Nowhere Slow: Eleven Years in Micronesia

by Jonathan Gourlay, The Bygone Bureau, Darryl Campbell (Editor)

The Bygone Bureau presents Nowhere Eleven Years in Micronesia, Jonathan Gourlay's memoir of cultural confusion, hilarity and tragedy, and a decade of soul-searching.In 1997, Jonathan Gourlay travels to the island of Pohnpei, in the western Pacific Ocean, to teach English at the College of Micronesia. He is a stranger in a strange land, unfamiliar with the language, the intricacies of Pohnpeian social life, and most of all, the mildly psychotropic drink sakau. But the society that he blunders into eventually becomes his adopted home for the next eleven years. Along the way, Gourlay endures plenty of minor embarrassments and one major his whirlwind marriage to a Pohnpeian woman comes apart and ends in tragedy, leaving him to pick up the pieces of his life and to raise his daughter alone. The Bygone Bureau (www.bygonebureau.com) is an online arts and culture magazine, winner of Best New Blog at the SXSW Interactive Web Awards in 2009.

Genres: Memoir, Travel, Nonfiction

84 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2013

Reviews

[Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

On Pohnpei there is no such crime as Grand Theft Auto. A car thief cannot form the intent to permanently deprive his or her victim of his or her vehicle, so Joy Riding is all that can be charged. The stolen/borrowed vehicle is usually driven around until it runs out of gas and then abandoned -- and eventually recovered by the owner, sometimes only a couple of miles away. On an island that size one can only drive in circles. On a island that size one can only drive slowly.

This is not a "real" review of Nowhere Slow -- just my musings on the memories it dredges up. This guy, Gourlay, went native and I did not. He has insights into the culture I had no access to -- he married there and had a child. He had in-laws; he participated in local feasts and funerals. Me, I pressed my nose to the glass of the aquarium -- even some things I could "see" I couldn't understand.

Nowhere Slow is delightful, funny, instructive, and the writing is damned good. I highly recommend, especially to those who been there but didn't do that.

[see a lengthier version of this on my GR author page]

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author lived in the Federated States of Micronesia for eleven years and wrote this book about his time there.
The first few chapters read like a blog, he writes about his arrival, his language lessons, his first friends, the bar he goes to and so on. I learnt a bit about the island he was living on, which was interesting, and quite a lot about Jonathan Gourlay's sex life, which was not. (He spends time drinking, learning four words for masturbation, discussing oral sex and being teased about an American girl who makes a lot of noise during sex, but get past all that bit and the book does improve. I suggest you skip those chapters.)
It is an odd book; around half way through he starts telling us about himself, his marriage, his feelings, his interactions with island life and culture in a way the earlier chapters don't. I learnt less about the island and more about the author, but it had become interesting. It is as though he wrote some preparatory vignettes before exposing himself in the personal story, and then included them in the book.
I can't say I recommended it, but there are not very many books set in Micronesia.

[Chris Bull · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent four years in Pohnpei, part of which when Jonathan Gourlay was there. I can vouch for the story.
I kept a fair distance between the sakau bars and myself. As soon as I arrived, I took to heart the words of wiser more experienced expats, i.e. don't go local and always keep close by funds to fly out off the island in case things go bad.
For most of the expats life in the Federated States of Micronesia was unexpected and only lasted a two year contract. Many escaped from a humdrum existence and went wild. Many were confused and remained so. Many worked and made a contribution.
You really are a stranger in a strange land

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I, too, lived on Pohnpei, and for the whole of the 1990's decade. I recognized much in this story. I wish there was more to this book, but it was lovely to read a version of my own experience. Would someone who had never lived there understand? I really cannot know. Hope to see more reviews.

[andrew y · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was special stuff that I liked a real real lot, gourlay plz call me I am sure you are reading this okay thanks.

[rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, slightly disjointed excising of demons from a strange life led on the other side of the world. Poignant at times, uncomfortable at times, overall pretty good. 3-1/2 stars

[Deborah Hebblewhite · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only kept reading this because I'm taking a trip to Micronesia

[Johan D'Haenen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik sluit dit werk af met gemengde gevoelens. Misschien had ik er wel veel meer van verwacht.
Enerzijds geeft de auteur wel een inkijk in die eigen cultuur en leefpatronen van de eilandbewoners, maar anderzijds blijft het allemaal nogal beperkt.
Ik ben mij ervan bewust dat dit geen antropologische studie is en ik begrijp dat de emoties die de schrijver ervaart rond zijn mislukte "huwelijk" hier de bovenhand krijgen, maar dat is niet precies wat de waarde van een gepubliceerd werk zal uitmaken.
Afgaande op dit werk stellen 11 jaar in Micronesië bitter weinig voor.

[Ladybug33 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book portraying life in Pohnpei from an expat point on view. It is a relatively short book and describes island life in great detail.

[Whitney Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring and pointless. I thought the stories didn't flow well.