September 19, 2011 Hold onto your hats, here's my welcome to the school!

Padre Imo Luna Memorial Elementary School (PILMES). That's where I was headed for my first day, but I had no idea how to get there, so Rachiel was coming to pick me up. I was waiting on the balcon for her when I heard a band. I leaned out over the gate and here comes Rachiel, leading the school marching band to greet me. My first exposure to pupils or faculty.

Welcome, Filipino Style.

Entering PILMES Campus.

Over 2200 pupils

Folk Music Group

Principal Ma'am Amy, Ma'am Ali, Barangay Capitan Disto- delightful man, and  Counselor...someone... whose name I really ought to know.

Rachiel told the crowd I could sing a Tagalog folksong so here I am, to the children's accompaniment.You should have heard the delighted response of everyone!  What fun!

The choir sang two songs, first, "Yahweh, I Know You Are Near", which is such a moving song, and then they sang a beautiful and touching song called, "Welcome to the Family" and that was the end of my composure. 

Teachers in their Regulation Monday School Uniform.
There's a different uniform for each day of the week and it is strictly observed.

Spanish-Era Folk dance

Caribbean Dance Troupe

Dancing with the pupils

 Dear little primary graders acting out plants and trees coming to life and traditional Filipino life on the land..

 

Rachiel and I

I will be teaching the 6th graders, so each of them gave me a rose and then took my hand and touched it to their forehead for the traditional greeting and blessing. This is the common, day to day greeting anywhere.The younger pupils then rushed forward for me to touch them. Take a very vulnerable emotional state, add an overwhelming outpouring of gratitude and affection and welcome and....you can imagine. That's OK. They knew I got what they meant to relay to me. All of you support this program, without which none of us would be here.  You all share in this gratitude.

Another Traditional-Dance Troupe who ended their dance, and the program, by escorting me to the school museum, one of their projects. The program had lasted 2 hours. 

Then, in the afternoon I made the courtesy call to the Mayor. Incidentally, the Mayor calls us the"Peace Corpse". My counterpart was mortified to hear him repeatedly saying this. She said she kept imagining zombies.

Finally, back home and relaxing with Ate Norma.

She donated some of the flowers. The rest she put at the altars here at home.

This is the upstairs altar. On the right is a full sized statue of a Saint, complete with cloth gown and a veil.