No time to write out the complete story... next week na lang!

Scouts Camping Trip. Sleeping outside is always more fun. Here are a few snapshots of the venture...

All ready to go!

Building the bamboo tent. This take quite a long time. Lots of teamwork, patience, a good plan, and excited people.

Day one! Ready to have fun. Two of my second year students who light up my life here. 

And then the rain came... the rain only brought more smiles, laughter, and fun. It was so great to see my students act like children. It is so important to just let loose and have a little fun every now and then. I told them stories about when I used to get all muddy as a child. Like when my sisters and I would play in the basement of all the new houses being built in our neighborhoods. 

The swimming pool in our front yard. The frisbee came out again for some throws in the wind.  I think all I want for Christmas this year are frisbees, seeds, maybe some squirt guns, and some kick boards. The more time I spend with my students the better. I am already focusing the majority of my energy, love, and passion on empowering my students to be the best they can be. 

With our principal. The one who inspires us all with her commitment, laughter, and positive attitude!

Cooking.

Jumping.

Playing.

Roasting. I introduced them to s'mores! I was able to buy all of the ingredients in the local market. The mallows were bright colors which added a nice burst of brightness to the snack. They were a huge hit and we are going to have another campfire roast at our upcoming school encampment. 

Goodnight beautiful people. The bamboo bed was rockin'. 

I brought a bag of goggles with me. The wore them the whole morning.

More about this experience next week! Always remember, find gratitude even in the small things in life.  

Milkshakes and Hills

End of August and Welcoming the –BER months:

End of August was a busy bunch of days. It began with a bittersweet gathering with lots of reminiscing, laughing, eating, and spending quality time with my favorite Peace Corps volunteers. We met in Manila because the lovely Phyllis was preparing to go back to the US. We began with wine, of course! After wine we went to TGIF to have some burgers and other cheesy delights. We sat there for hours but then we all suddenly started to feel like ice cubes. Guess it is safe to say that our bodies are not used to aircon anymore. I kept wishing I had a backpack filled with hats, scarves, and jackets… maybe I should rethink my decision to come home for Christmas… just jokin’! After dinner it was time for hugs and “see you laters.” Phyllis was a dedicated volunteer, one who inspired me (who still inspires me) with her positive outlook on life and a yearning to improve the quality of life of everyone who she meets. I will never forget listening to her talk about the comfortable reading room she created at the college where she was working. I am certain that students there will continue the dream that Phyllis began. Some successes may not be published for the world to see but that is the beauty that lies in the unseen. Her jokes are one of a kind, only ones that come from someone who should be the master of this universe. I miss you Phyllis, see you in HawaiiJ.

After Manila, I went to Lipa to meet my principal because it was time for Supervisors’ Conference. There were two volunteers, Katlin and I, who were chosen to go to the conference with our principals and help facilitate and share our experiences about working together with the new batch of volunteers who arrived in the Philippines in July. I think this is when it finally hit me that I have been here over a year already. Honestly, without the changing of seasons that I am used to in Wisconsin, the months tend to just blur together. Anyways… my principal and I were excited to share our story about how we make it work. For us, our success comes from simply lots of laughs and lots of conversations. The conference was four days and each day went really well. I was really proud of my supervisor, what an actress she is! She and I had to do a role play for one of the sessions, she was definitely the star. She also had to do a few more role plays later on with all of the new supervisors. Her personality lit up the room and really helped the supervisors understand the role they play in a volunteer’s journey.

In other news about the conference the hotel we stayed at was a great one. The food was great, the beds were great, and the hot water was so great. One night Katlin and I ordered room service- milkshakes were delivered to our room. I actually enjoyed my milkshake and took a bubble bath at the same time. The only thing our room did not have was carpet. Lately, I have actually been dreaming about rubbing my feet over carpet, or a huge fluffy rug. My Grandmother always had these fantastic feeling rugs in her bathroom. Growing up I always wondered why my grandmother’s bathroom was carpeted but now I am dreaming about it. Luckily, I only have to wait about 100 more days and then I can wear fuzzy socks and walk a thousand steps on carpet. Another perk about being at the hotel was that there was a small gym. I was able to run on a treadmill and see how fast I could run consecutive miles. Running around the streets of my town is great but I do not have a fancy gadget to clock my miles. I ran one night for 60 minutes. It helped boost my motivation and get me wound up to run the half marathon the following weekend. So, after sharing experiences and key ideas with new volunteers, deepening my relationship with my principal, eating way too much, having many one-on-one conversations with new volunteers that were each individually perfect, and taking a bubble bath, I will just say that it was a engaging four days.

After the conference Katlin and I decided to go back to Manila for two days. I had to stay in the area because it was silly for me to go back to Marinduque for one day and then leave again to run the half marathon. One day, we walked around the grocery store for a really long time. The whole time my mouth was watering as I was walking down the international isles wishing I had more money to spend. I almost bought this dry mix of yogurt cultures. It would be great to have yogurt back in my life but it was way too expensive. We did buy this chex mix muddy buddies mix. It tasted exactly like puppy chow! We also went to Mall of Asia, which is just way too over stimulating for me, but I needed to buy some gels for the race. I was really happy when I found the same brand I bought in the states; I did not really want to use a gel that I was unfamiliar with, who knows how my stomach would have reacted. There was also a new Forever21 at the mall. This is my favorite store in the states so I had to check it out! After walking in circles for awhile we finally found the store. At a glance, everything looked marvelous and very pleasing to my eyes. However, as I began to search for maybe one new shirt or pair of pants I quickly realized that style had changed since I have been gone. I was awed by the belly shirts, the bright neon colors hurt my eyes and I was not exactly sure how to put an outfit together with pants that go up to my boobs. Then, there were thousands of lovely patterned sports bra looking pieces of fabric, I think they are suppose to be paired with a very low cut v-neck shirt, or maybe worn solo with the high rise pants, I am still unsure. There was also a very large collection of shirts that had wings down the sides. After laughing with Katlin about how unfashionable we felt, I decided to just buy some new headbands.

Finally it was time to go to Laguna, where I would run the Milo Marathon. I had talked to some ladies in Manila about a good hotel to stay at in Laguna so even though I was traveling alone, I felt comfortable knowing I was going to a recommended hotel. I arrived on Saturday, the day before the race. I was excited to pick of my race shirt and just relax the day away, preparing my muscles for the challenge. I had two things on my mind the whole time- one was obviously if I could get myself across the finish line and two was thinking about my best friend. She was getting married the same weekend, the one who is normally by my side doing crazy things like running marathons. I normally do not feel alone but I really did that day. I wanted my best friend and my sister by my side. I also was not sure how I would feel racing without my dad, little brother, and boyfriend cheering me on. I really had to talk to myself and make myself believe that I could still do it without all of these very important things in the mix of the challenge.

On the morning of the race I woke up at 3am. The race started at 4:30. I prepared myself and then walked to the starting line. It is a whole new thing, (but I am getting used to it now) living my life as a minority. As I approached the starting line at the Milo Marathon I quickly realized that I was the only blond, the only white person, one of few women, but I seemed to blend right in to most onlookers… maybe because it was pitch black. I noticed I was different before others did. Maybe that it how it normally goes- the minority (in whatever way it may be) notices the differences first. I actually started stretching and warming up like the people around me just so I could blend into the group. I began reflecting about some pretty deep things and then at 4:30 on the dot we all started running. My heart was pounding faster than ever. I was a little nervous but I knew I could do it. It did not take long for me to find a running partner. After saying good morning and exchanging a few words, we decided to run together. It was more difficult for me to speak Tagalog when I was so focused on not running too fast too soon and talking to myself about how I better run the entire way. Luckily for me my running partner was an inspiring one because he was running barefoot. I just kept telling myself that if he can do it I can too. Like I expected, the sun came up as we ran over the half way time marker. I felt great as I ate a small banana, drank a little Gatorade, and slurped down my hammer gel. Aside from the fact that I really wanted my family to be around one of the corners, the hardest part for me was the hills. There were so many! My positive talk going up each hill was that I was using different muscles to get my body up that hill so it was giving some other muscles a rest. There were many beautiful things along the way- the scenery, the other runners, and the high fives with strangers! After the race, back at the hotel, I was also asked by a family to join them for lunch. I already felt really good and happy after running the race but having complete strangers take me in as a friend to enjoy a meal was the perfect ending.

Part of the intramurals meet. The track and fielders. They all run barefooted.

A project I did with some beautiful ladies at the Hope House. After all of the magazine coils are glued and in place, you pop the balloon and it is a small bowl for little treasures. 

My amazing principal at Supervisors' Conference. 

The education Resource PCVs. We all had a great time working together!

Milkshakes... 

& Puppy Chow... 

This is the only photo I have of the race. I am still smiling even after 21k of hills. 

Grammar project using modals. Occasion #32583920 where I felt totally impressed by one of my students.

Now, as September begins, I am busy planning a training that I will do next weekend with some of the education college students. I am also gearing up to join some of my students at the Girl Scouts encampment next week- should be a thrill! My Frisbee is still floating in the breeze as my students are always playing. Life is good. 

Sports and Socks and Snood

August 5^th- August 17^th:

Update about Sports Club: I am ecstatic that the enthusiasm in the beginning is still present. Sometimes, things seem way more excited when they are brand new and eventually that excitement decreases… not with sports club! The students who come have made a commitment. This is just another element to sports club that has surfaced- that sports club is more than just a fun, healthy Saturday activity. It is a way for my students to challenge themselves, make a commitment, learn how to make independent decisions, enjoy teenage life, learn about healthy living ( I am always adding in random conversations about different ways on how to improve quality of life).

When Joe was here I decided to bring my Frisbee for the first time. We only have two badminton nets so there are always students just watching, taking a rest so I thought might as well have a go and see I they like it! Joe and I started passing the Frisbee and after only a few seconds there were onlookers eager to join in. The Frisbee did not stop moving, when students would get tired, new ones would join. I have not introduced them to the rules of the game yet. We are still simply passing, getting the hang of how to control the Frisbee. Last weekend when I was going to be in Manila, the students asked me if I could leave my Frisbee with them. I did and apparently on Saturday even though it was down pouring they got together and played their version of ultimate Frisbee! We are going to try and include ultimate Frisbee in the upcoming sports festival day. I have printed out a simple copy of the rules of the game, size of the playing field, etc. This undertaking should be an exciting one! The greatest thing is that it was my student’s idea to include ultimate Frisbee in the special sports day.

For all my coffee lovers- I now have a French press! Not technically brewed coffee but the aroma of real coffee is in the air and the taste of real coffee greets my taste buds every morning again. Halleluiah! Huge thanks to Joseph for the second greatest birthday present ever, the first was him actually being here, of course! He brought me two bags of coffee grounds which I am still happily using. I found one small store in the town near me where I can buy coffee grounds for a decent price. A French press is also good because even if I have no electricity I can still wake up to a nice cup of joe.

The good thing about not being able to hop in my car and drive to Target or another store whenever I need something is that small things can create enormous amounts of happiness. For example, when I came here I did not bring a lufa with me. At home, I would get it all soapy every time I took a shower and every few weeks I would walk right into the store and buy a replacement. Here I just use my hands and occasionally a good old wash cloth… which definitely does not get as soapy as a lufa, right? I just got so used to this that I forgot all about taking a shower with a lufa or other type of exfoliating scrubber. Whenever I go to the mainland I stop into a store similar to Walgreens to buy my body lotions, body bar, and various other things that I cannot buy here in Marinduque. Last time I also threw in this exfoliating body washer. The first time I used in I was practically jumping all around with joy in the bathroom. It felt so good to feel so clean. Crazy that something so mundane in my life in America can be so amazing in my life here. Since where talking about things I could also like to talk about socks, hair ties, and pens. In American, I was constantly losing these things, like every single day but here, never. I use a hair tie until it loses all of its elastic powers, I use a pen until it has no ink, and I never lose my socks. Why? That is the question. Socks I can understand because I wash them, hang them, and then put them back in the drawer… the mysterious hands of a wash machine do not exist. But the pen and hair tie thing is just wild.

I had a high-on-life moment this week. I walked into class and my students had posted their work all over the back wall of our classroom. Previously, I had been the one to display work that they should be proud of, help them remember certain things that we have learned, etc. It was more powerful when they did it themselves because it shows that they are proud of what they were able to create. Every time a student walks up and stares at the work taped to the wall is just a rush of reassurance that covering the walls of a classroom with students work is a positive act for more than one reason. I hope that this continues. A collage of everything wonderful on the back wall of my classroom is like a vision come true. Before coming to the Philippines I did a lot of visualizing of what might be. I had a lot of practice teaching only in the form of what my sisters and I would do when we were little so my competence was a bit low in that area however I did know that I wanted my classroom to be home of friendship, learning, and showcasing student work. This situation was also a reminder that my students are always watching me. When I hang work up I always tape the edges so they are not torn on the windy days and I like to arrange them in some sort of pattern. My students did the same. Makes me think about how people will remember more of what you do then what you say. My students may not comprehend everything I say but they can see everything that I do. If I recycle my paper and clean and recycle my plastic, they do. If I smile and act like a clown, chances are they will to. When everything I have just said works together, great things can happen. Great things are happening- visible and invisible.

When I was visiting my best friend Karen, I took a bunch of movies and TV shows from her hard drive. I have quite the collection going. I also got the game Snood. I used to play this when I was young. I was not quite as addicted to it as I was to roller coaster tycoon or Sims but I definitely enjoyed making smiley faces fly around to burst other smiley faces. I am not really good at playing it anymore. I still have to figure out my strategies about bouncing them off walls and arranging them in certain ways to burst more than one at a time but it is an enjoyable way to past time. I actually have not really had a lot of free time on my hands the past year but occasionally I force myself to take a ME day. If you know me well you know how hard it is for me to be lazy the entire day. Lately, when I tell myself I am going to sleep in I sleep until 7am. I think the only time I am really good at doing nothing is when I am hung over. Due to the fact that I do not drink much here this is also a rare occurrence. Anyways, I am happy to have new movies, shows, and games so that when I do find time to rest my mind and my body I have a large mixture of entertainment to choose from.

“After the verb to love… to help is the most beautiful verb in the world.”

Part of the chalkboard in my classroom is used for my daily writings. At the top I write, “Attractive Monday, or Stupendous Tuesday.” Each day I use a new adjective as my way to enhance my student’s adjective collection. Under it I write a quote, tongue twister, riddle, new grammar awareness message, etc. One of my students has also taken up the job to design a new boarder for my space. He is always coming up with something artsy and fun!

We Are All In Control Of Our Own Happiness.

Whenever Joseph is here I get off schedule which is totally okay with me. However, this means my weekly blog writing has not happened whatsoever. So, here is a quick picture blog...  

We are better together. I love that we can start walking around an island and just enjoy whatever comes our way. I love that we can be super sarcastic with one another. Everything we do involves laughter. We are both crazy in our own way. Joe has been telling me that I am starting to act more like he does, I think that means I am dancing more which is probably true. We love to play battleship and card games, I always win. When he was here, we were uncertain as to what would happen each day, we just went with the flow, but everyday was fantastic in its own little way. Thank you for changing my life for the better, Joe! Mahal Kita.

Joe and I started walking down a rickety old path on the island. Little did we know that we would end up on an adventure with a group of kids. They led us to this beautiful beach on the other side of the island. We walked for about four hours.

Our best friend in my town. 

Batch 270s! We had a dinner outing in Manila to celebrate finishing one year as a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Congratulations everyone! We all have so much to be proud of. Cheers to one more year of amazing experiences, laughs, friendships, events, bad and good times, challenges, successes, and more!

This is what I walked into on my birthday. It brought tears to my eyes. 

We danced, sang, laughed, and sweat through the entire birthday celebration!

I can't believe the relationships that have been created with my second year students. We are like a big family.  I am not sure how I am going to be able to leave these kids. During the birthday celebration some of them read and said simple things about how I have helped them, taught them, laughed with them, cared for them, etc. I was asked to speak and told them all that they have changed my life too! 

Each second year section that I teach bought me a cake. They were all joking with me that I was turning 100.  

Quarter was was coming to an end so we had a storytelling festival!  In group, my students chose a narrative, wrote their own dialogue, and then practiced storytelling. Each group had a different story so it was really fun for everyone to hear the final stories. Before the storytelling took place in class I did a silly dance with them to help shake out all the nerves (they were EXTRA nervous because Joe was there). We did the Banana dance... like... GOOOO bananas, peel banana peel peel banana, slice banana slice slice banana, and so on. 

I have a bunch of pictures from the special day but this is on of my favorite! Smiles galore after their presentation.  I was really proud of their storytelling abilities. One of my favorite things is to watch my students in their feeling proud moments.

July 1- July 16:

Randomness at its finest- thoughts and happenings of the past few weeks, here we go.

I will begin with the brightest of the bunch- my new running shoes. I ordered a new pair of nike shoes and had them shipped to my parents house. They sent them to my friend Karen who was home in the states to visit her family. When I ordered them the color selection I chose was heather gray and coral. However, when I walked into Karen’s apartment this past weekend I had no problem SEEING my shoes sitting on the table. They were practically glowing. My friend Edmund even joked about them glowing in the dark. I guess coral is now neon pink. I was not particularly looking for another thing to make me stand out when I run the pavement of my community, but hey, guess that is what life gave me. And actually, to my surprise… most onlookers did not even notice my new shoes when I ran the past two days. Guess my hair and eyes are brighter than the neon pink swoosh sign. I felt like I was running faster though! Even in the states, buying a new work out item gave me a nice boost of motivation, and the same thing happened here.

Now, let’s move to my classroom. The final output for first quarter (yes, believe it or not 1^st quarter is almost over!) is an interactive story. Each group has a different story and we are going to have a Storytelling Festival next week. The other day I posted a short story titled, “The Flock of Birds.” It is just a simple, easy to understand story that I used in my lesson with them about how to use gestures, facial expressions, voice change, and tone to better effectively tell a story so that it is more interesting for the audience to listen to. After my demo and practicing in pairs I asked for volunteers to come to the front and have a go. My students tend to get REALLY nervous when they are front and center so I was trying to help ease their nerves before the big storytelling festival. At first, not one single hand went up. No one wanted to volunteer. Then I decided to say, “Chique and Christel, come on up!!! Thank you for volunteering.” I clapped and the class cheered. After they fabulously read the story, we all gave positive feedback. For the first couple pairs I initiated the encouragement and chose pairs who showed skill during the practice time. However, after a few pairs had gone… more and more students began raising their hands. Students who I can never hear when they speak in class were speaking louder than they ever did before. Students who appear to be the shy ones transformed into comedians in the y spotlight. Some students added gestures that were perfectly chosen. My eyes were looking at them all in amazement. These are the moments that I live for. The activity ended up taking a lot longer than I had anticipated because everyone volunteered… every single student!

Last weekend I went to Lipa City, Batangas. I had made plans with Karen to go visit her so that I could pick up my fancy running shoes. However, there was an added bonus to the already exciting weekend. Karen and a few other volunteers have devoted a lot of time to helping out an organization here in the Philippines, Visayan Forum. Visayan forum seeks to raise awareness about human trafficking and modern day slavery. There were events scheduled for July 13 and 14 that I was able to be a part of. The groups of people that I spent the weekend with were truly inspirational. When a group of people get together who share the same passion and advocacy commitment to a very important cause, it is awe-inspiring! This issue is so important here in the Philippines because it is common for Filipino people to seek out jobs overseas and opportunities in country to raise money for their families for various personal reasons. It is a heart dart to hear stories about young woman and other victims who thought they were beginning a new life journey that would help their family and themselves but abruptly learn that the opportunity was a lie. I can’t imagine the feeling of going from “this is a dream come true” to tears racing down their face praying for rescue. The events aimed to spread knowledge about how victims are sought out and convinced that the opportunity presented will benefit their life. Through presentations, dances, information, conversations, and mixing ideas, many young youth were reached and educated. They were taught not to be gullible and that if it is too good to be true then it is probably is not good at all. One important issue dealing with human trafficking as a social problem is that many people are not educated about the cause. For me, the greatest thing about being a part of this is that we were working to help prevent tearful situations from becoming reality. After going back to site, talk about what I did over the weekend has spurred many conversations about the rights of children, human trafficking, leaving the country, and this is just the start to what I plan to do to continue to raise awareness and help combat human trafficking.

On my way home from Lipa I got to watch the sunset on the boat. I normally do not take this trip so this rarely happens. I got up and walked to the edge of the boat with some of my friends so we could soak up the beauty. The perfect touch to the scene jumped in when about 20 dolphins came swimming along. They were all jumping out of the water, their silhouettes filling the night sky. One of those moments when you wish you had your camera but then again you do not. Sometimes I feel like I do not get the full enjoyment of something if I am because taking photos. It was nice to just watch and take pleasure in the once in a life time moment. I have seen dolphins three times now while riding to and from Marinduque BUT this time was definitely my favorite.

How have I been staying cool without a/c- my first tip is to drink too much water. I feel like I do not stop drinking water. This helps me to combat feeling dehydrated. For about two months now it has been hot, hot, even at night. What I do is use my malong (it is similar to a large thin scarf) to dry off after my bath. It becomes wet but not too wet. I then use it as a blanket for when I sleep. When the electric fan blows over me it feels refreshingly cool because of the wet blanket. I also use a lot of baby powder. My body has definitely adapted to the heat. Whenever I am in aircon (on a bus or in a mall) I am freezing cold and my skin always becomes really dry afterwards. I think the aircon also messes with my sinuses. Never fun. Let me just say I am looking forward to rain

I am starting to feel motion sickness because I am typing this on a bus. I will save the other random happenings for next time. For now, I am going to enjoy every second that Joseph is here!

"To work in the world lovingly means that we are defining what we will be for, rather than reacting to what we are against."  - Christina Baldwin

June 17th – 30th:

And, just like that… June has come and gone. My only wish right now is that the success and greatness that filled the days of June continue. I will begin my blog post with a comical little story for you. For me, it was not so comical at the time but now it is just hysterical. I actually do not really know if I should put this on the internet but well, it’s funny. So, when Joseph was here in January we met Tim and his wife (I would write her name but I will admit that I can’t remember it right now). Tim is an American and his wife is a Filipina. The come to Marinduque every now and then to visit friends and family. They just arrived in Marinduque last week. Before they came, Tim contacted Joe to see if there was anything he could bring me. Joe, the fabulous being that he is said, “Bring her cheese!”

I was riding in a jeep here in the island and randomly saw Tim walking down the road. I shouted the signal for a jeep to stop and hopped off to greet him. He may have been just as surprised as I was! He invited me to his house to visit and meet his daughters, and of course to pick up my cheese. After spending time with them, I came home. I was practically running down the street going home, I was completely overjoyed to have cheese in my hands. This was real sharp cheddar cheese. I ate grilled cheese, tomato, and avocado sandwiches for the entire week. Actually, I am still eating them. Okay, so why is this so funny? I was at school yesterday and my stomach started to hurt. Then it started to rumble. The pain and uncomfortable feeling seemed to get worse by the second. Luckily, the day was almost over. I rode my bike home, really slowly and wanting to cry the entire time. I could barely walk when I got home; I had to hunch over and take baby steps. When I got to my room I put down my things, and simply stood still as a statue, waiting to see what my body would do. Then, I f*rted, the loudest and hugest f*rt of my life! It literally blew me away. I guess that is what I get for having zero self control eating my delectable block of cheese.

Speaking of self control, I also have none when it comes to eating the Reeses that everyone sent me. I have always liked sweet things; I thank my mother for this. Everyone knows my mother has a secret stash of M&M’s or some sort of chocolate delight in her closet or desk drawer. I would sometimes walk in to her office in the morning there she was, with a handful, munching away. When I was in America, I would have something sweet every now and then, like a culver’s hot fudge sundae or a Mcflurry with the kids I nanny for. I had control over my cravings. However, now… the control is imaginary. The lady who lives with me is always commenting on how I eat really healthy but I also enjoy sweets. I love the fact that I can understand when people are talking about me, finally!

Okay, enough talk about food. I will move on to Sports Club. The second meeting was just as fabulous as the first. Some students expressed a desire to have a jogging club. So, jogging club is also part of sports club. I brought my friend from the community to club last week. He is 72 years old but in great shape. He talked to the participants about how important exercise is now and throughout a lifetime. Everyone was really listening to every word that he said. He made an impact on them. Some of my students wrote in their diaries, “Mam Gina brought a friend to sports club. He was 72 but he looked 42!” Then, they would do on to say, “I am going to exercise more so I can be healthy.” Every week I lead a warm-up and cool-down session. This coming Saturday some of the students are going to lead the warm-up. They wanted to Dance the Dougie as the warm up activity. I doubt this song is still popular in the states but it is a huge hit here right now! This should be a lot of fun! They are planning to incorporate some of the stretches I have taught them into the dance… I am anxiously waiting to see what happens when they blend dancing with stretching.

This week I will be busy completing my report form for Peace Corps about everything I did the past three months. I am also going to write a letter to the Mayor of our town. The activity sports club is putting together for July is a 5K Fun Run/Walk. We will run from our school to the center of town! I am going to ask the mayor to donate snack and drink for after the event. To say thank you to the Mayor I am going to propose that we will hold a roadside clean up on the 5k path through town. This clean up will beautify the town and also help us with our plastic recycling goals at school. We are hoping the Mayor will run with us, too!

The comfort food that creates discomfort. What is my body going to do when I go home? Now, all of the veggies, fruits, rice, eggs, fish come from my neighbors.

Sports Club!

Ha.

Play together. Have fun together. Grow together. Life healthy together.

Ha again.

Recycling and Exercising... two of my favorite things!

June 1^st- 16^th: (The Beginning of the School Year and Much More!)

As I approach the one year mark of being here in the Philippines, I have been thinking about everything that my mind, body, and soul have been through this past year. I can hardly believe that this time last year I was dancing away at my Cousin Megan’s wedding and frantically trying to prepare myself for the adventure of a lifetime. I remember not being able to sleep at night because I was worrying about saying goodbye to the people that mean them most to me, and of course about whether or not I was packing the “right” things. Honestly, I don’t think I have the right words yet to explain all the changes that have happened to me. After jumping into the biggest cultural plunge of my life, I have experienced many things that I only hope more people would get the opportunity to experience. This life we live in is full of greatness, but sometimes learning about this greatness requires changes and challenges and those these are both scary. The greatest feelings I have right now are about how lucky I am to have a family, boyfriend, and friends who support and love me and that everything around me that used to appear odd, difficult to manage, out of the ordinary, and create challenges are the same things that I now love, appreciate, and embrace! There is beauty in everything.

My school year is off to an extraordinary start! Ah, I could literally jump for joy all around town! My new students already impress me on a daily basis and I am enjoying getting to know their different talents, hobbies, and more. One of my students is afraid of old doors. One of them asked Gemma (reminder- she is the one who I teach with) if I pee… yes, pee. One of them has a hidden talent in using recycled beads to make placemats. Gemma and I were also able to talk to the principal of our school and express our desire to have an English classroom. Last year, the teachers rotated. She really enjoyed listening to our ideas and thoughts about implementing the change. This year, the students are rotating every class period. We have been busy setting up the English Room! Pretty cool. I remember when my sisters and I would play school. Making worksheets was so much fun. I also would bet on it that somewhere in my notebooks in elementary school I wrote about how I dreamed of having my own classroom one day.

The SSG (Student Supreme Government) is really active at my school so I am working with them on two projects already this school year. The first one is Sports Club. We have our first get together tomorrow! We are going to meet every Saturday to play, learn about living a healthy lifestyle, and make new friends, jog, stretch, and wherever the wind blows us. We are going to focus on a different sport each quarter of the year- badminton, volleyball, basketball, and swimming! We are planning fundraising events like Senior vs. Junior basketball game, Race for Health 5K (Where the students would spread the word about healthy living) just to name a few. Our school has also become a recycling machine. We are cleaning and drying all plastic that is used to make bottle bricks. Bottle bricks are made by stuffing loads of non biodegradable waste into 1.5 liter soda bottles. We will use these bottles to make benches and tables around the school. We are also collecting used paper to sell.

I have always thrived when my life is busy. I am thriving now! Avocados must be in season too because I am seeing them all over the market. This makes me bloom even more.

To add about sports club- the first meeting this morning was just perfect! So many students showed up from all year levels, dressed comfortably with water bottle in hand! Indeed there were lots of laughs, sweating, and having a great time. It was so fantastic to see the smiles on their faces. I am certain that this club is going to evolve into something great. I even had a group of girls ask me today if they could start a walking/jogging girls club... of course I did not hesitate in answering... ABSOLUTELY! I am just bursting with excitement.

I had a day off from school the other day for Independence Day (June 12th). I went to the beach, obviously. This was the only cloud in the sky and it is in the shape of a heart. Pretty spectacular considering I am loving every second of my life these days!

Go Turtles! A little artistic addition to making working with elements of short stories fun. This is one story map taking from the module we developed. My counterpart uses the module almost everyday, it makes me so happy.

Step one of the bottle brick project. Washing and drying all of the plastic waste at our school. We have separate bins for collection and students are assigned to clean it two days a week. Good thing the sun is hot! Woo wOO.

The rocky campus actually helps too because we use them to hold down the plastic so it does not blow all over the place. Recycling is fun!

Day One of Sports Club! Hooray! The mixture of students, the excitement level, the laughs... everything was just perfect!