Kirsten

Hi there from Calapan. Thought I'd post some pics from my first 2 weeks here. This first one is a picture of the rooster that wakes me up VERY early. Who knew roosters started roosting at 2:30 am! Almost everyone around here owns roosters that they keep tied/chained up. At first I was like, why would someone want a "pet" rooster? I've come to find out that cock fighting is big around here and that people raise roosters for that purpose.


I love going to the grocery store in foreign countries. Calapan has 1 grocery store called Citimart and it is super crowded with narrow aisles. Everything comes in small, individually packaged quantities. I found it amusing that the alcohol is out on display and very cheap...I think in this picture the Gilbey's Gin is 125 pesos. $1 = about 48 pesos, so this "expensive" Gin is less than $3!



But, the chocolate, like the Hershey's bars shown here are locked up behind glass and cost 244 pesos right across from all of the alcohol! I couldn't stop laughing!


Here is a picture of a jeepney. Most people either travel by jeepney or tricycle, aka "tricee." Jeepneys are more expensive and usually for
longer journeys.

And here's a pic of a tricee.



The Ruel Foundation has a cook that cooks for me and some of the other staff and volunteers here. His food presentation is always AMAZING! And, the food is pretty tasty too!