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April 17, 2004 - I think that one thing every Peace Corps volunteer around the world shares is the fact that they get sick. I have been a popular host for many viruses and bacteria since I've been here. I have been sick more times than I care to remember, but this past week takes the prize for most painful. I take my malaria medication every week in hopes that I will avoid that fate and I don't think dengue fever is common in Leyte. I also try to watch what I eat and it can be a little tricky when hanging out with kids who want to feed me halo-halo or ice candy from unknown sources. I don't know how, but some amoebas found their way into me and provided me with some of the most painful days of my life. |
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| I had a fever of 40 deg C, diarreha and was unable to drink anything. I had my first IV. All kinds of new experiences. Carigara is a good place to be sick. I have never had a doctor show up at my house, but Dr. Profetana, the municipal health officer came to see me after my host mother worried too much. I don't remember much because of the fever, but I got a lot of medications and an IV. She continued to visit me at all hours, staying until late at night (2 AM) (with her family in tow) and returning early the next morning. My host family worries too much, but I am lucky that they do. |
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In my better days, we have been on summer break, so the living is easy. For Filipino males, the "drinking circle" is an important social group. Up above is my San Miguel-drinking grade 6 graduates.
Halo-halo (mix-mix) stands sprout up all over town in as summer heats up. Children away from school sell a Filipino version of what people in Hawaii call shaved ice. It is made from ice, sweet milk and sweet jackfruit and mongo beans inside.
Summer for many of the children here means a lot of free time. |
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Many of our friends from Canada and America told us they will go to camps or other trips in the summer. That's not really an option for us here, so I've been trying do things with children. From having them do their own email, delivering letters to their classmates and even playing video games with the girls. We can play for 1 hour at the internet cafe on Sony Playstation for 15 pesos (about $.30). Hopefully, I will think of better ways to spend our time in the future.
I have had the nice experience of visiting a few of my students in their homes. I feel it is a great honor to do so. I enjoy learning about them and it gives me a great insight to who they are. |
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I tag along to deliver letters to their classmate so I now know where many of them live. You could never do that in America because the level of "trust" is not as high as it is here in the Philippines. It is sad because to me, it is the best part of working with children. Lots of people look at us and wonder who the person is with little girls stamping on his foot or playing basketball with 6th graders half his height. The kids don't seem to mind and continue to play with me.
A surprise for me was to correspond with the "sassy lawyer" of the blogging world. She even wrote about me in her blog. It is embarassing to be thought of so well. |
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