got up this morning at 4.30
had a shower, checked i had everything i needed, double checked my passport(don't want to forget that or it would be a wast of time coming here)
waited outside for about 15 minutes, no trikes came this morning but rod turned up with his single.
i don't think i have had such a nice ride to San Agustin, Rod was singing the whole way, turns out he has a very nice voice. Got to the jeepnee stop at about 5.30, sat down and had some breakfast,
the jeepnee turned up at about ten to six and i climbed on the roof cos it is was more comfortable than inside.
the whole way down i was looking at the weather, little bit paranoid that the boat might be canceled like last time.
got to Looc, and it was all ok, I still had an hour before the boat was due to leave so I went to visit Ate Joy, and Kuya NoNoy, (the people who I stayed with last time when the boat got canceled)
Kuya NoNoy gave me a lift back to the boat, I ended up being the first passenger on, I lay down had a nap when I woke we were going past boracay, about 1 km off shore because it was rough further out. Slightly irritating going past Boracay to get to because the boat doesn't actually stop there, it goes to another port were you can get a boat to Boracay from. though it was nice seeing the island from a different view, seeing how long white beach is and just how many resorts are crammed on that part of the island.
I am going to try get a new battery for my phone that isn't fake (it will be hard)
but i will try to get back and write more later
xoxo
kirsty
6.12.10
4.9.10
San Agustin
From the 21st to the 28th of August was the Fiesta of San Agustin town. On the 20th we went over to the capital of Tablus to the Seminary (were they train priests) were we meet lots of wonderful boys, who can all sing all of which entertained us, we headed back on sunday for the start of the fiesta
Every Night is a different event, The week started with a night for the barangay officials, that night there were awards for the different barangay's in the San Agustin area, this was followed by dancing. We went with Tita Precy and Tito Joey, Adiam came with her host family and they left her behind so she came home with us.
The next night was the cultural show by Romblon University, our friend Cecille was the MC, and looked beautiful in traditional Filipino dress. We didn't go for two nights after that it was the pre pageant (beauty pageants are big here) then the pageant. the next night was the parish night and our seminarian friends were preforming. During the day we danced in the street with the teachers, then had too much to eat, we went to the barangay captains for lunch, then the vice mayors, and then someone else house. We got invited to other houses but didn't go. the next day we went with Sem Adonus to his area of Sta Maria to see where he was from, then it was back to San Agustin for the dance. It was a busy week. and we still managed to go to school every day (except Friday as it was a holiday)
all for now
will try to write in a week or so.
xoxo
Kirsty
Every Night is a different event, The week started with a night for the barangay officials, that night there were awards for the different barangay's in the San Agustin area, this was followed by dancing. We went with Tita Precy and Tito Joey, Adiam came with her host family and they left her behind so she came home with us.
The next night was the cultural show by Romblon University, our friend Cecille was the MC, and looked beautiful in traditional Filipino dress. We didn't go for two nights after that it was the pre pageant (beauty pageants are big here) then the pageant. the next night was the parish night and our seminarian friends were preforming. During the day we danced in the street with the teachers, then had too much to eat, we went to the barangay captains for lunch, then the vice mayors, and then someone else house. We got invited to other houses but didn't go. the next day we went with Sem Adonus to his area of Sta Maria to see where he was from, then it was back to San Agustin for the dance. It was a busy week. and we still managed to go to school every day (except Friday as it was a holiday)
all for now
will try to write in a week or so.
xoxo
Kirsty
16.8.10
Visa time
In Boracay today renewing my visa. Not the cheapest of exercises, but can't be helped.
I'm staying in a dorm which is 200p a night apposed to a room which range from 500p to +2000p.
but there is no one else staying in the same room as me so it's like having my own room. I managed to find lunch for only 35p today yesterday when I arrived I payed 100p cos I didn't know where the cheaper places were.
I have been teaching at the high school for the past two weeks and I love it. The kids don't know how to be quiet, but they are fun and always come up and say hi. Two of the year1 boys came up to visit us in Carmen on Saturday, they taught us to do back flips off the wharf which was awesome.
just a short blog today, I don't to know what to tell you.
xoxo
I'm staying in a dorm which is 200p a night apposed to a room which range from 500p to +2000p.
but there is no one else staying in the same room as me so it's like having my own room. I managed to find lunch for only 35p today yesterday when I arrived I payed 100p cos I didn't know where the cheaper places were.
I have been teaching at the high school for the past two weeks and I love it. The kids don't know how to be quiet, but they are fun and always come up and say hi. Two of the year1 boys came up to visit us in Carmen on Saturday, they taught us to do back flips off the wharf which was awesome.
just a short blog today, I don't to know what to tell you.
xoxo
3.8.10
It is the internets falt.
Lake of updates, lack of contact, I am blaming on the internet. Really really slow internet. Also on power-cuts, and plenty of them.
On Friday we (Nikki, YuJin, Adiam, and I) were invited to Cabalutan High School to judge a cooking competition, the competition was part of there nutrition month celebrations. Nikki and I arrived after 8, the other two were already there. We were introduced to some of the teachers before they started there celebrations with a concert. There were kids singing and dancing and giving presentations up on stage. Apparently one of the teaches asked Nikki and Adiam who could sing, about ten minutes later the emcee announced that I was going to be giving a vocal performance on stage for them. So thanks to Nikki they got to hear the NewZealand National Anthem (or a strange interpretation of it). We went to the teachers house for lunch, (the cooking competition was afterward) where there was more singing this time in the form of karaoke, we were told that we would be fetched when we were needed for the competition, but the teacher who was going to come and get us forgot so we never ended up judging. So we spent the afternoon drinking with the teachers instead.
On Saturday, we had another eventful day. Nikki had been invited to speak at a corrination ball in Carmen that started at 7. Then In the morning we went to a town on the otherside of the island with Adiam, YuJin and there host family, it is over two hours away, we were leaving at 8.30 and arriving back in Carmen at 6. Town was ok, there was good icecream, something lacking in our town. Problems arrived when it came time to leave, the event that the captain was at was suppose to finish at 4, at 4.30 you could see the panic in Nikki's eyes, she was so worried that people would think she had just not turned up. and because our host family is in Manila for a seminar we had no way to contact the organisers to tell them we were running late, we finally left town after 5, got back to Carmen at 7.30.Nikki was freaking out the whole time. Were we were told it was fine she wouldn't be speaking in-till 9 or 10, and we had plenty of time to have dinner and a shower before going to the dance. Nikki and I got to the plaza were the dace was to be held after 8 there was very few people there, they were running on Filipino time, which is always late. Nikki gave her speech, then we danced till there was a brown-out (powercut) which was about 1.30, then we went to play cards with some locals, at about 4am someone suggested a run, for some unknown we went for a run towards cabaluton, (up a hill) then we went for a swim and watched the sunrise, we tried to go to church (they have church in the phillipines at 6am) but were falling asleep so we had to go home to have a nap. a slightly busy night.
Yesterday, Vincent came and asked if I could do some teaching for a couple of days at the high school, some of the teachers have to go to manila for a family emergency. So today I taught English to first year high school and third year high school. The kids are a lot of fun, even when they don't understand what you are saying most of them will try, or they will just tell you that they don't understand. very unlike the younger kids who a lot of them just wont say anything. the year ones are on a topic which involves listening, I was reading them a passage of text and they had to tell me what it was about. you get some strange answers because they just pick out random words they picked up from the passage and put them together. one kid told me the passage was about books underwater. He got the book part right.
The year three class are doing past tense. which is surprisingly fun, I was getting them to read out there answers to me for an activity from there text book. One of the boys spoke so fast that I had to get him to repeat himself three times. I am looking forward to teaching them again tomorrow.
will try and update next week.
much love
On Friday we (Nikki, YuJin, Adiam, and I) were invited to Cabalutan High School to judge a cooking competition, the competition was part of there nutrition month celebrations. Nikki and I arrived after 8, the other two were already there. We were introduced to some of the teachers before they started there celebrations with a concert. There were kids singing and dancing and giving presentations up on stage. Apparently one of the teaches asked Nikki and Adiam who could sing, about ten minutes later the emcee announced that I was going to be giving a vocal performance on stage for them. So thanks to Nikki they got to hear the NewZealand National Anthem (or a strange interpretation of it). We went to the teachers house for lunch, (the cooking competition was afterward) where there was more singing this time in the form of karaoke, we were told that we would be fetched when we were needed for the competition, but the teacher who was going to come and get us forgot so we never ended up judging. So we spent the afternoon drinking with the teachers instead.
On Saturday, we had another eventful day. Nikki had been invited to speak at a corrination ball in Carmen that started at 7. Then In the morning we went to a town on the otherside of the island with Adiam, YuJin and there host family, it is over two hours away, we were leaving at 8.30 and arriving back in Carmen at 6. Town was ok, there was good icecream, something lacking in our town. Problems arrived when it came time to leave, the event that the captain was at was suppose to finish at 4, at 4.30 you could see the panic in Nikki's eyes, she was so worried that people would think she had just not turned up. and because our host family is in Manila for a seminar we had no way to contact the organisers to tell them we were running late, we finally left town after 5, got back to Carmen at 7.30.Nikki was freaking out the whole time. Were we were told it was fine she wouldn't be speaking in-till 9 or 10, and we had plenty of time to have dinner and a shower before going to the dance. Nikki and I got to the plaza were the dace was to be held after 8 there was very few people there, they were running on Filipino time, which is always late. Nikki gave her speech, then we danced till there was a brown-out (powercut) which was about 1.30, then we went to play cards with some locals, at about 4am someone suggested a run, for some unknown we went for a run towards cabaluton, (up a hill) then we went for a swim and watched the sunrise, we tried to go to church (they have church in the phillipines at 6am) but were falling asleep so we had to go home to have a nap. a slightly busy night.
Yesterday, Vincent came and asked if I could do some teaching for a couple of days at the high school, some of the teachers have to go to manila for a family emergency. So today I taught English to first year high school and third year high school. The kids are a lot of fun, even when they don't understand what you are saying most of them will try, or they will just tell you that they don't understand. very unlike the younger kids who a lot of them just wont say anything. the year ones are on a topic which involves listening, I was reading them a passage of text and they had to tell me what it was about. you get some strange answers because they just pick out random words they picked up from the passage and put them together. one kid told me the passage was about books underwater. He got the book part right.
The year three class are doing past tense. which is surprisingly fun, I was getting them to read out there answers to me for an activity from there text book. One of the boys spoke so fast that I had to get him to repeat himself three times. I am looking forward to teaching them again tomorrow.
will try and update next week.
much love
14.7.10
Rain
I love the rain.
It makes the temperature drop just that little bit, it stops me feeling so sticky.
The only problem with the rain is that not all of the houses are watertight.
When I was teaching in the preschool it started raining and the roof was leeking all over the blackboard, as well as over one of the tables so we had to move the kids over.
I am teaching four english classes at the primary school, each class is twice a week. Two classes Monday, Wednesday, two classes Tuesday, Thursday. The kids are so cute, and little for there age. My favorites are the cheeky ones. The biggest problem I am facing at the moment is attendance. in some classes I have excess kids which is fine by me, but in my first class today the kids didn't turn up, except for two who came in the last 10 minutes. Almost all of the next class showed up.(mostly late but time means something different here)
It was Angelines Birthday yesterday, so all the other volunteers ended up in sugod for some drinks and Karioki (again with the bad spelling) at her home-stays house. It was Awesome Fun. I seem to spend a lot of time in sugod because that is where most of the volunteers are.
It makes the temperature drop just that little bit, it stops me feeling so sticky.
The only problem with the rain is that not all of the houses are watertight.
When I was teaching in the preschool it started raining and the roof was leeking all over the blackboard, as well as over one of the tables so we had to move the kids over.
I am teaching four english classes at the primary school, each class is twice a week. Two classes Monday, Wednesday, two classes Tuesday, Thursday. The kids are so cute, and little for there age. My favorites are the cheeky ones. The biggest problem I am facing at the moment is attendance. in some classes I have excess kids which is fine by me, but in my first class today the kids didn't turn up, except for two who came in the last 10 minutes. Almost all of the next class showed up.(mostly late but time means something different here)
It was Angelines Birthday yesterday, so all the other volunteers ended up in sugod for some drinks and Karioki (again with the bad spelling) at her home-stays house. It was Awesome Fun. I seem to spend a lot of time in sugod because that is where most of the volunteers are.
8.7.10
Carmen
The Internet in Romblon is very iffy.
I will try to load some pictures but don't hold your breath.
There are 12 volunteers spreed over San Agustin, two in the town of San Agustin, two in Carmen, 6 in Sugod, and two up the mountain. can't remember the name of the place.
I'm In Carmen with Nikki (from the US) our home-stay family are Joey and Precy Fiargo. there kids are grown up, but two live in there own houses which are built on the same section.
I have only taught for two days so far, both pre school and primary. I like the primary school kids they are fun but shy. I don't like the preschool, I feel like the teacher is using me a a photocopier and that I shouldn't be there. but the kids are so cute.
last night all the volunteers went into San Agustin for drinking and Karioki (can't spell) we got a couple of buckets of beer and a bottle of vodca between us. It was extremely cheep it was only 100pesos for the vodca which is around $4 I think.
Nikki and I have been jumping of the warlf (again with the bad spelling) in Carmen almost everyday, we have also played pool with the locals a few nights. The pool table is right next door to our house.
anyway I love it here.
I will try to load some pictures but don't hold your breath.
There are 12 volunteers spreed over San Agustin, two in the town of San Agustin, two in Carmen, 6 in Sugod, and two up the mountain. can't remember the name of the place.
I'm In Carmen with Nikki (from the US) our home-stay family are Joey and Precy Fiargo. there kids are grown up, but two live in there own houses which are built on the same section.
I have only taught for two days so far, both pre school and primary. I like the primary school kids they are fun but shy. I don't like the preschool, I feel like the teacher is using me a a photocopier and that I shouldn't be there. but the kids are so cute.
last night all the volunteers went into San Agustin for drinking and Karioki (can't spell) we got a couple of buckets of beer and a bottle of vodca between us. It was extremely cheep it was only 100pesos for the vodca which is around $4 I think.
Nikki and I have been jumping of the warlf (again with the bad spelling) in Carmen almost everyday, we have also played pool with the locals a few nights. The pool table is right next door to our house.
anyway I love it here.
5.7.10
Philippines
Walking into the Philippines was like walking into the hot pools at Rotorua.
I say Rotorua because to me it smelt like I was there.
We arrived 2hours late due to technical difficulties in Brunei. The
emergency lights were not working, The whole plane watched our bags
being loaded, then we all watched as they unloaded half of them again
before they let us know what was going on.
Malou's Mum, Grandma, and niece met us at the airport. What little I
did see of Manila was overwhelming, beautiful, crowded, dirty.
I have been meeting lots of Malous family, the house is constantly
full of aunties and cousins.
two of Malous Aunties took me to ballroom dancing last night. The
dance was on a basketball court. The people we went with had a little
girl of about 3years old, she was very chatty once she decided that I
was her friend, though I have no idea what she was telling me about
because I she couldn't speak or understand English and I can can't
speak or understand her dialect.
I say Rotorua because to me it smelt like I was there.
We arrived 2hours late due to technical difficulties in Brunei. The
emergency lights were not working, The whole plane watched our bags
being loaded, then we all watched as they unloaded half of them again
before they let us know what was going on.
Malou's Mum, Grandma, and niece met us at the airport. What little I
did see of Manila was overwhelming, beautiful, crowded, dirty.
I have been meeting lots of Malous family, the house is constantly
full of aunties and cousins.
two of Malous Aunties took me to ballroom dancing last night. The
dance was on a basketball court. The people we went with had a little
girl of about 3years old, she was very chatty once she decided that I
was her friend, though I have no idea what she was telling me about
because I she couldn't speak or understand English and I can can't
speak or understand her dialect.
21.6.10
AHHHHH
I just weighed my bag I'm 5kg over and I haven't put everything in yet!!!
time for some ruthless cutting down.
Do I really need more than 10 tops?
I don't think I do.
How many pairs of shorts do I really need?
3 or 4.
Is "but I like it" a good enough reason to take something?
NO.
time for some ruthless cutting down.
Do I really need more than 10 tops?
I don't think I do.
How many pairs of shorts do I really need?
3 or 4.
Is "but I like it" a good enough reason to take something?
NO.
16.6.10
One week and two days.
I can't believe it is so soon in till I leave.
I have almost everything sorted. Still waiting for my criminal record to arrive so I can send it to GVN. they ask you to leave 20 working days to process it. it has been at least 30 working days since I sent my application to them. FRUSTRATING.
On a high point, I got a letter from the Lions Club of Devonport today. They have donated $100 towards my volunteer expenses. Thankyou Lions Club I really appreciate your contribution.
Uncle Cam and Auntie Pam came up for Uncle Bryce's funeral in the weekend. Auntie Pam (who is the best Auntie in the world) gave me a medical kit full of lots of things I will need in the Philippines, like arnica, anti histamines, sealegs, and bandages.
and to finish a list of good things, upstairs in my room is clean.
Yay.
Still got down stairs to go.
and my desk,
and finish packing,
and go to the doctor to get malaria tablets,
and buy insurance.
that looks like a lot to still do.
bother.
I have almost everything sorted. Still waiting for my criminal record to arrive so I can send it to GVN. they ask you to leave 20 working days to process it. it has been at least 30 working days since I sent my application to them. FRUSTRATING.
On a high point, I got a letter from the Lions Club of Devonport today. They have donated $100 towards my volunteer expenses. Thankyou Lions Club I really appreciate your contribution.
Uncle Cam and Auntie Pam came up for Uncle Bryce's funeral in the weekend. Auntie Pam (who is the best Auntie in the world) gave me a medical kit full of lots of things I will need in the Philippines, like arnica, anti histamines, sealegs, and bandages.
and to finish a list of good things, upstairs in my room is clean.
Yay.
Still got down stairs to go.
and my desk,
and finish packing,
and go to the doctor to get malaria tablets,
and buy insurance.
that looks like a lot to still do.
bother.
6.5.10
Jabs
I went to the travel doctor today, got 5 jabs, I will need to go back for two more times for more rabies shots. They did however give me a discount on the grounds I am volunteering for most of the time I am in the Philippines. I'm having some visa problems, and spent two and a half hours in at the consulate today trying to fix it, I will ring them tomorrow to see what is happening, might end up back up there. looks like it will be an expensive visa. It will all work out in the end though.
I have also worked out that I need to put everything I want to sell on trademe by next week, in order to get them sold, payed for, and picked up/sent on time.
I have also worked out that I need to put everything I want to sell on trademe by next week, in order to get them sold, payed for, and picked up/sent on time.
4.5.10
Packing
I have payed for my flights, I have payed for my program, that just leaves my visa, my shoots, and travel essentials/supplys like malaria tablets, mosquito repellent, toilet-paper, toothbrushes, deodorant, razorblades, painkillers(like aspirin) Antiseptic cream, bandages, a torch, water purifiers, water bottles, and various other things. Things are looking up, I'm getting there. I got given some advice a few weeks ago, not sure who told me. "No one is going to do it for you, so you just have to do it for yourself"
I am putting my room into boxes today, I started after 5 hours of procrastination. I don't know what to do with a lot of it. Things like my paint, do I put it in storage or take it with me. I don't want to take much with me, it just seems such a wast to leave them. If I do take them to use at the school I will be teaching at they wont last very long. After they are gone I will have no way of getting more paint for the kids to use, I don't have the money to buy more once I am over there, and they don't have paint brushes to use them with.
I have manages to pack 4 boxes so far, they consist of my books and files. I have also packed my super 8 projector and four cameras, I told myself I was only aloud to keep 5 cameras including my digital. I now have around 20 cameras to sell, I don't know how I managed to get so many, I'm going to pack some winter cloths so I have something to wear when I get back.
I'm going to make an appointment with the travel doctor for Thursday, looks like I will be spending lots on vaccinations. Most of them I will never need to get again, so it's like I'm saving for the future.
I am putting my room into boxes today, I started after 5 hours of procrastination. I don't know what to do with a lot of it. Things like my paint, do I put it in storage or take it with me. I don't want to take much with me, it just seems such a wast to leave them. If I do take them to use at the school I will be teaching at they wont last very long. After they are gone I will have no way of getting more paint for the kids to use, I don't have the money to buy more once I am over there, and they don't have paint brushes to use them with.
I have manages to pack 4 boxes so far, they consist of my books and files. I have also packed my super 8 projector and four cameras, I told myself I was only aloud to keep 5 cameras including my digital. I now have around 20 cameras to sell, I don't know how I managed to get so many, I'm going to pack some winter cloths so I have something to wear when I get back.
I'm going to make an appointment with the travel doctor for Thursday, looks like I will be spending lots on vaccinations. Most of them I will never need to get again, so it's like I'm saving for the future.
22.4.10
It is all ok
looks like I can still get on the same flight over as Malou without having to pay twice as much. If that falls through (I don't think it will), I can get tickets on Qantas for only 15hundred. Which just happens to be 100dollars more than the flights I was originally going to get. Ive started filling out my visa form and I will give the consulate a ring tomorrow to sort out a time I can go to see them. Started to look at travel insurance today, with my membership discount SouthernCross looks like the best option for me, but I will keep looking just in-case something cheaper crops up.
I have been sorting out my things, what I want to keep and what I will sell. there seems to be a large amount of books on the keep pile that will have to be addressed next time I go traveling. for now into storage they go. It is amazing the amount of useless junk I have accumulated, all these things not worth selling but they could be useful so I don't seem to want to chuck them out.
I am going to sorely miss my cameras when I have to let them. I limited myself to 5 cameras including my digital, all my beautiful old gorgeous cameras are to be sold, along with various other junk. the only other thing on my sell list I will miss is this wonderful computer I am using now.
My emotions are so different to what they were this morning, my panic, and fear has been replaced with a sense of peace, a knowledge that everything will work out just right. It always does.
I have been sorting out my things, what I want to keep and what I will sell. there seems to be a large amount of books on the keep pile that will have to be addressed next time I go traveling. for now into storage they go. It is amazing the amount of useless junk I have accumulated, all these things not worth selling but they could be useful so I don't seem to want to chuck them out.
I am going to sorely miss my cameras when I have to let them. I limited myself to 5 cameras including my digital, all my beautiful old gorgeous cameras are to be sold, along with various other junk. the only other thing on my sell list I will miss is this wonderful computer I am using now.
My emotions are so different to what they were this morning, my panic, and fear has been replaced with a sense of peace, a knowledge that everything will work out just right. It always does.
Flights
Freaking out now!!!!
flight planning is a mess. I was going to call this lady weeks ago and now I might have screwed everything up. Please God let this work out for me, get me these flights I need them.
flight planning is a mess. I was going to call this lady weeks ago and now I might have screwed everything up. Please God let this work out for me, get me these flights I need them.
20.4.10
Tuesday Night
It has to be one of my favorite nights of the week, every Tuesday I wonder 50meters up the road at about 8pm to my neighbors. I get to tuck the boys in, see what they have been up to at school. Have a chat to Malou. Make Pete a cup of tea, sit down with him to watch House and get quizzed about my non existent love life.
It's a little bit of heaven on earth.
It's a little bit of heaven on earth.
Starting out
For some strange reason, it is way more important to me to get my blogs looking right, than it is to sought out my tickets, visa, and money.
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