Lipa Fiesta

So it’s been a couple weeks again, and my mom is telling me I haven’t written in a while.

January 20 – Lipa City Fiesta – I had written about San Francisco having fiesta back in December. Every barangay has a fiesta and then this one was for the whole city of Lipa in the city proper. The actual day of Fiesta was Friday and we were off of school for it. Thursday night Dayday and I went to town and met up with Agnes and Karen and went to one of their co-teachers house who lives in the city. We just hung out and ate and what not. Friday I went back to town and Gina was in town from Marinduque and her boyfriend Joe was with her. He had been visiting for 3 weeks and was headed back to the states on Saturday. So that night we had 5 Americans together! Mike was with us too. We went to a teacher at Karen’s school’s house and walked around town a bit to see what all was going on. We had a good time all being together.

January 20 – morning – The director of Peace Corps Philippines wanted to get out and see some of us at our sites. He spent 3 days touring around Batangas visiting the 8 volunteers in our province. He was scheduled to visit me and Karen Friday morning. We told him it was Fiesta and we had no school, but he pushed through and came for the visit then anyway. Because of traffic he ended up going to Karen’s house first and then mine and only stayed at my place for 30 minutes. We didn’t drive to the school, but he still thought I lived in a remote place. San Francisco is even more remote then where I live in San Celestino. We had a nice visit just talking about what I was doing and what was going on with me at school and in my community. He’s really nice and shows that he does care about what is going on with all the volunteers.

January 21 – Saturday – Friday night I stayed the night at Karen’s. Saturday morning I went and met up with Dayday and her sister Regine in town. We met and went to SM Mall. We have two big malls in town, either SM or Robinson’s. We sat and had lunch and were discussing what we would do for the day and all our possibilities. We decided to take a spontaneous trip and ended up going to Tagaytay. It’s a very big tourist spot with very beautiful views up in a higher elevation. I think it was about a 2 hour commute each way. So a long commute for just one day, but it was fun. We took lots of pictures! (check facebook) That night we barely caught the last jeep back to our house.

January 22 – Sunday – It was a fairly lazy day for me. I did to go San Francisco and visit my host family there. They were very happy to see me. I ended up staying at their house about 4 hours. Emalyn makes the best turon (banana fried in a wrapper with sugar). She promised me she would teach me how to make it the way she does. She never did while I lived there, so that night she taught me how to make it! I don’t know how easy the wrapper is to find in the states, but at least at the asian market you can get them. So when I get home I’ll be making them!

Monday was another lazy day. I stayed around the house and hung out. It was Chinese New Year, but here they celebrate New Years the same time we do, so I’m not really sure why it was a National Holiday and we didn’t have school. But whatever! Dayday’s sister Regine came here and we all hung out at my house exchanging pictures and movies on our laptops.

4 day school week! We had testing most of the week so I mainly did computer work while the students took tests. The teachers have to type them all and we were working on early enrollment for next school year. So I kept busy with plenty of typing and computer work.

January 27 – Friday night we debated about going to town or not and ended up staying at home. Dayday and I made popcorn and watched a movie. We were both afraid of messing up the popcorn, but we did it! And ate every bit that we made. It can be so addicting! One you pop you just can’t stop. I ended up just eating some fruit for dinner because I had eaten so much popcorn.

Saturday we had early enrollment at school. The principal never mentioned it to me and never said I had to be there or anything. I wasn’t going to go because I had other plans, but they got cancelled so I ended up going to school. It was pretty pointless. Maybe 5 people came by to enroll their kids. We did some more computer work and got some stuff done at school. That night Dayday, Regine, and I went to town and hung out at McDonald’s. I explained to them how I don’t eat enough dairy here. I eat way more in the US. So I just have to get dairy by eating ice cream. They don’t complain about having to eat dairy, so we try to do it weekly or so. I started feeling bad at school, I had a cough and fever, went home laid down for about an hour, don’t think I ever actually slept, and then I felt a lot better and was ok the whole time we went to town.

January 29 – Sunday – Perla had asked me to go with her and her family to Kamay Ni Hesus. Pretty sure you can look it up on google and I’ll post pics on facebook. It’s a park built with the 12 stages of the cross?! I think that’s what it’s called. It’s a catholic thing, but I explained that we have all the same stories and everything as a Protestant, we just don’t call them the stages. At least I don’t think so. I debated about not going because I wasn’t feeling well when I woke up, but I went anyways. It was about a 2 hour ride. About 30 of us went, so we took two of the family’s jeepneys. It was a pretty place and one of the girls said she counted 316 stairs to the top. They packed lunch for us and we ate our lunch sitting in the back of the jeep. Kind of funny, they still eat the same things they would for dinner. They bring plenty of rice and some meats and what not. It kind of reminds me of when I was younger and it was a lot more common to pack a lunch and take it with you to the zoo or where ever you were going for the day. But of course the food we ate was just a little different. They will also just pass around a cup and everyone drinks from the same glass, no big deal.

January 30 – Monday – I woke up this morning, put my uniform on, got all ready, and then decided I wasn’t going to go to school. I’m still not feeling well. I had a fever and I have a deep cough, with green mucus! I texted Peace Corps Med today and he called back to ask me about my symptoms and everything. I asked for an antibiotic, but he wouldn’t give me one. He just told me to go buy Ambroxol. And take my temperature throughout the day and if it gets too high to text him back. So I went into town and bought some Ambroxol, and bought some more groceries while I was there! It’s so hard to buy anything, because I have to do it while in town and then have to carry it home with me on the jeep. So the most you can get at a time is like two bags of stuff. And have to be sure to go right before leaving town so then you don’t have to carry it around. So it can take a little bit of planning. Today Dayday and I were also supposed to get observed by the principal on our co-teaching. I’ve already been observed with grades 5 and 6, but not 4 yet. I don’t know if she’s going to reschedule it or what.

Hope I feel better tomorrow! I hate being sick. And I’ve been sweating sooo much! Fevers and not feeling well doesn’t help that at all. It’s made it much worse. Also tomorrow is Dayday’s birthday, and she’s not feeling well either. So we shall see what tomorrow brings!

New Years!

New Years Eve– New Years is a big celebration here, much like at home, and at the same time much different. Earlier in the day I went to San Francisco to visit the family. They were so happy to see me and had to take some pictures with me. They fed me merienda. Same as always I sat at my table and ate by myself. Some things will never change. The people here cook a lot of food and then at midnight go and visit family and neighbors to wish them a Happy New Year and eat. At midnight we went outside and played with sparklers. Some people have really massive fireworks. You can see them up in the sky from pretty much anywhere. I have no idea how expensive those are here. I know at home they are quite expensive. Then of course people were singing videoke. It’s not a party without it. People take it so seriously and it doesn’t matter if you’re good or not, you’re going to sing and take it seriously. I went to 5 different houses that night. 3 of them are teachers at my school and the other two are family members of the family I live with. I live in the house in the back, but on the same compound as them and they are pretty much my family here. At about 11:30 I went back to Dayday’s house and spent my new years eve there.

New Years Day – In the Philippines, I think mainly because it’s a catholic tradition, they celebrate the one year death anniversary of someone. Well a year ago Jan 1 is the death anniversary of the Father of my compound. The story is that the fireworks were so big and beautiful last year that he had a stroke and died. His anniversary was a big to do. They killed two pigs for the party. Lots of food and people. My principal and some other teachers came over so I had some people I could hang out with. The grade 2 teacher, Ma’am Linda, invited me over to her house. So I went with her and we had just eaten lunch at my house, but she made me eat something at her house. It was seafood carbonara and actually really good. I think the main reason she invited me over was to meet her nephew. Then we went over to my principal’s house. She made me try all of her food. That was my first time to go to her house. She lives maybe a 5-10 minute walk up the street. Then we went to my principal’s sister’s house. She lives right next door to her. She of course made me eat food at her house too even though I said I was too full to eat another bite. You just have to take a little and try everything. New Year’s Day made it 6 months since I’ve left my home in Texas!

January 3 – Tuesday – 6 months in the Philippines! We actually arrived in Manila on July 3^rd. So that was our actual six months here. I decided we should go out to dinner or something so I went to town and met Karen and Agnes. We ended up eating at McDonald’s and going to the mall to buy a few things. Like I bought a gas stove for my house and Karen bought a fan. It was fun just hanging out though.

January 5 – Thursday – After school I went to visit my host family in San Francisco. Mylen was pregnant and had her baby on January 4! He was supposed to be born the end of the month, but came a bit early. She delivered him at the house, and actually in the room I was staying in at their house. So it was prob nice that I wasn’t there so she could have that space. He was 8.1 lbs at birth and healthy. I asked her what his name was and she looked at me, smiled, and kinda laughed. Then told me Lane Edward. A couple of months ago we were talking and she asked me what she should name her baby. She wanted to name him something different and wanted some ideas. I told her I didn’t know, but when my parents were having me they picked out a boy name and a girl name. Had I been a boy my parents would have named me Lane Edward. So she kinda named her baby after me! I was in complete shock that she named him that! I still can’t really believe that she named him Lane Edward. I haven’t been back to visit, but I really need to go! Maybe tomorrow afternoon I’ll visit. Just like getting to town from San Francisco was hard, it’s the same to get from there to San Celestino (where I live now). It can take quite a while to get a jeep going there.

January 6,7,8 – 1^st weekend really in my new house. Friday night Dayday and I went to town and met up with Karen and Agnes for dinner. After dinner we went up to Malvar to Mike’s new apartment. He lives in a really nice apartment with a nice patio up on the second floor. We just sat out there and hung out. Dayday and I left about 9 so that we could still get a jeep back home. That is probably the latest you can leave and still be able to get a ride back. Saturday night I just hung out at my house. Dayday came over and Perla and her sister in law Ilene that lives next door all come over. We just sat in my living room and chatted for a couple of hours. Sunday just went into town with Dayday and ran some errands. It was a nice relaxing weekend at my new house.

January 10 – Tuesday – I left school at lunch time and met Karen in town. We went to Malvar because it was Mike’s fiesta. We met mike and went to his counterpart’s house. We of course ate at her house because that’s what you do for fiesta too. You go from house to house and eat lots of food. After her house we went to a few others and ended up at some of Mike’s friend’s house. It was getting kinda late so I needed to head home. Karen and Mike convinced me to just stay the night and go home in the morning. So I caved and stayed. It’s just so hard to stay out too late where I live. Normally better to just find a place to stay in town.

January 12 – Thursday – I contacted Geri, the lady who was a Peace Corps volunteer in the 60’s to ask her for ideas and suggestions on what to do when my parents are here. She mentioned she would like to come to my site just to visit sometime. So Thursday she made a trip out to my school. I told them it was just a friendly visit and not a big deal, but of course every visitor is a big deal. We spent a couple hours cleaning the yard that morning and some of them went and found some buka (coconut) so we could drink fresh coconut juice with Geri. Geri brought some pizza and fried chicken for us. I showed her the school and we chatted a bit about what my parents and I can do while they are here. Geri invited us to go swimming at her pool, so maybe this summer we will get to go do that.

This past weekend was pretty laid back. Friday night I went to town and had dinner and hung out with Karen and Agnes and then I stayed the night at Karen’s. I came back by noon on Saturday because Karen had school this Saturday. They needed to make up a day. I just hung out around the house Saturday and Sunday. Sunday, Karen, Agnes, and Irene (both teachers with Karen) came out to my house and brought lunch. We ate lunch and hung out at my house for a bit. They just wanted to see where I lived.

I got my gas stove, got my propane tank filled. They put the refrigerator in my house last night. So I’m set to be cooking on my own! I told Perla last week that this week I would cook on my own. She was hesitant about it but said ok. Last night I reminded her, ok this week don’t worry about me. I will make my own breakfast lunch and dinner. She’s really worried because I haven’t bought any rice. And do I know how to cook rice? And do I know how to cook Filipino food? I tried so hard to be nice and just say I was going to cook my own things and wouldn’t eat a lot of rice. But no rice!? Here, if you don’t have rice with a meal, then you didn’t eat.  I told her I’ve been ok without rice for 26 years. Probably not the nicest thing to say, but man! They just don’t get how I don’t eat rice. For lunch I just took a pack of pansit canton (ramon noodles here) and an apple. I just put them in my purse and cooked it at school. Well since I didn’t have a lunch bag then they were worried that I didn’t eat anything for lunch. Tonight I made dinner, macaroni noodles, tuna, and cheese whiz. Not the best thing ever, but not bad. I made enough so I can have some for lunch tomorrow too. It’s going to take a while to get adjusted to cooking for myself and what I can buy at the store here and what not. Since I’ve eaten, Perla has come in twice to tell me to eat, her mother came once, and one of her daughters came in here. Then Perla told me she’d just bring me some food and I can eat it later. Perla and her mother both said I need to go eat some rice. I told her that the Philippines is the only country that eats rice for breakfast lunch and dinner. It’s just a concept they can not grasp! I’m sure we will get adjusted to it, but it might take a little while for us to get there. One thing I am very thankful for is that everything I need, they have in this house. I haven’t had to buy anything of my own except the gas stove. Most volunteers have to buy furniture and kitchen supplies and all of it. Karen moved into a brand new apartment that all they had for her was a bed base for her to put her mattress on. The mother and father lived in the front house on the compound. There are 3 houses on this compound. When the father died last Jan 1, Perla and her family moved to the front house with her mother. Her sister in law and kids live in the other house, her brother is in Italy working. Then their old house was just empty. They use it for storage and the girls used it as their play house. So my principal knows the family and she’s the one that actually asked them if they will be willing to rent it to me. And then Perla just happens to be Dayday’s cousin. Most of this community is related in some way.

Christmas

December 22 – Thursday – Back in November we had lunch with the director of Peace Corps, Aaron Williams. Well when we had lunch we met a lady named Geri. Geri was a Peace Corps volunteer in the 60’s and then married a Filipino and lives here in Lipa now. She had a Christmas party at her house and invited us to join. 4 Peace Corps volunteers went. Me, Karen, Amy D. and Allie. It was a nice time, very fancy. Karen and I were walking down the road not quite sure where we were going and her driver came and picked us up. The cook was sautéing salmon as we went through the food line. The food was so good! Our favorite part was the cheese! It was real cheese! Before we left Karen said, wait I’m just going to grab one more piece of cheese. Well Geri said oh I’ll wrap some up for you. Then not only did she wrap up some cheese and grapes for Karen, she made me a pack too! When we got back to Karen’s house we sat down and ate some more cheese J Geri is a really good connection to have here and is actually coming to my school tomorrow and bringing lunch to all the teachers. She just wants to see my site and visit. She’s helping me for when my parents come too.

Christmas – For Christmas Karen, Gina, Catherine, and I decided that we should all get together. Since we were missing Christmas with our families we should at least spend it all together! Catherine and Gina both live on the island of Marinduque about an hour away from each other. Gina had just moved into her own house so we stayed with her. There was plenty of room for us there. Karen and I left on Friday traveling first an hour jeepney ride, then almost a two hour bus ride, and finally about a 2 and a half hour ferry ride. We didn’t really think about where to sit on the ferry, but we found an outside seat and not too many people were around. Well as we started moving we soon realized that we were facing the sun. It was so hot and everyone ended up moving except for Karen and I. Karen likes the sun, and I got burnt! I did bust out the sunscreen and the guy next to me laughed, but after the ferry ride I could see where I had put sunscreen and where I hadn’t. Gina and Catherine pulled up in a jeep right as we walked out of the port. That night we needed to go to the market to get some good. Gina says hey we have a pedicab (bicycle that also has a side car) we should just take that. So we get it out, all get in… and go nowhere! That is a lot of weight for one person to peddle! We push on and try to make it work, but it’s just not going to work. Gina and Karen get out and I stay in the side car while Catherine is peddling. Well all of a sudden she somehow loses control of the bike and we just turn left, go right off the road, and into a tree. I was laughing so hard that no sound was coming out! Catherine scrapped her toe, but we were ok. For 5 whole days we just ate whatever we wanted… mostly American junk food! We had a bag of cheetos, Doritos, pancakes, and for Christmas dinner we had macaroni and cheese and hot and spicy ham! I made the spam and did it my special way, burnt! We did make sopas one night, which is a Filipino soup. We were quite proud of making a Filipino dish. It tasted different than any I had ever had, but honestly… It was better : ) Most of the time we just had fun hanging out together, playing cards and yatzee, and watching a few movies. We had a little gift exchange. Gina and Catherine got Karen and I a framed picture of the four of us and a fan with Marinduque painted on it! They were a lot more creative than Karen and I. Christmas day we were determined to go to the beach. It’s about a 30 minute walk from Gina’s house. It looked like rain, but it was Christmas day, so we just had to do it! We get there and settled and yes it rained the whole day and never cleared up. We still had a great time though. The next morning we got up and Karen, Catherine, and I were going to go home. Of course the sun was bright and shining. So Karen convinced us to stay another day and try the beach again. We went to the beach and it was beautiful weather! That night we went to a town nearby and went to the hotel there and had dinner. It was a cute nice little town and fun to just walk around. The next morning we left and it was quite windy. On the ferry it was not so fun. Everyone was getting motion sickness, ugh I hate seeing people get sick! And of course the guy right next to me got sick. While we were waiting on the ferry to depart there were some boys begging for money. But they were in the water. People would throw pesos into the water and these boys would swim and get them. It was pretty amazing. When we got to the other side some there were some people in little boats next to the ferry begging for money. If the money didn’t make it to their boat they would jump out and swim after it. The boys were a lot cuter than the old people trying to get the money.

December 28 – Wedensday – Caroling is really big here. Before and after Christmas different groups of people go house to house singing. The people at the house give them some money. Sometimes it’s just some kids, sometimes a school group, I’m not really sure who all was singing and why exactly they were trying to get money. I think some people just do it because they want the money. Well that morning the teachers from my school all got together to go caroling for our school. I was nervous about it because I hate singing! Wasn’t really looking forward to it. Well what I didn’t know is that our group just went house to house and said Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and we got money.  We spent from about 8-12:30 walking around. We got 5,000 Pesos which is $117. That’s pretty good. After caroling, the Barangay was having a Christmas party for all the chairman and council. They invited us to stop and eat lunch. After lunch we all went to my house. I had already packed up all my things. We got my things and Aga, one of my host family members, drove us and all my things down to San Celestino to my new house. It was kinda awkward leaving my house and it was kinda sad. I lived there for just over 3 months. While I wanted to move for better transportation, internet, and to live on my own, I still felt bad for moving out of their house. They offered me to stay there and I liked it there, but felt as though it would be better where I am now. Which I’ve been here 2 weeks and I do already like it better. Still adjusting to living on my own, haven’t started to cook my own food yet, but hopefully I’ll start next week. I had to buy a gas stove and get my tank filled. Now I’d like to have a refrigerator before I start cooking. The owners of the house brought over cookies and juice for all of us. After the teachers all left I talked with them for a while. We just talked about each other and about the house. I had met them, but just met and didn’t really know them. They are a couple in their 30’s, Perla and Byron. They have 3 girls, Kiara – 8, Clang Clang – 6, and Ken Ken – just turned 5 Jan 2. The first few days at their house were very eventful. January 1 was the one year death anniversary of Perla’s father. When he died they moved into the front house with her mother. That is why their house is empty now and that’s where I’m living. For the one year anniversary it’s a huge deal here. They have a huge party at the house and everyone comes over. The next day was Ken Ken’s birthday so I went to town with them. We stopped at the cathedral first; it’s a tradition to go on your birthday. Then went to the mall and had lunch and bought a cake. It was fun hanging out with them.

December 29 – Thursday – Karen and I went to Los Banos for the day. Pam and Phyllis live there and Pam’s daughter Ashton was in town from Denton, TX.  We just walked around town and hung out. We ate a lot of food. Los Banos is a college town and has a lot of places to eat. Both places we ate at are somewhat American food. For lunch we all had corndogs and they had mustard to put on them! Mustard is not a common thing around here, and neither is corndogs. Then for dinner it was Italian. Definitely different than what I’m used to eating. It was nice meeting Ashton in person after hearing Pam talk about her daughter. She’s 24 and says now she wants to do Peace Corps! We had a lot of fun just hanging out.

December 31 – I went over to my host family in San Francisco’s to visit. It was kinda weird going over to visit after living there. They gave me a snack and it was the same as always. I had to go eat it at my table all by myself! I wouldn’t think when I would go visit I’d do that, but go figure. It was fun though. I will have to figure out a good time to go visit and go more often. Now the hard part is finding transportation from San Celestino to San Francisco. I just have to stand out and stop every jeep coming from town and ask them if they are going to San Francisco. Most of them aren’t, but every now and then there will be one going that far.