby to ride a tricycle in the mud.

What's the health situation like?

If you have a serious medical condition, chronic disease, or mental-health issue then Pohnpei is not the place for you.

There are two local general practitioners who are quite good, but the hospital is not recommended for those that still have hope. Serious cases are referred off-island, but this often entails a wait of several days before being able to get on a plane. 

Infections, intestinal worms, viruses and other jungle maladies are common. There is no malaria, however. 

There was a cholera outbreak in May of 2000. Cholera has gone now, but it may be back for another round someday. 

STDs are very common among students and others. Cultural mores sometimes prevent early treatment and diseases like gonorrhea can spread rapidly. HIV-AIDS has also arrived on Pohnpei, so far in a limited way (although it is hard to get real statistics on this). 

There is no decompression tank on island to assist divers with the bends.

To be safe, most instructors drink bottled water, kegs of which are very cheap.

There is limited to no access to modern anti-depressants and other mental health drugs. These drugs are generally not covered by our health insurance. Further, moving to a remote island may increase the severity of alcohol, depression and other problems.

Christianity is the dominant religion on Pohnpei. Nearly all Pohnpeians would describe themselves as either Catholic or Protestant. Missionary influence in Micronesia has been very strong and continues today. Churches that are active missionaries on Pohnpei include the Mormon Church, Jehovah�s Witnesses, Baha�i and Seventh Day Adventists.

The best elementary/high schools on Pohnpei are religiously affiliated. Typically, tuition is between $60-$90 dollars a month.