nutrition month, and so every Friday, the students cook a dish for themselves. Here’s some kids in the schoolyard cooking. They have very little supervision, because they all know how to cook. The teachers mostly just sit back and watch and chat with each other. They use wood to make the fire, and so every Friday it smells like camping at school and it makes me want to go camping. I asked one of the teacher what the theme for August was, and he said ‘language’. I thought, great! I can put together language activities, and do projects with the kids! A perfect theme for me! Then he said, ‘Yes, the whole month, the students try to speak nothing but Tagalog.’ Sigh.
July 25, 2006
Yum
Every month has a theme, set forth by the National Department of Education, and every school in the country follows it. This month was health and
nutrition month, and so every Friday, the students cook a dish for themselves. Here’s some kids in the schoolyard cooking. They have very little supervision, because they all know how to cook. The teachers mostly just sit back and watch and chat with each other. They use wood to make the fire, and so every Friday it smells like camping at school and it makes me want to go camping. I asked one of the teacher what the theme for August was, and he said ‘language’. I thought, great! I can put together language activities, and do projects with the kids! A perfect theme for me! Then he said, ‘Yes, the whole month, the students try to speak nothing but Tagalog.’ Sigh.
nutrition month, and so every Friday, the students cook a dish for themselves. Here’s some kids in the schoolyard cooking. They have very little supervision, because they all know how to cook. The teachers mostly just sit back and watch and chat with each other. They use wood to make the fire, and so every Friday it smells like camping at school and it makes me want to go camping. I asked one of the teacher what the theme for August was, and he said ‘language’. I thought, great! I can put together language activities, and do projects with the kids! A perfect theme for me! Then he said, ‘Yes, the whole month, the students try to speak nothing but Tagalog.’ Sigh.
What do you see?
I got my first few picture books from my aunt and my mom. I started doing storytime with the younger grades right away. Brown Bear, Brown Bear is a big hit. The kids are very quick about participating in the story. They know all the animals except ‘Sheep’ so when we get to that page, only 2 or 3 kids are able to tell what the name of the animal is. I’m going to work up some lesson plans around the book to give to the teachers, so the kids will become pretty familiar with it. I’ve been trying to find story books to make available 
to the teachers, so I went to the public library and checked out 2 of the very few suitable books and let them circulate around the 1st grade. But they only let me check out books for 5 days, and only 3 at a time! And the public library has so few picture books available anyway. Still, it’s better than our library, which has no picture books, and when we get them, you will only be able to check out one book at a time, for one day at a time. That’s the decision the library committee agreed on.
to the teachers, so I went to the public library and checked out 2 of the very few suitable books and let them circulate around the 1st grade. But they only let me check out books for 5 days, and only 3 at a time! And the public library has so few picture books available anyway. Still, it’s better than our library, which has no picture books, and when we get them, you will only be able to check out one book at a time, for one day at a time. That’s the decision the library committee agreed on.
Shindig
Last Sunday was my host parent’s anniversary, so the whole family came over for a big lunch. 
As far as Filipino families go, theirs didn’t seem that big; Eley family get-togethers have more people at them. But there was tons of food! The only person in this picture that I really know is the girl at the end of the table, that’s my host sister, Rachel. If you’re interested in the food we’re eating, I’ll tell you what each thing is, starting at the top. You can hardly see it, but there’s a tray of ‘barbeque’, which is grilled pork on skewers. It tastes really good, but more than half of it is pure fat, so I have a really hard time eating it. Next are two chickens stuffed with lemongrass and seasonings. In the white bowl is the rice. On the tray is lumpya, fried lumpya on the left, fresh lumpya on the right. Lumpya are basically egg rolls. They’re pretty tasty. Then there’s a bowl of some variety of sud-an. Sud-an is the general term for the food that goes with the rice. I’m sure this dish has it’s own name, but I don’t know what it is. To the left is the spaghetti that is prepared for every special occasion here. I don’t know what the origin of special-occasion spaghetti is, but I’m willing to bet it has to do with American troops that used to be here. The Filipinos have adapted it though, so the sauce is much sweeter than the sauce we’re used to. I can eat it, but it’s not very good. Most of the other Peace Corps Volunteers can’t stand it.
As far as Filipino families go, theirs didn’t seem that big; Eley family get-togethers have more people at them. But there was tons of food! The only person in this picture that I really know is the girl at the end of the table, that’s my host sister, Rachel. If you’re interested in the food we’re eating, I’ll tell you what each thing is, starting at the top. You can hardly see it, but there’s a tray of ‘barbeque’, which is grilled pork on skewers. It tastes really good, but more than half of it is pure fat, so I have a really hard time eating it. Next are two chickens stuffed with lemongrass and seasonings. In the white bowl is the rice. On the tray is lumpya, fried lumpya on the left, fresh lumpya on the right. Lumpya are basically egg rolls. They’re pretty tasty. Then there’s a bowl of some variety of sud-an. Sud-an is the general term for the food that goes with the rice. I’m sure this dish has it’s own name, but I don’t know what it is. To the left is the spaghetti that is prepared for every special occasion here. I don’t know what the origin of special-occasion spaghetti is, but I’m willing to bet it has to do with American troops that used to be here. The Filipinos have adapted it though, so the sauce is much sweeter than the sauce we’re used to. I can eat it, but it’s not very good. Most of the other Peace Corps Volunteers can’t stand it.
July 20, 2006
Not just a cultural difference...
"Unlike the rain in America, the rain here will give you a head cold if it's gets on your head. That's why we always carry umbrellas, and the Amerians always roam around letting the rain get on their heads!"
This is one of the explanations I was recently given after being scolded for being in the (barely sprinkling!) rain without an umbrella.
This is one of the explanations I was recently given after being scolded for being in the (barely sprinkling!) rain without an umbrella.
July 19, 2006
library club and great quote
The library club is going okay. I thought I had a good counterpart for that, Mrs. Abong asked if she could help because she loves the library and would love to be part of the library club. Great! She decided we should have library club meetings on Fridays after school, and I couldn’t convince her to change the day. But she never comes to the meetings! Last week’s meeting I had to start on my own and conducted it by myself for about 20 minutes. It was fine, but probably would have gone smoother with someone there who speaks Ilonggo better than me. Well by the time my other counterpart showed up, everything was going great, and I had the kids split into three groups making posters of the rules to put up in the library. The teacher comes in and starts yelling at the kids (this is not unusual. The teachers yell a lot.) and tells
them that for next week’s meeting, they need to bring in labels for the shelves, and telling them to hurry up with the posters, etc. After she left, the kids asked me what they were supposed to bring to label the shelves, and of course I had no idea, and no intention of labeling shelves yet. So I told them not to worry about it.Also, this quote is posted on the wall of one the classrooms: “Don’t let the school stand on the day of your education.” Something tells me the teacher misread and clearly didn’t understand the original quote.
Here are two pictures of two little boys who came in and enjoyed the library, and actually were using it to look at books instead of at me.
July 13, 2006
Hair
Here is Ryan, my older host brother. He said to call him 'Kuya' which means older brother. He calls me 'sis'. But I just call him Ryan. He shaved his haid the next day after I took this picture, 
he said his mom and his aunt ganged up on him and made him cut it. HMM sound like anyone we know?
he said his mom and his aunt ganged up on him and made him cut it. HMM sound like anyone we know?
July 05, 2006
Tuesday, in the park, and it was the 4th of July
As chance would have it, July 4th was Cadiz City Charter Day, which meant big holiday with no school, and lots of activities. Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly as fun as our Independence Day and probably a lot hotter.
First thing, at 8am, me and my co-teachers, along with most of the local civic groups met in the park for an outdoor mass and the unveiling of the new Rizal statue. Rizal is the national hero of the Philippines. They set off firecrackers and released some doves at the unveiling, so I pretended they were big fireworks. They smelled like it! After that, we went across the street to hear the dedication of the new school building for Cadiz East II elementary. They are very creative in naming their schools here. The new building is super nice, I wish we had one. Finally about 10:30, we went home.
The worst part of the day was the afternoon parade. Parades here are, in my opinion, masochistic and pointless. I have now walked in two of them. Ours was held at 1:30pm, and it was even hotter than usual, with the barometer falling. It was oppressive. I don't know why anyone bothers to watch these parades. The only things worth seeing in ours
was the high school marching band and the white girl walking with the teachers. Everything else in the parade is just different groups walking togeter, carrying their banners. No floats, buskers, bands, anything like that. We walked forever, and then the teachers decided to take a shortcut back to the park, so we didn't actually do the whole parade route, which was fine by me.
After the parade, we went to a fellow teacher's house for her daughter's birthday, which just happened to be that day. All I will say about the party is that it was not fun and the delicious looking cake was not eaten, it was just displayed then put away. I can tell
you about Filipino birthday parties some other time.
Finally we went home. But the day wasn't over. About 9pm I went with my host brother, Elvin, and his friends to the 'disco'. They are also big on discos here, but I really don't get them. Usually discos are a big sound system and a DJ set up on a basketball court and it generally resembles a middle school dance. This time was much bigger, since it was the whole city, and they actually had a live band, which was cool. But we just stood there in the city gym (outdoors...but with a roof) and watched the band play covers of American pop music and popular Pinoy (Filipino) songs. When the second band came out, Elvin's friends ran into another friend, who took us 'backstage'. Remember this is the city gym. We slipped through a gap in the fence surrounding the stage, and then we were about 10 feet from the band. We had an okay time listening to the music and dancing a little. I went home way too late, and had to teach a class at 8am. But i didn't mind. They say making friends is the most important thing a PCV in the Philippines can do.
First thing, at 8am, me and my co-teachers, along with most of the local civic groups met in the park for an outdoor mass and the unveiling of the new Rizal statue. Rizal is the national hero of the Philippines. They set off firecrackers and released some doves at the unveiling, so I pretended they were big fireworks. They smelled like it! After that, we went across the street to hear the dedication of the new school building for Cadiz East II elementary. They are very creative in naming their schools here. The new building is super nice, I wish we had one. Finally about 10:30, we went home.
The worst part of the day was the afternoon parade. Parades here are, in my opinion, masochistic and pointless. I have now walked in two of them. Ours was held at 1:30pm, and it was even hotter than usual, with the barometer falling. It was oppressive. I don't know why anyone bothers to watch these parades. The only things worth seeing in ours
was the high school marching band and the white girl walking with the teachers. Everything else in the parade is just different groups walking togeter, carrying their banners. No floats, buskers, bands, anything like that. We walked forever, and then the teachers decided to take a shortcut back to the park, so we didn't actually do the whole parade route, which was fine by me.After the parade, we went to a fellow teacher's house for her daughter's birthday, which just happened to be that day. All I will say about the party is that it was not fun and the delicious looking cake was not eaten, it was just displayed then put away. I can tell
you about Filipino birthday parties some other time.Finally we went home. But the day wasn't over. About 9pm I went with my host brother, Elvin, and his friends to the 'disco'. They are also big on discos here, but I really don't get them. Usually discos are a big sound system and a DJ set up on a basketball court and it generally resembles a middle school dance. This time was much bigger, since it was the whole city, and they actually had a live band, which was cool. But we just stood there in the city gym (outdoors...but with a roof) and watched the band play covers of American pop music and popular Pinoy (Filipino) songs. When the second band came out, Elvin's friends ran into another friend, who took us 'backstage'. Remember this is the city gym. We slipped through a gap in the fence surrounding the stage, and then we were about 10 feet from the band. We had an okay time listening to the music and dancing a little. I went home way too late, and had to teach a class at 8am. But i didn't mind. They say making friends is the most important thing a PCV in the Philippines can do.
Uniforms
Charter Day here in Cadiz saw everyone get decked out in their uniforms. And everyone seems to have a uniform.
We have my host father, who is somebody important in the Knights of Columbus organization. I'm not sure what that is, but I think it's some kind of civic service group.
Then there's my principal, Sir Boy, in his Boy Scout Unifor
m. He's a pack leader or something.
We have a group of girl scouts in matching uniforms, and the high school marching band.
And last is my co-teachers. They have different uniforms for every day of the week. Almost all teachers and government employees have uniforms. They offered to get me some, but I said no thanks.
We have my host father, who is somebody important in the Knights of Columbus organization. I'm not sure what that is, but I think it's some kind of civic service group.
Then there's my principal, Sir Boy, in his Boy Scout Unifor
m. He's a pack leader or something. We have a group of girl scouts in matching uniforms, and the high school marching band.
And last is my co-teachers. They have different uniforms for every day of the week. Almost all teachers and government employees have uniforms. They offered to get me some, but I said no thanks.
Festival
Okay my city has been gearing up for our charter day festival for almost a month. Here are some of the things that have sprung up around town. Along my street, people came and set up booths filled with crap to buy. Most of the crap is really crap, like stuff you'd buy at the dollar store. A lot of it is clothing. Here is my host mother bargaining down the price of a pair of pants for me. 
Another type of booth set up is called ukay-ukay, and this is found all over the Philippines. It is secon
d hand clothing that sells for really cheap. The problem is, I've heard, that the clothing comes from the U.S., Japan, and other places as relief goods for very poor people. But somehow it ends up in the hands of vendors. It's still really cheap, but I guess it's supposed to be free for some people. Well, here is a pile of ukay-ukay clothes, 10 pesos for any item. (about 19 cents).
There was a Ferris Wheel, which I went on. It was fun, but a little scary. No, I'm not scared of heights, but I am scared of rickety, acient ferris wheels in the Philippines. But I am still alive, and it didn't fall off it's axle.
The most incredible thing that came to town was the portable McDonalds. Two trucks pull up and park, and there you have a McDonalds. They only had about 5 menu items, but it was a big deal in town. I got an ice cream there one day.
Another type of booth set up is called ukay-ukay, and this is found all over the Philippines. It is secon
d hand clothing that sells for really cheap. The problem is, I've heard, that the clothing comes from the U.S., Japan, and other places as relief goods for very poor people. But somehow it ends up in the hands of vendors. It's still really cheap, but I guess it's supposed to be free for some people. Well, here is a pile of ukay-ukay clothes, 10 pesos for any item. (about 19 cents).
There was a Ferris Wheel, which I went on. It was fun, but a little scary. No, I'm not scared of heights, but I am scared of rickety, acient ferris wheels in the Philippines. But I am still alive, and it didn't fall off it's axle.
The most incredible thing that came to town was the portable McDonalds. Two trucks pull up and park, and there you have a McDonalds. They only had about 5 menu items, but it was a big deal in town. I got an ice cream there one day.
July 03, 2006
Buhok = Hair in Ilonggo
This is a picture of one of the girls in first grade. I got my first haircut in a Filipino salon! All through training I was fortunate to have a former hairstylist in my group, so I got free haircuts. The salon I went to yesterday was fine, and I never really care much about how my hair is cut as long as it's shorter. Which it is now. And the haircut cost less than $1!
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