Yeah folks, as noted in my previous blog entry, Dylan and I had one last hoorah by swimming alongside the largest species of shark, a whale shark. The Pilipinas call them Butanding. The experience was exhilarating, humbling, and (to actually use this word the way it was meant to be used) it was awesome. Harmless and beautiful giants of the sea.
We made two trips out to sea to swim with the butanding. The first trip was a bit cloudy and there was little hope of spotting one of the giants in the sea. We sat ready and anxious on the sides of the make-shift catamaran. Finally, the ready command of our guide we readied our flippers and masks. On his go command (literally him shouting "go, go, go!" at us like a drill sergeant) we dove into the velvet blue water passing beneath us.
You don't see it right away but you wait and swim slowly and then, in an instant it appears. A great blue figure with white spots looming beneath you. Then you see his head and mouth, a mouth that could swallow five of you whole all at once. Then the gills that are the length of your leg and if you look all the way to its back you can spot the tips of its tail that are longer than your entire body. On our first trip Dylan and I swam alongside one for nearly half an hour. Just following it through the great blue watching it just glide through effortlessly and still eat along the way. We only lasted that long, we had to return to the boat and honestly we couldn't keep up with the shark anymore, we were exhausted. We just swam back to the boat in absolute shock.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Imus - Cavite, Gen. Mascardo street
I've spent the past two weeks in the Philippines. The birthplace of my mother and one of my life's mysteries. Aside from the immaculate crystal waters colored by corals that bordered white sand beaches, staring down tarsiers (world's smallest primate), gazing into the purple mountain skies of Baguio, and swimming with the largest species of shark, I was able to meet family that I have only ever heard stories about. To me, this was a sort of fantasy, something I only ever dreamed about and doubted if it would ever become a reality.
In Manila I was met by my Tita Cleah. She is a cousin of my mother, making her my second cousin I think - but by the manner of our first greeting and how she cared for Dylan and I ever since, you would think I was her niece or even daughter. She took us around Manila and filled me in on stories and history of the family including drawing an extending tree for me - very helpful with a family as large as ours :)
Tita Cleah took me to meet my Tita Heidi ( my aunt, the one sister of my mother's that I have never met or even seen her picture). We entered the neighborhood where my mother grew up and turned down the street where she had lived for 21 years. I entered the house, my head very clouded with emotions and words to say. Auntie Heidi sat on a wooden bench in her house in a pink and white cotton dress. At first glance she looked confused, I tried to explain who I was and why I was coming to visit her but my nervous english words came out as jibberish. Tita Cleah stepped in and explained, in Tagolog, my presence. Tears filled Auntie Heidi's eyes as the words began to process and realization set in. Her arms reached out to grab mine and she pulled me close to her. I was suddenly not only surrounded by her warmth but filled with it. My tears broke, tears of joy. An indescribable feeling that I always wrote off as being fake when I saw it in movies or at weddings.
I still think back to it like a dream. Meeting my Auntie Heidi. She whispered to me, "Never, never in my life did I think I would get to meet you, and here you are. You look like your mother." She knew just what to say to keep my tears flowing. Before departing, she embraced me one last time and whispered to me, "Take care of yourself. I love you. I love you so much." A women I met only once in my life, just minutes ago, and I could feel she meant what she was saying.
In Manila I was met by my Tita Cleah. She is a cousin of my mother, making her my second cousin I think - but by the manner of our first greeting and how she cared for Dylan and I ever since, you would think I was her niece or even daughter. She took us around Manila and filled me in on stories and history of the family including drawing an extending tree for me - very helpful with a family as large as ours :)
Tita Cleah took me to meet my Tita Heidi ( my aunt, the one sister of my mother's that I have never met or even seen her picture). We entered the neighborhood where my mother grew up and turned down the street where she had lived for 21 years. I entered the house, my head very clouded with emotions and words to say. Auntie Heidi sat on a wooden bench in her house in a pink and white cotton dress. At first glance she looked confused, I tried to explain who I was and why I was coming to visit her but my nervous english words came out as jibberish. Tita Cleah stepped in and explained, in Tagolog, my presence. Tears filled Auntie Heidi's eyes as the words began to process and realization set in. Her arms reached out to grab mine and she pulled me close to her. I was suddenly not only surrounded by her warmth but filled with it. My tears broke, tears of joy. An indescribable feeling that I always wrote off as being fake when I saw it in movies or at weddings.
I still think back to it like a dream. Meeting my Auntie Heidi. She whispered to me, "Never, never in my life did I think I would get to meet you, and here you are. You look like your mother." She knew just what to say to keep my tears flowing. Before departing, she embraced me one last time and whispered to me, "Take care of yourself. I love you. I love you so much." A women I met only once in my life, just minutes ago, and I could feel she meant what she was saying.
Daily Doses of Pig Shit Water
March 7 - March 21
We arrived at Clement Doyers in the hot sun and were welcomed into the bright teal colored house for bananas and tea. At this farm is where we met some of the most amazing friends and beautiful souls during our travels. A written description wouldn't do them justice so I'll get on to the farming part. The numbers of us fluctuated from time to time but for the core time that Dylan and I were there, we worked together with five other people. our schedule went a little something like this...
6:45 wake up
7:00 start cutting vegetable
7:30 eat breakfast
8:00 leave the house to start work ( must have water bottle and bananas for snack). Morning work was one of the following: smash/ hack compost, bag compost, carry bags of compost, find hose for the pig shit water (literally pumped from a pond behind the pig stye where the pig shit was rinsed into everyday, excellent fertilizer, terribly awful smell), fix hose for the pig shit water, weed the rubber trees, bag straw, carry bags of straw.
10:00 morning break of pig shit jokes and bananas
10:15 back to work. everyone coming together to lay down the compost around each rubber tree, water it with PSW, and cover it with straw.
12:00 break for lunch cooked by Assimi, the sister in law of the farm owner. Assimi and her family were all members of the Lisu tribe.
After Lunch Siesta until 3
3:00 back to work to finish composting the rubber trees
5:00 done with work for the day, return to the house for long awaited cold showers
5:45 start cutting vegetable for dinner
7:00 dinner cooked by Assimi
rest of the night free time usually spent playing card games, watching movies, experimenting with recipes for banana beer, or baking hodge-podge cakes. One night was spent at a traditional Lisu birthday ceremony.
This was Mon - Sat. Sunday we had the day to ourselves and on Friday mornings the work day was cut short because Clement would pile us into the pick-up and take us to a Chinese market near the Burmese border to treat us to chinese noodles and give us time to snoop around the market.
The routine became home and our working companions became our family.
We arrived at Clement Doyers in the hot sun and were welcomed into the bright teal colored house for bananas and tea. At this farm is where we met some of the most amazing friends and beautiful souls during our travels. A written description wouldn't do them justice so I'll get on to the farming part. The numbers of us fluctuated from time to time but for the core time that Dylan and I were there, we worked together with five other people. our schedule went a little something like this...
6:45 wake up
7:00 start cutting vegetable
7:30 eat breakfast
8:00 leave the house to start work ( must have water bottle and bananas for snack). Morning work was one of the following: smash/ hack compost, bag compost, carry bags of compost, find hose for the pig shit water (literally pumped from a pond behind the pig stye where the pig shit was rinsed into everyday, excellent fertilizer, terribly awful smell), fix hose for the pig shit water, weed the rubber trees, bag straw, carry bags of straw.
10:00 morning break of pig shit jokes and bananas
10:15 back to work. everyone coming together to lay down the compost around each rubber tree, water it with PSW, and cover it with straw.
12:00 break for lunch cooked by Assimi, the sister in law of the farm owner. Assimi and her family were all members of the Lisu tribe.
After Lunch Siesta until 3
3:00 back to work to finish composting the rubber trees
5:00 done with work for the day, return to the house for long awaited cold showers
5:45 start cutting vegetable for dinner
7:00 dinner cooked by Assimi
rest of the night free time usually spent playing card games, watching movies, experimenting with recipes for banana beer, or baking hodge-podge cakes. One night was spent at a traditional Lisu birthday ceremony.
This was Mon - Sat. Sunday we had the day to ourselves and on Friday mornings the work day was cut short because Clement would pile us into the pick-up and take us to a Chinese market near the Burmese border to treat us to chinese noodles and give us time to snoop around the market.
The routine became home and our working companions became our family.
The Hills of Chiang Rai
March 3 - March 5
Other than teaching at the school, our time in the Chiang Rai hills was filled with tiered waterfalls, jungle hikes, river boat taxis, a private hot spring, and playing games with an elephant.
The waterfall was a regular stop on our way home from the village everyday. After a long, sticky hot walk along a winding mountain road it was completely worth the extra fifteen minute hike to reach the enormous, gushing, ice cold waters of this waterfall. A swim wasn't even necessary. Sitting on the cold stones that surrounded the pool on one of its many tiers while being showered in the clean mist was more than enough. I would have to say I had the best nap of my life on one of these cold rocks, unbelieveabley peaceful.
Dylan and I had plans of taking an elephant ride but when we arrived, our hearts sank. I don't think anyone likes to be tied to a stake forced to stand in the hot sun and sand all day with a huge harness tied around your entire body that also restricts your ability to take a crap (and if you eat as much as those guys do, you have to go alot too) then to top it off carry around some fat tourist. So obviously we nixed the idea to ride the elephants. Instead, I found one that seemed to be rather fond of me (as Dylan pointed out as he glimpsed at his loins) and he wanted to play games with us. Dylan and I played catch with the elephant trunk and exchanged numerous hugs before we said goodbye to a gentle giant friend.
And oooo the hotspring. Not something that immediately comes to mind when it is already 90 degrees outside, but a natural hot bath always does a body good!
Other than teaching at the school, our time in the Chiang Rai hills was filled with tiered waterfalls, jungle hikes, river boat taxis, a private hot spring, and playing games with an elephant.
The waterfall was a regular stop on our way home from the village everyday. After a long, sticky hot walk along a winding mountain road it was completely worth the extra fifteen minute hike to reach the enormous, gushing, ice cold waters of this waterfall. A swim wasn't even necessary. Sitting on the cold stones that surrounded the pool on one of its many tiers while being showered in the clean mist was more than enough. I would have to say I had the best nap of my life on one of these cold rocks, unbelieveabley peaceful.
Dylan and I had plans of taking an elephant ride but when we arrived, our hearts sank. I don't think anyone likes to be tied to a stake forced to stand in the hot sun and sand all day with a huge harness tied around your entire body that also restricts your ability to take a crap (and if you eat as much as those guys do, you have to go alot too) then to top it off carry around some fat tourist. So obviously we nixed the idea to ride the elephants. Instead, I found one that seemed to be rather fond of me (as Dylan pointed out as he glimpsed at his loins) and he wanted to play games with us. Dylan and I played catch with the elephant trunk and exchanged numerous hugs before we said goodbye to a gentle giant friend.
And oooo the hotspring. Not something that immediately comes to mind when it is already 90 degrees outside, but a natural hot bath always does a body good!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Akha Hill Tribe School
Friday 3 March 2011
The next morning after that crazy travel day Dylan and I headed to the sister guest house of the Akha River house, the Akha Hill House. The Akha houses are owned and run by people of the Akha tribe of northern Thailand. Originally, Dylan and I were planning on teaching at the village school for two weeks, however when we contacted the director of the hill house he had told us the children will be on vacation by the time we arrive (so a bit of a bummer, but we were still excited to stay at the hill house). After the long truck ride through winding mountains, vast jungle trails, and flourishing oolong tea plantations, we arrived at the Hill House. Bamboo huts lined the boundaries of the compound with a central meeting/dining area where visitors mingled and shared travel stories. This is where we met Shelley on our very first day, an Australian mom just taking a couple weeks to relax. She told us about the school and Melvin, a young swedish guy who had been teaching at the school for about a month. I was instantly excited that we may still have a chance to teach at the school after all - and best part was that Shelly was planning on stopping by the school the next morning to drop off some things she had collected for the children.
The next morning we hitched a ride with Shelley. We arrived as the kids were lined up for what looked like morning prayer and exercise. After meeting/greeting the teachers they seemed thrilled to have new teaching volunteers! Right away they assigned us three classes to teach! We ended up actually teaching 4 that day with help from Melvin in the afternoon who arrived during the enormous pot luck lunch that the teachers enjoy every day (and each day a student is assigned to do the dishes from the meal ha ha). The most difficult class was definitely the primary class - those crazy kids. Games were the key - games with alot of movement and crazy shouting patterns. So much fun. And for the rest of our time at the hill house, if we ever saw any of the children from our English lessons, we were called out to, "teacher, teacher!" followed by some random english sentence and a giggle.
The next morning after that crazy travel day Dylan and I headed to the sister guest house of the Akha River house, the Akha Hill House. The Akha houses are owned and run by people of the Akha tribe of northern Thailand. Originally, Dylan and I were planning on teaching at the village school for two weeks, however when we contacted the director of the hill house he had told us the children will be on vacation by the time we arrive (so a bit of a bummer, but we were still excited to stay at the hill house). After the long truck ride through winding mountains, vast jungle trails, and flourishing oolong tea plantations, we arrived at the Hill House. Bamboo huts lined the boundaries of the compound with a central meeting/dining area where visitors mingled and shared travel stories. This is where we met Shelley on our very first day, an Australian mom just taking a couple weeks to relax. She told us about the school and Melvin, a young swedish guy who had been teaching at the school for about a month. I was instantly excited that we may still have a chance to teach at the school after all - and best part was that Shelly was planning on stopping by the school the next morning to drop off some things she had collected for the children.
The next morning we hitched a ride with Shelley. We arrived as the kids were lined up for what looked like morning prayer and exercise. After meeting/greeting the teachers they seemed thrilled to have new teaching volunteers! Right away they assigned us three classes to teach! We ended up actually teaching 4 that day with help from Melvin in the afternoon who arrived during the enormous pot luck lunch that the teachers enjoy every day (and each day a student is assigned to do the dishes from the meal ha ha). The most difficult class was definitely the primary class - those crazy kids. Games were the key - games with alot of movement and crazy shouting patterns. So much fun. And for the rest of our time at the hill house, if we ever saw any of the children from our English lessons, we were called out to, "teacher, teacher!" followed by some random english sentence and a giggle.
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