Rice

I remember once when I was a kid and didn't want to eat rice for dinner, my dad made me stay at the table until I finished it. It took 4 hours! How he laughed when I was selected to be a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines! (rice for breakfast, rice for lunch, rice for dinner - even the word for eat is rice!)

We learned a song in training called "Inday balay ta" sung to the tune of of a WWII song.

Inday balay ta. Girl, let's dance

Di ko kay kapoy I don't want to because I'm tired

Among panahaw balanghoy Our breakfast was rice

Among paniudto balanghoy na puto Our lunch was rice cakes

Among panihapon balanghoy gihapon! Our dinner was rice also

Inday balay ta Girl, let's dance

Di ko kay kapoy Not me, I'm tired

Among panahaw balanghoy. Our breakfast was rice!

Fourth of July

The National Peace Corps Association on FaceBook asked this question: Happy Independence Day weekend everyone! What are your memories of celebrating the 4th as a Peace Corps volunteer far from home?

I don't remember celebrating many 4ths when we were in the Peace Corps but our 2nd one was memorable.

We tried to climb Mt. Apo on Mindanao but got rained out by rains near a typhoon. When we returned to town we went to the 4th of July picnic thrown by the USIS officer there.