Philippines Adventure, Pt. 13
Last week was a great week, even though we had no water. I have discovered that the cold water actually does wonders for my hair. Therefore, if I ever chose to be a masochistic beauty queen, I would never go back to warm water! Unfortunately for my hair, I think I will always choose a hot shower over freezing cold scoops of water. (I suppose it is also an environmental thing. It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Maybe I should reconsider my desire to get hot water again!) Call me Miss Masochistic Environmentalist Curly-haired beauty ☺
I don’t have a whole lot of news since I have been taking life easy. I have become a happy recluse, shunning the comforts of company and town life for the tranquil environs of my solitary room. The extra bed was taken out of my room, which makes it seem even bigger and emptier now. I decided to embrace the quiet and revel in this opportunity to find great comfort in the hermitic existence I have established for myself. Granted, I see my students in the morning, see people when I go out for my runs, and occasionally talk with the staff members when they are around and are not busy with other things, but other than that, I am pursuing a parallel life to all those around me and I am exhilarated. For someone like me who is so used to the frenetic lifestyle of a woman with a mission, this calm is a soothing balm to everything I am. With a new found wonder for God’s Word and the written word in general, I have pleasantly gained momentum in a direction that is setting a great self-disciplined trajectory.
Strawberry Fields Forever
For two weeks, we hosted an Irish family who are missionaries in Bohol. (You will hear more about this region in two months when my mom and I travel there for a week of adventures.) They were very kind and completely in love with the Lord and with each other. It was really wonderful to see a married couple with such love and commitment to their mission and to their family. Before they departed, we wanted to take them around Baguio and since I am the resident adventurer—you wouldn’t think that after reading that paragraph about my current reclusiveness, but it still remains true that I am the most adventurous among the staff members—I was assigned to accompany our driver and handyman. We went to the PMA (Philippine Military Academy), which possessed the characteristic beauty of most military establishments. I have found that the military locations open to the public display a certain pristine dissonance that belies their true purpose. I don’t like the military, and we could argue either way, but somehow, I get irked whenever I see such displays of grandeur for something as bloody as war and violence, as if the beauty can overcome the tumultuous reality. I suppose that is our human euphemism for the harsh actualities of life.
After the PMA, we went to the 50’s Diner, which always cracks me up because it is like an American time warp, transported to the Philippines, and Baguio of all places. Apparently, the original owner was an American, but now a Filipino owns it. Well, the food is good, if you like a lot of meat and inexpensive. (I had a grilled cheese sandwich and it was so gross. There was way too much processed cheese. I kept gagging on the amount of pale yellow substance passing through my esophageal cavity.) The shakes are good and so are the fries, but the best part is that there are pictures of famous 50’s movie stars and popular movies during that era. Even the music is from the 50’s. It’s a fun place, despite its lack of vegetarian accommodation.
It is difficult to travel with a bunch of little kids. I admire those who can manage a large brood of kids because it is not easy. Our last place, or the second place we went, depending on the way you look at it, was a place called La Trinidad. It is one of two valleys in Benguet province, and it is the location of the strawberry fields—the only one in the country. (Anyone who goes to Baguio at this time of the year brings home strawberries because they are such a rarity around the Philippines and can really only be found in this area. You can buy a kilo, or 2.2 pounds of fresh, sweet strawberries for 80 pesos, which is a little less than $2.) We stayed there about an hour, browsing the tourist stalls and looking at the rows and rows of strawberries and salad that seemed impossibly large. Women were selling strawberries from small stands with large umbrellas, but you could also pick your own if you wanted to pay more than double the price. (This seems a little strange, right? You pay more to do the labor yourself! I think they figure it is a novelty and you have the opportunity to choose the best of the best.)
All in all, it was a nice outing and it was fun to spend the time with the family. I fell asleep, crashing on my pillow, as soon as we got back. I think I almost ran away from everyone. I can run continuously for more than 7 miles and still feel great, but an afternoon with a family that has little kids exhausts me! How ironic ☺ Maybe someday I will be able to handle both, but for now, all you mothers of young children, you have my greatest admiration!
I don’t have a whole lot of news since I have been taking life easy. I have become a happy recluse, shunning the comforts of company and town life for the tranquil environs of my solitary room. The extra bed was taken out of my room, which makes it seem even bigger and emptier now. I decided to embrace the quiet and revel in this opportunity to find great comfort in the hermitic existence I have established for myself. Granted, I see my students in the morning, see people when I go out for my runs, and occasionally talk with the staff members when they are around and are not busy with other things, but other than that, I am pursuing a parallel life to all those around me and I am exhilarated. For someone like me who is so used to the frenetic lifestyle of a woman with a mission, this calm is a soothing balm to everything I am. With a new found wonder for God’s Word and the written word in general, I have pleasantly gained momentum in a direction that is setting a great self-disciplined trajectory.
Strawberry Fields Forever
For two weeks, we hosted an Irish family who are missionaries in Bohol. (You will hear more about this region in two months when my mom and I travel there for a week of adventures.) They were very kind and completely in love with the Lord and with each other. It was really wonderful to see a married couple with such love and commitment to their mission and to their family. Before they departed, we wanted to take them around Baguio and since I am the resident adventurer—you wouldn’t think that after reading that paragraph about my current reclusiveness, but it still remains true that I am the most adventurous among the staff members—I was assigned to accompany our driver and handyman. We went to the PMA (Philippine Military Academy), which possessed the characteristic beauty of most military establishments. I have found that the military locations open to the public display a certain pristine dissonance that belies their true purpose. I don’t like the military, and we could argue either way, but somehow, I get irked whenever I see such displays of grandeur for something as bloody as war and violence, as if the beauty can overcome the tumultuous reality. I suppose that is our human euphemism for the harsh actualities of life.After the PMA, we went to the 50’s Diner, which always cracks me up because it is like an American time warp, transported to the Philippines, and Baguio of all places. Apparently, the original owner was an American, but now a Filipino owns it. Well, the food is good, if you like a lot of meat and inexpensive. (I had a grilled cheese sandwich and it was so gross. There was way too much processed cheese. I kept gagging on the amount of pale yellow substance passing through my esophageal cavity.) The shakes are good and so are the fries, but the best part is that there are pictures of famous 50’s movie stars and popular movies during that era. Even the music is from the 50’s. It’s a fun place, despite its lack of vegetarian accommodation.
It is difficult to travel with a bunch of little kids. I admire those who can manage a large brood of kids because it is not easy. Our last place, or the second place we went, depending on the way you look at it, was a place called La Trinidad. It is one of two valleys in Benguet province, and it is the location of the strawberry fields—the only one in the country. (Anyone who goes to Baguio at this time of the year brings home strawberries because they are such a rarity around the Philippines and can really only be found in this area. You can buy a kilo, or 2.2 pounds of fresh, sweet strawberries for 80 pesos, which is a little less than $2.) We stayed there about an hour, browsing the tourist stalls and looking at the rows and rows of strawberries and salad that seemed impossibly large. Women were selling strawberries from small stands with large umbrellas, but you could also pick your own if you wanted to pay more than double the price. (This seems a little strange, right? You pay more to do the labor yourself! I think they figure it is a novelty and you have the opportunity to choose the best of the best.)
All in all, it was a nice outing and it was fun to spend the time with the family. I fell asleep, crashing on my pillow, as soon as we got back. I think I almost ran away from everyone. I can run continuously for more than 7 miles and still feel great, but an afternoon with a family that has little kids exhausts me! How ironic ☺ Maybe someday I will be able to handle both, but for now, all you mothers of young children, you have my greatest admiration!
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