Spring camp and chicken pox

Sumava, a must-visit place in the Czech Republic according to Lonely Planet, for its "large and tranquil forests undamaged by acid rain." It's where I was for four days, the longest four days of my life. Read on.....

I’m down with chicken pox right now. I didn’t survive the week in the countryside with the kids. The camp experience was a total nightmare for me—--the food, all that drama between the kids, being up on your toes all the time,the works. The food served to us was disgusting. I really didn’t mind working so much because it was somehow expected, being with the kids 24-hours a day. The food was totally a different story. Ketchup as spaghetti sauce? Oil on mashed potatoes instead of butter? Rizoto that tasted like nth class rice? What on earth....? I was never grossed out with Czech food in general before but those four days in Sumava certainly drew the line. Or maybe I am just too negative right now because I have a burning temperature as I write this.

Yesterday morning at the camp I woke up shivering and my face burning. I thought I was just really tired and I must have been sunburned because it was extremely hot the previous day. Then at breakfast we noticed that this lovely kid sharing the room with me had red spots all over her face and neck. We knew immediately it was chicken pox. A few minutes later, we found the same spots on another kid. We had an outbreak.

The view of the countryside from the window of my room.

I knew I never had it before. I also knew I wasn’t vaccinated against the virus. Up until yesterday I completely forgot I could have it anytime. Still it took another couple of hours before it hit me that I was shivering and my face was burning because I was already having a fever. I immediately went upstairs to check my body and sure enough, there they were, three red spots on my face and several more on my back and stomach. I was turning into a cheetah right before my eyes.

"I saw a boy cow with horns!," exclaimed Katka after cycling to another village past several bulls grazing on the fields. Above pic: My co-teachers and the kids looking at the cows.

The camp was 150 kms. from Prague. A couldn’t fetch me right away for some reason. Good thing the father of one kid who has the virus arrived almost immediately after being notified. He was very kind to offer me the ride back to the city. During the two-hour ride I learned that the Philippines is the only country he hasn’t been to in Asia, that he loves everything in Asia—--the people, the weather, the culture, everything. What’s so funny is that he said it must be difficult for me to adjust here, the people being not so warm in general like us Asians. So true but then again, that’s culture for you.

So I’m back home now trying to get as much rest as I can. I’m also trying so hard to ignore the mirror or else I will freak out at the sight of myself. Does anybody know of an ointment or a cream to later leave me spotless?

PS: I just learned that another kid got struck with the virus. The mother is on her way to fetch him at the camp. One downside of this job is you are so vulnerable to all the illnesses the kids can pass on you. Sometimes it only takes one sneeze to get you down.

Profiling my kids

How is it to be with kids five days a week? The first word that comes in my mind is "exhausting". It is draining to keep up with them. Their energy level is way too much for me even if I’d take 20 bottles of energy drink a day. It’s exhausting to try and make them listen even just for a minute. Everyday is like going to a battle zone where you wrestle with kids to behave, teach them about the world around them, and mold them into someday becoming good citizens of the society. Sounds like a tough job, huh? Well, it is. Tough and draining and exhausting, but I also must not forget, rewarding.

What exactly are my rewards? Moments with them. Fun and funny moments, I must say. I would have had a bestseller if I wrote down all the hilarious moments I had with them. I have to hand it down to my kids for giving me the constant supply of good laughs. My sense of humor would probably be near extinction if it wouldn't have been for them and a few people around me.

Meet J:

He’s the school’s resident Cassanova wanna-be. He kisses or tries to kiss all the girls all the time. When he’s around, (he comes to our school only twice a week, three times a week to a Czech school.) it’s no surprise when girls run to me with a scandalized look on their faces screaming "J kissed me!"

One time I read Sleeping Beauty to them. When I came to the part when the Prince kissed Sleeping Beauty, J exclaimed “ Oh, it’s Prince J!"

Another time when we were on our way to the zoo, I caught him combing Sasha’s hair with his fingers.

God help the girls a few years from now.

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Katka is the girls' girl. She’s the leader of the pack. The girls worship the ground she walks. Problem is, she’s very much aware of her power and uses it to her full advantage, thus putting almost everyone in trouble everyday.She’s very clever, this kid.

One time while I was reading them a story, there was suddenly a chorus of "Katka said something very bad!!"

Me: What did you say, Katka?

Katka: Nothing. I didn’t say anything bad at all.

Kids: She said a bad word in Czech. She said "zadek."

Katka: But zadek is not a bad word. It means this. (touching her bum.)With my limited Czech, I knew zadek is not a bad word but I think she said it in a way that implied the bad word "prdel." (If you're Czech and you're reading this, pardon me for broadcasting the word to the whole world.) Translation: A**hole. The first words that I actually learned in Czech are the ones that can’t probably be found in the dictionary because they are so gross, thanks to A. :) I don’t know why it’s always like this when you are learning a different language. In my case, it actually helps because I can sentence the kids to the electric chair ( it’s actually a plastic chair where they sit for a few minutes without talking to anybody) after they did or said something bad.) But just for the sake of those who cared enough to watch Katka’s colorful vocabulary, I told them I had to ask our head teacher later, who happens to be Czech, if it was indeed a bad word.

Storytelling was over, the other kids ran to wash their hands so they can eat their snacks. Katka remained with me claiming her innocence.Katka: I really didn’t say anything bad.Me: Then you didn’t so you have nothing to worry about.Katka: I said zadek. (holding her little buns) I didn’t say this. (pointing to the hole)How can I argue?

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This is all for now. I have been swamped with so many things to prepare for the spring camp. Yes, I'll go on a camp with 22 kids for a week starting this Saturday. I hope I'll remain sane after being with the same kids 24/7. Wish me luck.

PS: Today is A's 32nd birthday. We had a lovely dinner at a restaurant near Palac Flora. It was raining when we came outside after our dinner. I was wearing one of my "Vietnamese" flip-flops and my feet kept slipping out of them. Usually I would curse the rain for getting my feet wet and making the simple act of walking so difficult, but today was different. I had this song in my head:

Oh, I hear laughter in the rain/Walking hand in hand with the one I love.....

Flip-flops

Three weeks ago, A and I spent an insane amount of money in less than an hour of shopping. Let me set this straight ----I am far from being a shopaholic. In fact, I am one of those few women in this world who totally abhor shopping. I hate, really hate the looking part. When I want to buy something, I want to find it on my first stop. Of course, this probably happens once in years, when luck is purely on my side. My sister was my personal shopper when I was still living in Cebu. She actually likes going around the mall for this quest of finding the items. (Can you believe it? And she’s my sister!) Anyway, living in Prague means having no Botong to do it for me. A shares the same sentiment about shopping, maybe that’s why it’s a disaster when we have to do it ourselves.

Springtime means almost summertime clothes. Almost because you still have to wear light jackets or sweaters to keep you from turning blue from the chilly wind, especially in the morning when I go to school. This is a problem because except for one or two jackets, I only have summer clothes from the Philippines. A, being an ever supportive (and sometimes patronizing, he-he) husband, tagged me to Centrum Chodov to update my wardrobe.

Some update it was! We spent several thousands just for a shirt and sunglasses for me, a pair of jeans for him, in record time. I didn’t feel like eating afterwards.

It was my fault. I chose quite expensive brands because I believe they last longer so I won’t have to go shopping again soon. Then again I have to sound defensive by saying everything is so expensive here anyway. The same brands won’t even cost half of what we spent if we bought them in the Philippines. Here in Prague, one tiny skirt equals to a luggage full of ukay-ukay from Baguio. Sigh. I miss Baguio. I miss Carbon in Cebu, too, where I used to buy UKay clothes for P20 a piece. The prices were so dirt cheap I didn't mind the “looking" part at all. :)

Thank goodness, alternative shops actually exist in this country. Hail to the Vietnamese businesspeople here! Below are some of the stalls owned by them in Brno. The only downside is the fact that haggling is unheard of in this side of the world. Nevermind, you are already guaranteed of much cheaper prices when you visit this place.


Last week I realized I needed some flip-flops badly but I was traumatized from that shopping spree I was talking about. Then I remembered seeing some relatively cheap and really good stuff on the stalls near Brno’s main station. Brno is actually 3 hours by train from Prague but my in-laws live in a town very near this city. We visited them last weekend, perfect time to make a side-trip to Brno. Here are my finds:

These two pairs only cost a total of 350kč. The usual pair from the shops costs three times or even more. I have to say this again-----thank goodness for the business-minded Vietnamese here. They made our budget more manageable and stretchable. I didn't have to starve myself as penance for sins committed after I bought these pairs.

Now I can welcome the spring sun with these flip-flops. It's pretty warm in Prague these days. I think I'll wear them out pretty soon with all the walking that I have to do here. Well, I can always make a trip to Brno, if ever. :)

A walk in the woods

One thing I love about where we live is its close proximity to the biggest woods in the city. We can go nature-tripping anytime especially when it’s warm like these days. There are also ponds which are just 10 minutes away on foot from our flat.








A and I love to feed the ducks and the carps residing here. We usually bring bread for them when we go for a walk around this area. This pond is just across the road leading to the woods. A lot of people come here for a walk.




Nature is alive again now that spring is in full swing. I feel like doing a Maria von Trapp and sing at the top of my lungs “the hills are alive with the sound of music...." Well, you’ll never know how exhilarating a feeling spring gives until you’ll experience a very long winter yourself. I want to say it’s like being reborn but that doesn’t sound so original. Maybe I should say it’s like brushing your teeth after running out of toothpaste for a couple of days on a camping trip. You have the reason to smile brightly at the world again.:)


The dandelions are blooming everywhere. I remember a poem in one of Thich Nhat Hanh’s books which says about a dandelion in a garden making somebody smile. I have that smile everyday now as I see thousands of them just about everywhere I look. I know they wont last long. Soon their beautiful yellow blooms will turn white and the petals will be blown easily by the wind. All the more reason to admire them while they are still here.


Most pictures were taken by A during our walk in the woods last weekend. Spring is definitely my favorite time of the year here. Thank you, Spring, for coming at last.