Foundation Day Festivities

Monday, August 22nd was Kapangan Central National High School’s fifth year anniversary, so we had a “short program” (in quotes because it lasted from 8:30am until 12:30 pm –counting the mass we had before the program began). Festivals, celebrations, programs, etc. are some of the residuals from the 333 years of Spanish control of the Philippines. They love to celebrate –and celebrate they do! So, here’s the short version of Foundation Day: We had our usual flag raising ceremony at 7:30. After that, we practiced the songs we would all sing together during the mass. Around 8:00 I was taken to the H.E. (home-ec bldg) to meet the priest. There I found him, the baranguay capitan, and some PTCA members drinking coffee and eating sticky rice. I was encouraged to join them, which I did. After coffee and chit chatting, it was time for mass.

There were probably 500 people in attendance. That morning GMA had declared a National Holiday (don’t remember what for) so all govt. entities (including public schools) were closed. So, all the teachers from the elementary school across the street came, along with many other people in the community.

After mass, the program began. First we sang the Benguet Hymn, followed by opening remarks made by one of our teachers. Next, a teacher read the history of the school. After that, the “numbers” began. (Numbers is in quotes because it’s a term that Filipinos are fond of using to describe entertainment). The students performed by grade levels and also different organizations. They sang, danced, and performed skits. The PTCA officers sang three songs and accompanied themselves on the guitar, ukulele, and a home-made, upright, single-string bass (the base of it was a fuel can laid on it’s side –the neck was a piece of wood). The leader of this group was the baranguay capitan because he is also the PTCA president. The faculty all sang a song, too –“Heal the World” (slow ballads and love songs rule in this country!) Interspersed among the numbers were the speakers. Fortunately, I was first so I was able to get my part finished so I could relax. I felt really nervous. But, I did it. I opened my speech with a few lines of Kenkana-ay, and then switched to English. In closing, I switched back to Kenkana-ey to announce that I was going to sing a song, and they loved it. I began singing the song that my host sister had composed (in Kenkana-ey) for me. The guitarist stood up behind me and accompanied me and shockingly, it all went smoothly! The crowd was extremely appreciative. Even though I felt stressed about doing it, I was happy that I did and it all turned out well. The other two speakers were the baranguay capitan and the principal from the elementary school across the street.

After the program was over at 12:30, all the faculty, PTCA, and special guests went to the HE to eat. The menu was: Rice, 3 heads of chicken (what they call live chickens they cook) pancit (rice noodles with a few veggies mixed in) chocolate (don’t let the name fool you, it’s the chicken blood cooked with banana blossoms in it) and last but not least, dog. Although I did not eat any dog, a large platter sat in front of me during the meal, so I was able to get a good look. They take the intestines, wash them with soap, cook and chop the inner organs and mix with blood, and stuff the intestines and then cut them in about 1 inch chunks. YumYUM :-)

After lunch, they all started talking about songs from Oklahoma. The bgy. capt., principal, bgy. officials, and other PTCA members ended up getting their instruments, playing music, singing, and drinking gin (only the men) in the HE all afternoon. Only in the Philippines! I stayed there and sang with them, along with a couple other teachers. They sang some Filipino, Kenkane-ay, and Ilokano songs, but mostly they sang old country music tunes.
I knew many of the words.
It was nice.
It rained like crazy.
The electricity went off.
And it didn’t make a bit of difference.
It was a celebration.
And celebrate we did!

Life in Kapangan

So, I haven't really felt much like blogging lately and I'm wondering why. I'm thinking it's because life is starting to feel "normal" (sort of) and I kind of just overlook little things that happen that may seem "foreign" or interesting to you guys. Also, life is just pretty routine and laid back here - so not a whole lot of excitement really goes on.

But here are a few blips from the Philippines since I last wrote.

Update on Lensan: He had to have emergency surgery on Tuesday, rather than on Thursday when it was scheduled because he was talking nonsense. They did the surgery to remove the tumor. They found out that it was only about 6 weeks old and that it was already 5x6 centimeters (about the size of the palm of a small adult's hand). It is located in the occipital region which controls the motor functions (thus his problems walking) and that it is cancerous. They could not remove it all, so if he survives til age 3 they will do chemo then and cobalt at age 5 (if he's still here). My supervisor has taken a month leave from work. It's just really sad. Thanks so much for your prayers and good thoughts.

Another tragedy this week. One of my coworkers, Miss Nellie Agiao, (teachers always address each other by their marital status and last name) had a female cousin, age 35, go into Baguio General Hospital to have varicose vains repaired this week - so she could go work abroad as a nurse - she had already passed all the medical exams, etc. She had the surgery and was dismissed. She was standing on the street hailing a taxi to go home from the hospital and she dropped dead. Just like that. No autopsy was done. Incredible. She is being buried tomorrow.

Okay, so enough morbidity. On a lighter note, we are having a Foundation Day program at our school on Monday. It's to celebrate our school's fifth anniversary. Anyway, I have been talked into giving an speech AND singing a song! Oh my, I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed . . . oh yes I do, I was thinking - that's what Peace Corps Volunteers do, right? We embarrass ourselves for the sake of entertaining our host country nationals. Oh yeah. Anyway, about the song. My host sister actually composed a song in Kenkana-ey for me to sing. It's all about the school. One of the teachers will be accompanying me on the guitar. Oh my. I'll just do it and make the best of it - yikes :-o !

So, we had our first official typhoon the week after I got back from Manila. It was only a signal 1, which is the weakest category, but it was a taste of what a typhoon is. We had about three days of heavy rain and winds. I actually really enjoyed it. I love stormy weather. If we have a signal 2 typhoon then schools are dismissed. We still could. Typhoon season goes through September, I think.

It's rice planting season right now, so I have been enjoying seeing the farmers in the fields behind the carabaos plowing and preparing the fields. They plow a field that is floating in water. And then after they get all the weeds out, they plant the rice. The seeds have already been grown into seedlings, so they are little green shoots when they go in the ground. The fields look so pretty when they're finished. Nice little green shoots all lined up like little soldiers standing at attention in a water-flooded field.

Okay, so guess that's it for now. Need to go write a speech. Hope all is well with all of you. Take care and enjoy a bubble bath for me this week!

Mostly Manila . . . and a prayer request

I went to Manila last Saturday with some other PCVs and participated in a Volunteer Forum. We stayed until Wednesday. It was my first trip back to Manila since we arrived in country on April 1, so it was nice to get a little more familiar with the capital city.

Some of the highlights were:
-Reuniting with some PCVs that I hadn’t seen since early April
-Eating some really great food
-Going to the Peace Corps offices
-Seeing more of the city
-Riding the LRT
Some things I could have done without:
-Run-in with a rat
-Dishonest cabbies and such
-Supervisor’s bad news

Highlight details:
Reuniting . . . When we first arrived in country we were 80. The 80 were dispersed in groups of 20 to four different regions of the country –Northern and Southern Luzon, Eastern and Western Visayas. As you know, I’m in the North. This week I got to see seven volunteers from Southern Luzon and two from Western Visayas. Swapping stories of our training, swearing-in, and sites helped fill in the gaps. Because this is such a unique life experience and since we’ve all been through so many similar situations that are also totally different – the reunion was a sweet treat.
Eating . . . Manila is huge – like 8 million or so people. Lots of great food there. We ate Korean (with metal chopsticks-and I did surprisingly well) – Thai food twice – Mediterranean – Excellent chicken & mango sandwich – and some yummy German white chocolate and macadamia nuts. – Naimus! – Mamis! – Sarop! (Ilokano, Kenkana-ey, Tagalog) Delicious in all the Filipino languages I know.
Going . . . Visiting the PC offices was good because I was able to pick up a few books for work –and a package from my folks and a letter from Elanor . . . yippee!
Seeing . . . The city is huge so it was nice to go around with some volunteers who had been there several times. In addition to our group, there were also PCVs from batches 263 and 262 (we’re 264). So part of the time I ran around with a couple who are fluent in Tagalog and know the city. Far less frightening that way.
Riding . . . The LRT is the elevated train. Even though it was very crowded, it’s nice because there is a car just for women. And I only saw ONE male passenger among the hundred or so women in it! And yes, I watched my bag carefully.

Downer details:
Run-in . . . Well, at least I can laugh about this one, so it’s not a total downer. Saturday night I was walking down the sidewalk with other PCVs, trying to avoid stepping on the people asleep on sheets of cardboard. All of a sudden, a rat came out of the drain and ran straight towards me – and we collided. He ran up my leg and I hopped around squealing like a wild-woman! I could feel his little claws on my shin – eek! It was funny, though, because I knew he wanted to escape me just as bad as I wanted to lose him. Finally, we parted ways and were both relieved, I’m sure. Whew!
Dishonest . . . Cab drivers in Manila have a reputation for being dishonest, unlike cab drivers in Baguio who have a reputation for honesty. So far, they’ve all lived up to their reps. Didn’t get ripped off, but did get out of a couple cabs prematurely. The first one stopped to get gas when he was about six blocks from our destination and refused to turn off the meter. We just paid him and walked from there. The second cabbie wanted to charge us meter plus 50 pesos – NO! I said. Okay, meter plus 30p –NO! I said. Okay, nevermind, get out of my cab. Fine. Jerk. We got out and climbed into another cab. That guy argued about where the bus station was. Told us there wasn’t one where we told him to go. Said that it was way out in another suburb –even though we knew where it was. Finally, I said –just take us to Taft and Edsa. So he did. And let us out right in front of the bus station. Whatever. Then, when I opened the car door to get out, another fellow had squatted down by the door where I couldn’t see him so the door would hit him when I opened it. I felt it hit him, got out of the car and said, Sorry, didn’t see you there. He was rolling around acting like he was really hurt (which he wasn’t) and was screaming “One Dollar! One Dollar!” Yeah, right. Not today buddy.

Finally . . . this last one is truly a downer with no levity whatsoever. My supervisor, Dr. Aurora Leon, is a 39-year old mother of four. She is the principal of my school and married to the mayor of Kapangan. I can’t say enough about how nice and smart she is. (By education she is a chemical engineer). Her children range in ages from17 to 2 yrs. 8 mos. old. Last week, the two-year old went to the hospital to have tests for meningitis because he was having trouble walking. Apparently, he has been sickly since he was born. While I was in Manila, his test results came back and he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He has had a surgery to install a shunt already and will have the major surgery to remove the tumor next week. They don’t know what they will find, but it doesn’t look good. Simply horrifying. My host sister, Assunta, is Aurora’s sister and she isn’t handling the news well at all. The family is praying for a miracle. They are also requesting that others pray, too. The boy’s name is Lensan Leon. If you are inclined to pray, please remember little Lensan and the Leon family.

Life is so precious . . . and so uncertain. No guarantees. I’m so thankful for my loved ones.
Loving and missing you all and wishing I were there to give hugs all around. xoxo