Pinoy-isms

This is me hanging out with some first grade performers at a Buwan na Wika (National Language Month) celebration.

So I realized that a lot of this blog is just about things that I do and see, which is all well and good, but since you're not actually here with me in the Philippines you might be a bit curious about what it's like here, no? So, here is a list of some interesting tidbits about life here in the Philippines:

*The Philippines is one of the few Asian countries which is predominantly Christian. About eighty percent of Filipinos are Catholic.
*Basketball, not soccer, is the most popular sport here.
*Jeans and a polo T-shirt is considered formal wear, suitable for weddings, baptisms, meetings, etc.
*Food is eaten with a spoon in your right hand and a fork in your left.
*Kasama is the word in many Filipino languages for companion. Most Filipinos seem to prefer to have a kasama with them to attend public events and to travel. It's generally perceived as strange to prefer to do these things alone.
*Text messaging is huge in the Philippines, since it is much cheaper than making phone calls. Many Filipinos will get out their phones and play with them if they feel shy or awkward in a social situation.
*A large number of Philippine citizens are employed overseas and send their earnings home to their families. Many Filipinos dream of being able to work in America.
*Walking around the nearest mall, or "malling," is a popular activity on weekends for those seeking the comfort of aircon. Malls get packed on weekends.
*People lift their eyebrows in greeting and point with their lips to indicate which direction something is.

News in my life? Our school just opened up a new faculty room, which is spacious and wonderful even though the ceiling is still damaged from the typhoon. So now I have my own desk! It's really nice to have a place to leave my stuff once I'm done for the day.

Also, I've just started playing the game Go, a Chinese game also called Weiqi. Some would say it's comparable to chess. It's hard and fun, but I'm still really bad at it. Practice, practice, practice.