Vacation Already

August 22

VACATION ALREADY?!

That’s right - we are on our first vacation…and school just started!  We have a 5-day weekend honoring Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, an assassinated former senator who was instrumental in the fall of the Marcos regime and whose wife eventually became president.  No complaints here, though it is a little weird that we just got into the groove at school and now have 3 school days off.  Although, I highly recommend a beginning of the year break.  People, teachers included, underestimate how stressful the beginning of the year can be.  You basically spend all summer thinking about and planning the new year, then have a week of meetings when you should be preparing for students, and the students arrive and spend a ton of energy being excited, getting to know their names and who they are as people.  It all takes a lot out of a person and a nice relaxing beach vacation is the perfect remedy.  Although, as I write this a week later, I must admit I did return a bit groggy.  

How is everything going you may ask?  So many thoughts swirling in my head, I’m not sure if I can get it all down.

We are at the beach…at long last!  Not just any beach, a real genuine tropical white-sanded beach!  We went to a small town called Puerta Gallera, about a 3 hour bus/boat trip from Brent.  I guess I only have Oregon, California, North Carolina, Florida and Bahama beaches to compare with but I think that this spot is what we, and probably most folks, originally had in mind when we envisioned the Philippines.  But, I am learning that this country, as most are, is incredibly diverse and varies from dense verdant jungles, agricultural areas  and crazy urban cement sprawl to beaches lined with coral reefs,  and active volcanoes looming on the horizon.

Today we went on a lovely hike down the beach a bit, through a few villages in the hills, up through the dense forest to a gorgeous waterfall, Talipanan falls (Thank you Peter for guiding us).  The water was so clean and clear and refreshingly cold!  It even caused me to gasp every so slightly when dunking under.  As nice as our living situation is, access to wildness is not common, so it is these excursions that will help balance us out.  We are definitely a hiking, walking, wandering, exploring family who needs to get out into nature and be surrounded by trees, butterflies and life.  Swimming in that creek and hiking through the forest certainly fed our souls for a bit.

  Along our hike, we passed through a beautifully reconstructed indigenous Irya Mangyan village, know for the amazing basket weaving skills (we bought 3).  

I realized today that I am getting more used to seeing the shantytowns and villages with half-dressed children, emaciated cats and dogs, barely put together roofs on windowless homes, pieces of trash scattered about and rice bags used for everything imaginable (roofs, curtains, sandbags, tarps, walls), and people out washing laundry in a bucket or cutting branches or cooking over a fire.  At first it was rather shocking and depressing to see how the impoverished live, but the more I walk or drive through such villages, I see their happiness, or maybe it’s just an attitude of “It is what it is”, but the people don’t seem too put out by their situation.  Sure, offers to guide and drive us or attempts to hawk their wares are made left and right, but not overwhelmingly so.  They seem a most resourceful and tenacious people.  Today as we walked down the street to the waterfall turnoff, I was thinking how comfortable I felt, actually just how safe I felt.  Rosemary was in the backpack on Michael the way there and then in the front carrier on me the way back, and at no time did I feel wary or like a target of blaring whiteness.  Last night was the same: I went for a solo (!!!) walk on the beach, something I desperately needed at the time, and found a nice spot to sit and watch the sunset and clouds build.  I had my nice camera with me, and at first felt a little leery, but I think it’s because that was really the first time I had been by myself outside of our neighborhood.  Several people walked by me (one man with a long tree over his shoulder and a machete hooked onto his belt) and it seemed they knew I needed my own space.  I relaxed even more - that is to say I relaxed but stayed smart, I guess, about where I was and who I am.  We are in a resort-y area, so it seems even more safe than other spots, but I still feel it is best to not get too comfortable.

For how much my husband says he’s not that social, I am impressed and slightly envious of how he just tries out Tagalog phrases with the locals.  He doesn’t hold back and seems so comfortable and at ease engaging in conversations (albeit very short) with whomever. Me, on the other hand, I am much more hesitant and unsure and a bit nervous, for whatever reason.  The thing is, Filipino people are so friendly regardless, and once people hear him make an effort, they just light up and let him in a bit more, not that there is ever a huge wall separating ‘us and them’, but in some ways there is.  I really admire this quality in him, one that I’ve not fully seen since all of our travels have been in the U.S.

See the monkey flying from tree to tree?