Happy New Year!

Well, after whirlwind of fiestas, celebrations, and lots and lots of food, I’m back at school. I was probably just as reluctant as the students to return to school because after all the fun, our break just didn’t seem long enough. The last two weeks sped by in blur but I’ll try not to leave anything out.

There was a lot of excitement leading up to Christmas. However, after the tragedy in the southern region of Mindanao, celebrations felt a little grim. Despite the national grieving for the thousands who suffered (and continue to suffer) from the typhoon Sendong, I still got a pretty good taste of the Filipino traditions surrounding Christmas. The best part: Everyone who is my age finally return home!

Christmas Eve with the family.

All the action takes place Christmas Eve. Programs and singing and lots and lots of food. Nearly every church has a late night service which ends around midnight so everyone can go join their friends and family for their “noche buena.”  While waiting for midnight, I gathered with some friends around a bond fire where they taught me how to play the traditional gongs. My family had an enormous feast, and everyone’s tired eyes immediately snapped open when they saw all of the food laid out. As for Christmas itself, it is more of a business-as-usual day. I was surprised when I saw farmers preparing to go to their gardens to continue their work. Lucky for me my host family invited me along with them and took me to the birthplace of my host mother and we roasted a pig over a fire and had a good time with their entire family.

The week between Christmas and New Year is slow. Students have the week off but almost everyone returned to work. I attended my first Filipino wedding on Tuesday and gorged myself again on food. The ceremony itself was Western style, but the reception was complete with the playing of the gongs and courtship dance. I spent most of my time relaxing and reading or mingling with people in the streets.

Playing the gongs.

By this time, people were buzzing about with preparations for New Year. From all the talk, it sounded as if New Year would bring an even bigger celebration than Christmas, and I was right. New Year’s Eve involved another bon fire and playing the gongs. It was then they told me the whole goal was to stay awake until January 2. Whew! Ok. Wish I could have prepared for this. Anyway, after another noche buena, setting off hundreds of firecrackers and fireworks, we played the gongs again until dawn.

On New Year’s Day I went to a birthday party (more gongs) and then the whole community went house to house to share all the food.  My family cooked a dog (third time I’ve had it since I’ve been here). The youth organizing the program invited me to give the opening message and so I talked about a few of the things we do at home to celebrate Christmas and New Years. Again, the dancing lasted until morning, but I was o sleepy, I crawled into bed just after midnight.

New Year's Eve. Complete with hotdogs with marshmallows,
and beef jerky sent from home.

Things didn’t slow down the next day. I was awoken by commotion in the house and peek out to see my family preparing things for a trip to the lowlands for swimming. Whoot Whoot! I was so excited to swim and be in the sun. We loaded up the Elf farm truck and ended up piling in about 30 more people and made our way to Cervantes. It was great. We swam, cooked another feast. Played more gongs. Despite my careful precautions, my whole body will be peeling in a few days because I finally got properly sunburned for the first time since living on this island.

Can't find me? Shouldn't be hard. Just look for
the guy who looks like he would glow in the dark.

Free-for-all buffet Pinoy style! Forget the plates and silverware.
Just dig in!