This morning we took our last 45 minute trip to San Ramon Elementary School to deliver our certificates and say our good-byes. Most Filipinos, it seems, place a very high value on certificates, which means they're given out on many occasions. We gave certificates to students who participated in and won our contests (for the Waste Management Program); those certificates will count toward the students' grades for school which will help them get scholarships later down the road.
We went to school today, thinking we would meet with our teachers to deliver their Peace Corps certificates, say good bye to our classes, and hit the road. Little did we know we would be treated to a show--complete with a printed program!
The Multi-Purpose room was set up for an assembly of most of the teachers, the Principal, the entire Student Governing Council, Peace Corps Trainees and our Technical Facilitator, Rustum.
The Student Governing Council had prepared, for us, a dance to "Call Me Maybe"!
The teachers sang us songs in English and Tagalog!
Then we got down to business and handed out certificates to our teachers.
This is my 2nd grade co-teacher, Ma'am Limin...
...and this is my 3rd grade SPED teacher, Ma'am Khey!
We all presented the certificate to the Principal, Mr. Lingad.
Mr. Lingad prepared certificates for us as well. My first Filipino certificate and my first wall hanging for my future room!
After the assembly, we turned to the back of the room to find a whole spread of food. Good food, too! Our (first) meryenda consisted of fried chicken with banana catsup, pansit, and lots of rambutans!!
After we ate, I made sure to visit my classrooms one last time to say thank you and good-bye. As I got closer to my 2nd grade classrooms I could hear the screams of excitement start to bubble up and out through the screened in walls. I no sooner walked through the door than I had a swarm of kids giving me the biggest and most energetic group hug I've ever experienced. I literally had to steady myself by grabbing the wall or I would have been pushed out the door by excited little bodies trying to get as close to me as possible.
My 3rd grade class was a bundle of energy as well but they contained it a little more!
We made a quick stop on Diwa Street to say our last good-byes to our host families (and eat our 2nd meryenda: banana pancakes). Between Chelsea's host mom and mine, I look like a giant!!
Chelsea and I with our nanays!
Me and Lordis, my host mom.
Lisette (my host cousin)! The fantastic chef!
It was nice to go back to Diwa Street one more time before moving to our posts. Even though we, technically, only lived there for a few weeks, it felt like we really became part of life there. I'm definitely going to miss it and hope I'll be able to visit again before I depart in 2 years.
This was taken back in Olongapo outside a convenient store. The boy was dirty, shoe-less, and passed out on this bench. We woke him up to offer him our leftover banana pancakes and the poor thing was so tired he grabbed the bag and put it under his head and went back to sleep. An hour or so later, we came back down the street to get lunch and he was still there on the bench, awake this time. I asked him, in Tagalog, if he needed sandals and he, very hesitantly, shook his head yes. I asked the adults in the store if they knew anything about him and they thought he might be homeless because he had been hanging out there a lot by himself, always covered in dirt. We took the little boy to a store and bought him some sandals (for only 60 pesos--less than $2--it's so sad that, seemingly, no one would/could spend such a small amount so he wouldn't have to go barefoot in the filthy streets). We also ended up buying him a couple loaves of bread, peanut butter, and a little Ben 10 drawstring bag to put it all in. He couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 years old and it seemed like he was completely on his own in the world. It was heartbreaking to have to part ways with him at the corner of the road. One thing's for sure, I couldn't have been a CYF Volunteer.
Such a sad and happy ending to your time at San Ramon elementary. I have a very happy picture in my mind of the children group hugging you! And I laughed to myself when I read that most Filipinos place a high value on certificates...ask Ricky to fill you in on his "certificate" days!! Also so heartbreaking to see the picture of the little boy...we take so much for granted...the simplest thing that you all did for him...so wonderful. Ciao Bella!
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