Caitlin's Adventures in the Philippines :)

One-Day Teacher Training at my High School

2009-10-18T05:58:00.001-07:00

My teacher training with 5 other PCVs. Startedvas a training for 42 and then on the day of the training the number grew to 200!! However, the more the merrier. The teachers and the PCVs had a great time, and everyone learned something new.

Julie and Julie teaching about Visual Aids and Materials

Science teachers working on their visual aids.

MAPEH (Music, Art, Physical Education, and Health) teachers using their visual aids to teach a dance.

Shauna and John helping the teachers plot what "intelligence" they were the strongest in. Multiple Intelligence workshop with Shauna and Julie.

Julie and Shauna teaching about Multiple Intelligences.

Shauna, Julie, Justin, John, and Julie and I in front of our welcome sign.

Ma'am Antique reaching for the blanket...but she can't because she is not tall enough.

So by "differentating" my instruction and giving her a chair to stand on she was able to reach the blanket. :)

Me teaching about Differentiated Instruction.

Teachers working on their activities.

John and Justin teaching about Classroom Management and expectations.

PCVs with some of the participants after the training.

Yay! We did it!

Out and dinner with Grace and Charlie after the training.

Other side of the table.

Group shot

On our way to the island to enjoy a relaxing day on the beach.

Our lovely captain!

It seems like its going to be a great day, right? Sunny day...

Well, then we disappointed children, I fell down in the coral and skinned my knee, had to fight off dogs to defend our food (they were really sad looking dogs though), our boat broke, and it rained ALL day. But at least the boat ride was nice!

Dungog Indigenous People Festival 2009

2009-10-18T05:06:00.001-07:00

This year Roxas City hosted the Indigenous People festival. So the native people from all over the Philippines came to show case their homes, way of life, livelihood products, foods, and native dances. It was really cool!

House from a tribe in Mindanao

They dye this straw/grass (not really sure to tell tyou the truth) to make these beautiful cloths. This is before...

And after! How pretty!

Kalinga tribe doing a native dance.

They let me try on the head dress!

and then I had to dance...haha :)

This is my favorite native house. It is from a tribe in northern Luzon. They use a ladder to get in their house and they pull the ladder up at night to protect themselves from animals and people.

The kitchen inside the house.

House from Palawan.

A woman from the tribe in Palawan. (This is Grace's nephew, Jolo. He was attached to me the entire day. I think everyone thought he was my son)

The medicine woman from Palawan!

She is ridding me from evil spirits with ginger and chanting.

Yay! I'm healed!

Me with some of the people from the Ati tribe. The Ati live on Panay Island. (My island)

Pretty shoes from Capiz!

Me with some of the dancers from the tribe from Mindanao

Some of my students from school.

Another tribe from Panay island. I loved these ladies! They had really cool bracelets and headbands, too.

Cool necklace.

C.R. (comfort room) of the Panay Island tribe house.

Found some more students!

Front of the house.

Climate Change Project

2009-10-18T02:32:00.000-07:00

So back in July I started this environmental project with my school to educate my students and raise awareness about Climate Change. In July I taught a lessons about what is climate change?, the causes and effects, and what we can do to help stop it. In July- we focused on Earth Pollution, September- air Pollution, and October- water pollution. Each year level got to pick a culminating activity to do to help stop climate change. First year chose a tree planting and a campus wide clean up, Second year chose a mangrove tree planting, and Third and Fourth yea did a River clean up. The kids had a really good time and learned a lot. :) Here are the pictures

Fourth year students making posters encouraging people not to litter.

Me with the second year students at the mangrove tree planting.

Students on their way to plant mangroves.

She is very excited about planting her tree!

Some of the local fishermen helped us with our mangrove tree planting.

Students learning about mangroves.

The cool raft we rode back to our jeeps.

The third and fourth year students on our river clean up.

Looking for trash.

Fisherman

After the river clean up with all of our trash.

Teaching about air pollution

Tree planting with my first year students.

Campus clean up

Teaching about water pollution...

...and climate change.

Isn't she so cute? She is very excited about planting her tree.

Yea! Let's all work together to stop climate change! :) Some of my first year students after their tree planting.

Playing in the Rain Rainy Season 2009

2009-09-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a CRAZY few months! I have been a travelin fool and I am sorry for my tardiness with my posts. I am staying put at site until my parents come in November. :)

My friend Christina and I at the opening night of Harry Potter. We were so excited! This was taken in Manila during our tech binder training. We were working on the curriculum for the new education peace corps volunteers who arrived in August.
Celebrating the completion of the new education technical binder with a night of dancing in Manila!
My first year students making friendship bracelets during my last English Traveling class. Second quarter I will be traveling with the second year students.

Peace Corps Volunteers before the Lady Gaga concert in Manila!

My friend Tom and I at Taco Bell in Manila before going to meet the new Peace Corps Volunteers. We rode an hour and a half on the subway just for Taco Bell. We were so excited! We have all become slightly obsessed with fast food...
Night out in Cebu before the prisoners dance.
My friend Julie! She is my new site mate (she recently moved to Roxas City) and lived with me for about a month and a half while looking for her apartment.
Butterfly sanctuary in Cebu.

In front of the prison with other PCVs.
Dancing to thriller.
My favorite dancer.

Tribute to Michael Jackson.

Books for Peace Donation arrives.
Marivel's and My birthday
Happy 24th birthday to me! Look at all my birthday food!
My 2nd birthday celebrated in the Philippines!
Host family and I at my birthday party at home.
Sugar Beach, Sipalay.
Me :)
So it rained the entire trip. We wanted to go scuba diving but it just didn't happen because of the weather, but we still had a nice relaxing time.

Welcome to the World Melvel Jo Caitlin :)

2009-07-14T20:59:00.001-07:00

In the early morning of June 21st, 2009 my beautiful goddaughter was born. Her mom is one of my very best friends, Marivel. She is a teacher at my high school and one of the nicest people in the world. I love her to death and I am so thankful I have made such wonderful friends like her in the Philippines.

Marivel and her kids-Melvel John, Melvel Jo Caitlin, Melvel Jasmine.

Isn't she soooo cute??!?!?!

So beautiful and so sweet. She has already stolen my heart. :)

Little bit of this and a little bit of that...

2009-07-14T18:57:00.001-07:00

Rumulus and Whinny's wedding.

The newlyweds :)

Rumulus and Whinny with all of their sponsors (Godparents). In the Philippines it is not uncommon to have many Godparents.

Grace(Rumulus's sister), Kareen, Charlie, and I at the wedding.

With the happy couple.

The flower girl and I bonded during the ceremony. Ha-ha. Isn't she cute?

With the other flower girl and ring bearers.

After the wedding at Grace's house.

Trip to Pilar with my host family and other Peace Corps volunteers. The scenery was breathtaking.

Walking to the waterfalls.

The first waterfall...

My host brother Reyboy and his friend Jun Jun.

Stopping to drink some buko juice. (Coconut juice)

It's yummy :)

Next waterfall...

WOW!

Amazing

The delicious lunch my host family prepared for us on bamboo shoots-fresh fish, chicken curry, rice, bananas, and pineapples. Yum!

PC Friends :)

My host family

My favorite flowers

Ha-ha, this is for Dad. I think this is Tim. He was very excited to be in the picture.

Sara, Julie, and I in Iloilo before a night out on the town.

4th of July weekend in Bacolod.

I love Justin :)

My friend Tom and the cat he rescued from an alley. Ha-ha, we took this cat EVERYWHERE that weekend.

My friends Charlie and Grace on Charlie's birthday. In the Philippines the custom is YOU take your friends out to for a treat on your birthday. So he treated Grace and I to a delicious seafood meal at a restaurant that just opened in Roxas.

Home Sweet Home

2009-06-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

The family on Meg's graduation night. Doesn't she look so cute in her hat???

Molly and I

Gilley's Bridal luncheon.

The bridesmaids before the wedding.

The beautiful bride! Mrs. Wilson :)

With Ashley and Forrest.

My fabulous parents!

Jenn and Sara

Mother's Day

ADPi girls.

Beverley, the interact club, and I at the Rotary club meeting. Thank you!!!!!!! :)

Mom and Beverley

Me and Holly

Congratulations to Meg!

Sisters

Fabulous Uncles! Uncle Tom and Chris. :)

School's out for the summer!

2009-04-29T02:09:00.000-07:00

Before we had graduation we had recognition day. This was one of my students who was recognized as the most honest boy in school!

Some of my first year students.

My host brother and host father on graduation.

The graduating class of 2009!

Getting scuba certified! My friend Elizabeth came and dove for a day too.

My scuba instructor.

Diving in Dauin.

Apo Island...kind of reminds me the island on Lost.

Getting ready to go! I got to do one of those cool back entries! It was fun :)

Holy week parade of the Patron Saints.

My friends Rachael, Shauna, and I in Cebu.

Me and Dom.

Street dancing in Romblon.

Coronation night at Anna's town fiesta in Romblon.

Sam and Ryan dancin the night away.

Clark and Dom.

Sam, Anna, and I.

The only picture I got of the fire. Kind of blurry, my camera doesn't take night pictures very well. But as you can see the fire was huge.

March 2009 here, there, everywhere!

2009-03-29T22:54:00.001-07:00

My HIV/AIDS Education and prevention seminar at my high school.

My counterpart, Madel, and I opening our workshop. She needed to do most of the talking because it was all in Visayan.

The kids playing "baby elephant". A game that shows what HIV's affect is on the immune system.

Myth/Fact condom game.

Julie and I hanging out in at the pension in Iloilo.

Sara and I dancing the night away in Iloilo.

Justin, Marlo, and Sara.

St. Patrick's day in Manila! May Lynn, Megan, and Me. May Lynn is the only one wearing green!

Justin and Megan.

Jeff and Megan drinking green beer!

Beautiful Target Island, Mindoro.

Dom in the mangroves.

Note: when going rock climbing DO NOT wear Old Navy flip flops. Not a good idea.

Snorkeling!

Dom's host brother rock climbing.

Some of Dom's host fam.

Ahhh....life is good.

Akon balay (My house)

2009-02-22T21:01:00.000-08:00

My new apartment! Mine is on the first floor.

My apartment! I really like it because you have to go through a gate, a screen door, and then the actual door to get in the house. I feel very safe.

Living room. My curtains and pillows were made by the home ec teacher.

Kitchen

Stove and fridge. Stove was the previus PCV's and my school let me borrow my ref.

My C.R. with flushing toilet :)

I have a shower head!

but I still prefer the bucket.

Going upstairs...

Second bedroom/living room. My couch folds out to a bed! Visitors welcome :)

My room. My host family let me borrow my bed. :) They are so sweet!

My closet

Dresser my host family let me borrow for my bedroom.

Host family's house

Flushing toilet.

Kitchen

Living room

Dirty kitchen.

LC and my host mom in the dirty kitchen.

My host brother and host mom.

My room!

The other side of my room. The door leads into the bathroom. Very nice :)

The cute puppy poster in my room...

Little sitting area.

Wash area outside my host family's house.

First meal, corn and coke, in my new house with Grace and Charlie.

Host Mom, Host Dad, and Charlie.

Grace and I at dinner.

Oysters, green mango (sour mango), and peanuts.

Yummy scallops

End of 2008

2009-01-10T21:55:00.000-08:00

Rachael, Shauna, and I out in Boracay. Sorry, not many pics from the trip because the weather was not very pretty. But we had a fabulous time anyway!

Neighborhood kids singing Christmas carols at my house.

YAY for starbucks!

So there is a starbucks in Bacolod now!

Justin and I danving the night away with our families.

I went to visit my host family from Bacolod the weekend before Christmas. This was taken before our night out at the Disco. (My host mom loves to dance :) )

The boys turn to makeup the girls.

Lipstick game: The girls are blindfolded and have to put make-up (just lipstick) on the boys. Then they switch and the boys makeup the girls.

All of the food I was given (notice 3 plates and 2 cokes) after just 2 parties. I went to 4 parties...I was sooooooo full!!!

Newspaper dance game. The kids have a partner and they have to dance around a newspaper. When the music stops each pair has to stand on the newspaper. After each round the players have to fold the newspaper in half. It is really funny to watch!

Kamatis (Tomato) game. The kids have to keep the tomato held between the two of them while they dance around to music and try not to drop the tomato. It's really funny!

One of my first year classes' Christmas party.

My friend Grace's niece, Princess :) She thought I was a fairy, ha-ha, so she wanted a picture with me.

Fish drying rack. The racks go on forever down the beach.

Fishermen carrying in their catch. (Roxas is the seafood capitol of the Philippines)

Boat race in Roxas.

My first month at site :)

2008-12-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for supporting me. I miss you all very much, especially during the holiday season. :)

More street dancing.

My high school during the Sinadya sa Halaran street dancing.

My high school during the street dancing at our town festival.

Our town festival.

At dinner after the World Aids project.

Rachel demonstrating how to properly put on a condom.

Some of the kids at the school we talked at playing our game. Our game demonstrated how quickly Aids could spread.

Me and other Peace Corps volunteers walking in the World Aids Day parade.

Native Dancers

The pretty fountain in my town plaza.

Participants in the Global Peace Parade dressed in Native outfits.

Dancers at the Global Peace Parade.

Teache friends Grace and Kareen.

My kids and I before the Global Peace Parade.

These starfish are all over the beach.

So these kids are so adorable. They like to chase me on the beach while I run. Ha-ha, we have races and I try to out run them. They are REALLY fast! :)

Nippa hut on the beach.

Cutest kids in the world...

Coconut. They are everywhere.

These shells are everywhere. I think they are really cool.

I cannot believe I get to live here for two years!!

A cute little restaurant call Sand Bar.

My site it sooo pretty. I love it!

More dancing

Teacher dance number. They sang and danced to a song they made up for me called "Princess Caitlin" Soooo cute and very sweet. My school is wonderful.

Students at my welcome party.

Male teacher dance number

Students dance number

I am being serenaded here...very sweet :)

The students performed lots of little numbers for me. :)

My welcome sign at my welcome party at my high school.

My High School students at a cheer dance competition. We won by the way! They were awesome!!! :)

Thanksgiving on Guimaras Island

2008-12-07T21:01:00.000-08:00

So we pushed all the beds in our Nippa hut together and slept on one huge bed. We are one big happy Peace Corps family, LoL. :)

My Peace Corps girls: Rachael, Sara, and Shauna. It was a very fun weekend!!! :)

My side of the table: Tom, Laura, and Alicia. Laura was very excited about the turkey... :)

John, Julie, and Becky

Marlo, Justin, and Sara

My dinner :)

Thanksgiving dinner was a success!!!

The finished turkey. Best turkey ever!

So I have the best uncles in the world!!! Uncle Tom and Chris sent me Chips and Salsa in my care package and I saved a bottle for Thanksgiving. So this was our Thanksgiving appetizer. Delicious!!!

Sooo... I kinda helped cook :)

John, Becky, Sara, and Ryan

Tom, John, and Marlo cooking the turkey, lechon style.

Hanging out with Rachael, Julie and Sara while everyone was cooking. :)

Cooking dinner

Our turkey...my friend Alicia (who lives on a farm in the US) was our turkey killer. I did feel sorry for the little guy, but he was very tasty.

We slept in the Nippa huts. I mean can you believe this place?!?!

Soooo beautiful!!!

Playing volleyball.

We ate our Thanksgiving under a Nippa hut :) SO cool!

Beautiful Guimaras

Loading all of our stuff on the boat.

The view from our boat to Guimaras Island.

Our LIVE turkey that we brought with us to Guimaras.

2008-11-12T17:36:00.001-08:00

Last picture :) This is my friend Justin and I after swear in. Its my favorite pic of me and my brown hair, Ha-ha! Hope ya'll like the picture below! :)

My host family and I on the morning I left for my site. Terrible pic of me because my eyes are all swollen from crying, but good picture of them. Notice my little brother is hiding behind my host mom. He doesn't like to take pictures. Ha-ha.

My host mom, brother, and some of Sara's family at Sara's birthday party.

So after swear in we went back to our host families for one more night to celebrate my friend Sara's birthday. You should have seen the party they threw her! This is her with her princess cake. :)

2008-11-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

Another one of the bands playing outside our ceremony.

Me and the Country Director, Sonia.

One of the Native bands that played outside our ceremony.

My training group at Swear In.

Lynn my regional manager. I LOVE her! My language teacher Emie and techincal teacher Mary after swear in.

Sonia, our Country Director giving the closing remarks after we were sworn in.

2008-11-12T17:09:00.000-08:00

At swearing in some volunteers gave a speech about our training and Peace Corps and everything. The speech was given in four languages, English, Hiligaynon, Cebuano, and Tagalog. (All of the languages that were learned during our training) They did an excellent job!

U.S. Ambassador, Kristie Kenney giving a speech. She was the one who swore us in. She told us that we take the same oath that she took when she was sworn in as the U.S. Ambassador AND we take the same oath that the President of the United States takes. Isn't that cool???

The mayor of Bacolod giving a speech at our swearing in.

My friends Sara and Rachael and I before swear in.

Our language and technical trainers. They would not sit still for a picture, ha-ha.

2008-11-12T16:59:00.000-08:00

So this is on our waterfall hike. It started to rain and we were all slipping all over the path and rocks and everything. Also, this is the first day of my brown hair!

This is on a waterfall hike at Mambukal, a resort we went to to celebrate the end of training.

More bingo, I was very excited.

2008-11-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun! I was not very fast, but I sat next to a man who helped me fill out my bingo card. I didn't win, but I had a lot of fun!

After the Handog party my friend Justin and I went to play Bingo. It was soooo fun! :)

My host parents and I at the Handog.

This is a picture from our host family Handog. A farewell and thank you to our host families for hosting us for the past three months. We played American and Filipino games at the party and this is a Filipino game called the newspaper dance. You dance around a newspaper and when the music stops you jump on the newspaper and everyone i your group has to fit on one piece of newspaper. So as the game goes on the paper gets smaller and smaller. This picture was taken right before we all fell down, LoL. :) We didn't win, but it was a fun game! :)

2008-11-12T16:41:00.000-08:00

Me in a Maskara mask on the streets of Bacolod.

My friend Sara and I out at Maskara.

Some of my friends and I before a night out in Bacolod.

Out at Kuppa for dinner with some friends.

2008-11-12T03:06:00.000-08:00

More of my school

My school

2008-11-12T02:50:00.000-08:00

My school

The banner my school made for me :)

Pictures of my permanent site during my site visit.

2008-11-12T02:32:00.000-08:00

Merrel and Kate and I in the garden.

Merrel and Kate really wanted to take my picture.

2008-11-12T02:13:00.000-08:00

This cute little girl Merrel walking in the garden.

A beautiful gardern in our barangay.

Justin singing viedoke at my birthday. Justin's dad loved to dance!

2008-11-12T01:46:00.000-08:00

My host parents on my birthday.

So my training cluster mates were soo sweet and they surprised me with a cake on my birthday during language class. :)

Some of my friends singing videoke, the favorite Filipino past time. Its sort of like karaoke except there is a video going along with the words of the song. The video has NOTHING to do with the song either. You could be singing Britney Spears and you are watching a video with snow covered mountains. Its really fun! :)

The Balut upclose. I think Laura is very brave. I have not tasted Balut yet, and I do not think I want to. However, my co-teachers at my new school told me I HAVE to try it in the next two years...hopefully they forget :/ Ha-ha.

2008-11-11T02:33:00.000-08:00

My friend Laura eating Balut. Balut: a fertilized duck (or chicken) egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. They are common, everyday food in some countries in Southeast Asia, such as in the Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam. (Definition from Wikipedia)

My Mom's family playing Majung. A really difficult domino game that I do not know how to play. But they love it!

Pictures, pictures, and more pictures!

2008-09-14T00:28:00.000-07:00

Outside of my school.

The cemetary.

The cemetery.

Sugar cane. We are surrounded by it here!

2008-09-14T00:08:00.000-07:00

The beautiful mountains. I run in a neighborhood in the morning that has an AMAZING view of the mountains. I watch the sunrise from behind the mountains in the morning. :) AMAZING!

Students at my high school.

Women washing their clothes in the river.

A woman washing her clothes in the river.

2008-09-13T23:44:00.000-07:00

Me with some of my extended family. (Mom's side) She is one of 12 brothers and sisters.

Some of my cousins at my host mother's mother's house. So my grandmother's house, or in Hiligaynon, my Lola.

Riding in a tryke with my host mother. This is another form of public transportation. People use trykes to go short distances.

All finished doing my laundry!

2008-09-13T23:06:00.000-07:00

Scrub, scrub, scrub to get my clothes nice and clean!

Washing my clothes in the bucket with my host mother.

My host brother playing with my headlamp.

The front of my cute house.

2008-09-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

Inside my house. (Look at my cute little cousin Irine!!!)

My bedroom in my house. I get to sleep under my beautiful princess mosquito net every night. :)

Some of the adorable children in my village.

2008-09-11T00:49:00.000-07:00

(The pic on the top) Our welcome sign from our training site! (We are actually batch 267)

(The pic on the left) This is a jeepney. This is a picture of the drivers putting all of our suitcases on top of the jeepney when we arrived at our training site. Jeepeneys are used for public transportation. It is very expensive to own a car so most Filipinos ride a jeepney (for longer distances) or trykes (for shorter distances) Jeepneys can fit at least 20 people.

(The pic on the right) this is some of my training group on the way to our site. Don't I look lovely! Ha-ha. I love humidity. :)

These are the only pictures I can upload right now. I will try again later.

Off to the Philippines

2008-05-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

So I am off to the Philippines! I am very excited to begin work as a Peace Corps volunteer! My staging is August 13-14. I will be in the education program working as a teacher of English. I am super pumped! I am a little sad about leaving my kindergarten kiddos, but I am so excited about this exciting adventure! My pre-service training dates are August 16-November 6, and my official service dates will be November 7, 2008-November 7, 2010. How exciting! Wahoo!