Update on the Mystery Box Challenge

Here is some of the art work that my students produced based on their challenge.

There's been some concern expressed by some people about the rebel fighting that is happening in the Philippines. So here are somethings you need to know:

1) This is taking place in a separate island that is actually the furthest point in the Philippines from where I live and work.

2) This fighting has been going on since I first arrived here last year. The news agencies have just decided to start reporting it now, I guess they got tired of always talking about Syria.

3) Lastly under no circumstances to I have plans to go there.

Is not really a big deal here. I'm safe.

In more exciting news I found a can of cranberry sauce (its never here) so thats one thing off the list for Canadian Thanksgiving! After all it's less than a month away.

Potipot Island

Look what I found this past Saturday...

This 10lb clam shell was a find on a beach trip to Potipot Island located a 3 hour drive up the coast.

Now google maps may tell you that this drive will only take you just under 2 hours, but that doesn't take into consideration the Jeepneys, Trikes, Carabao and Goats that you have to navigate around and dodge. So this is why we left Subic at 7, which by the time we had gassed and Starbucksed up it was actually more like 8 we set out on our 3 hour tour of wild driving up the coast, where several of our new teachers were in shock of what rural driving here entails we arrived at our destination. With only one wrong turn (sometimes google wants to send you down foot paths).

And here's the island, small but perfect. We took that bonka boat across, and were able to stay there for about 5 hours of relaxing, exploring and swimming. 

But the best part was on my 20 minute walk around Potipot Island. Whenever I go to a beach I usually spend some time search for shells to add to my collection, but this time I came across something rather special. After seeing a shell that really interesting pink stripes I bent down to further inspect. I quickly noticed that it went down under the sand. After some careful excavation I pulled out a 10 pound shell about the size of my head. Then looking down I began to see more of them half buried down this section of the beach.  I quickly ran around pulling several of them out of the sand, there was enough for each of us with still some left over for whoever comes next. Everyone looked through and choose their own. They ranged in size a little, some bigger than mine, but I kept the first one I discovered because the colour. Plus the idea of having to lug a 15 pound shell back was a little less appealing.  

It was a fun day, I got a bit of colour and giant shell out of it. And on our drive back home I quickly passed out in the back seat of the car. Only to wake up the occasional sounds associated with that of Philippines driving.

.....

"Oh Shit, there's a goat!"

....

Honk! Honk!

"Guys I think we're going down the wrong way in a one way street."

....

Quick brake

"How do people not have lights on moving vechiles!"

....

"Sir what do mean the bridge is no longer there"

"Yes ma'am-sir detour, bridge is gone"

"But we just drove on it this morning."

"Yes ma'am-sir."

....

Honk Honk

....

Welcome back to the Philippines, it's always an adventure!

The MasterChef Challenge

Over the summer I watched a lot of MasterChef. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, Chef Gordon Ramsay takes a group of home cooks and they compete for the title of Master Chef and a cookbook deal. Over the challenge he makes them cook various dishes, cater different events and survive mystery box challenges. 

Mystery Box challenges are my favourite. Here the contestants are required to create a dish using the ingredients in a their mystery box, which are far from ordinary, like a pigs head. I love the shock when the contestant open the box to see what they are going to have to cook with and then the creativity they come up with in order to make something into an amazing dish. 

So inspired by my many late nights sitting in front of the television I came up with the best art project ever. 

Today when my grade 12 IB students entered the class they were confronted with a cardboard box each (which came from my newly arrived shipment order, yay!). They were told that they had to create a work of art using the entire contents of the box. They were also permitted to use anything from inside the classroom to help complete their art work. So what was in the box you ask?

• 1 dried out paint brush 
• 1/2 m of rough canvas
• 1 white candle
• 2 m or rope
• 1 piece of wood 5x6 inches in size.  

The students were so excited. And terrified at the same time.  Already they've started to create a variety of art works. Half of them have chosen to create sculptures using their material, the other half are creating paintings or wall hangings with their materials. And I've very excited to see how these turn out.

Supplies Have Arrived

They're Here!

Well almost... I'm still missing my paper order, the tools I got (you have no idea how excited I am to have my own staple gun!) and the text books. I'm told they're on their way here from Manila, I'm just hoping that they didn't get flooded. However now my classroom is well stocked and ready for creativity. 

Check out the new paper cutter in the background. It's huge and sharp and cuts through anything. Hours will be saved because of this, and therefore its the new love of my life, because it's amazing.

I'm Back!

Arrived safe and sound in Manila with a long drive to Subic this morning.  Everything seems to be in working order, now just the task of unpacking and trying to stay awake.

Leaving

The bags are all packed. I fly out tonight to start my second year of my art teaching adventures. I'll miss being able to see you guys, but I'm looking forward to getting back into the classroom. Hopefully 2 weeks of having a supply teacher won't have left the place in too much of a mess.

I land there on Sunday morning, so as long as my internet has not been disconnected I'll be able to let those of you who are worriers know I've arrived. But based on my year's knowledge of how things work, there is a 75% chance that I will not have internet.


Here's hoping the rainy season mould isn't growing on my walls and everything else!

Miss Ya!