Homeschooling has been a lot of fun since we've been traveling. We have taken every opportunity to learn as we visit new places and see new things. Mornings are still devoted to structured schooling in our apartment, but we have loved the freedom of taking school with us, too. As a regular classroom teacher, it has stretched my ideas of how and where children learn things. It challenges my creativity at times, and I miss the typical classroom events such as 'center time' and 'calendar time', complete with songs about the days of the week and the weather. Actually, because I was missing these classroom nuances, I decided that there was really no reason we couldn't do centers and calendar time at home. And yes, we are all saying the Pledge of Allegiance in our pjs to start our days!
Photo taken by Elizabeth!
Recently, we have incorporated schooling into some of our sightseeing. Last week, we visited the Japanese Gardens that is right in the middle of downtown high-rises. We got to learn about Bonsai Trees, where Japan is in our world, and even enjoyed a wonderful Japanese lunch of stir-fried noodles and veggies. The kids loved it, and we are certain to return for another helping of great food that doesn't include steak, french fries, or empanadas. (all yummy, but a bit monotonous!)
Keeping with the Asian theme, Elizabeth and I got tickets to go see Sky Mirage II (link to YouTube video) at the Teatro Opera Citi. It was a Chinese cast who did amazing stunts and acrobatics. There were contortionists, jugglers, men jumping through hoops, ribbon trapeze artists, and much more. Elizabeth loved the costumes and the amazing tricks. Hopefully, she won't try flipping Michael up onto her shoulders any time soon! The experience was different from our theater experience in the states in 3 ways. First, you have to tip the usher when she shows you to your seats in order to get a program. I learned this the hard way, trying to ask how much it cost and then thinking it was my donation to the theater rather than her tip, I gave her at least twice what I should have! Second, there are men in bow ties walking up and down the aisles with a snack tray strapped around their shoulders, selling all sorts of candy to eat in the theater during the show! Not the typical "water only in the theater" that we are used to at our local performing arts center. And third, photos ARE allowed. Seriously, people were taking photos the entire time! I cringed as acrobats balanced high atop each other and blinding flashes were creating a strobe effect! So, when in Rome, right? I snatched a few shots and even some video so that we could share the experience with Michael when we got home.
Our most recent Field Trip was an hour bus ride out of the city to Temaiken Bioparque. This park is privately owned and operated and carefully creates and maintains habitats specific to each species. The creators focus on education and research, and offer a thorough educational program for children to complete before, during, and after their visit. At home, after we went, the kids categorized animals as reptiles, birds, or mammals, and we discussed the characteristics of each. Then, Elizabeth learned about carnivores, herbivores and omnivores while Michael matched animals with their habitats. I think it's great when tourist attractions offer extended learning!
Activities from Temaiken website
We were very impressed with park's cleanliness, natural exhibits, visible information about each animal, and the knowledgeable staff. There was not much available in English, but luckily we had our trusty translator, a fellow expat, Guy, along with us. The kids also got to practice their recently-learned map skills as we traversed the park! Here's a great video Mark compiled of our time there...
Coron is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines. Usually, the streets are packed with foreign adventurers, eager to experience all that Coron has to offer, but these days, we’ve got the place to ourselves. So now that Coron has loosened movement restrictions, it’s time for us to see some surrounding sights. This time, we opted to visit one of the most renowned dive sites here, an underwater environment that feels like we’ve entered an entirely new world. Getting geared up on the dock Then, carrying gear, we had to climb up and over the rocks to the lake Happy to be diving without a crowd! Salinity and Temperature Tucked within the towering karst cliffs of Coron Island, lie the warm, cyan waters of Barracuda Lake. Formed by sunken limestone rock, this lake contains both fresh and saltwater, with a layer of brackish water nestled in between and heated by geothermal activity. The changes in both salinity and ...
Today was her day. People stopped and stared. A way was made. Shyly, yet proudly, she inched down the roads of San Fernando, and men flocked around her to lend a helping hand. Trees were cut down, power lines lifted, cars pulled aside. Nothing could stop her. She felt a little vulnerable, quite naked, really, without the adornments of lines and a powerful mast that would proclaim her a sailing vessel. Yet, she inched forward, ready to dip her keels in that water and finally float. What could we do, but just follow along and watch - in awe of the reality, the dream, the being that has become a personified part of our family story. As she made her way to the water, the kids found their own entertainment... petting neighborhood dogs, dropping rocks in sewers, sword fighting with the fallen branches - it seems she had not seduced them, yet. Mark and I just kept exchanging glances, not believing she was here. now. with us. ...
Sweet kids of MogMog MogMog Island, Ulithi Atoll “It’s turned into a tropical storm, but all the weather forecasts show it going well north of us.” Famous. Last. Words. On our way from Yap to Guam, we opted to stopover in the Ulithi Atoll, just to regroup and rest. It wasn’t a planned stop, but we all needed a welcomed break from the seas. Of course, because it wasn’t planned, we hadn’t told anyone in Ulithi we were coming. When we dropped the anchor just off the beach of MogMog Island, we immediately got a call on our VHF radio with a polite voice asking why we were there, how many people were onboard, and what our intentions were. We assured them we meant no harm and were simply stopping to give our family a rest. Then we all piled in the dinghy with a small gift in hand for the chief (an LED flashlight) to say hello to our new neighborhood. Chief Stanley offers a warm welcome Chief Stanley greeted us on sh...
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