Day 22: Philippines Independence

The day started bright and early in the company of our Catigbian host families.  After a quick farewell and some pleasant exchanges, the group convened at the Catigbian municipal hall for the celebration of the Philippines 114^th Independence Day.  We got to interact with the community, meet the mayor and barangay leaders, as well as see some truly great cultural dances, one of which we got to participate in.  Shortly thereafter, we rode our trusty steed of a bus to the local demonstration farm to witness first-hand how locals harvest Kalabasa and additional fruits and vegetables.  Following that stop, we headed to an ecotourism park to indulge in a delicious Filipino lunch while also having the luxury of fishing in the mayor’s privately owned ponds.  After fishing, we furthered our education of sustainability by visiting the local vermiculture compost facility.  After another encounter with our old acquaintance the African night crawler, we shipped back to Process Bohol to rest and relax by either sleeping or reading.  With our batteries charged, we embarked on the new adventure of visiting one of Bohol’s original jewellery crafters, where some of us bought gifts and souvenirs after seeing how the jewellery was made.  From there, it was a short drive to our dinner destination, the organic Bohol Bee Farm, where we were fortunate enough to see a demonstration of edible flowers and the honey harvesting process. Some of us were brave enough to hold a bee shelf and not get stung! Dinner was very very very delicious. With some lasagna that reminded us of home and some heavenly spreads, we satiated our hunger and discussed our experience with the Process members.  As only seems fitting, we topped the day off by visiting the Bohol Bee Farm’s souvenier shop and got ice cream that boasted a variety of flavors such as: Malongay, Mango, Ube, and Chocolate. It was tasty.

--Ray and Kelly

Day 21: Let's Have a D.A.T.E

An exciting day was ahead of us. We would be charged with exploring the D.A.T.E park (Dagook Adventure Tour Experience). The park consisted of several adrenaline-pumping events: a high-wire bridge, a monkey bridge, a zip-line, and a waterfall tour. The most exciting part had to have been the monkey bridge. The monkey bridge which was a high wire strung across the gap of a river flowing through the park with just a few inches separating us from a nasty fall. Luckily we had cables that could hold up 2000lbs. We also rode the zip line which gave us a chance to view all the wonders of the park while zipping through the air. It was a great experience to see a growing adventure park become the center of tourism of Bohol. I imagine it would be like visiting a young Cedar Point and observe all of the promise of such a landmark. The one thing that I appreciated about this day was that we got a chance to learn about the environmental conservation in an awesome way. The park not only protected the flourishing nature but gave people a reason to appreciate what the Philippines has to offer through exciting adventures for all.

-- Robert and Broghan

Day 20: Pacquiao vs. Bradley

Today was our first free day in a long time. I think we all really needed it. We have been going nonstop and we are all a little tired. We decided to go to the mall for our free day. When we arrived at the mall we immediately went to Greenwich to eat pizza; and eat we did. In the true American style a few members of our group ordered and devoured entire large pizzas. We then split up into groups to do a little shopping. While wandering the mall we found a giant big screen t.v. where some of us were able to see some of the Pacquiao versus Bradley boxing match. It was a disappointment when later that day we found out that Pacquiao lost. After the mall we returned to Process to prepare for dinner. We ate dinner at the starting point of the Abatan river cruise. There also were some members of the Bohol Bee farm, and the special guest of the night, Binhan! It was Binhan's 21st  birthday. Before dinner we were able to hear the Loboc children's choir sing happy birthday to Binhan, as well as other beautiful songs, and the Abananistas. The singing was beautiful and masarap (delicious). After dinner we had cake and took a night cruise on the Abatan river. The cruise was amazing because we were able to see trees full of fireflys. Unlike any fireflys we had ever seen in the states that fly solo and light up sporadically, these fireflys clustered together in the mangrove trees and flashed synchronously. After the cruise we returned to process and are all very ready to go to sleep. We had a great free day but are definitely ready to return to our schedule as normal.

--Katie and Olivia

Day 19: See ya Cabilao

Today the GIEU said goodbye to our host families in Cabilao and took a boat back to the mainland. After we arrived back on shore we went to the Macaque reservation where we observed some monkeys up close and personal. This is the closest we have been to monkeys in our whole life. After our rendezvous with the monkeys we went to OWAC Bilar. OWAC Bilar is a facility which aims to provide clean and accessible water to its residents. The organization has made a lot of progress in the past few years. We even got a chance to visit a popular faucet. It is amazing how much this community sacrificed in order to make sure clean water in each house was available to all. It was just a few years ago that the residents had to grab their buckets and pails to get water. Now they are on their way to providing water to every person in the community.

--Ashlee and Amanda :)

Day 18: Snorkeling and more!

Waking up on our first and last full day on Caliboa Island was a different experience for each of us, with some of us feeding chickens while others helped with the rice. After having breakfast, as prepared by our host families, it was off to the Green Foot Print Lagoon via motorbike! While some of us took a quick trip on a boat through the lagoon, others enjoyed wading in the crystal clear ocean and finding shells on the small beach. Our stay there was short, but we were nonetheless invited to attend a celebration lunch prepared by the host family of Patrick and Adam. The luncheon was actually an old tradition of the people of the island, commemorating the 9th anniversary of the death of a loved one. The 9th year after death is considered to be the year in which the person's soul transcends into another realm. Therefore, this year is celebrated with a huge feast and celebration, to which the entire barangay (neighborhood) is invited. Patrick and Adam had many interesting experiences in witnessing the preparations for the feast, which continued through the entire night and involved peeling many pounds of vegetables, slaughtering a hog, chickens and a goat and sharing memories of the loved one.

After the feast concluded, we were essentially given free time to spend with our host families, hit up the sari sari stores or go to the beautiful beach that we had arrived on the day before. The most exciting event of the day was the Marine Protected Area. Here we were given a brief overview of the actions being taken to preserve the local coral reef and the interesting life forms that could be found in the area. The preparation was brief and soon enough many of us found ourselves in masks and swimming over a gorgeous ocean floor. For many of us, experiencing the wonders of the stunning ocean floor was a first that will not soon be forgotten. Blue starfish, clown fish that swam into your hands, lionfish, brain corals - these were just a few of the wonders that we were lucky enough to experience. Unfortunately enough, the sunburns will also not soon be forgotten :)

Upon leaving this area and hitching motorbike rides back to our homes, we ate dinner with our host families and prepared for another celebration at the Municipal Hall. Here, many island teen and adult groups performed dance numbers and sang, showcasing the best of Caliboa talent. In return we belted our group's go-to song: Don't Stop Believing! Admittedly, we may have forgotten a few of the words, but the congo line we created certainly made up for it! The festivities didn't last too long, due to the island's electricity curfew, but we were worn out from a long day anyway and ready pack for tomorrow's adventures!

-Rachel and Erika :)

Day 17: Arrival to Cabilao Island

With an early morning wake-up, our group packed and prepared to leave our respective host families in Maribojoc. Last breakfasts were eaten together, pictures were taken as souvenirs, and final goodbyes were said. This was the day we were all headed to the island of Cabilao. After meeting the mayor of the municipality of Loon, we boarded a boat bound for Cabilao. The ride was amazingly beautiful! Riding a small boat, we were able to experience the brilliant shades of blue as we traversed the water around us. We attempted to guess which of the islands on the horizon would be our new home for the next two nights.


Upon our arrival to our new and temporary home, we sunk our feet into the sandy shores as we were greeted by the snacks and songs of the municipality leader at the tourist center. Lunch ensued shortly afterward, and we were treated to demos of how the residents of the island craft the woven bags and baskets. Some of us were even able to cut the natural plant material into strips for weaving. The group then walked a straight, rocky road (as motorcycles zoomed past us) to our respective host families.

My (Oana's) host family was made up of my host mother (Mommy Bebie), her three daughters (Angelica, Dulce Lyn, and Candy Lyn), as well as another GIEU member, Taylor. Arriving to their home, we were each led to our own individual rooms where upon attempting to turn on the lights we found out that the electricity is only (usually) available from 6:00pm to 11:30pm every day. We were both given a tour of the house where we met Auntie (their Aunt who stopped by to help make dinner), their two pigs, as well as most of the neighbors who came out to meet us. The rest of the evening was spent getting to know the family, celebrating the birthday of two twins in the family, watching fireflies and the stars, getting laughed at for my horrendous pronunciation of Visayan words, and watching my host mother begin making a hand-made woven basket. The night ended in a surprise as Taylor discovered a very large spider (nicknamed Charles) dwelling on her room's ceiling. All in all, it was a day in which I was able to experience life in Calibao Island through the eyes of a local, rather than simply a tourist.


My (Ray's) host family consisted of my host father (Gerardo) and host brother (Junior).  After initially struggling with a slight language barrier, we settled in and dove into getting to know one another. Questions about family's, backgrounds, school, and the future were both asked and answered by both parties. I was even taught the Filipino card game called Tong-It and received a lesson in how to clean, gut, and cook a fish. After a wonderful dinner of rice, bread, and a fish that deserved a compliment to the chef, we journeyed down the main road to a friend's residence where Broghan was coincidentally staying. We were reluctantly talked into singing karaoke but had a wonderful time jamming out with both families over shared drinks. All in all, it was a great bonding time and a memorable experience of what island life is sometimes like.

Hugs! Ray and Oana

Day 16: Marchin’ around in Maribojoc

This morning we woke up to another great Filipino breakfast complete with our respective homestay families. We then briefly observed the busy municipal market that included vendors that sold fish, dry goods, clothing, and miscellaneous items. Once done browsing the market, our team then visited the Mayor Leoncio B. Evasco  office complex. There he discussed how their sustainable farming efforts, drug crackdown, and improved healthcare elevated Maribojoc's municipality status from 5^th class to 4^th class. 

Our GIEU team then toured the municipality’s organic food farm that was started in January. The farm was quite developed despite only being a few months in. Maribojoc is attempting to produce fresh fruits and vegetables not only for their area as well as surrounding ones.  

                   

Lunch was enjoyed with several council members. We discussed many topics such as politics, education, and religion. It was quite a delight to have such distinguished members of the community join and speak to us.

From there, we traveled to the Holy Cross Church. It was established in the 16^th century and is the second oldest church still standing in Bohol. This church built by the Spaniards, was comprised of coral blocks. If divers in charge of producing blocks failed to do so received 14 lashes of the whip. Holy Cross church retains several ancient artifacts: a piece of the cross that was used to crucify Jesus Christ and the remains of Saint Vincent. 

Following our trip to the church, we then went to PUNTA CRUZ, a historical location in Bohol. Punta Cruz contains a watchtower that was used as a lookout for pirates and other maritime threats. We were then entertained by a cultural show that included a traditional dance that predated Islam and Christianity. They invited us to participate in the dance with them. The dance was much more difficult that it seemed.

The night ended with a very energetic display from both GIEU and the Youth Culture group. We sang karaoke throughout the night and made memories with the locals of Punta Cruz. Vice Mayor Fructoso wished us farewell and personally made sure that we all got home safely. And thus ends the final full day in Maribojoc. 

- Bowen and Amanda

Day 15: There Is Always Karaoke

Taylor's Home Stay Experience:
Today was a chance to experience life in a costal community first hand

with our respective host families. The morning started at 7:00am when
Matea and I awoke to the breakfast our host mother prepared for us
(having slept through the roosters' crows). We then took to exploring
the pond a few paces from our home where some of the neighbor's
children were swimming and catching tiny tadpoles as well as fish.
Despite our lack of Filipino language skills we talked to the kids and
were given some tiny fish of our own. We were then scooped up by one
of our host mother's relatives who took us to a neighboring house to
sing karaoke, which appears to a favorite pastime in the Philippines.
Our hosts were surprised to learn that we did not in fact know as many
English songs as they did, but listened to us struggle through various
Justin Beiber and Taylor Swift songs. Soon after some of our more shy
audience members joined in on the festivities, we were again whisked
away by our host mother with the prospect of lunch. We enjoyed some
fresh mangoes and bananas, pork adobo, fish, and of course rice to
complete our meal. To pass the time we listened to the radio and
learned that David Archuletta is quite popular here and released an
album exclusively for the philippines. After our host mother insisted,
we retired to our room for a nap under our brightly colored yellow
mosquito net.
Later we were awakened by our host father who inquired about our
interest in climbing a coconut tree. After exchanging nervous glances
at each other we agreed and were led to the backyard where, to our
relief, a boy around our age was already climbing the tree and
knocking coconuts free. Our father graciously cut open a coconut with
a rather large and intimidating machete so that we could enjoy the
Buko juice inside. Not five minutes later, our mother brought out a
sweet mixture of Buko juice, coconut meat, and ice for us to try while
we watched our father cut and drain more coconuts. 

The day ended with Matea and I reprising our roles as karaoke stars at

the neighbor's house with a few other GIEU members. 

However all of our experiences were different as we were with different host

families, so we have another personal account of a day in the Maribojoc community coming soon...

Day 14: Arrival at PROCESS Bohol

Today we woke up early to leave the paradise of Boracay for the longest leg of our trip on the island of Bohol. Bohol is famous for its Tarsier population and Chocolate Hills. The day was mainly spent in transit as we again took nearly every form of transportation available to man. After the boat off of Boracay, we hopped on a bus to the airport in Manila to take a plane to Tagbilaran City. From there we headed to the PROCESS Bohol offices where we would spend our first night. We were kindly greeted by the employees of the office and sat down to a presentation so we could become more familiarized with the work of the NGO. PROCESS is actually an acronym for Participatory Research, Organization of Communities and Education towards Struggle for Self-Reliance. The highly varied organization has successfully implemented many programs focusing on the social, environmental, and economic well-being of its citizens.

The evening activities continued with a generous welcome dinner that featured an entire roasted pig. Many thanks to our gracious hosts. We ended the night fairly early with some karaoke and interaction with PROCESS Bohol staff before the next day we would head out early to the beginning of our three day home stay in the city of Maribojoc.

--Katie and Robert

Day 13: Off to Bohol!

After a fun last night with the Yuppies (with no curfew), the group scrambled to wake up in the morning and finish packing everything for our departure at 7:00am from the Little Prairie Inn. We then set out for a long day of traveling. After two planes, a Pedi cab, a ferry, and a bus we finally arrived at the PROCESS-Bohol Community Resource Development Center at 5:30. There we were greeted with a snack of mango, hot chocolate, and a treat made of rice, sugar, and coconut. After our snack we were given an orientation where we received our itinerary and home stay information as well as an overview of the organization projects and history. We then proceeded to the dining area where we were pleasantly surprised by the feast that our hosts had prepared. Squid, shrimp, Lechon, various fruits (so many mangos!), rice and deserts were just some of the delicious foods we enjoyed.

       After we finished our welcome dinner, our hosts serenaded us with some traditional Tagalog songs. Later GIEU joined in and sang some popular American songs with them. As it began to get late, people started heading off to their rooms. For the first night we will stay in the community center where we will sleep in two dorm style rooms, one for the boys, and one for the girls. For tonight it’s one big slumber party, but tomorrow we are off to our host families. We are very excited to start our adventure in Bohol and see what new surprises await us.

-Kelly and Matea

Day 12: Bittersweet Paradise

Today was our final day in Boracay and it was definitely bittersweet to say the least. Our day started bright and early with breakfast at 6:30 AM to energize us for our long and eventful day, or so we thought. The rain had begun long before breakfast and there was no sight to an end. Today's focal point and culmination of our stay here in Boracay was the Yuppies weekly Saturday beach cleanup. However, the ocean's tide and Mother Nature has other plans for us. No sand just water was the view from back patio. What once was a sandy beach was all waves. The cleanup was scheduled for 7:30 AM but was pushed back an hour for hours on end. Lunch at 11:00 AM came and went with no beach clean up. With the weather aside, various of the students fell ill and the morning became a time of various naps and lounging around. About eight of us sat in Kelly, Rachel, and Matea, and Olivia's room to watch a really low budget version of Anaconda which was quite amusing.

Finally at 12:30 PM the weather broke and the tide receded. Our festivities began at 1:00 PM with the Filipino version of the Amazing Race. We broke off into five teams of four, with a mixture of GIEU students and Yuppies. There we five different tasks that every team needed to accomplish. The difficultly increased as the tasks went on. The tasks we as followed: fill three garbage bags of litter, fill three bottles with water without submerging them into the ocean, build a sand house with ten sand balls, count the number of coconut trees from our hotel and another resort, and lastly recite a tongue twister in Tagalog. Team two, which was composed of Rachel, Ray, Broghan, and Sophie prevailed and won the competition. After all was said and done it was time for an egg tossed Yuppies vs GIEU students in which had no winner because all of the eggs broke. 

After a days worth of physical activities, some of us continued to play games with the Yuppies while another group walked down the beach to grab a quick snack and shop. Once again all of this was cut short due to another down pour. Every retreated into their rooms to wait out the weather and relax. We made frequent trips into the hallway to check out the rain and were surprised to see that our stairwell turned into a waterfall. Hunger eventually set in and we became curious as to when and where we would be eating dinner. We knew that we were eating out but we didn't know where and to our surprise the Yuppies treated us to an amazing dinner at Tito's. The dinner was filled with wonderful food, great conversations, thank you speeches, and super cute gifts from the Yuppies to the GIEU students.

The night ended with a group gathering and eventually divided into two groups. One group enjoyed each other's company and serenaded the Yuppies while the others danced the night away at a club near the hotel.

We are ending our stay here in Boracay with new friends and smiling faces to begin our new experiences in Bohol.

Patrick and Adam! :)

Day 11: Alternative to tourism...Volunteerism

Today we woke up to lightning! When we all met for breakfast there was no room for laying on the beach. It had rained all night and by morning the tide was so high no one could even see the sand beneath all of the water. Despite our morning misfortune, we still managed to come together for yet another breakfast. For others breakfast was not a luxury because of their previous night's excursion! They shut off their alarms and opted to get a few more z's; that's always exciting! For the rest of the early birds there was plenty of laundry to be done and so a quick walk to the laundromat was taken by many. For only P120-150 (approx. $3-4) you could have your laundry washed, dried, and folded. Who could miss out on an opportunity like that?! It's every college students dream!

When all the morning tasks were complete (around 9:30AM) we hopped on a few buses, and motorcycle driven tricycles and headed for the local compost facility. While there we were eaten alive by a swarm of killer flies....just kidding...but there were quite a few. We began our trip learning about the compost site in which imported gummy worms (real worms of course) lived and fed on the organic waste. We moved to the glass shredder station. There we were able to see the different uses for glass bottles. For example, there was a large Christmas tree and a number of walls all made of glass bottles. When the glass bottles were shredded they could also be used to make bricks for the pathways throughout the compost center. They also were used to make pots for plants. We also saw how 60 kilo blocks of plastic were compacted for shipment. Currently, the Philippines does not have the money or resources to properly dispose of this kind of waste and so shipment is necessary. 

After the science lesson, we went to an engineering lecture...well not really. When we arrived at the water plant there was a miscommunication about who would be visiting their site. Instead of an extremely intelligent group of engineers they got us! A group of undecided ex-engineering students. They were so happy to have us! It rained the entire tour of the water plant but overall it was a pretty good experience. We were able to climb the water towers, and despite the awful smells, we were able to see how polluted water becomes purified and ready to enter back into the ocean. We were warned, that even though the water was technically clean, we could still not drink it. At the end of our tour we were offered more Filipino hospitality and were whisked back to our resort on their magic carpets. We were just grateful we didn't have to walk back in the rain. 

By this time in the day we were all hungry and ready to get back to the beach. Luckily for us the beach was back and we were able to swim and enjoy another lunch with our hosts. Generally lunch time is accompanied by free time and so we are left to our own devices. Personally I spent my time watching movies and laying in bed. I always enjoy watching old movies I haven't seen in ages. The classic "Mummy Returns" was playing and I swear it was like watching a new movie...Good times in Boracay :) 

For our next event, we ventured off into a school filled with children in need of school supplies and a good time. We were happy to oblige them! We began our event by inviting up unsuspecting victims to sing. They were so adorable! At first we had no takers but like American children, a little bribe goes a long way. They were running to the stage charging us 20 pesos per song; those kids are ready for school! After a few games of folding newspaper, aggressive musical broken chairs, and pop that balloon as you walk with it between your knees, it was time to give away the goods. The kids were so excited! It didn't go as smoothly as we had hoped it would and at the end it came down to who could be in line the quickest. It was sad to see that we could not provide all of the children, who had come out, with school supplies but to see the look on the children's faces as they threw their backpacks on their backs, was priceless. But of course, there are always those few who walk away with their heads down and you wish you had just one more smile to give. 

After a long day of volunteer work and relaxation we are back at the resort, and again, how we choose to spend our time is up to us. There is so much to do on the island and everything is so centrally located. There were a few repeat offenders of the $8, 1 hour, full body massages! Boracay is like heaven on Earth! 

Day 10: Another Day in Paradise

Waking up on yet another day in paradise, we were greeted with a lovely breakfast prepared by our hosts and some of our fellow team members. After breakfast, our group headed out to plant trees for the "Treetment Movement," an initiative by the Boracay Yuppies in combination with a few other local service groups to beautify their island home. These trees, aside from their aesthetic appeal, have medicinal properties. Their leaves can be burned to ward off mosquitoes, they help with diabetes and also function other homeopathic remedies. With the combined effort of over 20 people, the 40 trees were planted with relative ease and we finished earlier than expected. Our jeepney was not scheduled to arrive yet to pick us up so we decided to walk back to Little Prairie Inn. It wasn't a long walk, and we enjoyed the lovely view and exercise on the way back. We took the scenic route back, walking along the beach front, and we were all still struck by the amazing view before us. Some of us still felt nostalgia for Cavite and the members of DTC, and so stopped to write a message for them in the sand. 

When we arrived back at "Little Prairie Inn," we had lunch and some free time until 2:00pm. Some of our group members went to help the Yuppies prepare the food for our feeding program later in the day. They peeled hard boiled eggs and made chicken and rice porridge. 

At 2:00pm, our group headed up to Lapus-Lapus, a mountain community that has been adopted by the Boracay Yuppies for a biannual feeding program. We were greeted by the smiling faces of about 50 kids and their families. Before passing out the food to the children, we played a few games with them. We played, musical chairs, paper dance, tomato dance, and a spoon balancing game. Due to a sizable difference in our height and weight compared to the kids, we had to be especially careful with games such as musical chairs. In the heat of the competition, one GIEU member accidentally sat on one of the boys who made it into the chair first!  

After the intensity of our opening games, the kids were definitely hungry. GIEU members took turns passing out the boiled eggs and rice porridge. Music played in the background while the kids ate and we're sure that more than a few kids and family members got a kick out of the dance moves of our GIEU chorus line. When all of the food was served, we said our final goodbyes, exchanging hugs, flowers, and good wishes for the future. We learned from our fellow Boracay Yuppies that Lapus-Lapus is part of their community service outreach program in which they adopt underserved communities in Boracay and provide them assistance in the forms of food and education to the best of their ability. We truly enjoyed our time with the Lapus-Lapus people and admire the work of the Yuppies!

Back at Little Prairie, it was afternoon free time. Several members of our team went to Spider resort where they went cliff-diving! Although all agreed the experience was exhilarating, a few members were stung by sea urchins. Luckily, one of the staff members was an expert in removing the spines and they were better in no time. The less adventurous members of the group elected for a more relaxing activity and indulged in manicures, pedicures, and full body massages. 

  

-Katie and Binhan :)

Day 9: Water, Water Everywhere.....

Waking up to a thunderstorm overlooking the Pacific Ocean while the water glowed with an ever changing blue color, we were greeted with a breakfast of eggs, fried rice, and fresh mango on the beach. Some of us began our day by swimming in the warm water while other enjoyed looking at the surrounding scenery. As a group we took a small, open bus that took us higher into the island where we were able to overlook most of the island and the water surrounding us. We were also able to see a variety of animal, including a cat bear, Tasmanian devil, snake, and monkeys. Some of us were shocked to see the monkeys that were chained to a tree, seemingly unnatural. One even jumped and screeched, scaring Olivia. We continued our bus ride through narrow streets, dropping us off near a secluded resort. To arrive at the beach, we hiked through small trails and climbed many, many stairs. The forest opened up to a beautiful view of the cliffs within and hanging over the ocean. We spent a few hours swimming and enjoying the water and the views. The cove was astonishing to explore. The water was warm and inviting and the view was indescribable. Lunch rolled around and we were served delicious fish, mango, adobo, and pasta. The pasta tasted just like home with butter and bacon pieces. It was truly masarap(delicious).

We have been in the Philippines for a while now, but we still have not gotten used to the level of hospitality. Many people have welcomed us into their homes and fed us on countless occasions without asking for anything in return. It makes us all want to be better people and give back to our communities even more. So much has been given to us on this trip and it would be unjust for us not to pass the kindness along.

With much love, Robert and Oana :)

Day 8: Ang Pilipino Ay Ako!

We left our friends in Cavite today with tears in our eyes and inspiration in our hearts, genuinely not wanting to leave our new family. Over the course of just four short days we have been reminded of what is important in this life we live, learning more in this brief period of time than we ever could in the classroom. Not only have we experienced the power of genuinely caring for your community and it's members, but we have also seen the direct effect of being selfless with the little that you have. We have learned that raising up a generation of strong, passionate leaders and caring, committed members undeterred by daily tragedies and obstacles is key towards creating the kind of world that we all want to live in.

These lessons will stay with us always and we will all do our best to put them into practice, making Kuya Ef and DTC proud. We would also like to encourage others within the United States and in other locations to learn more about the Dynamic Teen Company and Efren Penaflorida. Our lives within the US are blessed more than we can imagine, and it is only fair to pay it forward when we can. It is incredibly difficult for us to convey the power of our experiences in Cavite, but if we could, we would talk about the amazing Filipino smile; the overpowering smell of polluted rivers, burning garbage and the sight of shoeless children who play there. We would talk about the kindness of strangers; how to precisely aim your bucket when you are flushing your toilet (okay, so we're still working on that one); the little girl calling you mommy, and the uncertainty of her future. These are just a few of the things that we have experienced so far, and we can in no way do them justice with words. Our hearts have been changed, and there simply are not words for that.

And so now we come from this incredibly inspirational, but also heart-wrenching experience, into the beauty of Boracay and are forced once again to confront the extremes that seem to define the Philippines. In this beautiful island paradise we were greeted with Beachfront Inn, where the waves lap only steps from our door and a string of bars and restaurants await us just down the beach. We are ready to take on our next adventure, but will always remember what we learned, the people we met, and the power within ourselves to truly make a difference.

All our love,

Matea & Rachel

Day 7: A Perfect Last Day with DTC

Today was a bitter sweet day here for the GIEU team members. We traveled to Tagaytay City for a day filled with bonding, traditional Filipino games, great food, and many fun experiences but also with the knowledge that this was to be our last full day with our new friends and host families.
After sharing our last family breakfast with our gracious hosts, we boarded the bus bound for Tagaytay City (up in the mountains) with anticipation of a great day in a little bit cooler weather. As we arrived in the park we were greeted with a breath taking sight of luscious green canopy cover and a landscape straight out of a National Geographic cover photo. After taking in our surroundings and amazement at the volcano across the way we were introduced to a traditional Filipino game called patintero, which involves one team of "runners" trying to get past the other team of "defense players" with a flag without being tagged out. Needless to say, our competitive nature kicked in and were exhausted by the end of the game but wanted to continue playing!

As a little rain started to fall we decided to make our way over to the zip line and pair up with buddies to ride the line across the canopy cover. Although some of us were quite nervous about being strapped into a harness and flying across a vast green forest we mustered up the courage and experienced the nature around us in an entirely new way. With our pictures of the adventure in tow, we sat down to a picnic with our friends from Dynamic Team Company (DTC) and were invited to eat in a new way called boodle fight. The significance of this type of eating is to symbolize the unity among the people eating together. Along with this meal came a new food for us to try called balut (fertilized duck egg) which many would see on fear factor. Some succumbed to the fear while others conquered it and finished the whole thing.

After lunch the presentations prepared by the members of each host family took place as well as a special dance number that the volunteers of DTC performed for us. We sang Tagalog nursery rhymes, recited poems, and danced along for our new friends. We were then challenged to transfer a single marble from one point to another using only cardboard which symbolized the opportunity for us as a team to work together and lift up a single person in our own small ways as long as our hearts are sama-sama (together).

To end a picture perfect day, we were presented with gifts from our host brothers and sisters as well as other DTC volunteers  that truly touched our hearts and made us realize just how much we are going to miss our new friends when we leave. Then we showed our appreciation for our host families through presents and  speeches from the bottom of our hearts, some even tearing up from the overwhelming emotions. As a final token of recognition and gratitude we presented the members of DTC with certificates from GIEU recognizing their outstanding work and dedication to their community.

After leaving the park we headed to a restaurant by the name of Mushroom Burger to sit down for dinner together and reflect on our day and the days to come. We enjoyed great food and company before boarding the bus for a long ride back to Cavite where some slept, others played cards, and some spent this time bonding with our new friends and contemplating how hard it will be to leave them tomorrow morning after they have extended such hospitality and made us truly feel like family.

Day 6: Halo-Halo and Heroes...and a Happy Birthday

    Waking up early once again with out host families, it was hard to believe that we'd only been in Cavite for one day.  After a long and tiring but fulfilling day out with the pushcarts the day before, the morning routine got off to a much smoother start.  We had plenty of time to interact with our hosts and clean up before heading back to Karbuil where we had a big group breakfast with all of the GIEU scholars and the YAPC group (Young Adult and Professional Class), which leads a weekly Sunday school class.  On the menu was the most famous Filipino bread--pan de sal--and various spreads and toppings including white cheese, coco jam, and liver spread.  We also played games including "Pinoy Henyo" (Filipino Genius! It's similar to 20 Questions) and had a brief Bible lesson from Hebrews 13:5.
    From Karbuil, we then departed for a special service at A Blessed Church (ABC!) It was the congregation's 2nd year anniversary, and after a morning of singing, dancing, testimonies of faith and a sermon from Pastor Manalaysay, they prepared a huge feast for everybody in attendance.  Of course, there was also games to be played--namely "Pass the Message" with a twist: Americans who didn't know how to pronounce Tagalog for the life of them.  The winning team was headed by Robert the birthday boy, and they got a box of Wafu cookies as prize.  Tragically, they didn't get a chance to try them because Adam foolishly left them behind at our next destination: the shrine to Emilio Bautista Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines.

    The shrine was actually built upon the former house of Aguinaldo, and a tour guide was able to lead us through it and point out many of the features such as hidden passages and bomb shelters.  There was also an impressive collection of Aguinaldo-related artifacts and possessions.  Not unlike Greg, this guide was also filled with facts: for instance, Aguinaldo was the victim of the first documented medical mishap in a Filipino hospital (it wasn't too serious, he just had a piece of gauze left inside him after a surgery).

    After some group pictures, it was off to the famous restaurant Digman's for what many call the best halo-halo in the Philippines.  Halo-halo means "mix-mix," and that's just what it is.  It's a combination of ice cream, crushed ice, lots of fruits and beans, gelatin, evaporated milk, sugar, and leche flan all thrown together to be mixed up and eaten with a spoon.  It was a treat for everybody that was there, even those who had already tried it before.  It was also a fitting birthday celebration for Robert, who received his second (but not last) birthday song for the day at Digman's.

   Clamoring back on the bus, there was a minor setback when the bus temporarily stopped working on the way back to Karbuil.  It didn't take long however before the driver got everything up and running again and we arrived in time for our mentoring Q&A with some of the leaders of Club 8586: Harnin "KB" Manalaysay, Kuya Ef, Cris "Kesz" Valdez, and Emanuel "Em" Bagual.  We've already introduced KB and Kuya Ef on the blog, but Kesz and Em deserve their own intros.  Kesz is just 13 but he's already done so much for his community, having started his own organization called Caring Children at the age of 7 to distribute toys, slippers, and other things to his friends living on the streets.  He also famously spent his birthday giving hope packages to those survivors of the typhoon that hit the Philippines at Sendong.  Em also started an organization--M.Y. Rights--which aims to educate abused children on their rights.  Em was a runner-up for the 18-and-under Peace Prize for his work with this group.  Everyone in our group was deeply moved by the stories of these young heroes, who have already done so much at such a young age, and against such odds.  It left many itching to do more to help in some way, and we are all still in awe at the selflessness and sense of responsibility that the community of Cavite has for their town and each other.  It was an emotional time for all of us, and in our meeting afterward, we talked at length about how we could try and not let days and moments like this not just become memories, but the start of something more.  All in all, it was a long and important day, but we're excited for the chance to visit Tagaytay tomorrow and spend more time with our volunteer friends.

-Adam and Erika :)

Day 5: Push for Change

Our first night in Cavite was a somewhat of a shock after three glorious nights in the Bayleaf Hotel. No skydeck, employees opening the door for us when we arrived home, or running water. For most of us this is the first time we have lived out our first world comforts. We never knew that what we consider basic necessities are a privilege to many of our host families, or how disconcerting seeing giant cockroaches at 1:00 am can be. However, looking past all the discomforts this has been a very rewarding experience.

We all woke up at 5:00 am and were greeted by the smiling faces of our host family members (and their roosters) and a wonderful breakfast. Some common dishes that many of us ate this morning included fried rice, fried fish, and salted eggs.  After breakfast, we all met for orientation with the Dynamic Teen Company, and headed out to our first adventure in Cavite. With the guidance Kuya Ef and the DTC volunteers, we handed out school supplies to the children of the pushcart classrooms, and taught them a song with an accompanying dance.

We then headed over to Jollibee, the Filipino version of McDonald's. There we were able to interact and get to know better the volunteers of DTC. We had a chance to here about their involvement in the pushcart classrooms, which they refer to as the Kariton Classroms. They have put in a lot of effort to this program and are very committed to helping the children gain a proper education. From lunch we went back to DTC headquarters and prepared for our journey with the push cart classrooms. Although the carts were not that heavy, with the scorching heat beating down our backs, the long walk was exhausting. That, however, was only the beginning of our trip. Once we got to our final destination on the streets of Cavite we met the students, ranging in age from 5 to 12, and assisted the volunteers in teaching the students. Olivia and I had a chance to assist with a little "color experiment." We taught the children how to mix different colors using red, yellow, blue, and white. It was surprising how much these kids already know. One little boy was able to read large paragraphs in English with very little assistance from us. This is a testament to how much progress the DTC has made. So many children are able to secure a better future through education with their help. There are fewer children in the streets, and more in the classrooms, and it is all thanks to the efforts of Kuya Ef and the volunteers if the DTC. After the pushcart classrooms, we headed back to the DTC headquarters for our daily reflections.

Our first full day in Cavite was exhausting, but seeing the smiling faces of the children as they received our gifts and sat through our lessons, made this entire experience worthwhile.

-Olivia and Binhan :)

Day 4: Off the Beaten Path

It just keeps getting better! After an enjoyable evening on the Bayleaf Hotel's beautiful skydeck and a solid night of sleep, we were rearing to go explore more of Manila City! We met up with our awesome guide Greg outside of Binondo Church near Manila City Chinatown, which interestingly is the oldest chinatown in the world. He led us down Onpin Street into the depths of the city so that we could get a taste of urban Filipino life outside of Intramuros. There were many sights to be seen, such as street vendors selling wares that ranged from fresh fruit to fortunes told by tarot cards, small tributaries that looked not too clean, and beautiful plazas and fountains.  The only thing that might have trumped the sights were the tastes! It seemed only fitting that we try out a local vendor's coconuts after the plethora of information given to us the day before by Greg. Many of us could be seen sipping juice from the coconut's insides with long straws or eating the flesh, whereas others instead opted to buy local pastries such as Hopia from Salazar's, a popular neighborhood bakery. We finished up by doing a  bit of shopping among local street vendors, checking out the San Sebastian Church, a enormous church built entirely of cast iron, as well as the House of Wood and Stone, the former home of a revolutionary and his wife who helped instigate the revolt against Spain as an occupying country.

After taking jeepney's, the best form of transportation ever, back to the hotel to clean up. We headed over to PLM for a Q&A with the community leaders of the Intramuros Volunteer Movement (IVM). Questions regarding Manila City's issues and future concerns were asked in English by members of GIEU, and were answered in Tagolog by the amazingly nice panelists, with Christina translating all the while. It quickly became apparent that big strides were being taken by these leaders to try and positively impact their community as much as possible, so it was really great when Richard praised their efforts with certificates of recognition from U of M. Shortly after we were led outside to meet a large number of elementary aged children from local schools. The kids were all very friendly, some even sassy, but all of them were SOOO CUTE! It was a blast playing with them, especially when we started a massive game of tag in which they had to get from one end of the walk to the other without us touching them. Afterward, we took them inside and served our little guests porridge along with our PLM student guides. After the children's brief dinner, we gave the children story books as gifts, which they all seemed to love, despite the craze of trading that ensued among kids trying to get different books. A few were sad when it was time to say goodbye (especially to Robert!) but our time with them was quickly over, so we said our goodbyes to the kids, PLM, and Intramuros and headed for Cavite City where we were received by the Dynamic Teen Movement and Efren Penaflorida! After a delicious evening meal, we got to hear a little about the pushcarts and meet our host families for the next 4 days. 

Today has been simply awesome and none of us can wait to see what new experiences and adventures await tomorrow!

-Ray & Patrick