January 10,2013 Journalism Academy, Lemery

PILMES had three student journalists who qualified. Their coaches are Mam Rachiel, Mam Arlene and Mam Ana. So, off to Lemery we went to take the journalists to attend the 10 day training. The district-wide training culminated in a competition and they all won! So the next step will be regional training in Nasabu, Batangas. Pupils stay overnight but teachers may choose to commute. The teachers will travel two hours each way for five days, working straight through the weekend. The fifth day is the awards ceremony. If one or more of our pupils wins we will all be going to a distant location and staying for the week-long national academy.

Genesis Montoya with Mam Rachiel

John Lloyd Talag with Mam Arlene

Dessa Aguila with Mam Ana

There is much that is tedious about this, mostly the "hurry up and wait" processes, but we manage to have fun. 

So dignified, so professional...

                         and then...   (Mam Isa on the far right, is new to our group, can you tell?)

This is my favorite of Mam Isa. So demure.

It's just a quick snooze between appliance repairs.

Mam Ana's daughter, Mayann, came with us.

My chariots await.

Here's a charmer, working the crowds for the jeepney drivers.

September 22, 2012 Babies are born!

Dario's first sight of the babies. Fathers are not allowed in the labor and delivery rooms. He waited in this hall for hours while Mam Rachiel underwent a CSection. 

Dario helping Rachiel through the first days of pain. The babies were cared for in the nursery and never brought to the parents. 

Just a few close friends and family.

Teachers of the PILMES, Grade 6 team; Mam Cristy, me, Mam  Rachiel,  Mam  Glorydee and Mam Maureen.

Alice Kathlyn 3.3# and Alleyna Kathryn 4# 

Bibeh (Mare) and Jawie are sisters and first cousins of Mam Rachiel.

Jawie, me and Dario's sister Patrine giving each other massages.

Putting baby powder on her back.  There are electric fans and a big window that opened for fresh air. No air conditioning. Cleaning and hygiene care is provided by the "kasamas" (person or persons that stay with the patient).

Pare and Mare getting their first look at the babies.

Miguel seeing his little sisters.

PILMES Sports Camp May 15-18, 2012

PCV Trevor Mooney and I worked together on a sports camp. It taught American Football and soccer and lasted for 4 whole days. Here is the pamphlet I made with a lot of help from Mam Arlene, a fellow teacher at PILMES.
 Two major goals of the camp were that girls as well as boys be involved and that no child had to pay any fee for anything. Both those goals were met. 

For most of these children, this was the first time they'd ever handled a football.  The pop bottle is marking a boundary, since the rain erased the yard-lines. Note the cow in the background. We had goats on our field, too. 

Trevor in the gray, a youth coach on the left, and look at those girls play!

This is after the closing ceremony of the camp. The governor paid for the t shirts with our logo on them.  They are holding the certificates, signed by Education officials from the local school all the way to the Head of the Division. This has an impact on their grades in school.  

I had a follow-up meeting with Governor Vilma Santos-Recto, in which I gave her a thank-you and  a copy of the picture above, of the athletes in their t-shirts. I also discussed my ongoing project of developing a type of library. We had a nice talk and she agreed to donate materials. 

April 12, 2012 Himamawo again, then plowing with water buffalo.

Halo-Halo on our way to Himamawo.  Halo-Halo means mix-mix , and is the name of this treat because  it is a spoonful of this and a spoonful of that (mostly fruits), shaved ice packed over that and sweetened milk poured over it all, then the recipient mixes it herself. This treat has become a tradition on our way to Himamawo. 

One of the many springs which trickle and run all over the banks around Himamawo. The water is clear and pure and we drank it straight from the ground.
Bamboo is a plant, not a tree, and is amazing for its multitude of uses, from when it is young and  it is eaten as a vegetable, all the way to its maturity when it can be used as you see above, split and serving as a conduit. 

My beloved, lovely Himamawo.

I'm  "Water Monster Who Torments Tubers"

Pare and Mare

Lunchtime! Our rice, wrapped in banana leaves which adds flavor and can serve as a plate.

Dario cutting bamboo to use as platform for the food and also as dishes.

Plate- boring. Food-delicious. Clockwise from rice: salted egg salad, pancit and pork adobo......

 

This is very different from driving a horse. For instance, you  pull when you want  to go forward.  I was very poor at it and the farmer, in the blue shirt, was probably very glad to get control again. But I fulfilled one of my preeminent goals while here, I got to drive! I really would like to ride one and also drive a cart. I'll be looking for some hapless farmer. It's not just Pennsylvania, Idaho and Minnesota farmers I'll have bothered before I'm through...

Rice.