Phillipines

For the Chinese Double Nine Holiday some coworkers and I wanted to get out of China and explore the surrounding countries. Flights to the Philippines were really cheap so we jump a plane and went for five days.  We had an amazing five days but three things stick out from all the rest.

The Hobbit House is a restaurant and bar that is owned and operated by little people.  We knew we were in the right place when we walked down the street and we saw a big round door with the knob in the middle.  A little person opened the door for us and we were welcomed by a group of little people.  Our table was up close to the stage where a live band was playing.  Half way through the night the band asked for someone to come up stage and sing a song with them.  My oh so wonderful friends volunteered me to do the honors, and I soon found myself sitting on a stool with a microphone in my hands.  The band asked where I was from and upon finding it was America, they asked me if I wanted to sing a classic American song with them.  I asked what classic song they could play and they asked if I wanted to sing Lady Gaga.  That wasn't my instant thought of classic, so I asked for another option.  They suggested Alanis Morsette's "Ironic" and I told them that I could do that one.  I butchered my way through the song, but had a blast in the mean time.  We chatted with some of the staff and got a few pictures taken with them and then left.  

Pagsanjan gorge and falls will be a memory that I never forget.  Aboard wooden canoes and escorted by two boats men, my friends and I were guided through the Pagsanjan gorge for over an hour.  Surrounded by cascading waterfalls and tropical rain forests I felt as if I were in a movie.  I kept waiting for a dinosaur from Jurassic Park to jump out at any moment, or King Kong's shadow to fall across my boat.  At the end of the river was the giant Pagsanjan waterfall that has a cave located behind it.  We boarded a raft and made our journey to the waterfall, through the falling water and into the cave.  The crew members of the raft overloaded our small craft, so by the time we arrived in the cave; I was submerged up to my chest in water.  In the cave, the water was churning so fast that I lost my grip and I started to fall and go completely under water.  As a last resort I grabbed the person next to me and pulled myself up and out of the water.  Due to our weight, we only stayed in the cave for a few minutes and then we went back through the falls and on to shore.  Pagsanjan falls is one of the most spectacular experiences of my life and I will never forget it.

Taal volcano is the smallest active volcano on the world and I was lucky enough to hike it.  Taal is a volcano located inside of lake which is located inside another volcano which is located inside another lake.  We took tricycles down to the lake, hopped a boat and head to the island volcano.  When we arrived many of the locals tried to get us to ride horse up the volcano, but we insisted upon walking.  A forty-five minute hike up steep loose dirt paths that then turned into hot and rocky paths.  The rocks were spewing out steam and were hot to the touch.  You couldn't stand on them for long or they burned your feet.  Once we reached the top, we gazed down into the volcano and the steamy, murky water below.  There were no paths down to the water inside the volcano so we just gazed from afar.  Looking around at the 360 degree view was absolutely breathtaking.  I am so glad that we opted to hike the volcano and truly experience the terrain and rugged beauty of Taal volcano.  

Little Victories

Closing in on finishing my sixth week of teaching and I am slowing starting to see the progress my students have made.  I have seen the growth they all have made just from the first few days of school.  My students know our routine and schedule and the expectations during each transition.  In the morning they all know to take off their backpack, take out their water bottle, place it on the table and put their backpack away.  At first my TA's were doing this for them, but I was insistent on my students doing it themselves.  It has been hard working for a private school teaching preschool.  I believe in student independence and play-based learning, but these parents paid for their child to learn the ABC's and 123's.  On top of all that, I am teaching them in a language they do not understand and I have no idea who these children are except from what I can observe.  It's hard not being able to listen in on their conversations with one another or hear what they say while doing an art activity.  

This week I sat back and tried to think of the little victories that have occurred during the first six weeks.  

All students know how to say 'Please,' 'No thank you,' 'Good morning,' and 'Help please.'
All students can sing 'head shoulders knees and toes,' 'Friends, 123,' 'If you're happy and you know it,' 'Open shut them,' and 'Happy birthday.'
Students have started asking to go peepee.
Students clean up toys they have been playing with.
My one no-napper took a nap!
Students have been calling me 'Miss Jones' instead of 'teacher.'
Students are using each others names.
Students say 'no thank you' to each other in English.
Days go by when no one wets their pants.
Students do not put toys in their mouths anymore.

Those are the biggest ones so far that I can think of.  Sitting back and thinking about how far my students have some, helps me to look forward to what progress my students will make in the future.  Being an ESL teacher is vey challenging, but I am having so much fun in the process.