Today was hard. Very hard. Even now, I’m getting emotional as I write this post. The day started typically enough: I walked across to the teacher’s lounge amidst a chorus of “Hello, Sir” and “Good morning, Po.” Politeness is very important in the Philippines, and students are taught early on to respect their elders. Students offered to carry things for me, (like always), and asked me questions about the States. I clocked in on my punch card for the last time, and set up in the teacher’s lounge for one last morning.
I taught three classes in the morning. The topic was aquaponics. Mam Noemie is going to try to get her students to start personal aquaponics systems using beta fish and goldfish bowls. The fish should be able to handle the confined environments and low dissolved oxygen levels. We’ll start small with lettuce or tomato seeds, and work up from there. (Already, my plan from Vanishing Island is working! Bwahahaha! Soon, I will be here again on a technical visit! I can just see it now!!!) Then, it was back to the teacher’s lounge for a break and lunch. Bicol express, rice, and fried chicken: sooo good! The Bicol express was spicier by far than any I’ve had before, so I assume that they’ve been toning it down for my palate. It was good and spicy with a strong quick, but not so strong that I couldn’t taste the food. After lunch hour, I shadowed Vincent for three periods. Shadowing Vincent has got to be one of my most enjoyable experiences at BRSHS. I followed him around the school for three hours, talking about America and the Philippines, and just seeing what a typical student experience is like at this amazing school. I sat in his Filipino language class, Math class, and Filipino history class. The first and last class were in Filipino, and Vincent did his best to translate for me. Filipino class was interesting because I’ve never really sat in a non-science class before. I had a great time watching the students decode a lullaby their teacher sang. They’d heard it before, but she was singing it in Filipino, not their regional language, so it was a little different. They shared their opinions on the meaning of the song, others chiming in to offer other points of view. Then, they practiced identifying ways to state/write their opinions by identifying these terms in written passages. It was a little more teacher-directed than I’m used to, but then again, what do I know? I’m a science teacher. My idea of a lesson is to give students some things to play with and then discuss what they’ve learned at the end. It’s a bit different with a language. Math was a relief! After not understanding anything because it was in a foreign language, finally, I understood everything! I felt such relief! I finally understand what my ESL students must be feeling when they come to my class. I mean, I could always sympathize and empathize with them, but an academic understanding of their issues and experiencing their issues is completely different. Walking a mile in someone’s shoes.. and whatnot. The day was meant to be a review of previous material. They discussed the previous lesson and she passed out the assignment: practice arithmetic series and their sums. I went to work right with the rest of the class. Finally, I could do something other than ask questions and look around. It was ridiculously rewarding to be able to do math that I haven’t even thought about since high school. I wonder if that’s why so many of my ESL students say they like math class? Math is math. Even if you don’t understand the language, the symbols and writing of math is the same. The formulas don’t change. If you can pick out the formulas, you can still find your way through. After Math class, it was time for Filipino History. The current focus was on current events in the Philippines, and the teacher guided the class through discussions about topics, some of which were controversial and sensitive. The class was in Filipino, and, once again, I was clueless. I tried to follow along as best I could, but I had to rely on Vincent again to know what was going on. It was almost a mercy when some students from another class asked to talk to me about aquaonics (they were distracting me from seeing something). It was kind of hilarious talking to the students about aquapoinics as they struggled to come up with questions to keep me focused on them while they got other students to sign a giant poster for me. I will miss them so much! They were so earnest! The poster is sitting in my iPad case right now, for protection. I’m going to hang it, and my name tag) above my door back in my classroom. I’m touched and humbled that these students made such an effort to welcome me at this school and then give me such a warm send off. The Supreme Student Government presented the poster (and a packet of candies) with pomp and circumstance. I felt like a king! We talked for a while before parting ways. I clocked out for the last time, and took my time card with me. Then, I found the SSG waiting for me and Greg at the end front gates, ready to talk to us and walk us to our hotel. We must have talked for nearly half an hour in the corner store by our hotel. They were so cute and earnest, asking us questions about America, and sharing their favorite foods. They shared what their lives were like, here in the Philippines, and we had a blast. Finally, it was time to go. The students had homework, and Greg and I had to pack and go to our “send off” party. (more on that tomorrow!)
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How do you spend your last day in Bicol? Do you… A) have an amazing boat ride touring the small islands off the coast from Legazpi; B) Gorge yourself on a massive barbecue filled with crab, pork adobo, and other amazing foods; C) Spend most of the day swimming on secluded islands where you’e the only ones for miles around; D) Catch sea stars, identify algae, and follow tiny fish in the near-bathtub-warm waters?
Trick question: the answer is E) All of the above. The day started at 5 am with a short ride to Boracay, a community just slightly north of Legazpi proper. Then, we rode an outrigger called the Love Boat over to the Cargaray Island to hike up one of the final pit stops in The Amazing Race (Asia Edition). After selfies and explorations, we hopped back on the love boat and headed off our first swim spot: Guinanayan Island. This place was gorgeous! It was a narrow strip of an island with a wide base and a sandy point. There are, maybe, 3 families on the island, so we had the island to ourselves. We swam in bathtub-warm water for hours, before we had lunch. Lunch was a feast: a pile of rice, pork chops, cooked whole crabs (in shell), pork adobo, and taro leaves with pork. We ate with our hands (which is an actual thing, and why on Earth would anyone want to use utensils, anyway?) and then jumped back into the water for more swimming fun. I gave an impromptu biology lesson on algae species: I found sargssum, 2 different species of turbenaria, and some padina. I also found some living sand dollars, which was super-cool. Then, we hoped back into the Love Boat and island-hopped to secluded rocky cove for selfies and relaxation before finishing out the day at Vanishing Island. Vanishing Island is a sandbar in the middle of a lagoon. Its surrounded by floating bars that are open at times that we weren’t there. So it’s also a Sand Bar. Heehee they’re so punny! We same for a few hours, hunting for sea stars and different kinds of fish before finally calling it a day and heading back to Ligao. It was a perfect way to spend my last Sunday in Bicol (and the Philippines, but I’m trying not to think about that). I came home exhausted, relaxed, refreshed, and sunburned. I’ve never felt better. While I was relaxing in the waters with the others, I came up with a plan: I want to try to connect my aquaponics students with the students at Bicol Regional Science High School. We can send recorded videos to each other on questions, aquaponics practices, or even research ideas. Perhaps, it could grow into actual joint research between our respective schools. I certainly wouldn’t pass up a chance to return here for a “technical visit” :). I am a master potter!
The gang (Jenn, Greg, Rose, Hannah, and Adrian) and I toured the greater Bicol region. And I found my true calling! First, we traveled to Camalig to see a “possible” traditional Filipino Catholic wedding. I say possible because, it seemed highly likely that someone would be getting married that Saturday “because there are a lot of weddings in the area”. What we saw was part of a funeral. We didn’t stay for too long out of respect, but what we saw was pretty interesting (turns out both Greg and I were over-dressed). The church had bones interned in the walls from at least 1905. This was not part of the funeral, just describing what I saw. They bought the coffin in to the front of the church and then began to sing. It was beautiful and similar to most other funerals I’ve been to. We all choose to remember the dead in similar ways, don’t we? Then, we collected Hannah and went touring in old Camalig to see homes from the Spanish Colonial era. It must say it’s quite moving to be standing in front of a building that has housed the same family for over 400 years. The history and lives that the building has witnessed is humbling. I think we spend too much time in the US focusing on the new because it’s bright and shiny, that we don’t take the time to appreciate the old simply because it might be a bit worn or out-dated. I’m not saying that everything that is old is good but I do think there’s a tendency to try to do away with the old in general without considering its historical or aesthetic merits. After we wandered the around Old Camalig, we piled back into the van and headed for Tiwi and the ceramic works. They use locally-sourced clay from a nearby hill, which they purify using water from a nearby spring. After letting it dry and compress for several days into large pancakes, they use their clay to make vases, bricks, and other pottery goods. More importantly, I discovered my calling by becoming a master potter! I sat at the potting wheel and molded a lump of clay into an elegant and delicate vase! Sure, it was under the guidance of one of the master craftsmen at the ceramic works. But, that just goes to show you the level of skill these people have! Each town in Bicol (and, I’m getting a sense that this is throughout the Philippines) is known for something: Tobaco is known for knives and metal work, Tiwi is known for pottery and ceramics, other towns are known for sausages or rice goods, etc. Each community has a specialty. It’s a reminder of an older time in the West. The more I experience this region, the more I fall in love with it, and the more I don’t want to leave! And, of course, I became a master potter! After we left Tiwi, it was time to eat halo halo from the place that made the original halo halo! It was the BEST halo halo I’ve ever had in my life! Ube ice, jellies, sweet corn, cheese, fruit, and ice cream! All great flavors that go great together! Seriously! You MUST try this! So, after our snack, we drove off to Legazpi to tour the boardwalk. I had a lot of fun trying to identify algae species. I didn’t find too many in the area, but i found some sargassum ^_^.I After, we went to Ishaya Restaurant! It’s a Japanese-Philippines fusion restaurant set up kind of like a traditional Japanese tea room! It was so much fun! the food (and sushi) was phenomenal! We had ferns, sushi, and fusion Filipino food. It was GREAT! After lunch, we went to the Skyline Hotel on Mayon volcano to look out over Legazpi. So much just romping around the old building near to the cloud line! It was the first time I wasn’t ROASTING since I first came here ^_^. At the top, they were selling intricate bonsai. I was tempted to buy one, but then I realized I wouldn’t be able to take it home. T_T, so I left it there. We ended the day at the Oriental Hotel for a relaxing drink and view over Legazpi. It was soothing, and a much needed break to just sit and relax and enjoy the moment. Something I’ve noticed here is that “a snack” here is not a snack in the States. It’s something akin to a light lunch. Hospitality and generosity is very important here. Every meeting has food, or a gift, or some other welcoming gesture. It’s very similar to Hawaii. I need to remember these things more, and will try to do so. |