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To the readers of The Island Times, the staff of the newspaper, other media people, my family, friends and those who follow my articles:
This summer, I had the honor of interning at Island Times, working under the guidance of Publisher and Editor Leilani Reklai. Ms. Reklai is a hard-working woman who is driven and passionate about her work as a writer and a vital member of the Palauan media. Her guidance and support throughout my internship meant a lot to me, and I treasure the experience she gave me. From our meeting at Coffeeberry to attending several press conferences with her, I express my sincerest gratitude for her bountiful blessings.
As I highlighted in my first post on May 31, I traveled to Palau this summer as part of “Expedition Palau,” a May summer program at the University of Redlands focused on Environmental Studies, led by Professor Lei Lani Stelle and facilitated by Risong Tarkong. Before I knew this trip, which lasted 24 years and will continue, I was drawn to the summer program because of my cultural identity. I grew up in Portland, Oregon, USA, but my mother, Charity, was born and raised in Ngchesar. I previously visited Palau for the first time in December 2022, and given that my roots are in Ngchesar, I was eager to visit my grandmother, Justina Ramarui, again, meet up with extended family, and learn more about Palau’s culture.
After the two-week program ended, my classmates returned to the United States and I stayed in Palau for an extended summer break. I expressed to my mom that I wanted to volunteer or intern in Palau. I value giving back to the community and I strive to do so wherever I go. Thanks to my Aunt Bola and my mom’s connections, I was able to connect with Leilani Reklai and accept an internship at The Island Times. Currently, I am a Creative Writing major at the University of Redlands, with a double major in Psychology and a minor in Spanish, so I was intrigued by the opportunity to experience journalism firsthand. I found myself in a unique but almost perfect position for this internship. Given that this was only my second visit to Palau, serving as an intern at The Island Times gave me the opportunity to get to know Palau on a deeper level and learn more about the government, sports, culture, environment, community arts, education, and most importantly, the youth population. I had the opportunity to interview many inspiring people, attend events, meet with President Surangel, and build a wider network.
As a member of Palau’s off-island youth population, I am passionate about the youth population both within and outside of Palau. I feel the need to understand the issues that are of concern, the changes being made, the solutions being developed, and the perspectives that need to be highlighted. As President Soulangel wrote in the National Youth Policy, Palau’s youth like me hold the future of Palau in their hands. I am fully aware of how large Palau’s off-island population is becoming. While I cannot reach everyone, I hope to give back as much as I can to this beautiful island that I confidently call my home. While my knowledge of Palauan culture, institutions, and language is still limited, I do not want to let that stop me from striving to learn more and be proud to be Palauan. I am so grateful for what I have learned in my two months of writing for the Island Times, as well as all the new people I have met. It has been an experience that I will always cherish, and I feel like it is just the beginning. I am honored to begin my Palauan literary career with the Island Times and use my love for writing to support the Palauan community.
Su Lang in the Lotus
- To Leilani Reklai, thank you for being my mentor, inspiration, supporter, and writing auntie.
- Thanks to my mom, who encouraged me to appreciate my heritage and supported my passion.
- Thank you to President Surangel for speaking with me as a student, youth, citizen and media representative.
- Thanks to Aunt Bola for introducing my mom and I to Leilani Reklai and iUrban Teen.
- I am grateful to Professor Leilani Stel for accepting me into the expedition and supporting me.
- Thank you Risong Tarkong for the welcome, for teaching me about Palau and for supporting me.
- Thanks to Aunt Hermana Ramarui and Uncle Peter, who taught me Palauan during my visit, drove me to meetings, supported my writing, and took care of me like a daughter.
- A tribute to Grandma Justina Lamaroui, a great example of family and womanly strength.
- Thank you to my family and all the friends I made in Palau who welcomed me like family.
- And everyone I met/interviewed for the article, including…
My Redlands classmates were Jomil Garcia, Director of Youth and Career Development Sylvester Alonz, Team Palau athlete Benina Berger, Mindszenty Principal Mr. Alan Mabu (Shuri Chibana and Bangikoi Association), Health Minister Gaafer Uherbelau, Omekulel a Biblia er a Belau Pastor Jon Clapp and Director of the Division of Juvenile Justice Sanya Olkeriil.
Spires has returned to Oregon for the rest of her summer and will be attending the University of Redlands in Southern California for her junior year. She is working as a Resident Assistant on campus and hopes to deepen the educational relationship between the University Expeditions and Palau with Professor Stelle. In addition to school, she is interning with iUrban Teen, a non-governmental organization that provides STEM+ programs to minority students in the United States, and hopes to revisit her connection with The Island Times during a future visit to Palau.
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