Closing Things Down

Today is my last full day in Ubay.  The church here that is associated with Icthus Christian Academy is celebrating its 28th anniversary today.  There will be a big fiesta with a roasted pig and everything else.  The school is closed as the celebration involves everyone. Also, much of the school's facilities will be used during the fiesta, so it is just not practical to have classes.  This will be a nice opportunity for me to mingle with the locals who will come to join in the celebration.  There will also be several pastors from churches throughout Bohol who will also be in attendance.  In all, it should be a promising event for me to meet and greet representatives from many of Bohol's churches.

One of the nicer restaurants in Ubay.

I walked the market today, probably for the last time this trip.  I've been there enough that I don't get as many awkward stares and "Hi Joe" comments.  Instead, I have people greeting me as someone they know -- even if they can't remember how to say my name.  I watched a game of checkers -- a little different than what we play, as it is played on a diagonal rather than on a standard checkerboard.  I had bought some cardboard boxes yesterday to store some extra clothes and supplies in -- things I won't be taking back to the US.  I had asked a lady where I might find some boxes and she directed me there. I saw her today and she immediately asked if I had found some boxes to use.  I can't say that I feel at home, as this is still very foreign in so many ways; but in a way, I do feel at home.

Teachers of ICA working on one of my assignments.

My comfort level with at least the town of Ubay has increased dramatically over the past week.  It seems wrong somehow to be leaving now that I have just become comfortable with the community.  Oh, there is much more to learn, I won't pretend to be any sort of expert.  But I would feel confident taking visitors around and getting them settled in for a short stay. I've visited a couple other hotels and pension houses in the area.  Only one has hot water showers -- and those rooms are up four flights of stairs, so that is one thing that would need to be taken into consideration when having visitors spend time here.  I know of several good restaurants as well as several . . . how can I say this tactfully . . . several "unique" restaurants which provide a variety of meals.  There is a hamburger place I want to visit today at lunch -- I've seen it several times in my walks but was always had some other objective in mind when I passed by.  I will give a report on that -- it isn't McDonalds or even Jolibees . . . I'll take a few pictures to explain.

So yes, I feel a little sad about leaving here.  I do have a few days in Carmen and Sierra Bullones to look forward to on my way back to Manila.  But Ubay has gained a special place in my heart.  Although it has a very rough exterior appearance, it is truly an enjoyable place to visit.  My itinerary on the way out includes the two nights in Carmen (with a side-trip to an out-of-the-way community), one night in Tagbilaran, leaving that next morning on a ZestAir flight to Manila.  Two nights in Manila (where I will do some gift shopping for family) and then catch my flight back to the US early on Wednesday morning.  My flight is scheduled to arrive mid-day on Thursday Dec 6th.

I still haven't captured the scene correctly, but this is a
little motorcycle repair shop across the street from ICA

I'm looking forward to coming home -- don't let anyone try to convince you otherwise.  I've missed my family and the familiar things of home.  I won't miss the mosquitoes but they will miss me, I'm sure.  I'm not looking forward to the colder weather -- although it is certainly hot and humid here, I feel comfortable with that. The prospects of shoveling snow over the next few months is not one I look forward to.  I've learned a lot here and will need some time to process my observations.  Some ideas have changed, some have been reinforced.  New ideas have presented themselves.  In all, it was an excellent fact finding opportunity and I have a good perspective on future assignments.

Iwill be out of internet service while in Carmen, so this will be my last post for several days.  I will be back online Sunday night (here -- very early Sunday morning in the US) and will update everyone on my status.

Until then - please continue to pray for travel safety and good weather for my return to the US.

Salamat


Scott