Day 20: WW II American Cemetery

In the Memorial

Medal of Honor...would love to know what he did.

Refreshingly manicured grass welcomed us as we drove through the guarded gates of the American Cemetery.  Situated on the crest of a hill in central Manila, the cemetery is reminiscent of Normandy with its white crosses and atmosphere of reverence.  We all felt like we'd crossed back into the United States for awhile as we walked among the 17,000 graves of American and ally soldiers who fought in the Pacific theater in World War II.  Even more sobering were the names of over 32,000 missing who lie in unknown graves listed on the walls of the memorial.  I hope our children will keep this cemetery etched in their memories.  I know I will.

Day 19: Day Trip to Tagatay

The Generous Banana Picker

Stir-crazy kids at a roadside fruit stand

About as close as we got to Taal Volcano

A coconut tree along the drive

We were all feeling a bit restless so we decided to take a day road trip to Tagatay, a town made famous by Taal Volcano.  Our plan was to take a boat to the volcano and hike to the top.  It's the middle of rainy season so it came as no surprise when we woke to rain and lots of it.  We decided to go anyway.  We picked up a rental mini-van nearby and were off.  The drive through the jungle was beautiful and we pulled over to talk to banana pickers where I met an intelligent, almost toothless man who spoke very good English.  He let me take his picture and insisted on giving us a whole bunch of bananas as a gift.

The skies started to clear  as we began the descent down a steep, winding road to the lake shore, but as we parked the storm rolled across the lake and white caps grew as we stood on the beach watching.  Our captain regretfully informed us that all boats were cancelled for the day.  He seemed as disappointed to lose his only customers for the day but cheered up when we offered him the remaining bananas.  We drove around the lake trying to find some brave (or naive) soul who would agree to take us out but they were all privy to the same information.  The rains began coming down in sheets so we headed home, stopping at some amazing fruit stands on the way.  The kids were still stir-crazy when we got back but at least we had an amazingly scenic drive!

Days 16-17: Sick in the Philippines

Friday, July 17, 2012  Soccer camp ended on Wednesday and the kids were relieved to not have to spend three hours every morning in the intense, humid heat.  I, however, was wondering what on earth we would do all day.  We have since filled our days with swimming, karaoke, the Wii (all available in our complex) and, starting last night, throw up..  Jacob walked in the door around 11:30 P.M. tonight to the smell, sight, and sound of William throwing up.  He had had a fever all day and had started feeling queasy after dinner.  I had him sleep with a pot by his side, but in his delirium he made it as far as the doorway and then lost his lunch.  He threw up again around 2 A.M. and seemed to be doing better until Jacob took the kids to the concierge desk and he threw up again...all over the luxurious, silk lobby couch.  His fever remained high and he complained of a stiff neck so I started thinking worse case scenario...Meningitis.  Then Vivian mentioned Dengue Fever, which was a possibility because William got attacked by mosquitoes last weekend  in Real.  I'm typically not much of a worrier, but being in a 3rd world country with a really sick boy made me worry.  I finally decided to brave a Filippino clinic to get him checked out.  And it was actually a great experience!  You know your own country's medical system is messed up when a 3rd world is way more efficient, more thorough and less expensive.  Within a half hour of entering the clinic I was heading out with a complete diagnosis and antibiotic in hand.  No Meningitis, no Dengue Fever.  Just Tonsillitis and an ear infection.   The most amazing part?  Twenty dollars for everything.  

Day 12-15: Hard Things

It's no secret that the Philippines is a third world county.  The stray dogs, garbage, and simple, unadorned homes come as no surprise to me, having spent some vacation time in Puerto Vallarta and Cozumel.  My eyes first opened wide to the true squalor in this country as we drove past shanty towns with their corrugated metal-patched roofs and bamboo and plywood walls built in rubble as we left the airport.  Our cab driver, William, informed me this week that, although Avis makes approximately $200 a day for the service, he only makes 442 pesos, or under $10 a day.  "Only enough for basic commodities" for his wife and two boys, he told me in very good English.  $10 a day is also how much "ya ya's," (house help/babysitters) make, with included room and board making it a coveted position for many women.

As mentioned previously, we usually go from one expat bubble to the next, but today we ventured out to see "Ice Age 4".  As we walked the short distance from the lobby of our high rise to the mall, a beautiful, skinny homeless filipino girl about Will's age smiled at us from a concrete ledge.  Her clothes were dirty and she had no shoes or parents that I could see.  We gave her some change and a Snickers bar and then walked on.  I spent the whole movie thinking of her and how little we'd done to help.  Where does she go for shelter when it pours during the rainy season?  How does she get food?  An orphanage teacher I met at soccer camp told me that many of these girls don't stay on the streets long as they get sold as slaves of the heinous kind.  My blood boiled with anger at this corrupt government that does nothing for its most innocent yet helpless citizens.

I resolved that we would look for her on our way back and at least buy her some dinner.  As we walked back along the same crowded road, we saw that a different shoeless, dirty girl had taken her place and was sleeping.  I asked the street vendor next to her who sold us some mentos if she knew he girl and if she had a mom.  She said she did, and I hope she told us the truth.  At this point tears involuntarily began streaming down my face.  Will asked, "Why is your face all red, Mom?"  We walked on a few paces and met the Snickers girl who was now accompanied by her older sister.  They were selling limp flower necklaces and delightedly gave us half of them when I pulled out a 100 peso bill.  "Thank you, mawhm," they repeated over and over again, as we gave them all the food in my purse and said goodbye.

As  we walked into our luxurious, safe, and air-conditioned apartment, Anna said, "I thought I'd seen poor people at home.  But this is real poverty.  In Utah the homeless are just men.  It's so sad to see kids that don't have a home."  I've since found out about some orphanages and we are going to volunteer at one later this week.  It feels like trying to build a dam with a toothpick but it's a start.

Down Time

Sunday Art and Play Time...In a superhero mask Anna made

Master Lego Creator

Legos have kept these kids entertained for hours in Manila

Creative Director

Day11: Loving the Expact Branch

We were all so thrilled to get back to our 1st-world accommodations last night.  We went to the store and got the stuff for two of out comfort food meals, pasta al ragu and fried chicken and mashed potatoes.  The kids were thrilled and effusive in their words of gratitude and love for the cooks, their parents.  It was a beautiful thing to take a shower in a clean bathroom.  We went to church today after skyping with my parents.  The cab driver didn't know where the church was but luckily a girl I met last Sunday picked up her phone right as church was starting and was able to give me the address.  We made it there albeit a few minutes late.  Great lessons with lots of interjections from the Fillipinas in the branch. The diversity and friendliness of the members is amazing.   The kids played great in the apartment afterwards and we had another yummy, American meal followed by chocolate chip cookies.  The kids were thrilled.

Primary in the Philippines.  

Things I've found I can live without:
Clothes Dryer (although the clothes dry rather wrinkled on the rack)
Dishwasher, because I have two little ones
Lots of space (just more to clean!)


Things I can't live without here:
Cleanliness
Legos
iPad-(books, recipes, metric conversions, music, maps, etc.)
Hand sanitizer-Jacob calls it holy gel
Bleach for fruits and veggies
Sleep...Jacob and I go to bed around 9 every night!

Day 10: Last Day in Real

Saturday, July 20, 2012.  We are in the van driving through the mountains back to Manila, listening to Linda Rodstant hour on the radio.  These filippino men are quite the romantics!  The kids did great the first two hours but are now losing their minds.  We took a tricycle to the call center this morning.  There are more computers in that one office than there could be in the rest of Real.  The security guard apparently means business with his double barrel shotgun draped across his chest.   Our hotel felt like a KOA so it will be a welcome change to get back to our 1st-world sky rise apartment.  The kids loved Real, with the beach, pool, and paparazzi always following them.

The boys loved the black volcanic sand beach.

Getting creative with a bamboo stick.

The kids went crazy 

Crazy-haired Giant and the Five Dwarfs: Vivian (Jacob's business colleague's wife) and her sisters.

Philippines Day. 9: Among the Natives

Friday, July 19, 2012. Already an eventful day and it's not yet 10 A.M. Punctually at 5 this morning we were awakened by a rooster crowing that sounded like it was inside our room. Poor Jacob had come to bed only 2 1/2 hours earlier as he has had to stay on U.S. time for work.   Before long the kids were up and ready to rock and roll. We all piled on the "tricycle," driven by Bogart.The tricycle is a Japanese motorcycle which has been retrofitted with a Filipino side-cab. Remarkably our whole family fit in one! We went to breakfast in town at Eva's. Our driver stood outside, shaving, and must have told a couple of friends that he was driving Americans around because they came in to take a look and then went right out. We then walked through the market with its pig heads, chicken feet and livers. We bought some overpriced tangerines that were delicious. The paler the skin, the higher the price, as Jacob says.

We drove past the call center on out way back to the Manila East Resort Center. We rested for a bit in our 3rd-world hotel until called to a feast out by the pool. Vivian's sisters had cooked and were serving whole crabs and prawns, chicken adobo, seafood curry, Filipino bananas, and rice. They hired a man to bring coconuts which he hacked at with a machete then carved a small circle in the top so we could drink them. An hour later spaghetti, fried chicken, Asian noodles, fruit salad, another meat with sauce, and pork skewers were delivered. Some of the call center employees came over to help eat all the food.

 There was still ample food left so Viv and Ade suggested that Anna invite her entourage over to eat. They were thrilled and incredibly polite. Their favorite was the spaghetti. William struggled to get some rice on his plate and Jarom, an 11-year old boy, took the serving spoon and served him some. As soon as they were finished eating they hopped up and started clearing the dishes, washing them, stacking the chairs, and wiping the table. Our kids noticed and began helping too. Anna got their phone numbers and the kids all thanked us repeatedly and then headed home to their families. They all have the most beautiful smiles.

Day 8: Through the Jungle

Well, if we were feeling sheltered from the real Philippines in our St. Francis/expat bubble, today we left that all behind and drove four hours through the jungle to the ocean-side town of Real, Quezon Province. It was so saddening to see people living by the side of the road, washing their clothes, dishes and hair in water from a pipe. Children sat on the side of the road, digging in the dirt or just watching cars pass. These people have no plumbing, no medicine, and no real chance to improve their lives. They have beautiful smiles that beg the question of what brings true happiness anyway. Are we the blessed ones or could they be, with their simpler lives? We arrived at the "resort" around 4. Vivian's family is so kind and crazy-hospitable. They had dinner waiting for us by the pool, including a whole fish which the girls loved! After dinner the kids swam then we went for a walk on the beach. We had a group of 11 darling kids following us and all the girls were in love with Sam. "Hi Sawhm," they kept calling. He was so embarrassed. Will was pretty freaked out by the mosquitos and the rustic nature of the hotel. He had me cover him in bug spray before he went to bed! Such an amazing experience we are having. On the drive today Sam started looking tired. I told him he could lay on my lap but he said, "I don't want to miss any of the cool stuff I'm seeing out the window. Our children's eyes are certainly be opened to the world.

In the "hired car," which had jimmy-rigged seats and seat belts. We were happy to make it to Real without incident!

A typical shop/home on the road to Real.

Dad, Anna, and the Paparazzi.

Philippines Days 4-7: Settling In

Sunday morning everyone woke up at 3:15 A.M. Needless to say it was a rough day :). We took a hired van to church. As soon as I saw the church grounds I felt the spirit, a feeling like we were home. The branch is amazing,with a mix of cultures, ages, and languages, although all speak some English. There were 17 kids in Primary, including our 4. The leaders and the children were very welcoming, including involving the kids in sharing time and repeating our kids' names until everyone knew them. I stayed with Lucy until she felt comfortable, which didn't take too long. Several of the moms gave me their contact information and the branch president's wife invited us over on Tuesday for a swimming part, which we gladly attended. Most of the expats we met at church work for the Embassy here. After church we came back to the St. Francis and took much needed naps as jet lag was setting in. The kids were bouncing off the walls when we woke up so we went to the children's play area. They were seriously going bizerk, throwing Little Tyke toys across the room and yelling at the tops of their lungs. A dad named Kyle saw the unchannelled energy and, having mercy on us, told us about a soccer camp at the Faith Academy that was starting the next day. We were unable to get in touch with the coach for Monday but went on Tuesday and it was so hot but so great. While the kids played Jacob and I met some fascinating people, all part of "The Mission," a general term for people who are here to spread Christianity. Many of them have been here for 12-15 years, raising their children without air-conditioning and internet and washing their vegetables in bleach because they feel it is their calling in life. Their children were all so well-behaved, helping the younger players with cleats and water, and when they swam afterwards they were all in modest swimsuits! The kids went back to the camp on Wednesday with Jacob, while I stayed back with Lucy to get things we need for our apartment, like a drying rack for our clothes (no dryer!) and kitchen utensils. The kids have loved getting to meet some kids at the camp. I hoped to come here and have the kids be content to play with one another and lay low but I've realized I can't change them from the social, active kids that they are! I did have a priceless moment on Wednesday at the pool while observing the kids. Anna and Sam were doing flips and laughing together while Will and Lucy were playing peacefully with their McDonald's Happy Meal toys (yes, we've had McDonald's twice in the last week. "Healthy" food is all relative. Here it's the food that is least-likely to give you a parasite!) on the stairs and they were all genuinely enjoying one another's company. Such a happy moment for this mom.

In the van on our way to the Shangri-La, St. Francis, our home for the next 6 1/2 weeks.

 

 Serious jet lag has hit our family. A 14-hour time change will do that.

Philippines Day 1-3: Traveling and More Traveling

Our flight departed SLC at 8:15 P.M. on Thursday. We arrived in Manila around 7 A.M. on Saturday, having traveled for 24 hours through no fewer than 14 time zones and across the International Date Line. During that time we just about experienced enough adventure to just turn right around and call it a trip! We arrived at LAX at 10 P.M. and had a 4 1/2 hour layover. We spent it in the Asia-bound area of the airport. We all felt like we must surely already be in Asia; I had never been around so many Koreans and Chinese people in my life! After some debating with the front desk we were able to go to the Korean Air's Sky Club (because they are partnered with Delta). At this point it was midnight MST and the kids conked out in sundry positions. After two hours it was finally time to board the plane. Jacob uttered the fateful words: "It smells like urine." We checked the boys, who have been guilty parties in the past and thought the coast was clear. Then I picked up Lucy, who was DRENCHED in urine. In all my (excessive even!) preparations for the flight I had neglected to pack an extra pair of undies or outfit for her. Luckily I had an extra dress of mine in my carry-on, so we made a maxi-dress of it and told her to keep her legs crossed! We shamefully sneaked out of the club and made it to our flight to Taipei just as they made the final boarding call. The 13-hour flight went great. The 2-hour flight to Manila was brutal as the kids reached the end of their ropes but we survived. All eight bags made it but somehow our boosters ended up in MOSCOW! They showed up at our apartment building yesterday. More later....

 

 At the airport in Salt Lake with eight large suitcases and boosters. So much for my mantra of packing light!

Lucy in my dress going au natural for 18 hours.

In front of a living wall in Taipei.