We (Evan and I) are back from our vacation on Boracay. It’s a beautiful paradise of an island and I enjoyed it very much. I usually don’t like the “tourist” thing but found this place enjoyable and the food – what can I say cause I ate salads, salads, salads!

The biggest problem was we left during a typhoon and found ourselves on open seas with waves going every direction. It wasn’t so much being out in the water but the real problem was getting on and off two boats each way. I thought my first two boats (going there) were bad but later on my return trip I came across one that I thought I couldn’t handle but put my mind to it and with my mind in positive gear plus three healthy local lads, I made it onto the boat at low tide. Since it was low tide we had to climb down a ladder (not your usual one but one that you had to step over two feet to reach the wrongs. They were so far and in between that I had to step on the bamboo side poles to climb down then I had to cross the big rocks (boulders) that were slippery to get to the ramp that took me to the boat. I’ve attached a photo that doesn’t really show it but you’ll see the ladder. I made it and that’s what counts. You just have to keep a positive mind when you’re traveling in countries where there aren’t a lot of regulations to keep you safe.

Today is the 6th of January and I realize it won’t be long till I will be leaving this “paradise”. It’s such a beautiful place to spend time in and the people are so generous and so nice to “Lola’s (grandmother in their language). I can hardly walk or sit without someone wanting to assist me. Yet, “Gaga” that my grandchildren in the USA sometimes call me is “crazy” here. They sure laughed when I told them to call me “Gaga Sami”.

The one thing that hangs heavy on my mind is what I will leave behind that isn’t finished. It’s the two classes of students Evan and I have been teaching. In exactly two weeks they will need to return to their regular classrooms or do what they did before and either miss school or simply not participate in the lessons. Evan and I have worked hard to bring them to where they will now read out loud, speak English sentences and participate in our classroom learning activities. These boys have come a long way. They attend class each day and they openly participate in the activities we instruct them in. They no longer mumble when you ask them to read. They fight each other to be the first one at the black board. So, when someone asks if we’ve accomplished something, my answer is yes! It’s these small accomplishments that matter when you look at the whole picture.

I came to work the Mangrove Project and here I am teaching at this small elementary school and loving it!

Each day we try and find a way to introduce the English language to the children and at the same time hold their interest. So far this week, we’ve played the Monopoly Card game teaching words (i.e. debt, swap, steal) and at the same time teaching them why they needed to put their money in savings (the bank). So, they got more then an English lesson!

I think the most inventive way was using the wooden USA map where once the (state) pieces were out, under them you could see the names of the capitals of each state. We ask the students to pick about three states, draw them on the blackboard, and write the names of the state and the capital. They most likely know things the kids back in the USA don’t know. The kids loved doing it! They learned something more then just English.

Of course “hangman” is their all time favorite. When we come in to teach I even see them at the blackboard playing. They usually look in a book to get their sentences since we’re not there to help them.

School here is different then in the states. There are 300 and some students enrolled at this elementary school (k-6) and there are only ten teachers. A “good” classroom is one that has only 50 kids in it at a time. You do the figures and you’ll see what I mean about it being different. Can you imagine (I can’t) trying to teach that many children each day? Somehow they get it done but I must state there is some things that don’t get done and that are the reason the “slow learners” often miss school. I know it’s sometimes because the kids have to work to support their families (even at this young age) and also once you get behind there is no one to help you bring yourself up to the level the other kids are at. So kids get lost in the system – there is no safety net to catch them.

That’s where Evan and I came in (and also the other volunteers who were here with us and before us). We tutor the “slow” ones and try to get them so they can join their peers rather then try to play catch-up.

Two new volunteers will be here on Jan 6 and they have volunteered for the school construction project. Apparently one of the roofs is caving in on one of the school buildings. They will be doing the renovations.

That means, when Evan and I leave there will be no volunteers for the teaching program. I sure hope that really isn’t the case for long cause it’s very much needed. I would love to personally hand over this teaching assignment to someone who cares what happens to these kids.

The Mangrove Project is kind of on hold for the moment but Evan and I will go to the mangroves and clean the plants. We most likely will do that this weekend – that is if the rain stops.

This assignment has been much different then most of my assignments. Here there is fresh running drinkable water from the mountain that is right smack in front of our house. There’s a bathroom with a shower (and running water) as well as a western style toilet that has a flush. My bedroom is enormous and there is a comfortable full size bed. The electricity stays on most of the time (I do admit I like it when we have blackouts). The food is delicious and plentiful. I am in paradise and well taken care of!

Last but not least I’ve been knitting small cellular phone pouches. The yarn is not up to what I call good yarn but I’ve been able to turn out some cute bags and I’ve found people who will accept them as gifts. What I didn’t know is when you give a purse/bag you are suppose to put some coins in it. Cee (the gal who lives here at the house) told me about the coin thing and also told me that because I was an American I should put dollars instead of coins in (lol). So, I’ve handed out bags without knowing I’m committing an offense.

I’m so comfortable here and have fallen into a routine. I even claim one of the outside benches where I take my nap everyday. Now, instead of having breakfast at the table in the house we have it outside. I’m not sure when that began but it falls into the “making ourselves comfortable” thing. It’s like being at home away from home!

People ask me if I plan on returning to Sugod to volunteer again. I have never returned to the same place twice and I’m not sure I will but I must admit it is food for thought! It’s a very special place to spend time at.

My schedule is kind of crazy since I wake up in the wee hours of the morning to chat with my friends and family on face book and to bring up my email. Yahoo seems to be very very slow at other times but works faster during these hours. So, I head to bed somewhere around 11 p.m. and when I wake up (old women have to pee during the night) I simply bring up face book on my computer that sits on my bed inside my mosquito net and make contact.

Last but not least I want once again to thank all my family and friends that made it possible for me to volunteer here in the Philippines. Without your help, it would not have happened!

To all who read this and think they would like to experience the pleasures of volunteering, I encourage you to take the first step and contact GVN. They are a great organization to work with and they care about you and your volunteering. There is a toll free number to call or send them an email. Perhaps our paths will cross on some volunteer duty somewhere in this world.