I Promise to Write More This Year...

2012. So far in 2012 I have spent three weeks with my bestfriend and boyfriend, discovered a great tasting burger in town that I actually crave all the time, started warming up water every day so I can take a warm bucket bath (how miraculous), finished my seventh month of Peace Corps, fell in love again, found paradise in paradise, ate sea urchin, and I feel more energized and excited about this coming year than I ever imagined.

Paradise in Paradise? When Joe was here we made the decision to go to the small island of Maniwaya off the coast of Santa Cruz, Marinduque. Catherine and I heard many positive and attention grabbing things about Maniwaya so… this trip became our first trip together. There were a few things I had to do to coordinate the trip – trip times, what to bring, find out what food is available on the island, but every detail fell into place rather perfectly.

                                                                                                                                            

When we got to the port, we were lucky because we made it just in time for the ordinary trip. The ordinary trip is cheaper than hiring a seaman to take you to the island on a special trip. After twenty minutes of staring at how mountainous and picturesque Marinduque is my eyes caught sight of Maniwaya. The island is only 5 hectors so from a far you can see the entire half of the island- the glowing white beaches and the vibrant green flora at the center.

When we got to the island we walked down the wooden ramp and onto the small manmade pier. Sir Constantino, the man who we were going to rent a cottage from told us to look for his niece, Sarah Jane. We started walking in the direction around the island that we thought was towards Sir Constantino’s cottage. As I was walking I could not decide where to look: up, down, straight ahead, towards the sea… everything was beautiful. The beach made me think of my Grandma Judy because there was a splendid assortment of shells- my Grandma was always showing me her shell collection when I was young. I hand selected a few delights that I will attempt to turn into jewelry… current and future project of mine. Back to the island…

The cottage we stayed at was on Wawie’s beach. As we were walking we noticed someone was following us, this someone turned out to be exactly who we were looking for. She showed us to the rooms, her friendly personality made the first impression of Wawie’s a great one. The adventure started right away- we suited up and hit the ocean for some snorkeling. There were thousands of sea urchins so luckily for me my ability to skull across the top of the water came in handy. Sea urchins do taste pretty good though! We learned that you have to search for the orange ones if you are planning to eat them because the orange ones are pregnant. When you eat them, you eat the eggs. Joe opened one up so we could have a taste! We washed the sea urchin down with some fresh coconut water! Nice afternoon delight.

A while late, Sarah Jane let us take her families small boat out for a little cruise off the coast. It was cool to see the coral, schools of fish, starfish and more from up above. The water was pristine. Snack time and beer drinking was to follow. For dinner Sarah and her mother cooked us fish and rice- best fish I’ve tasted so far! At night, we were invited to the neighbors for a birthday party. We spent the next hours watching the sunset, drinking coconut wine- maybe a little too much, having a dance competition, playing tag with the kids on the beach, and doing cartwheels in the sand. I slept like a baby that night.

In the morning we had to wake up early to catch the ordinary boat trip back home. We ate banana bread for breakfast, packed our things, and went for a stroll around the island before jumping into the boat. We had such a good time that we went back the following weekend too!

School Life.

This week is the first week of 4^th quarter. The school year here is from June-March. The end of this school year is approaching fast but I have lots planned for my students. There is always a theme for the quarter- 4^th quarter is essay. Some of my students struggle to write a paragraph in English, I have began to plan out a step by step process to help my students reach the quarter goal of writing a five paragraph essay- Wish us luck!

Last quarter we studied poetry, one of my projects for this was creating a poetry wall where I could display the student’s imagination at work. I am beginning a similar project now. Stacey sent me some classroom decoration supplies so I am eager to get some of it up on the walls. I am going to make a “Superstar Student” bulletin board. I will choose a variety of examples of exemplary work to pin up on the board with bright, shiny stars! Each month there will be a new batch of stars, the previous stars will become part of the Wall of Fame. Where they will forever be recognized for their hard work and talent!

I recently became an addict to Pinterest which is just another reason why I wish I had internet on a regular basis. Pinterest is a one of a kind network of useful and intriguing things! Sometimes I forget to “Pin” some things because my brain craves more too fast so I just keep clicking away at new ideas and photos that catch my attention. One of my favorites is a chalkboard wall titled “Things I want to do Before I Die.” After painting a wall with chalkboard paint (which I already found a recipe for) you permanently write the title and rows of lines where participants can write their personal hopes for the future. This is an activity that all of my students could enjoy over and over again. I think it will also be inspiring for students to read the dreams of their peers. This will be on my work plan for my summer projects.

February Goals:

1.      Create summer work plan

2.      Do 20 pushups every day

3.      Write more

4.      Watch my sister get married

5.      Make jewelry

6.      Learn how to make more Filipino foods

7.      *This on is a secret

8.      Plan a trip

I wrote this many weeks ago and forgot to post it...

Christmas vacation is well underway. Even though my activities are a bit, okay a lot, different than the normal adventures back in Wisconsin- this vacation is indubitably memorable!

I started my vacation by packing up my room at my host family’s house to prepare to move into my new house. I must say, packing it not as overwhelming when you only have two suitcases of belongings. Normally I dread moving day- it is always a hassle, it normally rains even though you pray that it doesn’t, and something is always lost or broken. This time, it was hassle free. Many of my new friends came to help. We ate first, of course, and then loaded up the tricycle with everything. My new home is only about a three minute tricycle ride away! What a breeze.

That night, after everyone left, there I was standing in my room inside a big yellow house. I thought to myself, “Wow, six months have come and gone so fast!” I feel lucky to have had such wonderful host families but it did feel good to finally be independent. That night for dinner I had milk and cookies.

Due to the fact that I am an independent woman again, shopping in the market, washing my own clothes, trying to cook Filipino delights, singing in the shower, and drinking coffee whenever I want have become part of my weekly routine. My host mother did offer to continue to wash my clothes but she has not been feeling good and I will admit it that I kind of wanted to have a go at it. I have been washing my own under garment since I have been here but I imagine that washing a pair of jeans is different from washing a pair of undies! Dontcha think? Washing jeans and other large garments is A LOT, I repeat, A LOT more difficult. Good thing my newly engaged best friend (** Yay, I am so happy for you!!!**) sent me some Reeses peanut butter cup trees because this was my reward for finishing.  There is a care taker who lives with me. Her name is Tita Angel. The owners of the house live in a different part of the Philippines so she takes care of their animals, fish pond, rice field, island, and I am sure other things that the family owns. I like it because it feels like I have a roommate. I have never lived alone before so there was anxiety among my emotions. Independency is fun. Washing clothes is difficult. I definitely drink too much coffee.

After a few days of buying odds and ends that I need to get by I had to prepare for my first visitors. Amy, Catherine, and Karen (other Peace Corps Volunteers) were coming to visit for the holiday. I must say that many of the Christmassy things that my family sent me crept into the festivities, a lot! Karen and Amy live a city in Batangas. There first reaction when Catherine and I picked them up at the fort was something like, “Wow, this is already very different than what we experience.” There are no malls, no restaurants, no stop lights, and few cars. There are plenty of gorgeous views and beaches. One thing the girls wanted to do was go to the beach so that was priority for the get together.

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.