FIESTAAA!

The original plan for Friday was to go with the other Education trainees to visit various schools and facilities were DepEd's Alternative Learning System (ALS) was taking place.  From what I heard from my friends who went, it was a really long, yet interesting day.

Instead, our day started at 5am with us getting up and out of Pension Natividad (the hostel PC uses in Manila) to leave for Dinalupihan. We were able to work with our Trainers to work out a plan so that we could have the opportunity to be part of San Ramon's Fiesta.  Since we haven't been able to live with our host families for the past 3 weeks and have been disconnected from our Filipino community, we felt it was very important for us to be able to experience this cultural event.  We made it to Dinalupihan after a 3 hour venture through public transportation via bus--it had WiFi!  We arrived in San Ramon shortly after 9am and went to the mayor's office, where the wedding was taking place.  The room was filled with the families of the bride and groom but they made room for all of us when we arrived.  Jordan and Rea are the two in white seated at the table. 

We watched the whole "ceremony" and witnessed their vows and exchange of rings.  Most of the speaking was in Tagalog and was hard to understand but it was really special to be able to be a part of it.  As you can see, there were a lot of people condensed into the room!  After the happy couple had their first kiss as husband and wife, certain people had to sign paperwork for the marriage license.  Kathryn was asked to be a witness and had to sign for them!

After the wedding, we headed back to Diwa Street for San Ramon's Fiesta!  There were already vendors walking the street, pushing wooden carts filled with colored peeps, goldfish in bags, inflatable toys, and games!  

Fe showing the flood line and residue still on the front window of her house.

Kathryn's host family's house was full of people all day!  She thinks there had to be at least 200 people in and out throughout the day.  They had an amazing amount of food prepared and the most delicious lumpia!

These are some of the colorful characters of Kathryn's host family!  They love to work it for the camera!  I have the best video of Charlie being pulled in and all of them posing together.  Hopefully I'll be able to post it sometime I have faster internet!

I forget 'pink shirt's' name but Ryan is in green, Stacey in black, and Barta in the blue.  Minus Stacey, the other three are siblings (biological brothers)!  They're so great!

Excited kids running toward the sound of the marching band!

Marching band!

We were invited to lunch at Gina's house and shortly after we got there, the whole marching band came in and sat down in her front yard!  We all ate together and after lunch, the band played a couple of songs (Bad Romance!) and the majorettes danced.  Again, I have great videos and hope to upload them at some point!  Gina is the lady whose house the other trainees stayed in during the flood.  It's quite obvious that she is the 'barangay mother'--always taking care of everyone!

This is the same front yard that was covered with several feet of water during the flood a few weeks ago.

Some of the band members

Eating some cupcakes at Gina's

After we ate lunch at Gina's we headed back toward Kathryn's house to start our games because it looked like rain was moving in.  I tried to do some face painting but the face paint I found at the mall didn't show up very well and the kids were too sweaty!  Luckily, Charlie had found temporary tattoos earlier and they were a huge hit!  Kathryn, Karla and I ended up grabbing a wet washcloth to help apply tattoos since Charlie was in such high demand!

Tattoos all over his face!

The little girl is Fe, Kathryn's host "sister".  She rarely ever talked to me face to face but she would scream my name down the road when I walked by the house!

I was loving this adorable baby boy in his "All American Cutie" jumper!
His mom wanted me to put a tattoo on his leg!

With Chelsea's host sister, Deth-Deth (pronounced "Det-Det")

Group shot!

My first Filipina hair braiding customer!
Isn't she gorgeous!?

Priceless
.

This little girl was so adorable! She kept whispering to her mom and finally her mom told me she was saying that she loved my eyes and my hair.  I made her a couple of balloon animals and we played a hand clap game that made her giggle!  So cute!

This is one of the puppies we held a couple weeks ago!  Getting big!

Whew! I think that's it! :)