29th April 2009

Preface: I have moved out of this house and into a much bigger home that serves as a dormitory for both CERV and Meaningful Volunteer volunteers. 

So much to write about... so little time...

Kuya Palab knocks on my door at about 6 in the morning as the rain outside continues to tumble down.

"Sir Malcolm!  Sir Malcolm!  Landslide!"

I quickly grabbed my laptop^*and went and banged on the doors of the still sleeping volunteers.  "Landslide!  Landslide!  Get out of the house!"

Five seconds later we were all outside in the rain looking dazed and in various states of undress.

We had all heard the news reports of various deadly landslides around the Philippines and were understandably nervous of them.  After 30 minutes or so we all headed back inside realizing that we were in no immediate danger.

Here is a pic of the landslide.  A small valley in the side of the mountain prevented the rocks reaching the bottom.  The landslide stop just short of a house on the mountain side and broke the leg of a pig which then had to put down and - one presumes - eaten.

For reasons that elude me now, we thought it would be a good idea to head up the mountain and check it out a bit more closely.  Hmmm... not the best thing to do on an unstable mountainside.  After huffing and puffing up the mountain I did get this picture that shows the valley where the landslide stopped.

Living in developing countries is such fun.  Sometimes you get tear-gassed, sometimes you get cockroaches in your underwear, and sometimes you run from landslides,

^* What would you grab if you knew your house was about to be destroyed?  Turns out I'd grab my laptop.  Not because of monetary value - the 2 year old laptop that was given to me by a friend is missing a shift key and the N and M keys are indistinguishable.  No, it was because of what it contained. 

It contained several important Meaningful Volunteer documents that would take a long time to reproduce.

I'd like to think of it less as grabbing a laptop and more of grabbing my dream.

Turns out Steve - a Meaningful Volunteer - would grab a sock...