Sorry that it has been so long!

Hello dear readers!

After a great, full seven weeks in Mindanao I have sadly parted ways with my students over at Faith Academy Davao. Even though my stay on last that short number of weeks, I really grew to love the community of teachers, students, and missionaries (and others!) that I worked alongside. It was very challenging for me to be away from my family and friends for as long as I was...well, actually I still am, but at least while I was in Davao I was able to become part of a new family and make some new friends. Friends that includes those who are older than I and those who are younger than I!

I saw that Fire-Star Warrior (if you are confused--just pretend like you see a regular name there) has asked when I'll be getting back. Well, the following shows everything that I currently believe is going to happen in the next few months:

December 16th - Fly back to Rhode Island for Christmas with the family and friends in Rhode Island (with my fantastic four buddies all going to be there!)

December 29th - Fly back to Indiana. Celebrate a friend's birthday, as well as surviving through another year. Yay!

January 3rd - Start my last class as an undergraduate at Taylor. This will only take the month of January. Sadly, during this month I'll be without two of my closest house buddies. (I believe that sometime during this month I'll be able to make a stop at RJB. The problem is, my class is MON-FRI, so there will be some classes that I'm never able to visit).

February to who knows when - Being graduated from Taylor. At this point I'm going to try and find a substitute teaching job nearby. This will hopefully include at Mississenewa. Either way I will certainly be able to visit RJB on a few occasions. Hopefully I will also be able to spend some time in Rhode Island with family.

The truth is that I know very little about what will happen after that, dear readers.

As can be seen, I'm still not at home yet! I'm in the city of Manila, at the other Faith Academy campus. While the campus that I taught at had only 60 students in the high school, this one is well over 600 students. I know that 600 students isn't actually too many (my high school was pretty similar), it is still strange to be at an entirely new place AGAIN! I'm living with an Australian family for the next few days (terrific humor and accents) and everyone here has been very kind to me. Still, I'm definitely feeling the small, family feel of Davao that I grew accustomed too.

While I'm not exactly hiding from the world, I'll probably just spend most of the next three days hiding in the library doing work. I've also promised some friends of mine that I'll stop at an orphanage nearby, so I'll probably be doing that tomorrow.

I'm planning on posting more pictures of the end of my Davao stay soon.

Also---good luck to all of the students in exams! Go get'em!

A picture is worth a thousand words...so how much does a thousand words cost?

Hey people! I finally have some more pictures for everyone!

The first batch include two pictures from my walk to school, featuring some different stuff from last time. Other pictures include several of my students that I'm teaching.

This is a wall that surrounds our house. Notice that the top is layered with sharp glass. In our neighborhood a majority of the house's walls are covered with either barbed wire, glass spikes, and other preventive measures.

An open, tropical area on the walk to school.

My three pre-calculus students. I told them to look excited, so Arby pretended to fall asleep and Jeen is thinking "really, Mr Tencher?".

A bunch of my third period class doing lab write ups in groups (circular motion). I told them to look excited too, so Carol led the charge.

Some other physics students typing up lab reports in the computer lab.

They put up a Christmas tree! It's fake, but for some reason it had an odd scent of pine.

And a very shiny base.

My geometry class a few minutes after the period ended (its the last class of the day).

Geometry again....and a smile to let me know that he caught me.

My room where I'm sleeping. I'm over in the mirror, and that one fan keeps me alive at night. 

Dunkin' Dougnuts and the Final Push

Hey loyal friends and students!

Hopefully that you all had plenty of Turkey and good family times. As a result of being at Taylor University (which means about a 14 hour drive away from Rhode Island), in the last few years I wasn't able to consistently make it home for Thanksgiving. Generally it was always just a few weeks before Christmas, so it always seemed either wasteful to buy a plane ticket for a two day/three day stint or daunting to make the 14 hour drive twice in just a few days. Whatever the case, I certainly did miss being home with the family for this one! I have gotten to see them more this Fall semester than I ever have before (this year I've seen the entire family for my sister's two wedding occasion---before this year the only time I would maybe go home in the Fall would be Thanksgiving). I think that being on the other side of the planet makes you miss people more than even a 14 hour drive.

Despite missing my family, I had a good Thanksgiving weekend! I indeed did teach both on Thursday and Friday (I would complain, but it really wouldn't make sense for Philippinos to celebrate when the pilgrims had a meal with the native Americans). On the other hand, I did get TWO separate Thanksgiving meals. First it was with the Hauses', the Boyd's (an English Drama teacher/ 3rd grade teacher couple), and the Mast's (Computer apps. teacher / French and Literature teacher couple). We had all of the classic fixings and it was a very pleasant dinner. Still, it is very strange to have a Thanksgiving Dinner when it get up's to 90 degrees outside (like it is right now). Oof. I had another dinner last night with all of the Missionaries that work in the compound. I sat with some adults instead of at the kids table (where a bunch of my students were). I'm pretty sure I still belong at the kid's table. Either that, or the kid's table just seems more fun.

I just realized that I'm running out of time. On Sunday's I play ultimate frisbee with a group of teachers (and a few students and parents join too). It's about time to head out!

These have been a little wordy lately (and I still haven't done that interview yet). I'll try and bring the camera to school tomorrow to get some more pictures that represent what is different about living in the Philippines.

Do any of you guys have any fun Thanksgiving stories to share?

End of the week update!

          Hey guys! I'm back to living in the house with the Hause's (that's the family who are hosting me while I am staying in the Philippines. They have been very generous to me and have made living here very welcoming and comfortable! Also, while I did enjoy my little 'vacation', it is nice to be somewhere where a cat isn't constantly trying to eat my pen.

Which reminds me that I might as well talk about how the rest of my house-sitting went! Well, the cat and dog both eventually warmed up to me. While they eventually saw me as someone that a) wasn't there to hurt them and also was b) their only source of food, they soon trusted me. But both the dog and the cat tried my patience at one point.

After my first day staying their, I was about to leave the gate when the dog (good old Duke) snuck in front of me and starting running down the street. Now, traffic isn't really an issue on that particular street---but I figured that losing a dog might be a bit of one. I ran back into the gate and grabbed the leash, and started jogging down the street. I knew it looked really strange for a white guy wearing teachers clothes to be jogging down the street with a leash in his hands. Duke would keep jogging so that I would always be just a few meters behind, but eventually he became distracted by other dogs and I got the leash on him. Its nice that humans aren't slaves to instinct like dogs are. Man 1: Animals: 0.

Later in the night I would be inside and would be getting my lessons ready for the following day(s). The problem is, the cat eventually wasn't afraid of me. It isn't that I WANT to be feared, in fact it was obviously a goal of mine to get the cat to like me. However, getting the cat to like me meant that the cat would constantly try to chew on the pen I was using WHILE I was using it. That makes writing difficult. Eventually I saw that Carol had a laser pointer sitting around. I then began the process of:

1) Get laser near cat so that it gets the cat's attention.
2) Make cat start chasing laser.
3) Lead cat down the hallway as far as I can get it.
4) Write without a cat chewing on my pen for about 45 seconds.

While not the most effective way to work (and he just kept coming back!), I'm putting this in the win category.

Man: 2 - Animal: 0

This is for a few friends from RI...

Now that I've written about 5 pages about a cat and a dog, I'll actually talk about important stuff briefly!

I'm picking up my fourth and final class to teach on Monday---which will be Geometry. Right now I have the first 3.3 days planned extensively, and I'm excited to see how Geogebra works in the classroom. I've always heard the other math education people say how awesome it is (I was always a Geometer's Sketchpad man myself...yes, please make fun of me). So far (for being free) it seems really sweet (almost as good as Sketchpad)!

Also, people have seem to have caught wind to the fact that I pretty much will do anything that I'm asked to do. Today I was asked to be an offside referee in a soccer match (I have played ball boy for a lot of college games), but no I've never reffed before. Yes, it has been over 8 years since I last played on a team. Still it went fine, and it was fun to watch the guys play.

One of my students have also asked me to speak at chapel. I think the "tried and true" thing to do for new people is just to talk about my testimony and my life story. The first thing that comes to mind is all of the people who spoke at Taylor's chapel and started with "Wow, I never thought I'd be speaking at chapel." Maybe I'll start with that? Moreover, it is a little sad that I'll be speaking at chapel on the last day that I'll be teaching full time.

Monday I start full time, and will be teaching the four class (Pre-calculus, Physics twice, and geometry) for the next two weeks. I'll finish that week with chapel (December 2nd), teach a few class for two or three more days, then just go back to observing for two days. After that I'll fly back to Manilla to observe how Faith Academy Manilla runs its school. I'll observe about two days there, then I fly back to Rhode Island.

Quick, eh?

p.s. Also, I plan on interviewing some students as this school for this blog---that way you guys can hear a little bit about them. I'll probably interview one of the two students who are probably going to Taylor next year.

Edit: Apparently another senior has just gotten accepted there! Thus begins my recruitment mission....

Hey RJB!

Hello RJ Baskett students!

It's great to hear from a bunch of you guys! (For those who are not in the know--- before coming to the Philippines I student taught with Mr. Felger at RJ Baskett Middle School in Gas City, IN. Pretty much I was teaching some of the coolest middle school students that I know...also I can defintely tell that some of my old 5th period students have been commenting here...) I miss spending my school days with you guys! Just remember that you guys are pretty fortunate to have a master teacher (Mr. Felger) as your teacher! Also, I sure do miss playing with all the neat-o electronics.

and.... Hello everybody else, too!

First thing: Making a cat chase a laser pointer is can be good fun (be careful if you are playing with a laser pointer).

Second, it has been really strange staying in house all by myself for the last few days (well, except for the cat and dog). A little over a month ago I was living with a large group of my college buddies, then I came here and started living with a family (Father/mother/son), and now I have been spending these last few days solo. I've found stuff to do, but I think I've come to the realization that it is a lot more boring to spend time by yourself during most evenings. It's good to have somebody there to even possibly talk to. It isn't that I'm particularly lonely (the cat doesn't stop bothering me long enough to be lonely), but it really isn't good for man to be alone.

Thirdly, tomorrow marks my half way mark for being in Davao! I will have been here for three and half weeks, and from here I will have three and a half weeks until I fly back to Manila to spend a few days there. The current plan is to fly out of Davao on December 12th and stay at Faith Academy Manila (the other, larger campus of Faith Academy). After spending three days there, I then fly back home to Rhode Island for the holidays.

Since this post is pretty much dedicated to my old RJ Baskett students, I might as well bring back a Philippines fun fact of the week (I know its not Friday).

Fun Fact: Christmas is celebrated in all of the "ber" months. Yes, that includes September, October, November, and December. I was at a beach resort place about 2 weeks ago and the only songs they were playing were Christmas songs and Lady Gaga. That is something I will find strange until the last day I'm here.

Another teacher, some students and I playing spoons (with pens). I did absolutely awful and it took me about four rounds to understand the rules.  We were playing at an all-nighter the high school was having. That same night we played a type of manhunt game where about four us (fast and fit) teacher spent the night hunting down students. I think we had more fun than them.

The resort I went to weeks ago that was playing the Lady Gaga and Christmas mix. It was so surreal...

Another change of scenery.

Since coming to the Philippines I've decided that whenever I'm given an offer or an invitation to take it (unless it is dangerous/stupid/etc.). As a result, I'm actually house sitting for the next couple of days. I'm doing it for a woman who is teaching at the school for one of the elementary grades. She asked me the day before she left, so I'm not sure if I'm a last available option or what---but it is interesting.

It shouldn't change much of my daily schedule. I'll still each most of my dinners with the Hause's (the family I'm staying with), and I eat and get all of my lunches at the school. However, after dinner finishes I'll pack up some stuff and walk toward the school to the house that I'm taking care of. I really don't have too many responsibilities. My main duties include feeding and taking care of the dog (he has two names---Duke and Sampson) and cat (whose name I forgot so I just call him kitty). I think I've won over the trust of the dog, but the cat still seems very suspicious. Its been a few hours and at least he a 1) ate some of the food I gave him and 2) has stopped meowing at me. Still, he runs away whenever I get close. My mission: to get that cat to sit on my lap before I'm done at the house.

While it will be weird to be once again in another house, I'm trying to look at the positives. Tomorrow morning I am going to have the first warm shower I've had in over four weeks. I have more to spread my books out for my intense lesson planning sessions. I'm closer to the school, so my 10 minute walk is now closer to about a 1.5 minute walk... I'm thinking of this as my midway vacation. 

p.s. I have found the "do what people invite you to do" strategy to be great. Becasuse of that strategy I've had dinner at a variety of houses, played a bunch of pick up sports, and have been busy each weekend. Just remember that when overseas you might want to extra wary to not do stupid things.

Pictures and Highlights

Picture Time!

This will be a short post in terms of how much I write, but it is finally time to put up some pictures! Hurray!

In the Classroom
Here are a phew photographs of the classrooms that I spend most of my time in.

This picture and the one below are the same room

This is one of the smallest classes I've ever been in. The classes that go in here range from 3 students to 15 students (which takes up every seat).

Here is the back of my other classroom where I've been teaching physics. As you may be able to notice, the students come from a variety of cultures (and ethnicities).

 A Recent Holiday
Me and three other teachers went to a place called Eden. It was about 20 minutes out of the city and was kind of touristy. Still, I saw some pretty nice things there. Also, it was good to get some fresh air and the company was great!

A peacock running past people preparing for a wedding reception

The meal I had there. All of the fruits were grown there. Everything was delicious, though I'm not sure I trust the meat color.

Americans?

I think we look pretty much alike.

This picture may look edited, but that plant 

He is apparently a Dutch diver and I simply could not resist taking a picture of a man with hair like that...Pullin' a Baner.

Look at how huge that is! (Using my hand as a scale)

This is what many of the houses are designed like, especially the farther you get from the city.

A view of the city Davao, where I live and do my student teaching. Look carefully and you can see mountains in the background.

Pretty flowers...

My walk to school...

Every day I have about a 10 minute walk to school. Here are a few pictures that show the neighborhood I'm in.

This is the view right outside of the house I'm in, looking in the direction toward my school.

This is right about the midway point. Damaged buildings, litter, and brush fill the scenery.

Random animals roam the streets. Lots of dogs, cats, roosters, lizards, and frogs.

I think this is either or Korean or Chinese church near the half way mark. 

Having been here for a while...

First, I want to apologize for not having posted anything for almost two weeks! My best excuse is that I didn't have any photos---because my phone dislikes my computer and I didn't bring a real camera. However, I borrowed a camera from the house that I'm staying at, so I should start posting pictures tonight (in about 6 or so hours).

But, I don't want this to be just some lazy excuse post, so here are some actual updates!

I am now teaching two classes. One is a physics class which has eight students in it, and the other is a pre-calculus class which only has three students (all of whom are in the physics class that I am already teaching). Teaching these classes have been very enjoyable and have been surprisingly natural to begin teaching. I personally think it is surprising because until I came here I literally witnessed one high schools physics class (I never took it until college) and I also never a had an education lab within a pre-calculus class. In order to make up for it I have been doing all of the homework for both classes (I am once again a momentum and trig. identities master) and will probably be learning a lot of content during the remainder of the semester.

While the content is much more difficult than it was at RJB (it's okay RJB, they're a lot older here), the students make every class a breeze in terms of discipline and classroom management. Since there are so few students each class naturally can become a discussion. This would be great except that the students are so well behaved that they never seem to want to disrupt class! Still, they are asking me more questions and apparently they are starting to believe that I am not incompetent (ha ha ha!). The teachers I am working with also seem to think the same thing because they have already left me by myself in both of the classes that I'm teaching. Something that also makes my current students different from anything I've prepared before is that all of them (with one current exception) are Korean students. While English may not be their primary language (and for one or two of them it may be), all of them are proficient enough to understand and discuss the content being taught. And considering that the content is physics, I believe that shows a great deal of mastery of their English.

Tomorrow I begin teaching my third class--the other physics class. The students in this new class haven't taken calculus or pre-calculus, and represent students from the US, Costa Rica, Korea, and elsewhere. It still only has somewhere around 15 students and they are still well behaved albeit also more goofy. It should be a fun group!

First Update: Day Three

Hi everyone! Here is a little blog to help keep everyone up to date on some of the particulars of what I'm doing over in the Philippines. For those who do not know, I will be in Davao (in the Philippines) for 8 weeks while I am fulfilling the second portion of my student teaching. My first 10 weeks was spent in Gas City at RJ Baskett Middle School (alright RJB!---I mean, Indians) but eventually I had to leave so I could teach somewhere else.

A few days and a few thousand miles later I find myself in a much different setting than anything that I have experienced before. Below you can see where the Philippines is located on a world map. The time difference is pretty staggering---it is exactly 12 hours different from my home east coast time zone. At least it makes it easier to know what time it is at home (and I didn't have to change my watch).

Location of the Philippines

Instead of working with Middle School students, I am now working entirely with senior high students. Right now I'm slated to eventually be teaching two physics courses, one pre-calculus course, and one geometry course. Actually, tomorrow I'll be picking up Physics (I'll be starting the chapter on momentum---woohoo)! We can talk about that later.

The school itself is called Faith Academy Mindanao. It's called 'Mindanao' because the school is located on the Philippines' second largest island, Mindanao. The entire school teaches Preschool through 12th grade, but I only know much about the high school. The high school has about 60 students. Yes, you read that correctly, only 60 students! Back at RJ Baskett it would have only taken two of the six classes I taught to encompass the entirety of the high school I am placed at now! The class with the least students in it is a pre-calculus class that I'm eventually going to be taking over which has a grand total of 3 students in it. None of my classes have any more than 14 students.

So that is really quick update. I would post more but right now I seem unable to actually get the pictures off of my phone and onto my computer. Word to the wise---if you go overseas bring a real camera.

Whoever is reading this - - - I probably miss you and hopefully will see you again soon!