Jerry recently joined the school choir (or known here as Glee Club). It was very serious stuff selecting his audition song, plus enduring the 10 day wait to find out who had been selected to represent his grade. What Jerry…
Tag: Philippines
Texting Cousins
One of the coolest things since meeting Jerry and creating a life together is his enthusiasm for my family. Just recently I got him his own kiddie messaging app and he's been texting my nephew Declan (the son of my…
Today is Market Day
Tuesday is market day in Estancia. Growers come in from the mountains to trade their vegetables for fish, and anyone who can sell anything joins them by lining their wares along the streets, alcoves and market entrances. A woman and…
Busted Seat
For those of you not conversant with Philippine bus culture, if a seat-back jams on a crowded bus (still at the terminal) the conductor will cooly break off the offending back rest and manoeuvre it into the aisle (random passenger…
We All Have Our Reasons
For Jerry it's something fun to eat (chicken heads on a stick), for me it's more time to write (no need to cook), for the boys waiting it's a meal (something cheap they can afford) and for Em it's a…
Girls Eat Mangos
Riding home from the market earlier I spotted these two little girls sitting in a busted-up bicycle rickshaw eating mangos. I'm not sure why the little one in front was wearing half a plastic bottle on her head, but I…
Quiet acts of kindness
There is something in the quiet stoicism in which Filipinos approach discomfort that is compelling.
Decisions
Arriving in the Philippines over two years ago to help out after Typhoon Yolanda, I never expected I would still be here. The amazing, crazy and tragic things that have happened over the past two years have left me drained…