July 31, 2011 Anticipating PACA (Participatory Analysis for Community Action)

Incidentally, I did present some of the lesson on Wednesday and it seemed to go well. This week we have a type of seminar with community members to assertain what we might do here that would further sustainable development. There is a whole process for doing this and it is fascinating and effective and fun. Our entire El Ed team presents and facilitates and I am looking forward to it.

July 31, 2011 Fresh coconut milk, hanging out at home.

Jersen on his cousin's tree,  getting us fresh coconuts. 

Here they are! We have had pitchers full of fresh coconut milk with ice and long shreds of coconut in it  this week. 

At the same farm they have the cleanest pig-pen I've ever seen/smelled.



Here we are back at home. My room is the front half of the second floor. You are looking at my window.  Street level enters into "Quincy's Upholstery and Tailoring Shop", run by Apple and Jersen. They do a lot of reupholstering motor-cycle and Jeep seat covers and then when basketball season starts, they will be up all night to get jersy orders done. They look just like store-bought.

Bedette (Bernadette) and Apple, holding Noah.

July 27, 2011 Peaceful sleep!

So last night's sleep was my first in a typhoon. I slept better because the rain drumming on the corrugated tin roof drowned out the sounds of the busy road.

July 26, 2011 Poor sleep.

Ants and an earthquake.
I didn't sleep well last night.

I went down to use the "comfort room" and my host father was up, watching out for us all. It lasted about a minute and if it had been any longer he would have called us all down and outside. Apparently it was 5.9 and was in the ocean.

July 26, 2011 Courtesy Calls.

In which we complete our courtesy calls.

Today we return to the Elementary School so we can be formally welcomed. This is the last of three days of “Courtesy Calls”. We have had audiences with the Governor, the Mayor, the regional head of Education, the Principals, Librarians, College Deans, etc. This must be done if we expect to be accepted and find collaboration. When we get our permanent assignments, we will all need to seek out all these community shakers and movers and set up our own Courtesy Calls.

I'm hoping today's ceremony  will be done early  because I have plans with my ate (big sister) to hop a Jeepney and go shopping.

PS Well that fun afternoon plan was unrealistic, as the Courtesy Call went quite late. It was actually pleasant. The principal and teachers had created a big back-drop of welcome for us and had a program prepared. Each teacher stood and introduced his/herself and said a brief statement about his/her class.

This is the first year of compulsory Kindergarten and there is great hope in that. Also, within two years the Philippines are slated to add eleventh and twelfth grades, putting them on a par with more other countries. It is an interesting time to be here and involved in education. The Filipino Government is committing precious resources to alleviate poor school conditions.  Teacher student ratio is often 60 or more students per teacher. The PC Trainees going into the High School said that there were 80 students per class. That is a single teacher, a single class.

July 23, 2011     Finally! It's Saturday! I'm telling you, we are working hard on the taxpayer dollars. I'm really glad, though, because it feels good to be very busy. I'm also having a blast working on this Tagalog. I have classes four hours in the AM and then go home for lunch, then return to class again. When I get home after classes, I usually just hang out with the family and talk, or the children sing or count with me. They are  greatly amused by my Tagalog.

July 24, 2011

Ate Lillian and I went to Olongopo yesterday. Sensory overload. The heat, the sights, the smells- fascinating and exhausting.  After the long, hot bus ride, I was adding to the heat, smells and sights.  For 2 hours we hunted through markets and stores for all I needed, like more soap and deodorant!  

On my list, just for a fun indulgence, was an ice cream cone. We didn't find any, so I resorted to …..McDonald's!  I've got to hand it to McDonald's, they had the same cleanliness and quality here as in the states. I had  toilet seat, toilet paper, soap and running water, all in the same bathroom break. Refreshing. Here, McDonald's offers spaghetti, maybe because spaghetti is served here for merienda when it is someones minor birthday.

Major party birthdays are 1 year, 7 years, 18 (girls) and 21 (boys). You only get presents and cake on a major bday and there will be a big fiesta, involving many animals butchered for the occasion and served to all the friends and extended family who will come. I am happy that I will be here for 2 1 year parties. They have already extended the invitation to my entire Peace Corps here in Colo.

  

July 25, 2011

This morning was our first time in the classroom with our Counterpart Teachers. My Counterpart is Grace Ellamil. I observed her and will have to evaluate, according to the training provided by PC US and PC Philippines. She and I were both nervous, but we are enjoying each other, too. She just earnestly wants to find methods to increase her students' English comprehension. We agreed that I will present a 5 minute Motivator on Wednesday.

This afternoon was Tagalog class and then PC Personal Safety Training. After the considerable hours of Medical and Safety Training we've been given, here's the moral of  the stories: Don't drink if you want to stay safe. We were given extended training on that the first day in LA and it has just been repeated and expanded upon since. They said that virtually all attacks have involved the Volunteers drinking and diminishing their ability to take care of themselves. Go figure.

July 24, 2011 Aaaaahh!!!

Our wonderful respite last Sunday. After a stressful and sweltering week, Ate's son-in-law, Jersen, shown here, front right, drove us to a "resort" his cousin owns. This area is where Jersen grew up and his relatives have farms along here. From left to right, Amy DeCola, Apple holding her son, Noah, me, Bernadette, Ate Lillian, a few cousins, Jersen (Apple's husband) and their little girl, Quincy. For a few dollars we rented the Cabana for the day, overlooking this farmland and with an equally beautiful breeze. It was a delight for all the senses. We were also introduced to "balut", which is a chick in the egg, just about ready to hatch, but hard boiled. A great delicacy which Apple made a great show of enjoying for our benefit but we declined. Ate Lillian doesn't eat them either! So there!
These next two photos are our view from the Cabana:

Water buffalo in the rice paddy. 

Aaaahhhh! The water is soft and just barely cool. 

July 23, 2011 In which I learn to do my laundry

Me, doing my laundry in the "Comfort Room", with the help of  busy little Quincy, my  Ate's grandaughter. 

Children are children the world over, and a ham's a ham anywhere!
Quincy, taking a bath in the "Comfort Room".  The toilet paper was purchased  just for me. They consider t.p. a dirty habit. You can see their point if you think about the difference between just wiping a diaper area with dry paper, or washing it each time.
Water runs twice a day for two hours each time. There is one spigot about one foot off the  floor, just high enough to clear the aluminum basin you see. From that we scoop water out and fill all the containers and one more in the left corner, which is a barrel. The scoop you see Quincy holding is used to take a bath. We all bathe at least once a day,  PC Medical Officers have informed us to take 2 or 3 when the weather is hot, as it was before the monsoons started. When we don't we live up to our reputations as sweaty, stinky Americans. Furthermore, clothes, especially tops, are never to be worn more than once. It is not only an odor issue, but a health issue, as fungus grows so readily here.