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!