Sunday, June 25, 2006
We have been in San Jose for three weeks now, and it is slowly beginning to feel like home. In Igcocolo, the homey feeling was quickened by the small community—we would sit out at the local store and chat and laugh almost every night, everyone in the barangay knew us by name, age, occupation, where we were from and when we were born. Here in San Jose de Buenavista, the close-knitted-ness of the community is very low in the area in which we live. Living on the National Highway, with an average of 1400 STH (Stinky Trikes per Hour) passing our window every afternoon and so many people in the town (San Jose is not considered a “city” according to the Philippine Census, which, if it were, would entitle us as Peace Corps Volunteers to a nearly 800 Peso per month increase in our stipend), not many outside of our small block know us. With 2 other volunteers already in San Jose, and 2 more less than an hour north, we are, inevitably, just 2 more white people without name (except for “Joe”) when we venture the busy streets to walk somewhere. So having been here this long, join me on a review of a typical weekday in the life of Scott.

4:30 a.m.—Initial rush hour of 800 STH directly outside of our window rouses Scott from sweet slumber.
5:50 a.m.—Alarm clock beckons the beginning of a new day
5:58 a.m.—Snoozed alarm clock rings again.
6:06 a.m.—See entry for “5:58 a.m.”
6:14 a.m.—See above
6:14 and 8 seconds—Scott is pushed out of bed by cranky tired wife who has not returned to sleep since initial rush hour.
6:15 a.m.—Scott stands in the shower, cold bucket of water poised above his head, trying to build up courage to begin the shower.
6:17 a.m.—Shower finally begins
6:20 a.m.—Clean and cool Scott emerges from shower, changes into long pants and short sleeved button up T-shirt
6:25 a.m.—Breakfast served. Typical breakfast includes rice, pork or fish products, toast, instant coffee and bottled water.
6:40 a.m.—Breakfast complete, Scott returns to room to pack bag, read whatever book has recently engrossed him or write in his journal.
7:08 a.m.—Scott losses all sense of time while reading, and rushes downstairs to find Host-brother (nicknamed “Bungy-Boy”) patiently waiting for him.
7:09 a.m.—Scott and Bungy ride a trike to school (5 Pesos—about $.10)
7:13 a.m.—Scott and Bungy arrive at School.
7:15 a.m.—Flag ceremony starts at school. 1800 children sing the Philippine National Anthem, sing and dance the Antique Provincial Theme Song, recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippines and listen to the principal remind them of their civic duty as children to pick up their trash.
7:28 a.m.—Scott begins giving a high-five to one student returning to class.
7:32 a.m.—…still giving high fives to the other 1799 students…
7:35 a.m.—Scott goes to his classroom to prepare for the day—getting alphabet and reading materials around, opening the windows in the classroom, arranging desks.
8:02 a.m.—Scott goes next-door to the remedial First Grade classroom to get his first victim/student for individual 30 minute reading sessions.
9:30 a.m.—Stop sessions for Pamahaw, a wonderful Philippine invention that necessitates the total stoppage of any work anywhere in the Philippines for a snack and/or beverage. Scott indulges in a glass bottle Mountain Dew (cost 10 Pesos) and/or the special of the day from the school canteen.
10:00 a.m.—Remediation begins again.
11:00/11:30 a.m.—Class ends (This is not really a set time, more an approximation. Sometimes the students go home by 10:45, sometimes at 11:00.
11:30 (ish) a.m.—Scott rides a trike home
11:34 (ish) a.m.—Scott gets home, sits in front of fan to try and stop the profuse sweating. Does not work.
11:45 a.m.—Erin walks home from her work (if she is in the office, which is a quick walk down the street)
12:00—Lunch time! Typical meal includes rice, chicken, soup, fish, pork, something fried, vegetables, bottled water.
12:30 p.m.—Lunch over, Scott and Erin retreat to room to rest.
1:30 p.m.—Scott rides a trike back to school.
1:34 p.m.—Scott arrives at school, goes to the Hearing Impaired classroom to have the students there help him with his sign language. So far, Scott has mastered the following signs: Good Morning, Good Afternoon, My name is Scott. I am 26 years old. I have a wife. Her name is Erin. Monkey. Yes. No. The Alphabet. Bridge. Snake. America. Brother, Sister, Mother, Father. Beautiful. Handsome. Joke. Camel.
2:00 p.m.—Remediation begins again.
3:00-4:00 p.m.—Classes end, students help to clean up the classroom. Again, not a set time, more an approximation. Scott helps clean, talks with students, they laugh at his inability to properly communicate in Kinaray-a, ask him why he has so much fur, tell him that he is fat, point to and touch his long, pointy nose or just giggle and surround him, taking turns shouting short English phrases at him point blank. “WHAT IS YOUR WIFE LOOKING, IS IT?” or “YOU KNOW EMINEM?” or “WHAT TEACHER YOU HAVE CRUSH ON?” (The answers of which are “She’s pretty.” “No.” and, “I’m married and I’m not in fourth grade.”) Scott then tells them they are all “Monkey Bridges” in sign Language and runs away crying.
4:14 p.m.—Scott gets on a trike and rides home.
4:21 p.m.—After much struggling, Scott finally changes out of his sweaty, stinky work clothes into shorts and a T-shirt.
4:22 p.m.—Coffee and rest time, either on the porch with the family or in his room, shaking and sobbing, depending on the how well the day went.
4:30 (ish)—Erin comes home. Whatever mood Scott is in, she is the opposite.
4:30-6:00 p.m.—Game time with Bungy, chatting with family, shopping or resting.
6:00 p.m.—Dinner Time (sometimes as late as 7:30 pm)
After Dinner—Card games with family, chatting with family, card games with Erin (our new game of choice is Cribbage)

Scott and Erin usually retreat to their room at around 8 p.m., depending on the availability of World Cup games or cheesy movies on TV. Before bed there is definitely reading, rehashing of the day and reminding ourselves that it is not that bad here. Usual bed time is 9:30-10:00 p.m.