Dear Rylan:
The past week was a blur! There was so much to do that I cannot remember all that has happened, so I will touch on the major points. First of all, we were all introduced to PACA (Participatory Analysis for Community Action). This approach to community improvement seems to be THE focus of Peace Corps service. It's all about changing the communities where we live for the better in a way that will continue after the Peace Corps volunteer returns home. It's a great plan. But I feel a little PACA fatigue after 7 days of it. The best thing about the PACA training was meeting the two PCVs who came to train us--Tom and Maria. Their excitement for their jobs in the Peace Corps was encouraging. On the day we presented our planned program to our community's members, our group was also graced with the arrival of some VIPs: Sonia--the country director--and Helen, the national director for Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia--came for a visit. It was an honor to have them with us.
This week was cooking week in language class. We had to shop for our foods at the market, and once again, I used the ol' "sige na po" to bargain with the vendors. They thought it was so funny that Americans were attempting to speak Tagalog that they agreed to come down. I don't think this technique will work indefinitely. Everyone in the cluster pitched in at cooking time. I cooked Lumpia Shanghai, which is very much like an egg roll. (When I return home, I will be cooking us some lumpia!) We also had turon, which is banana fried in a wrapper. Delish! (That, too, will be on the menu when I return.) Patoh Pat (I know it as suman), which is sticky rice that is sweetened and steamed, and pancit, a noodle dish with vegetables and tofu, were included on the menu as well. Throw in some local fruits such as rambutan and lanzones and you have a merienda (snack) fit for a king and queen!
The same day that we cooked, I received two large packages from my Sunday school class. What fun! It was better than Christmas! I shared the snacks with my friends and lent the DVDs to my language teacher (I have never seen Medy giddy, and it was a treat to see her so excited), but I am hoarding the school supplies just for me. Snacks are pretty easy to get here, but good school supplies are not, so I am justifying my selfishness that way.
Saturday night a few of us went with a friend from the Kalalake cluster to Olongapo City's launching of its 2010 City Fiesta. Steven was going because one of his host brothers is in the Mr. Olongapo City contest, and we all went out of curiosity. Let's just say that it started in true Filipino fashion (1 1/2 hours late), and it was pretty snazzy. I thought it was pretty funny when it started to rain and the entire audience, without blinking an eye, picked up their chairs and crowded around on the stage area, right up to the edge of the show! When the rain stopped, we all just returned our chairs to the original seating area. They also served food to the crowd while the ceremony was going on. One of the selections was hot dog on a stick with a marshmallow. I kid you not! And yes, I ate one, but just because I was dared. The mayor was told that Peace Corps members were in the audience, and he made it a point to acknowledge the Peace Corps, then came to shake our hands at the end. Mayor Bong is one unusual man. He puts American politicians to shame because he is colorful without the controversy. Very colorful!
Yesterday was a stay-at-home day. Ariel was gracious enough to color my hair, and I like the results. The color is darker than usual, but I am, after all, in the Philippines! Everyone here has black hair, and with dark hair, maybe fewer people will stare at me in public. My blonde hair really stands out here, and not in a good way, as far as I am concerned.
This week will be either the worst or the best week yet. I have to teach 2 days and Thursday will be the culmination of our PACA plan, with all 6 of us conducting a teacher workshop on learning styles for the Gordon College instructors. It will be our first official foray into Filipino presentations. I will let you know how it goes. I expect to gain more from the experience than I will give.
I have included on this week's blog a picture of my room here in the Atayan home. It's a nice room, but I have wrecked the place with all of the stuff I have thrown around. I live mostly out of suitcases because, after all, in a few weeks I will be going away. I will miss this place and this family. I have been blessed by these people, and I will always remember Tess, Ariel, Renz, Isa, Bibioy, Ia, and Mama Nitz. I wish you could meet them, Rye.
Love and miss you,
Mumma
Tower Bridge
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Regular life
Dear Rylan
It’s been a hectic week again. Training in language, training in team teaching, training in community project assessment and planning. It seems all we do is work. But it’s not a bad place to be busy, I guess.
This week I thought I would tell you more about where I am living. I live in the barangay (a community that has its own captain and kind of manages its own affairs, even though it is part of Olongapo City proper). The main artery through town is Otera Avenue, and there are always jeepneys and trikes (motorcyles with side cars for people to ride in, like taxis) and lots of traffic. The red jeepney is the one we take to most places—Gordon College, where we teach; the bookstore and Red Ribbon bakery; and the Smart store, a place I have come to hate as its Internet USB doesn’t work 90% of the time. The chief’s head is our main focal point in town. I am including a picture of the monument. Legend has it that the city is named for Apo, a benevolent leader murdered by neighboring tribes who wanted to conquer Apo's people. Apo's people searched for their leader, to no avail. One day a boy returned saying he had found the head (ulo in Tagalog) of Apo in the forest. The people named their settlement Ulongapo (the head of the chief) and to this day it is called Olongapo, and the monument in the picture reminds everyone of the chief's legendary kindness.
This week I went to the post office by myself to mail you a postcard. It was in a very decrepit building in a part of town that seemed a little sketchy, except for the fact that it was right behind Municipal Hall, which I figured made the site safe. At the P.O. I met a women who mistook me for a Tagalog speaker only because I greeted her in Tagalog and introduced myself. From our conversation I learned that we are both widows and grandmothers. She thought I might be part-Filipino since many here are the descendants of American service men who were stationed here when the U.S. had a base at Subic. It was challenging, but it was fun to try to converse with a native who could not or would not use English. Good practice for my permanent site.
I walked a few blocks to the Jeepney stop and paused along the way to buy a coloring book for B’boy, then to take a picture of the enthusiastic dancers outside Mart 1. They were dancing with small appliances and, I suppose, promoting some special sale. They were pleased that I had stopped to take their picture. It was fun!
Back in Mabayuan, we Americans are becoming acclimated to our surroundings (but I'll never get used to banana catsup), and the neighbors are getting used to us. The little kids love to speak English to me and ask me my name. There are always kids playing in the street, and the Sari-Sari store owners are cooking food outside so that people will be enticed to come and buy, which they do. (Mama Nitz has a Sari-Sari store, so I don’t go to anyone else’s.) I am including pictures of various places in my neighborhood. We are nestled against the base of a mountain and there are houses perched precariously on the side of the bundok (mountain). I am told that the higher one goes, the cheaper the land. But oh! The view they have from up there!
Saturday the Olongapo and Subic clusters met at a nearby beach. We swam a little, then did some team building exercises (such as passing each of us over the group’s heads and over a rope—I’ll try to explain another time). Then we ate. I am including pictures of this outing, along with the pictures of the volcanic rock at the water’s edge. These rocks were formed back in the 1990s when Mount Pinatubo erupted. The volcano is in the background of one of the pictures I am posting. That lava was thrown very far away! Saturday evening a few of us met at a restaurant in SBMA for pizza. Then we had a little time to stop at a local bar and hear one of the local bands. Filipinos are known for having great bands and music. Everyone here loves videoke (karaoke back home), so I guess there are many talents yet to be discovered. The band we heard, Desire, was funny and sounded great! I want to go back there to hear them again. I wouldn't be surprised to see them touring in American someday.
Well, I hope you enjoy the pictures that I have posted. I will write more later.
Love you bunches and bunches!
Mumma
Saturday, September 11, 2010
All Kinds of Rules!
Dear Rylan,
Another week has passed here in Olongapo City. Time here drags by and flies by at the same time. We are very busy, so days seem to be a blur. But I miss you and home and so the time drags by, if that makes any sense. It's what happens when one is far from home, I guess. The thought of home is surreal. I dream of people and places in Alabama, and these dreams make me happy and sad. I am convinced that world travel will always produce these juxtaposed feelings.
I have posted some pictures from the waterfront at Subic. There are many memorials there, mostly to events in WWII. The hellships monument is dedicated to the POWs in WWII who were held on Japanese ships. Their suffering must have been great. Of course, the Japanese held the Philippines for a while, and that period was one of anguish for Filipinos. I have also posted a picture of an American naval ship, here on maneuvers for 3 weeks, I think. I haven't seen any military men and women in Olongapo. We heard they were on restrictions and could not leave SBMA. We here in the Peace Corps have been given rules related to traveling into SBMA. The world is a crazy place, Rylan. World events impact American travels abroad, even if the place where we are traveling is very safe. A PCV was murdered in South Africa; a pastor in the U.S. announced plans to burn the Koran. Both of these events, as far removed as they are from us here in the PI, have resulted in precautions and rules for us. But the pendulum swings both ways, and patience will reward us with a lifting of restrictions soon, I hope. I am beginning to get cabin fever because I cannot just go out on my own and go places that I would like to visit or even place I need to go, like the drugstore or the bookstore.
But I have traveled to the beach, and yesterday the Kalalake cluster and our Mabayuan cluster met at a local bowling alley. It was up a long flight of steps and there was no AC. I did not bowl, but did agree to videoke. Then we all went to the public market. I was able to use my newfound knowledge of haggling and said, "Sige na po" to a vendor who laughed and agreed to give me a discount. It was kind of fun. (Sige na po is similar to "aw, come on, please.") We had lunch at McDonald's and it was delicious! Big Macs taste like America! I have also had some pizza here and that, too, was amazing. American food is a much welcome treat.
Of course, Mama Nitz continues to cook great food here at home. When I returned from McDonald's, I was presented with lumpia, which Mama Nitz knows is my favorite, so I had to eat again. But it was worth it! Lumpia is masarap!
Training is tough. I feel as if I am back in education classes at college. They are sucking up all the time I should be spending on language. The rules for Tagalog must exist, but I can't figure them out. Except for verb conjugation, which has rules, but I don't know enough verbs to really get my brain around the rules. (At this point, I breathe deeply and remind myself that I have only been here 2 weeks.)
Last Saturday we traveled to Royal, the duty free store again. I bought toilet paper, baby powder, and a BLOW DRYER! I'll need it soon, so I got one while I had the chance. Kind of expensive--P1200, or $30 US. But I have a few American dollars so I convinced myself it was OK. I bought the kids some small packs of M&Ms, too.
Saturdays and Sundays are big family days in the PI, as they are in the states. Every Sat and Sun afternoon, I can count on snack time! Usually we have goodies from the bakery, and we sit and watch the little ones perform. I have been using a few Tagalog phrases, and yesterday I think B'boy mistakenly figured that I could now speak his language. He brought his toys in my room and was sharing with me at full speed! So cute...so disappointed in Tita Mags. But at least he has faith in me, and someday maybe I'll surprise him and carry on a real conversation. Ia is getting used to me, and Angel even comes around me, but oh! I cannot touch! So we play peek-a-boo and I laugh at her love for wearing other people's shoes. She actually gets around in high heels better than I do. : )
The weather has been dryer lately. No typhoons (know on wood). But dryer means hotter. However, I think I am getting used to the weather. I learned this week that drinking lots of cold drinks could lead to a sore throat--after I had gotten a sore throat. So I am now cutting back on the water consumption, and I think it's helping my body to adapt. The things you learn by trial and error! Medical last Tuesday was about tropical diseases like malaria and dengue fever, both from mosquito bites. Oh, and TB is on the rise here, too. I don't worry about such diseases. I feel safe, at least in these surroundings.
Another week has passed here in Olongapo City. Time here drags by and flies by at the same time. We are very busy, so days seem to be a blur. But I miss you and home and so the time drags by, if that makes any sense. It's what happens when one is far from home, I guess. The thought of home is surreal. I dream of people and places in Alabama, and these dreams make me happy and sad. I am convinced that world travel will always produce these juxtaposed feelings.
I have posted some pictures from the waterfront at Subic. There are many memorials there, mostly to events in WWII. The hellships monument is dedicated to the POWs in WWII who were held on Japanese ships. Their suffering must have been great. Of course, the Japanese held the Philippines for a while, and that period was one of anguish for Filipinos. I have also posted a picture of an American naval ship, here on maneuvers for 3 weeks, I think. I haven't seen any military men and women in Olongapo. We heard they were on restrictions and could not leave SBMA. We here in the Peace Corps have been given rules related to traveling into SBMA. The world is a crazy place, Rylan. World events impact American travels abroad, even if the place where we are traveling is very safe. A PCV was murdered in South Africa; a pastor in the U.S. announced plans to burn the Koran. Both of these events, as far removed as they are from us here in the PI, have resulted in precautions and rules for us. But the pendulum swings both ways, and patience will reward us with a lifting of restrictions soon, I hope. I am beginning to get cabin fever because I cannot just go out on my own and go places that I would like to visit or even place I need to go, like the drugstore or the bookstore.
But I have traveled to the beach, and yesterday the Kalalake cluster and our Mabayuan cluster met at a local bowling alley. It was up a long flight of steps and there was no AC. I did not bowl, but did agree to videoke. Then we all went to the public market. I was able to use my newfound knowledge of haggling and said, "Sige na po" to a vendor who laughed and agreed to give me a discount. It was kind of fun. (Sige na po is similar to "aw, come on, please.") We had lunch at McDonald's and it was delicious! Big Macs taste like America! I have also had some pizza here and that, too, was amazing. American food is a much welcome treat.
Of course, Mama Nitz continues to cook great food here at home. When I returned from McDonald's, I was presented with lumpia, which Mama Nitz knows is my favorite, so I had to eat again. But it was worth it! Lumpia is masarap!
Training is tough. I feel as if I am back in education classes at college. They are sucking up all the time I should be spending on language. The rules for Tagalog must exist, but I can't figure them out. Except for verb conjugation, which has rules, but I don't know enough verbs to really get my brain around the rules. (At this point, I breathe deeply and remind myself that I have only been here 2 weeks.)
Last Saturday we traveled to Royal, the duty free store again. I bought toilet paper, baby powder, and a BLOW DRYER! I'll need it soon, so I got one while I had the chance. Kind of expensive--P1200, or $30 US. But I have a few American dollars so I convinced myself it was OK. I bought the kids some small packs of M&Ms, too.
Saturdays and Sundays are big family days in the PI, as they are in the states. Every Sat and Sun afternoon, I can count on snack time! Usually we have goodies from the bakery, and we sit and watch the little ones perform. I have been using a few Tagalog phrases, and yesterday I think B'boy mistakenly figured that I could now speak his language. He brought his toys in my room and was sharing with me at full speed! So cute...so disappointed in Tita Mags. But at least he has faith in me, and someday maybe I'll surprise him and carry on a real conversation. Ia is getting used to me, and Angel even comes around me, but oh! I cannot touch! So we play peek-a-boo and I laugh at her love for wearing other people's shoes. She actually gets around in high heels better than I do. : )
The weather has been dryer lately. No typhoons (know on wood). But dryer means hotter. However, I think I am getting used to the weather. I learned this week that drinking lots of cold drinks could lead to a sore throat--after I had gotten a sore throat. So I am now cutting back on the water consumption, and I think it's helping my body to adapt. The things you learn by trial and error! Medical last Tuesday was about tropical diseases like malaria and dengue fever, both from mosquito bites. Oh, and TB is on the rise here, too. I don't worry about such diseases. I feel safe, at least in these surroundings.
Next week we have our site placement interview, which will help the PC figure out where to send me for my permanent post. I am still hoping for a beach area, preferably one that is a tourist area so I can trust that some locals will know English. Oh, and this week we learned to count money and tell time. But they use Spanish #s for money and time here, so it wasn't too hard for me. They use Tagalog #s 1-10 for money sometimes, but most vendors use English #s. Does that sound confusing? Well, it is. Jeepney drivers ask "Ilan?" for how many, and the answer is in Tagalog. While I know that and try that, they seem to not understand me when I respond, "Isa" for 1, or any other # in Tagalog. But I try. And English works all the time, as does the holding up of fingers.
You can learn 1-10, too: Isa, dalawa, tatlo, apat, lima, anim, pito, walo, siyam, sampu. When I learn colors, I'll let you know so you can practice. Also, you can learn to say your name: Ako si Rylan.
Mahal kita! (I love you!) Take care of yourself and Mommy and Daddy, and Uncle Caleb, too, whenever he comes around.
Love,
Mumma
Friday, September 3, 2010
Of Parasites and Jeepneys
Dear Rylan:
I am very busy here in Olongapo City. We have class all day Monday-Friday, and half a day on Saturday. Half of our training is to prepare us for our teaching assignments; the rest of the time we study Tagalog. I visited my college site this week and was able to introduce myself in the local language, albeit with a Southern accent! Here goes my spiel: "Magandang umaga. Ako po si Margaret Pickett. Taga Alabama, America ako. Sa ngayon, nakatira ako sa Mabayuan, Olongapo city. Titser ako sa Ingles." I have learned many phrases to use in classroom settings, but my favorite is "Nalilito ako," which means, "I am confused." I would like to have a t-shirt that has that phrase on it, since it describes me most of the time!
Yesterday, two of my PC friends and I ventured into town to the bookstore. To reach the local mall takes only one Jeepney ride, the red line. Riding on Jeepneys is AWESOME! Imagine squeezing 16 people into a space made for 10 or 12. Now imagine that this takes place in heat and humidity so high that sweat never evaporates from your skin! People jump on and off the Jeepney as they need to. The rate is 7 pesos, regardless of the length of the ride. We pass our money to the driver, from one person to another. If you pay him directly, you say, "Bayad po"; if you are passing forward another's fare, you say, "Bayad dau" (again, I am not a good speller in this language). The amazing thing is how the driver can just feel the money and count it, whether it's bills or coins or a mix, and make change, all without looking at any of it.
Anyway, the trip to Olongapo turned into a trip through the Gate and into SBMA, which is what the area that was the American base is called. There, we took a free shuttle ride to the National Bookstore. Oh my! School supplies are expensive here, at least in terms of pesos. Since I only have a couple of thousand pesos for survival money, 92 pesos for a pen, a highlighter, some note cards, and a folder is pretty steep. But I had American money left over that I used. In that case, it only cost me $2. But since I don't live on American money, I felt the pinch of that purchase! At Royal, one of the duty-free stores there in SBMA, some things are priced in pesos. These items tend to be inexpensive. But some things have American prices, and again, since I live on a pittance of pesos, I could not afford the $3 M&Ms, because that translates into 150 pesos. I have to be mindful of my budget. I did have to buy American shampoo, however. But sometimes a girl just has to do what a girl has to do! P400 was worth it!
I will never figure out why things here cost what they do. For instance, I got a great bargain--in American standards--for a haircut. My new short 'do only cost me P50. That's right! A haircut here costs $1. And the salon is very nice and the young woman (Precious is her name) is very skilled. I am pleased with the results, and Precious said she'd color my hair (and thank goodness I have my own hair coloring because there is NO blonde or light brown hair color in this country!) for P200. Coooool!
The PCMO (PC medical officer/doctor) visited our site last week and did a very graphic presentation on parasites. We not only learned about ringworm, hookworms, tapeworms, amoeba, and other disgusting parasites, we saw pictures of them and learned that if we think we have one, we'll have to perform test slides of our poop, or use scotch tape to get a sample of an area that is not fit for posting. But, you get the idea. I have heard that one is not considered a real PC volunteer until one has had an amoeba. Parasites, however, are optional. Let's hope they remain a mere possibility and never a reality for your Mumma.
Our trainers here are native Filipinas. They are wonderful, dedicated women who make being here easier. They make sure we have access to things we need and to things we want. For instance, one day after making courtesy calls, we finally were allowed to visit Red Ribbon, a restaurant chain specializing in baked goods. We sat and talked and enjoyed our treats.
I hope to experience Jollibee soon. It's a chain of restaurants that seem to be like McDonald's. Of course, McDonald's is also here, and I am craving a Big Mac. A taste of home would certainly be welcome! It's worth a splurge.
I am enjoying my host family. The teenagers are pleasant to sit and talk with. Last night the kids and Tess and I got caught up in a discussion of literature, particularly mythology. These teens know their Greek mythology, and they have filled me in on some Filipino folk tales as well. We were up past 10 p.m., and then I remembered that I had to prepare an activity for my training, and I didn't make it to bed until midnight.
I still don't sleep for long here. It's really messed me up that the days are almost 12 hours of daylight/12 hours of dark exactly. I learned this week that close to the equator, days are pretty much the same year round, as far as day/night are concerned. Only in the latitudes far away from the equator do the lengths of light/dark change. So, in other words, the sun (araw) rises around 6 p.m. and sets around 7 p.m--365 days/year. Also, since we have been here in Mabayuan, we haven't seen stars nor moon, as the sky is always cloudy.
Speaking of clouds, that reminds me that we are enduring yet a third typhoon since arriving here in the Philippines. It has rained hard for two nights in a row. It is raining hard again right now. They tell me I'll miss the rain when the dry season comes. They say the heat will be much worse. They also say that I will adjust and that weather won't be an issue at some point. Filipinos say there are only different kinds of good weather here. I can say that rain does not deter them. They travel and work and play regardless of conditions. I will say, however, that I do prefer the weather back home. I know I will miss cool autumn nights and the changing leaves. So, Rylan, you enjoy that for me. Get out there and rake those leaves and run through the pile and throw those leaves into the air, as we did together last fall.
And enjoy everything else that is good there back home: chocolate and paper towels and toilet paper and potatoes and milk and cereal. These are all things I miss.
But most of all, I miss YOU! And your parents and Uncle Caleb, too. When I get back there, hugs and kisses will be plentiful! I will need to make up for all the days I have missed riding to school with you, singing Wee Sing Bible songs and talking about our lives. I miss spending time with you reading books and dancing and jumping on the bed.
I love you VERY, VERY much. Take care, my sweet girl.
Mumma
I am very busy here in Olongapo City. We have class all day Monday-Friday, and half a day on Saturday. Half of our training is to prepare us for our teaching assignments; the rest of the time we study Tagalog. I visited my college site this week and was able to introduce myself in the local language, albeit with a Southern accent! Here goes my spiel: "Magandang umaga. Ako po si Margaret Pickett. Taga Alabama, America ako. Sa ngayon, nakatira ako sa Mabayuan, Olongapo city. Titser ako sa Ingles." I have learned many phrases to use in classroom settings, but my favorite is "Nalilito ako," which means, "I am confused." I would like to have a t-shirt that has that phrase on it, since it describes me most of the time!
Yesterday, two of my PC friends and I ventured into town to the bookstore. To reach the local mall takes only one Jeepney ride, the red line. Riding on Jeepneys is AWESOME! Imagine squeezing 16 people into a space made for 10 or 12. Now imagine that this takes place in heat and humidity so high that sweat never evaporates from your skin! People jump on and off the Jeepney as they need to. The rate is 7 pesos, regardless of the length of the ride. We pass our money to the driver, from one person to another. If you pay him directly, you say, "Bayad po"; if you are passing forward another's fare, you say, "Bayad dau" (again, I am not a good speller in this language). The amazing thing is how the driver can just feel the money and count it, whether it's bills or coins or a mix, and make change, all without looking at any of it.
Anyway, the trip to Olongapo turned into a trip through the Gate and into SBMA, which is what the area that was the American base is called. There, we took a free shuttle ride to the National Bookstore. Oh my! School supplies are expensive here, at least in terms of pesos. Since I only have a couple of thousand pesos for survival money, 92 pesos for a pen, a highlighter, some note cards, and a folder is pretty steep. But I had American money left over that I used. In that case, it only cost me $2. But since I don't live on American money, I felt the pinch of that purchase! At Royal, one of the duty-free stores there in SBMA, some things are priced in pesos. These items tend to be inexpensive. But some things have American prices, and again, since I live on a pittance of pesos, I could not afford the $3 M&Ms, because that translates into 150 pesos. I have to be mindful of my budget. I did have to buy American shampoo, however. But sometimes a girl just has to do what a girl has to do! P400 was worth it!
I will never figure out why things here cost what they do. For instance, I got a great bargain--in American standards--for a haircut. My new short 'do only cost me P50. That's right! A haircut here costs $1. And the salon is very nice and the young woman (Precious is her name) is very skilled. I am pleased with the results, and Precious said she'd color my hair (and thank goodness I have my own hair coloring because there is NO blonde or light brown hair color in this country!) for P200. Coooool!
The PCMO (PC medical officer/doctor) visited our site last week and did a very graphic presentation on parasites. We not only learned about ringworm, hookworms, tapeworms, amoeba, and other disgusting parasites, we saw pictures of them and learned that if we think we have one, we'll have to perform test slides of our poop, or use scotch tape to get a sample of an area that is not fit for posting. But, you get the idea. I have heard that one is not considered a real PC volunteer until one has had an amoeba. Parasites, however, are optional. Let's hope they remain a mere possibility and never a reality for your Mumma.
Our trainers here are native Filipinas. They are wonderful, dedicated women who make being here easier. They make sure we have access to things we need and to things we want. For instance, one day after making courtesy calls, we finally were allowed to visit Red Ribbon, a restaurant chain specializing in baked goods. We sat and talked and enjoyed our treats.
I hope to experience Jollibee soon. It's a chain of restaurants that seem to be like McDonald's. Of course, McDonald's is also here, and I am craving a Big Mac. A taste of home would certainly be welcome! It's worth a splurge.
I am enjoying my host family. The teenagers are pleasant to sit and talk with. Last night the kids and Tess and I got caught up in a discussion of literature, particularly mythology. These teens know their Greek mythology, and they have filled me in on some Filipino folk tales as well. We were up past 10 p.m., and then I remembered that I had to prepare an activity for my training, and I didn't make it to bed until midnight.
I still don't sleep for long here. It's really messed me up that the days are almost 12 hours of daylight/12 hours of dark exactly. I learned this week that close to the equator, days are pretty much the same year round, as far as day/night are concerned. Only in the latitudes far away from the equator do the lengths of light/dark change. So, in other words, the sun (araw) rises around 6 p.m. and sets around 7 p.m--365 days/year. Also, since we have been here in Mabayuan, we haven't seen stars nor moon, as the sky is always cloudy.
Speaking of clouds, that reminds me that we are enduring yet a third typhoon since arriving here in the Philippines. It has rained hard for two nights in a row. It is raining hard again right now. They tell me I'll miss the rain when the dry season comes. They say the heat will be much worse. They also say that I will adjust and that weather won't be an issue at some point. Filipinos say there are only different kinds of good weather here. I can say that rain does not deter them. They travel and work and play regardless of conditions. I will say, however, that I do prefer the weather back home. I know I will miss cool autumn nights and the changing leaves. So, Rylan, you enjoy that for me. Get out there and rake those leaves and run through the pile and throw those leaves into the air, as we did together last fall.
And enjoy everything else that is good there back home: chocolate and paper towels and toilet paper and potatoes and milk and cereal. These are all things I miss.
But most of all, I miss YOU! And your parents and Uncle Caleb, too. When I get back there, hugs and kisses will be plentiful! I will need to make up for all the days I have missed riding to school with you, singing Wee Sing Bible songs and talking about our lives. I miss spending time with you reading books and dancing and jumping on the bed.
I love you VERY, VERY much. Take care, my sweet girl.
Mumma
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