Visit to the Farm!

Hello again from Iloilo!  Last Sunday my host family took me, and two other PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees) to their family's farm near Lambunao, a smaller town a bit further inland.  It was a 1.5-hour ride through beautiful countryside before we got to the farm.

These are some pictures of the group that went with us, in the jeepney.  My host mom is in the back, with my 5-year old host cousin, Kyle in the middle, and our great-auntie in the front.  She used to live alone in the country house we visited, but has recently been living with us in the city, due to health concerns about her living alone.

My host "uncle," Nonoy, is on the left.  He's Kyle's father and is very friendly and talkative.  Sean, on the right, is another Peace Corps trainee in Iloilo.

On the left is Dart, another "host cousin," and my host brother Michael is on the right.

Me with two other PCT's, Andrew on the left (Dart is his host brother) and Leanna on the right.

The church in Lambunao.  Most of the churches I've seen are Spanish colonial-style, like this one.

The scenery in the countryside is absolutely beautiful.  These are the rice paddies.

Moving forward in a parade of umbrellas.  Many people in the Philippines use umbrellas for shade because the sun is so intense.  Makes sense!  In this picture you can also see that rice paddies have raised dirt pathways that you can walk on.  It was around this time that Sean fell into the rice paddy and got mud all over is feet and hands!  I don't think he'll ever be able to live that one down.  I guess he just wanted to get "up close and personal" with the main food source of the Philippines...

Behind the family's house there was a huge hill covered in forest.  So we decided to climb it...

Turns out it was incredibly steep and slippery!  You can see the guys ahead of us in this picture, which gives you a little more of an idea of how steep it was!  I had to grab on to vines to keep climbing, and I almost fell into Leanna once!  But we all made it!

Baby goats!  They were really cute.  I almost wanted to take one home.

This is a carabao, the Philippine water buffalo.

Here's one more bonus picture of Kyle, sa balay (at home).

I'll update you all again soon!  Until then, halong!  (Take care!)