Manila

I arrived in Manila around noon, to rain and wind. Immediately I took a taxi to my hotel, in downtown Manila. While we drove, I looked around at the "poor-ness" of the city. It was so dirty, trash laying around on the side of the street. I saw so many homeless people, huddled under a makeshift overhang. People where doing their laundry outside of what looked like their house, it was so sad. What is strange to me, is that people from Bohol move to Manila to get a better job which means more money and the ability to send financial support back to their family in Bohol. But what I saw in Manila, was much worse conditions that I ever saw in Bohol.

My hotel, somewhat in the middle of this, was very nice. There were butlers that greeted me, took my bags for me (initially so the guard dog could sniff them), and escorted me up to my room. My room was very nice and plush. Even though it was raining, I wanted to get out to see the sights. I took a shower, a warm one ;-), and then headed out. I had asked many people back in Bohol what I should see on my 1/2 day visit. Most of them had to think a while, as there is not a lot to see in the city. Most of the tourism is on the other outlaying islands. I had a few ideas but asked a butler downstairs his opinion. It had started raining harder, so the option of going to the zoo, the park, museum (outside), or fort was no longer. The butler's recommendation? Go to the Mall of Asia.... a mall? I'm not a big shopper, as I usually have my list in hand, buy the things on my list and get outta there. But I didn't want to stay in the hotel all day. So I went to Harrison Mall first, as I had an errand to run for Dennis, picking up cheap contacts for his son in the US. I have to admit I was a little.... frightened. It kind of reminded me of a Chinese market, crowded and full of cheap stuff. Guys were yelling at me to come buy there product. I found the store I needed and got out of there. On to the Mall of Asia... maybe they have a Starbucks? Yes, 2! I actually arrived and found a place to eat first as I hadn't eaten in many hours. I walked around for a while and realized how huge this place was. It was two stories, but very much spread out. I know I didn't hit every section of the mall before I was "done" window shopping. I eventually found a Starbucks and was able to buy a Manila mug... YEAH!!! I also ordered my first coffee in 6 weeks! I did order a tall and a decaf though, since it was 4pm and I did want to sleep that night. I left the mall and took a taxi to the Robinson's Mall. This mall I knew was two blocks from my hotel. I wanted to know if it had a Starbucks, how to walk to it from the hotel, and what time it opened.

It did have a Starbucks and it opened at 7am, perfect! I walked around this smaller mall a while, thinking I could come back for dinner, so I was scoping out places to eat. However, as I was leaving a short while later it was pouring outside! I didn't want to take a taxi because I knew my hotel was close, I could see it... two blocks away. So I waited a while thinking the rain would let up a little. It didn't so I went for it, trying to find any type of overhang to walk under. As I briskly walked the two blocks, 3 people came up to me trying to sell me an umbrella - I refused. The rest of the night continued to pour so I didn't make it out again. I watched a movie and read, and ordered room service. It was actually quite cheap for room service, I was surprised. So I hunkered down in the hotel, ready to leave the next morning.

This morning I woke up before my alarm, ready to go. I got ready and took a walk, only to go to Starbucks. Walking back with breakfast and coffee... mentally and physically preparing myself for American materialism again. It tasted delicious!

At eight I was ready to go and checked out. I got a taxi and almost didn't make it to the airport. Mom, you may not want to read this....we were going 120 km/h on a major road. I'm not sure how fast that is in comparison to mph but it felt WAY too fast. I thought of those video games I played on Nintendo as a kid, where you are racing other cars, weaving in and out. Coming up behind a car extremely fast, and then jerking to the right to get into the other lane, and then shortly jerking to the left to get back in that lane. It was... dangerous! As we started on the abrupt incline of a small bridge I literally flew up high enough that my behind left my seat and my hands went up to the roof. We did not slow down. Four seconds later as we started making the brief decline off the bridge, the driver came up on another driver way too fast. The other driver was starting to pull into our lane but my taxi did not slow down. Eventually he slammed on the brakes as the taxi started going horizontal screeching its brakes. I thought for sure we would either hit the car in front of us or hit the side of the bridge or both. PTL we didn't but it was definitely the Lord because we should have! I thought about saying something to the driver, "Slow down" or "I'm not in a hurry" but I realized it probably shocked as well because he slowed down considerably after that.

I arrived at the airport 2 1/2 hours before my departure. It took me less than 45 minutes to check in, go through security and go through customs. It has never taken that short of time before. I walked around for a while, until a woman approached me asking if I wanted to sit in an exclusive lounge for a small fee. It was quite a small fee, but it had a "free" buffet and WiFi. I decided to take the opportunity. That is where I typed half of the previous blog.

My flight from Manila to Taipei was uneventful. I read for a short while and then a Filipino man sitting next to me wanted to talk. He now lives in Texas, but I could still understand only about half of what he was saying. I just nodded a lot of the time. As I arrived in Taipei, I've been walking around until I found this free WiFi station. It's so great! I'll add a few pictures of Manila when I arrive home! I'll be home soon!

July 29th - August 3rd

Pictures to be added when I get home!

I feel a little out of touch from reality... I haven't had internet all week due to a virus on the school computer and no internet at a WiFi center I was using. I am now sitting in the Manila airport waiting to board. This week felt busy, yet peaceful as I was winding things down at BDA. During the day I continued to observe, teach and meet with teachers. My nights were filled with socializing with the students, gathering addresses and taking pictures.

Wednesday was a special night for me. The teachers and students had been secretive at the start of the week and eventually I found out that they were having a presentation for me and 5 other French volunteers (they helped build a canteen for 3 weeks). The school cooked a very delicious typical Filipino dinner consisting of rice, pancit (noodles with chicken and veges), fish, pork adobo, and pineapple. It was SO good! After dinner the students had created dramas. The first drama depicted the 5 French volunteers and the second drama represented me, and what I did at BDA. It was hilarious! One of the students who played me has become a good friend of mine, Miriam. She had her hair pulled back into a pony tail with clips on the side, just like me. She also carried around a notebook with a pen stuck inside the spiral, just like me. They acted out me teaching, including facial expressions ;-), talking with teachers, and talking with students. It was fun to watch. All of us volunteers were then presented with a gift, a t-shirt with the sign language alphabet on the front. We were asked to give a short "speech" about our time here. It was easy to share how blessed and welcomed I had felt during my time here but when I started talking about when I was leaving I started tearing up and finished speaking pretty quickly. The admin shared their thoughts and appreciated for the time and hearts shared, it was a blessing. The night completed by having a push-up contest and a dance off. It was a fun night, and I sure did feel blessed.

Thursday was my last "teaching" day at BDA as Friday is vocational day. I met with admin and shared my final thoughts and suggestions for the future. It turned into quite a meeting. They appreciated my thoughts and we brain stormed how to specifically implement my suggestions. The principal is new and not quite confident in her abilities to lead, so I was able to encourage her and give her suggestions with the teachers.

Friday, vocational day, was filled with socializing while intermittently packing. I would socialize a few hours and then go pack for a while. It was fun, but sad, knowing it was my last day with the students. I would be around Saturday but all the students were going home this weekend, so they would either leave Friday evening or Saturday morning. Friday afternoon was fun. I accompanied the Sign Language Club (about 20 students and 2 teachers) to Holy Name University. The students go to a nearby hearing school every other week to teach those students sign language. On the other week, the hearing students travel to BDA to learn. I had gone with the club to the hearing school a few weeks ago so the teachers asked if I could go with them to the University. We showed up and the Special Education students put on dancing and singing for our students. It wasn't very well thought of regarding the singing, because our students were Deaf and they forgot to provide an interpreter. So after prodding one of the BDA teachers, they got up to interpret. I was willing, since I wasn't really involved but a majority of the presentation was in Visayan so I didn't even understand what they were saying. Not really being involved eventually changed as well. The leadership team student running the program asked the teacher interpreting, who the white person was (me). She told him what I was doing in the Philippines and about my experience teaching. In the middle of a speech from himself, he announced that the Dean of the Education program was there to give a speech, Geraldine, a BDA teacher would give her testimony and then the "foreign visitor" would give an inspirational message. I was shocked, they didn't even ask me, they just announced it to all students, I thought it was funny... but also extremely unprepared! What would I say? Anyways, I was hoping they would forget about it, but they didn't. So I went up on stage, gave an "inspirational message" and sat back down. It must have been some what of an okay speech, because the head of the Special Education Department then asked if I would be willing to come back to the University the following week to be part of a forum of professionals to discuss special education and the needs of schools in the Philippines... wow, what an honor! Unfortunately and honestly a little relieved, I was leaving in a few days, missing the forum.

That night I spent with students, saying goodbyes... I will miss them.

Saturday, I was praying for sun. It had been raining and cloudy all week, and Saturday was my last day in the Philippines and one of my only days free. I planned on going to Panglao Island for a little R&R and sun, prior to leaving Sunday. I called a taxi and packed up for the day. I was waiting outside of the school and the Deaf pastor, Mart, asked what I was doing. He was concerned that I was going by myself... not safety wise, but it was my last day and he didn't think I should be by myself. So he went into the fly-tieing shop and told Emisan, my friend, that she was "ordered" to take off the day and go with me to the beach. We had a lot of fun and I was able to spoil her. We went to Alona Palm Beach Resort, which is one of my favorite places in the world. I laid in the sun (yes, it was hot and sunny PTL!!!) while Emison laid in the shade near me. We swam in the infinity pool, read, ate a great pancit lunch, and got $5 massages. It was Emisan's first massage! I also received a foot scrub. I'm not sure what type of chemical they use, but with this chemical and a lot of scrubbing my feet are now 100% callus-free. They feel SO great! Walking in the sand felt SO nice afterwards. I do have to admit that I did get burned this day... but for staying in the Philippines for 6 weeks and this being the only time I've been burned, I'd say that's pretty good, especially for my past experience ;-)

That night Emisan stayed with me and helped me finish packing, which wasn't a lot. We mostly chatted and hung out until we were both tired. Sunday morning, time to leave! It was so peaceful, as I had everything already to go, just the last minute things to throw in. We went out to throw away the trash and say goodbye to 2 teachers. When coming back to the house, we couldn't open the door. The deadbolt had locked on us and I didn't have a key. I think because Emisan had opened the door in the morning and didn't know that you have to secure the dead bolt open... so when I shut the door, the dead bolt activated... locking us out. I ran to get the dorm mother, as she has the master keys. Her key didn't work. Meanwhile, Dennis, founder of IDEA showed up to take me to the airport. He was concerned because now, we'd have to break in somehow. We were able to unlock the back door, but then the screen I had locked from the inside. Dennis found a knife and was trying to pry the screen off the door, to put a hand down to unlock the door. I was getting worried... but as Dennis was prying the knife down into the door, he must have moved the door so much that all of a sudden it became unlocked and swung open! Another PTL!!!

I said good-bye to Emisan and Dennis then drove me to the airport. I was plently early so I ventured upstairs where I received a 30 minute massage for under $2. I felt SO great! The woman was blind so she felt out the knots in my back and worked them hard. As I was lining up to walk out to the plane, there were also 5 men and woman who were blind singing, "I'm leaving, on the jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again!" They were great, but it made me chuckle as that is the song my Dad always sings when I am flying somewhere.

Bohol was beautiful, sunny, and hot. I was sad to see it disappear into the horizon. With less than an hour flight, I arrived in Manila where it was raining and windy. The first part of this message I typed using my computer, sitting in the Manila airport. Saved to the internet, I am now in Taipei, standing up in a free internet cafe continuing my blog. I love technology! I was able to add the one picture in Manila, but will add more pictures later when I return home.