In the Bukids (mountains)

My brother, Jay-ar, and Pedro

Beginning of the cock fight for the local fiesta

Cock fight

Removing blade from foot

Jay-ar playing basketball in the fiesta's championship game

Pedro also playing for a few minutes

Pedro tasting guabana, a local fruit

CdO

We arrived in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao this afternoon.

Visiting a few of my friends here in the city, then heading to Linabo tomorrow morning to see my family.

Quick update, but this Internet Cafe is too cold - tugnaw kaayo!

Back to Pangasinan... Our Final Days

Jeveelyn O. Calagno posing, as she waits for her turn at the Orthopedic Center in Manila.

Jeveelyn is patient #271 of the day.

Pedro, Valeria and Jeveelyn waiting at the hospital for 5 hours before seeing the doctor.

Valeria making an appointment for Jeveelyn's X-rays. She will need to return to Manila in one week.

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The kids enjoying their last day together at the Resort. (R to L) Jendy, Jeveelyn, unknown, Pedro, Junardo, Marcello, Jelly and Jose.

Another Day in Manila

Tonight, we will be spending a night in Manila.

We left Pangasinan at 9:00 am this morning to visit an Orthopedic Specialist here in the capital. It wasn't until around 2:00 pm that we arrived in the city, however between then and getting to the hospital, we went to the sister's house of Valeria's neighbor and had dinner while waiting for a private vehicle to take us to the hospital. Though we were familiar with the very relaxed culture here around time, and the desire to entertain and feed, Pedro and I found it frustrating that there was a spoken urgency about having Jeevelyn see the doctor, however the actions of "taking a rest" and dining didn't correlate.



We ended up arriving at the hospital at 5:50 pm this evening, and when we finally got all of our paperwork together, the guard said "bukas" - which means "tomorrow." It also means spending another day in Manila; it means another day spent away from the rest of the siblings; and it means disappointing the family because we promised the kids a day at the beach. We still may take them on Wednesday, but we are finding it most difficult because these are our final days with Pedro's family.

We understand that being here in Manila and having Jeevelyn is important (and long overdue), so that is keeping us from being too upset about the situation - anyway, we can't do much about what has already happened tonight, and tomorrow is another day.


So "Maganda Gabi (good night), Manila!"

We are back in Urdineta - a family outing for the afternoon. Jendy, the middle child, just finished her 5th grade year and had the closing ceremony this morning. She received 1st Honor in her class this year (aka Valedictorian), and has done so since 1st grade. She also received an award for a collage she did, and Pedro was able to pin her with the ribbon on stage (he and I also awards a couple other children for honors they received this year - it was fun because we had no idea what we were doing and were just flying off the seat of our pants!). Afterward, Pedro and I met a gentleman, Patrick, who is working on getting scholarships for students to participate in a music/arts/academics summer program in Manaoag, a city close to Laoac. It is a program associated by a specific school (I can't remember the name right now) that provides students the opportunity to accelerate and expand their talents, specifically targeted towards "the poor." They also provide programs for children with special needs/disabilities (something that Pedro and I are keeping in mind, as Jeevelyn gets old enough to go to school).



Speaking of Jeevelyn, we went to Dagupan on Wednesday to the Regional Medical Center. It was the first time she had ever seen a doctor, because Valeria has not had the money to go before. Valeria had told me that when she was pregnant with Jeevelyn, she had fallen in the back of the house, which is why Jeevelyn's hands and feet are now twisted. The medical center is similar to a hospital, but expanded, where you can find everything medically related, from regular doctor check ups and pediatrics to OB/GYN, OR, dental and eye doctors. Being a public service, there was a lot of waiting - it isn't necessary for one to make an appointment, so people would just go up and register at a window, depending on the service needed, and then wait until the respected physician was ready to see you. So we saw there in the waiting are a variety of people there for regular doctor visits to people in hospital beds looking like they need an operation. Tita, who went with us, said that the private practice is much better, but we needed to see this physician at the RMC first. By the end of a couple hours of waiting, and several times going in and out of the doctor's office, they finally told Valeria that they couldn't do anything for Jeevelyn there - that the specialist she needs to see is in Manila. So, we are talking about going on Monday or Tuesday to see the specialist.

So tomorrow is Kuya Jose's graduation. Valeria is now buying food and supplies for the celebration. I just got a text that they are done, so I will now go meet them at Jollibee, a filipino fastfood favorite. It seems that it is not often that the family goes out together, or to a restaurant, so Pedro and I are happy that we are able to do so while we are here.

So much for a short update, but hopefully we will be able to again soon.

Finally Here

We are on our 3rd day here in Pangasinan. It seems like we have been here for a much longer time, yet at the same time the days have flown by.

When we arrived at the airport in Manila, the SIM card in my cellphone was not registering, so I had to ask an airport official to borrow his cell to call Valeria. Showing how challenged we were to talk to her, Pedro got as far as "Hi - saan mo [where are you]?" and ended up having the official have a conversation with her. He graciously told us where to go, and we were on our way. The airport's arrival system is interesting in Manila. I hadn't experienced it before in when I flew in before, because I never was met by anyone until I flew to Mindanao - so it was definitely going to be an adventure. After exiting the airport, there is a ramp that directs travelers in different directions, depending on the passenger's last name. The official told us that Jose told him that he and Valeria were at "T" - however it didn't make sense to us because none of our names ended with that letter. We waded through a sea of people back and forth between "M" and "C" (Magni and Calagno), but finally decided the official may have been right and there under "T" was Valeria and Jose. We stood behind them, trying to shout over everyone else who was calling out names until the both finally turned around. (I was able to capture it on video - I will try loading it next time). Instead of sleeping in Manila that night (though it was already 11:00pm) we jumped onto a bus and traveled 6 hours north to the house of Valeria.

It was still dark when we arrived, but immediately when we got out of the "tricycle" (a small vehicle that the 5 of us rode from the bus stop, made of a motorcycle and a covered carriage on the side) Junardo ran out of the house to hug Pedro. Valeria kept apologizing that her house is "so small" and worried that we wouldn't want to sleep there, but when we saw it, both Pedro and I were surprised that it was as big as it is. There is a front porch with a ramp to the road. The house is built of bamboo and grass, suspended about 4 feet off the ground. There are two rooms, one about 8'x8' and the other 6'x8' where they sleep, eat, and spend their time. In the back, a spare room 8'x8' where they keep their belongings and clothes, and outside is their kitchen and small porch where they cook and wash. In the rooms, there are only a couple posters, certificates and medals of the kids, and a small television in the corner.

When we entered that morning, there were mats, pillows and blankets laying all over the floor in both rooms, and two mosquito nets hanging overhead, as the kids were sleeping. They woke up as we entered - one by one, they approached Pedro and blessed him by bringing his hand to their forehed (a cultural sign of respect to elders). We spent the next hour getting acquainted, showing them pictures from the photo album Pedro's mother made for Valeria, and letting the kids wake up. By 5:00 am, we tried getting a little shut-eye before the day, but because of the adrenaline we laid there for only a minute before getting back up again and greeting the day!

Since then, we've spend the days hanging around the house, going to Ordineta where there is a mall and bank, shopping for groceries, walking up and down the street where Valeria lives, playing basketball, and meeting other kids who live in the area. Yesterday, we went with the family (all except Jose) to the Catholic church in Manaoag for Easter service. Eight of us (plus the driver) fit ourselves in, on and behind the tricycle to ride a few miles to Ordineta. It always amazes me at how efficient they are with the space they use - for in the States, if someone were to try riding a tricycle, I'm sure that only one (maybe two) people would ride it at a time' but because of the small size of the Filipinos and them not minding sitting closely together, we were able to fit us all in (I will post pictures later for you to get a better idea of how impressive it is). It it like in Bukdinon, when I visited my family, we would fit upto 5 people (plus a couple bags) on one motorcycle to ride to town from my lola's (grandmother) house.

So now it is Monday, the kids are at school and Marcello is working. Valeria, Pedro, Jevelyn (the youngest) and I are on our way to Laoac and Ordineta to continue our errands. This Internet cafe is not very close to the house, but we hope to update again in a couple days. I feel badly to continue typing, as Pedro and Valeria are waiting. Pedro went online to print out several songs for Marcello and Jose to sing and play on the guitar. It's great that he brought his junior guitar, because he and the kids spend the day entertaining themselves with it. Last night, we went up to the bridge close to house and sat with some other boys who also had a guitar, and played and sang with them. It's great that music is one thing (along with smiles :) ) that can surpass the language barrier. And interestingly enough, many of the songs that they learn to play here are in English, so it's was great to be able to sing along with them.


Well, that is all for now, as I must go, but until next time.

Stuck in Bejing

Due to incliment weather leaving Newark, NY, Pedro and I are one day behind schedule. Our flight into Bejing landed after the time we were supposed to depart on our way to Manila. Unfortunately, the next available flight wasn't until 24 hours later - so the airline put us up for the night, paid for our meals (except for 38 yuan - they didn't tell us that there was a limit of 50 yuan per person before hand). I think this is the longest layover I have had yet, but I'm really happy to have Pedro here with me to spend it with.

So, Valeria and one of Pedro's brothers, Jose, was planning to meet us at the airport in Manila, and we'd stay at her relative's that night before heading to Pangasinan. However because we were not on the flight, we concerned about how to tell her we weren't coming. We, thankfully, were able to get a hold of Pedro's friend, Aika, who translates for us, to call Valeria and update her on what the situation was. After the first call, we thought Jose and Valeria had already gone back to Pangasinan. We were contemplating to staying in a hotel once we got there and travel to Pangasinan ourselves, rather than letting them spend the money to travel 6 hours back to Manila to try it all over again. When calling Aika again to have her tell Valeria the new plans, we learned that she and Jose were able to stay with their neighbor's niece in Manila - so they still will be able to meet us when we land.

Though this sets us back a day, I am a little glad that we were able to have the time to rest here in Bejing and adjust to the time change. Seeing how tired we were last night upon landing, I think it would have been a lot for us if we were to handle the first meeting as well. Thinking back on the moment I stood on in front of my birth mother and grandmother for the first time in 18 years, I remember there were a lot of emotions, questions and thoughts racing through my mind - so with 12+ hours of rest behind us, I think we're in a better state to jump into it all.

So now, we are here in Bejing Capital International Airport waiting to board. Because of our flight change, we also were upgraded to first class, which included access to the business lounge (classy). One more hour, and we'll be on our way to Manila.

Let's pray for smooth sailing from now on!

We are so exhausted.... I worked all day, and he ran around the city (and then some) getting last minute stuff done. We sat in the car this morning, making lists of what needed to get done, at what time, in what order. Oh, intentions are always great - but in the end we are still up.

I am sitting on my computer, about to finish putting together a photo album for my birth mother, and Pedro is in the other room finishing packing up his room. While he leaves, his parents will be repainting the walls, so we spend from when we arrived back at the house at 11:30 pm until now packing a majority of his things in boxes and moving them into the other room. But we still need to repack our bags to make sure everything fits nicely. We have decided to only pack lightly - for a couple reasons: (1) we won't have to worry about checking any luggage in, and will make moving through airports much easier, (2) the less conspicuous it will be for us to be in the areas we are going to, versus if we had big suitcases, etc., (3) the less to carry, the easier it will be able to travel around the Philippines, i.e. on motorcycles, walking or whatever we may come across., and (4) it just isn't necessary to have a lot with us. We figure, it's easy enough to wash shirts and underwear every couple days - a couple pairs of pants/short and a few shirts is all we really need anyway.

So what we've narrowed it down to (so far) is just 2 small bookbags, a camera case, and a junior guitar. I'm excited that we are both bringing things that reflect what we each enjoy the most - photography and music. It will be great to have my camera with me, taking pictures of this experience, documenting the smiles, the embraces, the emotions and the pure beauty of the Islands. It will also be a joy to watch Pedro as he shares his love of playing the guitar, and music, with others - passing time in the airport, entertaining his siblings, and even the children at his shelter.

We spoke to Valeria, Pedro's birth mother, earlier tonight - Pedro call to just verify the flight information, as well as informing her that he sent her some money for the family, specifically for Jeevalyn (his youngest sibling, who's 4 years old and unable to walk) to get the medical attention she needs. He told her that when we arrive in Manila, we will assist her in setting up a bank account to keep the money there. Because Pedro just began taking Tagalog lessons with a tutor, and I only know another filipino dialect, we have difficulty understanding Valeria. Luckily, Pedro has a friend who is graciously willing to translate for him. Here is the beginning of tonight's conversation:

How we will communicate once we are there, without Pedro's friend "by our side", will be an interesting challenge - it was a concern that Valeria also brought up, but we all figured that we will somehow figure it out. Apparently, Valeria also speaks Visayan, which is the dialect that I am more familiar with. Hopefully, between the two of us, we'll be able to get along for the time that we're there (and thankfully for technology, Pedro has downloaded some of his Tagalog CD lessons onto his iPod - with the intention of spending some of our 20+ hours of travel studying the language! Let's see how much of that time will be catching up on sleep! :-P ).

Anyhow, it's already a little after 3:00 am - I still have to finish the album and Pedro has a last-minute trip to CVS (oh, procrastination...) But the next time we post, we will probably be in Manila and with Pedro's family. So, wish us safe travels and look forward to our next update!

FINAL DETAILS

5 Days Until Departure

I just picked up Pedro's passport this morning. We realized about a month ago that his previous one had expired last July, so we had to scramble to figure out how we could get one in time for the trip. Thankfully, he was able to call within 14 days of our departure to make an appointment to have the processing expedited. He went in this past Wednesday to submit his paperwork, and just two days later it was ready (good thing to remember for the future, if ever it happens again). So, we now have our tickets, our passports, no visas necessary... we're almost ready to go!

"Guess what, babe. I have something to show you."

What is it?

"I can't tell you - I have to show you."

Okay... What does it have to do with?

"It has to do with mail."

Mail? Hmmm... I'm trying to think, babe. [pause] Is it a letter?

"Yes..."

Is it from your birth mother?

"Yes! And it's a picture of her and my family. Everyone except Marcelo."

Do you see any resemblance?

"No." [laugh]

Really?

"Yeah - no, not really. Maybe her face structure."

She has high check bones?

"Yeah, I guess..."