This week started out with another adventure, trying to get to BDA from the Sunrise house. I had asked one of the caretakers to give me a ride into Loay, to the main road, early Monday morning. Instead of the motorcycle, I rode on the back of the ATV. Initially I was relieved as the motorcycle was a little weak, but as we continued along the barrio road, I soon was wishing we had taken the motorcycle. I had my heavy backpack on me, with everything in it from the weekend and was trying to hold onto the back piping. With the motorcycle and two wheels, Along was able to maneuver between the holes and rocks jutting out. But with the ATV and 4 wheels, this was impossible. I was jostled around like a Mexican jumping bean, trying to hold on, with the weight of my backpack tossing me backwards. In the 20 minute ride to the main road, I think my entire body was tensed, holding on with everything I had. When we arrived onto the main road, we continued to the town of Loay, 2 minutes down the road, yes on the ATV. The caretaker found me a jeepney and made sure that it would go into Tagbilarin, the main city. It was, but it couldn’t drop me off at BDA, instead at the junction. I asked where the junction was and he told me the diver would let me know when to get off….. I still didn’t know what the junction meant. The caretaker had thankfully placed me in the front seat with the driver. We took off down the road stopping many times to pick up people standing on the side. This is when I realized why the caretaker was insistent that I sit in front. The back was absolutely squished. Jeepneys are little buses or trucks with a bench on both sides to sit on. However, when those become full, you can sit on a two-legged stool in the middle of the isle. There were probably 25-30 people squished in the back of that little space. I tried to figure out how fast we were going down the road, slamming on the breaks several times to pick people up, but all of the instruments in the front were not working. No km/h, no gas gauge… nothing.
Eventually I made it to the “junction” and the driver motioned for me to walk down the road. I knew I was semi-close to BDA but not entirely sure. So I started to walk and eventually came to a group of motor cab drivers. These are little trucks with a tall canopy, the same idea as a jeepney, yet smaller. I told one man where I needed to go, and he said it was walking distance, to the left, saying it was about ½ a kilometer. This is about a third of a mile. I continued my walk and arrived at my house, shortly after. I think I spent the next hour sitting in front of my fan on high, with a cold water towel to my forehead. I was SO hot!
Later that morning I observed in a classroom and then actually did a little teaching. There is a new teacher, fresh out of college, who really doesn’t know what he’s doing. Not only with the teaching aspect, but also doesn’t understand the concept he is teaching. Every time I’ve observed him I’ve had to correct him. I think the next two weeks I’m here I will be heavily mentoring him. I set up a plan for him. I’ll teach his first lesson, and then the next day to another class, he’ll teach the same lesson. Hopefully this will get him on the right track.
In the afternoon, after a meeting with administration I had to take yet another adventure. The next day my time in the Philippines was going to expire. I ventured into town, getting onto another motor cab into the city. I had to find the Immigration office. I was warned by Dennis that I had to wear long pants and no flip flops. I guess there was a sign on the door, and if you didn’t follow the rules, they wouldn’t even talk to you. So I, for the first time in the Philippines, had on longer pants. They were only capris, but they did the job. I knew the area in which the office was, but when I arrived I couldn’t find it. After searching and finally asking someone in the Philippine Airline office, I arrived. I had seen the sign when entering the office, but as a looked around, both women working in the office had flip-flops on. It's interesting that it’s a rule for customers but not for employees. I filled out the paper work and then was told I needed a copy of my passport. Off to find a copy machine… back to the office was then told how much I had to pay…. I was 500 Pecos ($10 short). Off to find a money changer… back to the office and then I was done. Yikes! But now I can stay until my original time of departure. Since I was in town, I took advantage of eating at pizza hut for dinner, using the internet café, and doing a little grocery shopping. I didn’t leave town until dark, I felt safe enough. I took a trike (a motorcycle with a cab on the side) back to BDA. I was exhausted and my body hurt. The next two days I was in pain, I think from tensing my body so long on the ATV.
I feel as if this week has brought me back to my graduate study days. Last weekend I spent two days researching for a seminar that I will be presenting this Saturday. All day Tuesday and Wednesday, I sat in my little house at my 2½ x 2½ foot table making three different power points to present. I know it was only two days, but I felt so stiff just sitting their typing for that long. It makes me thankful my job allows me to move around a lot, interacting with s
tudents. I don’t ever want to be stuck at my computer all day, researching. The power points are now done, just a little tweaking for Saturday and planning a project as an example. More researching on the internet, but it should be fun and quick.
Today I met with Dennis in order to show him my power points. I then ventured into town to watch the “Disability Parade” that 20 of the BDA students are in. After the parade they danced and performed sign to a song that is well-known in the Philippines, Jewel’s “Hands”. It was a great break from sitting in my little house all day. It was also fun to get out and socialize, and see the
event in town. I am now sitting in a hotel restaurant downtown Tagbilarin. They have WiFi that I had to pay $2 for 10 hours. I think I’ll be back, because I’m not sitting here for 10 hours today! At least I’m able to use my computer to sit down and use the internet. I just finished chatting with a friend, Erin, through facebook. It’s so fun to connect with friends SO far away over the internet! Thank you all for your emails! I’ll try to upload more pics soon, but there’s not really a lot to see now.
Eventually I made it to the “junction” and the driver motioned for me to walk down the road. I knew I was semi-close to BDA but not entirely sure. So I started to walk and eventually came to a group of motor cab drivers. These are little trucks with a tall canopy, the same idea as a jeepney, yet smaller. I told one man where I needed to go, and he said it was walking distance, to the left, saying it was about ½ a kilometer. This is about a third of a mile. I continued my walk and arrived at my house, shortly after. I think I spent the next hour sitting in front of my fan on high, with a cold water towel to my forehead. I was SO hot!
Later that morning I observed in a classroom and then actually did a little teaching. There is a new teacher, fresh out of college, who really doesn’t know what he’s doing. Not only with the teaching aspect, but also doesn’t understand the concept he is teaching. Every time I’ve observed him I’ve had to correct him. I think the next two weeks I’m here I will be heavily mentoring him. I set up a plan for him. I’ll teach his first lesson, and then the next day to another class, he’ll teach the same lesson. Hopefully this will get him on the right track.
In the afternoon, after a meeting with administration I had to take yet another adventure. The next day my time in the Philippines was going to expire. I ventured into town, getting onto another motor cab into the city. I had to find the Immigration office. I was warned by Dennis that I had to wear long pants and no flip flops. I guess there was a sign on the door, and if you didn’t follow the rules, they wouldn’t even talk to you. So I, for the first time in the Philippines, had on longer pants. They were only capris, but they did the job. I knew the area in which the office was, but when I arrived I couldn’t find it. After searching and finally asking someone in the Philippine Airline office, I arrived. I had seen the sign when entering the office, but as a looked around, both women working in the office had flip-flops on. It's interesting that it’s a rule for customers but not for employees. I filled out the paper work and then was told I needed a copy of my passport. Off to find a copy machine… back to the office was then told how much I had to pay…. I was 500 Pecos ($10 short). Off to find a money changer… back to the office and then I was done. Yikes! But now I can stay until my original time of departure. Since I was in town, I took advantage of eating at pizza hut for dinner, using the internet café, and doing a little grocery shopping. I didn’t leave town until dark, I felt safe enough. I took a trike (a motorcycle with a cab on the side) back to BDA. I was exhausted and my body hurt. The next two days I was in pain, I think from tensing my body so long on the ATV.
I feel as if this week has brought me back to my graduate study days. Last weekend I spent two days researching for a seminar that I will be presenting this Saturday. All day Tuesday and Wednesday, I sat in my little house at my 2½ x 2½ foot table making three different power points to present. I know it was only two days, but I felt so stiff just sitting their typing for that long. It makes me thankful my job allows me to move around a lot, interacting with s
tudents. I don’t ever want to be stuck at my computer all day, researching. The power points are now done, just a little tweaking for Saturday and planning a project as an example. More researching on the internet, but it should be fun and quick.Today I met with Dennis in order to show him my power points. I then ventured into town to watch the “Disability Parade” that 20 of the BDA students are in. After the parade they danced and performed sign to a song that is well-known in the Philippines, Jewel’s “Hands”. It was a great break from sitting in my little house all day. It was also fun to get out and socialize, and see the
event in town. I am now sitting in a hotel restaurant downtown Tagbilarin. They have WiFi that I had to pay $2 for 10 hours. I think I’ll be back, because I’m not sitting here for 10 hours today! At least I’m able to use my computer to sit down and use the internet. I just finished chatting with a friend, Erin, through facebook. It’s so fun to connect with friends SO far away over the internet! Thank you all for your emails! I’ll try to upload more pics soon, but there’s not really a lot to see now.
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