Cooking for One

As sad as the title sounds, I've actually been rather enjoying the challenge of preparing my own meals! In college I had my own tactic which involved cooking mass amounts of food at a time, freezing it or throwing it in the refrigerator, and living for the next week, popping the leftovers into the microwave.


Here however, I lack the luxuries of modern appliances, such as a refrigerator, freezer and microwave. In fact the only appliance I have in my apartment is a gas range that is fueled by a portable tank.


Next challenge: Let's see, will I go to Safeway, Walmart, Fry's, or Albertsons to get my food? How about none of the above! The nearest supermarket is three hours a way, and the nearest village market is a 30 minute drive. Since I'm too lazy to even go to the open market, I've taken the hand I've been dealt, and stick to my site.


My host aunt owns a small sari store and sells basic necessities like individually wrapped one-time-use shampoo, sugar, salt, canned corned beef, AAAAANNNNND a freezer filled with chicken, pork and hotdogs! So, once a week I stop by on my way home from school, buy some meat, take out a portion, put the rest back (I've persuaded her to let me use her personal freezer), have her update my tab, and head home.


As far as veggies go, living in the middle of cabbage country, you think it would be easier to get fresh vegetables. However, since everyone here manages there own garden, there isn't a lot for sale. So I'll make an announcement in class and hope that a student will bring a sack of potatoes or carrots the next day, and I'll pay him the trading post equivalent. Thankfully, during school days there is another little sari store that sells lowland vegetables like beans, garlic, ginger, and sometimes if I get lucky, pineapples!


When it comes time to cooking a meal, I usually just throw together whatever I have around. First the rice goes on the stove, and then I look around my kitchen for the rest. This morning I threw some chicken in the frying pan with some garlic and fresh ginger. I splashed on some soy sauce and, just for the heck of it, added a heaping spoonful of sugar. To my amazement, I created a perfect Teriyaki Chicken!


Breakfasts used to be oatmeal and eggs until, let's face it, it seemed pretty wimpy without rice. And so I gave it up. I still manage a pot (french press) of coffee every morning, but I usually fry the leftover rice from the night before with some green beans and potatoes and it gives me the energy I need until merienda time three hours later!


I did a little quick math, and decided that if I were to eliminate meat from my diet, I could eat for less than 30 pesos a day. That's less than $0.70! For example, rice costs 30 pesos per kilo (two lbs) which will last me at least a week. I bought a kilo of green beans the other day for 20 pesos and they have lasted nearly two weeks! Eggs are 7 pesos each, and salt costs 15 pesos per kilo. Two pounds of salt for 35cents! The rest of it pretty much goes towards coffee, which is still absurdly cheap compared to what we pay in the States (Around $5 for two lbs).


As for the rice, I'm still working on that perfect pot. But it should be soon. I've been getting lots of practice. It's a little bit tricky when you don't have any measuring utensils, but I'll reveal that little secret when the time comes.


P.S. Anyone watch the Pacquiao v Bradley fight? It was practically a holiday off here to watch it, although the mood died down pretty quick after the results...

First Day of School

School started this week! After working long hours for over a week prepping the grounds and helping tile the computer room floor, we were finally ready for Monday morning. Let me just say, that being a teacher doesn't make the first day of school any less exciting. Watching the students getting nervous, excited to use their brand new school supplies - it started to get me excited also!

The staff!

This year, the Philippines began a K-12 program, adding 2 more years to the previous 10 year education system. "First Years" became "Grade 7" and with an all new curriculum, we are all curious to see how things will go this first year.

This year I am co-teaching two sections of Grade 7, two sections of "Second Year" and the one and only section of Seniors. I'm also co-facilitating the English Club, the school newspaper, and the all-new Achiever's League. The AL is our attempt at an Honor's Club to encourage students to maintain high grades, render service to the community, and develop their leadership skills.



Principal weloming the students at the flag ceremony.

Students on the first day.

In other news, the rainy season has started! For a while, I thought it never left. But the recent downpours have reminded me the difference in dry, drizzly season, and typhoon drenching wet season. Weather has gone from comfortably cool to damp and cold. The upside is we can let up a little on our careful preservation of water fom the summer. Coming from Arizona, I thought I knew how to preseve water. You know,  turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth and all that. But when you have a few gallons a day to get through washing dishes, clothes, cooking and bathing, you'll realize how to make a bucket water last longer than ever before.

Family Tour

Earlier this month I was blessed with the opportunity to see my family when they came to visit the Philippines! Their two week stay didn't seem anywhere near long enough, but we made the most of their short time here. They got to meet my friends and see my community, try the local cuisine, and experience a culture completely different from our own. Since it was my vacation also, I got to see some new places also that I've been wanting to visit since I arrived last July.

Best cure for Jet Lag? Don't stop moving and don't go to sleep! They may have hated me for it at first, but from the moment they stepped off the plane I had them on the move. After an eight our night trip to Baguio, we ate some breakfast and packed the car we had hired for our first week in the Cordillera Region.

The first official destination was my site in Mt. Province. After a delicious dinner provided by my host mother, my parents settled down at the Mt. Data Lodge and my brother and our friend/driver JL came and slept with me in my apartment. The next morning, I gave them the tour of the school and took them to the shaky 800ft hanging bridge.

The haunted Hanging Bridge.

 After lunch we headed to Sagada. The following day we went caving and hiked to Echo Valley to see the hanging coffins.

In the cave in Sagada.

I forgot to mention the bit of technical rope maneuvering.

The hanging coffins in Echo Valley.

Keeping on the road, we made the drove to Banaue in the afternoon, stopping over in Bontoc to see the museum. Banaue truly is an engineering wonder; terraces on top of terraces are crafted into the mountains by hand and without the use of stones. An amazing irrigation system taps the water coming down from the mountain and channels it through the rice patties. We took a 3 hour hike which turned out to be pretty intense due to balancing on long stretches of 4 inch wide irrigation walls. However, the views were outstanding and beautiful.

World's longest balance beam.

Figures like these are carved from the trunks
of fern trees.

Traditional Nipa Huts in Banaue

From Banaue it was straight back to Mt. Data for two nights. On the way to Baguio, my brother John stopped and picked out his bolo (machete) knife that he had been searching for.

 We explored Baguio for one day. It was rainy, but my family got to experience the enormous Baguio Public Market- a maze of stalls containing produce, meat counters, souvenirs, tobacco, coffee, wine and thousands of other products. The next day we took the 5am bus to begin part two of our tour: The Lowlands!

Actually, we had one destination in mind: The white sand beaches of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. I had heard rumors about the beauty of this place and, having never been there, was willing to risk the 10 hour trip to see for myself. My family had requested we see the beach at least once while they were here, so this seemed like a good time!

The rumors were true! Pagudpud is a small town near the tip of Luzon. Although there are what seem like hundreds of resorts and homestays, the town still manages a local, small-town atmosphere. Clean sand, clear water, lined with palm trees. This picture-perfect place is somewhere I definitely want to come back to...

Local fishermen hauling in the nets.

I hope you enjoyed your vacation. I miss you guys!

NOT as good as MacDonalds but
that is up for debate.