I used to measure the passage of time through seasons. Now it is through rice fields. Through the plantings and harvesting that surround this country.
I'm a Peace Corps Volunteer working in Coastal Resource Management in the Philippines. The opinions expressed in this blog are mine alone and do not reflect the position of the U.S. Government or Peace Corps.
May 21, 2013
May 21, 2013
“When I heard the news that the Freedom Tower will be now be the highest building in Manhattan, I thought: ‘Kids!’” Ana Juan, the artist behind this week’s cover “Defiance,” says. “When you are a kid, you’re with your friends, and you say, ‘My ice cream is bigger than yours!’” she adds laughingly. “It’s a kind of a race, even if it makes for a great skyline. Still, I can’t help wondering: ‘Why do humans need to build higher and higher?’ It’s a show of power—something that doesn’t necessarily hold much interest for me. We need better schools, or a better health-care system, or to take care of the cities we have… but I guess building ever higher is our way to show how great we are.”
Cover of the May 27, 2013 issue. For more on Ana Juan’s cover, “Defiance,” as well as a slide show of images of the downtown skyline after 9/11 and some of her many children’s books illustrations: http://nyr.kr/10IKny1
May 4, 2013
May 3, 2013
"Before, the fisherfolk were taking out the Dap-ag with spear. That is why there were so many this year in our sanctuary. Because of you and your training, they now know how to correctly extract Dap-ag, preventing their reproduction in our sancturies."
—
Kuya Ryan, a coworker
Seriously, some of the best words I’ve heard during my service, after months of feeling underappreciated. Thanks new job order guy in the LGU, atleast somebody recognizes my work.
April 19, 2013
"Be like the fox, who makes more tracks than necessary. Some in the wrong direction."
— Wendell Berry
March 8, 2013
By The Numbers
2 – Gallons of water I use per day to bathe
246 – Days I’ve lived in the Philippines
541 – Days until I leave the Philippines
16 – Amount of cobwebs (not including spiders) scattered around my house
5 – Number of times I’ve seen a dead mouse in my living room
126 – Total kilometers it takes to get from my town, Hinunangan, to the nearest city, Tacloban
3.5 – Hours it takes to actually get to Tacloban
1 – Hours it takes to travel that far in the States, at 75 mph.
45 – Average number of kids per classroom in each of our high schools
16 – Age at when Filipinos graduate high school
1492 – Total number of Crown of Thorns we extracted from one barangay (village)
225 – My salary, in USD, per month
65 – Cost, in USD, of my rent, per month
2 – Hours I spent staring at my wall last weekend
1 – Cost, in USD, of my lunch yesterday
325 – Distance, in Km and as the crow flies, from Hinunangan to Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
19 – Total hours it takes to travel from Hinunangan to Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
3 – Modes of transportation taken on the aforementioned trip to Dumaguete
75 – Average amount of stares I receive each day commuting to work
1 – Days, on average/week, we have a brown out (no electricity)
35 – Amount, in USD, I spent last weekend – included hotel room, transportation to site and within the city, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and ample groceries from one of the only grocery stores in Leyte
1 – Cost, in USD, for a loaf of bread
65 – Average number of people on a bus
35 – Average number of people the bus has seats for
12 – Total amount of chickens on my bus ride from San Juan to Hinunangan two weeks ago
800+ - Total amount of times I’ve been called “Hey Joe!”
15 – Minutes it takes for me to bike to work
190 - Average income per month, in USD, for a Filipino family of five
46 – Percentage of population that lives at or below the aforementioned monthly income
104 – Average precipitation in inches, per year, for Hinunangan
52 – Average precipitation in inches, per year, for my hometown; Venice, Florida
93 – Population, in millions, of the Philippines
2.7 – Population, in millions, of Nevada, which is in approximate equal land area to the Philippines
8 – Number of times I’ve been SCUBA-diving in country
12 – Number of times I’ve danced Gangnam Style
1 – Number of times I’ve danced Gangnam Style net to the Blood of Christ
3 – Amount of programs, contests, and celebrations that I have MC’d
2 – Number of dance contests in which I have been a judge
4 – Number of dances that I have participated in
1 – Number of times I’ve eaten dog
34 – Number of times I’ve eaten something that I still fully question as to what it could be
2 – Times I’ve eaten Dinuguan, a Filipino dish of pig intestines cooked in its own blood
0 – Times I’ve enjoyed eating Dinuguan
2 – Total number of times I’ve been up to watch the sunrise over the Pacific
0 – Number of times I’ve truly regretted the decision to be a Peace Corps Volunteer
Ok, that last one was a bit overly-romantic J
March 6, 2013
The Nipa Hut Diaries #1
Even my cutting boards have started to grow mold.
February 21, 2013
As We Get Swept Into The Current
I’m still here, I’m still alive, and life is good. It’s been a while since we’ve all talked but as the days here are long and the weeks as short as the rice fields during planting, life is still going strong. Since my horrific battle with some stomach-parasite-of-the-tropics-something-or-other, I’ve tried to master another language, been to a birthday and a funeral of the same person, danced a million Gangnam Styles, MC’d two parties in the same barangay, swam with sea turtles in Apo, attended mass at 3 a.m. (while dancing Gangnam Style on the altar!) at Christmas, conquered a colony of spiders in my home, dragged 40 lbs. and 5 bags of groceries and household items 4 hours on a hellfire bus bound south of Leyte, had new expectations crushed and then rejuvenated and then crushed again, planned a vacation to Hong Kong, went dancing and videoked with new friends in town, and successfully fried a whole fish (read: head, guts, scales, gills, and all) on my first night in my new kitchen on a charcoal, native stove. I didn’t plan on the charcoal, but as they say, when in Rome….
February 21, 2013
Because sea turtles are awesome. But captured ones are not :(
February 21, 2013
PCV-Coworker Conversation #1
| *After stumbling into the room from biking to work* | |
| Me: | A crazy lady in poblacion threw a rock at me and was yelling at me in fast Visayan! |
| Coworker: | The black one? |
| Me: | Yes, the very dark skinned Filipino woman! (My attempt at addressing diversity) |
| Coworker: | Maybe she is afraid of you? |
| Me: | Why would she be scared of me? |
| Coworker: | Sometimes crazy people blame fairies for their illness, and because you are white, you are like a fairy. |
RSS feed: http://amhoran.tumblr.com/rss
1 of 4
Next page
-
“When I heard the news that the Freedom Tower will be now be the highest building in Manhattan, I thought: ‘Kids!’” Ana Juan, the artist behind...
-
“A good curse to put on your enemy is whatever curse someone put on Amanda Bynes.”—
Before curse:
AFTER CURSE: -
Not 100% certain or pleased that school applications ask for a family photo, but 100% certain I am using this one.
-
-
PC Cambodia, As Told By My Facebook (April 2013)
Last night at a housewarming party I boldly turned down a shot of rice wine while dancing to ‘If...
-
The Day's Reflection - 1 May 2013
Due to a national holiday, I had the day free from school and was able to join Vaughn at his school to be a part of...
-
Conservation Fares Better than Usual in Tallahassee
In the beginning of a re-election year that’s bound to be filled with surprises, the Florida...
-
“If we don’t change the direction we are headed, we will end up where we are going.”— Chinese Proverb
