Sights and Sounds of Tacloban

     The day was filled with beautiful sights.  We started with lunch and the home of the Head of the Science Department at Leyte National High--it was her resort home.  In the Philippines, a resort home refers to a private home that one uses to get away, not a resort where people can rent rooms.  She was so kind to invite us and she had many people over for Fiesta. 

We rented a multicab that day, I love all the cool forms of transportation in the Philippines. So far we have the tricycle, multicab (smaller version of jeepney), Jeepney, van, and motorcycle.  All of these vehicles (except the van) do not have windows, but Filipinos use plastic to cover when it rains. 





 Our first stop was MacArthur's Memorial, where we saw the statues of MacArthur reinacting when he stayed true to his word and arrived in the Philippines to save them from the Japanese.  The statues were huge. 





After that we journeyed to the San Juanico bridge, which was breathtaking and reminded everyone of the Golden Gate Bridge in California.                                                                         

       

Finally we walked to one of the highest points in Tacloban and took in 

the city, there were many disaster zones we had driven by and looked 
down upon from that point of view.  It was quite incredible to see the city from that perspective.

Throughout our travels we got a better idea of the tremendous amount of damage that Typhoon Yolanda left, it is so sad to  see the remnants of her destruction.  It was positive to see the city being rebuilt though, nothing will stop these people from moving forward and it was nice to see that!  It was also evident how instrumental international Aid organizations have been to the rebuilding process, I saw signs from organizations like USA Aid, Samaritan's Purse, World Vision, Tzu Chi Foundation and many more.

We ended the evening with the Parade of Lights, which included a tremendous amount of people, and many beautiful performances and floats, it went for over two hours. 

Sir Aldim's Students --Galileo Class

Kalanggaman Island

Sunday, June 29th

     Today was the much anticipated trip to Kalanggaman Island.  The tip in total would take about 3 hours there and back.  We rented a van for the trip there.  It was a scenic drive there and we were able to learn about the different Barangays as we drove through them--thanks to our tour guides, Obet and Sir Aldim.  It was so interesting to see the different barangays and how the people lived.  There were many small shacks and Nipa huts, which are huts made from the Nipa plant.  Many of these huts were on stilts to allow for water to pass beneath in case of typhoons.  We also saw a ton of green trees and plants on the drive, nothing like Chicago. 

After traveling by car for a couple of hours we arrived in Polompon.  We took a Banka, or pump boat there.  It was a fun ride, I made sure to sit up front to get the best view, I also got a good spraying of water up there, salt water stings the eyes!  The neat thing about the island is how the sand bar stretches out into the water, and it's gorgeous. I was able to take a walk around the island as well and it has a 2 mile circumference and about half of the island's shore is made of rocks.  The water felt like being in a bath, it was so warm.  The last part of our day was a wonderful dinner with another host family.  They were so welcoming and excited for our visit, it was a nice way to end the night.  The Philippines is made up of many gorgeous and as Obet says, "unspoiled" islands, and they truly represent the beautiful nature of the Philippines. 

Parades and Fiestas rich with Color and Culture

     Wow, I was blown away by the energy, color, and culture presented in the two Festivals honoring Senor Santo Nino that we took part in on Saturday.  I had the opportunity to sit in VIP and watch the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festivals.  In anticipation of the festivals we started by watching the Grand Parade through downtown Tacloban and it was something to see.

Parade in the afternoon to lead up to competition.

This festival carried the theme of resilience and strength of the people of Tacloban after Typhoon Yolanda.  Later we watched the competition between groups.  Each group represented a different Barangay which is what Filipinos use to describe a village, similar to our term neighborhood or suburb.  The groups were from all of the Visayas region.  We had the honor of being invited to eat lunch with a family that was celebrating a housewarming.  We took a tricycle ride there, it was pretty neat.

Then, we headed to the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival where we watched different contingents (Filipino word for contestants) compete in a competition for best performance.  Here is one of my favorites:

I learned that the Filipino culture is very rich and full of character and joy.  I could see joy and enthusiasm in each performance.  Filipinos are also so creative, this was evident in the costumes and props that were used.  I could tell that the neighborhood had worked so hard to make this performance a success ---and the manpower that went into each presentation was incredible! I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to witness such a spectacular event.   As they say, "It is more fun in the Philippines!"  There is no doubt about that, and I am so proud to be a part of this culture.  

Leyte National High School

Today was our first visit to Leyte National High School where our host, Obet (short for Norberto) teaches.  I have never been so welcomed with such warmth , kindness, and generosity as I felt today.  It truly was an experience that was unparalleled to anything I have felt before, I was so moved that I found myself in tears. 

The emcees were so eloquent and well versed in their speech, and they even made it funny,  it was like q news report.  There was a beautiful welcome dance to begin the ceremony followed by a performance by the speech choir.  In all of my experience in college and schools I have never encountered a speech choir and it was extraordinary.  I found out later from Obet that he had only given the students some criteria to follow and they had come up with the choreographed performance all on their own and in three days --what talent!  I took a video that I posted below and I plan to share this with my students at home -- I think it would be amazing to get a speech choir going in the U.S.! 

It was during the performance  that I began thinking about how all that work and pride these students put into all that they do and all that they have done to prepare for our arrival when the emotion overcame me.  These kids made beautiful and unique invitations for us and necklaces with our names on them.  These students were all three of Obet's Grade 10 English classes, and they were just so thrilled to meet all of us. They had so much appreciation for our visit to their school.  

Pride is the word that comes to mind when I think about all the students and staff I met today.  The principal and teachers have so much pride in their students and school.  In every conversation I had with staff it was clear that they were so grateful and appreciative of our visit and had the utmost pride for their school.  I felt overcome with gratitude for this incredible experience and the wonderful people I was so fortunate to meet.
Obet was so proud to introduce us to his students and to introduce his students and colleagues to us, we were showered with kindness, smiles, and plenty of food.  We met his English department of 30 teachers who shared the incredible things they are doing with their after school clubs, one being the reading club.  We learned about what the cooperative that works at the school does for it's teachers, it's fascinating.  Finally, we were given a tour of the school and saw the classrooms where the learning takes place.

I am again in utter amazement at how much these students and teachers have accomplished despite the little they have and the horrific experience of super typhoon Yolanda they have survived through.  I am deeply humbled by their perseverance, compassion, and positivity!

The next adventure, day 1 in Tacloban

     Today was my first day in the resilient city of Tacloban!  We took a domestic flight out of Manila to Tacloban City in the Visayas region of the Philippines.  It was an hour flight to the city and it was beautiful -- I took so many pictures out my airplane window.

Upon arrival in Tacloban, at an airport that had been completely washed away a year and a half ago, we got picked up and taken to our hotel.  Considering the fact that the city is still rebuilding after super typhoon Yolanda, it has made great strides!  After getting off the plane we were greeted with a traditional dance by students in celebration of the Pintados festival.  Click on this link to learn more about the Pintados festival, http://www.world66.com/asia/south/philippines/taclobancity/festivals.

It has been two and a half years since they celebrated this momentous festival, so the city was buzzing with excitement and anticipation!  Flags were up in the streets, and everyone was getting their businesses prepared for the upcoming festivities.  It is a big homecoming for many and everyone is thrilled to be celebrating again now that their city has started to come together and rebuild.  It was amazing to see how happy everyone was with the little that they have. I rode a tricycle to dinner with the fellows and Obet (short for Norberto, our host), and it was really exciting -- we definitely do not have those in the states.  We had an incredible dinner of pancit, synagog, calamari, a sour fish (forgetting the name), and a delicious avocado shake and flan.  After we learned about General MacArthur and the events that led up to his return to the Philippines in Tacloban City (the capital at the time) at Hotel Alejandro.  Then, we stopped by a huge barbecue just to see what people were up to  (stay posted for more about the barbecues later).

After arriving back at Hotel XYZ (where we're staying), I began to blog again and then became overwhelmed with emotion.

        I am so humbled by my experiences in the Philippines so far.  I have never felt so welcomed to another country in my life.  Filipinos are the most hospitable, generous, and thoughtful people you could ever meet.  I began to cry when reflecting on the warm and beautiful greetings we have received from all of the students at every school we have visited.  They have been so welcoming and hospitable, and I am not sure that our schools in the states would provide international visitors with the same hospitality and warmth!  These children and teachers have so little and yet they are so happy and grateful for all that they have.  They do not complain and they are not negative about anything, they make do what what they have and make the best of it --they do not ask for anything more.  

Every school has provided us with food, entertainment, and given us a departing gift.  They have recognized us in their school announcements and welcomed us at their entrances as though we were famous.  The students were so happy to meet us, it seems that all they want is for us to enjoy our visit and that gives them all the happiness in the world.   I have only been greeted in the most respectful way, "Hello Ma'am... can I do anything for you Ma'am."  And their English is exceptional, I am so impressed by the way these students have carried themselves.  

It really makes you think and put things into perspective.  These children do not have a lot at their schools, but they are happy and eager to be there and to learn.  These teachers do not get money for supplies and do not have paper to use, and they do not have copiers in the schools -- they have desks, a blackboard, and that's it.  Anything else they pay from their own pockets, and they're happy.  They have on average 45 kids in one classroom and they see 6 periods a day, and they are excited to be teaching and welcomed us into their classrooms with open arms.  I cannot say enough about how touching these moments have been for me and how differently I look at things now, this experience will forever change me..I look forward to all that is to come next! 

Schools, Food, and Karaoke

     I wanted to blog yesterday when my memories were fresh but I got too tired, so I will share with you what stood out.  As a forewarning, this entry is pretty lengthy since there were so many amazing things that happened that I want to share!

Wednesday, June 24 was an incredible and busy day!   To begin, I woke up on time, thank goodness (I made sure to get two wake-up calls).  I met Roma (another fellow) at the gym and we tried a new workout together --it was fun and definitely got me sweating--hopefully I burned off a few of the many calories I've been eating from all of those buffets!

After we visited our first public school, Benigs "Ninoy" S. Aquino High School.  The structure of the school was really quite neat --kids walked outside in open air hallways to move between classes and it had a huge courtyard in the middle where recess took place.  We had a warm greeting from the students and they too mentioned us in the bulletin board.  We then were ushered into a room and sat around a long table.

Mabuhay means welcome in Filipinio

Open air hallways

                                                  I really liked the layout of the high school. The students sang for us too as a welcome.







We were introduced to the department heads, principal, and student government.  We also introduced ourselves, where we were from, and what we taught.  The principal then delivered a welcome presentation where he described the school and their mission, what courses were offered, and their data --it reminded me of how at Spry (my school), student achievement data is always shared with the staff, so I thought that was nice.  The school is a technical/vocational school that offers core classes along with trades like book keeping, dress making, electricity, foodtrades, and hardware servicing.  It is one of 280 technical/vocational schools in the Philippines.  The administration had a good sense of humor and were very welcoming.  During the presentation the we were fed snacks again (keep in mind we only finished breakfast about an hour ago).

After we had time to ask questions to either the staff or students.  My question was:  "How does your upbringing and/or culture influence your perspective on education?"  I admit, the question is a little complex, and I did clarify and explain it more, but a brave student did answer it.  This question relates to research I want to do and reflect upon.  The student answered that her parents do value education and that she feels education is very important.  She said that she knows that everyone has difficult things that happen at home and in life that make it hard to stay focused on school, but that even when she has trouble at home she tries to keep a positive attitude and works hard to do well in school because she knows it does affect her future and matters.  She stated "Parents are your first teachers."  She also mentioned that she treats her co-officers as family and when she is having problems at home she goes to her friends, teachers, and principal for support and that helps a lot.

After the presentation we chose what subject area we wanted to see and I chose math.  I visited two math classrooms and I was quite pleased with what I observed.  The first class was a 10th grade classroom and the teacher had students transition into groups by counting of by 5's, choose jobs (materials, timer, etc), and he had them working cooperatively!  Just an FYI, there were about 47 students in the room (that's the average class size).  The kids were so excited to meet me and there was a buzz of energy in the room as he had them solve math problems cooperatively.

 It was so neat to be able to observe a class transition and make comparisons to transitions in the USA.  We do similar things!

Then I got the chance to visit a 7th grade math classroom and that was neat!  They were working in pairs of two or three and put into rows.  The teacher used a projector on a whiteboard and each group had one whiteboard to write down their answers.  It was clear that this teacher knew what she was doing and called on students to come up to the board and had them explain why they got the answers they did.  I found it interesting that all of the teachers were using microphones --which in many ways makes sense because of the large class size and open air classroom structure.  This was probably my favorite classroom to visit--the kids were so engaged and eager to learn.  I also noticed that she used strategies similar to what I do, such as the use of whiteboards and calling students up to write in their answer and explain why.  I shared with the math lead teachers who were taking me around that I too used similar strategies for engagement and management with students.  I also shared the title of the book, Teach Like a Champion, as it seemed like teachers had already been using it, and it might enhance what they are doing.

After leaving that high school we proceeded onto Alex's school (the point person in the Philippines for TGC), Makati Science HIgh School.  The welcome reception we received there was pretty fancy.  Students wore traditional dresses and sang for us and during the song they handed each fellow a rose. Then each of us was paired with a student from the student government to guide us around.  We began with lunch being served to us, which was again, too much food, but delicious and so generous.  Then, we had a lot of time to be guided around by our student partner and visit classrooms.  This school is one that students need to apply to in order to go there, and they can only accept 280, so the students are at the top of their class.  The school receives money from the government to provide each student with a stipend.  I must say the learning that was occurring in those classrooms was pretty incredible to watch -- every teacher and student was enjoying themselves, you could tell that students enjoyed being there.

Following that, we were able to meet five leaders in education for the Philippines that included superintendents, program supervisors, and education consultants.  We heard about what the Department of Education was doing in the Philippines (different projects and programs).  Then, the panelists were asked questions by us.  They started by speaking on the new K-12 Basic Education Curriculum that is being implemented in all schools this year, it's part of the law.  In order for the Philippines to be more competitive with the world and encourage their students to be 21st century learners, they have lengthened the education system from a ten year program to a 12 year program.  This has been the major challenge for the Philippines and there are mixed feelings about the new program.  All panelists spoke on that -- and took a positive stance on the transition.

I asked about special education and how that is being implemented in the schools.  One superintendent stated that it is a priority for the Department of Education, and that she is making it her mission to ensure that all municipalities offer a special education program for students that need it the most.  I was happy to hear it is something the country is working on.  After the Panel Discussion we retreated to another room for snacks (Filipinos like their food!).

My student guide

                             

This blog is way to long and I'm getting pretty sleepy so I'm going to end it now.  We ended our last night in Manila with an exciting night at Karaoke which definitely brought me back to the 80's -- good times.  All in all, it was my favorite day in the Philippines so far and it really inspired me to continue to do the work that I do as a teacher, it's absolutely worth it!

Day 2 in Manila

     Wow, I cannot believe it's only been two days -- it feels like it's been a week!  Let me begin by saying that I had quite the start to my day. We needed to meet at the hotel lobby at 7:30 and I woke up at 7:11... nineteen minutes before I had to meet everyone in the lobby.  I proceeded to check my clocks about 5 times before I realized it wasn't a dream and frantically turned on the shower and then almost slipped and fell in the bathroom trying to get ready as fast as I could!  Luckily, I wasn't the only one, Norberto slept in late too ---we were both on Filipino time ;)  Just an FYI, Norberto is the teacher who is hosting us for the ten days when we visit his school in Tacloban.  He is also assisting Alex (I know, he and I have the same name), who is the point person for us while we are here in the Philippines and organized all of the events and activities we are doing in Manila.

The day began with a visit to St. Paul College, Pasig where we toured and learned about an all girls private catholic high school.  Since I had not ever been in a private, catholic school before I did not know what to expect but learned a lot.

1.  The students were extremely respectful and well behaved
2.  The school was enormous (about 4,000 students)
3.  Average class size is 40, but in advanced gifted classes there is a maximum of 15 students
4.  They have a very talented and amazing choir that sang for us
5.  The school places a strong emphasis on holistic education and therefore offers many clubs for it's students and all students are required to participate in a club.
6.  They do not have a special education program, but they do offer remedial classes for students.

We had the honor of speaking with students on the Student Coordinating Team which is made up of 12 students who are elected by the school to serve in specific roles each school year.  That was probably the best part of my day!  The girls were so polite and spoke very well about their positions and responsibilities in the school.  It was very clear that school is important and valued to the students at this high school!  The school also provided us with a snack of Pacit and rice cakes (delicious)!

After that we had a super quick lunch buffet at a mall, probably the biggest buffet I've ever been to and then we were off to the United States Embassy.  We met the Ambassador there and he shared some history on the Embassy along with information on relations with the Philippines.  One thing he said when asked about the relationship between Filipinos and Americans was, "Filipinos hate how much we they love us" so the relationship is a positive one.  I also learned that the Embassy there was one of the four largest in the world, which is a fact I did not know!  We proceeded to hear from other officials such as the one in charge of supporting education in the Philippines and learned a lot more.  Following that, we had another snack, Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee, then we toured the Embassy learning more about it's history and then left.  Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take any digital devices into the Embassy, so I cannot share any photos, it was neat to see though, that was my first to to an embassy.  After a break at the hotel we headed to yet another international buffet dinner and I ended my night with some Halo Halo (one of my favorites)!  

Day 1 in Manila

     Today was filled with plentiful and delicious food and a lot of interesting information.  We had a buffet style breakfast and lunch at Peninsula---there were so many amazing looking choices I had to sample some of each and still didn't get to try it all!  Between meals we learned a ton about the history of the Philippines along with the the history of the Philippine education system---which ironically has similarities to our education system and the many changes it goes through.  One thing that really spoke to me was how challenging it has been for Filipinos to move to the new K-12 Curriculum model for education.  It reminded me of the experience teachers in Chicago had with the switch to the Common Core State Standards which required a shift in curriculum--and there were many mixed feelings about these shifts in both the Philippines and America.

The evening ended with a visit to the first Catholic church in the Philippines, Intramuros.  We then walked around the downtown Manila area near the church and ended with a buffet style dinner at Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant across from the Church.  Although I didn't think I could eat anymore, I still enjoyed the Filipino/Spanish food at the restaurant, my favorite being the Pancit!

                 
                 

After some sightseeing, we had dinner at Barbara's.  The best thing about the day was the cultural dances we watched after dinner.  The restaurant partners with the Philippine Dance Group and they put on an incredible performance with costume changes and background.  They also had all of us participate in the National Dance Tinikling!  See below for a short movie.

    I made it to Japan!  The flight was LONG --6 hours felt like 12..but I did get to watch a few movies and I highly recommend McFarland!  I also met and chatted with one of the flight attendants and my seat neighbor.   Every hour or two I stretched my legs and chatted with other TGC teachers.  Everyone is so excited about the trip.  Whenever I talk to a new acquaintance and share why I am going to the Philippines and tell them about the program they are super engaged in what I am doing and excited about it as well---so the news of TGC is spreading!  Yay for raising awareness about global education to others :)

One neat fact, Delta does an excellent job of getting your attention during the safety procedures --they show a really funny video so next time you fly internationally through Delta check it out, see below for pictures.

Biggest plane ever!

First day of travel

   

    Today is the long travel day, the first day of the Philippines trip!  I got about 3 hours of sleep last night and I had done 75% of my packing on Monday ---who would have thought it would take so long to do all the last minute things!  My husband made the analogy that it's similar to planning for a wedding in that you think you have most of it done in advance and you feel pretty good, then as the day approaches you realize that you still have so much to do, all the little things!

I wanted to blog yesterday, but even though I had the entire day and thought I would have time, somehow time got away from me, so I'm making up for it ;) 

Anyways my flight from Chicago to Detroit was smooth and it was so exciting to meet some of the group in Detroit!  This is us below!

    Only 19 days left until departure!  Things are moving pretty fast over here.  Our host, Norberto has been fantastic, and we've been in communication with him since we've been introduced.  Gail, Glenda, and I have booked rooms at Hotel XYZ, which was a huge relief to have done, and we are in the process of getting the schedule sorted out.  We've shared a plethora of ideas with Norberto on what we would like to do/see, so it will be exciting to get a draft of the schedule set!  Below is a list of To Do's that I've completed:

• vaccination shots
• communicating ideas with host
• blog entries
• research question idea
• backpack
• shoes
• insect repellent
• booked hotel

Things I still need to do:  

• complete power point presentation on Chicago/Spry Elementary
• finalize research question
• do a trial pack
• purchase loose fitting, light, cotton clothing both for casual and work
• finish books on the Philippines
• practice my tagalog
• purchase gifts for students and Filipinos
• set up instagram account to document pictures/videos
• figure out cell phone plan

There's probably a lot more, so if there's something I missed let me know!  Altogether, I feel pretty good at this point, and I'm sure I'll feel better next week as the count down continues on!