crazymalc.co.nz - Home Page of Malcolm Trevena

Gifts and Memories

17th April 2006
I don't like souvenirs. Buying some crappy plastic thing made in Taiwan that is suppose to be of some cultural significance to the Philippines is just not appealing.

The only souveniry-thing that I did buy was a necklace from the souvenir shop at the Chocolate Hills. The necklace was a gift for Regie May from Grade 6. She was getting upset that I was going six weeks before I actually went, so I thought I would get her something nice. The necklace only cost me 40 pesos ($NZ 1.00) but she really appreciated it and kept on saying "Thank you" over and over again. She gave me two of her own black plastic bracelets that now proudly adorn my wrists.

In a way, you are expected to give friends and relatives souvenirs after you've been traveling. I felt no such obligation. Not sure why.

I am looking forward to replenishing my crappy wardrobe in Africa. Ghana and Uganda both have an abundance of tailors. Having custom made clothes made for me is cool. Particularly when you are paying the person who makes the clothes. Much much cooler than crappy souvenirs.

I have acquired many mementos and keepsakes however. All of these have been gifts.

The Photos
There is something special about receiving a photo from someone. These are the photos that I was given as remembrances.

Joy Joy
The one Lorren Joy - or Joy Joy - gave me will always be my favorite. It even got its own special page on my website.

Joy Joy is such a sweet kid. She always comes middle-of-the-pack in tests and exams but she always tries her heart out. A real sweetheart.

Krizel Joy
Krizel Joy is from grade four. On the back of the photo she wrote:

this picture you keep thes becuase this is importent for me. from Krizel Joy

Her and her sister Emma Jill live in very basic nepia hut. It must get very cold and damp during the wet season, which is what I imagined caused all the mould on the picture. It just can't be healthy living in these sort of conditions.

Pamela
Pamela - or Pam Pam - from grade five gave me this photo during my farewell party. She was the representative from grade five who gave a very heart-wrenching farewell speech to me.

Pam Pam looks very young in the photo. I'm guessing that it was taking at least a couple of years ago. Pam Pam has since developed into a very pretty young lady.

The photo arrived in a handmade envelope. The front of the envelope read:

Sir on this picture I am the sleeping beauty in our christmas presentation

She also wrote the following on the back of the envelope.

Sir, this is a simple remembrance from me. I hope you will take of it. We will miss you so much sir. I hope you will not forget us. Thank you sir!!!

Pam Pam was one of the many people who was very upset when I left.

Nelly
When you're teaching students you tend to learn the bright kids' names and the naughty kids' names first.

Nelly is as quiet as a mouse and finished 16th out of 30 in grade four so I never really got to know her.

The photo was taken five years ago when Nelly graduated from kindergarten. I don't have a recent photo of Nelly which further emphasizes how quiet she was.

She gave me the photo one day in a very cool envelope.

I hope that she gave me it as a sign of the positive affect I had on her life.

It's nice to think that I helped the kids who were very quiet and didn't get much of my attention.

Reegine
Reegine is the complete opposite of Nelly. She is quite bright - though not at English for some reason - and craves attention. She was always the first to grab my attention when class finished.

She'd always be grumpy if we hadn't seen each other for a day or two. She'd stamp her feet and turn away whenever she caught my eye. She would eventually come up to me and say something like: "Sorry I am so grumpy Sir Malcolm, but I just missed you sooo much!".

She was very high maintenance, but a good kid who I miss very much.

On the back of the photo she wrote:

Name: Reegine Fanunciales Grade = IV
I miss you so much

The photo was taken at last years graduation.

Family Photo
This one was given to me by Reza just before I left. It was taken during the Tabucan Fiesta.

I have many pictures of me doing crazy zany things, but very few photos of the family and I. Which is a bit of a shame really. Reza and Jen Jen are great people who were so good to me.

I did manage to take this photo just before I left.

It was very nice of Reza to give this photo to me. It would of been great if Jen Jen was in the picture as well.

Beauty
This was a photo that I gave to Beauty as a graduation gift. She gave it back to me though and asked me to keep it as a remembrance.

I liked Beauty. She was a good person.

She asked me out to her university ball when I didn't really know her very well. I said no in a very embarrassed manner.

I figured saying yes would of sent all the wrong messages. I was not there to go on dates. I was not there looking for a girlfriend, let alone a wife.

If she had asked me out to a similar event later on, I would of said yes. The girlfriend/wife thing would of still been out of the question but I would of enjoyed going out somewhere nice with a good friend.

Dang, I am missing people so much...

Parting Gifts
I was given many parting gifts as I left Dumangas Country Village. These are all proudly displayed in my room at my parents house. Check out this and this for some photos.

The phrase "my room" is a little odd. I'm staying at my parents' home between my overseas adventures, but it is not really my home. I've only ever stayed here on holidays and times like now. I don't really have a home anymore. People asked me where I lived in New Zealand, and I would say that I most recently lived in Dunedin. But Dunedin is no longer my home, just as Auckland is not really my home.

I don't have a home in New Zealand. I vary between thinking this is very cool, and a tad sad and lonely.

Tricycle Model
The tricycle model was given to me by Eden, Amay and Vincent. It is very Filipino, which is cool, but it is not very Dumangas-y. The tricycle model is typical of tricycles in Manila and Negros. The box that the model came in proudly boasts that the tricycle can sit up to six people.

Pfff.

The ones in Dumangas are much cooler and can handle many more people. I once shared a tricycle with fourteen other people.

Fish Pencil Holder
The fish shaped pencil holder was another gift from the teachers of Pulao Elementary School.

It has two holes drilled into its top where you can stick a couple of pens or pencils.

I have to say that it is a pretty butt-ugly fish. This makes it all the cooler.

House in a Bottle
Another gift from Reza and Nicole. On the base is written:

To Malcolm!!! God bless u always. From Reza & Nicole. Philippines!

It was made from a relative of Reza's who is in prison. I'm guessing he has a bit of time on his hands...

Certificates of Appreciation
I got three certificates from the Philippines adorning my walls. Two from the folks at Dumangas Country Village presented to me at my D.C.V. leaving party, and the other from the school at my other leaving party.

Shirts Galore

I got an abundance of t-shirts as I left, all of which had a Filipino theme to them.

This one from Sir Jolo - the Head Teacher at Pulao - was particularly nice as he made the extra effort of getting it specifically printed for me. It has the school logo on the front, and my nickname - Coolio - on the back.

Everyone in the Philippines has a nickname. I had the kids on at the scout camp I attended that my nickname was Coolio McCool. They believed me and the nickname stuck. It morphed into Coolio and sometimes just Cool.

Thercy - my good friend and a teacher at Pulao - gave me this one. For some strange reason she thought that the small size would fit me best...

Reza, the Student Teachers and Beauty also gave me one.

Jewelry
I never was one for jewelry but I like all these jewelry gifts that I got. It is like I am carrying a little bit of the Philippines around with me.

Shell Necklace
The shell necklace was given to me by the mayor when we first met. I removed the stoopid hat that was initially attached to it and it became one of my favorite items to wear.

I was playing silly buggers one day and managed to hook my thumb into it and break it.

Meh.

Pom Pom was nice enough to mend it for me.

Ugly Necklace
I was on my way to pick up some new volunteers from the airport and I got chatting to the van driver. He gave me this necklace. It was a nice gesture.

The van driver got into my bad books though. I used him a couple of times to take some Filipino friends to a flash Italian restaurant. He invited himself into the restaurant, plopped himself down, gorged himself on the food and then just expected me to pay! Very rude.

The necklace itself it the ugliest I've ever seen. The cane links are too big and the weird wooden thing at the end is just huge. The one and only time I ever wore it was when he gave it to me.

Nice Necklace
This necklace was given to me by Reza. I like it. It is made from pressed coconut shells.

I haven't never taken it off.

Bracelet
This bracelet was given to me by Reza (again!) on the day I left.

It is quite loose and delicate and I'm paranoid that it is going to snag on something and break.

She said she choose the black and white color so that it would match the necklace she gave me.

Many Bracelets
My first two black bracelets were given to me by Regie May as a response to the necklace I gave her.

The students all cottoned onto the idea during my farewell party at Pulao Elementary School and I was given these bracelets left right and center.

The bracelets are the trend at the moment and cost one peso each.

I like that one of them is white and the rest are black. I think of it as being representative of me in the Philippines.

Parting Letters
During my farewell party at Pulao Elementary School I received a farewell letter from all grade five and grade six pupils. I didn't receive any from grade four though. Dunno why.

Just about all of them arrived in very cool envelopes. Some of them came with some cool pictures as well

A sample of some of the letters follow.

Letter from Mardy Labrador - Grade Six
Dear Sir Malcolm,
first of all I would like to greet you a very pleasant hi and hello. Thank you for being a good volunteers teaching here in Pulao Elementary School. Thanks for being a good teacher for us. You are so very good, kind, caring and helpful teacher. for your doing that I cannot forget you anymore instead I will remember you I will share for all my friend in the other school that you or I have a good teacher like you. I hope that you can share for the other's not only your family you friend but also to the other's that surround you will never get your good attitudes okey. You know what Sir Malcolm for you being a good teacher, you make the other pupils learn more about their status. Sir Malcolm there's a many thank you because for me you are the best teacher also to Maam Thercy, Maam Canque and to Mam Empedrado and over course to all teacher's here in Pulao Elementary School thank you very much to all of you because when I graduate this year I cannot forget all of you thats true

Your pupils
Mardy Labrador
Grade VI

Letter from Angelito Florida - Grade Six
Thank you for all the you've give to us. Thank you also for wasting your time even though we are very naughty and noisy. Thank you also your kindness to us. We are so thankful that we have a teacher like you

Thank you sir..
Malcolm...

Not sure I was wasting my time...

Letter from Pamela Nichole Elecierto - Grade Five
Dear Sir Malcolm,
Thank you for everything that you've given to us. Thank you for spending youre time to us even though we are so very noisy and naughty. You are very humble, kind, understanding and very cool. We will miss you sir especially youre jokes. You now sir we were blessed that you are out teacher. We will dont forget you and all the food memories and happy memories from you. thank you sir.

Your student
Pamela

Letter from Rex Jhon - Grade Six
Dear Sir Coolio,
Thank you for the support you gave to us for our dat and nat. Sir we will miss you so much. Don't forget to remember all children in Pulao Elementary School especially me. Thank for wasting your time for us. Don't forget to remember this school. Thank you for teaching me how to solve and understand the problem. Don't worry Sir, I wil learn more so that I can finish my studies until college. Sir, Grade VI pupils was promising to you that they will be a good pupil until they finish their studies. Sir Malcolm, you are the cleverest teacher for me and we will miss you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much.

Your good pupil
Rex Jhon

Letter From April Grace - Grade Six
Dear Sir Malcolm,
I hope that you are in a good mood upon reading my simple message for you. Sir thank you for everything you give to us, for you attention and willingness to teach here in Pulao Elem. Sch. Thank you for your patience that you give to us in Grade VI pupils even though we are very noisy and naughty. God knows that you are good person and a good example for us towards our studies. We admire you your simplicity and for being you. Again, thank you very much Sir Malcolm

Good luck for your career!

We will missing you.

Your student.
April Grace

Letter from Yolly Camarig - Grade Six
Date March 17 - 2006

Dear Sir Malcolm,
Sir whenever you go I will never forget your kindness. Thank you for teaching us and have more patient in our naughtyness. Im happy because you also make the class laugh and making us sincerely to our studying. Im glad that you come here in the Philippines to educate us. Thanks to all you have made and Im happy because you will attend our graduation. Sir you know you are a great teacher thats why we call you GTM. I wish you safe in our flight. I will never forget your safe in our flight. I will never forget the past that was very happy especially in our tutorial in math and here in Pulao Elementary School. Sir pleas don't forgot us.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOD BLESS YOU

FROM: YOUR STUDENT
YOLLY CAMARIG GRADE VI

I have no idea what GTM is. I guess it means Great Teacher in Maths.

Letter from Aldrin Doyohoy - Grade Six
Dear Sir Malcolm,
Thank you for all you give to me and the others. Thank you for teaching me more lessons, so I learn more. And I hope that you remember me. Because I can't forget you anytime. And my only wish is to be have a riuonion after four years all of grade six batch 2005 - 2006 and you at the school. So I can see your baby. Joke!!! This is only my little letter that you cannot forget me and other pupils.

Thank you very much Sir Malcolm Roy Trevena

Your beloved friend Aldrin Doyohoy Grade VI

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