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...