The best weekend yet...

All five of the teachers were able to pass the one week intense Filipino Sign Language (FSL) training with an exam on Saturday. Lee and I split the group and gave to the exams individually since the test was ‘hands on’ it was very interesting to be on the other side of giving a Sign Language exam. This, I think was the first time I realized I am Actually done with College. Wow.
This next week each of the new teachers are going to be placed through out the 4 elementary programs here in Bohol. They have a two month training/observation time within the classrooms. This is really a full immersion experience for them and they will be able to become fluent in FSL in no time.

On Saturday night I was invited to supper by Lee and his wife. It was great to get to know them more, although I think did most of the talking. It is nice to be around people who have English as their first language as well. I am always so worried about accidentally being witty or using an idiom that the Filipinos will have no idea what I am talking about, they would never tell me.

On Sunday I went with Lee and his three sons to a famous market in bohol and then to two more waterfalls. The market was very awesome. It is the Filipino culture alive at its best. This particular market is famous for the baskets the people bring. They are really neat baskets. It is amazing the things these people do with the resources God has given them. At the market you can find anything:
1. dried fish
2. raw fish
3. rice (of all kinds)
4. food for your chicken
5. fruits
6. vegetables
7. soaps
8. clothes
9. jewelry
10. breads
11. candies
12. and something special from the medicine man…
we asked the medicine man about a lot of his products. There was some rocks about the size of your hand that you set on your window sill to keep away the bad spirits. Something to tie around the baby’s ankle to help them stop crying from teething, sulfer powder, beads to keep away colds… many things… that I found not so useful at this point.

The first waterfalls we went to was amazing. The water was a teal green and nice and cool. I guess there was a flash flood there just two weeks ago and two guys were killed. Too much water came all of the sudden from the falls and they drowned. There is a clip on Youtube if you search Magaso falls. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVyuGIqcrnU


Anyway, we jumped off some places that were VERY high. One was only about 25 to 30 feet and the highest, near the top of the falls was about 60 to 70. It was a rush. By the time I climbed up there with Lee’s 8year old son I knew there was no turning back. It was a rush. One really cool thing is a small cave underneath the water fall. It isn’t very deep but we could all fit in it and sit underneath the water streaming down. It was a bit difficult at first for me to get under the falls. We swim up to the falls and scale the wall, in your bear feet while water is pouring down on you. I tried to search out and memorize a few places to set my hands and feet in order to get the ledge where I could climb underneath. However, if you now me, I can only think three steps ahead and then I forget. So, as I got pretty much under the falls, the water is beating down hard on me and I can not think, nor feel where the next best place is. I am trying to open my eyes just the slightest, however my contacts were not too excited about staying in my eyes if I were to open too wide. I moved a couple more grasps to the point where I thought Lee was already, and I stuck my hand out in faith, He was able to grab me and pull me up under the falls. Alas, I made it. And it was dry, beautiful, and worth it. We rested there awhile and then jumped out from underneath the falls. We were able to follow the water down stream a ways to a great swimming pool area. It was tough to get to as we clung mainly to the rocks on the side, I fell in several times because it was so slippery. We were able to technically walk in the river, but the current was kind of strong and their were big rocks everywhere that were covered in about 2 inches of really slimy mud. So impossible to step on or hold onto. The water was in a huge area of light and the water was nice and cool. It was so neat mainly because it was just a giant open area in the middle of the streams from the falls. Lee thinks it was about 14 feet deep. Very Clear! I took my hair down and swam around pretending to be a mermaid. That is where I would imagine a mermaid to live. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.



The second falls was not as high, but there is a deep cave. We didn’t enter the cave because his boys didn’t want to, again. But you bring your flashlight and you can swim through this cave about 45 minutes and you come into this great big room with awesome stalactites and stalagmites. Apparently also a lot of bats. There is an entry way that you dive under and swim a little bit to get to another room, and then again to another much smaller room. But I think if I ever end up swimming through the dark cave I will stop at the big room, before I would have to dive and swim into the dark water to another area where I would find air. I am not that brave.

All in all, a very full and adventurous week. I hope all of you are having a great time… most of you reading this experienced snow this last week. Before you complain too much, there are millions of people here would give anything to see it, even just one time. Appreciate where you are. 