Friday, July 20, 2012

Too tall in a short country

I'm not really that tall.  I think it's more that I stand up straight, good posture you know?  Except that here, even if I slouch I am still taller than the majority. 

Being tall means that most Filipinos come up to about my boobs.  This is awkward.  I may take to wearing coconut shells.

Trikes are made for short people, I bump my head on trike rides; and I can't see out the front window. 

My classroom chalkboard is attached low on the wall, I am constantly stooped over.  I don't have a projector, a white board, a screen - it all goes on the chalkboard.  I try hard to angle my bum away from the front row.

Privacy fencing stops at about 5 feet.  So as I walk to work and look around, I have often spotted people bathing in their yard.  After 'accidentally' spying on 4 or 5 guys getting their morning scrub, to their high delight and humor - whenever they see me pass now they hoot and holler! - I make an effort to keep my eyes low.  But goodness, 5 feet? 

Mirrors (on the rare occasion that there is a mirror) in the bathrooms are placed down low, can't see my face but I get a good look at my, well yes there they are again, my boobs. 

Next time we set out to live in a foreign country I think we'll use height as a factor. 


Hiking to Punta Bunga beach.


Once there we found that the beach is privately owned by a resort, but if we were willing to eat a little something in their restaurant then we could use the beach.   We had a few of the R boys with us. 


The beach was mostly deserted - really beautiful.



Bis spotted this amazing caterpillar that other day.  The camouflage is to make it look like a snake.  I though it would be a great thing to move critter inside along with the potted plant he was eating.  So we set him up in the middle of our table and went to bed.  In the morning Man asked where I thought the caterpillar might be.  We searched low and high and could not find him.

We are pretty certain that Spike, our Tokay gecko, ate the poor, re-located caterpillar.  I feel kind of bad about the whole deal.  Spike is happy!


When I reached for the salt the other morning, Spike was in the cupboard.  He is usually under the couch, so I was surprised to find him up and about.  



Hanging out at the beach after church.  


Next week we start serving at a feeding site here on Boracay.  The Laguna feeding site serves about 90 kids each week.  The site is walking distance from our home, and along the beach.  It will be good to serve the kids in our area. 

I have a student, her Dad makes only about $70 US dollars each month.  The Mom died.  The Dad is raising 4 kids alone on only a little money.  It's a miracle that his daughter is even in our school, it will take more miracles to keep her there.  I learned yesterday that he was going to pull his daughter out of school.  Our tuition is low, but it is still a burden to many families.  He was having to choose food or school....I passed along to him that we will keep her in school.  Either we will sponsor her or we'll find a sponsor for her.  She needs to be in our school.  If she can get a good education then she can help her siblings learn.  The other three kids are in public school, where they will learn very little. 

If you can sponsor a child in our school please do so through the First Love button, or through us directly. 

One thing about sponsoring kids.  Things happen and families move on.  It is better to have givers willing to sponsor a child, any child, then to try and tie one child to one sponsor. 

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

challenges

While it is obvious that we live a blessed life here on Boracay, it is all relative to what you are used to.  I am used to access to herbs and remedies that my family needs, or the doctor if it comes to that.  I am used to animals that are spayed and neutered and mostly cared for.  I am accustomed to kids being in school as opposed to selling stuff on that beach.  In the States I can be confident that if I phone the police they will come, and bribes won't be needed.

Bis was bitten on his ankle by something.  I don't know what.  Maybe a spider, or a centipede or a little bug that looks like a miniature scorpion.  The bite caused his ankle and foot to swell up so that he can't bend his ankle, you can't see his ankle bones, his skin looks tight like it might just split open.  After 3 days it is better; a bit better.  We've been soaking it, and using meds I have on hand.  If it does not keep looking better then we'll brave the medical clinic and see what they say.  Amputation seems the likely recommendation in this place where extreme measures seem to be the norm.  We won't let them chop it off, so no worries there. 

Dead cats are a common site on my walk to work.  Kittens, still mewing little tiny things, tossed out in the trash - breaks my heart.  Puppies, dogs with mange and other nasties are everywhere.  Man was walking down our road and saw some guys skinning a pig, at closer inspection it was not a pig but a dog being prepared for the B-Q.  I don't actually mind people eating dogs, seems better than going hungry and there are way too many dogs here.  It's all in the culture you are used to.  I asked the boys if feeding a snake bunnies was different than feeding it rats - and why.  We had a good discussion.  I think I lost them when I suggested feeding kittens to snakes.  It all comes with the territory.  What is the more humane thing to do?

Kids are not in school here.  Any day, any time, on the beach there are kids selling things.  Today one boy tried hard to sell my necklaces.  "I am so very hungry" he whined.  I had left my pesos at home so I could honestly avoid having to buy anything! 

The other morning there was a domestic dispute in the place behind our house.  Yelling, screaming "let me go!"  "help!", breaking glass, silence...It was gut wrenching.  But here you can't just call the police.  Bribes are given, eyes are turned away, the police do not get paid much for being police.  So I prayed. 


This little gecko lives behind the pink curtain in our dining area.  He is almost translucent.  


What a puzzling fish!  Man and boys go to the Talipapa (market) and buy fish once each week.  Last week they brought home this red snapper.  


The signs around here crack me up.


So at the top of the hill, by the AKY gas station, sits a big puddle of water.  This is a new problem.  Seems they did some work on the road or pipes or something, then when they were finished they concreted it all up and covered the drain holes in the process.  Now there is almost always this 'water' to get through; I call it pooh water and we try to stay out of it.  


Our friends the R family were 'given' a 'free' puppy.  Most of us know how that goes!  Her name is Obi, short for Operation Barnabas International which currently has a team of young ladies here helping in the ministry.  The thing that  looks like a bunch of sticks tied together, well it is a bunch of sticks tried together.  Here in these parts we call that a broom.  


Bis with his fat, hot, bitten foot sleeping at the R house; Obi found a great place to catch a nap.


Balut is a yummy snack here.  It is a partially (mostly) formed chick that has then been cooked in the shell.  You eat it all, beak, feet, juicy bits.  Yum is all I can say about that!  Ethan and Bis thought they'd try it.


Having second thoughts.  They did both eat their baby chicks in the half shell, and it all stayed down.

Well, this has taken about an hour.  I need to go to sleep.

Love to all.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

On the Rock

It is slow going posting blog stuff here - thus the long delay between writings. 

School is going really well.  My kids are super!  I don't have any behavior problems, and the learning delays are not insurmountable. 

If any of you are able to help with finances for the school, you can do so through the First Love button on the right.  Many of our students' parents can't pay for the small tuition, school books, uniforms, basic supplies.  We count on that income to pay the Filipino teachers, and the rest of the school staff.  Each classroom has a volunteer teacher from Canada, or the US, as well as a paid Filipino teacher.  Students who can't pay need "scholarships".   Any amount would be helpful.  There is not budget for copies, for buying lunch for students who don't have anything to eat, for paper. 

Man and the Boys were able to spend time on a sailboat the other day.  Man lost his sunglasses, the boys were almost thrown from the boat it went so fast!  Massive excitement.




Construction going on near our home.


The sari sari shop where we buy eggs and rice.  


The frog saga.  So the Jack Hammer frogs' first attempt at starting a family fizzled, perhaps due to the laundry soap in the bucket.  A few days later they were at it again, same bucket, but fresh with rain water.  There are now thousands of pollywogs in our laundry wash tub...


So we're using buckets.  


This is my kitchen.  I have one gas burner, we may upgrade to two burners one day.  This is chicken noodle soup with carrots, green beans, and okra.  Okra is only 5 pesos each - I've learned to like the slimy stuff!


Saturday we took a hike up Mt. Luho - mountain is a loose term here.  This is a trash tree.  We carry our trash down to the road and string it up to keep the dogs out of it.  


There are many different types of bananas here.  These grow in our yard.  


The view from Mt. Luho.  This is most of the island of Boracay.  It's shaped like a dog bone.  The beach you see is Bulabag, our house is just above the closest end of the beach.


A goat not to be outsmarted by the trash tree.  


Yes, the sign says drugstore and medical clinic.  Just don't park here.

That's all for now.  We are well.  EQ is getting over a bout of impetigo like staph ick.