So, I don’t have an amazing picture and I don’t have an impacting headlines for social medias to get my message viral. But I felt like sharing my day, as I wonder sometimes how I managed to go all this way.
It’s a slow day – no diving. But it’s Mohamed’s last day, and saying goodbye to someone that we shared lives and the best of ourselves with for the past two months is never easy. We had breakfast under our repaired nipa hut, with everyone – even Angelo tasted some of the crepes that were cooked by Kim and Elvira this morning. Elvira had tears in her eyes (as in, she was hiding under her T-shirt), Angelo didn’t know what to say (still trying to get over his Filipino-combined-teenager’s shyness), Judith was laughing because that’s what she does when she gets emotional. Lynlyn was quiet because it’s all going on inside in between bursting laughs. Kim is already feeling sad as it’s her turn to say goodbye to Malapascua next week..
We said goodbye and found our office a little empty. But then, it’s not for long – we have to go to school this afternoon. It’s fiesta (for the next 2, or maybe 4, or maybe 10 days, no one is sure), so we only have 27 kids for our lecture on single-use plastics (normally 51 in the class!!). I check the bins in their class – have they segregated their bio/non-bio/recyclable properly? YES! but the best thing is, their happy faces when they see they’ve done it right!
We continue onto a quiz, same thing, again. A post I saw today said Change is about Permanence. So we keep telling them that diapers are not bio and that shells are not recyclables. But this time, they almost all got it right. Happy feeling again.
We’ve made posters with them, to find solutions to their problem of single-use plastics. Talked about Wall-E that we watched together last week on the basketball court. And really, those ant’s steps do mean something. We are moving forward. The best sign? The kids have stopped being shy (almost). And they TALK… Amazing!
It’s almost sunset. It’s the Haladaya festival rehearsal tomorrow morning, then my visayan class. Still struggling but every new word I understand is a victory towards being able to communicate freely with everyone on the island – because everyone has a say in how things can be done a little better.
It’s not very often I feel like putting all of this out there, but this is mostly a thank you to everyone who has been here so far, and everyone who will come soon. Thanks for believing with us that we can all change something.
