I Could Not Believe My Eyes

I will never forget the past two days. It all started with a text from the post master here saying that I have a package at the office. Immediately, I thought to myself, “Hmm, who could it be from?” I was very curious so I was feeling more eager for my classes to be over for the day than ever before so I could travel to town and pick it up. After a couple hours, which felt like days, were finally over… there was another obstacle that was preventing me from getting a ride to town- Rain. This rain was not just your ordinary drizzle on a cloudy day, it was very heavy rain, coupled with high winds, thunder and lightning…Ah! Heavy rains create flooding and because the travel choices I have are not water proof it is impossible for me to travel to town with such horrible weather conditions. I still had hope though, so I patiently sat, doodling in my notebook like a high school student, waiting for the rain to stop. It finally stopped so I gathered my things and hopped over many puddles to the road to wait for a tricycle. No tricycles were driving. Time was ticking by, it started to rain again and before I knew it it was already 4pm and the post office was closed. So, soaking wet, I just walked home. I was envisioning myself walking down the street with a question mark over my head that is how curious I was. That night it rained more than it ever had before since I have been here. The rice fields that surround my house looked like lakes.

                                                                                                                                

The sun came up the next day. My school day surprisingly went by very quickly and nothing was preventing me from traveling to town. As I was standing at the counter, giving my signature, I was squinting as I tried to read the small printing on the USPC box on the counter. No luck. Where had my patience gone? Ha. Anyways, FINALLY… I knew who it was from, my cousin Becky! J I have become a fan of surprises and this was definitely a good surprise. The package was too big to fit in my bag and I had to go to the internet while I was in town. First thing I did was go on facebook and send my cousin a message that I received her package and could not wait to rummage through the contents inside. My eye caught sight of the word COFFEE on the customs slip so I had a huge smile on my face. By the time I was done sending the e-mail I had to send, I realized my cheeks hurt from smiling. I can almost feel the same excitement rushing through my body as I type this. I finally arrived home, set the package on my desk, ripped the tape off and opened the box. Christmas exploded from the box! Snowmen, candy, presents galore, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. It did not take long before I realized that the package was not only from my cousin Becky, it was from my entire family… as tears of happiness streamed down my cheeks, I slowly unwrapped every item, trying to savor every last moment and rush of unfamiliar emotions. I am not sure if there is an emotion to explain how I felt but it was extraordinary.

I wish I could hug each and every one of you! The first time I opened the book, I flipped through the pages wondering why there were names written on the bottom. When I figured out why, I wanted to listen to it over and over again. I can’t thank you enough for being the wonderful family that you are. I will never forget that hour of my life. I did not want it to end. Merry Christmas to you all! Xoxoxoxoxox

Also, on Monday there is a Christmas party at my school and my students and I are doing a dance to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer... the package could not have been more perfect.

We went out for lunch for Renen's Birthday. Renan is my counterparts husband. I spend a lot of time with this beautiful family!



This was on foundation day at my school. They were celebrating the 14th anniversary! The day began with a parade around the barangay. These are my 2nd year students. Each year level had a different theme to dress up to.



This was also during foundation day. The special day was complete with the Search for Ms.Foundation Beauty Contest! Parade + Beauty Contest + Lots of dancing and food... it was a great day!

Happy Holidays!

First, I hope you did a lot of gobbling this Thanksgiving! I definitely ate a lot this Thanksgiving Day, it was not the delicious Thanksgiving traditions I am used to but I ate so much that I was already tired around five pm… I experienced the “thanksgiving feeling” my body gets on this holiday every year! I also took time to think about everything I am thankful for in my life. Due to the fact that I am living abroad, a lot of my thanks were about how lucky I am to have amazing family and friends who support me and cheer me on in life. Nothing beats having a life filled with great, loving people! To my mom, sisters, aunts, and cousins… the ladies of the family, I hope you found lots of sparkly, bizarre, perfect, corny, items at Steins! The Christmas spirit is just beginning, enjoy every moment. For me, it just does not feel like the holiday season. I can hear Christmas music and see Christmas lights and decorations. However, the smell of baking Christmas cookies and the feeling of togetherness with family and the cold wintery breeze are missing. I may have to travel home for Christmas next year! To avoid getting too emotional, my holiday talk is going to end here. I hope you all had a memorable Thanksgiving and I hope this Christmas season brings lots of joy and twinkle into your life, embrace every moment- “Life is not about how many breaths you take, it is about how many moments take your breath away!”

I wrote a text to my friend this week that, and I quote said “I am freezing today!” December and January are the coolest months here in the Philippines. My community has been telling me that Christmas is in the air. The funny thing is that it is probably still 80 degrees, but when you exchange high humidity level and sunshine with rain and fast winds… I guess that creates my new definition of freezing. Stay warm folks!

Every day with my students and teachers at school is different and exciting. I have built good relationships with the teachers and students, many students in my classes are not even shy when I am teaching anymore. I have implemented a new strategy in my classrooms, randomly calling on students to share their answers, this sounds simple but it has changed the flow of my lessons and the atmosphere and attitude of my students. More and more students are constantly raising their hand, not just the top students with high levels of confidence. They are slowly taking more risks and giving it their best shot. Seeing their face when I tell them, “Great answer, thanks for sharing!” makes me smile and helps me truly understand the idea that if you create a welcoming and cooperative environment for students to learn in, great things can happen. My role in team teaching with my counterpart is to assist in making the lesson plans easier for the students to understand and implement techniques and activities that engage students and pave the way towards better comprehension and imaginative thinking. I never know what will happen each day I walk onto campus, but I do know that I am devoted.

Aside from team teaching at the school I am hoping to have an English and Environmental Club. Right now, I am brainstorming ideas, gathering resources, writing notes, and talking to people about the best way to turn these ideas of mine into action. The school year here ends in March. Summer is April and May. I am hoping to start next school year which gives me plenty of time to generate everything I need. Hopefully I will have exciting news for you in the future about these two clubs. I envision camping trips, murals, and lots of other activities that will allow students to learn together, work together, and have fun together.

Teaching keeps me plenty busy but there are other exciting things happening too. Some day next month I will move into my own place. I have been visiting houses for renting in the neighboring Barangys. I believe I found a great place for me to settle. It is a small house with green paint on the walls in a pleasant neighborhood. When I was looking at the different rooms, I got to the bathroom and found myself saying, “Whoa!” at the sight of a toilet seat. The house has to be approved by Peace Corps for safety and security reasons so it is not officially the house I will soon be living in but I have my fingers crossed. The house is in a town that is about a 5 minute tricycle ride from my school. This means that every morning and afternoon I will have to crouch and bend my body like a snake as I maneuver my tall self into the tricycle. I am convinced this is not a attractive sight so hopefully no one is watching me when I get into tricycles, wait… people are always looking at me. I have been wondering now more than ever before how many pictures of me exist in the world that I do not know about. The tricycle ride is actually nice thought because of the breeze and scenic views all around. I also have a plan to purchase a bike. I think I may travel to the bigger island near Marinduque to buy a bicycle next weekend. This trip to Lucena will also include eating Pizza Hut and drinking a coke float from Jollibee, two things I consider a treat, a little Christmas present to myself. Ironic that a person who is not a fan of eating as fast food restaurants is looking forward to eating at fast food restaurants. I am really craving a huge slice of pizza and a ice cream float. When I get cravings here they are even more intense compared to when I would get cravings back home. In the states, if I am craving pickles or cocowheats or any wacky food desire I can just walk to my car, jump in, turn the key, and off I go to the grocery. Here, it takes a lot longer and a lot more planner to satisfy my craving. Alright, enough about cravings and food that I want to eat. The food here is delicious though; I have only tried one thing where I found myself saying, “I am never going to eat that again.” No, not balut! I have also made plans for some of my students to come to my house on Saturdays when I move out to cook with me. They are going to teach me how to cook Filipino dishes! I am getting hungry now.

I am a fan of saving the best for last, from the best bite of food to the best news! I am sure some of you already know but just in case you did not, Joseph is coming to visit me!!!! I will pick him up in Manila on January 4^th. I already have butterflies in my stomach. Due to the fact that it is impossible to write and express everything I want to because my fingers would get tired and some things just need to be seen, I am really looking forward to showing someone my life here.                                                                                                           

Happy Holidays!

A Peppermint Mocha Has Never Tasted So Good!

The past couple weeks have been very eventful. My school has semester break for a week which left me with plenty of time to gallivant around town and partake in various activities.

It all began at the Hot Springs in Buenavista. I went with all of the teachers at my school. We loaded up the jeepney early in the morning with plenty of food and people. All in all it was a very relaxing day. I ate way too much food, enjoyed a glass of wine poolside with all of the teachers, my shoulders got sun burnt, and had many good conversations with everyone! I am still getting used to having to go swimming with shorts on but it does create a really nice tan line.

The following day I was asked to attend the Baptism of the boy who lives next door to me. His mother asked me if I would be his Ninang or Godmother. I officially have a God son now! His name is Alfredo After the baptism we went back to their house because Alfredo was also celebrating his 8^th birthday that day. It was a big day for him and his smile was huge the entire day it was really neat! It is common here for have a birthday party for the persons 1^st birthday, and then their 7^th or 8^th. This means that the birthday parties are always pretty extravagant! I love attending parties because there are always so many little kids so it makes for an exciting day of playing games and laughing. There are always some children who are terrified of me at first BUT after a few hours and many long stares, they suddenly become comfortable and then just talk, talk, talk, talk!

The next morning, I went for a nice long jog, showered and then my host nanay told me that we were going to the beach! This was a pleasant surprise for me. Ulam beach is near my house and it is just beautiful to go to and relax. The sunsets are always incredible too! We ended up spending the entire day there. I spent many hours just floating in the ocean waves, thinking about life and really just enjoying the alone time, even if it was in the middle of the ocean. I even started to get used to the salty taste every time the waves splashed me in the face.

The adventures didn’t stop there! Then it was time for me to pack up my travel bag for an excited trip to Manila for the 50^th Anniversary Celebration of Peace Corps. The party itself was really entertaining, there were many different activities. I personally enjoyed all the traditional dances from the different regions of the Philippines; the costumes are always so vibrant! I also got to use the little artistic ability that I have to do some face painting for the children. The flash mob was a success; all of my practice was definitely worth it! Catherine and I practiced the routine on the boat trip to Manila which was a pretty hilarious site I’m sure! We went inside the boat where there were only two people sleeping. Word traveled quickly that there were two American girls doing a funny dance on the boat and it was not long before we had an audience of people to cheer us on! While in Manila I also ate pizza and Mexican, drank starbucks, danced the night away with many other volunteers, took really long hot showers, enjoyed sitting down to use the restroom and just completely enjoyed myself and the company of other volunteers who I definitely miss seeing!

Right now, I am on the bus back to Marinduque. I am hoping that November is equally as exciting as October! I am going to be busy preparing myself to move into my own house and planning activities for when Joseph comes to see me in January. More updates coming soon. Stay warm everyone J xoxo.

Just a Few Snapshots!

 This is Aaron Williams, the Director of Peace Corps. He was in the Philippines for the 50th Anniversary Celebration.

This is at Ulam Beach, near my house! My host mother is the lady to my right (in jeans and a light pink shirt). My host sister is the one at the back in the light blue shirt. They are amazing and have made my first couple months in Marinduque simply perfect.

I Never Stop Smiling, I Never Stop Learning

Hello Again! Quickly after opening my word document where I type blog posts previous to posting, I realized that it has been quite a long time since I have updated all you lovely people on my life here in the Philippines.

A lot has happened in the last month!

Here are some of the highlights:

One of the first weekends here I spent in Buena Vista. Shea Johnson, a Peace Corps Volunteer invited Catherine and I to be speakers at her Journalism Conference at her school. She has been here for two years already and extended another year, exciting for me because hopefully I will have more opportunities to work together with her! My topic was Photojournalism. I honestly believe that I learned just as much as the students I taught learned, always nice when that happens! The conference was all weekend and each volunteer worked hard to prepare an interactive, engaging lesson plan to help the students fulfill their commitment to their best content area. Competition is popular.

I was chosen to be a judge for the Mrs. Agham and Robotics competition at my school (I have photos of all the participants on facebook). Mrs. Agham means Mrs. Science. I was so impressed by my students work that I had to focus on keeping my mouth closed because my jaw kept dropping! From dancing, to choreography, to uniqueness, and beyond, each group and individual really did shine in this competition. It was difficult to be a judge. I think the next program is the search for Mrs. Math so I am anxiously waiting this day!

All schools celebrated World Teacher’s Day October 5^th. The day started off early and full of excitement. Everyone gathered in Mogpog, when I say everyone I mean every teacher from the cluster of schools in the municipality of Mogpog. I am not exactly sure how many schools there are. The festivities began at 9am with street dancing. This is very similar to a parade back home. There were colorful costumes, props, the elementary students were the stars on the instrumental music, and lots of onlookers to watch the teachers dance around town! After the street dance, there was a short presentation and then a lunch buffet. There was a break after lunch. I actually came home and took a nap. Dancing around in the heat made me sleepy and my lips got sun burnt! Later that night we went back for a formal dance. My energy level was low which was unfortunate because I would have loved to dance the night away; however, my runny nose and cough sent me home early to rest.

On a more personal note, I started my jogging. Two students even joined me this morning! I am not prepared to commit to a strict running schedule like I was back in the states, but my first stride has been taken on the streets of Capayang. I am going to Manila in a few weeks and hope to find a ½ marathon or 10k that I can sign up for to help motivate me. Jogging or doing some sort of physical activity each day helps me in so many ways- more energy and better sleep just to name a few. I watch the sunset occasionally on my afternoon run, the view changed from the waves of Lake Michigan to an endless site of mountains and the ocean shoreline at the distance. I am constantly talking to new people during my run which is an added bonus to the activity. The more people I can talk to and meet the easier it will be to implement projects that may come my way in the future. I also am hoping to get some students interested in running/walking to I can incorporate this life skill into a youth camp in some way shape or form. These are all just magical thoughts in my head right now but hopefully they turn into reality in the future.

Another personal tidbit of information… are you ready for this??? I found Reeses AND Yogurt in Boac. Boac in the largest municipality, I only have to ride on a jeepney for about 15 minutes to get there. I was super excited to find these two amazing delights. I actually have been taking calcium pills every day because I do not really have any calcium in my diet. My current host family does not have a fridge so I would not be able to keep products cool. I did find chocolate soy milk too which will come back into my life once I buy myself a fridge.

I went to Santa Cruz last weekend to visit Catherine. It was a great weekend and one of the highlights was our halo halo date with a couple that we met randomly in town. They were from Marinduque but they lived in Canada. They were home for the holiday season. They showed us this adorable little café/bakery that is hidden from the street. We talked all afternoon. On my way home the person I sat next to worked for the mayor. His name is Ruel and I am happy I casually met him because he was very interested in my mission as a Peace Corps Volunteer and was willing and able to help in any way possible. I told him some of my ideas and he expressed his excitement to work as a team. I am eager to see how this develops in the near future. Networking and meeting new people are going to be an essential piece in my work to complete projects with the community. The more people I can talk to the better! J

Upcoming Fun:

Peace Corps 50^th Anniversary Celebration- This will be in Manila on November 4^th. I am currently busy practicing the dance steps for the Flash Mob.

Teacher’s Day Out- October 28^th We are having a teachers day at the hot springs in Buena Vista!

I have a new found gratitude for the meaning of happiness. Happiness is one of those emotions that I used to think would come and go; however, now I know that I am in control of my own happiness. Why? I had some time a short while ago so I began thinking about things that make me happy- long warm hot showers, my morning run, having my favorite foods in my pantry at all times, keeping in touch with friends, using facebook, having a toilet seat, being able to throw my clothes in the washer and dryer… the list continues. My point is that my current journey has allowed me to adapt, creating a life without many of these things that made me happy and I am still happy, perhaps even happier. I am in control of my own happiness. If I can give myself a boost with some positive self talk when I can’t go for a run due to the typhoon or extreme heat, I can still supply myself with a source of energy. I guess I really understand the quote, "The best things in life aren't things."

Alright Folks, Thats all for now! Phew. I really feel like I could write a book. Maybe this will be one of my future goals!

I love and miss you all so much. I hope this finds you smiling, and if you weren't, then I hope I was able to make you smile!

-Beaners

This Island is Beautiful!

**I am just going to write each night and then post a massive blog message whenever I find internet signal!! J

Hello from Marinduque!!, my new home away from home! Tonight, I find myself very sleepy as I try to kill all the bugs in my surroundings before I go to sleep. Thanks to my Ate Elsa from my host family is Bataan I can kill mosquitoes and other small bugs rather quickly and effectively with my bug killer aka the tennis racket looking object that allows me to sleep comfortably. On a happier note, this island is absolutely gorgeous. When my eyes first saw the island, my current thoughts vanished and I found myself envisioning my future. I was beyond tired after a long week at counterparts’ conference, hungry because I missed maryenda and lunch… but, it was so neat that at that moment all my worries jumped off the boat. To make this scenario even better, when I peaked my head out off the side of the boat I was in awe by the number of Filipinos who came to fetch me from the port. Only two familiar faces stuck out in the crowd but I am certain that I will get to know everyone else rather quickly!

My first night and my first day at Mogpog Comprehensive High School… was, well, more difficult than I thought it was going to be. Luckily, my cell phone gets good reception and I have made amazing friends here that as I have learned over the past three months can talk me through anything that comes my way. I won’t go into detail why I momentarily freaked out but I will say that all the smiling faces of my students coupled with the chats between my friends helped me through the experience.

The school I will be working at is surrounded by mountains that I can’t wait to climb. When I walked up the rocky hill to 528 faces staring at me, I quickly realized that I was about to begin an experience that I will never forget. The students were shy to talk to me at first but that I got asked a lot of questions… some of the most common ones- “Do you wear contacts?” “Does everyone in America have blonde hair?” “Do you have a boyfriend?” “Can you sing?” followed by “Can you dance?”

September 20^th, 2011:

Today I felt like a princess, a day like today would have been a dream comes true if I was still 10 years old. At the school, they held the traditional Marinduque ceremony- Putong. The other volunteer who came to the island with me was also invited. First, The DepEd teachers, the teachers at my school and many others sang songs for us. Then, they came up and put a crown with flowers laced all around on our heads while simultaneously handing us a bouquet of flowers- white and purple orchards. Next, some teachers had baskets filled with flowers and pesos that they threw high up into the air. When it first pesos hit the ground I was not exactly sure what had happened, but the screams from the crowd as everyone hurried around the room helped me to quickly realize that the loud sound was in fact money. To end the ceremony (hard to believe there was more, right?!) we were asked my Filipino men to join hands in a dance. This was most likely very comical for everyone who was observing because I am not a dancing lady. Anyways, the program was just perfect and like I said before it really was magical, and I guess it taught me that dreams can come true, you just never know when!

Grace Ann, a student of mine also sang a song before the traditional ceremony. She sang Hero by Mariah Carey. I had an “Aha” moment during this performance because I realized that the people surrounding me were going to help me through any challenges that may come into my life these next two years. As I became teary eyed and struggled to fit the urge to sob in front of everyone, I closed my eyes and put a big smile on my face. It wasn’t a pretend smile either, it was the real thing. As she looked at me I gained confidence that this is exactly where I am suppose to be.

The excitement did not stop there! After eating, we loaded up the van for a trip around the island. Gemma (my co-teacher) and I decided to join Catherine and her friend Ashley on a little trip around the island! Ashley is a film maker from the states who came for just a short time and has been filming all the exciting things us Volunteers get to experience. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with Catherine and that is how the two of them got in contact about working together to make a documentary about the journey of volunteers around the world. And, lucky for me I am friends with Catherine and live on the same island as she does so I may be famous one day after all! I would have been content just driving around the island. I am telling you this place is beautiful. The forests are not evergreen trees like back home; they are made up of palm trees and banana trees galore! We stopped at a historical church in Santa Cruz, another Barangay on the island, and climbed up the steep stairs to the bell tower. The view was just right My eyes could not decide what was more beautiful- the nature elements or the rainbow colored houses that together were picture perfect.

I did not expect so many great things to come into my life when I was taking my bucket shower this morning; however, I am so thankful they did! It is not yet 8pm but I am definitely ready for a good snooze!

September 21^st, 2011:

This morning my new host mother, Nanay Linda tried bread with peanut butter spread and bananas! This combination is one of my favorites. You folks probably will not be as excited about this as I was but, she loved it! Almost every single day I hear the words, “Just try it!” so it felt really nice to be the one saying it and even better that the food was liked. She told all the teachers at school about it and now they want to try it. So now, the present I gave my host family has transformed into a little taste of America for everyone.

The rest of my morning was occupied by another Putong celebration in Barangay Matalaba, where Catherine lives and works. No need to repeat the awesomeness of this kind of celebration. I guess you will have to come visit me to get the whole effect, just saying!

After we returned to school I learned two things. One, Filipino students really put their hearts into creating some of the role plays and acts that they are required to do. Role plays are very popular in the lesson plans. The fact that they can act is just the beginning of how impressed I was. The students, by themselves, find time to get together after school, work together to create necessary props, practice ( a lot! ), add their own musical creations, and beyond to these performances. I think back to my school days and all of this was done inside the classroom, with the teachers help, and still some complained about not having enough time to prepare. Now, some might say that this is not always true and that is probably true, so this is just my personal opinion. Hey, I do need to add a little bit of my personal opinions into this blog sometimes, right?! AND two, that playing games with my students really is one of the best ways to help them practice English. I saw a bit of this in action when I was visiting Stacey in Spain and now it has come into my life. Some students asked me to talk to them during their free period so I said, of course! The chat turned into game hour and it was just a blast! Some of the other classes were jealous so now I have devoted my free hour, from 3:30- 4:30 to game hour and I am going to switch classes so that there is no unfairness happening.

Alright... These are just some of the random thoughts that I write down before I go to bed. I do not always have internet here so I hope this will work for now!

Love to you all!

Time Flys When You Are Having Fun!

Wow, it is hard to believe that I have been in the Philippines for over two months already. Today I started packing, again, and I found myself thinking a lot about how lucky I am to be where I am. An update about what is happening these next couple weeks- I am leaving Naparing this coming Sunday. I will go to Cavite for a week long conference and then Swearing-In is on September 16th! Come that day, I can officially call myself a Peace Corps Volunteer. I just got goosebumps. Then, I will board the ferry and head over to Mogpog, Marinduque and it will remain a mystery until the day I go what will happen once I land on the island.

This past Sunday, my host family took six volunteers to Puntabelle which is a resort nestled up high in the mountains. This day was unforgettable for so many reasons! Just in case you have not heard, I ate Balut! All the ladies ate it together, it was really neat and it was even cooler to hear all the Filipinos tell us that we are now officially Filipinas! I had to prepare myself for that for about two weeks, chewing up feathers is not really my thing, well... until now. It was actually not that bad. Just to go off on a tangent I keep wanted to write things in Tagalog! Ha. I guess this is a good sign considering I have my Tagalog interview in a couple days- wish me luck! I feel so lucky to have been blessed with an amazing language teacher during training. Back to the trip- we basically spent the whole day eating, swimming, and pondering/chatting about life while sitting on gigantic rocks in the fast flowing river. I even woke up Monday morning with a sunburn which was nice because I always seem to wake up Labor Day Monday with a sun burn! Felt a slice of home that morning.!

A few nights ago I came home to my family singing Christmas music and all the decorations were up! For a Christmas fanatic like me, this was amazing to come home too! Here in the Philippines, Christmas is celebrated in all of the -BER months, so Merry Christmas!

The weather here was cooled off a bit which is nice, gives my body a bit of a break from sweating 24 hours a day! On the days when the sun is shining during the day it tends to get cool and rainy around dark, which is perfect to catching a good nights sleep! Also the sun is good because without it clothes never dry and then they just get moldy and smelly and it is just a hassle.

 @PuntaBelle, Swimming the Day Away! It rained for 8 days straight before this day but the sun came out for us!

 Eating Balut!! The setting was perfect. All the Filipinos made a circle around us to cheer and encourage us!

Nice view, hey?!

Alright, I must go make myself a cup of coffee and study Tagalog! Hope this finds everyone happy, healthy, and smiley! xoxo

Piyesta!

Yesterday my friend Mike invited me to go to a birthday party with him and his host family. The only thing on my agenda was to make my lesson plan (which could definitly be postponed) and play solitaire with my Lola... so, I happily agreed to go to the party. At first, I thought it was just like any other party here in the Phillipines, all you do is eat, eat, eat. A photo of the enormous bowl of pasta is attached and that is just the marienda for the party, also known as the snack. I should also tell you that anytime you do not eat rice here in the Phillipines, it is just a snack. I have learned this the hard way because I would eat an entire bowl of pasta thinking it was my dinner and then be told a couple hours later that is it time to eat dinner. As I sit there, still full from pasta, I thought constantly about how I should never make that mistake again :). Anyways, so at the party we were just eating and chatting like normal. Then, the videoke machine came out which is also very common. Filipinos love to sing so this is traditional entertainment at any kind of party. The loud music and beautiful voices made every child in the barangay come out of their house. I quickly noticed that the children were more focused Mike and I than the music. One moment, I turned around to about 20 beautiful smiling faces and felt terrified because I was not sure what to do! After smiling for about 2 minutes, which held there attention while I picked my brain for ideas...we danced, sang, raced around the block, played slap and took pictures. As I was getting tired it was clear that the children could play for days. This was such an amazing experience for me. The children were so happy just playing silly games that I could come up with. Bending knees and raising your hands in the air never looked so awesome! When it was time to go, we were all walking down the street to fetch a bus back home and when we turned around... the children were following us, all 30+ of them just smiling away.

So Much to Say, so Little Time!

I honestly do not know where to begin. I am sitting here, drinking my coffee, wondering how in the heck to write about everything that has happened these past couple weeks. My free time is getting shorter and shorter, that is definite!

I think you would all be happy to know that the roosters no longer wake me up at all hours of the night and I am so thankful that my ears cooperated with my surroundings and now just tune those beautiful sounds out, it is a magically feeling that I used to think was never possible.

This past week all of the volunteers met together at Island Cove in Cavite for Supervisors Conference. We were all very exciting because at the conference we were going to find out where our permanent sites would be!!! HUGE NEWS!!! If I have not told you already, I will be heading to Mogpog, Marinduque. It is a small, heart shaped island. During conversation with my supervisor aka the principal at the school I will be working in I found out that there are many beaches, hot springs, caves, and mass amounts of peanut butter on the island. Naturally, I was ecstatic about every single thing she mentioned. Marinduque is also the island of brown outs, which did not excite me but I am sure I will manage just fine! Please feel free to research this current foreign island to me and pass on any valuable information. My supervisor is fantastic. She is also new to the school so her and I are looking forward to being the new team at the school- Mogpog National High School. She talked to me a lot of how she wants to implement new programs to increase interest in sports and healthy living. I am really excited to hear more about this and tackle this job because well, a healthy active life is a life I like to live and I will definitely need to find or create some running buddies :). Dreams now but I hope they will become a reality in the future.

My host family has already started talking about Christmas. They are going to put up the decorations in September before I leave so that I can see them. They have also invited me to come back to Naparing for Christmas!!! So, if I can manage to tricycle, boat, bus, jeepney my way back here for my favorite holiday, I will.

Yesterday, I went to Subic Bay with Karen, Amy, and Christy. It was nice to escape to a new place. Being the wanderer that I am I have felt a bit claustrophobic. BUT, as soon as my toes hit the water I felt free and content and it was a much needed feeling and day trip. Subic Bay is a historical site because it was the old U.S. Naval Base. Walking around town is sort of feels like a ghost town. There are a lot of deserted hotels and restaurants that were not able to stay in business without all the tourism, soldiers, etc. that used to use the port in Subic Bay.

The rain finally stopped which basically means nothing aside from the fact that I am constantly sweating again. I think it is going to start raining again soon though, or so I have heard.

Alright, I have to go brush my teeth and get ready to be productive on this bright Sunday. I do have like 1,000 more things to write to I am hoping to get to this later today plus add some more pictures if you are having trouble picturing my mumbled words.

Love to All!!

Isn't it Lovely?

Maganda ang Bahay!

Pagod Ako!

Life here in the Philippines has been wonderfully hectic, forgive me for the delay in updates! Where to start, Hm... the people. My host family is quite perfect I must say. I live with three people: lola sion (grandma sion) ate Elsa (sister) and my sisters son, Joshua. The neighbors are also relatives and the family has been living in Naparing for a long time, I'm not exactly sure how long, but they know a lot of people. Each day we chat or in Filipino tems, we chika-chika. Chika- Chika is funny because the community is so linked together so news travels fast. For example, everyone here knows I like coffee, everyone knew our companion Richard was lost looking for the internet cafe, everyone knows Catherine is 21 and the youngest volunteer. It is actually very comical to hear the updates about myself and other volunteers.

I am labeled as the lucky one because the house I stay in is absolutely beautiful. I have a room upstairs which is kind of like the attic. Aside from my dislike of the mosquito net and the mosquitoes that will forever like me the room environment is perfect. I will never forget the roosters who live outside my window- they will forever, well for the next two months, keep me up at weird hours of the night and be my 3am alarm clock- aka the primary reason why I drink a lot of coffee! Last night I was attacked by biting ants. This was definitely not my favorite moment but I survived and learned that you can buy a chalk like stick of white poison to put around your bed and windows to help keep those pesty little buggas away from otherwise comfy and relaxing places.

Earthquake! Eeeek. There was an earthquake last night, rather frightening being my first experience. In all honesty, when my bed started shaking I thought a) there is a monster under my bed or b) i am dreaming because of the malaria medicine we HAVE to take. As I lay, deciding what the heck was happening I suddenly heard the tip toeing of my family members and realized I wasn't the only one who was laying in a shaking bed. The good news is everything is A-okay!!

My community is small but I like it. One day walking to class I got splashed with mud because a bus went flying by and hit a puddle. I learned my lesson the hard way to not walk so close to the street. Also, the highway (sion calls it, the cutest) is very dangerous and she finally lets me cross the street all alone.

Language training is moving along pretty smoothly. One the days where we have only language class, for about 8 hours, my brain truly aches. My host family continues to laugh at me whenever I practice my target language, each new word I say they are extremely excited and have to repeat it and tell many others of my new words. On Thursdays we have medical training. I am not looking forward to it this Thursday because last week left me pondering about all the horrible diseases/rashes/bites I could encounter. Now, when I see a mosquito bite I get nervous because I am convinced that it may not just be a mosquito bite... very complicated emotions for an indecisive person.

To end on a happy note- Tomorrow is my birthday and my first day in the classroom at Paluymo High School!! Hooray.

Write more soon! xoxo.

Kumusta? Mabuti!

Hello Again! So, currently in the Philippines it is rainy season, take note that this still means it is very hot and humid still. BUT, today the sun was shining and that was pretty awesome. As many of us know, when there are too many rainy days in a row, we all start to need a little taste of sunshine.

This past week we had water safety training at Villa Excellance, Tanza, Cavite. We all boarded the bus bright and early and took about an hour right to the site. It was good to finally see what the Philippines is like outside of this nook in the woods. When we got there we all split into three groups because there were three different fisher men who were taking us out to sea and making us jump in. With life vests on, we headed to the coast. I was put into the group with the smaller of the boats. This was not a worry to me until we put too many people in and didn't make it over the waves, causing our boat to fill with water and nearly sink. PHEW, that was a close call. The fisherman has to pump the water out, reminding me of the time my friends and I forgot to plug my dads boat up north and we had to empty the water ouf with buckets. My group decided to be patient and wait for the larger boat. Next try, my fellow trainees and I successfully jumped in, circled up and locked arms (which helps you stay warm!) and then climbed back into the boat. After getting used to the obnoxious itch on the back of my neck from the life vests, and failing to make it past the waves the first time, I finally did pass water safety training so no worries people.

My first trip to the mall was rather eventful too. To get to the mall, I had to take a Jeepney. Jeepneys are everywhere. It is similar to taxis in the U.S., but you can't call to have one come pick you up, you simply have to wait until one drives by. I didn't do much at the mall but buy essentials such as tooth paste nd toilet paper. I did find tim tams at the mall which was the highlight. Tim tams were my favorite cookie when I lived in Australia. I guess these will have to do since I don't have a stash of reeses peanut butter cups yet.

Right now in training, we are finishing up with lesson plans. Tomorrow (Fri) and saturday, we are doing demo teaching and then Sunday morning we depart for our training site, which is when I will meet my first host family and finally get to go to an actual school!

XOXO.

                                       

Meet Peace Corps Volunteers- Phillipines, Batch 270

This is all of us at our initial orientation site in Cavite, Philippines.

I like rice.

This first week has flown by. In reality, I have only been gone for one week; however, it feels like it has been months. From the friendships I have made to the amount of knowledge that has been thrown to me, I can say without a doubt that this week has been amazing. I really feel like our time here as a group will help me transition into life living with a host family in a more rural spot in the Philippines, one where bucket showers become part of my daily schedule. I am very anxious to meet my host family. Through conversation, I have convinced myself that there is a good chance that there will be children in the family which makes me happy. As I tackle this whole learning a second language thing I am going to try to “act and learn like a child would” so I feel like if I have them close to me they can symbolism a constant reminder.

Just in case you were wondering… I am already craving cheese, reeses peanut butter cups, and French vanilla creamer. Weird? Well, that is questionable. There has been an endless supply of coffee and tea though which has been very satisfying.  Throughout the day we do a lot of sitting and eating. The eating is normal for me, the sitting not so much. I have really had to try hard to make my body feel comfortable, hence the mass amounts of tea and coffee I have been drinking, I guess this is my way of recognizing that a cup of tea helps me stay relaxed.

Coming soon: stories about water safety training, my first visit to the beach, and my first mall experience (I need new toothpaste). Get excited.

XOXO,

Beaner

Where in the world am I?

Magandang Hapon! (Good Afternoon). Wala... a little language learning opportunity for you. As most of you already know, I made it safely to the Philippines. The long, sleepless journey took about 20 hours total. After landing in Manila, we took a bus to our orientation site, which is in Cavite. This place is like a nook in the woods, a 54 acre wondrous forest. Everything is beautiful. The Filipinos say the climate here is "cool" but I still sweat at 6am and all day long. I have quickly learned that "to sweat" has a new meaning. Where I am now, I feel like I am 12 years old and back at 4-H camp. I will never forget 4-H camp and I already know I will never forget the time I have already and will continue to spend here. I stay with all my fellow Peace Corps Trainees here until July 17th. Then, we spilt. My cluster will be heading to Naparing, in Bataan, Philippines. Here we will learn, learn, and learn some more. (Lots more news to come regarding this, keep your eyes wide open!!) Also, on July 17th, I will meet my first host family, cool hey? I know a lot of this info is looking into the future a bit, but on countless occasions people had asked me where exactly I was going. I am so excited and happy with everything so far, words cannot explain these emotions. As I sit here typing, praying that the internet does not go out and I don't loose all this fancy writing, I find myself wanting more rice and delicious fruit. I wish I could pack up fruit for you all, I can't control myself in the fruit department on this side of the world. Here is a little input as to where in the world I will be for a little while. Stay tuned friends and family, I miss you all but am so happy I am where I am and that I can share this experience with all of you! xoxo.

PS: Pictures coming soon! With the slow internet connection, it takes more time than I have available to load 'em.

7 days Until Take Off

For the first time, I know what it feels like to have a dream come true. Becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer is not just an opportunity for me, it is my dream. I have spent the past three years continuously envisioning myself abroad, and soon everything I have thought about will become my new reality. I hope to learn, discover, meet many new people, challenge myself, try new things, create, take a chance and beyond. I am really looking forward to sharing my journey with all of you to the best of my ability. There are still a lot of "What ifs" in my mind pertaining to my newest adventure; however, if you're ready to go with me, jump in, this ride is sure to be nothing short of amazing.