Holiday Greetings - One and All

So, I had popcorn and an apple for dinner tonight.  Why, you ask?
Have you been paying attention friend?

Because I can.

Yesterday and today were rough days... spent anxiously waiting for my solo trip to the ends of the earth - Palawan.  My unexpected Skype from my adopted daughter Anika made me cry.  My expected Skype from my family made me,  I apologize, it made me proud.  I am so flipping lucky to be surrounded by such people!  I didnt earn it....  it is beauty beyond imagine!  

Tomorrow, I head off and won't be in communication for a week or so.  Pray for me and for fair weather.. it has been raining a ton and I am fearful that my plans might be thwarted by high seas and generally inclement weather... no matter, whatever was meant to be was meant to be.  I AM and I am ready!

so anyway...

 I got an email today from the President of the United States thanking me for my service in the Peace Corps.  Thats pretty awesome!

Salamat po, Mr. President, and a blessed New Year to you and yours!

An Achievement!

Somewhere around two years ago my wife had the following conversation with me:

“Dan, you have acquired diabetes, you have high blood pressure, your cholesterol is over the top and you are morbidly obese.  You have got to take control of your health or the odds are you will die sooner than you should.”

Yeah, no sugar coating there, eh?  Well, she was right (as per usual).  I could blame my condition on anything I wanted - business travel, age, genetics, you name it, but the fact is none of those excuses mattered.  What mattered was taking control of my health.  I’m pretty stubborn and it took a while for me to come around, but I am proud to say that I am now 50 pounds less than I was at that time and I’m at the lowest weight I’ve been in over 20 years - heck, probably longer.  I’ve hit my target goal for weight loss, and there is still more fat to burn!  My sugar levels are in check and my blood pressure is perfect.  I have no idea what the cholesterol looks like, but I am sure it is down as well.  I feel good about all that.  I know that coming back to the States will be a challenge - I have weaknesses for really really unhealthy food like chicken wings and salami, but hopefully, I will manage to keep the weight off and the health managed.  Hiking will help!

I’d like to publicly thank Jean, Rafe, Eric, my doctor (Dr Kevin Chan - a Great Doc in Ahwatukee in case you are looking!) and other people too… people like Steve Spinogle, Dad Penrose, Nancy and David, Amy and Jack, and Mary and Gary Smith - people who prove that just because we get older does not mean we have to slow down!

Anyway, it is Christmas Eve. I woke up today and went to work but was surprised to see that the office was closed.  Now, I checked yesterday… I specifically asked, is tomorrow a holiday?  Answer was ‘no’….  Dec 25, 26, Jan 1, Jan 2 are holidays.  The office is open tomorrow.  Well, I guess no one told the man who puts the giant padlock on the door to the building, then!  Flexibility is a key ingredient to success here in the Philippines, as I’ve said!  So, I went home and now have a free day on my hands.  Tomorrow - Christmas; who knows what I’ll do.  Then the 26th.  I’ll be packing and then boarding an evening bus to Manila that will take around 12 hours.  Jump a cab from the station to get to the airport and then a short flight to Puerta Princesa.  No idea where I’ll be sleeping once I get there, but it looks like there are a ton of hotels there.  Not worried.

Ok…here’s the itinerary after that:

12/28 - Travel to Sabang.  Nice beach and home of the ‘Underground River’, apparently a must see attraction that has been labeled one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.  Jeepney back to Puerta to sleep.

12/29 - Travel to Port Barton/ San Vicente where I have a room booked at a place called Cassadra’s Cottages.  Looks to be a nice place right on the beach.  I picked it because its about half way North to my ultimate destination - El Nido.  I have no idea how I will get there, but assume there will be Jeepney’s involved.

12/30 - I will probably engage in a tour of some of the islands off the coast of San Vicente.  With any luck, I will find some other travelers to split the cost of an banca (smaller filippine boat with outriggers). Night at the beach cottage.

12/31 - Travel to El Nido.  Room reservations at Double Gem hotel.  On the beach.  Looks nice.

1/1 - Engage in a tour off coast, snorkeling etc.  This is what I’ve been waiting for!  Night at the Double Gem.

1/2 - Another day in El Nido.  Maybe a different tour. This night is a bit up in the air.  I could stay here if it merits, or I could take a bus and spend the night in Puerta P.  It depends on if ‘I’ve seen it all'.  I mean, El Nido, albeit one of the most beautiful locations in the world, is really remote - limited electricity.. no town, per se.  anyway, this night is up in the air.

1/3 - Evening flight to Manila.  Arrive around 11p.  Take a cab to the Pension I know and love where I have a room booked in the dormitory (thanks Peace Corps!).

1/4 - hang in Manila. maybe night at Pension, maybe not.

1/5 - this is open… If Im bored in Manila (possible, since I just spent over a week there) I may just jump a night bus back to Lagonoy on 1/4.. or 1/5… we shall see.

1/6 - Back in my crib in Lagonoy and back to work…. for the homestretch!

Now, lets see if that is how it all unfolds!!!!!!!  oh, I do encourage you to do some googling on El Nido, the Underground River in Sabang, San Vicente.....    go ahead... they are beautiful places!!!

Music in the air!

So, children are just filling the streets... singing carols and laughing and running and just being beautiful children.  God, it is easy to love this place!  I just came back from my radio appearance... two songs tonight...  "Friends in Low Places', by Garth Brooks (Rafe, you would be proud!) and then a gem....  Day-O, by Harry Bellefonte.   I will have to do that one again in the future... what a fun song to sing!

Last night was a gift as well.  I heard some music in the street not far from me so I wandered over.   Turns out it was a group of women who were singing, drinking and having fun together.  I saw them do this totally hilarious game... I have a feeling its a secret game that women do together when no men are around.... anyway... I was witness.....  so, you get a bunch of empty soda bottles and you space them apart around the floor... then women tie a string around their waist.. and then tie a string to that.  This string is attached to a soda straw.... .then the music starts and the  gals sort of gyrate and wiggle on top of the soda bottles to see how fast they can dip their straw into the bottle!!!  The one who does it the fastest is the winner!!!!    OMG...     The ladies got the MOVES... and they know how to party! Who would have guessed?!

in case you're wondering... yes, it is still raining...

Back in July when I announced to those in my circles my plan to take a leave of absence from my Phoenix existence, a common question that came up was, 'Why would you choose to do such a thing?'  My answer was always the same, 'Because I believe that I can".   I now see that answer as incomplete.  A better answer might have been, "Because I believe I can and because I believe I will return a better person than when I left".  This Peace Corps gig - yes, we do it for things like skills transfer, cultural exchanges, learning, training etc. But, I'd venture that very few returned volunteers would say that the gifts they gave during service equaled the gifts they received.  This is the true gift of giving, right?  There is a law out there in the universe that I believe and it has proven true, at least for me:  Whatever good you manifest in your thoughts and actions will come back to you, with interest.  Basic karma.  If you are seeking love, then practice love.  If you are seeking happiness, make someone happy. If you want to learn, then teach.  I could go on an on, but you have heard this all before and are probably bored by now.

In many ways this experience is far different than my first assignment; in ways too numerous to count.  But in one important way, the experiences are consistent.  That is, by submerging myself into another culture for an extended period of time, I have learned a lot about myself.  It's a bit paradoxical, but there you have it.  This work is really quite difficult and is not for everyone.  It is inner work at the same time as it is outer work - and it is all about communication - within and without.

So, as Christmas approaches  (around 50ish days left here), thoughts and activities have emerged surrounding "reentry" planning.  Yesterday, I purchased my return ticket back to the US from the Philippines.  Whirlwind travel taking me from Bangkok, to Manila, to Guangzhou, China, to LAX, to Phoenix.  The major leg, China to LA, will have me flying on the Airbus A380 - the largest commercial aircraft in service (over 550 seats!).  Never flew on it and Im excited about that in a geeky sort of way.

Tonight, assuming we can connect, I have a meeting with the Director of the Consulting firm I was working with for 10 years before this adventure began  We will discuss options surrounding my re-entry with that firm.  I would be lying if I said that I am looking forward to exactly the same working situation I left, although my guess is that is exactly what they want of me.  We shall see.

Oh, and in one week I will be in Palawan! YipYip!

Relationships in the Philippines

There is a running joke over here that goes something like this:

James:  Hey Jose, lets go out and drink some ginebra.
Jose:     Sorry James, my wife just texted me and she wants me to come home.
James:  Which wife?  Wife #1 or Wife #2?

There is even a TV program (comedy) that is popular here... it is called "Two Wives"

So, I got to talking about this with a few women whose opinions  I respect here.  One, is in charge of the "Women and Social Services" program and in charge of the funding for all day care centers in Lagonoy.  Here is what Kari had to say about the issue of cheating...

"Listen, I've known my husband since I was a little girl.  I know the kind of man he is. I know he is a remarkable man.  It wouldn't surprise me if another woman was interested in him because he is so smart and handsome.  I've told my husband, "it wouldn't surprise me if another woman was interested in you, but before you choose to sleep with her make sure she is a fast runner.  Because when I find out that she has slept with you I will run as fast as I can to catch her and when I do I will tear off her clothes so that she will have to run naked and shamed through the streets.  Then I will call a special meeting with the barangay captain and file a complaint against her for trying to steal my husband.  I will make sure everyone in Lagonoy knows what she has done.  I will allow no woman to steal my husband."

Gee... that's an interesting perspective!  And, as long as we are on this topic, lets talk a bit about filipino courtship rituals, such as they are.  As best I can figure, it generally works like this:

First, there is no dating, per se.  When a boy decides that he is interested in a girl enough to make her a wife he will ask her out for dinner.  This is the only "date" - more often than not, this will also be the first time when the boy and girl will be alone.  Its a big deal, this dinner.  There, he will bring up the subject of marriage.  At the dinner, they will decide if they are a good fit, if they share the same thoughts on family, religion, life values, etc.  If this meeting works well, the next step is to approach both families - hers first, then his. If the families approve of the new couple, they move the next step - marriage.  Family approval is not a pro forma exercise, especially for the girl.  A girls father might be very protective of his daughter (!).  As I think I mentioned in another post, most marriages do not occur in a church bc a church is too costly (they exact a sizable fee for the service). Instead, the marriage is made legit through a simple ritual performed by the mayor. Documents are signed and then ... well, the couple is married.  In an earlier post, I know I described a "wedding party", so I wont do that again either.

Here's the thing... divorce is very very rare here, even if adultery is rather common.  The importance of maintaining the nuclear family is too strong and of course there is the Catholic thing... the guilt thing... the fear of hell thing.....

Holidays!

Like everywhere, there are holiday traditions in the Philippines.  Here's one:

It begins with a wish.  Then, starting on December 15, church services are held at the Catholic church every morning at 4:00a.  Folks attend mass every morning until Christmas morning.  At each service you pray for God to grant you the wish.  Assuming you go to all 10 services, the belief is that God will grant you the wish you have been praying for in the coming year.  This becomes your Christmas "Gift".

Here's another:  During this time of year, you will find children caroling from door to door, every night.  Dressed in holiday attire, they will sing a number of carols while doing different dance routines.  The pure joy on their faces...  It is precious!  Of course, they appreciate a donation... peso's, chocolate.. anything.  Of course, these gifts are given with love.

Also, it seems that just about every barangay has some sort of outdoor holiday display.   Made of this or that (ie. coconuts, palm fronds, plastic soda bottles, straws, bottle caps, discarded wood, tin), the displays are really quite creative.  Last night, as I was taking my nightly trash run, I ran across a large party in the street outside of my house.  They had erected a large tent, brought out dozens of chairs and of course, a videoke machine.  There were singing contests, soup was made for all, dancing....  this, on a Monday night.  A highlight for me was surely the transvestite majorette routine!  Truly a fun community event.  I got a ton of pictures!  I went to bed around midnight but when I awoke at 4:30 there were still people singing.  By the time I showered and walked to work, all evidence of the party had been taken down and put away.  Nothing but memories.

I can imagine there was a time when community based traditions like this were common in the United States.  Are those times lost forever?  I believe with all my heart that the US would be a better country if we learned a little from the poor but honest filipinos in my village!

rain rain rain

An uncomfortable routine has developed at work…  At 5p every day, I venture over to the office that has the portable internet access.  There, I ask for permission to take the unit home with me.  The woman who lets me use it works tirelessly.  Most often, she works in her office until around 10p and lately, she has been denying me permission because she needs the access herself - completely understandable of course.  But, she works weekends as well.  I stopped by today to see if it might be possible to use the unit a little later.  She denied me access.  She said that she worked until 1a Saturday and planned on working that late again tonight.  Understandably, she was in a rather grumpy mood.  

Not having access at nights during the week really isn't a problem since I have access at the office during the day, but I really miss the internet over the weekend.  In fact, one thing I deeply regret is my lack of preparedness wrt internet issues.  Many PCVs have their own portable wireless devices that they purchased in Manila during their 3 month training.  In my two week training, we never covered access and this is knowledge I really really wish I had.  I really feel like a grubber asking every day, but I have no other options really.  The unit costs around $100 and unlimited access runs around $25/mo.  I’ve got only two months left and besides, Im sticking to my budget, damn it!  These costs are not in the cards.  But I will say, had I known how to get access at the beginning of this gig, I would have dug deep for the purchase!  So. I guess I will continue to grub.  It is getting harder and harder though, both to ask and to receive.  I guess I’m no longer a novelty at work!

In other news, it has been raining constantly since I got back to site two days ago.  Ive never seen so much rain.  Yesterday, I ventured out to go do the radio show (Redemption Song, Bob Marley) and today I pretty much holed up in my room all day reading.  I really am tired of the rain!  Plus, I was dumb enough to drink some service water in a restaurant in Manila and my stomach has been in knots since I got back. 

Oh, and I sat on my glasses last night in the dark and snapped them in two.  Im down to the pair I brought in reserve for such an occasion.  Yeah, all in all, its been a tough week.

But things could certainly be worse.  I was saddened to learn that my friend Choy lost his home in the typhoon.  Apparently, the ‘condo unit’ was no match for the wind that did show up.  He and his wife have been living in an evacuation center since the storm.  I’m not sure what he will do, since he doesn't receive any money for work.  I was thinking I might ask a few of my friends to chip in some peso’s with me to help him out, but Im not sure how that might be perceived.  I will  ask someone discreetly.  I know he could surely use a little boost about now.

a boring blog... thinking of you all... friends

I just have to do this because these people are outstanding!  They shared space with me during Typhoon Ruby and I will account for each and every one:  Outstanding people willing to both take a
chance and make a difference.  Carpe Diem, friends!

Dotti
Rachel
Nate
Ben
Michelle
Calliope
Tiffanie
Chantelle
Marissa
Zack
Diane
Kelly
Dani
Surge
MJ
Dave
Dave
Beth
Kat
Johanne
Kyle

and Iriss

On second thought,  missed a few, and I am sorry.  You too are with me! Salamat po!

like rabbits from a hole!

Maybe today will be the day... The typhoon is a thing of the past and I am hoping we'll be sprung in a few hours and allowed to return home.  Yesterday, they loosened the restriction that forced us to remain at the pension.  We ran like rabbits from a hole!

I, like many, made tracks to the Peace Corps office about 2 miles away.  After being in that hotel for so long, a few of my new friends and I were happy to walk the distance.  It was nice getting back to HQ.  I retrieved the packages and cards that had been sent to me and that were waiting at the PCPO.   I got it all, I think!   The liquid soap that was sent leaked, so pretty much everything in the package had a nice peppermint aroma!  Unfortunately, this rendered the magazines only trash worthy, but everything else was salvaged.  I quickly shared my chocolate with the other PCVs who had made their way, reserving a few bars for later, of course!  Oh, and I got the Christmas Cards!

Thank you for the gifts, one and all!

After catching up with staff  and collecting a few books from the give and take PC library, I headed out for a nice walk alone.  I ended up back at pension after a couple hours.  A little bit later, a few of us went out for some hummus and I even smoked some strawberry flavored something at a hookah joint!  A fun night, to be sure.

time to get to know each other

so, we've been holed up in this pension for days.  Brief trips outside have been welcome, but mostly we are here, alone with each other and ourselves.  Right now I am watching 3 PCVs doing yoga in an open hallway as myself and a few others do computer things.   We are eating shawarma and hummus and naan.   lunch and dinner... repeat...   drinking red wine.  The storm, Ruby, ended up being quite the lady...  She was demure... not showing us where she wanted to go at first, but once she decided to move, she moved delicately.... swerving around the areas that matter the most to me.  It now looks now like she will head off into the Pacific, barely touching Manila.  She's still out there... Southeast of us, but I think she has good manners an will just take her things and go.

So many volunteers... an extraordinary group of american young people.  That our country could exclusively be filled with such a bright, diverse, courageous, talented, intelligent, giving, and even beautiful group such as this...  it would make all the difference in the future.  To a person, they are all at some point on a quest to become fluent in Bicolano and/or Tagalog.  Most live with other filipino families as this helps their assimilation into communities, improves safety concerns, and speeds up language development skills.  Some are signing on for another year, others are using this time to write applications to graduate school.  Others have only been on island for less than 6 months.  One gal entered the PC married and is now divorced.  At least three have developed significant relationships with filipinas.  One guy has a music collection even larger than the one that I accidentally destroyed here a few months ago.  There are three main programs in PC here:  Coastal Resource Management, Social Services, and Education.  As best I can tell they populated rather evenly with PCVs.  Of course, the PCV programs run parallel with the program that I am in, which is PCRV.

Ive talked quite a bit with this one guy. He a giant of a man; obviously works out daily.  I told him that my son has the same interests.... targeted body definition, I call it.  He's lived in Seattle and other places... got his degree from Univ of Hawaii.  Id figure him to be about 6'1", 210 and well, he's cut like a stone.  I'd say he bears a striking resemblance to Lebron James (tho he will be pissed if he heard me tell it!) We were talking around one night about places we wanted visit in the world... One gal, her home is just a few miles down the road from where Jean and I lived in MD, her goal is to learn the 3 main asian languages, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin.  She is a korean american, and already fluent  in Mandarin and Tagalog,  She wants to spend a good amount of time in both Japan and Korea.   Another person noted Nepal because of the mountains.  My friend....  well, he didnt have an answer.  His only comment was "I never had a passport before Peace Corps so this is the first time Ive been out of the US,  Im just happy to be here".  So, we changed the question.  "OK, so you don't care where you go.... Tell me, where do you NOT want to go?"  He didnt skip a beat in his answer. "That's easy.  I don't want to go to prison."

I wonder how many white volunteers would answer those two question the same was as my new african american friend....

I am blessed.  And so are you!  Thank you all for your concern.  Im not sure when Im headed back to site.... it may be as early as tomorrow, but with PC you never know.  I'll keep you posted...

the waiting game

Today, we were met in the Pension by our Country Director who let us know that PC is here to take care of us.  Because of the slow forward movement of the storm, our length of stay here in Manila is looking like it will be much longer than the initially expected three days.  As best I can tell, I expect to be here for a week or so.  Good for me, I suppose, but I know Im going to be missed at site, where they need me now more than ever.

Anyway, beginning at 5p tonight, we are required remain here at the pension until further notice- leaving for any reason will be considered unacceptable and cause for immediate termination of service.  Harsh... but understandable.  So, we are all sort of hunkering down.  I went to the mall and bought a few food tidbits (including cheddar cheese!!!)  and then I crashed for a couple hours.  When PC came by, they brought a bunch of board games and books - I thought that was a nice touch!  I picked up "Cuba Libre", by Elmore James.  

I feel that my past few posts have been downers...  I guess I am just really tired and worried.  I know things will work out and that whatever happens next is just another test designed to make me stronger.  And this holds true not just for me, but for my counterparts at site as well.  Things will work out in divine order.

Sleepless in Manila

A very rough trip last night brought us into Manila on time at 4a.  By the time we got to our pension it was after 5.  I am grateful that the travel occurred without a hitch, but I am filled with worry.  Not for me, but for the friends and colleagues I left behind.

On a positive note, at least for my region, the typhoon is tracking more westward than northward, which means wind damage will be less severe in my area, with expected sustained winds peaking at around 100/kph.    Storm surge estimates however still exceed 18 feet, and that IS severe.  This, plus the rainfall.  But again, I am grateful... those in the typhoons direct path will deal with this, plus typhoon force winds of the most intense magnitude.

Anyways..   its like a bowling ball that has been released down the lane...  its just a matter of time before it strikes... and we begin to pick up the pieces... again.

I got this message today from a woman I admire more than most.  She is someone quite close to me and my family.  These words are not her's, but from a friend of hers, whom she's met and who also does important work in the Philippines... In the spirit of community, Im forwarding her thoughts because they in many ways mirror my own.  (Thank you Anika, you are loved!).  The only thing I would add to this is this:

Thoughts in your mind reproduce after their kind.  Be so very careful of what you think, let alone say.  If you spend a moment today pointing blame rather than engaging in positive change... you are wasting your potential.  In that moment of casting blame YOU BECOME THE PROBLEM!  Unlike the gal in this post... perhaps I am pointing a finger....   Have the courage, expend the calories to become a force of positive influence in the lives of others and watch your own life unfold in beautiful ways.  I believe that the universe is crafted in this way.  What you give you also shall receive.  This concept is universally shared in all of the worlds main religions.  What will you give today besides your opinion?  The world already has too many empty words.
===

Backpedaling in view of Ruby

With a pretty daft start into this last day of the week, I was just observing myself bitching about what I may call my problems and frustrations. But then, I am back in touch with my friends and colleagues in the Philippines, who are - almost exactly one year and one month after the massive calamity that typhoon Yolanda caused on 7 November 2013 - currently preparing for the next approaching typhoon, Ruby, already dealt with as new super typhoon. And I realise that I should better just. hold. my. breath.

It has been just a couple of weeks, that Kakay (Kareen) and the supporters of HIP officially handed over our beautifully rebuilt and improved communal buildings on the islets in Bantayan, all heavily affected by Yolanda, and, only a small number of all the areas pretty much forgotten in the crazy (international) aid run into Tacloban and Leyte / Samar last Christmas and after. Not only are all the immense work, love, commitment, and resources put into these projects now again at stake, much worse are also the people living in the track of Yolanda at that time and, again, Ruby this time, threatened once more.

This, what may be my longest Facebook post ever, will also be my last for this year, as I feel increasingly sick looking at the daily expressed egocentric superficiality, personal pseudo-drama, and expressions of iPhone-, handbag- or other consumables-mania that fill the daily horizon of so many, albeit its morally conflicting nature with the lived realities of so many. It is the ME that matters, particularly here on Facebook.

While us here in the West, comfortably feeding our healthy buts with cookies, wine, and consumption for Christmas, "others" are RIGHT NOW fearing for their lives, do not know how to feed their kids at night, or where to find shelter. The pictures of Ruby leave not only myself wondering, how much more will have to happen until 'mankind' will eventually start rethinking and taking joint responsibility for what is happening in the world, with our people and our nature.

While I had and have the chance to travel, to make friends around the world, I am not able to distance myself anymore from the pictures of catastrophes I see on TV, from the bad news we receive on a daily basis, from fears and problems friends, families of friends and friends' friends around the world are facing. These hours, I find not only my colleagues and friends in the Philippines rightly worried, preparing to avoid the repetition of last year's disaster. Also my friends and family here, especially those who supported HIP and all our post-Yolanda efforts throughout the past year, are deeply concerned in view of the expected landfall of Ruby, reassuring myself that there ARE other things that MATTER and that there still exists something called SOLIDARITY.

Without a wagging finger, this is the attempt of a reminder (to myself and others) to backpedal for a minute, and be it in the festive sense of Christmas season - it is never too late to put things and "problems" into perspective.

In that sense - have a joyful X-Mas season everyone and - most importantly - be safe!

a game changer...

So we are packing up and heading to the bus station in one hour.  The bus from Naga to Manila leaves at 8p, arriving in Manila at 4a.  The typhoon will hit the Philppines sometime tomorrow.  It looks like we will feel it in Manila around Sunday.  Given the strength of this storm, and understanding the recent history in Lagonoy with typhoon Glenda this past June, I am figuring that I've seen the last of electricity there.   Im not sure how that is going to affect my postings once I get back to site.  These next few posts might very well be the last for awhile...  I will still record my thoughts on paper and transfer them  online whenever I am able.

A few of us were talking today...  events like this truly define our Peace Corps experience.  That is, in years to come we will look at the PC adventure as "before Ruby" and "after Ruby".  There is no doubt that what will happen in the next 72 hours will drastically change my next two months of service.  The damage prediction maps I am seeing show Lagonoy in the path of "catastrophic" damage.  Thats a step up from "Severe".

It is really sad, and frightening.  After Yolanda last year, I am told that many PCVs just cashed it in and went home early because their towns were completely destroyed. There was nothing to go back to.  Ruby isn't as large, thankfully, but every disaster is different.  It is certainly way stronger than Glenda and is still a Category 4 typhoon.  They estimate that the typhoon could bring over 1 foot of rain and Ive seen storm surge estimates exceeding 15 feet.  That is going to wipe out barangays along the Lagonoy Gulf.  Landslides will be life threatening.  Flooding will be severe.

And yet, outside my window, I see the good folks of Naga just going about their evenings... as if nothing is going to happen.  Sorry, I am having a surreal moment.

Skirting the storm

Made it to Naga, along with 20 or so other volunteers.  Last night was a trip and a half!  The streets were teeming with people; so many people it was hard to walk in the sidewalks... I suppose this was normal for Naga, but certainly unusual to this Lagonoyian!  .

I ended up at a bar with a few PCVs...  I remember eating "olive pesto" (Yum!) There was live music.  In fact, one of the PCVs is in a relationship with the young man who performed and it seems they are very close.  It was so interesting watching the dynamic of that situation...  One of the things that is fascinating is that so many of these volunteers know one another... and they are obviously very close.  Of course, I am the "oldie"; they are much younger than I.  It makes me envious in a number of ways.  Anyway, I probably drank too much and danced too much because I don't remember much!

So, I find it interesting that Peace Corps is calling  this event a "consolidation" rather than an "evacuation".  They are pulling us together but don't want anyone to have the impression that we are getting out of harms way.  Im sitting here now getting an internet update on the typhoon just offshore.  It looks to be making landfall in  a day or so.  Luckily, current models of the typhoon path show that it is not likely to track north.  This means that it appears unlikely that it will pass directly over Lagonoy, but rather track south by a couple of hundred kilometers.   A close call but not a direct hit!  As it looks, it will mean wind and a ton of rain, but no destruction...   I am praying!

This is all costing me money, by the way.  PC gave us 3000ps in advance emergency money for such a situation, but I had already begun thinking of that advance as money that I would use for my vacation!   Sadly, Ive got to use that now to pay for hotel and food expenses related for this event.  So, in the end, this damn typhoon is costing money that I could have spent on Palawan... and that has me a bit disturbed as well.   Oh well!

Alert! Coming soon, to a neighborhood near me....

This one looks like its going to hit us.  Current tracking has Typhoon Ruby reaching "Super Typhoon" status just about the time it will make landfall in East Samar in essentially the same location where Yolanda hit last year.  There is a 25% chance that the path of the eye will shift north, toward Lagonoy.  That would be quite unfortunate!  While thankfully, not as strong as Yolanda, it is still expected to be the strongest storm of the year.

A "Super" typhoon is recognized as such by sustained wind velocity of 150mph.   Ummm... thats a strong wind indeed!  And then there is the issue of storm surge.  Storm surge is a phenomena that occurs during a hurricane or typhoon.  Essentially the water ion the ocean gets 'pushed' forward by the strength of the wind.  Not a problem in itself, until the waves reach landfall. Imagine holding a cup of water that is full to the brim.  Now, blow hard over the top of the cup... what happens?  That is storm surge!  Storm surge is not the same as flooding because with a storm surge, the event happens quickly, and the damage is violent and extensive...much like a tsunami.  Storm surge from Ruby is expected to exceed 4 meters in coastal locations.. thats a wall of water about 13 feet high.   I have seen so many villages since i got here that are built OVER the water... out of bamboo and other natural materials..  These folks had better get out of the way!  Hopefully, the word will get out to them in time.  If history is any indicator, they will lose everything but their lives but theywill return to the same location to rebuild again.. .probably sometime next week.   Amazing!

During my last PC service in Antigua, both Jean and I witnessed the damage wrought by hurricane Hugo, a Cat 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 135mph.  That was a long, scary night!  90% of the roofs on the neighboring island of Montserrat were significantly damaged or destroyed.   PC admin is obviously taking this threat very seriously.  All volunteers in the country have been ordered to prepare a "go kit" in case a quick evacuation is called.  The staging site for my area is a pension in Naga City, should an evacuation be ordered.

The administrator has called an emergency meeting of the municipal disaster planning council within the hour and I have been invited to speak.  It will be interested to see how that goes!

Being open to change

Caramoan disaster conference cancelled because of the threat of Typhoon Ruby which is expected to hit just south of Lagonoy on Saturday.  Well, how about that?  I thought that the threat of a typhoon was over, but here you go... Ruby expected landfall on 12/6, 13 months since Super Typhoon Yolanda hit this country.

Hopefully, it will shift direction at the last minute like the last one did.  We will see.  So now my weekend is open with only heavy weather to look forward to...

Speaking of changes in plans, Ive decided to take another direction with respect to my trip to Palawan.  Typically, when traveling for recreation, I prefer to keep my itinerary roughly planned, with no hotel reservations.  Heck, Jean and I did our honeymoon to Ireland that way and it worked out well!  In this case, I am booking hotels in advance for the most part.  This pegs me to certain towns on certain dates and that makes me a bit nervous.  I mean, you never know... anything can happen and then Id be forced to pay for another, likely more expensive room in different town.  But my experience in Lapu Lapu spooked me a little bit.  I didnt like arriving there with no plan and no known place to lay my head.  I guess Im getting old!  In this case, I do like the comfort of having a planned trip.  Plus, from a practical side... because Northern Palawan has very spotty electricity, I really can't be sure they accept credit and my cash is limited.  Booking the room online in advance allows me to pay with credit and do the research to uncover cheap, but nice places.  So far, Ive found two places that run about $30/night.  Both are cottages located on the beach, one in Port Barton and one in el Nido.  I was trying to get a tent in a campground at a spot that is supposed to be just out of this world - the place is called "Thelma and Toby's Island Camp Adventure" - but they are booked solid.  Disappointing, but "Cassandra's Cottages" looks pretty darned inviting as well.  Check them out by doing a google on "Cassandra's Cottages and Port Barton".

But enough of that.  I an pressed to write today about the senses I experience here in Lagonoy.  There are things here that the senses cannot deny.  The senses that define poverty:  the sounds of roosters in the morning, of pigs being slaughtered, the sight of naked children running in the neighborhood and the smell of shit in the street.

There are also other senses, however, and I choose to focus on them.. the sense of community that I witness.  The openness and trust to strangers that is palatable and rarely betrayed.  The experience of walking down the street and seeing just so many smiles - I tell you, it lifts the heart!  There is a sense of joy here that I cannot explain to someone who has not seen this.  The singing!  The laughter!  The dance! As an american, I had every reason to expect that these notions of decency and community were gone forever, but here they live and serve as a testament to define the progress that can be regained in our own culture.   I just hope that we, as americans, finally wake up and realize that there are still lessons to learn and that some of them begin with a kind heart and an extended hand to our neighbors - regardless of their skin color, religion, or social standing.

Lucky ducks and unlucky ducks

Every Monday, we gather here in front of the Philippine flag and we do five things:
1) We pray to our Lord

2) We sing the National Anthem
3) We raise the Philippine Flag
4) We recite the pledge of office
5) We have kind words spoken to begin our week

Each administrative office lines up in single file as a team.  You can see that in the pics.  Today, was a special day!  For one, a Catholic mass immediately followed the flag raising (this happens on the first Monday of every month).  Second, the Mayor was in attendance and he stood to announce that Year End Performance Based Bonuses were on their way for all permanent employees!  Cheers went up in the crowd (not caught on video).  While good news for some, others appeared sad....  remember that there is a cadre of 'employee' here who loyally come to work daily but who don't get paid.  They are the "contract" employees (vs. the permanent employee).  For them, the money ran out at the end of August.  So, they stay on... with no better options...  knowing that in January there will be a new budget.   And so it goes....

and this just in....

Here's some news I bet hasn't made it to your shores...

Brisbane, Australia got smashed with a surprise rogue storm yesterday that has caused hundreds of mllions of dollars in damages.  Winds over 90mi/hr have left nearly 100,000 without power.  Massive hail falling from the sky causing extensive damage....

Also in Australia... earlier this week a professional cricketeer was actually KILLED on the pitch by a ball!  Cricket is a rugged sport you know... In cricket, the pitcher (called a baller) is allowed to hit the batter.  Its a part of the game.  So, the baller threw at the batters head... the ball came smashing into his neck and the man died on the spot!  Australians are mourning the world over!

In other news... guess who is going to Caramoan next week?  I just got notice from our Administrator that there is a disaster conference in Caramoan and Carlos and I are to attend!  How exciting!  Caramoan is about 2 hours away by bus or boat and is wonderfully remote and wild.  In fact, two US and at least 2 French versions of the show Survivor have been shot on location there.  I have been dying to go.. and now I will be going for free, courtesy of Lagonoy!!!  Of course, we might just have to stay an extra night so we can get some island hopping in the itinerary! Looks like we will be leaving on Wednesday, conference Thurs thru mid day Saturday, stay over Saturday night and back to Lagonoy on Sunday

heres a link that explains why I am so excited:  www.caramoan.ph

Yipp!

not quite the homestretch

I'm not much of a TV guy back home.  I mean, I watch TV - but mostly just channel surf.  I haven't dug into any good TV programming in years.  Well, anywhere you go here in the Philippines it is easy to come across merchants who sell bootleg movies and TV programs.  They sell this stuff for a song.  So, I gave it a whirl.. I bought the entire first seasons of both  "Game of Thrones" and "House of Cards" for about $2.25.  I've enjoyed both so much that I went and found Season 2 of each show.  Good entertainment on those nights that I have no access to the internet.  Recommended, if you haven't given them a watch...

Well, as you might imagine, I've been feeling rather solitary here, given that my loved ones are gathering today in Thanksgiving.  Last night, I ate by candlelight like I do every night.  I cooked a chicken breast, coated with coconut.  Corn on the side with rice.  Mango, pineapple, coconut and banana salad for dessert.  In bed by 8.  30 days to Palawan, 72 days to Close of Service (COS), and 74 sleeps until I meet up with Jean in Bangkok!

I guess you could say that I've rounded the bend in this adventure.  I figure Ive completed as much work as Im going to do on the Municipal Disaster Plan and am well into developing a template for a local Barangay Disaster Plan.  Whatever the powers that be want to do with these documents is really beyond my concern.  Even if I were to leave tomorrow, I feel that I have successfully executed the tasks that I have been assigned.

At least two fellow PCRVs who I started with in August are COSing early - a surprise since the duration of the service is so short.  Ive spoken with both and like me, they feel that they've completed everything that they were assigned to do... so why stay?  I was actually given to option of an early COS (in January instead of Feb) by the Peace Corps admin whenever I was having administrative trouble with my vacation plans, but I declined.   I just felt that an early COS did not represent me, or the Peace Corps, in a good light - especially given the fact that Im often asked to stay on longer.  I know there is great potential for another PC assignment here, but in typical fashion, the wheels are spinning very slowly toward that end.  

Oh... everything is back to normal with Katherine, in case you were wondering.  Its as if nothing ever happened.  Too bad about that pendant... she'll probably never wear it and it was a nice one!  Oh well.  I'll just make another one when I get back home.  I do miss my torch time!

Hope you are all enjoying your day!  Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for your continued interest in my experiences...

A faux pas

It's 5:11am and Ive been up since 1.

I mentioned that the woman who owns my property is in Manila.  Well, she has a small army of (what can only be called) servants and whoever was supposed to take care of the dog (yeah, that dog) apparently forgot to untie him because he is outside my window wailing in the rain.  He's been out there crying for hours.  There's nothing I can do to help the dog and the rain is just coming down!  

So, we've got the dog barking and the rain falling hard on my tin roof.  Oh, and it is pretty obvious that someone down the street was lucky enough to get their Christmas present a month early!  Yep, the Videoke machine has been in full swing for the past two nights - all night long.  I just heard a pretty bad version of Mandy, by Barry Manilow!  How could anyone sleep through this?  And, of course, since it's past 5a the roosters are doing their thing so there is no chance of slumber now...

About my faux pas...  two days ago in the mayor's office a few folks were joking around with Katherine, one of the gals who works there.  Everyone kept wishing her "Happy Birthday", and then everyone would laugh.  Not sure what the joke was about, but of course, I wanted to get in on the fun, so at some point, I say, "Happy Birthday!" and she tells me that actually her birthday is on December 26.  She went on to say that she would be happy to receive a gift from me, however!  Ok.. so yesterday, I arrive at work and Katherine comes right up to me and jokes, "So, where's my present?!"  Well, I thought we were all joking, but (as it turns out) I have been looking for an excuse to give someone one of the glass pendants that I made.  I packed around 10 of them in the hopes of passing them out.  So, I tell her to wait a few minutes and I ran back to my abode to fetch a pendant.

Well, I get back to the office and proudly give Katherine my pendant - "For your Birthday, a month early!  And I made it myself!"  Well, I think Katherine took it the wrong way... I'm not sure... but I think she took it as some sign of affection and she immediately looked embarrassed and clammed up for the rest of the day.  I asked her if she liked my gift and all she would say was, "Im too busy right now to look at it".  Odd behavior, particularly since she ASKED for a gift!  I suppose she didnt really expect to get anything... or else jewelry is some kind of taboo gift, reserved for those in love???  Or perhaps its because I gave her something I had made?  I have no idea.  Sometimes culture is so confusing.  Anyway, I hope today is better and we can get this past us because I DO like Katherine.. but of course, not in any kind of romantic way.  So, I guess I get to bring the rest of my pendants back home with me, because Im  not going through THAT again!!!

See thats the thing about being an americano male over here... it creates strange relationships with the other gender.  I somehow think, at least from this perspective, its easier to assimilate being an american female here, than a male.  The fact is, many american men come to the Philippines to find a wife.  It's more than cliche'. You don't see it as much the other way around.  That is, you don't see many american females marrying filipino men. Everyone here understands this and it is accepted.   I never anticipated it being a problem even though the issue was mentioned in PC training back in Manila.  Frustrating!

Anyway...    I wanted to clear something up... I am not writing a "book" book.  I am merely collecting these posts and assembling them into a journal along with some nice photos Ive been lucky enough to capture.  I think it will make a nice keepsake! 

A Break In!

So, I think in an earlier post I noted that the light in my bathroom hasn't gone completely off in weeks.  Well, yesterday things got worse.  The way it was, when the switch was off, there remained a soft glow.  When the switch was on - full light.  Now, when the switch is on, I hear a crackle and smell burning wire....  Not good.  Worse, the woman who owns the place is off to Manila for who knows how long.  I told someone about it in the mayors office so hopefully I can get the switch replaced today.

Yesterday was an odd day overall.  I definitely wasn't feeling myself and then I came home to the strangest thing...  The dog (a lucky dog) who lives next door and who barks incessantly all day long somehow found a way into the "outside" part of my domain.  The area is completely enclosed by a bamboo fence, the gate padlocked and I have no idea how it could have happened.... unless, someone had a key and let him in. A bit unnerving.  When I got through the gate, he looked plenty scared before I coaxed him out into the street.  Of course, the dog had been there awhile and I found a big pool of pee right where I cook.  Of course, its a porous concrete floor so I needed to splash buckets and buckets of water over the area, then get down on hands and knees and scrub scrub scrub until the smell went away.  Very strange, but I am reminded more than ever to keep the locks closed to my area... for whatever good that will do!

In other news, it has been raining all week.  Not constant rain, but off and on strong showers that do their best to keep me grounded.  I haven't been to Goa in about 5 days which, on the plus side, curtails my spending.  On the downside, I find myself being as bored as ever a lot of the time away from work.  I've begun planning for my trip to Palawan.  Given my travel style, I like to keep my options open, but I felt as if it would be prudent to book a room in advance for at least part of my stay there.  Looking carefully at the map, the "Lonely Planet" travel guide, and the calendar, Ive got a pretty good itinerary that should place me in el Nido on New Years Eve until 1/2.  So I booked what looks to be an inexpensive (<$30/night), safe and clean place that is on the beach.  Definitely looking forward to that adventure!

Christmas is coming...

There is a joke here in the Philippines that Christmas starts an the end of August. Well,, I am a certain witness to that!  Today is November 24 - one month until Christmas Eve and while decorations have been up in the mayors office for months and Christmas songs (traditional american and filipino both) play over the internet all day every day... I came to work today to realize that these gestures were just preliminary to the big show... they are pulling out the big guns today!   There are lights everywhere in the lobby and I am excited to see how the whole thing ends up.

Actually, the whole Xmas thing bothers me much less here than it does back home.  Because here... it seems to be done in the spirit of true celebration, without all the commercialism and pressure to buy buy buy.  You don't see Santa Claus here a whole lot.   In the packing I did before I left, I included a few gifts for the friends who I knew I would meet here.  I had initially planned on passing them out early, as a sort of gesture.  But, I have resisted until I could determine how to best use them.  I mean, they are little things... a childs dress, a tshirt, playing cards, crayons and coloring book, that sort of stuff.  I even carried across two plates decorated with popular american sayings like "home is where the heart is".  I want pass these out to the people (mostly children) whom have become the most friendly to me.  But there are so many here in that category... I now have another dilemma....   how to give to some, and not to all. All told I think I have about 7 gifts... so, I need to save a few pesos and do a little Christmas shopping!   I mean, thats half the number of children alone who acknowledge me daily, with their smiles and giggles and high fives and "hey americano!" comments.  Then there's adults I have gotten to know who I feel the need to share gifts at this time of year.   The budget squeezed quite tight right now!

Speaking of budget, since Ive been talking to a few PCVs and RCRVs lately, Ive come to understand that quite a few frequently supplement their PC budget as they feel the need.  Truth be told, I have done this as well:  All airplane tickets and hotel purchases since my arrival have been paid for with either US money I brought with me, or put on credit.   Beyond that, I use willpower to not exceed my PC allowance.  Some of this is stubbornness on my part, but most of it is because I know my lovely wife is having her own PC experience in Ahwatukee, AZ, living as she does on such a extremely tight budget!

Oh... I have a correction to make:  In a previous post I described my experience eating balut with Steve Balut... but I made a mistake! Balut is not a chicken, but a duck!  So, I ate a partially formed duck out of its egg! Had to make that clear!

making history

Ok.. so Steve has convinced me that I should make a book of my experience here.  What consumes my time now is creating this book - and you would be surprised at how easy it is these days, thanks to technology!  So far, it looks to be over 100 pages.. perhaps approaching 200, we shall see.

Anyway, today was marked by my travels to Goa, where I sang Kareoke over the radio to the citizens of Cam Sur.   Poor them!  This time, I chose '3 Little Birds' by Bob Marley.. I mean, we all need to recall sometimes that, " every little thing, is going to be alright!"  Especially given the sour mood of the US  government at this time...

The US government as a whole is acting poorly.   Without casting blame, can we get together and unite so that we can once again act as a guiding force toward the progress of humanity?  Right now, I see that we stand as an embarrassment on the world stage.   I want to cast blame for this situation aside so that we can reconcile these differences and begin to accomplish growth, safety and development throughout the world.  Is there anyone out there who appreciates this?

For example, the arguments of immigration reform have been going on for decades.  If you care to do the research you will recognize that the positions advanced by the current administration mirror the positions advanced by the Bush administration.  Don't take my conclusion... research it for yourself.  But be sure to research it in a way that ensures a fair and unbiased assessment.  That means, I am afraid, looking at both sides of the argument... and coming up with conclusions all on your own.  Frightening, for some, I am sure.

Local politics turns ugly

I think a sign of acclimation to the Philippines is coming to terms with the fact that at some point every day you will become smelly, sticky and sweaty.  In the beginning, its easy to get upset about this, but after awhile, it just becomes a normal part of the day.  Sometimes, it will happen on my short walk to work and on less humid days the feeling will escape me until a little after lunch. Smelly, sticky and sweaty.  Its just reality, nothing more.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to witness local politics in action here in Lagonoy. To set the stage, let me explain that Lagonoy once had a public market.  First erected in 1927, it stood pretty much as is until a fire completely destroyed it in 2011.  Since then, vendors (farmers, fisherfolk and the like) have been selling food on the sidewalks of my town.  The mayor's office, the planning and engineering departments have developed a proposal to create a modern public market at a cost of 80m pesos.  Yesterday, I went to a public hearing where representatives from these departments explained their proposal to the townsfolk.

I imagined that people would be excited about this opportunity for growth and development.  What I witnessed was almost theatrical.  The covered basketball court was packed as the details of the project were being unveiled.  Feasibility studies demonstrated the need, architectural drawing unveiled the concept, and the planning department explained how the project fits inside of the Local 10 year land use plan.  Suddenly a smartly dressed woman approached the table and took an available microphone.  An attorney, she began to lambaste the proposal claiming that the project could not possibly cost 80m and that there must be horrible corruption afoot!  Next, an older man wearing army fatigues (a former city councilman) took the mic and began complaining, yelling about the same thing.  As he was laying the mic down, he collapsed on the floor.  Was it a heart attack?

Fire and rescue people, police rushed the man and carried him by arms and legs to a chair nearby where he was fanned to consciousness.  No doctor appeared... no blood pressure check.  No water.  Apparently, the gentleman had become so worked up that he fainted... or feigned to faint (my thought).  Before long, he rose from the chair and walked off. Well, you can imagine the attention this raised in the crowd!  The meeting had become completely undone!  But the meeting went on.  and on.

All told about 3.5 hours of attack.  Brutal accusations.  It became obvious that there is complete suspicion regarding the role of government in big projects like this.  And these feeling are well grounded in history.  Corruption is rampant here.  Even the Vice President of the country is involved in a huge corruption scandal that has rocked the national administration.   It just goes to show you how difficult the job of development actually is.  How can a rural community grow in the absence of a public market?  The need is painfully obvious, but the presenters chose to focus on this, the demonstrating the NEED rather than the real issue: How to justify a cost of 80m pesos for an open air public market?

Why, in proposing this to the public, didn't the officials have the foresight to demonstrate just how the 80m would be spent?  No budget was presented.  Was there some other public market in a part of the Philippines that had been developed sometime in the recent past?  What was the cost per square meter of that project and how did it compare to this proposal?  How could these government officials fail to appreciate the opposition they would get?

When I spoke to someone afterward, they claimed that they were expecting this outrage.  That those who were asking all the demanding questions were from the opposition party to the mayor.  And while I can believe that... I am still struck by how ineffective their preparation for this political attack actually was.  Political theater.. a tragedy.

Fleeting moments

Uncertainty, trusting in faith, moving forward one step at a time.

So amazingly the bus to bus to plane to taxi to port to ferry to motorbike to hotel went off without a hitch.  After reaching Cebu, I quickly met up with Carlos and after a wait of a few hours we boarded a fast craft ferry to Bohol.  It was a long day but we ended up in a place called "The Chill Out Resort" in Panglao.  It was a strange feeling, being driven down the road in a motorbike without the faintest clue where I would lay my head.  The feeling reminded me of travels across Europe so many years ago, with only the "Lets Go Europe" book as a reference.  Unfortunately, this time I had forgotten to pack my Lonely Planet Guide to the Philippines, so we were even more blind.  Luckily, I was with Carlos who knew the language, anyway!

 The Chill Out was a nice place, with friendly people.  The owner was french and obviously had an artistic touch.  The place was a 10 minute walk to Alona Beach and we would have stayed if our path to the beach did not cross thru the Alona Beach Tropical Resort!

The "Tropical" was paradise!  Right on the beach, it was a true resort with beachfront bar and restaurant, all amenities, and situated in what could only be described as a tropical garden.  So, I just had to make the jump from, $10/night to $60.  It was well worth it!   Alona Beach is primarily European tourist destination.  I heard no 'americano' (0), but did run across Russian, German, French, Dutch, Aussie, Japanese, Korean, Chinese to name a few.

Carlos needed to move on to Mindinao, so after some fun snorkeling, he left and I became a lone traveller.  But, I wouldn't be alone for long! I knew that Steve, another PCRV in my group was living around 3 hours away, and I had made contact in the hopes that we could meet up.  Well, as luck would have it, the party was just about to start!  As it turned out, there happened to be another friend from out group, Jessee, who just happened to be touring Bohol at the same time as I! And he was traveling with yet one more PCRV!  So, the US Peace Corps invaded Alona Beach Tropical!

Before long we were swimming and having nice happy hour celebration on the beach.  Rum and Mango juice flowed and we laughed and laughed, sharing our experiences in the Philippines.   Next, God gave us a gift.  There we were,  the four of us looking out over the ocean.. and then the largest, longest and slowest moving shooting star any of us had ever seen crossed the sky.  We laughed afterward because it was so bright.. and so slow moving that we actually had time to comment on it before it disappeared.  Something like, "hey, look a that... .wow... that it a beautiful shooting star!  Amazing!!!"  And then, darkness.

A superb grilled fish dinner came next (freshly caught grouper and the largest prawns I have ever seen in my life).  Then, the big moment - I forgot to mention that Steve's last name is Balut.. can you imagine the irony in that?!!  If you don't know what Balut is, I will spare you the trouble of looking it up... its a fertilized, partially developed duck egg and it is quite the delicacy here in this part of the world.  Well, I have sworn off the blood soup and the dog and the chicken head and the lizard and the frog and the snake.... here I was with Steve Balut and well... since non of us had tried it, we felt that we just had to... Luckily, it was dark because the hardest part of eating balut is looking at it before you eat it, but eat it we did!  "4 balut, please!"  And it wasn't that bad after all!

The next morning Jesse and his friend had to move on.  Steven stayed and we had a great time essentially doing nothing but talk and swim.  Oh, and we got massages situated outside overlooking the sea.  Steve has a lot to share not only because he's probably one of the brightest guys I've met in a long time.  An architect by trade,  Steve is in the midst of his 4th service with the Peace Corps and one of them was in Antigua, the tiny island where Jean and I served for two years!  I tell you, what are the odds of that????  Steve has travelled extensively throughout the world and has many fabulous stories to tell!  But lo, he had to go and then... then I truly was alone in a far off exotic place.

The best part of the trip behind me, I soon packed and made my way back... first to the port, then by ferry to Cebu.  Once in Cebu, I felt rather lost.  Having no map and no clue where I would sleep, I did a quick stroll about the area surrounding the harbor.  Nothing.... A couple of taxi drivers had approached me and asked if I wanted a ride to Lapu Lapu... I declined but I figured if they thought I was heading there, well, maybe that was a sign?!  So, I asked around and before long, had jumped a ferry and was on my way to Lapu Lapu.  The ferry was clearly a good choice because by taxi it would have cost over 500 peso I am sure.. but by ferry it was only 20!  It sounded exotic but what would Lapu Lapu actually look like???

I got there.. walked a while.. sweated a bunch and finally found a tricycle and a driver who knew just a little english... and when I asked about a resort.. he promised me he would help me find one.  He took me to a few places and I finally ended up on some coastline, at an overpriced resort.  I quickly learned that Lapu Lapu is a tourist destination for Koreans...  funny how different areas attract different nationalities.  My resort had passed its prime.  There was no beach, but its source of recreation was watersport.  If you wanted, you could jump a boat to island hop, jet ski, or dive.  I had spent too much on the room, so I decided to eat a nice meal and crash early.  But then, a sad thing happened.

I was approached by a lovely young filipina after dinner on my way back to my room.  Her english was good, she had the most beautiful almond eyes, and she was desperate.  She asked me if she could sleep with me for 500ps (around $10).  She was 21 and had 4 children.  Obviously, she had no man to take care of her and her children.  He sister was ill and she needed the money to help pay for medicine. It is hard for me to explain my emotion... but I felt so bad for her.  It was too easy to see that she understood that she was humiliating herself by asking me for this. And I also understand the importance of character and honor in this culture.  She was crying... authentic tears.  I would have just given her the money.. honestly, if I had money to spare, but as it happened I had calculated exactly what I needed to get back to Lagonoy and there was little to spare.  I'm no sucker, and I have been asked for money a bunch since Ive gotten here...  but this woman touched me in an odd way.  In the end, I gave her 200ps and vowed that I would just not eat the next day to make up for the cost of this donation.  She thanked me, still crying..    It was an utterly surreal experience.  We parted then, on different paths.   I had no sex.  I slept alone and I felt vacant; as if I had been visited by a ghost.  I still do.

Next morning started the long haul back to Lagonoy: Taxi to airport to plane to taxi to bus to bus.  All told about 12 hours and I was back home in Lagonoy by around 10:30.  I am back here now in my favorite spot in the mayors office... sweating and typing and typing and sweating.  I just ate for the first time in over 36 hours - a donut.

travelling about

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Philippines/Province_of_Bohol/Panglao_Island-1387326/TravelGuide-Panglao_Island.html

There are three major regions of the Philippines: Luzon, the largest island, the one that Manila, Subic Bay, Quezan City and I call home.  Then there is this vast area called the Vasayas.  The Vasayas are made up of hundreds and hundreds of littler islands.. some very small, some larger.  At the bottom, you have Mindanao.  Mindanao is off limits to PC for travel due to the presence of ISIS forces.  This week I travel to the Vasayas!

So, of course my attention has shifted to planning for my upcoming trip.  As you can guess from the link Ive attached, On Thursday, I will be traveling to the island of Panglao, which is actually considered part of the island of Bohol.  Bohol itself is a rather large island in the Vasayas and it was severely impacted by an earthquake last October, 2013.   The magnitude of that earthquake was 7.2.  222 people died, 976 were injured, 73000 structures were damaged and 14500 were destroyed (source: Wikopedia).   Then in November of last year, Bohol was hit by Typhoon Yolanda, the largest typhoon in history.  Almost unimaginable destruction!  I am quite interested to see how the island is recovering from these events, but in truth, my main interest in  going there is for vacation time.   As you can see from the link, Panglao is known to be arguably one of the most beautiful spots in the Philippines (along with Palawan, where I'll be headed in December!)

Carlos, my counterpart left for Bohol today.  We are leaving at different times because by the time he went to purchase his airplane ticket, the price had escalated beyond his reach.  He was forced to take a cheaper route, venturing first by bus to a port around 4 hours away, then by taking a series of ferries that will hop-scotch through the Vasayas until he reaches Cebu (the second largest city in the Philippines).

My itinerary has me bussing to Naga, then bussing to Legazpi City (excited to see the smoking volcano there that is ready to erupt at any minute!) where I will then jump on a plane for Cebu. Carlos and I  will hook up there at some port where to jump on a ferry to Bohol!  Could it get more complicated???!  Honestly...  Good thing I have some experience with traveling!

There is a local airline here that runs the cheapest flights throughout the region but their fee's are misleading!  For this trip, they advertised a fee in the paper:  'LEGAZPI CITY to CEBU:  $600 peso's!  Return trip:  1 peso!'.  Great... then I went online to book the ticket, and lo and behold, they load a ton of added charges... there is a booking fee, there is a 'seat fee', there is an internet fee, there is a fuel fee, there is airport fee, there is government tax fee, luggage fee, the list goes on and on.  In the end, I got this ticket, round trip for around $8000 pesos which is less than $200.  Cheap, but still a far cry from 601ps!    Suffice to say, I did not pay for the 'luggage fee' which means I will be packing extremely lite.. a small school backpack!  Maybe I'll be able to find someone to laundry once I get there!  I hope so or else I will not be very pleasant to be around!!

We hope find a decent but cheap place on the beach to crash - looking for a place around $10/night each should not be too difficult.  Few days there, and then ferry ride back to Cebu (the big city) where I will spend two days before reversing my journey back to Lagonoy.... My plans have me back here a week from today (with few more stories to tell, I hope). All aboard!!!

Screaming cats unite!

Its 4:00am and Ive been up for about 30 minutes.  Awoke to a strange sound - something I have never heard before.  If I didn't know better, I'd think there were a bunch of babies crying right outside my gate.   I just went out there and found out exactly what is causing all this racket.  Turns out it is cats.  I estimate that there are four, maybe five.  And they are howling at the full moon!    Now, coming from Arizona, Im used to the sounds of coyote in the desert… but cats?  Who knew cats howled at the moon?  But I guess we all need to do that every now and again, right!?

Anyway, yesterday was fun because I had the opportunity to meet 4 PCVs who travelled to Lagonoy for a presentation at our local High School.  Three of them will be back tomorrow as well.  They are engaging in a project involving Biodiversty and are coordinating a series of presentations on the subject at schools throughout the region.  Later today, I will meet up with them again to help paint a beautiful mural on a wall that surrounds the school.    Funding for this project came thru   a USAID grant written by one of my new PC friends  - a guy named Johann.  Wow.. it was great meeting up - at last!  I’ve known that there was PC in the region from the connections Ive been able to make on Facebook, but I had never actually met these folks.  In fact, this is my 12th week here in the Philippines and yesterday was the first time since I left Manila that I had an opportunity to speak with another PCV.  

These PCs obviously know each other quite well, as they are all part the same group that entered PC about one year ago and it seems that they gather together often.  So, they have one year left in their service!   I was surprised to learn that most of them have been back to Manila about 6 times in their first year for PC related activities - training, medical issues, etc.  

Oh, here's an interesting factoid - I learned yesterday that there are no fishermen in the Philippines.  They are called 'fisherfolk'!  I like it. 

Later this afternoon I will be returning to the radio station.  I mentioned in a previous blog that the station manager agreed to run a series of public service announcements on disaster issues for me.  Well, there was a catch I didn't mention.... In return for this, I had to agree to sing karaoke on the radio from 4 - 6p!  I tried to warn him that this will likely turn OFF listeners since my singing sound a lot like those cats out there.. but he was undeterred.  Get ready Lagonoy...... LET IT BE LET IT BE LET IT BE OH LET IT BE LISTEN WORDS OF WISDOM LET IT BE! 

todays lesson

and this, from my Dhammapada:

Desire grows in you
Like a vine in the forest.

Like a monkey in the forest
You jump from tree to tree.
Never finding the fruit -
From life to life
Never finding peace.

If you are filled with desire
Your sorrows swell
Like the grass after the rain.

But if you subdue desire
Your sorrows fall from you
Like the drops of water from a lotus flower.

This is good council
And it is for everyone

===
I just love it...  if I could only learn to LIVE it...

Like everywhere... some work hard while others hardly work

Here in the Philippines, there is really only one sport people seem to be interested in....  basketball.  In nearly every barangay you will likely find a basketball court and, if the sun is still shining, you will  likely see a game going on.  Ive witnessed some pretty excellent play here - which is remarkable when you consider that most of those playing are NOT playing with shoes!!!!!!   They play barefoot or in flip-flops!  You've got to see it to believe it.   

Just outside of the municipal hall where I work, there is a court under roof and every single day there are games going on - all day, all male, young and old alike!  So, that makes you wonder, right?  Why aren't these boys in school?  Why aren't these men at work?   Yesterday, I counted over 30 guys there...   and Im talking serious basketball.... money on the line in most of these games.

So, to turn subjects in stark contrast -  it is rice harvesting season here.  As Ive learned, farming rice is really really hard work... You can be sure a rice farmer is NOT playing basketball right now!  So, as you probably know, rice grows in a rice paddy... and a rice paddy is essentially a field that has been flooded in an inch or two of water.  Rice itself resembles grass by the way, but it grows to about 2 feet or so.  Anyway, they create the paddy fields by forming these little mud walls around the entire perimeter of the field.   Then they contour the height of these fields to create intricate water flow systems - so that water from one paddy is actually (very very) slowing flowing into the adjacent paddy's that are like, 6 inches lower in elevation.  Within each paddy, channels are carefully created between each plant in a crosshatch pattern to ensure that the water does not become stagnant.  These channels are created by the farmer, who walks in this flooded field row by row.   With a crude wooden tool that probably hasn't changed in millennium he does this mini plow thing to the mud below.  So a rice paddy is like a gigantic checker board, where each plant is separated from the other by a channel of mud and water.

So that's about all I know about rice paddy design.  Now you know too!!  As far as planting.... as best I can tell, each rice plant is planted by hand - hard to imagine but Ive seen it.  Men and women bent over in the mud planting seedling after seedling.  When it comes time to harvest, men carry this large and heavy machine into the field on two poles.  then, they pull the rice, run the rice through the machine and separate the plant from the grain.  The workers then load the grain into huge sacks, which they carry out of the field on their backs, one sack at a time.  

What happens next is interesting.... the rice is wet of course, and there is a covering over the rice itself that is called the chaff.  So before they separate the chaff from the grain itself, they need to dry the rice.  This happens in the middle of street.  Right now, every street in my barangay has a layer of rice over it.  First, the men or women must sweep the street... done by hand of course.. then they dump the rice into the street and use handmade rakes to even out the rice over the street.... trucks, cars, motorcycles, bikes pass over the rice...  folks walk over the rice... chickens eat the rice...   No problem because the protective chaff is still covering the rice grains that you eat.

Ok. next step... once the rice is dry (during this time, you certainly hope that it doesn't rain!)  they have to fill those giant bags again...  and then cart the bags to the mill where the chaff is separated from the rice grains themselves.  I believe this is where the 'sale' occurs and the farmer actually gets to collect his profit from all the hard labor.  Industrious folks then take the waste (the chaff) and somehow create charcoal out of this, which they then sell for people to cook with.  The rice of course is bagged and sold.

One final step... after harvest, the fields need to be turned over before planting can begin.  If he's rich enough, the farmer hitches a water buffalo to a till and then works that buffalo up and down the field - slow and deliberate work indeed.  These animals are prized over here because of their obvious strength and the fact that without them... this stage of the effort would be the most grueling of all if done by hand.  

So thats the process as I understand it.  Hard labor in the serious heat and humidity.  

 

Language and culture

Preface: There is a tradition here in the Philippines that whenever you visit someone it is always good to bring what is known as 'pasalubong".    It does not have to be anything big, just something to say, thank you for welcoming me into your home.  

Ok, so yesterday I went to Goa to visit my old friends at the radio station, and of course I brought pasalubong, this, in the form of a bottle of ginebra.  But before I get into that, I want to comment how I am constantly amazed how this place has to power to transform itself  And yesterday, Goa was no exception.  Here's the scene this time:  I get off my jeepney and notice that the streets were filled with flowers!  Every sidewalk was packed and there were ladies selling flowers... buckets and buckets and buckets of the most beautiful and colorful tropical flowers!  Many them were arranged in vases of bamboo, while others were stuck into small coconuts.  Where did they all come from... and where were they going???

Well, I got through the jungle of flowers and walked probably around 3 miles to the radio station.  My friends there were happy to receive me of course - especially when I unveiled my pasalubong!!! No worries, that Rick was actually on air at the time, but hey, anytime is the right time to share laughter, right?  I was happy to receive an invitation to do a PSA on disaster preparedness that they would be happy to do for me.  All I need to do is come up with what to say and they will translate it and do the spot for me!!  So, that is a good thing, right??!

The gentleman you see sitting next to me (if you look close, you will see that sneaky ginebra finding its way in the shot as well!) is actually a retired english professor who worked at Pardito State University just down the road.  He's the one who hosted the PCV I spoke of in an earlier blog.  Anyway, no surprise that one of his favorite topics of conversation is language, and this time we were speaking about the filipino language - or should I say myriad of languages!  There are hundreds of dialects here and the differences between them are quite remarkable. Its not like having a "southern accent" vs. "New England"; Im talking about different words for the same thing,  If that weren't enough, the language itself is complex.  For example, take the word "cut".  Of course, in English, 'to cut' is well understood, no matter if you are cutting a hair, or a tree.  No so here....  there is one word to describe cutting hair, another to describe cutting a tree and yet another to cutting a piece of cloth.   And there is no formal classroom rigor in the subject of Tagalog, or Bicol or any of the other dialects here.  They only formally study one language and that is English.  Yet, most of the filipinos I know easily speak at least 3 languages fluently... English, Tagalog and Bicol.  I comment on this because I wonder how this is possible when in the US.... English is our official language, we teach it for nearly 12 years in a formalized curriculum and yet, many children still struggle with achieving a passing grade - not to mention being completely unable to learn a second, or third language...  

Say you live on one of the 1000+ islands in the Philippines and your island is say, roughly 5 milesx5miles.  Imagine that there is a large towering mountain in the middle of the island that used to be a volcano and that it is covered with jungle vegitation.  That pretty munch sums up a lot of islands here.. anyway, it is very likely that the village on one end of the island speaks a completely different dialect than the one on the other side!  

Now imagine you are standing on the shore of your small but beautiful tropical island here in the Philippines.  You look out over the water and see another island in the not too distant horizon.  It is likely that you SHARE the dialect with THAT island, even though you speak a different language from the folks on the other side of the tiny island you live on!!!  I find that fascinating!!!  Of course, this has everything to do with trade, and fishing, and the relative impenetrability of the mountains over here.  Ok enough of that....   

I made it home before too long because

I was interested in watching the cemetery ceremonies.   Let me try and set the picture for you.  First, it is important to understand that a filipino cemetery is like a Lousiana cemetery and not like the cemetery you are probably imagining.  That is, people are not buried under the earth.  They are placed into crypts, and in this case, concrete crypts.  Also, as you can see in the photos, they are placed on top of each other (in condo style) to save space.  Well, last night this place was aglow.... nearly every crypt had candles on them and the place was just jammed with people casually walking through.  Of course, many would stop at the crypt of their loved ones.   It was not a rollicking event.  I saw no singing, no alcohol, no music inside the cemetery.  It was much more respectful than that.

I had to go back this morning to get the pictures you see below.