Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Almost 8 weeks in!
Wow, can you believe I have been here for nearly 8 weeks where has time gone!
And things have been going pretty well! Work has been pretty busy with continuing establishing positive relationships with both the university and of course the teachers and students I work with. I have also established an Individual Education Plan that will help support learning outcomes. I have spent two days observing the elementary classes and have begun to grasp an understanding on the education system of the Philippines. I enjoyed watching the 40 students in each class as they stood up to welcome 'teacher Zoe' into the class and as I was leaving stood up to say goodbye. I love the fact now that I can walk around the school and hear children jumping up and down calling out 'Teacher Zoe, Teacher Zoe' across the yard! I also found it quite amusing as each student during a break came up to me to ask if they could use the CR (comfort room) and when I said yes, half the class would laugh at me! I'm not sure whether the students really needed to use the comfort room or whether it was my strange accent that they wanted to hear!
After six weeks of emailing to get sponsorship, I recieved my first donation from an Resource for the Blind in America - they have donated some picture story books for the children written in braille!
I have also just recently finished interviewing the families at the centre and the stories they have told are amazing. With the two teachers, we have updated all the children's information and assessed the students level of independence.
This week has seen the first week of holidays - it is there semester break so the school is closed for three weeks, however I am busy working as I have lots of work to get done before I head away the weekend after next!
I have also been busy being a 'tourist' around the Philippines as I have started to travel out of Cebu City.
A couple of weekends ago I decided to test my new underwater camera at Apo Island just off the Island of Negros. I stayed with a friend in Dumaguete and went out to Apo Island on the Saturday. Although I was the only one snorkelling, the rest were diving I still had a ball watching the fish go by! The coral was amazing and even better I got to see my first turtle! It was a little disappointing that I only saw one but one is better than none! This trip has made me consider getting my diving license so will be doing my first discovery dive this Saturday and will decide then whether I can go ahead and get my certification.
Last weekend saw me head to Bacolod to visit some friends but also to see the big Masskara festival. Masskara means 'Multititude of Smiling faces" as the story goes the town back in the 80's experienced a crisis with a boat that collided with another boat killing about 700 people from Bacolod which cause a very depressed feel around the town so the local government decided to throw a festival. It was a big couple of nights with lots of street parades, street parties, lots of crazy food and mixing with fellow volunteers. It was really good to catch up with everyone. I also had the opportunity to visit some of the heritage houses and see the Ruins. It was a very short trip but well worth it!
Next weekend will be a quite one (apart from my dive) but then for the next couple of weekends/weeks I will be away seeing many islands in the Philippines! We also welcome the next lots of volunteers in the first week of November and our intake have the job of organising and running some of the sessions!
Apart from travelling and working, I have started to enjoy a regular lesson or dance out of Belly dancing as well as running and swimming!
With the typhoon up in Manila we have been getting alot of rain and many thunderstorms but apart from that all is going well!
Hope everyone is going well back home!
Lots of love Zoe
And things have been going pretty well! Work has been pretty busy with continuing establishing positive relationships with both the university and of course the teachers and students I work with. I have also established an Individual Education Plan that will help support learning outcomes. I have spent two days observing the elementary classes and have begun to grasp an understanding on the education system of the Philippines. I enjoyed watching the 40 students in each class as they stood up to welcome 'teacher Zoe' into the class and as I was leaving stood up to say goodbye. I love the fact now that I can walk around the school and hear children jumping up and down calling out 'Teacher Zoe, Teacher Zoe' across the yard! I also found it quite amusing as each student during a break came up to me to ask if they could use the CR (comfort room) and when I said yes, half the class would laugh at me! I'm not sure whether the students really needed to use the comfort room or whether it was my strange accent that they wanted to hear!
After six weeks of emailing to get sponsorship, I recieved my first donation from an Resource for the Blind in America - they have donated some picture story books for the children written in braille!
I have also just recently finished interviewing the families at the centre and the stories they have told are amazing. With the two teachers, we have updated all the children's information and assessed the students level of independence.
This week has seen the first week of holidays - it is there semester break so the school is closed for three weeks, however I am busy working as I have lots of work to get done before I head away the weekend after next!
I have also been busy being a 'tourist' around the Philippines as I have started to travel out of Cebu City.
A couple of weekends ago I decided to test my new underwater camera at Apo Island just off the Island of Negros. I stayed with a friend in Dumaguete and went out to Apo Island on the Saturday. Although I was the only one snorkelling, the rest were diving I still had a ball watching the fish go by! The coral was amazing and even better I got to see my first turtle! It was a little disappointing that I only saw one but one is better than none! This trip has made me consider getting my diving license so will be doing my first discovery dive this Saturday and will decide then whether I can go ahead and get my certification.
Last weekend saw me head to Bacolod to visit some friends but also to see the big Masskara festival. Masskara means 'Multititude of Smiling faces" as the story goes the town back in the 80's experienced a crisis with a boat that collided with another boat killing about 700 people from Bacolod which cause a very depressed feel around the town so the local government decided to throw a festival. It was a big couple of nights with lots of street parades, street parties, lots of crazy food and mixing with fellow volunteers. It was really good to catch up with everyone. I also had the opportunity to visit some of the heritage houses and see the Ruins. It was a very short trip but well worth it!
Next weekend will be a quite one (apart from my dive) but then for the next couple of weekends/weeks I will be away seeing many islands in the Philippines! We also welcome the next lots of volunteers in the first week of November and our intake have the job of organising and running some of the sessions!
Apart from travelling and working, I have started to enjoy a regular lesson or dance out of Belly dancing as well as running and swimming!
With the typhoon up in Manila we have been getting alot of rain and many thunderstorms but apart from that all is going well!
Hope everyone is going well back home!
Lots of love Zoe
Partying it up with the locals at Masskara
Just one of the many floats
One of the heritage houses
The many 'smile' masks
The 'ruins'
Riding a trik to the ruins
On arriving home from Bacolod my landlord had put up a christmas decoration up on my door
- think its early? Its not, they were playing christmas music back in September!
(sorry for the side photo but the computer is doing tricks on me!)
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Moving in a new direction!
What a week it has been - I continue working at the braille school and feel like I am moving forward slowly but surely!
I experienced my first field trip as they call it here (I kept calling it an excursion and they just looked at me blankly!) We headed to a little crocodile park with a many different Asian animals including the tarsiers, the philippino eagle and a few other little random animals inwhich I had never seen before from asia (one looked very similar to what I think a sloth looks like!) I must admit it was a very different 'excursion' to what I am use to back home - no parent permission slips went out - at first I was concerned about this, wasn't sure if it was just the philippino way or whether the school just lacked an understanding on safety issues. I soon found out that it is a requirment but the teacher has never had to write one - so of course that got me thinking and asking a lot of questions regarding policies and procedures within the centre. I'm very consious of being a 'westerniser' and the fact that the Philippines do things differently but I have had some concern about the welfare of the students. (This has been an issue for the teachers as well, as they are so far under resources and don't have the knowledge!)
So I am now also possible writing some policies and procedures for the centre (of course I can only get started on this) as I don't want to end up focusing on just this.
The field trip, was good fun and the parents/caregivers attended the day so in the end it wasn't a big issue that parents hadn't given permission because it become more of a 'fun' day. We all rode a jeepney to the park and I soon learnt that this was OK as long as no children were riding on the roof!
This weekend has certainly been extremly busy - I got to enjoy watching the Pies win the grandfinal with a few aussies (not many) but drinking $2 beers was pretty awesome!
And today I enjoyed running in ther 'Pink' cancer fun run as an unregistered runner! It was a good run considering I haven't gone for a ran since early last year but I managed alright apart from the fact that they don't close the roads so jeepneys, taxis and motorboke were still on the roads and yes we had to give way to them - thats of course you were a hard core runner which meant you could get a motorbike escort!
This has really made me what to get back into my running!
And of course I also enjoyed doing the skywalk and the edge roller coaster ride, a ride that tilts you at 50degrees. Good fun! Check out my photos on facebook!
I have never done something like this and I think now I'm craving more adventurers sports!
Next weekend I am off to Dumaguete to snorkel with the turtles at Apo Island!
Looks like I am in for some busy weekends ahead as I start to explore the wonderful islands!
Hope things are going well for everyone!
Love Zoe
I experienced my first field trip as they call it here (I kept calling it an excursion and they just looked at me blankly!) We headed to a little crocodile park with a many different Asian animals including the tarsiers, the philippino eagle and a few other little random animals inwhich I had never seen before from asia (one looked very similar to what I think a sloth looks like!) I must admit it was a very different 'excursion' to what I am use to back home - no parent permission slips went out - at first I was concerned about this, wasn't sure if it was just the philippino way or whether the school just lacked an understanding on safety issues. I soon found out that it is a requirment but the teacher has never had to write one - so of course that got me thinking and asking a lot of questions regarding policies and procedures within the centre. I'm very consious of being a 'westerniser' and the fact that the Philippines do things differently but I have had some concern about the welfare of the students. (This has been an issue for the teachers as well, as they are so far under resources and don't have the knowledge!)
So I am now also possible writing some policies and procedures for the centre (of course I can only get started on this) as I don't want to end up focusing on just this.
The field trip, was good fun and the parents/caregivers attended the day so in the end it wasn't a big issue that parents hadn't given permission because it become more of a 'fun' day. We all rode a jeepney to the park and I soon learnt that this was OK as long as no children were riding on the roof!
This weekend has certainly been extremly busy - I got to enjoy watching the Pies win the grandfinal with a few aussies (not many) but drinking $2 beers was pretty awesome!
And today I enjoyed running in ther 'Pink' cancer fun run as an unregistered runner! It was a good run considering I haven't gone for a ran since early last year but I managed alright apart from the fact that they don't close the roads so jeepneys, taxis and motorboke were still on the roads and yes we had to give way to them - thats of course you were a hard core runner which meant you could get a motorbike escort!
This has really made me what to get back into my running!
And of course I also enjoyed doing the skywalk and the edge roller coaster ride, a ride that tilts you at 50degrees. Good fun! Check out my photos on facebook!
I have never done something like this and I think now I'm craving more adventurers sports!
Next weekend I am off to Dumaguete to snorkel with the turtles at Apo Island!
Looks like I am in for some busy weekends ahead as I start to explore the wonderful islands!
Hope things are going well for everyone!
Love Zoe
Saturday, September 25, 2010
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
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
Friday, September 17, 2010
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
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!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
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
Some views of Cebu City
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!
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