In 1960s Palau, life was raucous, laughable, and harrowing. I lived with a Palauan family in a decrepit old shack of plywood and cardboard which almost burned down. When my elusive heart throb finally led me to her room one night, I barely avoided coming under the knife. I could never have imagined I would find myself stranded one stormy night on a reef infested with sea snakes; or find myself positioned in the middle of a riot between locals and the US Coast Guard. But whether diving with...