1st Semana sa Marbel

Tuesday, after I arrived at the Serisola house, I spent the rest of the morning washing my clothes, and hanging them up to dry. I was pretty tired after a full 2 days without much sleep, and so I slept the whole afternoon.

The Serisolas are my 3rd family (as I have one other family--Americans--who are my 2nd)..they have adopted me, and I have them, and we are really close. So, coming home for Christmas was really just that. The first week, they did have to get used to the fact that if I was really 'family', then I had to be treated as such, in the way that I got to help with chores, washing dishes, making meals, etc. Once that was firmly established, then everything went smoothly. ;)

One of our typical breakfasts.. rice, eggs, okra, canned beef fried in egg, sauce, etc. (Bread like that was rare)

While sweeping the house, I found tons of ants under the table, and after pulling the chairs out, found a dead gecko!!! Not sure how that happened, but they sure came fast, because it wasn't there a few hours before!! I would have disposed of it, but Estoy kindly did it for me. :)

Dead Gecko

Wednesday, we had a great time catching up, swapping stories, cleaning house, and relaxing outside under the porch. Estoy has a shirt printing business, and continued printing shirts today. These particular ones, he is making for a local school's Martial Arts program. It was multi layered (about 9 I think?), with an eagle (in yellow) doing a martial arts move on the top, with accent colors on that.

The boys have been doing shirt printing since they were in highschool, and really good at it. It was a lot of fun watching and helping them.

Applying the white paint onto the shirt. 

Shirts drying with their new layer

Totoy 1 (the name we gave to the first of their 2 dogs),  has a habit of sneaking into the house, and loved watching TV..this time, instead of scolding him, and sending him outside, I decided to take a picture of him first...he really is cute.

Thursday, I learned how to light the "stove" (more like a little furnace), and keep it burning throughout the cooking process, and also made Pork Adobo (by special request)--which wasn't nearly as good as when the boys made it, and also made Chicken Soup, to hopefully help combat Bordz' flu bug, which he had caught the night before... It was a pretty severe one, and laid him up until Sunday.. By that night, I wasn't feeling too good either, and had been dizzy all day too..

Friday, we got JR sent off to Manila for a week to complete some business, and then we all laid low...by the weekend, Estoy and Ezra had had light cases of it too...though it manifested differently for all of us, with fevers, etc. for the boys, but just achiness and tiredness for me. We all pitched in as siblings, helped each other out,  and did what needed done though.

Saturday night, Nanay invited me to go to the final Maid of South Cotabato Got Talent Show, which honors housemaids. This was comprised of the final chosen 11. Their talents ranged from singing, to traditional dancing, to singing and dancing, to acting out a skit, etc. There were some good ones, some not very good ones, some really funny (or not) ones, and some that were touching.

Pre-Show. All the girls in pink are maids, who were eliminated from the finals.

One girl did a skit, on a girl who was too focused on herself, and getting all fancied up for a party, and when her mom asked her for a drink of water, she refused, telling her to get it herself. Once she came back from the party, she looked for her mother, and found her dead in the kitchen with an empty glass in her hand...all for the lack of a glass of water.. It was really moving.

They started with a song, showing them doing housework while dancing and singing.

Here is the Governor and the MC, watching the event.

One of the girls doing a tribal dance (from T'boli area)

The only guy maid...he was hilarious...and a little over the top at some points..

Another girl doing traditional dancing.

The 2nd MC questioned each person after their performance, with all kinds of silly things...

All of the competitors, waiting for the drumroll.

I had the great honor to talk to the Governor myself, as he was passing by. We shook hands, and he invited me to ride the Lake Sebu zipline (which I already had done). He and Nanay (who works in the Government's Accounting office) talked for a minute as well. I felt a little awkward, because I wasn't sure what the Filipino social etiquette was for meeting the Governor, and if it differed from ours. He was very gracious.

Governor Pingoy speaking

The Governor with the 1st place winner. (The guy got 2nd place)

 I thought this was a pretty funny sign!! It was in the ladies' CR, at Nanay's office. Interesting the cultural differences of different countries!! :)