Field Trip

Naomi and I signed up to accompany the Kindergarten class for their field trip.  (Grades 3-5 did theirs yesterday). On the way up to school, Naomi was very excited and said, "this is my first field trip!"  I said, "it's my first field trip, too!"  I think she felt I was trying to steal her thunder!
We started at the bird sanctuary, close to school.  Naomi was not to thrilled with the walking there - especially as we have been there before so it wasn't really new or exciting. Mosquitos viciously attacked us at the duck pond.  I could see them on the children's legs and faces!

Then we moved on to the eco-park.  Kinder were separated from Grade 1 and 2 - who watched a video - and they had so much fun running from one case of pinned butterflies to the next.  Josh especially liked the display that had branches with butterflies hanging of them like leaves.  He thought that was very clever.  They also had a cool collection of shells and a set of shark teeth. Then we walked around the park, the children petted the bunnies, Josh stroked the snake!  We ate lunch at the picnic tables while waiting for Grades 1 and 2 to finish.

On to Antipolo Church.  This is a famous Catholic church in our area.  It is the church that people process to at Easter.  We saw the statue, read about its 400 dresses - the dress is changed every day!
Next, Antipolo market.  One of the kids in my van asked what we meant by the market - because if we meant supermarket, she had been to those before!!  So we did the market and tried to keep the kids' comments of "ooooh, how stinky" to a quiet minimum!  My group missed the pig's head but we did go through the fish stalls.  We were also followed by a gaggle of Filipino children and pointed at.  The girls did not like that, they thought they were being laughed at.  I think we were just a bit of a curiosity.  People probably had no idea there was such a large group of white-skinned people near Antipolo!
Finally, we went to "The house with no steps", a workplace and living place for disabled - many in wheelchairs - adults.  We watched a video that seriously needed remaking, but the kids were enthralled and then had a quick tour.
And, back to school.  I needed a nap by then and I think many of the children did too!  It was an interesting day and the kids were brilliant.  It's always good to move beyond the confines of the school campus and remember why we are on the school campus in the first place.