Rolling into Year TWO!

It seems like it's been a long time since I've posted, an maybe it has. But it's not because things have been slow! In fact the last couple of months have been filled with one activity after another. I guess that's become the norm though, and so sometimes things don't seem special enough to post a blog about, but I'll do my best to update you on what's been happening in my life!

Our Mid-Service Training took place in Manila. Besides the expected information to help us with our projects, it was a chance for volunteers to gather together and share stories. Above all, it served as a reminder that we are more than half way through with our service. For some, that thought came as panic-that time is going too fast and they realized just how fast the last few months will go. For others, you could see heads roll back in realization that another whole year is left and that time is going SLOOOOOW. 

For me, it's a mixture of both, and i find myself feeling both ways depending on the day. Some days I think there can't possibly be enough time left to accomplish what I want. But then other times I feel like time is dragging by at an agonizing rate and that I can't wait to go home.

After training, I returned to the school to find them right in the thicket of the Bottle Brick project I had left them with. Basically, like in many areas of the Philippines, there is no place for trash to go. People throw it down mountains or burn it. One creative solution that has been circulating is to compact non-biodegradable waste into plastic bottles. The bottles can then be used like concrete blocks to build walls, benches, houses...anything you want.

The teachers were so excited about this idea that they have been requiring students to make bottle bricks since the beginning of school. When I returned, we had a bottle brick "party" to fill up extra bottles and clean up the last bit of trash from the community. Then the students went to work on their first bottle brick project: a concrete bench that will be part of our newly planned Student Park. The bottle bricks aren't slowing though...students are still bringing them everyday to school, so I'll keep you updated on their projects!

Because of my workload, my supervisor and I agreed if I cut back on teaching to focus more on other projects such as applying for grants, creating instructional materials, and assisting other teachers. One of my last projects with my class was holding a class debate. I was worried about this because it is difficult for native English speakers, let alone students who are still struggling to learn English as a third or fourth language. However, seeing the excitement in the class, we decided to go all out. The seniors table skirted and decorated, the students arrived wearing their best clothes, and the speeches they gave were really good! I was really proud of those kiddos. Since then I've been working on games, a College  Guide book, planning a sports camp, and guest teaching in the cooking class.

Our Feast!

Now for possibly the most exciting bit action that happened recently. THANKSGIVING. Every year Peace Corps Volunteers gather in Sagada ( only about an hour and a half from me) for a huge reunion. Last year most of my batch couldn't go because we were still confined to our sites during our few first months of service. This year however, our batch dominated the feast. About thirty volunteers joined in, cooking, preparing, and planning the event. We had all the traditional courses, except for the turkey (can you believe they are PETS here? No one would sell us one to eat! They have no problem eating dogs tho...), and cranberry sauce. But we made due with chicken and had plenty of other dishes to choose from including potatoes, green beans, stuffing, apple and pecan pie, salads, quiche, macaroni and cheese and lots of wine and beer!

That's all for now. Christmas season is well underway (since September) and next up will be our Christmas party. Still no plans for the holidays, but I'm excited nonetheless!


And for those who have been requesting pictures of my dog...let me introduce you to Siglat!

Siglat (Indigenous name meaning "quick-witted")