Wow, This is like the first time I've had a chance to sit down and think, haha. I have litterally been running around to all sorts of places doing all sorts of things, meeting all sorts of people. But finally I've found time to update my blog and facebook group.
I'm trying to think back to all the new things i've experienced, and seen. Ever since I stepped foot on that plane in Minneapolis, everything has been a first.
It's been almost 2 weeks now since I left the Bible School in Baguio. I took a Victory Liner from the central station in Baguio City down towards a sub-city called Cubao, which is just outside Metro Manila. I was told by Raymund (director of CERV-Philippines) to ask the driver or conductor (yes they have conductors on their coach liners) if I could get off at Quezon Ave, I had no idea where it was, but thankfully as I was getting on the bus I had a few filipino friends with, and they were able to ask for me. As I waited for the bus to leave, Ate Mayette went upstairs to do some shopping in the stores, and I hadn't said bye to her. The conductor told me that we were about to leave, so I had to get on the bus. But as we were pulling out I say her coming down the steps with something in her hand. She handed it to Kuyo Ed who started running for the bus. He caught us before we left and gave me a little cellphone holder that Ate Mayette had bought for me.
It was a simple gift, but it really ment alot to me. I had only known the people at the school for 2 weeks, and they treated me like an old friend.
The bus ride was pretty long, about 7 hours. I arrived at Quezon ave. and caught a taxi over to the Dorms in Quezon City. I use to think that taxi drivers in Chicago were scarry, but I hadn't been in a Philippine taxi, haha. Think of a Taxi driver from chicago, that's pretty much how everyone in the Philippines drives, and the taxi drivers are worse.
There are lanes but they don't really use them, I came to the conclusion that they don't use the lanes, they use what space is avaliable.
Anyhow, I arrived safely at the dorms on Adrian ave, where I was greeted by the neice of Ray, Andrea. Very nice young girl, she even helped me inside with my bags.
It was about 5pm when I arrived, but I didn't meet Raymund until about 10pm. I did meet Paul Onley, an English man from Eton, England. Very nice man, although he is 60, he acted like he was 20. A very unique personality, at least to me it seems that way, then again, i haven't met many English people. He is a very accomplished world traveler, having been to Vietnam, China, Thailand, South Korea, Indonisia.....hmmm...okay not world traveler, asia traveler. But seriously, he has also been to Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, India, plus America! And of course all over Europe. Plus everywhere he has gone he has done some pretty amazing things, for instance, on numerous occasians he has reminded me that he studied Thai Chee (not sure about spelling) in Kuy Lao with Mr. Tang, who is a Thai Chee Master!!!!
Okay back to me now. So for about a week we stayed in the dorms in Quezon City, as Raymund was in need of some extra hands to help paint some educational blocks from a local school that, only 3 weeks ago, was under 25 feet of water. Hundreds of blocks in various sizes.
After the week passed we met Ate Eden, mother of Andrea. She was the coordinator for CERV in Romblon, which is where we were both headed (Me for 5 months, Paul for 6). Monday morning we left around 10:30 and headed for a bus station inside Metro Manila. We got on a bus headed down towards the city/port of Batangas. The drive was fairly uneventful. Although there were a few amusing game shows that were on the one tv mounted at the front of the bus.
Once we arrived at the Port, I gathered up all my luggage and we got our tickets and had to wait about 5 hours till we took off. We did however have bunks to sleep in, although the bunks were all packed into the center of the upper deck, so my top bunk was litterally surrounded by hundreds of other bunks. The reason we got bunks was because we left the port at 6:30 and it was an 8 hour journey south to the island of Tablas.
Once we boarded the ferry, I headed up to the front of the ship. There, I met 4 younger guys who were all in jump suits. I got to talking with them. They told me they were all doing internships so that in the near future they might get a chance to work abroad and earn enough money to send back home.
After we took off and our tickets were checked, I headed up front again. I sat on the very front of the ship with my feet hanging off the edge. To my suprise I was the only person up on deck in the front. I wondered why but I figured most people on the ship had made the same trip numerous times, but this was a once in a lifetime opp for me, so I took full advantage. As I sat there I listened to my Ipod touch (thanks to Ethan) stared at the sky, plus I drank some Ice tea, haha.
I sat up there for probably a good 4 hours. It rain at times, but never got so horrible I wanted to go in. In between songs, when all I could hear was the wind and the waves crashing against the sides of the boat, I noticed the waves were getting louder and sounded splasier (don't think that's a word). I looked over the edge and could see zips of water spurting up and big splashes of water out in front of the boat.
There were probably a good 20 dolphins swimming along with us. I've only seen dolphins a couple times in my life, and I had never seen them swimming along with a boat, but I had always wanted to, haha.
At around 1am it started to get more windy and the rains began to pick up, so I headed back in. I got little sleep on the boat, what with all the noise of the other people, chickens, dogs barking, not to mention the swaying of the boat as it rocked in the waves. I didn't care though, I was having fun.
Finally we got to the Port town of Odiongan, on the south west shore of Tablas Island. Once ashore, we found a Jeepney that was headed towards Carmen Bay. We climbed in one and waited for other passengers. It was a poor choice though, cuz after a few seconds in the jeepney we could hardly breathe or see. We were right next to another jeepney and the wind was blowing all the exahust into the back of ours. It immediatly made my eyes start to water, and I could hardly breath. A lady by the name of Mom Tess handed me a napkin to breathe through. I can't believe how much exahust those vehicles kick out, it's crazy. Ate Eden told us it would be about an hour and a half ride to the town where we would get off.
Very....bumby.......ride. The roads on the island are almost all dirt, except for a few areas of updated road made out of cement. I also use to think that the roads in Chicago were the worst, now I know there is far worse. It amazes me how the government will put in speed bumps, but not fix the pot holes and numerous cracks in what roads actually have cement. The whole ride there I had a kid sitting next to me who kept falling asleep (I haven't a clue how anyone could fall asleep on that ride) and bumping his head on my shoulder. He just kept falling over. It was actually kinda funny.
We got into the town of Carmen and got off the Jeepney only to be met by a smaller vehicle (which scared me cuz we had so much luggage). It was a trycycle or tryc for short. You see these types of vehicles everywhere. How these things support the weight, I haven't a clue. All they are are 150 cc bikes with side cars wealded onto them.
We somehow stuck everything onto the roof of the side car, then I stood on the rice carrage attached to the back of the bike and leaned onto our bags to keep them in place. I have to admit I had been wanting to do that since I saw some other Filipinos just hanging off of these things, hahaha.
We got to the area called Sugod (So Good) were the Dorm is located (and when I say Dorm I mean house). We had a quick little tour of the house. A nice living room (with a ceiling fan, YES!), kitchen complete with fridge, plus water we can drink from the tap, beadrooms (complete with electric fan!!!! Score), and a nice C.R. (Comfort Room/Bathroom.....Filipinos like to abbreviate, C.R. for Comfort room, Ref for Fridge, D for the (pronounced Duh)), and a very nice porch out front looking at the road.
It was 4:30am when we arrived, so we all went to bed.
And that was the exciting trip to romblon. Not exactly rigorus travel, at least not to me.
So far I've been here a total of about 3 days, and I've met so many new people, all of whom know my name but I haven't a clue of theirs (It's easy to remember mine since there are only 2 white people in town, and they don't get that many). I had thought that I was gonna be staying in a house with a family, but I guess since I'm staying so long they put me up in the Dorms, but I still get fed by the family. Mom Tess and Dad Felix. Mom Tess is a local school teacher while Kuyo Felix owns a small Sari-Sari shop (Mom and Pop type shop) out front on the road.
Since I've arrived in the Philippines, Every Single Meal has had RICE, but i'm use to it now, haha. Good thing I liked rice to begin with. The Philippines is such a blessed country with wonderful fresh, nutrisous, vegitables and fruits. Bannanas, Mangos, Guavas, Strawberrys, Coconuts, Peach, and tons and tons of others with names I can't remember and probably couldn't pronounce!
The area is stunning. The Morning after we arrived, I opened my eyes to see a big cliff side upside down (upside down cuz I was still laying in bed). Litterally right behind our house there are some sweet cliffs and mountains. All of the water for the surrounding houses as well as ours is fuled by natural springs coming down from the mountain. No water bill!
Just about half a minute walk accross the road and through the neighbors yard is Carmen Bay. A beautiful view of the surrounding Island and Mountains. Nice blue water, which is hot hot hot (not really, but i'm sure it's at least 70).
Today, November 11th, Kuyo Vincent (employee of CERV that lives in Romblon) took us out to the Marine Sanctuary. Not exactly what I had pictured, but sweet. Just a small lot, holding alot of trees. About 2000 to be precise. We repotted about 30 or 40 today. the smaller one's we took out of plastic cups, and put them into plastic bags. Before we plant them, we have to transport them to the beaches and let them sit on the shore, while we water them for a week with the sea water. In the nursery, the only water avaliable to water the plants with is fresh water, so before planting them in the sand, we have to make sure the plant will take up the salty sea water. I'm really looking forward to planting them though. Seems like a fun job.
When we were done for the day we went out by the road and waited for a Tryc to drive by. We caught one that was headed for Long Beach, just north of Sugod. He told Kuyo Vincent that he was stopping at the College to pick up some students. So on our way we took on some more weight, litterally. I wish I would have taken a picture. So after we stopped we gaind probably well over 1200 pounds. So there were 3 people on the bike alone, One of which was Paul, who is a larger bloke (that's my English accent in text), a big 50 kilo bag of rice strapped in the carrage seat on the back of the side car, 2 people sitting on top of the bike roof, 1 sitting on the roof of the side car, 4 in the side car, 1 on the front of the side car, 1 on the side car, and 2 on the back of the bike and side car (that's where I was). I was so scarred we were gonna tip, but the kid's didn't seem to be scarred, so I tried not to worry. I got to talking with them though, and they told me what they were doing in school and such. Cool guys.
Just this afternoon, I was sitting on the porch when Ate Eden approched me and said, "Tomorrow from 2pm-4pm there is a computer class here."
I responded, "Oh!.......That's neat......who's teaching that?"
"You are." she said.
Hahaha.
I'm really looking forward to teaching a class for the first time. It may be a small class (only 5 students, all of whom are older than me) but it's a class none-the-less.
After tonights dinner we were gonna head back into San Agustin (11km south of Sugod and 7Km south of the Nursery). As we were waiting to leave we loaded up the local tryc. Me and Paul stood on back while Kuyo Felix stood on the front, evening out the weight suprisingly (Kuyo Felix is bigger than me, but smaller then Paul, and fyi, He is a Fantastic cook, Delicous Cow skin, yes that's right Cow Skin in a curry sauce, Bon Apetit!). Before we left though someone had to go back into their house so Kuyo Felix jumped of the front and me and paul didn't see him and we almost tipped the Tryc, ahahaha, everyone was screaming for about 3 seconds, but then we were all laughing. Like I always say, good times, good times.
We went back into town to see the Cultural Dance Competition during their annual, Cultural Night. Was suppose to start at 7:30, but in Filipino time that means 8 or 8:30 (not my words, Ate Eden's). The competition was between different districts of schools in the surrounding towns and villages. Great dances, Salsa, Ballroom, Waltz, Folk, all very well performed, not to mention entertaining. The whole thing lasted till about 11:30pm. Still, even though I was tired after it was over, I had a good time. We headed back to the Dorm and now I sit in my room finishing up my blog and facebook junk.
Alright it's now 2am so I'm gonna go to bed now. Later.
P.S. I really appreciate the prayers, more opportunities keep presenting themselves, and I thank God for the chance to make a difference, but really I think I'm changing more then I ever thought possible.
Thank's so much.
