Earthquakes, Typhoons oh my!

I finally decided to write my entries via Microsoft word, save to flash drive and then carry to internet café since last time after I wrote a long entry the system crashed, a bucket of sweat and 15 pesos later…Since I am playing catch-up, some things may seem random but I am afraid I may forget some things.

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All the PCT’s (peace corps trainees) have different housing situations, mine is superb! Some only have running water for 2 hours a day, some have toilets that do not flush without dumping water into them, none of us have showers but use a bucket and dipper (tabo) that works just fine. My host sister cooks most meals for me, she uses a two burner gas top cooker in the back kitchen that is open to the backyard, she is a great cook and I doubt I will lose weight while I am here, lots of rice and vegetables. There is a fridge here in the sari-sari store for cold drinks and ice to sell. There is a small tv in the living room and one in the sari-sari, we watched Captain Barbell last night, a cute superhero show, all in Tagalog, with a little girl everyone loves called Super Tiny. The commercials are entertaining, some half-English half-Tagalog. On the way to my language classes I can pass by recently harvested rice drying in the road, people selling all sorts of things via truck, tricycle (a motorcycle with a side car, they are everywhere), numerous dogs,  cats, chickens, roosters, children, cool okra plants, lots of orchids. I rode in a tricycle for the first time on the way to church this Sunday, my host family’s son in law has one. The church was Catholic, service all in Tagalog, birds flew through the service and landed on the big crucifix, lots of incense and bells. Sunday afternoon I went with another PCT and their host family to a “resort” Pilipino-style that had a swimming pool, so picturesque right on the edge of the rice fields, coconut trees, mango trees, papaya, water buffalo!!– it was wonderful to cool off and swim in a clean nice pool. We stopped by a relatives house and saw the many ‘baboys” big pigs. Monday was my first day at the elementary school, the entire school welcomed all the trainees. I observed one class and will observe tomorrow, then co-plan and then begin to co-teach English to the 6^th grade. They are lucky to have only 33 in the class as many high school classes can 90 students in one class. The school is very clean and nice, everyone is very friendly. I continue to make progress in my Tagalog, my teacher is very understanding and challenges us, there are only 6 of us in our language group. Did I tell you about merienda? Traditional snack here at 10 and at 3pm. My house has no screens but I sleep under a mosquito net with the fan running. It is supposedly the rainy season but it has not rained much, a typhoon is heading to the east coast of this island of Luzon, I am on the west coast, it is mostly like a tropical storm, we will maybe get rain. p.s. We did, no school today due to Typhoon, not as bad as an old fashion northeaster though. The roosters wake us up at sunrise, around 5am, I don’t mind them. Saturday I learned how to do my laundry, first you pre-wash in a big tub filled with well water that you pumped up, then fortunately my family has a small electric washer, the clothes wash for a bit and then you wring out by hand and rinse in two more tubs, then soak in fabric softener, they have a little spinner that spins out a lot of water then you hang in the sun to dry. It actually was kind of fun since I got to get all wet and therefore, cooler! We continue to have afternoon safety, security and/or health updates. Reminders to keep clean and dry, keep our valuables out of sight etc., don’t go out at night alone etc. PC is very concerned for our health and safety and it is very reassuring. There is an emergency action plan for the entire country with different levels of alert, we are contacted by text via cell phone. Next Wednesday I will have my final site placement interview, we discuss possibilities of where I will spend the next two years, basically you go where they send you. I would like to think there is a little flexibility and I will share some of my hopes for a location within biking distance of the ocean. We also have to conduct a school wide interview like process and come up with a small and sustainable community project before we leave this area. Everyone says that PCTraining is the busiest you will be in the 27 months and I believe it, when I do have a few hours to myself in the evening I am too tired to do much and would choose sleep over another activity. I am sleeping better here than in the US, despite no airconditioning. I think my stress level has decreased or at least changed significantly. Instead of worrying about bills, a house, cutting the grass etc. here my time and focus is cultural assimilation and language training. None the less, I am very happy here, feel healthy and lucky to be in training to become an official volunteer. Oh, last night there was an earthquake, 5.9 on the richter scale, guess who slept through the whole thing?? This photos are of rice fields, laundry area and my language class. Keep in touch.