Walk to Water

I hopped out of the heated car into to the cold fresh air. The breeze brushed up against my skin giving me goose bumps. I saw Alea in a nearby car and I waved. I got my jugs of water out of the car along with my pole. My plan was to tie two jugs to each end of the wooden pole and carry it over my shoulders. I walked to the meeting area and got ready to fill up my 4 jugs. My friends and I got in the long line ready for our new adventure. We all quickly filled up our jugs and got our carrying supplies ready to go. I tied my jugs on to the stiff wooden pole. I tried it out. It was very heavy and pushed against my neck bone. The water hanging from small ropes swayed back and forth making me unbalanced. Someone interviewed me about the day and after that my shoulders an neck were already sore. I put my contraption down and ran to the creek to meet my friends. We sat on a huge giant cold rock and talked until we were called over for the pusha. Both the 6th and 7th graders circled up and massaged each other. After we went arm in arming touching the person next to us and took a moment to think about today's journey. I thought about how hard it would be and about how people in Africa have to get up around 2:00 in the morning everyday and walk to water for about 5 hours. We dumped our back packs into the back of the truck and started getting ready.I made a last minute decision that I was going to not use the pole and just carry the jugs. I put two jugs in my emptied backpack and I held two. It was much easier. I thought it wouldn't be so hard to go barefoot so I tried it. John said we could go and we all started off on our journey. We barely reached the end of the parking lot and then the complaining started. "Oww, my feet hurt!"or "Oww my back hurts!" Every where you could here people starting to complain. The rough gravel poked my bare feet as I walked along the side of the road. I felt pokes and pinches on my raw feet. After about a quarter of the way I decided to put my shoes on. After I put them back on I continued on with the journey. My arms started getting heavy and my shoulder and back started to slouch and hurt. We took breaks here and there but it seemed longer than it really looks. To make time go faster, my friends and I sang and laughed along the way. We finally arrived at SBMS and it was so exciting to be done with the adventure and to have accomplished this hard task. I literally screamed and ran to the flat ground the school building sits on. I felt weak and tired. While I was in the moment I felt tired and thought why did we have to do that it was so hard. When really it wasn't. I thought about the people in Africa and how they had to do that everyday. And it mad questions pop up in my head like, Why don't they just move closer to the well? or Why don't they just build a well closer by them? The assignment was a good way to get closer to other people around the world and with what they have to deal with everyday.

Kiva

On my last day with Teresita, we walked to the village. The village was not to far away. We bought fresh vegetables and fruit in the market. As we were walking down the dirt road music started to play and a group of people danced to a filipino song. Teresita and I listened and watched the dancers. At the end, everybody clapped and carried on with their usual business. Along the road there were other street performers playing different instruments and singing. There were a bunch of different stands some selling food and others supplies. Teresita and I walked back to her house and relaxed for the rest of the day. We drank hot green tea ate the fresh fruit and veggies we bought at the market.

Kiva

This morning i woke up late and by the time I was already up Teresita was gone. I relaxed and listened to the sounds of nature and thought about our conversations last night. I sat on her front porch taking in this experience. After a while, I got back on my feet and began to start up the day. I got ready quickly and brewed some green tea. I quickly gulped down the hot tea and ran out side. It was drizzling outside so I ran to her store. Everything was green and flourishing around me. The ground was wet and muddy. My red converse splashed through the mud causing it to come back up and splash on my knees. I arrived at the clothing store soaked in rain water and covered in mud. Teresita took me by the hand and pulled me into her store gently. She wrapped me up in a warm blanket and sat next to me. She said I didn't have to come to work with her her but I replied I like accompanying you. We sold clothes and talked the rest of the day and by the time it was time for us to pack back up, the sky was clear and sunny. There was a bright rainbow shining in the sky. We walked home enjoying the beautiful weather.

Kiva

I woke up in the morning to the lingering smell of live stalk and farmland. I walked out of Teresita's small house into the fresh open air. It was foggy, moist, and I could tell it was early morning because of the thin coat of dew covering everything. There was large open farmlands spread out all over from where the eye can see. Teresita was getting ready to go to her nearby clothing store. I helped her carry her new supplies to her little business. Once we arrived, I helped her set up things in the store. We waited for customers to come buy. Since it was still early we did not sell as much compared to the later times. Teresita sold things such as skirts, aprons, and pants. After a long day of vending, we headed back to her house for dinner. She cooked a traditional Filipino dish called Chicken Adobo. This dish is basically marinated chicken. I made an appetizer called Lumpia. This dish is spring rolls filled with a variety of fresh vegetables. After dinner we talked about ourselves. I talked to her about how my family originates in the Philippines and what it is like living in America. She told me about her ancestry and how it is living in the Philippines

Chicken adobo recipe

Kiva

Currency exchange rate
US dollars = Philippine pisos
              1 = 42.75600
              5 = 213.780
            10 = 427.560
            20 = 855.120
          100 = 4,275.60

Kiva

Tagalog
I love you- mahala kita
Good bye- Paalam
Thank you- Paalam na
How are you- Cumusta ka
Where is...- Sino ang
Good morning- Mabuting umaga
Good afternoon- Mabuting hapon
Nice to meet you- Mabuting makila kita
See you later- Atsaka na
Your welcome- walang anuman

Kiva

I get to go and visit Teresita Chiu in Dalaguete, Cebu in the Philippines. I will fly in an airplane to meet Teresita. I am really excited and can't wait to meet her.