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michael Baughan, o.d.

Hear a smple of Pisikoa on Audio as well as sounds of Samoa-just click arrow.

a Sample of Pisikoa - read by author
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Official Website of the Author, Including the book

pisikoa

South Pacific Diary '78-'80: Enduring Uncle Mikey

Books

IHere's the Pisikoa YouTube video:

BOOKS

SIENNA'S DREAM

HARMONY & RAGE

THE REAL STORY

IN THE PRESS

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Nonfiction account written by Dr. Mike Baughan from his actual diary, about his 2 interesting years as a Peace Corps Teacher on Savai'i Island in Samoa, South Pacific. Mike has been a practicing Optometrist  since 1985 after attending The Pennsylvania College of Optometry. His Samoan experience has led to 35 years of scuba diving  in many foreign oceans, mainly while volunteering free eye exams to people in remote villages. Married to his lovely wife, Sallie, they live in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

    In a true Piscean fashion, the author has lived in the Outer Banks of North Carolina (Duck) for 13 years, has a place in the quaint river town of Urbanna, Virginia, near  some great  college friends (check out 'The Blue Tango' on VRBO & AirBnb-sorry, shameless plug!), has built 2 wooden kyaks over the years, & tries to paddle them whenever & wherever possible, arthritis-permitting, of course! The auhor hopes that you thoroughly enjoy this work & thanks you for doing so. Fa'afetai (thanks)!

“

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PISIKOA may be purchased locally & Online in Elizabeth City at Page After Page ( http://www.pageafterpagebook.com/  )

Want to get that South Pacific feel while reading PISIKOA? Go Here:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW6o7jPhwHA

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New book available for kindle Pre-Order by the author August 1, 2020:

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"Unsuspecting in Cuba-1995"....true account during a clinic trip to cuba during the trade embargo, with gonzo-like twists & turns. foreword by jack hauler, O.D.

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While at a recent visit to Tidewater Virginia, Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet (W.Samoa RPCV too!) looks at her gifted copy of 'Pisikoa'! Hope she likes it!

News update-Pisikoa has been updated as of March 28, 2017 both on Kindle and PAPERBACK. 
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Now (2020) on Amazon Prime: James Michener’s Return To Paradise filmed on Upolu, Samoa 1953 starring Gary Cooper. This was/is Samoan village life on film in color! Best movie I can recommend to appreciate my Pisikoa experience.
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2020:Excellent recent article by my Peace Corps pal on his recent return visit to lovely New Zealand. Must read. Just had this published on Corona in New Zealand - (Stuck with the Kiwis) Paul Karrer 

 

https://voicesofmontereybay.org/2020/03/22/stuck-with-the-kiwis/

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All photos taken by the author, except 7 or 8 stock photos

Suggested Reading: "pacific"-Simon Winchester

www.hokulea.com/blog- Fascinating! Read this......based on the early navigation (and subsequent populating) between the Polynesian islands-truly Centuries Old School! No modern technology-only star, winds, waves, currents, birds & wisdom! AND....helped to get established by another Peace Corps Volunteer, Mike McCoy!

In The Press

BOOKS

BIO

Attended Hermitage High School in Richmond, Va. Undergrad B.S.in Biology at Hampden-Sydney College, (Va.) & Optometry Degree (O.D.) at The Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia. Career as an Optometrist, some 31 years now & passionately loves providing vision care to patients here in North Carolina & many places in the world. This is because the author has been fortunate to be a part of a team of other volunteer eye doctors of VOSH-NC (Volunteer Optometric Service to Humanity-NC). Scuba diving & hiking whenever possible along the way after volunteering the eye clinics. Locales have been Haiti, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, mainland Cuba (NOT Guantanamo, that trip alone could be worthy of another book!), & mostly Belize currently. Travel is the best school of learning, as people anywhere may be different, but we have way much more in common than in contrast. Actions will be always louder than words. Peace Corps has taught those lessons & for that, the author will be ever thankful. Married to Sallie Baughan, the love of my life. 2 dogs, 3 cockatiels. Avid swimmer, jazz fan, & photographer. In a Piscean fashion after this story, the author has lived in Duck, North Carolina (Outer Banks) for 13 years, where in 2006, he was the 'idea guy' (after attending numerous Monterey Jazz Festivals while visiting Foreward Author Paul Karrer), to establish the annual Duck Jazz Festival in Duck. Now owns a place in the quaint river town of Urbanna, Va., (The Blue Tango-on VRBO & AirBnb, check it out-sorry, shameless plug!) near great old friends, has built 2 wooden kayaks over the years, & tries to paddle them whenever & wherever possible, arthritis permitting, of course. Maybe even some gardening....although after events in this story, very cautiously! 

I SINCERELY HOPE YOU THOROUGHLY ENJOY 'PISIKOA' .

Thanks/Fa'afetai.

The Foreword author and the author doing what they do best in a hot air balloon in Sedona, Az. 2014

Lethers, Karrer, Baughan, & Gerry-Monterey Jazz Festival 2006

The author and wife in same hot air balloon, Sedona, Az. 2014

Bio

UPCOMING EVENTS

AVAILABLE NOW: AUDIOBOOK version of Pisikoa, as read by author! SEARCH AUDIBLE.COM

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New short story by the author coming soon in 2020: "Cuba Unsuspecting-  1995"

Pisikoa is mentioned on Summer Edition of The Hampden-Sydney Record: 

http://alumni.hsc.edu/Class-Notes/Class-Notes-1970s

H-SC | Class Notes 1970s | Hampden-Sydney College

alumni.hsc.edu

Class notes of 1970s class years from Alumni of Hampden-Sydney College

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Published June 26, 2016

Pikikoa

South Pacific Diary - '78-'80 Enduring Uncle Mikey

 

by Michael Baughan

 

Baughan used his diary entries from two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Western Samoa to write his book. His reflections of Polynesian Island Life and photos examine daily life as a teacher and temporary member of a native family. His outlook of the world changes as he examines the culture and exotic setting, with experiences like spearing poisonous fish at night, swimming with sea turtles in hand-carved outriggers and planting taro in tropical rains.

 

Here's a short excerpt from his book that is available at Page after Page on Water Street downtown and is published by Amazon subsidiary 'Create Space.'

 

Tuesday, April 24,1979...I had to paddle my paopao to keep up with these excellent seasoned divers who went under to spear many lobster and fish while the prey was in a state of sleep, most suspended in the middle of the dark ocean depths. Meanwhile the ocean swells of transparent waters with at least 80-foot visibility plus and 6 foot swells were wearing my scrawny ass out.

 

Baughan has worked at Eyecarecenter in Elizabeth City for 15 out of 31 years as an optometrist. He also treats patients from many parts of the world, including Haiti, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, mainland Cuba and Belize, as a volunteer eye doctor for Volunteer Optometric Service to Humanity-NC.

 

He has lived in Duck (Outer Banks) for 13 years, where in 2006, he was the 'idea guy' (after attending numerous Monterey Jazz Festivals while visiting Foreward Author Paul Karrer), to establish the annual Duck Jazz Festival in Duck.

 

He is scheduled for a book signing/meet the author on Friday Aug 5 & 6 at Page After Page.

 

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