Blog

DONE! [2015-02-28]

The 2015 project plan for the Philippines is officially completed!  Jade and Jillian returned yesterday from Kawit National High School in Medellin, located in northern Cebu.  They installed the Reneal IEO system including sixteen laptops donated by a company in America.  Kawit NHS was badly damaged by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, so it is especially thrilling to extend our work there!  In addition the principal and IT teacher at Kawit NHS have been very eager to use the system, so we are very thankful for the work that Jade and Jillian did over the last four days to install the system and train the teachers.  Just as we did at Daanbantayan NHS last year, they stayed at the school since it is too far for a daily commute from Compostela.  And just like last year, it sounded like lots of fun in addition to the hard work!

Winding down [2015-02-21]

It happens every time we are working overseas – things are clicking along, we are immersed in our long task lists, and then suddenly we realize that time is running out again.  No matter how long we stay, it is always with a sense of surprise, panic, and sadness that the days suddenly appear so limited.  It seems especially so this trip as we’ve also been dealing with side effects from Neal’s new medication.  While it is always nice to get home, saying goodbye to friends and projects old and new is always difficult. Thankfully we plan to be back in Cebu for two more months starting in mid-May, so that is a comforting thought as we begin to wind down our work here.

Three-in-1 [2015-02-14]

One of the popular drinks here in the Philippines is Nescafe Three-in-1©.  It’s a delicious combination of coffee, creamer, and sugar, and it’s the way I always start my mornings when we’re here in Cebu.  This week was also a “Three-in-1” for Reneal IEO: system installation at Arcelo Memorial National High School in Liloan, a workshop for all teachers at Compostela National High School by Reneal IEO Board Member Sharon Fingold on creating a “meander book”, and a training for science teachers conducted by former Reneal IEO Board member Antonio Martinez on the new science equipment donated by NSTIC (also at Compostela National High School).  It was so exciting to see each of these unfold as the week went by!

Powered by Jolibee [2015-02-07]

There are so many rewards for us in our Reneal IEO work.  Being in the schools, meeting the school heads and IT teachers, working with the teachers during training, and dreaming about the computers being used by the students for learning – these all leave us happy and fulfilled.  However one other very common kindness we experience are the snacks and meals provided to Team Philippines as we work at the schools.  Schools are so generous in their hospitality, and we are truly grateful for the warm welcome.  We encountered the same spirit this week as we installed the Reneal IEO system at Jagobiao National High School in Mandaue City.

Patience and flexibility [2015-01-26]

Reneal IEO grew out of our time in the U.S. Peace Corps, where we were assigned to the community that has now become our second home, Compostela on the island of Cebu.  We have come to love this place and the work we do here, but along the way we also discovered that it is always good to keep in mind the Peace Corps mantra of “patience and flexibility”.  And so this last week, we have found that advice apropos yet again.

Cebu! [2015-01-10]

We’re here!  It was a long but smooth trip, and thankfully all of our baggage arrived with us.  Yesterday was devoted to spending time on campus at Compostela National High School, our “home school” from our U.S. Peace Corps days.  We mostly just visited with the teachers and principal there and caught up on the latest campus news.  We are living in a different apartment complex this year, so we’ve been getting ourselves organized there too with lots of help from our friends.  As usual, trying to get access to internet in the apartment is a challenge so we’ll be exploring options this weekend.

On the road again [2015-01-06]

No matter how much time I spend revising our gear list, packing for another Reneal IEO trip is always a challenge.  We’ll be spending two months in the Philippines this time, embarking on the long-awaited 2015 project plan.  Fortunately we don’t need to carry much computer equipment this trip, but it will still be a formidable load of stuff to get from California to Cebu. 

A new twist on training [2015-01-02]

The countdown to the 2015 projects continues, and we are excited that we will soon be back in the schools to set up more Reneal IEO low-cost computer systems!  During the holiday break, we’ve been addressing one of our key mission elements, teacher training.  The Reneal IEO computer system is packed full of resources for students and teachers: educational programs, on-line research material, videos, and administrative tools.  However finding the time for more than just some basic orientation training for the teachers is always a challenge; plus, there is only so much content that a person can absorb at a time!  Thus we have been searching for a way to provide on-going training support to schools after we leave the system in their hands.

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