Habitat for Humanity - Quezon, Philippines

This year for Spring Break, I volunteered to chaperone a high school Habitat for Humanity trip. I remembered a similar trip I went on in high school that I still think of often and was excited for the opportnity to help a few people while seeing a new place. When I found out that the other chaperone would be my fellow-newbie colleague, Allan, I knew this was going to be a great trip.

During the week, our 18 students had to complete journal entries about the day's events. I have taken bits of their entries and combined them to create this blog. I am using their words directly (please keep in mind, English may not be their first language), only deleting bits about HOT Filipino guys and group gossip. Hopefully this will give you a better understanding of our adventure.


Day 1

YAY! It’s finally Habitat for Hmanity in Philippines! This is my first time joining, and I am really looking forward to have a great experience in this trip!

Today was mostly a “moving day.” We were on the airplace (from Pudong to Manila) for a bit over 3 and a half hours. We were on the bus for 3 hour and a half hours total. That’s 7 HOURS of transportation total!!! Everybody was EXHAUSTED when we arrived to the hotel.

The flight passed quickly, and we were soon able to “enjoy” the extremely hot and humid Philippine air after a minor incident at the customs, which thankfully let me through after some questioning and help from Ms. Kuebel. The bus trip, though, was an entirelyl different experience. It turned out to be even longer than our plane flight, which asked for torture. Although the halfway stop at McDonalds filled our stomachs, eating it on the bus was not plecant at all.


Day 2

After breakfast we splitted into three groups, each going to the different vans to go to some resort place (TOTALLY AWESOME despite the fact that I already forgot the name). Once we reached the RP (resort place :), everyone stripped naked…and then wore our swim suits…what were you thinking…? It’s a really nice place, blue sky, white clouds, clean beach, tri-colored sea (green, aqua-blue, dark blue each resembling their respective depth), coconut trees, etc…but we’re missing hammocks :)

The beach days was @#*! great!


Day 3

FINALLY!!! First day of working at our site!!! The site is around 10-15 minutes away from the hotel (finally one place in which has a bus ride close to the hotel!!!). We got to meet the people who would live in the house we’re building. There were 2 families I felt encouraged to build a good house for them because they were very friendly.

We were to start from scratch – it always fascinated me as to how a house was built and why the walls could be as strong as to withstand so much strength. I was about to find out the answers. We started working in 2 groups. One group was in charge of digging a hole. The other group was in charge of shoveling sand, moving bricks, and filling up the bricks with cement. So there, we were at the working site and it was HOT!!! Not that the place looks hot, it’s more like temperature HOT!!! Everyone was SWEATING A LOTTTT!!! We all looked like “soaked chickens.” We worked from 10 Am – 4:30 pm…with about an hour of lunch and a few breaks. I personally think that so far the trip is pretty fun, especially because everyone is cooperative and funny in their own ways.


Day 4

Today I woke up with a pain butt and legs.

Today we did:

- Moving the bricks
- putting the cement into the bricks
- shoveling the rocks and sand
- carrying the buckets of rocks/sand into the house
- I don’t remember

The burning sun is quite intense and evil. The work was really tiring…as I’ve said for the hundredth time…but then you realize everyone is in this together, so you are not alone. It sort of pushed you forward -> you actually learn a lot in ONE SINGLE DAY. It was a pretty awesome experience. We all were engaging with each other. People don’t or would not realize what the world (including people, culture, the environment, etc.) is like. You can be friends with someone in just one hour or even one minute! THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS TRIP. This group is the most cooperative group ever. Our progress on building the house is faster than ever. The work that we’ve done would have been completed in 3 days, but WE FINISHED IT IN 1 DAY! ONE! HAHA. I LOVE HABITAT PHILIPPINES 2009!

Today we ate in a “barbaric” restaurant, where we ate with out hands (without fork or spoons). Yes…it was quite interesting. We found out that Fortune owns a internet café, so after having a “hand-using” dinner, we all went to Fortune’s café and played DOTA.


Day 5

Today was almost same as the day before. I had to carry the cement to the top and it was almost heavy as my brother.

I dig and dig and dig. It was hot and sweaty much which made me feel very uncomfortable but I thought it was okay because my muscles get bigger and bigger which means I become stronger – Yay!

End of first day there were bricks stacked on top of each other, much like my unfinished lego pieces at home, merely things stacked ontop of each other that has no shape. End of second day and we’re half way there! I don’t know about the others, but that’s uber satisfying for me.

Susie learned a bunch of Filipino swear words

Everything was usually except that we only worked until 3:00. After that we went to a swimming pool, filled with water with green things.


Day 6

Last day in the work site!! I’m going to miss the concrete mixing and the brick stacking. We worked so ahead of original schedule that the last day’s workload has been finished. Congrats! We're just so PRO :) My hands cannot really grip anything heavy anymore…but looking at what we achieved, it was really touching. I was very proud I was part of building the house.

Later today, we prepared a surprise party for David’s birthday. I cannot tell you how jealous I am that my birthday wasn’t during habitat. The food was great and David got a HUGE cake! Rudy also prepared a picture of David as superman. After the food all of us had a really fun cream pie fight. It was all sticky and yucky! Everything was a mess! The guys left the party while the girls had some crazy time dancing. Surprisingly, Mr. Wager and Christa are great funny dancers. Haha!


Day 7

We worked so hard that we completed all of our objectives by the end of our fourth day of working, which meant that we got an extra day to sleep and relax. Yay! After breakfast we headed for the mall.

After the mall we went back to the hotel and started practicing for the closing ceremony. We did one group act where we sang “All You need is Love.” Then there was also many other small acts.

Overall, the trip was just amazing, and the hard work we really did pay off! I am proud of what I’ve done and this will definitely be a memorable trip. YAY HABITAT!

SEE OUR PICTURES AT: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=71000&id=507727317&l=679249c40a

Check This Out!!

Want to see some new pictures...cut and paste these links into your browser.

Check out pictures of my recent trip to Xitang, a water town outside of Shanghai.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80925&id=507727317&l=68b7cb077e

If you need proof I live in Shanghai, here it is.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80924&id=507727317&l=f8e59191cf

We All Live Together

EAGLES are "G"lobally-minded:

Visiting Authors

Every year, SAS invites authors to come to the school to inspire and teach our students. In March, Sheree Fitch and Ralph Fletcher spent a week in the elementary. To welcome them, we had an assembly during which different grade levels perform short presentations, such as poetry recitation. I decided to incorporate some of these poems in my classroom teaching by making them a little more musical.

Grade 2 performed "Shine, Shine, Shine" a poem by Sheree Fitch, on Orff instruments.




Grade 3 learned a percussive version of "Bumpercars," also by Sheree (sorry Ralph).

School Days

For some reason unbeknown to be, I decided that this would be the right time to begin my masters. After searching online, I found that Boston University has a completely online Music Education Masters Program. So I applied, was accepted, paid lots of money, and am now a student.

What I have learned so far is that this is a program meant for people who live in the United States. I first discovered that when I tried to order my textbooks. On my first attempt at ordering, I did not find information regarding international shipping. I emailed someone in charge of the bookstore who informed me that books could be shipped to China for a mere 45 USD. Ok.

Books...check. Wait, that was too easy. A few weeks after I ordered my books I received an email from DSL. It was written in Chinese. A friend translated the message, "Respond to this message." I called the number at the bottom of the email, in my head rehearsing the words in Chinese, "Do you speak English." Fortunately, they did. "What is in the package?" I was asked. "Books," I replied." "For what purpose?" "A masters program." "Is there anything else in the package." "No, only 3 books," I said as in my head I thought, "You sent me the invoice slip. You know what is in the package!" "Well, we need that information written in Chinese and then we will deliver your books," I was told. Ok. "We will also need a copy of your passport and visa." Ok.

Fax sent, books received, I'm ready for my first day of school.

The day before my class began, I was completing paperwork for work and I needed to include a description of the course I was taking. I had remembered seeing it online so I went to copy and paste. When I searched under the Masters curriculum, the course was not listed. Of course it wouldn't be, it is a doctoral class. What!? At this moment, I wished I was in the Eastern Time Zone. I emailed and called a university contact, knowing that as it was 2 pm for me, should not be in her office at her 1 am. That left me panicked for only about 20 hours, when I learned that the class is now required for both programs. Ok.

I love the beginning of school. New school supplies, new syllabus, new calendar dates, I think it's great! So as I log into my course, I begin to search the syllabus and first week's course materials. Reading, reading, reading...what? The first assignment is to visit my local libraries and write a 3-5 page paper on the music education sources I could find. I live in China. My local library is the elementary school's and I bring all of my reading material from the US. But visit my local library I did. Here is an excerpt from the paper I submitted on that excursion:

After searching the school library, I looked for access to other libraries in Shanghai. The biggest challenge is the language. My Mandarin skills are limited and I am unable to read the characters. While there are several English-language bookstores, there is not an English-language library.

After online searching and asking around, I found the Shanghai Library, the largest public library in China. The website left me hopeful. The 4th floor of this building is dedicated to foreign language books and much of the third floor to Music Appreciation. The library’s website boasts these resources:
- CD-ROM & Database Retrieval Service, topics do not include music or arts
- Reference Librarian Service
- Reference Consulting Service
- Electronic Newspaper Clipping Service
- Music Appreciation Room
- Music Literature Room, includes latest scores, references books, CDs and piano
- AV Rooms
When I asked colleagues about the library, many said, “I’ve seen it, but I’ve never been in it.” So I decided to take a look for myself.

As I approached the building, a swarm of people circulated around the 1st and 2nd floors of the library, neither of which appeared to contain any books. The map confirmed that the 3rd floor was for music resources, however there was no mention of the 4th floor. I took the stairs up, the higher I was, the fewer people I saw. By the time was on 3rd floor, it was a custodian and I, with no hopes for gaining access to the music resources. While their website had stated open hours on the weekends, this was not the reality. What appeared to be a catalog was also unhelpful as it was written all in Chinese. So down I went to find the missing 4th floor.

Around the corner of the building I had already searched was another entrance, which appeared to be more promising. As I went inside I was relieved to see that a 4th floor did exist and was labeled as the Foreign Book section.

As I approached the entrance, a librarian approached me, and in English, asked if I was looking for something in particular, or just visiting. I told her that I was looking for music resources, and even more specifically music education. Her response, which she repeated several times through the course of our conversation was, “There isn’t much.” She pointed out the periodicals and the computer catalog and then left me to browse.

At first, I strolled the floor to get the layout. In the front section were periodicals and research materials, followed by the Friendship Library of donated foreign language books, a numerous amount of Taiwanese and Hong Kong periodicals, and a selection of reading materials in German.

The computer database did not turn up too much more. When I searched the generic keyword “music” I was hit with 2,629 items; “music education” 17, most of which I did notice were published after the year 2000. The search for “journal, music education” retrieved a few titles, including American Music Journal, Circuit, Music Perception, and Absolute Sound.

Because I knew that my resources would be limited, I tried to find creative ways to research. Keeping within the limits of China, I emailed both the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Shanghai Normal University to learn if they had English materials in their libraries and if they would be available to the public. I did not receive responses in time to add to this paper, however, I have been told from an acquaintance that works at the Conservatory that there are very few English resources in their library.


Now that the first week of class is over, things have settled down a bit and I know that I will survive this course. Ok.

Xin Nian Kuai Le

Chinese New Year is the biggest migration of people during one time of the year anywhere in the world.  For most, it will be the only time of year that they will be able to see their family.  The holiday is celebrated with red lanterns adorning the streets, red envelopes of money for the children, dumplings for friends, and fireworks...lots and lots of fireworks.

We are given one week off of school for Chinese New Year, during which many teachers stay in Shanghai to celebrate in traditional fashion.  I chose to leave the chaos and head to Cambodia.

Before leaving for this trip, my travel buddy and I did as much as we could to prepare ourselves.  We read articles and guidebooks, booked tours and hotels, and watched the gruesome and heartbreaking film "The Killing Fields."  Even with these preparations, I was unsure of what to expect.

When people ask me what was my favorite part of the trip, my answer will always be the people.  For the awful things that this country has endured and continues to face now, they are the most welcoming and friendly people.

For this post, I can only tell you to check out the slide show on the side of my blog or by clicking the link below.  I have organized them and written captions that detail our trip.  While these are only a few of our nearly 1,000 pictures, they are some of my favorites.  Enjoy and be happy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/ckuebel/Cambodia?feat=directlink

Teacher Prom

As a 25 year-old, I never thought that I would have the chance to go to prom again.  But as long as I work at SAS, I will have the chance every year.

I first learned about Teacher Prom (ok, that's not really what it is called, it is the SAS Winter Ball, but I prefer Teacher Prom, or how about TP for short) from my friend that works in HR and is in charge of the shindig.  I'm glad I had some notice, because they are not messing around.  The Ball is held at a hotel downtown, where the dress is formal, and the drinks flow freely.

When I packed for my big move, I wasn't exactly thinking that I would need a ball gown or fancy shoes, so in fact I packed neither of those things.  So what does a girl do when she is in a foreign country that does not have more than 2 stores that sell her size in clothing and cannot find shoes for less than $150 USD?  First, she has her dress custom made.  In order to do this I had to find a picture of a dress online that I liked and hoped would look halfway decent without trying a similar style on and not having a backup.  Then, it was off to the fabric market to purchase fabric for what I hoped was a reasonable sum.  Following that adventure it was 2 meetings with my tailor, Mrs. Wong, who came through and created a beautiful navy blue silk gown.  Shoes were a bit more complicated.  Again, the Internet is my friend...after finding a pair that were decently priced and I wouldn't be terribly upset if they arrived and were horribly ugly or painful, I had them shipped to my parent's house.  "But they live in Ohio," you may be thinking.  True statement.  My wonderful parents then shipped that same package of shoes made in China to me in China where they arrived safe, sound, and in time for the big day.

When the day of Teacher Prom arrived, I had done the necessary primping that one must to feel as if they are in high school again.  I got and mani and a pedi and a massa (is there a shortened way to say massage?), spent exorbitant amounts of time on my hair and makeup, and arrived just in time to be fashionably late.

After the festivities began, guests were invited to partake in the buffet, wine, and socializing before the programmed events.  Little did I know what was in store.  As dinner was wrapping up, it was time for the entertainment.  Each campus had selected performers and the Pudong staff went first.  And what, I ponder, is better entertainment in China than...karaoke!  That's right, 4 people that I don't know, but assume work at SAS Pudong were the singers for approximately 20 minutes of less than on-pitch crooning.  Maybe I'm hyper-critical because I'm a music teacher, but the elbows I got from my friends to switch places with them makes me think I was not the only one in the room with that opinion.  Up next, it was Puxi's turn.  Oh no, we did not represent our side of the river with karaoke, but by a dance troupe led by none other than our elementary school secretary.  Fluorescent dresses with sequins and glitter lit up the room as our ESOL  teacher and "tech guy" swirled and twirled the girls about the floor.  Talk about some hidden talents.

After the entertainment portion of the evening, it was time for the main event...the raffle.  If you are one of the lucky ones you could walk away from the evening with anything from  a laptop, travel vouchers, gift certificates for restaurants, or even 10,000 RMB cash.  Not too shabby, but of course, I was not so lucky.

As the evening proceeded, there was dancing, drinking, drinking, and drinking (an open bar and teachers is always in interesting combination).  But alas, all things must come to an end.  As the party wound down, groups separated to their favorite downtown hot spots.  I headed with a group to JZ Club, a great spot for live music and a mellow crowd, but maybe not the best place to hang out in an evening gown.  After a drink, some Latin music, and a French band singing reggae in Chinese, we decided to call it a night and head back to Zhudi for a good night's sleep.

Call it what you will, Winter Ball, Teacher Prom, Holiday Party, or just a chance to get free drinks, at least I know what to pack for next year.

Check out pics from Teacher Prom on the right side of my blog!