Once again, it is "April Fool's Day" in Micronesia, and once again, nobody Micronesian knows about the protocol for this day - except for my wife, who faithfully tricks me each year.  She planned her joke all weekend, and I fell for it.  One would think that 30 years of April Foolin' would put me on guard.  That wouldn't be any fun!
Yesterday was Cultural Day in the FSM, a national holiday.  Few people outside the government observe the holiday, except that in Chuuk we love track and field.  Cultural Day, 2014, was observed with a large track meet at Anderson Field.  Last year, it fell on a Sunday, so the holiday was observed on the following Monday.
That coincided with the first day at my new job as Legislative Counsel.  My first day was a holiday!  That was a great way to start a new job.  Now, one year later, I would love to have another day off.  I recall that the early part of my stay in Micronesia held several holidays, so maybe they are on the way.
The Chuukese don't put much effort into holidays, except for New Year's Eve and the following several days.  At that time, you can hear drum beats reverberate around the island, as young men gather up metal barrels, sheet metal panels, and anything else that will make a loud noise when struck, and they start beating in rhythm.  It begins on December 30 - practice time for novice drummers - and the drums become loud on December 31.
Most Americans put their effort into celebrating on New Year's Eve, then rest up for a day of eating in front of a television while watching football.  Chuukese put effort into the Eve thing, then continue banging the drums for all the next day and up until sunset on the 2nd of January.  The sound is impressive, but the stamina of the drummers is unprecedented.  It is difficult to imagine anyone being able to stay awake, let alone banging on a drum, for that long.
You may have heard stories that the Chuukese are lazy.  Don't believe it.  Anybody that can bang a drum for two days non-stop is not lazy.
On the other hand, the Chuukese may not see some American priorities as being important.  We try to be at work on time, work all day and even into the night if need be, and we don't miss work for personal reasons as a rule.  The Chuukese arrive at work when they get there, usually in the morning, and they work until they finish what was on their agenda -- unless there is some family matter that requires their attention.  It is a different focus.  There is no "right" way (i.e., the American Way) or wrong way about this; it is a cultural value.
Does business require that all workers arrive at 7:30 AM, take a 55 minute lunch beginning at 12:03, and stay (watching the clock) until 5:00?  Some believe so.  Your boss may be among those believers, so if you want to keep your job, do as you are told.  If you are in Chuuk, find out who your boss is, and where your boss went to school.  Managers appreciate it when their workers are at work on time.  But the question remains: does business require prompt attendance from its workers?
A more accurate question might be: what kind of business are you involved in?  Tourism-based businesses are never "off".  Some industries, like banking, are expected to be open for business at regular times.  Some businesses are flexible.  Most Chuukese businesses accept the culture and have no strict times for business.
However, some Chuukese people gravitate toward the U.S. model.  They prefer to have certain times for work, with no overtime hours.  That explains why so many Chuukese migrate to the U.S. and never return to the FSM.
For Americans who just can't seem to fit into the business system and its timelines, they might be more satisfied with a job in Micronesia.  Time for business is whenever you want it to be.  However, the compensation in the FSM is much lower than in the U.S.  After taxes, it all seems to have the same result: you have just enough to get by.