Everyone must get wet!
I haven't written for a while because here in the Philippines my internet time is severely limited. Plus I am too busy having fun and seeing amazing things to spend time sat in front of a computer. I have 1 hour and 34 minutes of internet time today so I am going to write backwards, starting with today and see how far I get.
Once again I can't upload any photos, which is a shame because the places we have been made for some spectacular photos, but for now words will have to do.
Early this morning (8am) we all (me, Emily, Brian, Fatima, Joshua and his two friends, Frederick (Fatima's brother) Ian (pronounced Ion) Fatima's cousin, Prezel and Melnet) piled in to back of Papa's (Fatima's dad) Jeepney and headed off on our second adventure of the weekend.
Today was a special day in the Philippines called sanwan (I dunno how to spell it) meaning get wet day. Sanwan is always on the last Sunday in June and on this day everyone in the country has to get wet, although I have no idea why! Before we left Fatima warned us that there may be people on the streets throwing water into the back of the very open jeepney as we journeyed towards Kipot Twin falls.
Filipinos work a six day week and enjoy a lie in on Sunday morning so travelling early in the morning meant few people were up and we made it to our destination with dry clothing.
We parked at the entrance to the falls, paid 2GBP for us all and walked down some steps to a hut (well roof) with a table in the middle. Here we set up camp for the day. Immediately the kids were off exploring whilst the adults took things at a more leisurely pace.
Emily and I sat looking at our at the green lushness of our surroundings. We remarked to Fatima that it felt like we were in a rain forest. To which she pointed out that we pretty much were! As Emily and I marveled at our location brain sat on his phone texting (as usual) and Frederick and Ian busied themselves making a fire to cook the fish for dinner.
As the last of the fish was being cooked we got ready to walk down the steps to the waterfall for a swim before lunch. Fatima organized the kids and Melnet, Brian refused to come saying there was no way he was: "walking all the way down there." So we persuaded the boys to come with us as Brain was there to look after the cooking fish.
It wasn't far to the waterfall. We descended a number of steps before costing a bridge across the forest and traversing some narrow paths with steep drops that eventually lead down to the river and a massive double waterfall.
We stood for a while taking pictures of the water crashing into the river and trying to overcome our dead at taking off our clothes and revealing our pasty white bodies clad in skimpy bikinis. Once the boys had disappeared behind some rocks it became easier and I tentatively removed my shorts and decided the best option was to submerge myself in water as quickly as possible. This however, wasn't to be as many of the rocks were slippery and the water was shallow. Instead I ended up slowly picking my way across the rocks often having to bend over and use my hands to steady myself. I'd like to say no-one had a camera but Fatima was busily clicking away with mine, the result being some very unflattering pictures.
Once I'd crossed the rocks I sat in the water and played a game of who can splash the hardest with Joshua, which I won every time as he turned away spluttering and gasping for air.
I spent a while sat in the shallows with the kids but was desperate to get into the deeper water and swim towards the crashing waterfall. When I eventually got into the deeper water the current from the falling water was very strong and proved difficult to swim against. Almost as soon as Emily and I were in the water Frederick and Ian, who had been sat drinking rum, decided to join us. Apparently Frederick has a bit of a crush on me and we were soon being told to pose for pictures together in the water!
Once I'd established that I didn't actually want to swim under the falling water as it would probably have been petty painful I got out to go and sit back in the shallows. I found myself a very comfortable spot between some rocks with water crashing each side of me. It was like sitting in a natural Jacuzzi - umm this is the life!!!
As we got out of the water Brian appeared with Melnet having decided the walk 'all the way down there' after all.
We'd soon worked up an appetite and went back to our hut for some of Fatima's chicken adobo that she made the previous night to bring with us. We ate and chilled out for a bit before heading back to the waterfall for another dip. This time we passed Frederick and Ian on the way back up They obviously had the right idea because no sooner had we arrived than it started to spit. Then the spitting got harder and harder until we were caught in a torrential downpour.
When we got to the river there had been a lot of people around stareing at us so we'd decided not to swim. But by the time we reached the hut we were as wet as if we had swam!
Everyone tried their best to dry off before making a frantic dash for the jeepney. Once everyone was in the jeep and the boys had got soaked carrying the massive cool box back up the steps in the rain we began the journey home.
This time the kids in the villages were awake and had prepared themselves. It wasn't long before Ian who was sat in the front shouted something in ilonggo as he stuck a massive gold umbrella out the door and opened it. Frederick was sat beside the back door and did the same just a massive amount of water hit the umbrella. As we took the umbrella down we were greeted by the sight of about 30 kids chasing the vehicle all with water carrying vestibules in their hands.
As we reached an area where the road was bad the attempted soakings became more frequent. We sat in the back screaming and howling with laughter as the gold umbrella broke showering Frederick in water and leaving us all more exposed. Then a kid who been hiding on the other side of the road launched a surprise attack completely soaking Brian! The merriment and fun carried on for a while as we passed group after group of kids intent on making sure everyone got wet today. As the road improved the jeepney was able or move more quickly and the attempted soakings became less frequent. Emily and I were sat in the middle of the jeep and had avoided most of it, Unlike 'pa' who was soaked after someone checked some water through the drivers window.
Everyone carried home in good spirits, but wet and tired.
After a shower I headed into Bacolod to the PC room where I'm sitting now writing this. So that is all for today. Hopefully once I've replied to a few emails I still have enough time to write about yesterday.
Bye for now.
Arrived in Bacolod on Negros island in the Philippines
It's been a while since I last wrote and it will be another while until I am properly able to blog all the adventures I had in Manila as I don't have time right now and I am unable to upload the photos.A very short into to Manila: it is a dingy dirty city, there are many shanty towns and slums full of people who see a white person and immediately think of how much money they can make after steeling their possessions, and many people (eg taxi drivers) try to rip you off cause if you are white you are obviously rich. But if you look past the beggars and people sleeping rough on every corner there are some nice places. We strolled around Intramuros looking at buildings billed as spectacular but in reality were a bit shabby (more on that in another post), we had a fantastic time at the Hobbit House - a bar managed and staffed entirely by people of short stature, we watched a beautiful sunset from Manila bay and went on two fantastic trips to beautiful places just outside of Manila (one of which was the Taal volcano mentioned in my last post).
Emily and I are now in Bacolod on the island of Negros staying with my cousin, Brian, his wife, Fatima, their son Joshua, and Fatima's family. After the hustle and scary people in Manila I am somewhat relieved to have left it behind and be in a place where I feel much safer and have Filipinos to show me around.
Emily and I arrived on Monday night and were immediately shocked by just how basic things are. The airport was little more than a hut. We got off the plane and walked under a building resembling a large bus stop, on the other side of the bus stop was a railing behind which crowds of people were waiting for those getting off the plane. Just as I spotted Fatima a man came and asked if we had any luggage. He took a piece of paper that had been stapled to one of our boarding passes then disappeared. I had already spotted Fatima (my cousin's wife) and was saying hello as he interrupted us. He took the piece of paper and went to get our bags while Fatima took us back to the Jeep saying he would bring the luggage to us.
As we disembarked the plane and walked to the jeep small children surrounded us with their hands out begging for money. It's been hard but we are getting better at ignoring them and walking on by.
At the jeep we met Fatima's mother and father for the first time, then made ourselves comfortable and sat chatting in the back of the jeep while we waited for our luggage.
As soon as our bags arrived we began the half hour drive from the airport back to the village where Fatima lives. It was really nice sitting in the back of the jeep watching the countryside go by with people who could tell us where we were going and what we were seeing.
We arrived at the house and Joshua who had been excitable since we met him at the airport couldn't wait to show off his white friends to the myriad of people living in his house. Before I could hoist my bag onto my back he had grabbed my arm and dragged me out the back of the jeep and through the front gate. There we met the three girls who help around the house and with the running of the small shop in front the house. They all share one room in the house and Fatima's brother and cousin sleep in a bamboo outhouse in the garden (which they built for Joshua's birthday party last year).
Inside the main house we were shown to our room - the master bedroom. Fatima had kindly given us her room so we didn't have to share with Joshua, who was getting more excitable and full of beans by the second.
Once we'd acquainted ourselves with the inside of the house and eaten some delicious BBQ chicken and rice Fatima took us to the outhouse where her brother and cousin sleep. There were in there eating mango in hot source and drinking rum. After the introductions Fatima left to put Josh to bed. But conversation was a bit difficult as we didn't speak any Filipino or ilonggo (the local language) and they spoke very heavily accented English. After an hour of uneasy conversation punctuated with "sorry?" and "I don't understand" we made our excuses and went for a much needed sleep in a comfortable king size bed in an air conditioned room.
Yesterday we woke late after an incredibly restful nights sleep, dressed and were cooked breakfast by the girls who help out in the house. It is very strange to have someone cook for you but when tried to help we just seemed to get in the way! Whilst we were eating Fatima explained that they usually eat lunch around that time (11am) as Joshua leaves for school at 12:30.
We went with Fatima to take Joshua to school, he was very excited to show us off and insisted we walk him all the way to his classroom. Joshua goes to one of the most expensive private schools in Bacolod where the kids are all from well to do families. Inside the school was very light and airy - unlike what I was used to in Korea. However, in Korea I used to hate that the walls between to rooms were so thin but in this school the classrooms didn't have any walls just bars separating the classrooms.
After we left him in the classroom and said hello to his teacher Fatima took us to a new shopping centre in Bacolod city. Inside was full of branded clothing at incredibly cheap prices. Levis jean were 20 quid. We looked around for some shorts - I've worn the same shorts every day since leaving Korea- and eventually found some Filipino branded ones at an acceptable eight quid.
Once we'd shopped we went to a Filipino fast food place called Greenwhich and had a very tasty lasagna before heading back to the house for a "little sleep" before going out for a few drinks with Fatima, her brother and cousin.
We caught the jeepney into Bacolod then went to a bar called Chicken Alley that was done up in the style of an old castle. We listened to the live band and had a couple of beers and some snacks before moving onto another bar just down the road.
The second bar was a bit quieter and we were able to have a conversation. Not wanting to drink any more we opted for a mango juice and sat outside with the music in the background chatting.
This morning Emily and I were once again enjoying the comfort of our air conditioned bedroom when there was a massive knock at the door. Assuming it was Joshua wanting us to wake up and see something - it was almost 10am - I shouted "Hello Joshua". But was answered by Brian shouting: "Get up you lazy girls!" He'd arrived back from England a day early, much to every-one's surprise.
Joshua was uncontrollably excited at the arrival of his daddy especially as more and more treats emerged from his suitcase.
Once the excitement had died down it was time for Joshua to do his homework - something met with much protest - eat his lunch and get ready for school.
Once we'd dropped Joshua at school we headed for the PC room where I now sit writing this. So you are now up to date on the latest news from Bacolod. I'd love to get chance to write about all the happenings in Manila but right now I don't have time. It's all in my diary so I'll try and catch up soon.
Tomorrow Emily and I plan to be the first ever white girls joining Fatima for her early morning (5am) aerobics session in the park, then I think the weekend is going to be spent site seeing with Brian, Fatima and Joshua.
I'll try to check in again soon, hopefully with some pictures. But these computers have an interface that doesn't offer the my computer function so I have no clue how to upload anything. Photos of my adventures may need to wait a while.
For now - over and out.
Arrived in Manila
Just a quick post to say I have arrived in Manila safe and well. I meant to blog my reflections on Korea and something about my last day at school before I left Korea but ran out of time. I have half written the post tho so I will finish it before I leave the Philippines. Although internet cafes are not as easy to find here they are in Korea so this blog may be quiet for a few days.
Some of my thoughs on arriving in Manila to keep you going until I write again. Hopefully there will be some pictures to accompany this post uploaded in a couple of days.
It very different here to Korea, although we still get stared at!! And it is very, very, very, very VERY hot. Our hostel is OK. Not quite like the pictures and the room is very warm because we didn't book an air conditioned room but it's habitable and the hostel has a cold shower which is nice!
There is no subway system in Manila so getting around is much more difficult that we are used to. We got off to a bit of a rocky start yesterday being ripped off by a taxi driver who charged us 2.50GBP for a ride that should have cost 80p. But you live and learn. Ironically he was taking us to the tourist information office. We then spent yesterday afternoon at the tourist information office finding out what there is to do and learning about how to get around Manila.
We went on a trip today to the Taal volcano (about 2 hours from Manila) which was beautiful. We took a boat to the volcano then walked to the crater where you could look down over the crater lake and see the steam rising from the edges. I'll put some photos on my blog soon. A lot of people chose to take horses to the top of the volcano but we decided to save the money and walk. Which I'm glad we did. The walk up to the top wasn't too difficult but it was sooooo hot. By the time we got to the top the sweat was actually dripping off me. It was pretty gross. I actually don't think I have ever been that hot before.
After we walked back down and sailed back to the mainland we were shown to a room where we could take a well needed shower. We were very sweaty and covered in dust from the track. Then we had a gorgeous traditional Filipino lunch of chicken, fish, and rice the fish was fresh from the water we crossed to get the the volcano. The food here is lovely unlike Korean food.
We got back around four and have just spent some time wondering around the area where we are staying.
We are staying in an area called Sampaloc which is a little way out of central Manila. During our walk we saw loads of random things. People here are very poor and make their own entertainment hanging out on the street. We saw a cock fight about to take place. No crowd or anything just two guys with a cockerel each preparing to make them fight. A group of people crowded round a table playing bingo and lots of kids playing basket ball and badminton! It was really nice to get onto the back streets and just look around seeing how the people here live.
There is also Manila's largest Lochon district. Luchon is a kind of sit roasted whole pig. Walking around there were whole pigs of varying sizes on poles everywhere, we even manged to fins an area of white hot colas where they were being cooked. (Again pictures coming soon)
Everyone here stares but unlike Korea they are polite with it, they call us, and each other, ma'am. We get shouted at a lot by the men, which is very different to Korea, but if you ignore them they don't push it and most people seem content with just saying hello. Walking around earlier most people we passes would say hello to us. Also everyone seems to speak English. We've been trying to spot the signs written in Filipino and so far have only seen two. Everything else in in English. Although they all talk to each other in Filipino. Very strange. But it makes our life easier cause everyone can understand what we are saying, something we're not used to!
Anyway best go and pay my 25p for an hour in the PC room.
No more "Jenna Seon-saeng-nim (teacher)"
Today feels like a bit of a dream. I though I'd be upset at leaving school especially leaving behind my kindy babies but walking out of the classroom for the final time was a lot easier than I expected.
Maybe it was because some of the kindy kids were a pain in the arse today. Or maybe it was because three kids cried during my last lesson or maybe it just hasn't hit me yet; but I'm surprisingly unphased about my last day at work.
We had a speech contest today so my afternoon classes finished yesterday. I'd been counting the days until these were over, so it was no great surprise that ending the day yesterday I felt more elation than sadness. But I do wonder when the reality will sink in that I am never going back to that school. As I left today, aside from the grin, pleasantry's and hand shake from Mr Kwak, it felt like any other day.
Its strange that I'd been looking forward to this day from months and now it's here I'm a bit underwhelmed. I'm not particularly happy and I'm not particularly sad. I'm sure both emotions will hit me soon enough.
Reflecting on the last nine months, my time as Jenna Seon-saeng-nim has brought many different emotions and experiences. I began this phase of the journey not really a fan of children and am leaving knowing the joys that kids can bring. I have learnt to be more patient, to leave my personal problems outside the classroom and not take them out on the kids (most of the time!). I've lived in another country with all the joys and stresses of daily life surrounded by people who don't speak my language. I've learnt to appreciate the Korean culture and I've even, just about, learnt to ignore the constant staring. I've been to a singing room and last night I even defended two of the Korean teacher by actually singing into the microphone (well they made me). I've drank Soju, eaten chickens feet, and discovered I don't really like Korean food!
I guess the reason I don't really know how to feel right now is because leaving my job and leaving Korea brings mixed emotions. I am eager to get on with the journey and see what the next phase will bring. But there is part of me, that despite my complaints and winging over the last nine months, I will miss the kids, Korea and (in a way!) the school.
I'll leave you with pictures of each of my classes.
My basic adventure class, these were the one class I had real problems getting to have their picture taken. On the back row ???, ???, Julie, Julia. Front row: Me, John, Jane, Heather and Brad.
Basic fantasy. One of the more taxing classes although most of them are cute kids. Back row: Pamela, ???, Ester, Billy, Tom, Sopra, Julia, Jack. Front Row: Mary, me, John, Tyler and Emily.
Basic Junior. These kids kept changing thier names so I gave up trying to remember them!
Basic Junior. Back row: Danny, Mike, Alex. Front row: Me, a new kid, Tom, Kandy and Jenny.
Basic Magic. Back row: Me, ???, Jinny, Sally, kat outside the window, angelina, Lin, Julie. Front row: Sun, ???, Billy, ??? and ???.
Inter adventure. Tom, Kevin, Eddie, Kennis, Joe, Christina, me, Nana.
JCK 1 free talking. You may reconise some of these kids from the old kindy classes. Back row: July (promounced Julie), Kandy, Julia, Emily, Danny. Front row: Me, Captin Andy, and John.
Super special - some of the best kids in the school. Kate, Rachell, Jinny, James, Me, Arnold, Anna, Kenny, Luna.
Pink Class.
The teachers. On the left katrina and sophia. On the right Anne, Kang and Jinny.
One Sunday in Kumdan
Last Sunday Kat and I decided to go for a stroll around Kumdan to take some pictures before I left. Little did we know what the day had in store.
After walking around we went for a beer before I headed to the PC room and Kat went home. Shortly after sitting down a woman came over wanting us to speak English to her extremely shy daughter. Initially the daughter was too shy to speak but eventually got over it managed to say hello. Having very little English the conversation was short but she kept coming back over and trying again.
The next thing we knew the waiter had brought two more beers to our table pointing at the girls mother. We thanked her in Korean thinking it was very nice of her. In Korea you don't buy a paint ech glass is 500cc and as I were feeling the effects of one beer the PC room was going to be interesting after two.
Then a very drunk guy who was sat at the table next to the woman and her daughter decided to try and talk to us. Here we hit a major problem; his only English was: "I don't speak English" and "shut up!". That however didn't stop him buying us a third beer and taking it upon himself to join us.
He tried desperately to talk to us but with us not speaking Korean and him not speaking English his efforts were fruitless. After a while, and feeling a little drunk, we took the video below.
VIDEO - A drunk Korean man - http://www.mediamax.com/j150vsc/Hosted/odds/koreanman.wmv
Cruel I know. But he was steaming drunk and had spent the last hour engaging in a completely pointless conversation with us. Luckily shortly after this a guy we knew came past and rescued us inviting us back to his flat for a glass of South African wine.
Needless to say I didn't make it to the PC room on Sunday evening. But on Monday morning I did get my first experience of teaching with a hangover and it wasn't fun!
No more JCK 2 Free Talking - Assha
Written on Friday 1st June 2007
Never ever, ever, ever again will I have to teach JCK 2 Free Talking.
I despise this class to the point where I now put as much effort into the class as the kids - zero.
When I first arrived I was warned about them. Apparently they earned the nickname 'Jurassic Park' from the previous foreign teacher because they incessantly made dinosaur noises during his class.
Today sitting in the the classroom and realising it was my last ever class with them there was a pang of guilt when I realised I couldn't even be bothered to make their last lesson fun. But they didn't deserve it, so instead I gave them the work then wrote in my journal and they did absolutely nothing - as usual.
The video below shows an exceptionally well behaved lesson with them, until Rebecca takes things too far performing for the camera.
VIDEO - JCK free talking - http://www.mediamax.com/j150vsc/Hosted/odds/finger.AVI
Katrina has has similar problems with this class and has also stopped bothering with them. She has a fantastic video of them running riot in the classroom which I will try and add to this post at a later date.
As I was leaving today I told them I wouldn't be teaching them again because I was going back to England. Rebecca, with a big grin on her face, turned to me and said: "bye bye." As I left the room Nick could be heard shouting Assha. (Korean for yippee or yeah).
It seems this class are as happy to get rid of me as I am of them!
The BBC uncover i-to-i
A few weeks ago I had an email from a producer from BBC Five Live. She was interested in my experiences with i-to-i because they were making a programme about profit making volunteering companies.
It seems that it's not only i-to-i's paid work placements programme that is dodgy. Their volunteering placements unit is just as dodgy, if not more so. Check out this link to the BBC website.
On the right hand side of the page, under listen again click on The Five Live Report.
Officially a journo
I've been wanting to write this post since February when I scored my first job freelancing for a national newspaper - The Korea Times. But I decided I couldn't be officially claim to be a freelance journo until I was paid, cause without money its just work experience.
I submitted my first article back in February; five articles and four months later I finally convinced them it was a good idea to pay me. Yesterday 250,000 won (about 150GBP) landed in my bank account just in time for me to splash out during my last weekend in Korea. Yippee!
Over a month ago
On the first Sunday in May there is a ritual held at Jongmyo shrine. Kat, Emily and I went along to take a look and see what happens.
Being behind on blogging I never got around to writing about it. Kat, however, was more organised so if you wanna know what we got up to check out her blog Where in the world.
Over and out.
The first last
One thing I've learnt in my ten months as an English teacher is that, despite my misgivings before I came away, I actually like kids - well some of them!
Last Friday was my last kindy trip and was a day of both joy and sorrow. I'm excited about leaving but, spending time with the kids for the last time outside of the school, I was sad about leaving the kids behind.
I remember on my first kindy trip being nervous and blending into the background as much as possible not sure whether to discipline the kids or leave it to the Korean teachers, unsure of how to act around the kids and nervous of taking photos of them.
That trepidation had now gone, the kids and I have both got used to each other and I think they actually quite like me.
As I got on the bus on Friday morning I was greeted by piercing screams of: "Jennnnaaaaaa Teeeacchhherrrrrr," as the kids hollered my name begging me to say something in Korean. As soon as we disembarked the bus and began walking through the park I had one kid hanging off each arm and others chattering at me in a language I still don't understand!
Gone was my apprehension over taking photos as I produced my camera at every opportunity wanting to capture as many little smiling Korean faces as possible before I left them behind forever.
The hardest thing about leaving Korea will be saying goodbye to the kindy kids. I'm dreading having to keep my emotions in check as I walk out of the classroom on my last day. No more cuddles from my kindy babies, no more kids fighting over my lap as we watch the story book on computer and no more little faces looking up at me calling me lemo (meaning aunt (mothers sister) in Korean) as they jostle for position hugging my legs.
I've gone from a petrified, nervous girl with no clue what I was doing in a classroom or with the kids to a relaxed, silly English teacher who isn't scared of looking stupid to get a laugh out of the kids - and I've even managed to teach them something in the process.
I'm glad this experience has taught me to love kids. They are always so filled with joy and happiness and no matter how down I've felt one of them has always managed to say something (usually completely random) to cheer me up.
Who knows maybe one day I'll even decide I want one of my own! ;-o
Here are some pictures of my kindy babies on the trip.
Blue class (Western age five, Korean age six)
Irene rolling around on the floor. Anyone who reads this regually will know she has been my favourite kid since the beginning.
Tina on the play equipment. She is one of my favourite kids. I love the way she has a squeeky little voice, so much so I have taken to calling her squeeky!
Tiffany on the swing.
Lucy on the monkey bars, she is such a cute kid one one of the ones who has started vying for my lap during the story book.
Jinny. Another cute kid who looks to me for cuddles and attention.
Brian on the slide. I love his facial expression in this photo.
Eric. He is one of the kids that drives me to distraction because I swear he is never actually in the room during my lessons!
Pink Class (Western age six, Korean age seven)
Josh pretending to be a witch!
Amanda and Amy!
Sabrina. Another cute kid who gets more likable every day.
Steven. I don't wanna say bad things about him but he is really annoying mainly becase he's one of the worst in the class!
Cindy. This is the kid that irritates me the most. She is on another planet, I swear her parents only send her to school to get her out of the house cause I've been teaching her for 10 months and she still doesn't know what the letter A is!
Paul and Jane. These two are inseperable and are irritating in equal measure.
Geric. The latest adddition to kindy ariving a couple of weeks ago.
Sophie.
Two big kids. The other kindy teachers Anne and Kang.
