tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1887764598998678422024-03-13T09:57:23.830-07:00Man on a MissionAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188776459899867842.post-26468830098152716332016-01-11T03:42:00.001-08:002016-01-11T06:30:15.146-08:00On The Road Again...and again... (Days Gone By VI)<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the end of my last blog, I said that I would be catching up to the present the next time I posted. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">So now, ladies and gentlemen:</span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">IT'S</span></span></span></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-XKZWLkBG7dGgsyAnlRgeKd9skz-FU5iSJQCQyTydicbQhzW5wJIniXFhnlb3PIDi9M0frioxsgtiTZwquu7ZqFwfu0kIPnnooC4awE1Vel-9BKUhPBy76d4Phrnm-aM1UFgMb1DsPy-/s1600/bruce-buffer-ufc-fight-night-45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-XKZWLkBG7dGgsyAnlRgeKd9skz-FU5iSJQCQyTydicbQhzW5wJIniXFhnlb3PIDi9M0frioxsgtiTZwquu7ZqFwfu0kIPnnooC4awE1Vel-9BKUhPBy76d4Phrnm-aM1UFgMb1DsPy-/s320/bruce-buffer-ufc-fight-night-45.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">TIME!!!</span></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">(To admit that I was mistaken.)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Those of you who know me best know how fond I am of that, so enjoy it while you can.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">At some point, every blog post is going to be about the past, but there's just too much past worth talking about to cram into just one post. So you're gonna have to put up with this framing device a little while longer.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">That said:</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">ONWARD</span></span></span></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nahAy9I6mNg5NONgSN8Q6ih1j_4hArJRM42SEe0vb39q831wGXmtr3MgysKXsdFpDELop1YQSTzsKqVczbO0X2AoCwuSqzvcH-7dAYCZ2x5WjSZX3vtatK2d3b9S4uLxv27D0b1Kggc_/s1600/IMG_8587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nahAy9I6mNg5NONgSN8Q6ih1j_4hArJRM42SEe0vb39q831wGXmtr3MgysKXsdFpDELop1YQSTzsKqVczbO0X2AoCwuSqzvcH-7dAYCZ2x5WjSZX3vtatK2d3b9S4uLxv27D0b1Kggc_/s400/IMG_8587.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">To...America? Wait no, this is right outside of Manila.</span></span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Guess some things never change. Like corporate ubiquity. Thank God for Mountain Province.</span></span></span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Close Encounters of the British (& British Columbian) Kind</i>: This post and the next post will find themselves full of visitors! (Just like the actual page. Thanks to everyone who checks this out, BTW!)</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first visit was in the form of Fr. Douglas Fenton, Archdeacon of The Diocese of New Westminster, Canada. The DoNW and EDNP (my diocese) have been (and are continuing) exploring the idea of a diocesan partnership between our two diocese...es? No, wait, just diocese. So Archdeacon Fenton came to meet with everyone here and to see life in the diocese live and up close.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Mission: Accomplished</i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This crash course in la vida montaƱosa included a tour around the surrounding towns near Bontoc - Sagada, Besao, Tadian and Bauko and several of their associated barangay (which, for those Stateside, are like suburbs - only in this area, they used to be the different tribes of the Cordillera. And because of that, instead of being directly connected a town center, there's usually a bit of distance between them. Sometimes a lot of distance. For instance Masla, which you'll see in my next post, and saw in <i>"D.G.B. Part IV"</i>, is about 45 minutes from Poblacion, Tadian, but is still part of Tadian. And there's not a whole lot in-between.)</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRk7619hiSGgt47lm7s6yigGwTyXnS7FFgmmPyf5nSM-MgUX5agreLbUd9lXX2LpaV_OILDg0v-KIEQimzNTvpeF_MmGSluiFSi-9QE4vwsHRAqAWWkPyuU82ZER1HabLKmMcMEHdlRVsS/s1600/IMG_8709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRk7619hiSGgt47lm7s6yigGwTyXnS7FFgmmPyf5nSM-MgUX5agreLbUd9lXX2LpaV_OILDg0v-KIEQimzNTvpeF_MmGSluiFSi-9QE4vwsHRAqAWWkPyuU82ZER1HabLKmMcMEHdlRVsS/s400/IMG_8709.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i>Still in town</i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This was also the first time I got a feel for how Mountain Province is connected - or at least the sections I'd been to already. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The day also included Fr. Fenton getting to see some of the churches and meeting the people who comprised their congregations. Also, he (and Andrew and I as well) were given the chance to address the congregation in Besao with regards to the formation of the partnership. And of course, what would a trip around Mountain Province be without food and dancing?! </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<i>That's exactly what it looks like</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsEkUA3nzoOzAZ_sKDjNFyc81HYt8O2Q143DclZJncPqa8zAyE4YXhL3qNTd6QiNCP4lo3xkrRudahCwKjCjs56uGgdjG37sO2DrfXDtoZ0jDf4RztopUKeMtZFhU8CQzFVDuyEg58pSa/s1600/IMG_8343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsEkUA3nzoOzAZ_sKDjNFyc81HYt8O2Q143DclZJncPqa8zAyE4YXhL3qNTd6QiNCP4lo3xkrRudahCwKjCjs56uGgdjG37sO2DrfXDtoZ0jDf4RztopUKeMtZFhU8CQzFVDuyEg58pSa/s400/IMG_8343.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> A little fellowship before the official welcome</i></div>
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<i>Welcoming Committee</i></div>
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<i>"I just flew in from Canada and </i><b>boy</b><i> are my arms tired!"<br /> </i></div>
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<i>(He didn't actually say that, thank God.)</i></div>
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<i>We had a friend!</i></div>
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<i>The musical stylings of the Besao deanery clergy</i></div>
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<i>Awaiting the start of the native celebration</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwppADtQS6wtKAI4eP4-LJg_lhyphenhyphenWxbYMKSRo6a3-ZolpmpRpJo9bDsx2OXF8qkZ3pT2LL158w1rLZq5PeqCmz5_aAhZDSJyB4mEOt5un_ETlNA0qH0spb48FJi5ETgzAIY-Z4QuJJk29B/s1600/IMG_8375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwppADtQS6wtKAI4eP4-LJg_lhyphenhyphenWxbYMKSRo6a3-ZolpmpRpJo9bDsx2OXF8qkZ3pT2LL158w1rLZq5PeqCmz5_aAhZDSJyB4mEOt5un_ETlNA0qH0spb48FJi5ETgzAIY-Z4QuJJk29B/s400/IMG_8375.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Just dance!</i></div>
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<i>(Not the original caption - but the day I went to publish this, David Bowie died. RIP)</i></div>
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<i>Native song and dance </i></div>
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<i>Let's be clear: You do </i><b>not</b><i> mess with this woman.</i></div>
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From Besao we went on to Tadian and finished up back in Bontoc later that evening. Unfortunately, despite some spectacular opportunities for photographs, my phone battery AND the big camera's battery <i>both</i> died. <i>Sayang!</i><br />
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After Fr. Fenton's departure, it was time to get back to life as usual in Bontoc. Only first it was time for something a little different - my apartment was finally ready for me to move in to! Prior to this point, I had been staying at a Diocesan-run hotel, The Walter Clapp. But now I got to move into my permanent place on the Cathedral Compound. (I can't recall if I've said this on the blog or just to people back home, but America really needs to jump onto this whole Cathedral Compound idea. It's really quite tremendous.)<br />
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So, as is tradition, we had a housewarming! And I killed my first chicken. And then a few minutes later my second. Sidenote: turns out chickens are somewhat durable.<br />
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<i>Did I mention that my apartment is unnecessarily large? 'Cause it is.</i></div>
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<i>That said, it doubles as the E-CARE Guest House, so it kind of has to be.</i><br />
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<i> Bishop giving a blessing.</i><br />
<i>Photo credit: Demery </i></div>
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<i>Never going to lack for food during my year, that's for sure</i></div>
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As you may have guessed by the title of this post however, I didn't get to stay in my new digs for long. It was time to get on the road for the National E-CARE meeting at Cathedral Heights in Manila! But first, we had a stopover for the blessing of the E-CARE Marketing Center in Atok, outside of Baguio. So off we went onto the beautiful Halsema Highway.</div>
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<i>Emphasis on the "high"</i></div>
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<i>More bars in more places</i></div>
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<i>View from the top</i><i> </i><br />
<i>Okay, so there was more mountain behind us, but the top of the road...</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Coming along!</i><br />
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<i> </i></div>
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<i>Catherine starts us off with the first reading of the blessing</i></div>
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<i>This is the same room from "Days Gone By - Part I" - looks much improved these days!</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3pKXYlPOfsJ9Av1oVnDVIdWIc-B01ApsB6RAFw8E3jyJ6KvaVr1ZWwq7nZ7OwoREAJS-WT53QKJ50qYgT78Tz5vzvofu_4wBvaqEqwut2taahhSz48S43PFko0GYy_9ExWdYeS_ioaBY/s1600/TheFaceofEcare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3pKXYlPOfsJ9Av1oVnDVIdWIc-B01ApsB6RAFw8E3jyJ6KvaVr1ZWwq7nZ7OwoREAJS-WT53QKJ50qYgT78Tz5vzvofu_4wBvaqEqwut2taahhSz48S43PFko0GYy_9ExWdYeS_ioaBY/s400/TheFaceofEcare.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i> Pure beauty</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLZvwOqBtttD3wwifiRTVKRNi5ZgNE-vQTCbcdP1x5PHYAByqyaRIW8EKWeZy92BnQ0-wI5GHmXnfrh3DnMbqo9FLudsuGr1CRaB0qVtUvuF4k9hOXNqGbIziiHKBBF6Wfg_K8ZMuqexS/s1600/theview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLZvwOqBtttD3wwifiRTVKRNi5ZgNE-vQTCbcdP1x5PHYAByqyaRIW8EKWeZy92BnQ0-wI5GHmXnfrh3DnMbqo9FLudsuGr1CRaB0qVtUvuF4k9hOXNqGbIziiHKBBF6Wfg_K8ZMuqexS/s640/theview.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>Oh wait, that last caption was meant for this picture. (Joke lang, girls :P)<br />This is the view I was unable to share with you last time I was here due to the clouds rolling in<br /> </i></div>
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Before we went all the way down to Manila - a 12-hour trip, despite only being 70 miles further than the distance from Dallas to Austin (those winding mountain roads really ramp up the time) - we decided to rest the night in Baguio City, Baguio!</div>
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Despite the fact that it had only been 6 weeks since I had found myself in the middle of a town larger than 20,000 people (Tabuk doesn't count since I was only at the edge of town), I was wholly unprepared for how time away like that would would wipe out my tolerance to city life. 15 years of living in cities approaching or well over a million people <i><b>gone</b></i> in practically no time. I simply wasn't ready to have as many people in one field of view as I'd seen in 6 weeks combined! That said, I got over it pretty quickly and resumed my former city slicker-ness, but it was a rough bit there at the beginning. </div>
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<i>Still a mountain town. Just a much BIGGER mountain town</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> "Ooh, you know what </i><b>I </b><i>miss? TRAFFIC."</i></div>
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<i> A McDonald's in a city that doesn't believe in stocking bathrooms with toilet paper.</i></div>
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<i>This is God's idea of a cruel joke.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQv9AO7DLQhRPXWOMqentrpdL1Qw-vJCt9GLpwoVppJFsycVF8L1F3ENDpKjw2Jj-V5k-BJgaIT8IK58I7671R0RNMBsD5tE35AjR0blfwKMPH8I85cZ21uID5ue9ZhkI6p_61Zk9wCtWH/s1600/IMG_8553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQv9AO7DLQhRPXWOMqentrpdL1Qw-vJCt9GLpwoVppJFsycVF8L1F3ENDpKjw2Jj-V5k-BJgaIT8IK58I7671R0RNMBsD5tE35AjR0blfwKMPH8I85cZ21uID5ue9ZhkI6p_61Zk9wCtWH/s400/IMG_8553.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> But Catherine did get a bear in her coffee, so...that was nice.</i></div>
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Alright, it's been great being back in a city with a hot shower and pizza like I'm used to, and Baguio truly is very beautiful (something I'll explore more in a later post) but it's time to move on. Oh wait, crap, I forgot - we're moving on to MANILA. I've made a huge mistake! Let's stay!!!</div>
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<i> </i></div>
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Nope. No such luck. Back on the road we went.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>God is Good all the Time 2:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Reckoning</i></div>
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<i> Is...is that a Pepsi water tower??</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtasQziTNWe72ld-HR1khJW36R2otbbfiDdCESfyDuszDXzSNrIulH9R3ashxh_8wujAsoQMkUWePUXgXEAklbDK3RbZxhhPPhVMWy8eKyq3pq400z5KNFqw0QZmqVPPhK274etSE6H3hW/s1600/IMG_8582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtasQziTNWe72ld-HR1khJW36R2otbbfiDdCESfyDuszDXzSNrIulH9R3ashxh_8wujAsoQMkUWePUXgXEAklbDK3RbZxhhPPhVMWy8eKyq3pq400z5KNFqw0QZmqVPPhK274etSE6H3hW/s400/IMG_8582.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>When you sit at the end of the table, you get put on group selfie duty...</i></div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXvaXjYDRsUzuFwCTbjt6jzbQcjefq2Mml05xCy1hzGGQpss4vpU4foFScdT9Sdw1qaRCqr6WeRRRCLqaM9KixqCLAUEmeVp4efxaQ6avDhtD4J7CK1L30XaSYMnibAwTQ9eUVTmm2ph6/s1600/IMG_8584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXvaXjYDRsUzuFwCTbjt6jzbQcjefq2Mml05xCy1hzGGQpss4vpU4foFScdT9Sdw1qaRCqr6WeRRRCLqaM9KixqCLAUEmeVp4efxaQ6avDhtD4J7CK1L30XaSYMnibAwTQ9eUVTmm2ph6/s400/IMG_8584.JPG" width="400" /></a></i></div>
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<i>Aw, SO close to the 'Horns</i></div>
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The meeting went well and was actually informative on what we're trying to do and where we're trying to go as E-CARE, but Manila still ravaged my lungs and my eyes, so I was more than happy when it was time to go again. Despite the fact that it was crazy early, per usual.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwV2JueYMknbrvRu2ZA18klQ3ZWbhZm0OncQ01zI14sIqsqQBHItNQwPFSE6hJv6kuytYJ5C822NxUTr8qc2AMEFGcJA1foPHx8umDAcXRSuVTy6ULXrQ4wC3uWP9iI39IpjRa7zYPI7_/s1600/IMG_3025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwV2JueYMknbrvRu2ZA18klQ3ZWbhZm0OncQ01zI14sIqsqQBHItNQwPFSE6hJv6kuytYJ5C822NxUTr8qc2AMEFGcJA1foPHx8umDAcXRSuVTy6ULXrQ4wC3uWP9iI39IpjRa7zYPI7_/s400/IMG_3025.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i>I think Quisky was okay with leaving too</i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVZxODelQgm9HFFhIVOXusODE3mBD4xKzbi62mmN2_t1-7HOwg2y4evpZEvGlVw6IwHxfLi-Sj4otT2mNlQslmjwBkyiNnt6Z3gUMd0ZEn-OAWAlt972OQASOAu_a7G1fT8WLxabj3oW2/s1600/IMG_3040+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVZxODelQgm9HFFhIVOXusODE3mBD4xKzbi62mmN2_t1-7HOwg2y4evpZEvGlVw6IwHxfLi-Sj4otT2mNlQslmjwBkyiNnt6Z3gUMd0ZEn-OAWAlt972OQASOAu_a7G1fT8WLxabj3oW2/s400/IMG_3040+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Picture, picture!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BuJvmUgjtUhIZVPywEhAA0bGL_cA4KA643gzbsINwA54d9o95tmfgE1jDD59QtPh7-Y-TCS3qhDuy_IWAczoL8LVPaqli48Iig7yaGDcEj52S3Sid1Wjh4w2ZqIMx0n8XkFxGTB8zqPy/s1600/IMG_3067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BuJvmUgjtUhIZVPywEhAA0bGL_cA4KA643gzbsINwA54d9o95tmfgE1jDD59QtPh7-Y-TCS3qhDuy_IWAczoL8LVPaqli48Iig7yaGDcEj52S3Sid1Wjh4w2ZqIMx0n8XkFxGTB8zqPy/s640/IMG_3067.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Back in glorious Mountain Province</i></div>
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<i>The E-CARE crew </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj891wYuRAo1uhuDO4Uyflc-bc8K3n3_uQR1K8OPTEjdkrT-CO1Zewy6lvzi_VGQDEA0nzqfmQNGJYoieYvYU84P01-eQNz3JpBCBLRWxSGksO3YuFH3oxnjf4A72cFadbhIrteZJ6hQzug/s1600/IMG_3060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj891wYuRAo1uhuDO4Uyflc-bc8K3n3_uQR1K8OPTEjdkrT-CO1Zewy6lvzi_VGQDEA0nzqfmQNGJYoieYvYU84P01-eQNz3JpBCBLRWxSGksO3YuFH3oxnjf4A72cFadbhIrteZJ6hQzug/s400/IMG_3060.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>And a glorious mountain man...</i></div>
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<i>For about 8 more days. But that's for next time.</i></div>
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<i> </i> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Ah.</span></div>
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Back in Bontoc.</div>
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Gawis t'ay inmali takoh. And just in time, because it was time for more visitors! But that will be for next time as well. I can't promise it will conclude this series (it won't) but I can promise it will arrive more expediently than this entry.</div>
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Happy new year! I will see you all out somewhere on the Wild Wild World Wide Webternetsphere.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peace.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgWdHaa35MJftL6AF3NgwP6wZmMQUChsxzKom4iDkdZfQZyH3z3aQjmHlKG2EisSt5gSm6k9Xi5CRPsk1zFUXs0oiMxylD9HS0VZsgxLkn9Ucow3iVH_cZ2_2JwAHiIlPeLhHC9bwOg1w/s1600/IMG_8741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgWdHaa35MJftL6AF3NgwP6wZmMQUChsxzKom4iDkdZfQZyH3z3aQjmHlKG2EisSt5gSm6k9Xi5CRPsk1zFUXs0oiMxylD9HS0VZsgxLkn9Ucow3iVH_cZ2_2JwAHiIlPeLhHC9bwOg1w/s640/IMG_8741.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <i><span style="font-size: small;">On the road. Again. :)</span></i></span></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188776459899867842.post-11166693203933005732015-12-08T03:15:00.001-08:002015-12-09T04:45:51.096-08:00Installation Sensation, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Being a Turista (Days Gone By Part V)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">HELLO. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">I'm falling behind and I have a ton I want to get to in this one, so...</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD</b></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><u><b><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8aIQVhoxdGbWofc7vJzO0vxvDbzbKp_LBX-YB9wIZ89UyocCMpx6pt9ukT3wr8lAIuHw4oFrh9Q_2PNWGSXGYglCJNWYmbvI6sgbnjWdz5nFIRkrko3ZVTgALNUatIa4H_u05L71-HZW/s1600/IMG_7733.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8aIQVhoxdGbWofc7vJzO0vxvDbzbKp_LBX-YB9wIZ89UyocCMpx6pt9ukT3wr8lAIuHw4oFrh9Q_2PNWGSXGYglCJNWYmbvI6sgbnjWdz5nFIRkrko3ZVTgALNUatIa4H_u05L71-HZW/s400/IMG_7733.JPG" width="300" /></a></b></u> <br /><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>...not this road, though. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Yes, those little things down there are trees.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">So as I mentioned in my previous blog, I'll start with my trip to Tabuk, Kalinga for the installation of EDNL's (Episcopal Diocese of Northern Luzon) new Bishop, Esteban Sabawil. The trip took place immediately after Typhoon Lando, which had a minor effect on my part of Mountain Province (one of the beauties of being <i>surrounded</i> by mountains instead of built into them) but definitely hit hard in other places in the Philippines, especially coastal areas such as Aurora and Ilocos Sur. Even Baguio (which some of you may remember as the place I thought I was going and also where Catherine ended up) had the roof of it's SM Mall blown off! Woah! The worst we got was a river that was way deeper than usual and a lot of gnarly-sounding wind. So I'm certainly grateful that we didn't get worse and ask for your continued thoughts and prayers to those still dealing with the aftermath of this storm even now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>By the way, I mean gnarly in the bad way, not the 70's kind of way</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Before we left, it was uncertain whether or not we would be able to take the way via Kalinga or if we'd have to go around the other direction. Now, in the States, that might add an hour or two to the trip. In this case though, it was the difference between a roughly 5-hour trip and a much less fun-filled <i><b>12</b></i>-hour trip. Thankfully, we were able to go via Kalinga - and though all of the landslides had gotten a lane cleared through them, the trip wasn't without it's road hazards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcedK4hpxqFfndJaSaQFPv0shq-2cJrYKPQrNIIjLEGj1Y7peHMwjeBU_zL9-42lmQ7dumBGChMKMfl6TWFkAyJQotClaPRsrAyvpzDNz9q9eSmHuywYvs0bGD3LGbtgv9sM0Oed28OV1/s1600/IMG_7770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcedK4hpxqFfndJaSaQFPv0shq-2cJrYKPQrNIIjLEGj1Y7peHMwjeBU_zL9-42lmQ7dumBGChMKMfl6TWFkAyJQotClaPRsrAyvpzDNz9q9eSmHuywYvs0bGD3LGbtgv9sM0Oed28OV1/s400/IMG_7770.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> Pictured: Road Hazards</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Also, steak and burgers</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_RAPTBBdzIxXagFln9zg5SjY8UlLxB-krF-PI6xWnfQKH1tjtUufsQv9yARG166UIn0fTOWABuLG7LOFht39DKncrxGM6n4SOmmBguQl1Sa8DpUhCMqkrcvGavMVx2lLRbrFwuRK1LKs/s1600/IMG_7736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_RAPTBBdzIxXagFln9zg5SjY8UlLxB-krF-PI6xWnfQKH1tjtUufsQv9yARG166UIn0fTOWABuLG7LOFht39DKncrxGM6n4SOmmBguQl1Sa8DpUhCMqkrcvGavMVx2lLRbrFwuRK1LKs/s400/IMG_7736.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>I double dog dare you to drive through here</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pAxWY4QbhP85YfGPc_rZFE8OORbEwjoQ0nKyfxwwkOqX-tWgKlh6-ZKcz5s5JROTPTdLI9s50rh_STeCS_Uobaw9597GJ8Kvm0qyvzpd4CMYlg-kFAI4q4lylwyvyYMADTZN2BzywQRb/s1600/IMG_7732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pAxWY4QbhP85YfGPc_rZFE8OORbEwjoQ0nKyfxwwkOqX-tWgKlh6-ZKcz5s5JROTPTdLI9s50rh_STeCS_Uobaw9597GJ8Kvm0qyvzpd4CMYlg-kFAI4q4lylwyvyYMADTZN2BzywQRb/s400/IMG_7732.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Okay, this is probably what you thought I meant by road hazards. There was a lot of this too.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>And a crushed truck that I missed. Which is heartbreaking, but also an incredible show of force.</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlRmesa4PVT9F2_9QDCE8JweJnyPH9xEifGGx7lVFkWZeP4Rztt6xmZetbv05l1Pc3LDfBR81d9I7RYq3W4a5pjmS0Mt2n7XxrVxsYtm1Vqe0ljA7OoQFYVFhWct0t5E6AEU2iRP83Sat/s1600/IMG_7744.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlRmesa4PVT9F2_9QDCE8JweJnyPH9xEifGGx7lVFkWZeP4Rztt6xmZetbv05l1Pc3LDfBR81d9I7RYq3W4a5pjmS0Mt2n7XxrVxsYtm1Vqe0ljA7OoQFYVFhWct0t5E6AEU2iRP83Sat/s400/IMG_7744.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> That's not to say there weren't beautiful moments as well.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>This one is known as the "Sleeping Beauty" near Tinglayan for it's resemblance to a sleeping woman </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b>And of course, what would a road trip be without <b>coffee?!</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_259NAOIGtyMwDn17JJt6DWbMat0GUqacYHlaxQpM1gVBNsc6KHE1SGGCWxq7C0MgvrwqCPROtAfxHunIukntZtPS8u6mdXab82A_k604Rlhvy3IxV93lO4YfmH1lhyjLuPB2Fg1HkNf/s1600/IMG_7760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_259NAOIGtyMwDn17JJt6DWbMat0GUqacYHlaxQpM1gVBNsc6KHE1SGGCWxq7C0MgvrwqCPROtAfxHunIukntZtPS8u6mdXab82A_k604Rlhvy3IxV93lO4YfmH1lhyjLuPB2Fg1HkNf/s400/IMG_7760.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><i>The place we stopped was pretty cool, there was also a good deal of wildlife in that tower</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxU3buwcReAXj35cj5XKo11VfCosYY9D8x-6YF3hukJDgp73G0cSV6ab31PWGKXjujZ32n4jrs1emmw2U-qU2vVoXRXYKlYBYqES-N662B19EPTReeM_OtbW9XtjglxLYtQttp9UX-0an/s1600/Kalinga+Tower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxU3buwcReAXj35cj5XKo11VfCosYY9D8x-6YF3hukJDgp73G0cSV6ab31PWGKXjujZ32n4jrs1emmw2U-qU2vVoXRXYKlYBYqES-N662B19EPTReeM_OtbW9XtjglxLYtQttp9UX-0an/s400/Kalinga+Tower.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> For instance...</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HQqKyrWwh0j2fZhJjls82VzChmzhRF6MJMMXbpGx7ifPj6rY_5uD9o5MVgiMKVbMC8_jhjZA0gdRZAWb9VGGHmsSQyzEfVgJuZ4i4qB66MM-C-jlH7pbRJyzlJA5GqTKRnw0U7J59y8-/s1600/IMG_7768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HQqKyrWwh0j2fZhJjls82VzChmzhRF6MJMMXbpGx7ifPj6rY_5uD9o5MVgiMKVbMC8_jhjZA0gdRZAWb9VGGHmsSQyzEfVgJuZ4i4qB66MM-C-jlH7pbRJyzlJA5GqTKRnw0U7J59y8-/s400/IMG_7768.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> Not where the coffee was, I just thought it was cool</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qzmRKsgDEkvjwy-NfPehlMcuVhkSih7bIEamubNrEneHOtvawUflbS6YL5VFZCQt79DkjzBUEOoEn4oJxZCrRykIl3NXOgLY5pTZleuLfhAD9YkG5gYSHu_3u-COj7AcFDvWU-F64K3L/s1600/IMG_7767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qzmRKsgDEkvjwy-NfPehlMcuVhkSih7bIEamubNrEneHOtvawUflbS6YL5VFZCQt79DkjzBUEOoEn4oJxZCrRykIl3NXOgLY5pTZleuLfhAD9YkG5gYSHu_3u-COj7AcFDvWU-F64K3L/s400/IMG_7767.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> Someone's comfortable...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">After we'd had our fill of the coffee, it was onward towards Tabuk! Which turned out to be much, much larger than I anticipated. For only having the population of Wichita Falls, it was incredibly spread out - especially for a city in this region. Speaking of which, I was so unbelievably happy to see a straight road after 5 hours of wending and winding our way through the mountains. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8mPlTcpvLVq7_yFAC2syfJFa3rsGcYndNQlzWORlpvrCnClFh0iIRECB8Vlug5WmDNsnSkOwLV41NHUP6dev3Pqv1rplqh2qay-IlGoiBNlp3ZlEsPbbDIAZS0PIEOF9oWk3s1_JBdwS/s1600/IMG_7855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8mPlTcpvLVq7_yFAC2syfJFa3rsGcYndNQlzWORlpvrCnClFh0iIRECB8Vlug5WmDNsnSkOwLV41NHUP6dev3Pqv1rplqh2qay-IlGoiBNlp3ZlEsPbbDIAZS0PIEOF9oWk3s1_JBdwS/s400/IMG_7855.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <i>You mean we </i>don't<i> have to turn the wheel?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">When we got there, we had an awesome dinner set up and when I got to the room, I got an early Christmas present in the form of something I didn't think I would encounter in my time in the provinces - air conditioning!! It really is the little things sometimes. Plus, the hotel had the only amenity that matters: FREE UNLIMITED COFFEE. Does the hotel owner know their target demographic or what?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHDe9whk-sJKJ9nv4jUouhGJ0jUGnX0fKia_cdKK4ET47YqUtT6tIb1Eu51k-scTIceBolcva8AVskagFWmpUO3ywi_jTTplGsBMXcCN0mbe9OZyZ8w9zEVPurUOWytNQNlLY9ky1xsF4/s1600/IMG_7788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHDe9whk-sJKJ9nv4jUouhGJ0jUGnX0fKia_cdKK4ET47YqUtT6tIb1Eu51k-scTIceBolcva8AVskagFWmpUO3ywi_jTTplGsBMXcCN0mbe9OZyZ8w9zEVPurUOWytNQNlLY9ky1xsF4/s400/IMG_7788.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Not a bad view, either</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwesPqDnSifRuhMLOpUEzcj7fh08YYp8uURqbvbTqJY1CoJkQjNuJ3c5DGoQClbjj6VYiqg3bcaxyrKHKQD7YRwGp8ly3I3FlI2yNpaO5dbTzEnkfROFSnoxHAdw3_dVzATV1LqAfu4kco/s1600/IMG_7799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwesPqDnSifRuhMLOpUEzcj7fh08YYp8uURqbvbTqJY1CoJkQjNuJ3c5DGoQClbjj6VYiqg3bcaxyrKHKQD7YRwGp8ly3I3FlI2yNpaO5dbTzEnkfROFSnoxHAdw3_dVzATV1LqAfu4kco/s400/IMG_7799.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>A cool display of the traditional gongs in the dining area</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAubajTCjmDkrVv0_Hws0pkL6FEgVx2vNWGN9_AJLBOfSQUMHnzWsA1ZAu_xdtMeCk6IRfUHYDKS8m7nvzwMcp8qzpMwCD6yUOyNFfMKjNSA76EtcTN67dTD8DgB1zUnUv_p66zfbcjVY/s1600/IMG_7773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAubajTCjmDkrVv0_Hws0pkL6FEgVx2vNWGN9_AJLBOfSQUMHnzWsA1ZAu_xdtMeCk6IRfUHYDKS8m7nvzwMcp8qzpMwCD6yUOyNFfMKjNSA76EtcTN67dTD8DgB1zUnUv_p66zfbcjVY/s400/IMG_7773.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Hmm, I guess these mirrors weren't really made with me in mind </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrzz3dUwARYfQ_14_wZMYTjZccAbgW3xbCW1xRPacJn4ZKrBNiOhRh3ykWqmkccjlRlnkV7uCZspbzuQvQ7a78vr30W2in7oYczQVoi7unRqfQdTZEnKbNFyzjnWgWnXb8_GZp7s4nhtt/s1600/IMG_7796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrzz3dUwARYfQ_14_wZMYTjZccAbgW3xbCW1xRPacJn4ZKrBNiOhRh3ykWqmkccjlRlnkV7uCZspbzuQvQ7a78vr30W2in7oYczQVoi7unRqfQdTZEnKbNFyzjnWgWnXb8_GZp7s4nhtt/s320/IMG_7796.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i> Or the ceilings.<br />That said, I've always wanted to be tall enough to have to worry about this. It's a dream come true!!!</i><br />
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The Bishop's installation wasn't the only reason we were in Tabuk, either. The night before the installation, I performed with Shalom Beharim (the clergy choir) in a concert at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church<i>. </i>It was a great time and it was cool to see so many come out to support the group, especially since the clergy all pay for their own travel to rehearse and perform as well as their own accommodations which means all the money raised through ticket sales can go towards the church's actual mission. Being that I was on the stage, I didn't get many photos of that night except for sneaking a photo during the group photo before the concert. That said, our director uploaded some videos of the concert to Facebook and you can check it out here:<br />
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https://www.facebook.com/zdalog/videos/1212293908787381/<br />
(You can find the other videos from there - I trust you, dear reader.)<br />
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<i>The bright, bright lights of semi-stardom.</i></div>
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<i> Okay, maybe a bit too bright. Actually, can we bring that down a bit?</i></div>
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After a fun concert (and a terrific intermission performance by St. Thomas' own church choir) it was time to rest up for the installation!</div>
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Unbelievably, I didn't take a single photo of the actual parade leading up to the Cathedral! Just the waiting and then once we arrived at the church. I still am shocked by this considering the way I am, but it's true nevertheless. </div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDo6tZVn7aF4rO-2nwuP7f8HCiscAN6GiPWDcAjnxujnNFq3iD6qoYbfgXmdrJAVXy7bqnwlyVUnoLzXMxKwnw-MhouL6aQLE2fQPhho-mPY4u-XHIJbwK7Aepr9jNI7NYnMFZvOWt17Y/s1600/IMG_7805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDo6tZVn7aF4rO-2nwuP7f8HCiscAN6GiPWDcAjnxujnNFq3iD6qoYbfgXmdrJAVXy7bqnwlyVUnoLzXMxKwnw-MhouL6aQLE2fQPhho-mPY4u-XHIJbwK7Aepr9jNI7NYnMFZvOWt17Y/s400/IMG_7805.JPG" width="400" /></a></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Waiting to get started</i></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2a9bDe9qA4923oKFkB6Gkqwg73rihbDuiYgTC52Np-T0TrKc2QHCpEjKP2n5ydP6bW0TaDuOYRNrSjS1x2EihE9Bn57qEGW6oif9vArNf2hCo4DXkoH6nIrP9PF3-Uvpa1BrIuxYyCzas/s1600/IMG_7807.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2a9bDe9qA4923oKFkB6Gkqwg73rihbDuiYgTC52Np-T0TrKc2QHCpEjKP2n5ydP6bW0TaDuOYRNrSjS1x2EihE9Bn57qEGW6oif9vArNf2hCo4DXkoH6nIrP9PF3-Uvpa1BrIuxYyCzas/s400/IMG_7807.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An exhibition of the native gong dance outside the church</i></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lO7n58RKFGCqFsoCwGmdBn3JQg7Rh_1YRcoH7BZslU4Xcw4HUFQXvUd6rgyQQZwnD-_14xr-kZ9RBu9yxFQ7R-IMy1FS430AaucCGkbXVRYmPwS-CFV87IWyZH9oGEkKkV9wwkBgT2D6/s1600/IMG_7811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lO7n58RKFGCqFsoCwGmdBn3JQg7Rh_1YRcoH7BZslU4Xcw4HUFQXvUd6rgyQQZwnD-_14xr-kZ9RBu9yxFQ7R-IMy1FS430AaucCGkbXVRYmPwS-CFV87IWyZH9oGEkKkV9wwkBgT2D6/s320/IMG_7811.JPG" width="240" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> Someone who possesses no sense of irony stole the real thing, </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>so I'm posting this here for posterity's sake</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The stage is set</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">And so, nearly one year after the departure of EDNL's Bishop Abibico to become Prime Bishop of the Philippines, the Diocese was ready to set up its new leader! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"Wait...is it me?"<br />"NO, get out of here!"</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Some words for the new entering Bishop</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Prime Bishop Abibico had some words of wisdom as well</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> "Well, can we at </i>least<i> be in the family photo?"</i><br /><i>"NO!!"</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Wait a minute, you get your own big comfy chair when you become Bishop?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Well that's enough reason alone right there to go for the job.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A parade of gifts for the new Bishop (this is only a part of it, BTW)</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">After the installation service was complete, there was an enormous celebration outside the Cathedral grounds which went on longer than I was able to stay, unfortunately. But I was around for the main portion of the program which included a very surprised me singing an Ilocano folk song from memory with Shalom Beharim (nothing like pressure to fire up the memory banks!), native dancing, a children's chorus and other performers. And food. Tons of food (okay, not literal tons.......maybe.....)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <i>Awaiting their moment in the spotlight</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tristan rocking the native dance (hint: he's the one who, even bent over, is still the tallest)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>P.S. for more adventures in Tabuk and the surrounding area, check out Tristan's blog at http://tristanholmberg.blogspot.com/</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The kids got in on the celebration, too</i></span><br />
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<i> </i> </div>
<span style="font-size: small;">After the program and gorging ourselves on food, it was time to head back to Bontoc. But we left knowing we left the Diocese in capable hands for the future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Goodbye straight road...it's been fun...<br /><br /><br /> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Here comes the bride....question: </i>One thing I get asked a lot here (and I mean, a <i>LOT</i>) is if I'm married or not. Evidently, you're considered 'young' here until you get married, so I guess I'm even more incentivized to stay single while I'm here! (Yes YASC staff, I know it's against the rules we agreed on anyway, don't worry.) <br /><br />So while I won't be getting married in my time here (despite the ribbing you all back home gave me) I still get to have all the fun of a wedding! The day after our trip to Tabuk was the first wedding I attended here (which is why we had to leave so early.) As of the present, I've attended two weddings, but I'll get to the other one later on. This one, oddly, was for a couple that now lives in Australia, so they were just as surprised to see me here as I was to see two Igorot Aussies getting married in the mountains of the Philippines. Ahh, such is love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately, because of the Tabuk trip I missed the first night of celebration (you heard that right) but I sang at the service itself and got to enjoy the second day's celebration. Not much to say other than it was fun and cool to see so many people come out to support the happy couple. Also, the guy had a killer full-back tattoo which again I neglected to get a picture of. <i>Sayang!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Setting up for the meal</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> That's a mighty pig pot you got there.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>(That's not a typo.)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Meeting of the minds:</i> Later on that week, we got to meet with several of the suppliers of products which are marketed and sold by E-CARE, especially those to be sold at the Atok Marketing Center/CafƩ Galilea (which was totally supposed to be Cafe Galilee, but hey I like it.) We talked about production standards, the importance of branding and the possibilities for assistance from Department of Labor and Employment and also the Department of Trade and Industry in the communities' efforts. There are a ton of pictures on the EDNP Facebook group of the E-CARE producers meeting for those here, and I'm doubtful you folks back home need any pictures of a meeting since you probably have plenty of your own. I'll suffice to say it was an interesting gathering and some good info came out of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <i>And then we ate and sang, because I mean, of course.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The following day there was a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the school at All Saints. There was a huge crowd and a parade that went throughout the streets. And THIS one I have pictures of! Then all of the different grades put on their own performance which included singing, dancing, or in the case of the youngest ones, the entertainment of watching the teacher try to corral all of them into anything resembling a cohesive unit. Good times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Obviously our staff is where all the cool kids are</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Takin' over the streets </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>That probably wasn't easy to get out there</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVf_LoEmYHtCapH97uyArGmD1Lu8sJeBGo0JGY-6P37dtfsIk6JyOrSLBBtRYrC7XltUjrn7n2c4yBm3Rf2HUW__CDT1p7Gr5JN4oACrFzE-jluesRzdl3-sVHl6Hv32J5h_WaeRAlAEY/s1600/IMG_2227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVf_LoEmYHtCapH97uyArGmD1Lu8sJeBGo0JGY-6P37dtfsIk6JyOrSLBBtRYrC7XltUjrn7n2c4yBm3Rf2HUW__CDT1p7Gr5JN4oACrFzE-jluesRzdl3-sVHl6Hv32J5h_WaeRAlAEY/s400/IMG_2227.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Adoring fans </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>I survived Sagada and all I got was this t-shirt: </i>Now, not everything I do here is church-related. And after a few weeks of traveling around to do work, I decided it was time to travel around to NOT do work! So, after the parade was over, I hopped on a jeepney (a bus/jeep fusion that you'll find all over Luzon) to meet up with Catherine and Rebecca in the most popular tourist destination in Mountain Province - Sagada. Because even though I'm here for a long time, I shan't fool myself into thinking I'm a native, so I might as well act all touristy and not feel guilty about it every once in a while. Now, while Sagada does draw a ton of turistas, it's actually not all that big - coming in at somewhere between 11 and 12 thousand people. Nevertheless, it's gorgeous and there's plenty to do so we jumped right in!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPnsof-zVLCpy2MkhWYtJqCJJ7qnuEbsPUuQi2rAFBCIQpjQno7yKJwW1XeKWpz3IT15BjB3mj3kl6e5EA5Hzy_auVxcAeFt11m9GEfVdGxywz6RrJz4mWTdND4h_m60oJIvxRKd6X0Mb/s1600/IMG_8113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPnsof-zVLCpy2MkhWYtJqCJJ7qnuEbsPUuQi2rAFBCIQpjQno7yKJwW1XeKWpz3IT15BjB3mj3kl6e5EA5Hzy_auVxcAeFt11m9GEfVdGxywz6RrJz4mWTdND4h_m60oJIvxRKd6X0Mb/s400/IMG_8113.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Some people are so literal</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So after we registered as tourists and met Jay, our guide for the day, we went down into Echo Valley. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I'll give you a second to ponder how it got its name.)</span> After successfully reverberating our voices off the limestone canyon walls, we went on to one of Sagada's more interesting tourist spots - the hanging coffins. This is a custom that is still practiced today and is reserved to the older members of the community (if I recall correctly, you have to have grandchildren to even be considered) and it is, of course a choice to be buried in this fashion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The belief as I understand it is that it not only places the dead closer to heaven but also allows them to look over their descendants who remain on Earth. And this is just one spot of the several spots where the coffins are located. Some of them are so far up the sheer cliff face that I couldn't even zoom in to get a good shot of it. Nobody really seemed to have any idea how ones like that even got up there. I know one thing's for sure, I wouldn't want to try to heave it up there. Another tradition for the dead occurred later on that weekend on the night of All Souls, when families would visit their relatives' graves in the cemetery all through the night and build bonfires to keep warm the spirits of the deceased. Unfortunately I had already gone back to Bontoc to sing at the Cathedral<i> <b>of</b> </i>All Saints <i><b>on</b></i> All Saints (fitting, right?), so I missed out on this tradition. Anyhow, </span><span style="font-size: small;">from that spot we continued on through the rest of the valley into the mountainous jungle ahead of us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The name is pretty straightforward, eh?</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY6ISZjeTwKJbao03mrD4Dc2Cgta5cqBI6rLLFM4KnfsCwxnkT8df8KMeHvUtfo1tzhXKoR02VYOAuq-jMzM6ipikDk1BPbddFa8iYnmVHE-65ajT9PYRfpu7WhiktZ58DwsfsrqkIS4H/s1600/IMG_8035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY6ISZjeTwKJbao03mrD4Dc2Cgta5cqBI6rLLFM4KnfsCwxnkT8df8KMeHvUtfo1tzhXKoR02VYOAuq-jMzM6ipikDk1BPbddFa8iYnmVHE-65ajT9PYRfpu7WhiktZ58DwsfsrqkIS4H/s400/IMG_8035.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Deeper we go... </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdzRQmpQj95xYe_zGFB42flMHr4GP8L3099vyQtFsNXpK8IvVdtFic9rYZOOmMGrwJ7rEZV8N6g4FSyTnUSbUz-sj6dCEI6tQNvWUlQSay-U1EtNrUAh9aiX19PcPU05c8XcExM40r7I-/s1600/IMG_8044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdzRQmpQj95xYe_zGFB42flMHr4GP8L3099vyQtFsNXpK8IvVdtFic9rYZOOmMGrwJ7rEZV8N6g4FSyTnUSbUz-sj6dCEI6tQNvWUlQSay-U1EtNrUAh9aiX19PcPU05c8XcExM40r7I-/s400/IMG_8044.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>I can't adequately convey how tall and foreboding this thing is</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmqYPj9Oq1LFWkGkDhx_iF7EiiQlBhIDlSk3PxdfSkretJd41A1B9nXR5suNaokojaAOrhtin2AUYweALcmIcXgTD8QZ2ci3vwQAI2u6_8FsK10Qs8OeK_KdxFWjKwPR1DvBateNeI9PA/s1600/IMG_8048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmqYPj9Oq1LFWkGkDhx_iF7EiiQlBhIDlSk3PxdfSkretJd41A1B9nXR5suNaokojaAOrhtin2AUYweALcmIcXgTD8QZ2ci3vwQAI2u6_8FsK10Qs8OeK_KdxFWjKwPR1DvBateNeI9PA/s400/IMG_8048.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>But I can for this one!</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIH9M1iemY2B3PbPQBHqsGEUfK16It8edyfoJTtpb08LTi3gMrueoM4kZ8QkS0TuRVuVinF0riFIXSMRx-pqzz8acX_yZhLlvRrNcGxHzBymoR07PJuzwe8g2CByeEQuysXRtl0F633s0O/s1600/IMG_8050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIH9M1iemY2B3PbPQBHqsGEUfK16It8edyfoJTtpb08LTi3gMrueoM4kZ8QkS0TuRVuVinF0riFIXSMRx-pqzz8acX_yZhLlvRrNcGxHzBymoR07PJuzwe8g2CByeEQuysXRtl0F633s0O/s400/IMG_8050.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Celebrating my triumph over scale</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Over the river and through the wood</i>: Typing that out just now I realized that since there aren't all <b>that</b> many bridges compared to how many miles of river there are - statistically speaking, you'd think that you're probably not going <i>over </i>the river (unless you're in something that flies.) You'd think you'd be going through it, as well as the wood. But "Through the river and through the wood..." just doesn't have the rhythmic flow, I suppose. Plus, most travel (at least in America) <i>does</i> happen over bridges or in a plane or helicopter. Anyway...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I digress...</b></span><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_Y9flQfOseL2UeUqzWekSqnmbpCLoH3PdnyWFLOWJC44wrpXZCNVUhYF7g2RSTqLiTcWhq459FPyLXzhqAuTAopCnbKM7KmyeSV6JhdLCSFTDpq9znRdd0oD3IdpaN14iDMYotEcGSbd/s1600/IMG_8063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_Y9flQfOseL2UeUqzWekSqnmbpCLoH3PdnyWFLOWJC44wrpXZCNVUhYF7g2RSTqLiTcWhq459FPyLXzhqAuTAopCnbKM7KmyeSV6JhdLCSFTDpq9znRdd0oD3IdpaN14iDMYotEcGSbd/s400/IMG_8063.JPG" width="400" /></a></b></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Through the river and through the wood.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Okay, now I digress...</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOiWWYSr68PJHaW9wMj_3s7NRvp5LNRAyeGDMxKH6537a2S0V-iA-Tss72Zbk4SOwKsnGf7SVYH7qsxvhUTfpb25WImfqq6p46NGqfXXosyqRst9HeeySEmDKgXhUnUNZrV85y_eyreth/s1600/IMG_8051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOiWWYSr68PJHaW9wMj_3s7NRvp5LNRAyeGDMxKH6537a2S0V-iA-Tss72Zbk4SOwKsnGf7SVYH7qsxvhUTfpb25WImfqq6p46NGqfXXosyqRst9HeeySEmDKgXhUnUNZrV85y_eyreth/s400/IMG_8051.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"> Rebecca, jonesing for some all-natural coffee</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0O5i65-sDSYOUi0-yOVvWtV6VIBbMVQ-FsHHcOQQDUlKibMQHZlyha0KFSUrmXvi2WWo67vQuDfdUiD5O6dKqPFl5EInPPiCuzo8leyUpK5_uowMqIIz0EDCD9GTt1i9NYLgJi9hD3sK/s1600/IMG_8066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0O5i65-sDSYOUi0-yOVvWtV6VIBbMVQ-FsHHcOQQDUlKibMQHZlyha0KFSUrmXvi2WWo67vQuDfdUiD5O6dKqPFl5EInPPiCuzo8leyUpK5_uowMqIIz0EDCD9GTt1i9NYLgJi9hD3sK/s400/IMG_8066.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Uh, yeah, I'll take that house please</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMzvbhE_quplvQ-PJI49NKZsG0I0ZORDmXY8Go0wyEJTLPOGItLEfRRrHIqWWqaSYxb4_1JToW4OQbKqXoF6kJnI6_RnIcst4tn3VQTwFCS5u0ROC2LymvWfarntwlFLggyxC-nRMChX6/s1600/IMG_8069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMzvbhE_quplvQ-PJI49NKZsG0I0ZORDmXY8Go0wyEJTLPOGItLEfRRrHIqWWqaSYxb4_1JToW4OQbKqXoF6kJnI6_RnIcst4tn3VQTwFCS5u0ROC2LymvWfarntwlFLggyxC-nRMChX6/s400/IMG_8069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">You could actually walk through this cave and follow the river to the other side of the mountain</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uyqTqaclaglznBXXnQki9ke-q8eFkMOIcrli4nXb2uCDupBxp5EaCmRAZUnNxP_e4leRNIoCYdnZPunnRU9ZO4qEVi5a08f3GY9xQ7TZJ9ai8JNTLNYIG3vzmJNZmJ6BS21oLM31jrDH/s1600/IMG_8080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uyqTqaclaglznBXXnQki9ke-q8eFkMOIcrli4nXb2uCDupBxp5EaCmRAZUnNxP_e4leRNIoCYdnZPunnRU9ZO4qEVi5a08f3GY9xQ7TZJ9ai8JNTLNYIG3vzmJNZmJ6BS21oLM31jrDH/s400/IMG_8080.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Too bad you had to ask for the lantern tour package at the start.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">My phone flashlight would have worked, right?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">I realized as I typed that that no one ever really has to specify "cell phone" anymore do they?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Yeah, yeah, yeah, digressing...</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As we neared the end of the tour and came up out of the Echo Valley, we took an unexpected detour and crossed the street, past some farmland and to a secluded natural pool formed at the base of twin waterfalls. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2qV7HYCq9CzZ45A0BgbJQ-hMVZQHuKNnt8YpvRIUJR1bGyjE-COSsUhn6VJEntm7jRAYfR8TF7bGr1ai8pCaxWMXvs6xBxxSF_h6z4jy2Qu6PC08RD3q-s3fjIO-qFS3pi4_qTEU_w0Y/s1600/IMG_8101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2qV7HYCq9CzZ45A0BgbJQ-hMVZQHuKNnt8YpvRIUJR1bGyjE-COSsUhn6VJEntm7jRAYfR8TF7bGr1ai8pCaxWMXvs6xBxxSF_h6z4jy2Qu6PC08RD3q-s3fjIO-qFS3pi4_qTEU_w0Y/s400/IMG_8101.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Not the end</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jrPR1ogpt9pdIiCnCD3KjfZgbCJrlpTOz_DsO4HUj9uB5sQptQwuH58Rjcw76u5BUc57HEpWqA7CFCRdxSSZjPMrzg-jM8zJJuCgTuFKj5xk6POkD70-434ya1QNdj9vQAiLUAJaflq_/s1600/IMG_8097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jrPR1ogpt9pdIiCnCD3KjfZgbCJrlpTOz_DsO4HUj9uB5sQptQwuH58Rjcw76u5BUc57HEpWqA7CFCRdxSSZjPMrzg-jM8zJJuCgTuFKj5xk6POkD70-434ya1QNdj9vQAiLUAJaflq_/s400/IMG_8097.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Because first we had jump up to (and eventually jump back off of) this "bridge"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>See, NOW it's over the river</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Alright, I'll stop</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNFygZax4qMsI06Rn2fexXu8qb7GZW2653xbiVBoCsy1sPDqvEkikt-Kvnce5xoNdn_gT1e1Mqz67fbm6QNcZxCBTbeJpbCzEhjF6axGOm7FVXGz68074eqGcej18TFZgRKx5BiDLEJTt/s1600/IMG_8107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNFygZax4qMsI06Rn2fexXu8qb7GZW2653xbiVBoCsy1sPDqvEkikt-Kvnce5xoNdn_gT1e1Mqz67fbm6QNcZxCBTbeJpbCzEhjF6axGOm7FVXGz68074eqGcej18TFZgRKx5BiDLEJTt/s400/IMG_8107.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> THIS is the end. And the end is awesome.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLl527Dkbdj2SjZmjAhQTKRWFovB_sqkdZeeRCRnz58Go4THdt-TxVlhYpFXN3CbOvFjZ04bbKA1JGJJF7Pb_HZi4-lVhwHdhlk4aiP3KANkSRT4qB0y5B2bMi-WcN5TnjmStkUrs-E6Z-/s1600/IMG_8138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLl527Dkbdj2SjZmjAhQTKRWFovB_sqkdZeeRCRnz58Go4THdt-TxVlhYpFXN3CbOvFjZ04bbKA1JGJJF7Pb_HZi4-lVhwHdhlk4aiP3KANkSRT4qB0y5B2bMi-WcN5TnjmStkUrs-E6Z-/s400/IMG_8138.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> Snapped this one back at the tourist center. Notice the name of the lake in the middle?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>"Danum" means "water." So the lake is named 'Lake Water' </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Clever, Sagada. Very clever. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next day, after eating a very hearty breakfast at Antie Alma's </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">we decided to take the road by foot to nearby Besao, where Attorney Floyd had invited us for dinner.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> (Also, big shoutout for Inandako - definitely stay there if you come to Sagada - if you can find it. It's past St. Mary's and out past the baseball field near the limestone formations. Also to Mama Kim's Lemon Pies which she also runs there in Sagada - they were delicious!) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCYuHp5JdRosxVPw4jDIoL5RSMbWSBUHRKKUjPG3r7siuiRgEu_lOMPQeo54Anv6DtHcujHeARVDa1FOEL8MwE49EovmoOL-mSGtGU9GwVFc87M3s0lEPzotxglRAehm8qz1TQerxohZo/s1600/IMG_8153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCYuHp5JdRosxVPw4jDIoL5RSMbWSBUHRKKUjPG3r7siuiRgEu_lOMPQeo54Anv6DtHcujHeARVDa1FOEL8MwE49EovmoOL-mSGtGU9GwVFc87M3s0lEPzotxglRAehm8qz1TQerxohZo/s320/IMG_8153.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Orange</b> you glad you stayed here?</i></span></span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">And yes, apparently oranges are actually green before they ripen </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">After taking our time getting coffee and cake at Sagada Brew, we then set out on foot to trek the 7-10km (depending on who you ask) up and down the mountain into Besao. We also stopped in at a roadside pottery shop called Sagada Pottery. At this shop, they learned from a missionary who came to Sagada back in the 70's and spent a couple of years experimenting with the clay in the area and teaching them how to test it, form it, fire it and glaze it. They source everything from right there in Sagada and the finished product takes <i>months</i> to complete start to finish. It was very cool to see how everything was done. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6FYR-YhUQzXs_FQM6YFLtfcbmQaDTpJ6AWsAS-XqhqXP417i5sDMeCfEY2eZX_w_1pSKHnz0yoDJbgtisydVNPgqPnazG6LJYiz5UtaxZwbK-24s3L8KC3dAzJyA-A5pX7NpIpotVpuG/s1600/IMG_8168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6FYR-YhUQzXs_FQM6YFLtfcbmQaDTpJ6AWsAS-XqhqXP417i5sDMeCfEY2eZX_w_1pSKHnz0yoDJbgtisydVNPgqPnazG6LJYiz5UtaxZwbK-24s3L8KC3dAzJyA-A5pX7NpIpotVpuG/s400/IMG_8168.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">On the road again....again....</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTH4juwAvXFWPqkp-Usy2DGGnYnqFLQUJ-cP2G700WrIntVGAZwyJz0WjuTk2rjFHLIWZiRm1JvTqskS7-zsQbDDi0qTHHl3i9FVn4QGeYL3DS9h3o4PSyBLpPPqEKhaXNsOnr8yiKnqHJ/s1600/IMG_8173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTH4juwAvXFWPqkp-Usy2DGGnYnqFLQUJ-cP2G700WrIntVGAZwyJz0WjuTk2rjFHLIWZiRm1JvTqskS7-zsQbDDi0qTHHl3i9FVn4QGeYL3DS9h3o4PSyBLpPPqEKhaXNsOnr8yiKnqHJ/s400/IMG_8173.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">For some reason we decided to stop and do jump pics</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"> Rebecca is going to kill me for posting this</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4wgbQCuTVbyJ9knn5hwq5jmYzbLWjszU822B9LeQ9isiAtDoxlUYdi71bXvOxJdMZ-t4-7qNdQxXBuFnB6b-fcssRmtLq2Wktr2WjV-j830bA1P_BZpRYlAEBYp6FoXi923FpfOxUqdR/s1600/IMG_8178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4wgbQCuTVbyJ9knn5hwq5jmYzbLWjszU822B9LeQ9isiAtDoxlUYdi71bXvOxJdMZ-t4-7qNdQxXBuFnB6b-fcssRmtLq2Wktr2WjV-j830bA1P_BZpRYlAEBYp6FoXi923FpfOxUqdR/s400/IMG_8178.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Oooh, what's in here?</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5pj6LMMS5m1tb4z1Ysuztbm6pvDBEurOPc1cMeBj2Nlt_SaoYdMVLGX6buX8Whks4f5vUkwfDYE1mXyryExr1vdNYwMo6bgkIaRRXHCJLUCWBS3l6Ze5kJLNS_BMZMGanlnuZyV8FOzJ/s1600/IMG_8177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5pj6LMMS5m1tb4z1Ysuztbm6pvDBEurOPc1cMeBj2Nlt_SaoYdMVLGX6buX8Whks4f5vUkwfDYE1mXyryExr1vdNYwMo6bgkIaRRXHCJLUCWBS3l6Ze5kJLNS_BMZMGanlnuZyV8FOzJ/s400/IMG_8177.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Well, that was unexpected</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGtuCwHh6yFsKusjYJ4lFLD67Ygf2VeGFTMA6oPByA90gEab7qJhkcJT_XaCYqDQ29tDQR6iTOCSuXfm2N7Sj09TC4_upXpVzMAJ4C3ZhZHMI0uSIQR4gZ8RgQcLiVj90GcsJxdU-2pyw/s1600/IMG_8182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGtuCwHh6yFsKusjYJ4lFLD67Ygf2VeGFTMA6oPByA90gEab7qJhkcJT_XaCYqDQ29tDQR6iTOCSuXfm2N7Sj09TC4_upXpVzMAJ4C3ZhZHMI0uSIQR4gZ8RgQcLiVj90GcsJxdU-2pyw/s400/IMG_8182.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Ma'ams Sigrid and Tessie are both legitimate masters of their craft</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Again, check out Sagada Pottery about 1 km up the road to Besao if you ever come to Sagada</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Bc_0H6b2rvSxVh6lJgoxG0q2C1R46sOlqUGnG6AMZ9r0C0OowLV-4EjA9NI2D2jz-unt136btVqRoG6rsj83srJe0gdy9Iur96DZIn0Tz5__SH3aE7IezhyphenhyphenzbN5qGTKbsgqoAPxwgTSZ/s1600/IMG_8192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Bc_0H6b2rvSxVh6lJgoxG0q2C1R46sOlqUGnG6AMZ9r0C0OowLV-4EjA9NI2D2jz-unt136btVqRoG6rsj83srJe0gdy9Iur96DZIn0Tz5__SH3aE7IezhyphenhyphenzbN5qGTKbsgqoAPxwgTSZ/s400/IMG_8192.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Rebecca is following their words</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGry-WmPGdKpOPSlB6gWzlZ8OVtLr-DENM0kptrwFAKOcebBH9KkQWiOAvkuvj7JXz-BzDwAUOpZLSjOx5WYvoocedQVfNhejolGZpEnZcvNVqL4CUbp0mLgOcMJEeZQyAsT22XoRHxm2/s1600/IMG_8200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGry-WmPGdKpOPSlB6gWzlZ8OVtLr-DENM0kptrwFAKOcebBH9KkQWiOAvkuvj7JXz-BzDwAUOpZLSjOx5WYvoocedQVfNhejolGZpEnZcvNVqL4CUbp0mLgOcMJEeZQyAsT22XoRHxm2/s640/IMG_8200.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></i></div>
<i><span style="font-size: small;">
</span>"Why do you come to Besao? </i></div>
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<i>To watch the sun set in Sagada!"</i></div>
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<i>Yeah I know that's not sunset. Don't worry, we'll get there.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8GofE3TlKOvb_DOgtliSptFaQSBvnZoK1xuRcLuo9C_c3L883G_sGa1f5lapM0n7mhZCele9TyQ8xVvZ-fay5Ee9_tlQ-E7oaBzTKye7Dd7XKh5qmc-sPPNf7BROu1rOiLyecL1CpNRi/s1600/IMG_8196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8GofE3TlKOvb_DOgtliSptFaQSBvnZoK1xuRcLuo9C_c3L883G_sGa1f5lapM0n7mhZCele9TyQ8xVvZ-fay5Ee9_tlQ-E7oaBzTKye7Dd7XKh5qmc-sPPNf7BROu1rOiLyecL1CpNRi/s400/IMG_8196.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Frands</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KjYeRTLjqMj0D8WfMChnO68xgKS9egS5KdAdv0GSAg0WLgxbos6KsNYFVhAeJ1QZGJOC-Y9EnJcPV5AiaCucam3OVkIDscYXQbu9bEKLzVH-dCkblb89zkOHu3Ah9Djo5a4GH6VEVWeC/s1600/IMG_8212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KjYeRTLjqMj0D8WfMChnO68xgKS9egS5KdAdv0GSAg0WLgxbos6KsNYFVhAeJ1QZGJOC-Y9EnJcPV5AiaCucam3OVkIDscYXQbu9bEKLzVH-dCkblb89zkOHu3Ah9Djo5a4GH6VEVWeC/s400/IMG_8212.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Catherine noted that Lake Danum (lol) felt more like home than the Philippines and I agree</i><br />
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Along our way we saw some incredible views (like the one above and more to come) ran into some cows, and saw dogs pretending to be hood ornaments. After taking a brief respite at Attorney's house, we made our way to what Rebecca promised would be one of the best views to a sunset that we would find in the Philippines. And after several "just around the corner"s (a navigational unit used with the same finesse by British missionaries and my Dad alike (sorry Dad :P)) - we finally arrived and, that said, the view she promised did not disappoint! Then it was back for dinner and then back to Sagada under an endless blanket of stars. And then, at least for me, it was back to the singing as I left before sunrise to jeepney back to Bontoc for All Saints' day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtLT6eDG7WNCVspz1tHIeOtsDdfTW9WwNmEhWr_VXn5eI3RhL19oi7puaG1qbqbGQHyw7Cu2Lx4GmixA0qhxw-aO2n5WfvA5F7hgWK2Bo6XYMapi5CivWK-SJJ9AitDRC-Azo-JUj8jHp/s1600/IMG_8215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtLT6eDG7WNCVspz1tHIeOtsDdfTW9WwNmEhWr_VXn5eI3RhL19oi7puaG1qbqbGQHyw7Cu2Lx4GmixA0qhxw-aO2n5WfvA5F7hgWK2Bo6XYMapi5CivWK-SJJ9AitDRC-Azo-JUj8jHp/s400/IMG_8215.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Oh....howdy y'all.....sorry about the whole steak and burgers quip earlier.........</i></div>
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<i>Yay Chick-Fil-A??</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVMbVcupuYFVy08pbmjOd-KJV-Y3YTZRlM01Ze8YL_-SEfVF0s4wosuVrX3-Zz-tURVRMZTbmK3wOlu25oB3AuXaRMojKNDRx1XTg3XKQRkEKjq0LMGohvDhfateg401hqfxA7SKz3QD7/s1600/IMG_8287.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVMbVcupuYFVy08pbmjOd-KJV-Y3YTZRlM01Ze8YL_-SEfVF0s4wosuVrX3-Zz-tURVRMZTbmK3wOlu25oB3AuXaRMojKNDRx1XTg3XKQRkEKjq0LMGohvDhfateg401hqfxA7SKz3QD7/s640/IMG_8287.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i> Stunning</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKw6wg44gAGYoZBUs-M7G1sHdYAzoqs-lMDh_t7Hz5W0LMEWdh57hyphenhyphenAgF5v3IC_KbbzqxN8U1xyDH60jbK6zQfq6GN5Ujqv6ZNv7IavvyvPsG4_t9a1aG1-l_jgK0RlCkFEv1CACTXbRL/s1600/IMG_8238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKw6wg44gAGYoZBUs-M7G1sHdYAzoqs-lMDh_t7Hz5W0LMEWdh57hyphenhyphenAgF5v3IC_KbbzqxN8U1xyDH60jbK6zQfq6GN5Ujqv6ZNv7IavvyvPsG4_t9a1aG1-l_jgK0RlCkFEv1CACTXbRL/s640/IMG_8238.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i> Sleepy mountain town</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHwDGTNciVfVH-_63lIxm0pef5gpPUV2eqrDLbPwDChqOnLznQosYLeiDsOPxVS6YkcMk1_Q8o1gs2yhTH2yxOsst_eU4HuutFdJmRh_C8z6m9-xlBvAg1I8Hc9uG2q_P2DSUr-723499/s1600/IMG_8246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHwDGTNciVfVH-_63lIxm0pef5gpPUV2eqrDLbPwDChqOnLznQosYLeiDsOPxVS6YkcMk1_Q8o1gs2yhTH2yxOsst_eU4HuutFdJmRh_C8z6m9-xlBvAg1I8Hc9uG2q_P2DSUr-723499/s400/IMG_8246.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hitching a ride</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlajWygqD9p_DQEGjmuUiu91dgRlwrcoTyTMZV00oyqnWJoYTNPxFgA6dpiwLoj1_ZdJtrwvQlGZqCPQ2s1vZ62OJEdl0Mra1eNh_C2L_u3HuhAmREZT6rOmFIZDD95k0qKIuoaEeRtcj/s1600/IMG_8274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlajWygqD9p_DQEGjmuUiu91dgRlwrcoTyTMZV00oyqnWJoYTNPxFgA6dpiwLoj1_ZdJtrwvQlGZqCPQ2s1vZ62OJEdl0Mra1eNh_C2L_u3HuhAmREZT6rOmFIZDD95k0qKIuoaEeRtcj/s640/IMG_8274.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Okay, so maybe Besao has a pretty great sunset all on its own....</i></span> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Yeah. Totally worth it.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpt1wiKo8iB51ZJAgdGMSUWu913vLsCfXCj6KB6d_EoL91Hg7kLai2nxvVCtHzpxoEx_tYoywlESb0N-3AT00gwFb1QS-iVNBvECzqYSDPmjpOZ5AJDlAnGi7XKLueuZ6k4fDiSb_jclU/s1600/IMG_8273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpt1wiKo8iB51ZJAgdGMSUWu913vLsCfXCj6KB6d_EoL91Hg7kLai2nxvVCtHzpxoEx_tYoywlESb0N-3AT00gwFb1QS-iVNBvECzqYSDPmjpOZ5AJDlAnGi7XKLueuZ6k4fDiSb_jclU/s400/IMG_8273.JPG" width="400" /></a></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>D'awwwww</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WELL</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THAT'S IT FOR THIS TIME, FRIENDS.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">COME BACK NEXT TIME WHEN I, </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE,</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> WILL WRAP UP THIS LOOK BACK.</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">And for those of you wondering: yes, I will absolutely delve more into the daily life here in Bontoc, all of the people and friends who make my journey special, and more on the work itself. </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">All in due time. </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks for checking in. </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Peace.</span></span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapBENFRSZ5cEX0zzQchwKCCu9KHT6Uuc-Dc_CbtFdG2SzQey_ZsTCyJTvLMsSJLqLFBg1Eg5sBpYDGFVMYveU0aHztWSfRC0rbFe3_LUKhyeOPP-EBzo7PvIjjeyeoGqdKPUfSjZ6FBmm/s1600/IMG_8284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapBENFRSZ5cEX0zzQchwKCCu9KHT6Uuc-Dc_CbtFdG2SzQey_ZsTCyJTvLMsSJLqLFBg1Eg5sBpYDGFVMYveU0aHztWSfRC0rbFe3_LUKhyeOPP-EBzo7PvIjjeyeoGqdKPUfSjZ6FBmm/s400/IMG_8284.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">G'night everybody </span></span></b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188776459899867842.post-24116107917977059472015-11-18T21:06:00.000-08:002015-11-19T21:18:04.064-08:00Days Gone By IV - A New Home<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>(Just so you know - if you get the reference of the title of this post, you're my kind of people.)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>YO.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Welcome to my blog. Great to see you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This one's a beast, so... </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">LET'S GO.</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJ2B4QPsVm3ZzHycHoBRKJYVPBJulgS7WLOrDMo3XG6UPpVZM0Icd_dp4xcnNYF-FxHulHyvqUDSJ0f7dwFRx6UWKbNi80FS3w0xHNMeOOKGBdIA72c2V3ReparFFmRra3At14HddNcKW/s1600/IMG_7454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJ2B4QPsVm3ZzHycHoBRKJYVPBJulgS7WLOrDMo3XG6UPpVZM0Icd_dp4xcnNYF-FxHulHyvqUDSJ0f7dwFRx6UWKbNi80FS3w0xHNMeOOKGBdIA72c2V3ReparFFmRra3At14HddNcKW/s400/IMG_7454.JPG" width="400" /> </a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>And go we did</i></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Okay, so seriously, what are you doing</i>? Alright, alright. Like I said in my previous post, I didn't find out until my feet were on the ground (er, uh, in the back of a car) in Manila <u><b>where</b></u> I would be, and I didn't really find out until I arrived in Bontoc <u><b>what</b></u> I would be doing exactly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>SO.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">During my year here, my role will be fairly varied:</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Firstly, I will be working with an organization called the E-CARE Foundation which stands for Episcopal Community Action for Renewal and Empowerment. E-CARE is an organization which is affiliated with (but legally separate from) the ECP (Episcopal Church in the Philippines) and was born out of the ECP's drive towards self-sufficiency.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTc7DTGuNGsQwMriDmbiHokc69iF_poBuV6Le2BTkOUd8LE1KJfn-p9zMaxz_XBiRNrMsi8g9hNjQrVe0I2m21ex4vaOOAZ9EubpqEUctKmdw1EXwF5lL9-vqRp5D2EjRBPfjFLxBSdNV/s1600/IMG_7565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTc7DTGuNGsQwMriDmbiHokc69iF_poBuV6Le2BTkOUd8LE1KJfn-p9zMaxz_XBiRNrMsi8g9hNjQrVe0I2m21ex4vaOOAZ9EubpqEUctKmdw1EXwF5lL9-vqRp5D2EjRBPfjFLxBSdNV/s640/IMG_7565.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Following in the footsteps of the ECP's successful separation from The Episcopal Church in America and their own tumultuous move towards self-reliance, E-CARE seeks to help the communities of the Philippines to move towards their <b>own</b> vision of not just self-sustainability and self-sufficiency, but towards their own growth and development to become the most thriving and flourishing version of themselves that they can be. E-CARE does this by first having the communities undergo the Asset-Based Community Development process, which works to flesh out what projects or livelihoods can be created out of what already exists within the community. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOfXqlyO8HOwsEjXqQPsBMl5sXmlvs1IupuRz2lOCRkRk77GX8-crgl0TNEX0ZVsTItsskI9VekvFFfk1oB67YDu1V5R-2b352-AC-9Gofq6hoz-QXl1aY0HwyjH2JkkOLaZvlwO_0yYm/s1600/IMG_7508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOfXqlyO8HOwsEjXqQPsBMl5sXmlvs1IupuRz2lOCRkRk77GX8-crgl0TNEX0ZVsTItsskI9VekvFFfk1oB67YDu1V5R-2b352-AC-9Gofq6hoz-QXl1aY0HwyjH2JkkOLaZvlwO_0yYm/s400/IMG_7508.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<i> </i> </div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">However, should the community require some support to get the ball rolling on a project that can be sustainable for the future, E-CARE will give them access to funds from what is known as the "Receivers to Givers Fund" - an idea which is routinely summed up here allegorically in the difference between the Sea of Galilee - beautiful and teeming with life for millennia - and the Dead Sea - which is mostly incapable of sustaining life. One of the primary differences between these two is that the Sea of Galilee has outlets where the water that comes in carries on to other places whereas the Dead Sea retains everything that comes into it and the lack of flow stagnates and builds up conditions that make life unsustainable. </span><br />
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So in the same way, when communities access R2G funds, it is expected that they will grant back an equal amount of money for use in a project in another community. Paying it forward, essentially. I'll talk about this more in another post later, as this program has a fascinating history and, in my view, a powerful future. But, for now, that's essentially the gist. <span style="font-weight: normal;">E-CARE
is also working on developing advanced systems to magnify the
production capabilities and efficiency of existing methods through
programs such as our Natural Farming System and System of Rice
Intensification.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xB9_ctqHKv88Zg68n3xWZuAcA4ZfewhptVxIbmAbNVo-OsWuF4sdRd_6Oh1QCXuEh6WoS4b7TkQ8lnTiaxvAFnbHA1zV_05isYTioXWBEjMohgBIMtXO_Fxj8AW5zjpYfzJGUiObiD3f/s1600/IMG_7488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xB9_ctqHKv88Zg68n3xWZuAcA4ZfewhptVxIbmAbNVo-OsWuF4sdRd_6Oh1QCXuEh6WoS4b7TkQ8lnTiaxvAFnbHA1zV_05isYTioXWBEjMohgBIMtXO_Fxj8AW5zjpYfzJGUiObiD3f/s400/IMG_7488.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>"Okay, so what will <b>you</b> be doing</i>?" <b>I</b> will be assisting in E-CARE's mission in a variety of ways. Primarily, I will be assisting our member communities with registering with the Department of Labor and Employment as Livelihood Organizations and Worker's Associations so that they can more effectively leverage their existing assets. Additionally, I will be organizing the larger groups into Cooperative organizations with the Cooperative Development Authority. (Side-note: the Philippine government is super into making the Cooperative model work its magic in this country. Yay co-ops!)</div>
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I will also be traveling with the Project Managers out to the communities to build relationships with them and to test out new equipment and methods to further our goals.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCx6ttk0CaG_PnTd7Q6UIwJbxMjwapyW2FY0oJ-7nJRE3O8lKozk5SBmu33AskQGs8uPD0Km_0Gq-M29H1T2i6sAxm54npsI-nbtnwFUtYyjJnMzchjvuVTYhOKSr7WCDLzydc_esYyzmv/s1600/IMG_7559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCx6ttk0CaG_PnTd7Q6UIwJbxMjwapyW2FY0oJ-7nJRE3O8lKozk5SBmu33AskQGs8uPD0Km_0Gq-M29H1T2i6sAxm54npsI-nbtnwFUtYyjJnMzchjvuVTYhOKSr7WCDLzydc_esYyzmv/s400/IMG_7559.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>Also to take pictures while the people who build the machines make them work</i></div>
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Secondly, and a much more daunting effort, is to work towards Judicial reconstitution of Church land titles that were destroyed during World War II to prevent encroachment onto the lands by ne'er-do-wells (I've never had a reason to type that, so that seemed a good a time as any...) My job will be to ensure that the Churches follow the timeline and requirements (which, as you can imagine, are <b><i>totally</i></b> simple and straightforward...) of Judicial reconstitution and walk them through the whole legal process as far as I can in my time.</div>
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Also, singing. Lots, and lots, of singing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXK6tFYOQGHKXMehFKOBdZM2iUF8qqa_DU2FhkcjV5Btcm-KUiKUzjnBUFvvGy_wRntsta-ajjDiI045DYOMapLUbJJejvd7uUxOvDYUAMcLhsx_-pC4CSbIaq31NmIBmG5_3bG7MxKNO/s1600/NeonMoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXK6tFYOQGHKXMehFKOBdZM2iUF8qqa_DU2FhkcjV5Btcm-KUiKUzjnBUFvvGy_wRntsta-ajjDiI045DYOMapLUbJJejvd7uUxOvDYUAMcLhsx_-pC4CSbIaq31NmIBmG5_3bG7MxKNO/s400/NeonMoon.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<i>When a village of warriors asks you to sing some country music, you sing some country music</i></div>
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So far, I am in the choir of All Saints Cathedral (the church located in Bontoc), the Shalom Beharim Choir - a choir consisting of EDNP (Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines) clergy members singing traditional Igorot songs as well as some popular and country arrangements - even a Johnny Cash medley! - all across the Diocese as well as the island of Luzon. Who would have ever thought I would need to bring my cowboy hat and boots to The Philippines?!<i> </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7cmRb7OeWJV1imw1JI6r__hU-V8qwZ3dzablkSQwGkILUY_nyvQeoaNdfJ_JilgN1_awqiIEYPx40G4hKy3kWZFz4cHvG28A0sf_65bOqxTPLCD_FN9n7-Fm11HZBbwllaSmLHUjsnbb/s1600/Cowboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7cmRb7OeWJV1imw1JI6r__hU-V8qwZ3dzablkSQwGkILUY_nyvQeoaNdfJ_JilgN1_awqiIEYPx40G4hKy3kWZFz4cHvG28A0sf_65bOqxTPLCD_FN9n7-Fm11HZBbwllaSmLHUjsnbb/s320/Cowboy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>I had to borrow a hat. Disgraceful.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">I also sing with the Brothers of Saint Andrew, I play piano and sing for the afternoon mass occasionally on Sundays and </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">I even teach praise and worship songs to some of the youth and have begun teaching what I can on the piano as well.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Also for the past two weeks and probably for the rest of the year will be playing piano and singing for the 6 am Mass on Wednesdays. Those of you who know me well know how different my even being conscious at 6 am is for me. Come to think of it - I do <b>way</b> more singing here than I ever did at home! Of course, part of that is that fairly often when people come together here, there is going to be some kind of singing. Which I think is pretty awesome. I wish there was more of that back in the States. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ3RXU-JMkBkQcRN_mKQSZ1MDEhtmYn84WpRoSLxK03o_2u6pIthyEPeC7P4mrvWyEtrb7zhcEKt8EORsfKPPb25wKvtxksxwnhl-5hslwr2Yf-8ZmDcf22bMRJ-NIi7fvtV0fpaVgRcq/s1600/IMG_7439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ3RXU-JMkBkQcRN_mKQSZ1MDEhtmYn84WpRoSLxK03o_2u6pIthyEPeC7P4mrvWyEtrb7zhcEKt8EORsfKPPb25wKvtxksxwnhl-5hslwr2Yf-8ZmDcf22bMRJ-NIi7fvtV0fpaVgRcq/s400/IMG_7439.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> <i>All-Saints Cathedral, Bontoc</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i> </i>So back to the chronology. Within the first two weeks of my being here sadly I attended two funerals. One of a prominent church member - Erlinda Bucaycay here in Bontoc and the other being the Bishop's mother, Elisa Alawas in Masla, Tadian. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">One of the things that many of the Igorot people retained following the Christianization of the tribes was the death rituals of their ancestors. This includes wakes which can last up to, or even over a week where everyone comes together and sings songs and fellowships together - never leaving the body alone until the burial. Sometimes the person will be placed in a chair where they will remain as everyone comes to visit. That wasn't the case for either of these, but the services were beautiful and the spirit of everyone who came was good to see. Someone told me "The death of an old woman is a cause to celebrate for her life." I like that.</span></div>
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<i>Did I mention I've seen plenty of animal butcherings at this point?</i></div>
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<i>Seen here is some very raw bacon, and porkchops, and...you get it.</i></div>
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I also got to get out on my first community visits! The first was out to Sao, a barangay of Sabangan - about 45 minutes from Bontoc. The visit was to introduce the community to<i> </i>us and to E-CARE as well as to gauge their interest in and present them with the ABCD process. I also went out to rice fields near Sagada where we tested the new rice transplanter - a machine that could set out rows of rice more easily and efficiently. Or at least was supposed to. The machine needed a bit of tweaking, but soon it'll be ready.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYNv1p0mGVD_M0wOnlbI-GsYcUDT9FojN8X4_wAwzf8aSnZnTwXc4NaPwfJhkNW4q3QdST2jyX_2w17czPS5S69ErKe0KL_XzWimZg2v2K9CQ3bqiExTENnQ9BLu5-4YRLMu14dKoC5hX/s1600/IMG_7562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYNv1p0mGVD_M0wOnlbI-GsYcUDT9FojN8X4_wAwzf8aSnZnTwXc4NaPwfJhkNW4q3QdST2jyX_2w17czPS5S69ErKe0KL_XzWimZg2v2K9CQ3bqiExTENnQ9BLu5-4YRLMu14dKoC5hX/s320/IMG_7562.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<i>It takes a village</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjY-wahWoKFBgXF-2NO9_R905ZIajYg_tatIOEt83WwVTiRklLXv8J0BzyKhIP4fw-cxGqHLQlwELfgECIdv34k8eeGMEsSvJeFCt3GwzXPycYAX4Zl0tTHeQkMvf7AA4Lm09OdHuFJ4vZ/s1600/IMG_7561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjY-wahWoKFBgXF-2NO9_R905ZIajYg_tatIOEt83WwVTiRklLXv8J0BzyKhIP4fw-cxGqHLQlwELfgECIdv34k8eeGMEsSvJeFCt3GwzXPycYAX4Zl0tTHeQkMvf7AA4Lm09OdHuFJ4vZ/s400/IMG_7561.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div>
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<i>That village</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudHKxl4jv0aFmNHgvNvUnLLvn8KyQOCFx5zkzHgAPorNzBbTuzIhCu_HMlKRIubC1omk0BnDFM2ofiZiw7e19lnzKF2tg9zDcChyphenhyphenC1JvmKfdUprqguCNLT5kWjG0u7c06_xG6Sss4k7b_/s1600/IMG_7581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudHKxl4jv0aFmNHgvNvUnLLvn8KyQOCFx5zkzHgAPorNzBbTuzIhCu_HMlKRIubC1omk0BnDFM2ofiZiw7e19lnzKF2tg9zDcChyphenhyphenC1JvmKfdUprqguCNLT5kWjG0u7c06_xG6Sss4k7b_/s400/IMG_7581.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i> KFC has gotten really lazy with their famous bowls...</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0dvsi9zy-OkoqHPwEzTZKvpIptgUJ5A9xGhJd3o_VTD793Hh8dVaHumasbpvlklCXI3KQwI9Etv8T6YCRDsj-IjMr3HvElqmWEK7LDkwvEr1p4hteHHrepFcYUaWUmEIzF9fbx2HCNqC/s1600/IMG_7574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0dvsi9zy-OkoqHPwEzTZKvpIptgUJ5A9xGhJd3o_VTD793Hh8dVaHumasbpvlklCXI3KQwI9Etv8T6YCRDsj-IjMr3HvElqmWEK7LDkwvEr1p4hteHHrepFcYUaWUmEIzF9fbx2HCNqC/s400/IMG_7574.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Don't give me that look</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xwqT0OCqum9S9nXbOL3-LKj4vhwiG8rpUcvGfhWijtUKdMgKVjrN9mXlE2fygkkkajVhe8SzLlJBa-FSRI269lu7fcTtpFfh-DXj-jgk62hZLHbCLl53O5Xx2CgTtR_kFsReB3I30VMb/s1600/IMG_7462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xwqT0OCqum9S9nXbOL3-LKj4vhwiG8rpUcvGfhWijtUKdMgKVjrN9mXlE2fygkkkajVhe8SzLlJBa-FSRI269lu7fcTtpFfh-DXj-jgk62hZLHbCLl53O5Xx2CgTtR_kFsReB3I30VMb/s400/IMG_7462.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Looking back to Sabangan from Sao</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh61ASaOJ-ZeNLDcqBxToN2CWzUSDe01zFinQ5lGaXpTlNzNahsEmjrIZuTwNmzPSDVIU32xm603loS2UIyBEY-TUUqUX6ZU3B-aQooytTWMjLo1rR4ivW-Au_ooa0GOV-7y8ewBalB9v/s1600/IMG_7463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh61ASaOJ-ZeNLDcqBxToN2CWzUSDe01zFinQ5lGaXpTlNzNahsEmjrIZuTwNmzPSDVIU32xm603loS2UIyBEY-TUUqUX6ZU3B-aQooytTWMjLo1rR4ivW-Au_ooa0GOV-7y8ewBalB9v/s320/IMG_7463.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i> Vegas looks a bit different than what you see in the movies</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOVldXytCDM-tUBmdMwjcE5do9aLq_7J15K5xoqqPZ59TZXhxEC6wrU_M611zPhLFwuoucwCLJcLcATqgZuyCMrfjKw_fAJJvWTD5U_zwwlwOfDmFMuOo-OJxFGv0K1KQaoNElt3kpq1R/s1600/IMG_7461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOVldXytCDM-tUBmdMwjcE5do9aLq_7J15K5xoqqPZ59TZXhxEC6wrU_M611zPhLFwuoucwCLJcLcATqgZuyCMrfjKw_fAJJvWTD5U_zwwlwOfDmFMuOo-OJxFGv0K1KQaoNElt3kpq1R/s400/IMG_7461.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div>
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<i>You say you got your bananas at the farmer's market, huh? Wow, they must be really fresh...</i> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoCUqz35jeJZs17_lVGFLBLpUgYFCbIygi90X6VAsjLCUo-Ap9RCNblT7lUKsP_KuStdPUfgGDuthWW_aqS6c_qsUc5nLhFxHaDL0P8pY4FGbLr1ijVbMSUKvWiBabYg9QSRQshRiOIfu/s1600/IMG_7458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoCUqz35jeJZs17_lVGFLBLpUgYFCbIygi90X6VAsjLCUo-Ap9RCNblT7lUKsP_KuStdPUfgGDuthWW_aqS6c_qsUc5nLhFxHaDL0P8pY4FGbLr1ijVbMSUKvWiBabYg9QSRQshRiOIfu/s400/IMG_7458.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Intoducing the folks in Sao to E-CARE and to the ABCD process.</i></div>
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<i>Not pictured is that tarp above us blowing up like a parachute a million times</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguY-0nrxzXY6vZHYS2eNFFGlYMErW1_yhH9UrDrCgLZKAXvn-zHyufWrvHHs48iOxgem3UFjB0Wvkf92w0xN0F0zA0nlLWKQWkXnXN77ALyQM3P7W5QzGQ6qdn9VG9eBwkgKTmFXb3LTsN/s1600/IMG_7460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguY-0nrxzXY6vZHYS2eNFFGlYMErW1_yhH9UrDrCgLZKAXvn-zHyufWrvHHs48iOxgem3UFjB0Wvkf92w0xN0F0zA0nlLWKQWkXnXN77ALyQM3P7W5QzGQ6qdn9VG9eBwkgKTmFXb3LTsN/s400/IMG_7460.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Chow time. Virtually every large gathering here will include family-style eating.</i></div>
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<i>And yes, those are chicken feet.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_j7Hz1l3QNkp_uWbYiJ3DhX6m7tmUPlO4tx9jWXcVoY_vfKnRj8CfmeEl-nv_82uTAGPSUxW9eQOGi4S6yBsibTKhVq-NyEIVRRArXPaOcx-xte90hCxE8TQJvmUcfQV0z7qc92qtbua3/s1600/IMG_7466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_j7Hz1l3QNkp_uWbYiJ3DhX6m7tmUPlO4tx9jWXcVoY_vfKnRj8CfmeEl-nv_82uTAGPSUxW9eQOGi4S6yBsibTKhVq-NyEIVRRArXPaOcx-xte90hCxE8TQJvmUcfQV0z7qc92qtbua3/s400/IMG_7466.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>We want YOU to join E-CARE</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDV2lEM_5OUwpr0gSf4ieUjYU5P-r5fWl1cbefd2HQzMQU9uDQn39WGltv4bla7koqa8-k2VzI4eR30qnaPgwYFb-JW09YZH0IBM6nCnlTuffo5w5NWQWXo4CgyRm5F9PGx8pjYbuLTqXg/s1600/IMG_7473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDV2lEM_5OUwpr0gSf4ieUjYU5P-r5fWl1cbefd2HQzMQU9uDQn39WGltv4bla7koqa8-k2VzI4eR30qnaPgwYFb-JW09YZH0IBM6nCnlTuffo5w5NWQWXo4CgyRm5F9PGx8pjYbuLTqXg/s400/IMG_7473.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The hanging bridge into Sao was held aloft by dubious physics and magic.</i></div>
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<i>It did provide a pretty terrific view, though. </i> </div>
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Another of our trips out of town took us to the village of Butbut, Tinglayan, Kalinga in the heart of the home of the tribal warriors for the ordination of Grace Allin into the Diaconate. So out we went on the road again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnGHUD5GZw3IsCvOaFoo_sXXFuJjqx7JIxotx6XxeLTgaB0RIuhrr3cKWy3yJVrUDM5UDOqR1PZpBXanY-y_9GGzDMqXwM-XdI0AD8ReAhKfF04oSGZ4dLO456DuiTsnd5UL4Ji490Kiy/s1600/IMG_7623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnGHUD5GZw3IsCvOaFoo_sXXFuJjqx7JIxotx6XxeLTgaB0RIuhrr3cKWy3yJVrUDM5UDOqR1PZpBXanY-y_9GGzDMqXwM-XdI0AD8ReAhKfF04oSGZ4dLO456DuiTsnd5UL4Ji490Kiy/s400/IMG_7623.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>But first, coffee at the church in Poblacion, Tinglayan</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUnv-0gPOKkY2UOSEjRI__iVwNuzZVfIR6QY_toCwdYO46JdvxDm5wrq37r8dMkxtYrW1nQ5S1j9Vd9_spQiicYYTHEyqnSk83NMgAR2cMmvDU3GzXphsPIfR77BRoKNBC5YNzd90EXHe/s1600/IMG_7634.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUnv-0gPOKkY2UOSEjRI__iVwNuzZVfIR6QY_toCwdYO46JdvxDm5wrq37r8dMkxtYrW1nQ5S1j9Vd9_spQiicYYTHEyqnSk83NMgAR2cMmvDU3GzXphsPIfR77BRoKNBC5YNzd90EXHe/s400/IMG_7634.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Yeah, gravel trucks aren't making it out this far. </i><br />
<i>This doesn't even show the crazy sharp switchback roads and tight edges getting to this point.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwAzHU68xAP3qJbj97P8k4X6u2j1u8JNaQYI7uHeMEoZF4mMfppR2vLHC89HgxlqWn6w3qYjyYadNvONHN7-2anWNflpI7yOXzDceogctO72RdGmJttQ-glxWAnC-AgS_QT5jPqA97vU1/s1600/IMG_7641.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwAzHU68xAP3qJbj97P8k4X6u2j1u8JNaQYI7uHeMEoZF4mMfppR2vLHC89HgxlqWn6w3qYjyYadNvONHN7-2anWNflpI7yOXzDceogctO72RdGmJttQ-glxWAnC-AgS_QT5jPqA97vU1/s400/IMG_7641.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Why did they all get out of the truck?</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj-rrrBLXBu634Jg_9IP6mOSNfGpAICmSPS4JoLGEydMA7-NSmGVJLyhKGfNL-BNyWYFlTPrhBd9WJhk8T6DKTY_aTytZ1sFOAdOpvaKP2EI_vZiCkRDFGu7ZE4sqlvDeuEaa6WwSiu12/s1600/IMG_7642.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj-rrrBLXBu634Jg_9IP6mOSNfGpAICmSPS4JoLGEydMA7-NSmGVJLyhKGfNL-BNyWYFlTPrhBd9WJhk8T6DKTY_aTytZ1sFOAdOpvaKP2EI_vZiCkRDFGu7ZE4sqlvDeuEaa6WwSiu12/s400/IMG_7642.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Oh.</i></div>
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The community of Butbut is very far off of the main road and is about as remote as they come. It is also one of the most economically marginalized communities in Luzon. They are also among the fiercest warrior tribes in Northern Luzon. From the National Development Officer Attorney Floyd Lalwet's reflection on their community:<br />
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"...the heartland of one of the most fierce warrior tribes in Northern Luzon
which, about a decade ago, entrusted to (now Bishop) Brent Harry W.
Alawas, then the Development Officer of the Diocese of Northern Luzon,
and The Rev. John Deane... a āprizedā trophy ā the finger of a man
whom this tribe has taken in a violent war with another tribe - to be
personally handed to the Bishop of the Diocese. The surrender of the
body part to Bishop Edward Malecdan, then the EDNP Bishop, who then
turned it over to the other tribal protagonist marked the beginning of a
process that led to the eventual restoration of peace between the two
warring tribes." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZk3l3cY4j2f7phvppHFbcJcaxMWQnDBDdmeMVscHYsStMYOSsUgG72NEl1-Gr6km6pIvJ5PuJWj5EC_yrhLio97iUPO6Sp4GmdSFLH3ZOBLsCsv67l-mVQyp7vLt4cLyrK1Fe4oYKFuEW/s1600/IMG_7690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZk3l3cY4j2f7phvppHFbcJcaxMWQnDBDdmeMVscHYsStMYOSsUgG72NEl1-Gr6km6pIvJ5PuJWj5EC_yrhLio97iUPO6Sp4GmdSFLH3ZOBLsCsv67l-mVQyp7vLt4cLyrK1Fe4oYKFuEW/s400/IMG_7690.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Quite a crowd</i></div>
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However these days they have put their warring ways behind them and are one of the newer members of E-CARE's continuing mission. Again from Atty. Floyd regarding their Receivers to Givers grant-back:</div>
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"Many of the staff believed that if ever the grant back will be made, it
will certainly happen beyond the 3- to 5-year period and when all the
cattle have been fattened or offspring born and disposed. Yet it was a
most pleasant shock to the entire diocese when on 10th March 2015, the
day before the Annual Convention, a group of BSA leaders brought
170,000 pesos to the Diocesan Office as partial grant-back ... The surprise came to us at the program following the ordination service
when the Barangay Captain called on the BSA members to go to
the stage and requested the Bishop and other representatives of the
diocese and E-CARE to join them. When we all did, the BSA group handed
over an envelope containing P70,000 as second grant-back in addition to
what they have made at the March Convention. Again, it was a most
pleasant shock!"</div>
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And so the people of Butbut proved again what can happen when empowering communities to their own self-development. If you are interested, below is a link to Attorney Floyd's full reflection regarding the community of Butbut. It is quite an inspiring read and speaks to the heart of what we are doing here at E-CARE.</div>
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/433356923522697/permalink/444038232454566/</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-yHLHfmKzXE00l1g5djHF-H-T5kszETI2696yKx_5DJNW0c2j4Ngezu__cFTdISxvmjjTNUXJB8ctCS-UrjjAdUIjMD-9shyWfepBb0CrMbvcLfXu1fexmeYLUSSl-lr7sIyN7NiYGqI/s1600/IMG_7643.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-yHLHfmKzXE00l1g5djHF-H-T5kszETI2696yKx_5DJNW0c2j4Ngezu__cFTdISxvmjjTNUXJB8ctCS-UrjjAdUIjMD-9shyWfepBb0CrMbvcLfXu1fexmeYLUSSl-lr7sIyN7NiYGqI/s400/IMG_7643.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div>
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<i>Old school.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUE_FP7VUp92KpmwNcarPoxJ2P4UkvP65nRC753AJueioPyWm22jmltUbYdTsFfnsl-MhQ84Rxc0V6y57gScMk504cSjxEgaK09NZpnSD92Lih9P4Pl9c5KUAXWSc5BxEBrYMMLaVHlsxl/s1600/IMG_7653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUE_FP7VUp92KpmwNcarPoxJ2P4UkvP65nRC753AJueioPyWm22jmltUbYdTsFfnsl-MhQ84Rxc0V6y57gScMk504cSjxEgaK09NZpnSD92Lih9P4Pl9c5KUAXWSc5BxEBrYMMLaVHlsxl/s400/IMG_7653.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>Getting ready</i> </div>
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It was a beautiful, sunny day in Butbut for the celebration of the ordination. We held the service outside (quite a nice change) and it seemed like the entire community was there to celebrate with her. Before the service we had food and coffee, and after the service we had more food and coffee! You'll notice the food and coffee theme quite a bit if you stick around the blog for any length of time.</div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnQOibOvgMTv6q3qkXKWJ8WZ31xRjLbBQQhObA2d5-5yLFeWqSiqQUtEXCd3dAMmQEXU-YPp-D8DGL09R4WT0s0iqdvJCdj0VjO3o5SQhJXtk8Ds94q8VZOGcGW0hhNQb12Cq8E2iQJZ0/s1600/IMG_7658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnQOibOvgMTv6q3qkXKWJ8WZ31xRjLbBQQhObA2d5-5yLFeWqSiqQUtEXCd3dAMmQEXU-YPp-D8DGL09R4WT0s0iqdvJCdj0VjO3o5SQhJXtk8Ds94q8VZOGcGW0hhNQb12Cq8E2iQJZ0/s400/IMG_7658.JPG" width="400" /></a></i></div>
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<i>Bishop Alawas rockin' the shades and miter look</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbu2QHKMYMk8Icq0zUXq9_yuRg3r2lIIDk_MiM9-wqz5ZWRiBUaUrsFgc6_-Fwm_cugy8oBfLfF3UFIDW4lRssmpE9Wwf2Ya9y4BTL-XZd2tN0pnZsJ7n2vFN9artxhyphenhyphens_rrToBKlTzd0w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-11-18+at+4.41.42+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbu2QHKMYMk8Icq0zUXq9_yuRg3r2lIIDk_MiM9-wqz5ZWRiBUaUrsFgc6_-Fwm_cugy8oBfLfF3UFIDW4lRssmpE9Wwf2Ya9y4BTL-XZd2tN0pnZsJ7n2vFN9artxhyphenhyphens_rrToBKlTzd0w/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-11-18+at+4.41.42+PM.png" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>Even raw-er bacon. Sorry bro.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNKXOgSGxTACdQiXcrCKbHV4UOzCK1QFC2RamwVCR4KpSbwwb2I1BllVm2BSY9Zedfqv_DGWaBDeGDwY82f-iNC94QHjvXhin7D_rrLbc1SpAdrOLriJk3k8rHw-56SDQ_pT4JjOE0EOB/s1600/IMG_7670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNKXOgSGxTACdQiXcrCKbHV4UOzCK1QFC2RamwVCR4KpSbwwb2I1BllVm2BSY9Zedfqv_DGWaBDeGDwY82f-iNC94QHjvXhin7D_rrLbc1SpAdrOLriJk3k8rHw-56SDQ_pT4JjOE0EOB/s400/IMG_7670.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> "I want to help preach!"</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMWr5XpUT4urYEov9BnNcM0k0Tgre74WtmeJF8IDABCQVV8fAluQy0OThGQp0g0luEAoAaQaoyxRpcBd10zjcrqPl2TAnDhsbJReBIAfzs_tq-rby9u1rOWJuejxUgYJaBtRtR1h4o3KJ/s1600/IMG_7671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMWr5XpUT4urYEov9BnNcM0k0Tgre74WtmeJF8IDABCQVV8fAluQy0OThGQp0g0luEAoAaQaoyxRpcBd10zjcrqPl2TAnDhsbJReBIAfzs_tq-rby9u1rOWJuejxUgYJaBtRtR1h4o3KJ/s400/IMG_7671.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>"Fine, don't let me. I'm staying anyway."</i> </div>
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There were many songs and tribal dances added into the celebration as
well to make an all-around fantastic day. I even got in the dance with
the gongs! By the time we were ready to leave, I was offered a gift of a
knife by the former Chief and welcomed as an honorary member of the Butbuts. I was quite
honored. <i> </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncF-jXsvIORr2OPxDKN3wKYUbnBgqxX2beIFqcBKWhsAXNKYU9erXDU176bRh2QDxSYoD_hKwM9HvrkkC2jrnicAlBdW-8O6NKjU5lRpNOdO3zl3SK1thO0FC3qkF0o7Z6XiSkyG94MBq/s1600/IMG_7688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncF-jXsvIORr2OPxDKN3wKYUbnBgqxX2beIFqcBKWhsAXNKYU9erXDU176bRh2QDxSYoD_hKwM9HvrkkC2jrnicAlBdW-8O6NKjU5lRpNOdO3zl3SK1thO0FC3qkF0o7Z6XiSkyG94MBq/s400/IMG_7688.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>I think we'll have plenty of food. Especially since the pig from before isn't in here yet.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXjbPP4m70VAqSdOcET4kUf4DwoHu6CUs9rcpT3JJ7S3TxoiHa7dWpaTyas6QOrTvlBfxC6x3vh59f5Rp9Jfy6mlfUuVRRWPXV5YWnuFOgnMeSUCcln_Utvb-T5E9WCD7x7c35MtpbMJd/s1600/IMG_7655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXjbPP4m70VAqSdOcET4kUf4DwoHu6CUs9rcpT3JJ7S3TxoiHa7dWpaTyas6QOrTvlBfxC6x3vh59f5Rp9Jfy6mlfUuVRRWPXV5YWnuFOgnMeSUCcln_Utvb-T5E9WCD7x7c35MtpbMJd/s400/IMG_7655.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Friends</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrbVOOkB3BZGchrURzcihly2iX5XLeL5YsYI1yx9XUVLfghsjphBmvrnuyMbGr2aUJx2dKcXjjPzamTEy5cvA8gLMgJd6NP_fV0jU3udSFUiVjeeUxobUBEnLG0D5WEwfcygjSS2Jidr_/s1600/IMG_7677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrbVOOkB3BZGchrURzcihly2iX5XLeL5YsYI1yx9XUVLfghsjphBmvrnuyMbGr2aUJx2dKcXjjPzamTEy5cvA8gLMgJd6NP_fV0jU3udSFUiVjeeUxobUBEnLG0D5WEwfcygjSS2Jidr_/s400/IMG_7677.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i> With the newly-minted Deacon Allin</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQUFy_KpBagtAxOcCcsRvDDdqg41k4_ph3Rx5YzcEnLX3QRS6t14vLGQrcLH3BMZTMgcwnm5wdnuGCXOZsYoMP3FRoTj9Kc-xyET3_bN0vjIxZlTGN6goRIVEV9LbEHXDgEsvDfDjw31t/s1600/IMG_7689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQUFy_KpBagtAxOcCcsRvDDdqg41k4_ph3Rx5YzcEnLX3QRS6t14vLGQrcLH3BMZTMgcwnm5wdnuGCXOZsYoMP3FRoTj9Kc-xyET3_bN0vjIxZlTGN6goRIVEV9LbEHXDgEsvDfDjw31t/s400/IMG_7689.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> The native dance, complete with gongs</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3mwYktCeTCxK7PHzTimXKd36eymMSzbCy5W4nyeHErGszVE_NHCHtXlAn2FsToSdt8XmPCBPJWO518u3qSEOGcCKoqWx-5kd8cHpXyRCB5kyqNZr5CyPUP0IXaGY3bwLsGYLclWzIyFH/s1600/12167822_10153168365590418_157217516_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3mwYktCeTCxK7PHzTimXKd36eymMSzbCy5W4nyeHErGszVE_NHCHtXlAn2FsToSdt8XmPCBPJWO518u3qSEOGcCKoqWx-5kd8cHpXyRCB5kyqNZr5CyPUP0IXaGY3bwLsGYLclWzIyFH/s400/12167822_10153168365590418_157217516_n.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>I even got in on the action!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TrakggYR5z4VafsI5S6cDuxbB6rxEtcFGjKVYIbiHF3jbKzbwSwQMUHmWXQhMOSCJOs6NwzIlv499hGVuN2qJK2KvpVbROl6elu7YPXyI86BpqT2KsKXadsOpMBASWG4oZ89J2Q0pzi3/s1600/IMG_7684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TrakggYR5z4VafsI5S6cDuxbB6rxEtcFGjKVYIbiHF3jbKzbwSwQMUHmWXQhMOSCJOs6NwzIlv499hGVuN2qJK2KvpVbROl6elu7YPXyI86BpqT2KsKXadsOpMBASWG4oZ89J2Q0pzi3/s400/IMG_7684.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Atty. Floyd talks E-CARE. The dog is clearly not interested.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqm_VII667GquRpqXAACwLKb9vNHRGSgOV1HWuHAHWfSYUT5W32oqMDPNczWxktefeT2Qn8rNOYZlyYGjwvkCckLfKgZ0dewgd3_e2ra8oeT_-9PgOgfgIFEW2IGCZkh7oSLSIAHySCZpi/s1600/IMG_7696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqm_VII667GquRpqXAACwLKb9vNHRGSgOV1HWuHAHWfSYUT5W32oqMDPNczWxktefeT2Qn8rNOYZlyYGjwvkCckLfKgZ0dewgd3_e2ra8oeT_-9PgOgfgIFEW2IGCZkh7oSLSIAHySCZpi/s400/IMG_7696.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i> "This knife can be used to weave a basket...</i></div>
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<i>or to remove the finger of your enemy for a trophy." </i></div>
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After the food and celebrations (and, of course, more coffee) it was time to hit the road back to Bontoc! Which was because of course, after all, I had choir rehearsal to get to. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVsVeL0NgWYD1zNe211l0FU_VKfm67mq04jmlNTpH_sO9SMgpBu36esI-xloILG4ktu59-eF_OmUQ4l69x7TLwjLtgT9jN3-Dq1HZuHXM2UnFPtK_PBGAa7b6JQxqN2SrVuCIAlZWlzaf/s1600/IMG_7699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVsVeL0NgWYD1zNe211l0FU_VKfm67mq04jmlNTpH_sO9SMgpBu36esI-xloILG4ktu59-eF_OmUQ4l69x7TLwjLtgT9jN3-Dq1HZuHXM2UnFPtK_PBGAa7b6JQxqN2SrVuCIAlZWlzaf/s400/IMG_7699.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Back on the road. Seriously, how do you even get to those?</i></div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx73kTf1MN_Ht69uCEIYr3EJlRd-3SBlJds-mFSegApFH8l_SXJFax5k9VzoZDiSnK141UeOwndRJAnGhk1EALmSJSCeTfFvwuC-H4etYfoh8bBCx8DKOeHcT-9HLJ8G_2KoqSTs_Bqt9B/s1600/IMG_7716.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx73kTf1MN_Ht69uCEIYr3EJlRd-3SBlJds-mFSegApFH8l_SXJFax5k9VzoZDiSnK141UeOwndRJAnGhk1EALmSJSCeTfFvwuC-H4etYfoh8bBCx8DKOeHcT-9HLJ8G_2KoqSTs_Bqt9B/s320/IMG_7716.JPG" width="127" /></a> </i></div>
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<i>Of course we stopped for more coffee on the way back. </i></div>
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<i>And a bathroom with a view </i></div>
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<b>Okay folks - that's it for this time! </b></div>
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Next time, I think it'll finally be time to wrap up this whole reminiscing bit and be caught up on the present! </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">FINALLY!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Peace. </span></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188776459899867842.post-83428799649706609402015-11-10T00:16:00.000-08:002015-11-10T15:44:05.161-08:00Gawis ay Mountain Province! (Days Gone By Part III)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Most people would make something like this a trilogy.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am not most people.</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;"> Actually, I just don't want to cram everything since coming back to The Philippines into one post.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Trust me. It's better this way.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>So, without further ado:</span> </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">LET'S GO!</span></span></span></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqK_ZJh0rlnnpOdkxo6XIHmWM-DFNWW0DFWuVfrGwj6lABnGJOLy5irYNLRqb8ux7zH8dS6HYWZHkxX-1Ybktf21WHQXjNlq1sYzRq_zdKa19R6gK3r78fgdRHTgWIk-y5R9drwA7hIrm/s1600/IMG_7280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqK_ZJh0rlnnpOdkxo6XIHmWM-DFNWW0DFWuVfrGwj6lABnGJOLy5irYNLRqb8ux7zH8dS6HYWZHkxX-1Ybktf21WHQXjNlq1sYzRq_zdKa19R6gK3r78fgdRHTgWIk-y5R9drwA7hIrm/s400/IMG_7280.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>Blonde Jesus on a Jeepney.</i></div>
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<i>Yep.</i></div>
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<i>I'm back in Manila...</i></div>
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<i>Guess who's back...back again?</i> We arrived back into the Philippines October 5th<i> - </i>this time, to stay. </div>
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<b>Onward to Mountain Province! Onward to my year! Onward! to Bontoc!!!</b></div>
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Oh. Wait...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42H-7P0os5VXm9boifXIYuXmUCK_AfuFcRLfKFiWVz8Ga2Kg16OstND09YA8Xj7vgJb6Kv2ZFMEubStKuLigiU-vczrO0jCic2YJUYgiM9bkAahyQpCXIv94S-eOdQ3xBLFjJ9rM1UByN/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-11-10+at+2.30.28+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42H-7P0os5VXm9boifXIYuXmUCK_AfuFcRLfKFiWVz8Ga2Kg16OstND09YA8Xj7vgJb6Kv2ZFMEubStKuLigiU-vczrO0jCic2YJUYgiM9bkAahyQpCXIv94S-eOdQ3xBLFjJ9rM1UByN/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-11-10+at+2.30.28+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The definition of a good time.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thanks to silly things like "laws" and "immigration" and "needing to be in the country legally"<i>, </i>it looks like we have some time to kill...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So, what to do with our extra days in Manila? Well, for starters, we got a personalized tour from Uncle Frey (sorry if I spelled that incorrectly, I've only ever heard it!) around Fort Santiago - where the Japanese kept US and Filipino prisoners of war during WWII and the "home" (read: prison) of Philippine national hero and all-around baller, Dr. JosƩ Rizal. Rizal was confined to the Fort after the Spanish got a hold of him on charges of insurrection at the tail-end of their 300+ year colonization of the Philippines.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdgwSWUikkUxk46rV2_yIX1GRyqYTEyJIvTjpZ30A-DVXpzODc7RCVkLuzi5Mj_etmVHeb2aftVCdUmUeQWQWEJYFAIJA36hVeU_5AND7SWiQFSB5jcUOUEuJOG-GuynNI1XigcOeIuTO/s1600/IMG_7299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdgwSWUikkUxk46rV2_yIX1GRyqYTEyJIvTjpZ30A-DVXpzODc7RCVkLuzi5Mj_etmVHeb2aftVCdUmUeQWQWEJYFAIJA36hVeU_5AND7SWiQFSB5jcUOUEuJOG-GuynNI1XigcOeIuTO/s320/IMG_7299.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <i>'Sup</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">When Dr. Rizal wasn't (allegedly) inspiring Filipinos to rise up against the Spaniards via his major works <i>Noli me Tangere </i>and <i>El Filibusterismo,</i> he was spending his time doing way more than anyone you know and doing it well - for instance: he was a medical doctor, author, agriculturist, fencer, inventor, poet, businessman, painter, land surveyor, <i>pistol fighter (</i>what?!<i>),</i> sculptor, cartographer....seriously, the list goes on. Oh, and that whole social organizer thing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">By the way, he did all of that before being executed at age 35.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQFohnU0x7pdvgqAsEn59nhVHelc9r3WKh2RcZs8_wpwO5hGZVGf_9LgTfcpNdMi-9mn61_B0iUETAlCHbLGz3Yv94mzTBqUgwK6y5bV8xcvA9wTWxVuYzHL-EpCfnO18CeokHcBnQ9GA/s1600/Jose_rizal_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQFohnU0x7pdvgqAsEn59nhVHelc9r3WKh2RcZs8_wpwO5hGZVGf_9LgTfcpNdMi-9mn61_B0iUETAlCHbLGz3Yv94mzTBqUgwK6y5bV8xcvA9wTWxVuYzHL-EpCfnO18CeokHcBnQ9GA/s320/Jose_rizal_01.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
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<i>Oh, you're just a doctor? That's cool, I guess...</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> Shutter down:</i> Unfortunately they wouldn't let us take photos of any of his works or the things they had collected for the museum, but I did get some photos of the fort itself and the surrounding area.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwoKj1faqIObwE2k_PwRZOYq9QkEeWeuJG0PAMAn7cBQRd2YJGMZCBfiM6mPMmK0y9_zDmUh1IcbbA4l71KmMCXQ9eIfkk-HiiHyv_DCXKPZTWweqsKEh5Bhz8Ff9uhCDOYKtALEz7lMW/s1600/IMG_7311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwoKj1faqIObwE2k_PwRZOYq9QkEeWeuJG0PAMAn7cBQRd2YJGMZCBfiM6mPMmK0y9_zDmUh1IcbbA4l71KmMCXQ9eIfkk-HiiHyv_DCXKPZTWweqsKEh5Bhz8Ff9uhCDOYKtALEz7lMW/s400/IMG_7311.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div>
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<i>In case this looks bad as just a regular jail cell, imagine it completely packed with people.</i></div>
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<i>Yeah. Doesn't sound fun to me either. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tzYrzhTnAWf7EGMGMOTXhKBRN4yiVGl0IvrhyIvjGcBimTh7ISNj0WlBlHyk6O3mhxOAfRJdqfdXhIPbwJ4pflwqhMbB2_sOCHCNhBaXXRL2UZu7kaFak8uPfTsw3OED4nNOmvRfAfi-/s1600/IMG_7288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tzYrzhTnAWf7EGMGMOTXhKBRN4yiVGl0IvrhyIvjGcBimTh7ISNj0WlBlHyk6O3mhxOAfRJdqfdXhIPbwJ4pflwqhMbB2_sOCHCNhBaXXRL2UZu7kaFak8uPfTsw3OED4nNOmvRfAfi-/s400/IMG_7288.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>At least the Fort grounds are pretty?</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AtPuwsXMffkdZazVEJrUkJJ55qn5u89nYAp_RxNe10X8fTE3cV3GshG1fZeZZvoVHNXnst_cuJpk7UB6_fhFZ6frV9fhsNRzPSArIKtuAr09SmLrjfALVwZRX_Vd7socfIgRqglQ4VW0/s1600/IMG_7292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AtPuwsXMffkdZazVEJrUkJJ55qn5u89nYAp_RxNe10X8fTE3cV3GshG1fZeZZvoVHNXnst_cuJpk7UB6_fhFZ6frV9fhsNRzPSArIKtuAr09SmLrjfALVwZRX_Vd7socfIgRqglQ4VW0/s400/IMG_7292.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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"<i>Wait, you're <u>voluntarily</u> going in there?"</i></div>
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<i>-The hundreds of people who involuntarily went in there</i></div>
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<i><br /><br /><b>This side note brought to you by A.D.D.:</b> </i></div>
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<i>It's always <strike>Sunny</strike> Christmas in <strike>Philadelphia</strike> The Philippines:</i> I forgot to mention in my last blog, but I would be remiss not to share it: Christmas here begins <b>waaaay</b> earlier than it does in the States. Personally, back home I typically refuse to listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving. By contrast, we landed in Manila on September 26th and <i>there was already Christmas music playing.</i> "Oh that we should always see such spirit through the year" indeed.</div>
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<i><b>Anyway.</b></i></div>
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After we left the Fort, we went across the way to San Agustin Church (and monastery) in Intramuros. It was huge and beautiful and contained all sorts of artifacts, wonderful art and old books (much of which I either couldn't get a good picture of or they wouldn't allow pictures of at all. Again with that rule. Come on!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhykRej4YwYweWpIzWqGKMeZPf2hYzL9PGNjD1ReKRp4CNLtIvpgmHJTB9nsDebL1rSwLpHqFNoyybMdW_TQ8xCv-opOg_Ni9EITd3NDHzNjgnR9ISKBwIRVGGhEe3Mhu_OJ33hamLiGrV/s1600/san-agustin-chuch-intramuros-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhykRej4YwYweWpIzWqGKMeZPf2hYzL9PGNjD1ReKRp4CNLtIvpgmHJTB9nsDebL1rSwLpHqFNoyybMdW_TQ8xCv-opOg_Ni9EITd3NDHzNjgnR9ISKBwIRVGGhEe3Mhu_OJ33hamLiGrV/s640/san-agustin-chuch-intramuros-l.jpg" width="640" /> </a><i>None of my pictures do the inside of this place justice, so here's one off of the web</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Fckp1fz3T1Ms3lKIIstd1Ch6CIdpH51SINEuqh5P0TnBdgxGSymOe7ZlJJnzcB-nHNmqsK936XTLvDgmFaSgD5RE2tvXkwiuOivwsGUGSd2eR21C1jdyEpArmLPd-T9pFsNJmLoM6u9G/s1600/IMG_7329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Fckp1fz3T1Ms3lKIIstd1Ch6CIdpH51SINEuqh5P0TnBdgxGSymOe7ZlJJnzcB-nHNmqsK936XTLvDgmFaSgD5RE2tvXkwiuOivwsGUGSd2eR21C1jdyEpArmLPd-T9pFsNJmLoM6u9G/s400/IMG_7329.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Back to mine, with the other YASC'ers for scale</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkpFa0sEq7fcHzdQBGgV1HG85kvSz6OXcEgkMIC12PHWMLJyTdiqkGFuwPhruCUkj0AXB7Hb6nyEW2kXoGwNDpUJg1nuxt25HK42_marYd5da1boeKb6oegrs-sgJ8AV5hpxZ3UAuoh5A/s1600/IMG_7323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkpFa0sEq7fcHzdQBGgV1HG85kvSz6OXcEgkMIC12PHWMLJyTdiqkGFuwPhruCUkj0AXB7Hb6nyEW2kXoGwNDpUJg1nuxt25HK42_marYd5da1boeKb6oegrs-sgJ8AV5hpxZ3UAuoh5A/s400/IMG_7323.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>One of the many passageways</i></div>
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From there<i> </i>we went to the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial - a resting place for the soldiers who fought and died in The Battle of The Philippines and in the recapture of the islands from the Japanese among other WWII battles. Not much to say other than that it was a peaceful place and a fitting tribute to those who died or went missing in action.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjc-FDiLR2bvZRmdTbWC6wnOgTMOulGjhuUa1pQlHAuprhlpxsRzGudhT4oN5n2VVFKG_4McTf2CUY18MOMuv9qnrF2teIq_5VjUyDyZR1W6ol62l_Yb-5m0ckAVKBJH6TmH2EyQtjeD-/s1600/IMG_7357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjc-FDiLR2bvZRmdTbWC6wnOgTMOulGjhuUa1pQlHAuprhlpxsRzGudhT4oN5n2VVFKG_4McTf2CUY18MOMuv9qnrF2teIq_5VjUyDyZR1W6ol62l_Yb-5m0ckAVKBJH6TmH2EyQtjeD-/s640/IMG_7357.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div>
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<i>The Memorial grounds</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKWHD464G7r1yOMeVnvHl25f-6kQJOdR18M1AGrMJLAWBMjIJ4J_wf0Q2Su9XREFxAXy_2-pSO3vgguhqhLr1FKv0juVt4d5SN0GFbhBgcBouqnzgg72F_WhJSpD8gPEfNiaDwCEJbKFA/s1600/IMG_7362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKWHD464G7r1yOMeVnvHl25f-6kQJOdR18M1AGrMJLAWBMjIJ4J_wf0Q2Su9XREFxAXy_2-pSO3vgguhqhLr1FKv0juVt4d5SN0GFbhBgcBouqnzgg72F_WhJSpD8gPEfNiaDwCEJbKFA/s400/IMG_7362.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>These maps were great for any military history buff</i></div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc82z6PFoSGyF2T_Icv4lAkFLE-E7LswSf1gQGI3IOFxrJslixE22NdewTysp2V6WpF0DJcnnxQBqbuXDzveq28-Em5_ootgsHzQyodfKcTAlB5inrzAA0Msu-hwFnJMkDkgQupa2S9VqT/s1600/IMG_7371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc82z6PFoSGyF2T_Icv4lAkFLE-E7LswSf1gQGI3IOFxrJslixE22NdewTysp2V6WpF0DJcnnxQBqbuXDzveq28-Em5_ootgsHzQyodfKcTAlB5inrzAA0Msu-hwFnJMkDkgQupa2S9VqT/s400/IMG_7371.JPG" width="400" /></a></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rOl8cRPwSgHT6YKXw9qOF8wJYCHmU1X69xcp43sL3xp-aQF9RzoT_f0Hzqn2UFdlG0L24Y4xgFC1ACsd5kN7avOo-HETKLuw7NMvDRI6OcLxU59vaFWXcR4V4tI2L4Y1a5saaELW7TuB/s1600/IMG_7365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rOl8cRPwSgHT6YKXw9qOF8wJYCHmU1X69xcp43sL3xp-aQF9RzoT_f0Hzqn2UFdlG0L24Y4xgFC1ACsd5kN7avOo-HETKLuw7NMvDRI6OcLxU59vaFWXcR4V4tI2L4Y1a5saaELW7TuB/s400/IMG_7365.JPG" width="400" /> </a> </div>
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<i>Well, fancy seeing you here</i></div>
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<i>The time has come</i>: After a (surprisingly short) wait for immigration to do their thing, we left, visas in hand to prepare for our next-day travel to our placements. So in the morning we grabbed our bags and dodged Manila traffic in the only way you <i>can</i> dodge Manila traffic.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqrNS46bFb9Qt2FqFDII7ETPrO5C04RS20ne11PY_8duVTE5qsLaefjfojtSksmtd2QivvfeluvZQvrEUmBqSJ3xTc1HIpin0DvFqQVSJ8nrEe-P78RZM0NW-k5Wz_1sUoJu1vvcltz0h/s1600/IMG_7377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqrNS46bFb9Qt2FqFDII7ETPrO5C04RS20ne11PY_8duVTE5qsLaefjfojtSksmtd2QivvfeluvZQvrEUmBqSJ3xTc1HIpin0DvFqQVSJ8nrEe-P78RZM0NW-k5Wz_1sUoJu1vvcltz0h/s320/IMG_7377.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Along the way, I was marveling at the beauty of the surrounding country. Carlin told me I shouldn't bother taking pictures since where I was going would blow those views away.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0z5CpuHkL7tqnYAkxbQvIYTHxD2ZrGhjc7gtJa43U_93xF8je7LoH3-6Dr-IesJ5HBuY-sbCpUQSjHHbR-rSX8nsk2WLS1ElFwtJ1qHRI5vJxtq_u6teEmfhZdX_vJVq074PZHva4uwQ/s1600/IMG_7417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0z5CpuHkL7tqnYAkxbQvIYTHxD2ZrGhjc7gtJa43U_93xF8je7LoH3-6Dr-IesJ5HBuY-sbCpUQSjHHbR-rSX8nsk2WLS1ElFwtJ1qHRI5vJxtq_u6teEmfhZdX_vJVq074PZHva4uwQ/s400/IMG_7417.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>"Ho-hum" -Carlin, probably</i></div>
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After an obligatory stop for coffee (this, along with rice at every meal, is <i>probably </i>not codified into Philippine law, but I'm not 100% sure...) we carried on, eventually stopping to eat lunch and part ways. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IioQxsBOTT702GjbpIttia91nIY3UiO8glQGcXx7Wa4c5PRsG0A9FWlLIqOAtstuI8Qe_ZE_8NMDMqyqLUXgag2dXkk8N-0akQG-QmW64y7aoycTv5kK2-BBrbU5zky-Sfi4vcaZ4JYm/s1600/IMG_7419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IioQxsBOTT702GjbpIttia91nIY3UiO8glQGcXx7Wa4c5PRsG0A9FWlLIqOAtstuI8Qe_ZE_8NMDMqyqLUXgag2dXkk8N-0akQG-QmW64y7aoycTv5kK2-BBrbU5zky-Sfi4vcaZ4JYm/s400/IMG_7419.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Thankfully not at this place</i></div>
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<i>Mountain Time: </i>At lunch I met Benzent and Erwin, who now are good friends to me, but at the time were brand-new strangers who would take me the rest of the way into Bontoc while Carlin and Tristan carried on to Tabuk. So off we went into Ifugao Province and straightaway into Mountain Province - my new home!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4y84cK3yTctHHpi_MEEpiUDWPbz6k7kWbmkPxKvybj44gTq45IuqIGGrntfFkZ6QYBTL_bN963FBOJG-1Ny2KGrMkwuQu8Vyjg2Uxiz-5Kx9ND2kne722toDjKsVMw0yOD4XH37-4cnKe/s1600/IMG_7426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4y84cK3yTctHHpi_MEEpiUDWPbz6k7kWbmkPxKvybj44gTq45IuqIGGrntfFkZ6QYBTL_bN963FBOJG-1Ny2KGrMkwuQu8Vyjg2Uxiz-5Kx9ND2kne722toDjKsVMw0yOD4XH37-4cnKe/s640/IMG_7426.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Turns out Carlin was right</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZSgRd1tjHcglVc95DgPv-wZZ7YvOPPZXiH9C3O57PqAlUGnGOzkMeidWdSTnX2bb_gZgb1NUyeOwEoauzgQ6bE-swP9pddjo7ZWMvm-_fkzvKz1PFMd_8ayA_39LmYCKUyKaGk0V7spw/s1600/IMG_7428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZSgRd1tjHcglVc95DgPv-wZZ7YvOPPZXiH9C3O57PqAlUGnGOzkMeidWdSTnX2bb_gZgb1NUyeOwEoauzgQ6bE-swP9pddjo7ZWMvm-_fkzvKz1PFMd_8ayA_39LmYCKUyKaGk0V7spw/s320/IMG_7428.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Ugh. Let's just consider this the "before" picture for this year.</i></div>
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<i>Alternative caption: Something giant and green. Also, the Banaue Rice Terraces </i><br />
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<i>The long and winding road:</i> After a few hours and winding mountain roads (of varying rockiness,) we finally arrived!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87-2EFePXDVLGJxsIgkQSMHtukBRjYSxYYYFCbWeS-vHm9Q1swvTpSTCpJuQpBuQnG4DF0dEI8pvhVlbGlLt_8MrtwjQa9NbZZFu8__t2aKAqpqGjk2sZ87-Jodno2cVBrAR1xJg5nCrl/s1600/IMG_7445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87-2EFePXDVLGJxsIgkQSMHtukBRjYSxYYYFCbWeS-vHm9Q1swvTpSTCpJuQpBuQnG4DF0dEI8pvhVlbGlLt_8MrtwjQa9NbZZFu8__t2aKAqpqGjk2sZ87-Jodno2cVBrAR1xJg5nCrl/s640/IMG_7445.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>This! Is! Bontoc!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMm1PueWNgWWKsTrT5gGPCy53H-W-WuI9eXosD8FFxBKQj8bKemXbArbgEZHf9Lkmx544COse-7Pr_L5y5aT-XXG887jxBkFIuPUxjD9Q6zLxX9kW5hes9gQO3Tb3AqfXCCMl0hI1JUB8/s1600/IMG_7447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMm1PueWNgWWKsTrT5gGPCy53H-W-WuI9eXosD8FFxBKQj8bKemXbArbgEZHf9Lkmx544COse-7Pr_L5y5aT-XXG887jxBkFIuPUxjD9Q6zLxX9kW5hes9gQO3Tb3AqfXCCMl0hI1JUB8/s640/IMG_7447.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>This! Is!...also Bontoc</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FGpp2HF-6eKeQ-aZ0_9B1FdeInRl1gf0gkkPEaLvYph0ZOE5ABjZQxjF_K7F08vbHgd_TBIXignhbsWho884SmGMujPdvV__Y3L89oZIlzTyXbwUUcn-FgZmfg8tlvNtcOcw008puHbJ/s1600/IMG_7436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FGpp2HF-6eKeQ-aZ0_9B1FdeInRl1gf0gkkPEaLvYph0ZOE5ABjZQxjF_K7F08vbHgd_TBIXignhbsWho884SmGMujPdvV__Y3L89oZIlzTyXbwUUcn-FgZmfg8tlvNtcOcw008puHbJ/s640/IMG_7436.JPG" width="640" /></a><i>This! y'know what, I think you get it...</i></div>
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<i>(Actually this is the church compound. More on that later...)</i></div>
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<b>"<i>So I'm here. Now what?" </i> </b></div>
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<b>Good question, Me! Good thing I already know the answer. </b></div>
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<b>But to find out for yourself, come back next time when I'll be visiting my first communities, delving into E-CARE and the ABCD (Asset-Based Community Development) process, attending the installation of a brand-new Bishop, and becoming an honorary member of a native tribe!</b></div>
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As a parting gift, here's some more pictures! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnQIIYmmgXrgsaZJGGGBZQKkh7hiD9w44yP048_UGFvy1M-rm3jjXuqPRA3oC-j0uyTY2e9LIPx-nDmufCCo8PqF1BlFGbg3hueJJ5gDRGy4e9SaqGEKqaWJltzaMuog9p8iRu8-I3Ub6/s1600/IMG_7290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnQIIYmmgXrgsaZJGGGBZQKkh7hiD9w44yP048_UGFvy1M-rm3jjXuqPRA3oC-j0uyTY2e9LIPx-nDmufCCo8PqF1BlFGbg3hueJJ5gDRGy4e9SaqGEKqaWJltzaMuog9p8iRu8-I3Ub6/s400/IMG_7290.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Fort Santiago</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyMY5vioBqysJgpitHoK-kLWyBhbM-ZeH9vp3sAQJ652j9TvC0Wx6kkRxQTsEKRgQ-R5pyuQKJTAzi2EfZxvxBKmHGDjS7r2TBEBcBZEKNFCAYgyD-7D9NviwX_t0KCvvB8gG4PgZVBfR/s1600/IMG_7318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyMY5vioBqysJgpitHoK-kLWyBhbM-ZeH9vp3sAQJ652j9TvC0Wx6kkRxQTsEKRgQ-R5pyuQKJTAzi2EfZxvxBKmHGDjS7r2TBEBcBZEKNFCAYgyD-7D9NviwX_t0KCvvB8gG4PgZVBfR/s400/IMG_7318.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> Um. Ow.</i></div>
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<i>Hey wait a second, there's no way <u><b>those</b></u> shells fit into <u><b>that</b></u> cannon... </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tmY_g6_200p28ZHUgr46qhfwJWyE81CwQQzzgRGPxV7UWBESmJFyV6rVxnWtMUmNTCI9Cpptc9NrQGdqBKyIqXwENFUXRJGdT6aLgBqw6roMYPEdW0HZ7sbArrDWVzqpWw5udwDHuBKY/s1600/IMG_7340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tmY_g6_200p28ZHUgr46qhfwJWyE81CwQQzzgRGPxV7UWBESmJFyV6rVxnWtMUmNTCI9Cpptc9NrQGdqBKyIqXwENFUXRJGdT6aLgBqw6roMYPEdW0HZ7sbArrDWVzqpWw5udwDHuBKY/s400/IMG_7340.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>Outside the monastery</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEW2JTl8E7Xl7QGc4A2DGDXedcDBiOGMOHXg2EqwKxwdUrt9HR-1lU5R4hkSPvEa-IXASTZ2Tqo7uZeAztdsTasokQqVHXqY_8emXTQf6Wq9SPR6JZOp_zrehW-NJonP-5UP1ctuJfTbSG/s1600/IMG_7412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEW2JTl8E7Xl7QGc4A2DGDXedcDBiOGMOHXg2EqwKxwdUrt9HR-1lU5R4hkSPvEa-IXASTZ2Tqo7uZeAztdsTasokQqVHXqY_8emXTQf6Wq9SPR6JZOp_zrehW-NJonP-5UP1ctuJfTbSG/s320/IMG_7412.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i> Still cool. No matter what Carlin says.</i></div>
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Happy trails, friends! </div>
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See you next time.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188776459899867842.post-78112871457309051992015-11-01T22:39:00.000-08:002015-11-02T04:16:38.484-08:00See ya' in Korea (Days Gone By Part II)<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What's good, party people?!</span></b> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(Traditional Filipino greeting)</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> Kidding.</span></b></div>
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What I'm not kidding about is how clever the title of this post is. </div>
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Let's take a moment to appreciate that, shall we....</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Done?</span></b></span> Good. </div>
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Now
on with Part II of my past month leading up to my actual placement in
Bontoc. </div>
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This time - the wonderful land of South Korea.</div>
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<i>Okay...mostly wonderful...</i></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-size: large;">Let's get started</span></b></u><i><br /></i></div>
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So I didn't just wake up and decide one morning that I'd had enough of the Philippines and needed a change of pace after a week - I was actually in Korea for a purpose. That purpose was the Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries Conference in Seoul. The conference brought together the myriad Asian Episcopal churches with The Episcopal Church in America to discuss the catholic (lower-case "c" intentional) Church's reconciliation as a whole and also to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the Episcopal Church in Korea.</div>
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<i>The gate to one of those first few Episcopal Churches in Korea</i></div>
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<i> The 125th Anniversary Celebration Service</i></div>
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<i>Apparently I was even on Korean TV</i></div>
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<i>Yeong-eo haseyo? </i>The Philippines is notable among Asian countries for the wide proliferation of the English language. Even in my current town deep in the mountains, English is spoken by nearly everyone to one degree or another (although the native Kankana-a'ey/Ifontok is highly preferred.)<i> </i>Korea? Not so much. If you don't speak Korean in Korea, you're going to have to try a <i>lot</i> harder to get your message across or to understand what's going on.</div>
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<i>This doesn't look important...</i></div>
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<i>Let's add this to the list of jobs I want:</i> During our time in Korea, we got to have "tea" (which ended up being coffee - score!) at the US Ambassador to South Korea's house. Unfortunately he wasn't there, but it was still a very cool experience. Plus Charlotte, Carlin, and I got to talk to one of the Foreign Service Officers about the process of becoming an FSO and his experiences with the job. Very cool. Not to mention the house was terrific and he had some cool mementos.</div>
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<i>Gamsahamnida, Obama...</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIklu2tpaVqIG9b8WkXA1hMHD40leKGOXUuidrE-wghIOA9IVm9qHWQJ4p6Ew1WyVxVHPmK2X4lAl38oh7UC0ywbq7BT-vTZ-Mdh4TYqkSN-b9vl_HVDFtB0XwLK5KPO0BRwj9t7gn9Qp/s1600/IMG_7030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIklu2tpaVqIG9b8WkXA1hMHD40leKGOXUuidrE-wghIOA9IVm9qHWQJ4p6Ew1WyVxVHPmK2X4lAl38oh7UC0ywbq7BT-vTZ-Mdh4TYqkSN-b9vl_HVDFtB0XwLK5KPO0BRwj9t7gn9Qp/s400/IMG_7030.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>One of the perks of being Ambassador is you have armed guards to get the kids off your lawn.</i></div>
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<i>And stone lions. (At least I'm like 95% sure those are some kind of lions.)</i></div>
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<i>Sweet party, bro</i><br />
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<i>Wait, Korea has islands? </i>The next day we took a tour out to Ganghwa Island and some of the earliest Episcopal churches in Korea. We saw a lot of history and beautiful country (as well as continued our delicious Korean culinary adventure) At the end of the day we also saw a cultural show which began with performances by musicians using the ancient native instruments of Korea and<i> </i>ended with modern Korean music performances in varied styles with those instruments mixed in. And then they closed with "Havah Nagila"...which was probably the last thing I was expecting...<br />
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBsi3QgnXP7OD9xSzd2j7BELK-XQKyQ5jDRpmoQKYCSCuIbacQb8yo9lCjYJJ1CgT0K7_MrvkDWysHz3UowoYN85I74MemiMoFjCtahZxLtbvTNT5sVS0OD3HUZSbI15s5nRi0Y-oXt4j/s1600/IMG_7216.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBsi3QgnXP7OD9xSzd2j7BELK-XQKyQ5jDRpmoQKYCSCuIbacQb8yo9lCjYJJ1CgT0K7_MrvkDWysHz3UowoYN85I74MemiMoFjCtahZxLtbvTNT5sVS0OD3HUZSbI15s5nRi0Y-oXt4j/s1600/IMG_7216.JPG" width="320" /> </a></i></div>
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<i><i>This just screams "Time for a Hebrew folk song"</i> </i> </div>
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<i>Wait a minute, this bus doesn't have a toilet...</i></div>
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<i>Seoul from afar</i></div>
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<i> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7SsNQAd0eqokfK3CzKpcWXv5wFdpANZb4N57LhJFx6kzCVPf0N96lu3o1bx-PuU3IZXsOo0NFu85I0dXc38ASbBV7y7yt7Do0FbkE8MiE8NEfWbv6yQGvS4CD88gbkEpg1lH1AOYIt0w/s1600/IMG_7197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7SsNQAd0eqokfK3CzKpcWXv5wFdpANZb4N57LhJFx6kzCVPf0N96lu3o1bx-PuU3IZXsOo0NFu85I0dXc38ASbBV7y7yt7Do0FbkE8MiE8NEfWbv6yQGvS4CD88gbkEpg1lH1AOYIt0w/s400/IMG_7197.JPG" width="320" /></a></i></div>
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<i>On the grounds of one of the first Korean Episcopal churches</i></div>
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<i> You're going to see a lot of sunsets on this blog</i></div>
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<i>No bridge over troubled waters:</i> When we got on the bus to take our tour, there was talk of taking another tour out the next day to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) 4km away from the border to get a look over at North Korea.<i> </i>Little did we know though that in the middle of our tour that day we would be going to the Ganghwa Peace Observatory *2* km across the river from North Korea! Woah. </div>
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It ended up being one of the highlights of the time we spent that week. Turns out North Korea is actually pretty beautiful. Plus, it drives home the idea of the true meaninglessness of borders until human minds get ahold of them. I mean, DPRK is <i><b>right. there</b></i>. I could have literally swam to it (well, maybe walked...the river looked kinda shallow) but it was an entirely different realm over there. But there they were - kids playing, people living their lives - all set to a backdrop of a beautiful afternoon and a Korean lament playing for the separation of the families caused by the senseless division of a nation. Heartbreaking and poetic all in one vast and powerful experience.</div>
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<i>I'm guessing those boxes don't have candy and presents in them...</i></div>
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<i>Because tanks needed to look meaner</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15GySq4N2IwGaJWQO2MFkpvMLEtIRP-ddvzPtvvEp3VUc4hEgknN0_cMTblqGZNuNX_TBaeA2P7rCmv8QoaHi4VXRnyEkrD-T3HhfCo3TTxNQHgmO1EUdNIrNVYD_W5TsBYyNafrGlKPp/s1600/IMG_7145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15GySq4N2IwGaJWQO2MFkpvMLEtIRP-ddvzPtvvEp3VUc4hEgknN0_cMTblqGZNuNX_TBaeA2P7rCmv8QoaHi4VXRnyEkrD-T3HhfCo3TTxNQHgmO1EUdNIrNVYD_W5TsBYyNafrGlKPp/s640/IMG_7145.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i> So close, yet so incredibly far</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-hMUBRBHIMxHFDLkmHDBlu1v76V_-gwhfJZ1_FJOj9qlphjVRcI_kTcE4bdCJwWeGVRirAAiBdjglqHkUnsi9GLthWnsVO_6a8pgunpTyN5poqOJbc38y_aMC6xkNcYTLmyxnc_LPow0/s1600/IMG_7147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-hMUBRBHIMxHFDLkmHDBlu1v76V_-gwhfJZ1_FJOj9qlphjVRcI_kTcE4bdCJwWeGVRirAAiBdjglqHkUnsi9GLthWnsVO_6a8pgunpTyN5poqOJbc38y_aMC6xkNcYTLmyxnc_LPow0/s400/IMG_7147.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>2015-2016 YASC Team Asia.</i></div>
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<i>Except for James. Good going, James. </i> </div>
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<i> </i> <i><br />Last minute high-rolling</i>: Some other highlights included a banquet with the Archbishop of Korea and the Mayor of Seoul on our last two nights. There was a-mazing food (really the food the entire time was quite good) and musicians to accompany it as well as getting to spend time with some truly great people that had come for the conference. And of course to see our wonderful YASC staff again for the first time since training (and probably for me the last time for the rest of the year.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNxPGNRbrtkKsR_pbJkZ6z-ztOV1lsx18_VplOu98eeAAjrNpgmqgRnA-0d-0MXO8rLmP-aFT2lMJfKs7vgImgL2h5z7Y_PbRvSWGYHGq7hHLuLQc9hsqog3MhKNVqoI0PYCgSM4EuHnz/s1600/IMG_7276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNxPGNRbrtkKsR_pbJkZ6z-ztOV1lsx18_VplOu98eeAAjrNpgmqgRnA-0d-0MXO8rLmP-aFT2lMJfKs7vgImgL2h5z7Y_PbRvSWGYHGq7hHLuLQc9hsqog3MhKNVqoI0PYCgSM4EuHnz/s320/IMG_7276.JPG" width="320" /> </a> </div>
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<i>All currently serving members of YASC team Asia and the staff. </i></div>
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<i>Yes, even James.</i></div>
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<i>I got friends in Seoul places:</i> I even got to spend some time with my friend Eunmi which was a treat partly because since she is a native of Seoul and showed me around to some of the cool spots near where I was staying, but mostly because I hadn't seen her since she came back to Korea.</div>
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<i>Other takeaways</i>: I loved Seoul. I'll definitely want to get back to it at some point in my life, which is cool since without this conference I would have never known what I was missing. And I only even saw a sliver of the city, let alone the country. Plus, they have Wifi you can carry around in your pocket, amazing food, enormous streets and a public transit system that should make New York's subway ashamed of itself (and makes Austin's public transit look like even less of nothing than it already did...) </div>
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<i><b>WHEN WE RETURN:</b></i></div>
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Time for the last installment of the blog leading up to the present(ish). </div>
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Also the first appearance in my blog of the city where I'll be living and working (most of the time) during the course of the year - Bontoc. </div>
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<b>Gawis ay Mountain Province! </b></div>
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Until next time. Here's a few more pics for your perusing pleasure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWevUuE9M9QCoGWXFBRycfIC6EEFnieG8BujXZLK0D6JF28dPlWnuq-pCZ-DzjbmPh2_uTFU32IH6TmByYsph35QPVR_FuYoXU41_agX5ZhdSnCc783ZW6g57KqbjIFD4oINekvexDos4b/s1600/IMG_7254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWevUuE9M9QCoGWXFBRycfIC6EEFnieG8BujXZLK0D6JF28dPlWnuq-pCZ-DzjbmPh2_uTFU32IH6TmByYsph35QPVR_FuYoXU41_agX5ZhdSnCc783ZW6g57KqbjIFD4oINekvexDos4b/s400/IMG_7254.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<i>Past and present: Alive and well in Seoul</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPLiM7JFY7FMzCIUoNYvoBuHZoCE8E1RZQ6CjzzEruNDmJN83gdiPeUUBL6ee57t1nXfkEAqIxTYs0G1gj0C_IddFNXPlVtPEycmMmVOwVaA2tWrVP7EwYACKprBF_-r5gPBLYFPcdRz_/s1600/IMG_7100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPLiM7JFY7FMzCIUoNYvoBuHZoCE8E1RZQ6CjzzEruNDmJN83gdiPeUUBL6ee57t1nXfkEAqIxTYs0G1gj0C_IddFNXPlVtPEycmMmVOwVaA2tWrVP7EwYACKprBF_-r5gPBLYFPcdRz_/s320/IMG_7100.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<i>Not the first, and definitely not the last, food line</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHa1aCwplPwFZP453fg3BSCfeGeE02YtyGqB4O7LNkMGvfQk5Jvtt0udGAuDUDJxyDTDkqmvH1Me6xOYrU3lrkiGHTxDfOL0hTi4vq2bDdT3-jjbsHi7oemrAvoFA7_OrbbSZjZ0qeyuIG/s1600/IMG_7250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHa1aCwplPwFZP453fg3BSCfeGeE02YtyGqB4O7LNkMGvfQk5Jvtt0udGAuDUDJxyDTDkqmvH1Me6xOYrU3lrkiGHTxDfOL0hTi4vq2bDdT3-jjbsHi7oemrAvoFA7_OrbbSZjZ0qeyuIG/s320/IMG_7250.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i> And 1,000% not the last time I'll see something to eat you wouldn't normally see in America</i></div>
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<i> </i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_VLTJgobFDcHKC5WQeU0UBXwSObPnyxkSaMPpN74IoyOC55GCEDAv_73rmj_i6DDiQ_A1Xw-xAhtBg-lf8u6GunFo9usKGxB7DLdT06mtjXircbGBz07vPuteZq-9swslzHLkM7AlhFt/s1600/IMG_7260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_VLTJgobFDcHKC5WQeU0UBXwSObPnyxkSaMPpN74IoyOC55GCEDAv_73rmj_i6DDiQ_A1Xw-xAhtBg-lf8u6GunFo9usKGxB7DLdT06mtjXircbGBz07vPuteZq-9swslzHLkM7AlhFt/s320/IMG_7260.JPG" width="240" /></a> </div>
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<i> Parade or protest? YOU decide. <br />Because I have no idea.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3onAhHQZkGNMrbMCbDWPtrpYxvQyHdA2eXWV-DPnszRcwa2zECOO956bR4e2hSfwN-iL4fe7LGbuv4dbx0YvhQQwHFAXzbpwMTTPzumXXUgZNB_OdEUIDNIjqLP49KHwDC0SIz9bCIOXi/s1600/IMG_7245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3onAhHQZkGNMrbMCbDWPtrpYxvQyHdA2eXWV-DPnszRcwa2zECOO956bR4e2hSfwN-iL4fe7LGbuv4dbx0YvhQQwHFAXzbpwMTTPzumXXUgZNB_OdEUIDNIjqLP49KHwDC0SIz9bCIOXi/s640/IMG_7245.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>It's been fun, Korea! Seoulong!</i></div>
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<i>(You knew I had to get one more pun in...) </i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188776459899867842.post-53812747631408817602015-10-25T23:15:00.000-07:002015-10-26T00:18:27.876-07:00Days gone by...Wow! <br />
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I can't believe it's been a month since I landed in The Philippines! What a crazy whirlwind adventure it's been (no, not a typhoon pun) and I'm finally in a place with good enough Internet that I can write a blog post!<br />
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So let's begin.<br />
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Too much has happened to expound too terribly much on any one thing, so here's the Cliff'sNotes version (with pictures!) I'll do one week/chunk of my experience at a time so far over the next couple of weeks and then I'll be caught up on the past and ready to move on to the present and beyond!<br />
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Before I get to that though, I will say, broadly, that my expectations of what I was getting into now seem like a distant memory in the face of the reality of my life here (told you so, self) and if you'd like to talk more about that, then feel free to Facebook message, What'sApp (+63 09055514155), Skype (AtxEric86) or email me because it would take much, much too long to go into here. For the general reader though - it's been in a good way, just in a different way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2u5GbCcj0quc7gUbekcXoSvjz9icxn6J7x2_ASMjzBcaWusPSUV-EvFXU2eyFz3ELTBYYDL-qUToWUvlyjsQB-q3_5xO0DTcmoPPjfH0ope5eEJxP5p3uOFDGLRiv2Fxt6gNsJtS609cl/s1600/IMG_6890.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2u5GbCcj0quc7gUbekcXoSvjz9icxn6J7x2_ASMjzBcaWusPSUV-EvFXU2eyFz3ELTBYYDL-qUToWUvlyjsQB-q3_5xO0DTcmoPPjfH0ope5eEJxP5p3uOFDGLRiv2Fxt6gNsJtS609cl/s320/IMG_6890.jpg" width="240" /></a><i> </i></div>
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<i>Pictured: Different</i> </div>
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"Week" (5 days) 1 - Manila/Baguio/Atok<br />
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<i>Steamed missionaries:</i> WOW it is hot in this place! Well, hot I'm used to, but it is more humid here than anywhere I've ever been. It was immediate and overwhelming.<br />
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<i>The good ole' 4-lane 2-lane road:</i> I read somewhere that in Manila, every single drop of paint marking the lanes on the roads is utterly wasted. They were not incorrect. Even on the first night and all the way up through our return to the airport, I was perpetually stunned not only at the level of traffic, but at how little attention was paid to anything resembling driving rules. Chalk it up to culture shock, I guess.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFgJs-LNiMj8Ti2YeY1Pvgj2FjHx1YJzUaX7lRXq5uLPYh-fJmswMC-U6ZzABYap2iXBAmukgHBbYS_dYUWxrYGP_4otfbU8veAxcDwXPcBfmH6wZj38e07u-k9U57tb2BvTD75Mr6TEv/s1600/IMG_6884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFgJs-LNiMj8Ti2YeY1Pvgj2FjHx1YJzUaX7lRXq5uLPYh-fJmswMC-U6ZzABYap2iXBAmukgHBbYS_dYUWxrYGP_4otfbU8veAxcDwXPcBfmH6wZj38e07u-k9U57tb2BvTD75Mr6TEv/s320/IMG_6884.JPG" width="320" /></a><i> </i></div>
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<i>From the ECP (Episcopal Church in the Philippines) Compound</i></div>
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<i>Green Living:</i> There are tons of trees and bushes and all other forms of assorted flora in Manila. Even for such a massive and crowded city, it's still very green. (I mean, it *is* a tropical island, so...)<br />
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<i>Cock-a-doodle-DO YOU MIND?!:</i> Early starts are totally a thing here in The Philippines. Part of it is that the latest that the sun ever sets here is 6:30 pm and for my time here, it's been setting at 5:30 pm and rising again at 5:30 am. What I at first assumed to be jet-lag induced early-rising has become a permanent state of existence. Also, there are roosters EVERYWHERE. And according to Attorney Floyd, the National Development Officer of the Philippines, they used to have at least a few hours where they would keep quiet (also a time for sacred rituals), but because of climate change or some other invisible force, that is no longer the case.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaDoLvTtFBm_6VqVhbBQYKxJGUDwSVGG8zySF5zrdSYjFTaqaYwSTa3mIHaVEHBbiGc4ENV1DD1TZwHCMlZPvaMXRNW9GR-P2FbBLCv2XD5FYOQYiZJtkv8JbW9_vm-o-kfzxy9MnByIF/s1600/IMG_6896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaDoLvTtFBm_6VqVhbBQYKxJGUDwSVGG8zySF5zrdSYjFTaqaYwSTa3mIHaVEHBbiGc4ENV1DD1TZwHCMlZPvaMXRNW9GR-P2FbBLCv2XD5FYOQYiZJtkv8JbW9_vm-o-kfzxy9MnByIF/s320/IMG_6896.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<i>I see what you did there....</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFdz3YVSV1qU9Pwcpmc1Mkn1nNiqf_vclMhsf2u33vfhka-3MLJZhq7vgJtkUgxAMCNwr_zAjpnOMbNbBzvHrGSgu59PPQidz5nZqMLoR8Nz7BGlJU0rxd6DpifddupdrClU09dfr7GvC/s1600/IMG_6902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFdz3YVSV1qU9Pwcpmc1Mkn1nNiqf_vclMhsf2u33vfhka-3MLJZhq7vgJtkUgxAMCNwr_zAjpnOMbNbBzvHrGSgu59PPQidz5nZqMLoR8Nz7BGlJU0rxd6DpifddupdrClU09dfr7GvC/s320/IMG_6902.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<i>ECP Compound Kitties</i></div>
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<i>Flexibility is our motto here at YASC: </i>So I finally figured out the first night that what I had been told my placement would be was not entirely accurate, and that I would actually be in Bontoc, Mountain Province in work similar to what I thought, but still different. More to come on that. </div>
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<i>Nom nom nom</i>: You think you know movie snacks? At the mall near the compound, not only could you take in any snack or drink you wanted (and the theater remained remarkably clean despite that fact) but they had restaurants right next to the entrance where you could buy chips, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, even fish 'n chips - and that's only at one restaurant. Just delightful. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiacAegrapfjjr_We9-lVdYn2oCXt82oMon7riSdDr8UiQEdt1-J4MvbFQGh3uSeOsurkJyHNw5saz9VbOWKcrNhAiRhjqYsqsqCZzrvITxh00YMs44aD1agFJP2HLIK6NE2kCIeTEckcK/s1600/IMG_6914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiacAegrapfjjr_We9-lVdYn2oCXt82oMon7riSdDr8UiQEdt1-J4MvbFQGh3uSeOsurkJyHNw5saz9VbOWKcrNhAiRhjqYsqsqCZzrvITxh00YMs44aD1agFJP2HLIK6NE2kCIeTEckcK/s320/IMG_6914.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Chinese cake display outside of one of the department stores</i></div>
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<i>Buffets: </i>Totally thought that buffets were an American thing only. Turns out, nope. We actually went to two within our first few days. The second time we went, the place we initially went to had a wedding going on inside. You would think that since we were with the Prime Bishop of The Philippines, that we'd be able to jump right in! No such luck. <i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGByUHXp3panmLMFuxZka_ctrBc5GT0vmqXAeFqH-BTnOtAVf6wfwGOR4SNrZws_q6Cf3C5lk_cJyaBdyLVhjSennctJm6XB41JXkIEsuQ0C9b8V-ANmL2W0V4hp7RLCrFPRiAwExz3BVf/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-10-26+at+12.36.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGByUHXp3panmLMFuxZka_ctrBc5GT0vmqXAeFqH-BTnOtAVf6wfwGOR4SNrZws_q6Cf3C5lk_cJyaBdyLVhjSennctJm6XB41JXkIEsuQ0C9b8V-ANmL2W0V4hp7RLCrFPRiAwExz3BVf/s320/Screen+Shot+2015-10-26+at+12.36.46+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i> </i> <i>Did I mention some things are different?</i></div>
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<i>Speaking of early starts</i>: The best time to get out of Manila is around 4-5 am. No traffic! God be praised! So that's exactly what we did. Out the NLEX (Northern Luzon Expressway) and out to visit the E-Care (Episcopal Community Action for Renewal and Empowerment - waaaaay more on that later) Store and Marketing Center in Atok outside of Baguio City. It wasn't quite where it needed to be for the soft opening that was planned, but it was looking good. Too bad the view outside was obscured by clouds. To follow the present and future exploits of that center and the work E-CARE will be up to there, check out my cohort Catherine's blog at http://ccbelous.blogspot.com/</div>
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<i> E-CARE Marketing Center and Coffee House (well, a small part of it anyway)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEU5qTfYEAWy43QWfUtQPEHURMb8BHnr4u-Luh83wFG5cxTV91uUHpsW3gsenLxItCIBeGh7O9is-YilP3EjdQvT25mBnp7lV-qxELOKSAEc9S-eld4ASvNCVzF-fgk06ooE0KuyM8ooX/s1600/IMG_6935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEU5qTfYEAWy43QWfUtQPEHURMb8BHnr4u-Luh83wFG5cxTV91uUHpsW3gsenLxItCIBeGh7O9is-YilP3EjdQvT25mBnp7lV-qxELOKSAEc9S-eld4ASvNCVzF-fgk06ooE0KuyM8ooX/s320/IMG_6935.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i> Up the hill a bit from the center. Basketball is enormously popular here. As evidenced by the fact that this old basketball goal is the only thing in this field.</i></div>
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<i><br />Travel time:</i> We dropped off Rebecca (doing the UK version of YASC) in Baguio and then when we got back to Manila, Andrew and Carlin went ahead to Korea leaving Catherine, Tristan and I to roam freely about the city. So we went to the mall to pick up the things that we would need like a SIM card and pillows and such. It was a great mall right on the bay. It even had a church in it! Definitely a one-stop shop. The mall is 9 miles (15 km) from the compound, and it took us 45 minutes to get there. But the cost of even that long of a cab ride was 500 piso ($10)! And it was only that much because we didn't heed Carlin's advice and insist that the cabbie run the meter instead of fixing the price - but since it was only 500 peso and we'd been waiting for several minutes, we decided just to go for it. (For reference the same 45 minute cab ride back was only 250 piso ($5). One of my first forays into just how incredibly cheap things could be here. I've even seen hotel rooms advertised for 250 piso) <br />
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Then the next morning it was off to the airport (17 km (10 mi) and 2 hours later...) and into the air towards Korea!!! That trip will be for my next blog post, so stay tuned!</div>
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<i>Holy crap it really IS international!</i></div>
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<i>I'm just-a' shoppin' on the dock of the bay...</i></div>
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<i> My cool bay. (get it?)</i> </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188776459899867842.post-54020347754620826022015-09-22T10:39:00.000-07:002015-09-22T10:39:07.913-07:00T-MinusWell, here we are.<br />
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The intervening months since my last post have been spent trying to balance living out my normal life with knowing that my life was about to become anything but normal. Well no more. The time has come.<br />
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I fly out Thursday to begin my mission to the Philippines and I'm so ready to get started! Though I'm a little *less* ready to sit on a plane for 2 days, but that's just a part of it I suppose.<br />
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I look forward to sharing my journey with all of you and I look forward to seeing those of you I'm leaving behind once again a year from now. But until then...<br />
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Time to work.<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188776459899867842.post-26532584354003732822015-05-18T12:56:00.002-07:002015-05-18T14:55:16.989-07:00BeginningsThis is the first post of a journey. A journey into what will likely be Tadian, Mountain Province in the heart of the Phillipines from what I know now. I will be trekking to the other side of the world not as some sort of vacation, but instead I will be on mission from the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Texas. It will be some time before I ever set foot in that land, but as many journeys do, this one begins in all of the preparation and mindful consideration leading up to the "first step."<br />
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As I write to you today from sunny Austin, Texas, I'm sitting in front of an expensive, large computer in a nice, comfortable chair in my air-conditioned office enjoying my lunch hour with a hearty sandwich I asked a coworker to get over my smartphone and a cold, readily-available mug of water I just refilled not even 20 steps away. Not bad. And while not every detail of this day is necessarily identical to any other day, there's nothing here really out of the ordinary - right down to the run-on sentence and another begun with a conjunction. <br />
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However, as I allow my mind to wander beyond all of these creature comforts I find so endearing in my own little modern reality, it occurs to me that much of what I am experiencing may not be remotely even an option as I sit down once again to write in this very blog several months from now. That wonderfully human ability to cognize such transformations of a future reality can lead to all sorts of worry, anxiety and fretting about what that experience will be like when that time comes - or on the flip-side - impatience for it all to begin.<br />
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As for me, I am calmed by this vision of my future surroundings. The truth is, I have no *real* idea what my life will look like when I finally set foot in that faraway land. I have stories, photos and vague notions, but nothing that lends itself to a true experiential concept of what my journey will look like. Instead of worry and anxiety then, I find myself enjoying even more the surroundings which I'm so thoroughly familiar with. I take greater pleasure in a cold sip of water, a steady supply of Off and sunscreen to protect against Mother Nature's barbs and a newly mindful indulgence of all of the conveniences of a thoroughly modern world. It is not my surroundings which have changed, but my relation to them. My interpretation of my current reality shaded and reinterpreted without ever having even taken one breath of Phillipine air.<br />
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I look forward to sharing the rest of my journey with you and all of the wonderful highs and lows it will be sure to bring. Until then, it's onward to a future which is uncertain, but one which I'm faithful will be powerfully transformative.<br />
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EricAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982711666492461102noreply@blogger.com0