My Philippines Experience

Siamese Bananas

2010-10-20T01:05:00.000-07:00

yep I couldn't resist buying Siamese bananas :D

Updates and Hard Work

2010-05-07T05:20:00.000-07:00

Updated things with a few new pics.

I plan to put up much more once I can borrow Connies camera again. Anyhow, I will try to update this more.

It would help me do that if I had more incentive..so few look at this.

NEWS!

2009-10-01T02:34:00.000-07:00

I have not posted in such a long time! Sorry everyone! I've been very busy with things here. Not that there was anything update worthy...until now that is.

Helping others...

2009-08-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

I found this awesome site. Freerice.com. Click the banner below. I also put it in a permanent place on the sidebar to your right, just scroll down. For every question to get right, you help children impoverished nations get the need food they require. Sponsors of the site donate their money to help buy the rice to feed hungry people. VERY awesome...and all we do is play this fun game to do it! If you don't do this simple thing, that can be done at any odd moment out of your day, you hate pandas, babies and breathing air! So there!...but seriously, this is a wonderful way to help while being entertained with a challenging word game...you can even change the category of words used. Great fun and you can learn some new words to befuddle your friends! Mwahahaha! PLAY NOW!

All done...for now :P

2009-08-14T02:33:00.000-07:00

Well I have just finished my final long day of teacher training and have passed with satisfactory results.

That means I did well enough to warrant a certificate in teaching at my level of competency
Yippee! :D

Now I know the Philippine way to teach. This means I can apply that knowledge to my lessons and do it "by the book" so to speak. But that wont stop me from doing the teaching my own way....I just have to make sure everything is taught to at LEAST those basic standards...I will teach so much more.

Even though it was a relatively small step, it is still a step toward my goals and dreams. Getting closer and closer!

Go me!

Where the Teacher is taught...

2009-08-10T02:50:00.000-07:00

Well today was my first day in teaching training...finally! It was a great learning experience..I'm beginning to understand the how and whys of module creation and session plan making. A bit different than I'm used to but at least now I know why its done this way and HOW to do it myself! ....and so I must get one session written in proper module format , as well as create the handout that comes with it. All prepared and ready as if its going to be printed and sent to the students...except this will be added to my portfolio and evaluated at the end of the course (this Friday) .

Yeah its a one week course..chopped down from 2 weeks. Not a biggie and I actually enjoy creating handouts and mas I found out , modules aren't that much different..mostly just cut and pasting into correct format....

Now if I had to make up ALL CONTENT, I'd be in serious trouble...but this isn't about re-creating what has been done a lot, it's about understanding HOW to present and teach the class in proper way as described by TESDA.

So far, so good!...now I need to get back to working on it!

Caio!

Hand Banana, Ha!

2009-07-23T04:37:00.000-07:00

Tiny Banana.

That is all.

Salamat!

Of Testing and Apartment Hunting...

2009-07-20T02:18:00.000-07:00

Wow its been a while since I last wrote. lol You ahvent really missed a whole lot. Much of it was teaching each day and preparing for the next day and then at night relaxing, playing video game or movies or just whatever

Tomorrow I will be giving my students a test before moving on to flash animation.
They are excited about it lol

This month and Next I will try to find a decent place to live, even if it is also temporary until I can afford more than just basic.

A friend plans to visit me for a week in September, so this is why I need a place sooner than later...I need one anyway and playing host to a friend makes me excited to begin. I've never been host before :) I want to do well. It is all very basic and not terribly new for most people, but it is for me :)

Of Teaching

2009-07-09T01:48:00.000-07:00

This was my second day to teach my class of 5. It went very well! I am enjoying teaching very much :) Now if I were to be prepared enough, I wouldn't mind teaching English in the evenings as well :)

Logo redesign

2009-07-06T03:12:00.000-07:00

Today I spent preparing for my class which I begin tomorrow.

I also changed a few things in the design of the school logo. Now it is even better!
Less heavy colors so we don't use so much ink, and it is better on the eyes, the font is even more readable, even smaller. And it has the added benefit of the heart looking more 3d :D

Fish & Water

2009-07-06T02:54:00.000-07:00

The other day I went with Ching to shop for various needs, mine being water and to go to the local Western Union to receive funds from my generous father. After doing both, I was asked if I would like to come with her to the fish market.

As I have never been to one before, I readily said yes and followed her into the cramped and dank market. The musky and fishy scents of too many human beings buying various seafoods and as we proceeded further, the heady aroma of grains and rice. The combinations of all the smells were getting to me, fortunately we were done and left with our hands full and wallets a little lighter.

A mere hour later we were feasting on our spoils (ok it wasn't ill-gotten, but was it sure tasted like it! Yum!) , a delicious or Masarap, as they say here. meal of fish cuts soaked in sauces, prepared like a steak. with rice (of course) and veggies in another sauce. Very good and my stomach was full and happy. Soon after I was pleasantly surprised to have been offered good ol' banana bread! hehe yes I get great joy out of my favorite treats and this one is one of the biggest. It was devoured in seconds.

A Business Card to rule them all!

2009-06-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I finished the final version of Connie's Business card. I am quite happy with this one. Connie is happy with it too :) Next up is one for her sister!

Putting more color into the sphere.

2009-06-30T06:50:00.001-07:00

I thought the blog could use some color so thanks to a wonderful background layout from hotbliggityblog.com , you can now view this blog space in all its colorful glory ^_^

Of Laundry and Going Out

2009-06-30T05:24:00.000-07:00

A few days ago Ching taught me the proper steps in the method of preparing laundry washing and care. I think it took around 2 or so hours to get through the process. But in the end I felt rewarded in my efforts; all hand washed, with some small help of the ancient washing machine doing most of the agitating cycle. Though the real washing and rinsing was left to we humans. I came away with this with an even greater appreciation for the efforts for those who do this on a daily basis.

I finally got out from behind my computer today, accompanied by Ching to the NCCC mall (New City Commercial Corporation) to get a few needed items. After, I treated Ching to dinner (Chow King) to show my appreciation for her efforts and kindness in helping me with my stay here to be more comfortable and enjoyable.

Tomorrow I plan to go to a nearby store to buy some formal shirts for my teaching days. Formal in this case meaning a t-shirt with a collar. Still very comfy :) Thank god , no tie! lol

Though this means I will need to exchange some of my US money since I am nearly depleted of my current pesos. I have 20 usd on me, that should give me enough to get by until I can exchange the 90 in my bank account , as soon as we can find a good place to pull the money from it to exchange. But that should pose no problems.

More to come soon!

Of dancing and Cameras....

2009-06-22T02:05:00.000-07:00

Ching showed me more of the surrounding area, specifically a talent pageant that was going on. We all had fun watching the dancing and singing.

We forgot to bring the digital camera so there are no pics of it.

On another note, I heard back from the shop that was working on my camera...it would take about the same amount of money to fix the thing as it as bought in the first place ... not really a good deal..better to just buy a new one grrr ... as usual going through the manufacturer is a failure.

The Presentation

2009-06-18T23:11:00.000-07:00

The presentation wasn't much more than my babbling and mumbling about animation..I didn't know I had stage fright . . . never really had the occasion to talk in front of a group of people before really. But however I stumbled , everyone was gracious and understanding and I at least got to show some samples of the types of animation I could teach.

Next time though I will be MUCH more prepared...power point presentation with modeling and animation demo..with my drawing tablet right there to show it off better.

For this one, there was only 3 days notice..not nearly time enough to get my set up back to where I could do anything of quality.

I will ask to borrow the digital camera so I can take more pics and upload to my computer for copies to use for posting here.

MY Office space

2009-06-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

Well I have a nice little office in the registrars office.... It is temporary. Once internet is in the building next door, my permanent office will be there :) But for now I at least have a HQ to work from.

Home sweet home

2009-06-09T18:35:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: its not really suitable after all. There is no lock on the door, kids could come in anytime they wanted...cant trust my stuff to be there during day then.

Ching helped me find an apartment to sleep at nights.

Its more of a spare room in a families home, but that works fine.
and of course aircon is extra :P But that's not really a problem since at most I'd run it at night when sleeping..otherwise I'm at the school in the day.

The landlords kids took my slippers and played with them like toys while I was inside looking at the room lol.... funny kids :P

It's business card time!

2009-06-09T18:06:00.001-07:00

I made a Business card the other day.

I think it still needs work but it will do for now.

Of Logos and Photographs . . .

2009-06-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

I created a new logo for the school since they have changed from being a technical school to a full-fledged college :) They seem to like it since they used it right away. I'm very happy with it as well.

UPDATE : Fixed the pic, now its properly round as was intending instead of funky oval lol

I was also asked to take photos of the daily activities during class hours. This will allow outsiders to glimpse the inner-workings of the school, letting possible future students become interested in learning here. It also allows me to use Connie's digital camera for taking pics to post here :P

yaaay! Communication!

2009-06-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

With the help of Connie and Ching, I finally have a cell phone! Now I can communicate the Filipino way :)

UPDATE: I ran out of free "Load" (Minutes), so I will have to buy some later when we go out again into town.

I'm in Palawan!

2009-06-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

Well hello everyone!

Its been over a week since my last entry. I promise I will give an in-depth description with my stay in Manila.

I left Manila today and am now at the school , GEFI which is in Peurto Princesa, province of Palawan.

Soon I will get setup and settled in.

I am very exited to get to work! :)

The journey begins... Prolouge.

2009-05-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

Hi there! I have created this blog to help me share my experiences of my journeys and adventures in the beautiful country of the Philippines.

In here, you can see the beauty and exotic sights I will see.

On Thursday I leave for the local airport here in Arizona, which will eventually , through a few transfers lead me to Manila, which I will stay at for a few days to visit my friend there. She will be my guide and show me some of her favorite places to eat and hang out and just enjoy life.

Then I will head to Palawan , my ultimate destination. I will stay in a made up space for me and teach English for the transcription class at the school nearby.

I will be helping to promote the school and learn how to teach the Philippine way. Later, once I have designed, promoted and get enough students, i can then begin my own animation class!

So much work to do, and I will love every moment of it!

Unfortunately my camcorder has broken so i will be unable to provide pics or video of my journey getting there..but hopefully I can get it fixed in Manila and post at least some pics of the local area and the places I go and everything after.