Maphod an Argo

Good day! HOw is everyone? Its gorgeous here, finally a few days strung together without rain. What a difference blue skies make, I was ready to move to the Visayas. So whats been going on here? Well work has become a bit dry. I am now focusing on creating a database of the farmers in the coop, the Rice Terraces Farmers Copperative. Its really just a simple collection of data on individual members, such as date joined, dues paid, pledge amount, actual amount sold, size of rice paddy, address, position and so on. I will later add fields to include information on families and income and farming activities. But i have to survey for that, so that comes down the road. The database will be used by the NGO, R.I.C.E Inc., as a way to monitor the effectiveness of its work (tracking income) and it will also be used towards applying for grants and giving presentations since this is the baseline profile of the major beneficiaries. Too bad its just such tedious work using Access. Oh well, I didnt quite expect a year ago that I would be doing this kind of work here. Its funny actually, I either work out in some far off barangay with indeginous farmers inspecting their rice fields and chewing beetlenut talking in the native language about why I am not looking for a wife here or i am locked up indoors facing a computer screen. I got both extremes here......and I love it! Doing all the hands on work can be exhausting so its a nice change of pace I guess. What else, well, I tried to cook gnocchi here last night for my host family - what a catastrophe that was. It was terrible. I also made this tomato sauce to go with it, real simple ingredients, tomatoes, garlic, seasoning...but man o man, they looked at it like it was some alien creature, first taking a couple pieces and then slowly lifting it to their mouths and then looking over at me with a very disturbed look like I had horribly offended them. It was VERY awkward to say the least. I tried to do the filipino thing and laugh my way out of it joking about it saying the dogs wont even eat this huh. But that didnt work either, the dinner table was silent the rest of the evening. I think they were actually mad, anyways I learned to try first and then if good bring it over. What else, I went to a wedding the other day and danced with a bunch of old ladies, I tried to walk the puppy next door, but he wasnt having any of it so I picked him up and walked around and people were looking at me like i was gonna go home and cook the thing (which is completely acceptable) oh and I also went to church, I went to the 3pm mass, It was fabulous, the preist gave a lecture (sermon?) ahbout indeginous rights mentioning how mass media and global consumerism are destroying the culture of the 40 indeginous peoples here inthe philippines. I wanted to yell Amen! but just said it under my breath. Being away from the onslaught of T.V and advertisements in the states has taught me that there is a difference between what I want and what I need. I live simply here and I dont go to bed thinking about what I want to buy tomorrow. Instead I think about the new itch on my arm pit praying the sulfur soap will work. Hey Naylor Fam, I want a LOST season 3 update? Adam where are you at with those? What else, oh the other day I had 11 kids all about 11 years old running around in my house. We were playing tag and hide n seek. We also played hours of badminton. I left my wallet on my desk and marty, my host brother, reprimanded me for leaving it out with all these strangers in my home. Sorry dad. Good lookin out. Its sad but kinda refreshing that all my freinds here are little kids. I am reviving my youth. They continually surprise me with witty and clever comments, copying things I said or did days ago. For example, i pretended to not know what a prostitute is, and this girl gave me the Angsten eye, the skin below the eye pulled down with the index finger. I started cracking up and gave her a high five, she was equally as pleased as I was with this. What else, oh I wrote down some personal goals here, I copied Eva-she impressed me when she told me she had wrote down allthe things she has learned about herself here and her personal goals. Surprise surprise that we share some goals, seems like we always have something new in common. So mine are - to keep up meditation, to get xercise routine, to meet more backpackers here, to make bigger effort to hang out with other PCVs, to cook for family more(dont know about that anymore hah), there are more personal ones but those will stay offline. I do heaps of self-reflecting here, maybe too much. Im not bored tho,usually. And i do get out a lot, its just I need to share my thoughts with somebody and I am usually the only one around that would listen and understand. My lovely host mom from Saytan would and I am going to see her soon - Cant Wait! Ok im rambling now. Better go. Much love to all, especially to Jules, thanks for the message, check your email. And to claire love the package, and eva says thank you. She read the book in a lil over a day. K, Love ,Adam