A month has gone by!

Wow can't believe I have been here for a month already!
Things are going well, I am continuing my intensive language lessons and am picking it up reasonable quickly!
In fact last night I got into a taxi and said "Maayong Gabii" (good evening) and he spoke back in Cebuano asking how many years have I been in Cebu!
Work has been good, the teachers have been very responsive and excited to have me! Asking for my advice on children with multiple disabilities. I am in the process of making some weighted 'lap' calmers for some of the children. I meet one lady aged 27 years old, blind and deaf in one ear - she lives in an orphange and studying to be a teacher. Remarkable one lady, who started teaching me some cebuano! She has a shadow teacher that helps her get around and had a great conversation with her - this teacher is setting up a preschool for the poorer communities. The plan is to teach the children intensively for the next 6 months so they can be ready to start the school year next year. She is having difficulty catering for a child with mild autism and has asked to assist. As I am available on Fridays I have offered to assist for a couple of hours on the Friday. I have also been asked to assist a mother who has two children with Autism. I yet to meet the children but am so excited to offer assistance anyway I can!
I am finding the level of finance support very frustrating and currently searching for ways of applying for funding for the center, however as the center is based within the grounds of a university I have a few blockages in the way and have to gain their permission before making any changes especially when it comes to infrastructure! And the center is in a huge need to change or fix some of their facilities!
Watch out further, as I start to brainstorm and think of ideas on building resources - I'm hoping friends and family back home might be able to assist or provide ideas on where I can go! If you do have any ideas please email me at zbatten1@gmail.com
As for my social life, things have started to become a little busy & fun!
Went island hoping yesterday, was good fun! Enjoyed snorkelling, sun baking, swimming and of course seeing some of the islands within the Philippines! There wasn't to much sea life, saw a couple of small fishes and a blue star fish! Loads of crabs! Can't wait to do more of this on my weekends!
I have been lucky to have a few volunteers come over to Cebu to visit and have enjoyed their company!
Anyway hope you are all well!
Miss you all,
Love Zoe

Our driver for the day.

The toilet on the boat!

Some of the locals!

Sunset over Mactan island

Maayong hapon!

Maayong hapon or good afternoon,

Things are going well in Cebu City, I started my work officially this week and so far all is going well!
I spent most of the week observing and getting to know both the students and teachers!
I am trying really hard to break the habit of using makaton - I must look rather silly signing to students who can't even see!
I have meet a number of children with multiple disabilities and although I have worked with children with disabilities for quite some time, I have been faced with the challenge of working with children who also are blind. The teacher has been very responsive with some of my ideas and suggestions and this in itself is a big break through, as she openly explained to me that she doesn't know what to do with children with multiple disabilities.
I introduced some of my sensory/tactile toys and the children loved them, infact it was funny to watch the children touch some of the slimey type balls some of them weren't so sure or hadn't felt anything like them before, they eventually started to reach out for them.  I also made play dough and it was fun watching the children have a go moulding the play dough.
I'm adjusting to the fact that children are touching and poking me just to get an idea on what or who I am. For many of you would know that I can be very tactile defensive at times so this is a huge adjustment (and no that doesn't mean you to can poke and prode me!) I even had one little boy ask me if I had a baby in my tummy!
The toilet facilities haven't been pleasent so I have taken to going home during my lunch break just to go to the toilet - its also good to get some fresh air anyway!
Outside of work, I meet the town general on Monday who presented me with a number of gifts including a cebu t-shirt and dry mango! And have started my intensive language course, will be meeting twice a week for two hours so wish me luck with my Cebuano!
 I have struggled to ask for things as I have soon learnt that the way we say things can sound rather odd, like yesterday I needed to buy a towel and I asked at the big department store - the staff looked at me blankly so I had to explain what a towel was, I even attempted to act it out! I must have looked again rather silly!
I also have been told not to call my work place uni but university as uni (and I think its the way I sound when I say it) means the red light district! So here I've been saying I work at the uni!
I have had no mishaps with my place and I've adjusted to the fact that there are all sorts of crazy noises occuring throughout the night so far I've had the rooster crowing, a dog whining, videoke and TV's blaring!
Last night we had a massive thunderstorm and lots of rain!

Enough from me!
Hope everyone is going well!
Love Zoe

One of the students playing with one of the toys

Another use for the toys!

The classroom!

The small shelf of resources/toys

Schools finished for the week and there were three trucks of students sitting in the back, not sure if this is a common transport method for the students! Atleast they were putting in bench chairs for everyone to sit on!

Welcome Cebu City

I have enjoyed my first week in Cebu City, meeting lots of people including the town mayor and many head officers of the university. My host organisation have been amazing so supportative in helping me to get from one place to another, taking me shopping and finding perm. accomodation.
I spent the morning at the Braille school, the little classroom consist of two fans, no air conditioner and very limited resources. The children were beautiful, very busy bunch of students but so independent. The children ages range from 5 years old to 21 years old, however it is meant to be a preschool setting! Wish me luck!
The university has asked me to work in partnership and do some lecturing in the special education course, this will be something new for me but I'm highly looking forward to it.
I found a little studio nearby so local to everything. I looked at one little brand new condo apartment on the 6th floor, awesome but so far away from everything!
However, my first night in the studio was an interesting experience to say the least! At 3am I was woken by a crash and then water pouring out - the tap in my bathroom had fallen off from the wall and water was spurting out everywhere. The first thing I did was a huge mistake - tried to put it back in, only to end up soaking wet! In the end I closed the doors, put the bath mat right against the door to stop the room from flooding and put earplugs in to try to get some sleep - not much I could do about it at 3am unless of course I woke the landlord upstairs! They have since fixed it for me!
I have been to the magellen's cross, meet up with my HO friends who had a brillant view of Cebu City but also views of the slums down below and meet up with other volunteers in Cebu City. I have shopped at both the SM and ayala malls as well as mingled with the locals! I have been asked for money by many homeless Philippinos and followed across the road by a local who kept scratching the back of me neck!
I have found the store that has vegimite and even caught a jeepney on my own for the first time!
Hope everyone is doing well!
Love Zoe

The Cebu City Town Mayor

Some views of Cebu City

Slums down below from the house

A child living in the slums

More views of Cebu City

My supervisor from my HO

Some of my supervisors friends

Magallan's cross and a local praying for happiness for me!

The gate to my shoe box!

Just some photos of inside the shoebox

Meet chocolate, one of the two dogs that live here!

The lane to my place, I'm the blue place on the left!

Some locals selling food on the street.

Don't forget to check facebook for more photos!

 

Manila

Wow I have already been in the Philippines for one week and have been able to imerse myself into so much cultural experience!
I have experience washing myself with a bucket using cold water and even having to get into the habit of putting toilet paper in the bin not in the toilet!
I have had a taste of crickets, duck embroyos, deep fried rose petals and banana heart as well as eatting rice for pretty much every meal including breakfast and of course the two snacks they have on top of main meals. I'm hoping I won't put on weight here but wow I've eatten way to much in one week!
I have seen many 'big' things - a snail where its shell was as big as my fist, big cenetepids and big worms.
I've been attacked by mosquitos and have heat rush!
I have attempted to learn tagalog even though Cebuana is the language I'll be using!
Seeing my birthday in on the 31st was an entertainining experience with a bright and tight party, a australian pinoy styled BBQ, a cake at midnight, a big group hug with all the volunteers and of course a game of crazy water polo with a balloon in the pool in the wee hours of the morning (and yes I have got the brusies to prove it!)
I came second in the amazing race and experience videoke (karoake) where I sang my little heart out for many hours!
I've seen poverty and homelessness in the streets of Manila including seeing some slums. It makes me realise how important it is the work that I'll be doing in Cebu City, it also makes me appreciate the things we take for granted back home.
I am looking forward to visiting my work place on Monday and settling into my new place (still searching for somewhere!).
Hope everyone is well back at home - I think about everyone all the time, wandering what you are all doing at the moment!
Please keep in touch!
Love Zoe

Sunset from Singapore to Manila

City view of Manile from our resort

Crickets & duck embroyo

Intake 28's tight and bright!

For more photos please go to http://www.facebook.com/zoe.batten