So it's the halfway point of my internship. I return to Canada on October 9. I have to admit my impending unemployed/homeless state is on my mind more than I would like these days. But instead of ruminating on that I'm going to tell you about my latest adventure: trekking in the jungle!

This past weekend I was invited to go home with one of the students to meet her family and see her home. So I said yes right away without asking too many questions, like how long does it take to get there and what kind of shoes should I wear.

Four students ended up deciding to join us, so we were a group of six. We left at about 3PM on Saturday afternoon. It was raining off and on that day so we (maybe just me) were eager to beat the impending downpour. We caught a jeepney and rode for about 20 minutes. I was busy chatting with the other riders so I didn't see where we were until I got off the jeepney. The windows are low on a jeepney and my head brushes the roof so I rarely have the opportunity to catch the full view. So as I got off the jeepney I saw the Chico river, it had flooded the banks and we were to walk across the dam! So crossing the conventional way was not an option as we would have had water up to our knees and two of the girls with me were well under 5ft.

We walked downriver and got a bangka (small, leaky boat) to take us over. It cost 10cents/person!And then the real journey started. We hiked up the river bank, through fields, 2 villages and then the upward part of the journey commenced. By now we had been walking for 2 hrs and my sandals were mudslogged and useless. So I took them off. Then we hit the "road," about 6 inches deep in mud from the rains. We walked on this road for another hour and darkness was starting to fall. It is really hard to walk fast in mud, barefoot. It was also really funny, we were all just sliding around in the muck.

Every half hour or so one of the girls would call for picturetaking, yes this is a well-documented adventure. Patience. You can see the photos when I return. So by this time the rain was intermittent and we were back onto steep and narrow paths and we met a soldier who was drunk and hilarious as he attempted to talk to me in a mixture of English, Tagalog and Ilocano.

We crossed two more rivers and arrived in Paligatu just as darkness was falling. We stopped to wash at the pump and 20 people watched me scrub the mud off! There was no power there so I spent the night talking to Jane's family in the dark. She has an infant brother so we played with the baby and then went to bed. I shared a bed with 5 others. I'm getting used of that now.

The next day I saw the village, it is so beautiful. Her tribe is known for its skills in stone masonry design and this village was stunning - stone steps, walkways and walls, benches and a water fountain all out of perfectly arranged smooth stones gathered from the rivers we had crossed on our way. Unfortunately, we had to leave right away that morning as I had a meeting in Nambaran with the Savings and Loan group.

We hiked out via another village, Mabatu, of the same tribe, Bigaa. This hike I was barefoot the whole way, and the route was a bit treacherous in places. Halfway to Mabatu we found some wild guava trees and had a rest there. In Mabatu, my arrival was expected, unbeknownst to me. Twelve years ago IAT had a 5 year project here where they funded a preschool. The funding ended 7 years ago. When they found out I was coming they thought I had funds to disperse. They had prepared a presentation, a welcome sign, food...it was really awkward. I had to tell them I was in the Philippines to do a social work practicum, not to disperse funds. It was even more awkward as the students I was with acted ashamed of their elders/relatives very direct requests.

Next week I am going to Pinukpuk, a village that is easier to get to, but much further away. My plans to travel further afield have been postponed again as my supervisor is inundated with report writing so I can't really leave the office.

I am starting to see some of the interpersonal problems and behavour issues with the students. So I am working on some workshops to address some of the issues. Most of the dorm students only have one parent and come from families with 8 or more children. Most are landless and cook over woodfires, they cannot afford to buy fuel. When they come to the dorm their standard of living increases, even though they may still not have enough food as their parents are rarely able to provide enough food. The NGO I am working for ends up augmenting their food situation in order to prevent theft. During the past two weeks, a digital camera, a cellphone and a goat were stolen and the dorm students are prime suspects. Some of the interpersonal issues relate to breakdowns in parent-child relationships, especially resentment over growing families when older children are not provided for. There are also a number of dorm residents who have been abandoned by their parents and do not receive any parental support, financial or otherwise. No FRO here.

The problems with the Savings and Loan groups are ongoing, and, strangely, I am growing in patience, empathy and hope for changes in the participation habits. As I learn more about the problems these families are facing it seems more reasonable for them to have a hard time adjusting to the expectations placed on them in this project. There is also a feeling of fear among them as they are reluctant to issue and take loans. I am starting to notice the demographic, individual details, like which of the participants have children who are malnourished, who has access to land, who is a single parent, histories of dependence etc.

About two weeks ago, I was really homesick, probably because I was sick. Now, I keep saying there's not enough time, not enough time. It has taken 3 months just to figure out what's happening here, what kind of role a social worker can play, what the social and political context is etc. I am just beginning to be able to assess things clearly.

Miss being with you guys, especially since you all get to see action in person and I just get to see the photos :(