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Showing posts from January, 2017

Visiting Families in the Philippines

Getting There . We booked a flight from IAD (Dulles International Airport) to Bay Area to meet up with my parent a day before our trip to Philippines. The following day, we all flew together from San Francisco to Manila via Taipei, Taiwan on EVA Air. Getting Around . We used a family van which easily fits 8 passengers to go around town, from airport pickup to family visits. Schedule Day 1, Jan 16 (Mon) We arrived in Manila around noon via Taipei. My auntie and cousin who travel to Manila from the province the day before our arrival was already at the gate waiting for us. Completely drained from the flight, my auntie took us to her usual restaurant nearby the airport before retiring at Eleganza Apartelle in Quezon City, this location gave us a head start the following day on our trip to my hometown, Bayombong. Day 2, Jan 17 (Tue) Today, everyone woke up early to get ready for an all day ride to Bayombong. My auntie and uncle whom I have not seen for a while joine

Spending A Day with the Schoolchildren of Pawak Elementary School

Pawak Elementary School is the home of 98 aspiring young students (52 girls and 46 boys) ranging from Kindergarten to Grade VI. As most of these children come from a family who rely on the farm and livestock, they go to a great length just to attend elementary education, helping their parents tend their livestock before walking miles of dirt and treacherous trails to reach the school ground. Because of its remote location, the school does not usually get the government funding and attention it deserve. It relies mainly on the kindness and generosity of outreach programs. "Chalkboard" was one of those program. In October 2016, a Crowdfunding program called "Chalkboard" was launched, the goal was to raise enough funds for basic essentials- backpacks, raincoats, notebooks, pens and snacks. In less than a week, through Social Media, generous donors answered the call, raising $600 in total.