End-of-year Camping

The final activity of BarkadahaNZ for 2012 is family camping scheduled for 27-29th December at El Rancho in Waikanae. Aside from the opportunity of enjoying each other's company, it was also the perfect opportunity to update the group on what had transpired for the year, and what the future held for the group.

The kids and grown-ups alike enjoyed the company and the facilities. Thank you El Rancho!

Here are a few photos from the event:

We wish everyone a meaningful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mini Olympics

What to do when the sun is out at winter time, when we rarely see such a glorious day as this?  Hold a mini-Olympics!  Tito Ricky and Tita Pinkee decided to ring up the group and have a notice posted at the Facebook group so we can have a get-together this afternoon.  Short notice, yes, but sometimes it's the unplanned activities that turn out successful, such as this one!

Photos from today's activity:

Term 2 2012 Holiday Programme

It was a fun day with the BarkadahaNZ kids who joined the 1 Day School Holiday programme.

Thank you for letting your kids join and to Tita Tina and Tita Weng for helping out. The kids had a go at craft making using recycled materials. The boys cooked adobo and pancit for everyone.

The younger ones made polvoron and yema. It was not part of the plan but during their free hour the kids formed a band-Filipino ingenuity at its best, always thinking outside the box. We were impressed!

Tara na't maglaro! (let's go and play!)

For this activity, we thought about sharing with our kids the games that we played in our day. Indeed, the kids of today have so much more that compete for their attention, mostly of the electronic kind. And it's not so different in the Philippines as it is here. It is just sad to think that today's generation might be missing out on the great games that occupied us on many weekends and summer breaks. It was loads of fun, it encouraged interaction, enabled us to soak in the sunshine, and was convenient form of exercise!

The weather did not cooperate unfortunately, so we held the activity in an indoor venue. We started it off with the popular Tumbang Preso, a game which required a medium-sixed can, a pair of slippers per kid, and any number of players. Here is a short video explaining how the game is played:

The rules were quite easy to follow and soon the kids got the gist of it.

Southeast Asian Night Market

Bring all the family to sample the exciting sounds and spicy aromas of the third Southeast Asian Night Market which will spread out along the Wellington waterfront at Frank Kitts promenade and Shed 6 on Saturday 16 April 2011 from 4.00pm to 10.00pm. If the event of bad weather, the market will be held on Sunday 17 April from 4pm to 10pm.

The ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - have combined to bring you delicious food, colourful crafts and non-stop entertainment from Indonesian puppetry to Malaysian tea pulling.

The Philippines will host a coconut skull race and tumbang preso!

Read more from the asia:online website

Namamasko po!

The Philippines has one of the longest Christmas seasons in the world.  While it officially begins at Advent, Christmas songs and decorations can already be seen at the start of the 'ber' months.  And when the simbang gabi starts, so does the carolling by kids in their neighborhood.  'Namamasko po!', the kids would say after singing.

It's a happy time to be a kid at Christmas time, and we wanted the kids to experience this also.  They practiced their medley of songs during the weekends, which includes "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit".  The kids enjoyed singing the carols as much as the families we visited.

Arts and Crafts Stall at Johnsonville Fair

The girls have been meeting whenever there is opportunity to share their skills in beads crafts as well as card making. Quite a number of projects were completed, and the parents thought the work was superb, and that it just might be possible to have these sold!

So we had it put to the test. We rented a table at the Johnsonville Fair which coincides with the Santa Claus parade. The kids also helped set-up and manage the table. Aside from seeing their work valued by others, it was also a great opportunity for the kids to learn and appreciate how money can be made through trade.

Dress Rehearsal

'Tis the week before the Christmas carolling, and Tita Pinkee is no longer available as mentor for the kids. Good thing Tito Glen is around to cover for the final practice!

Armed with the guitar and finally with some boys in the choir, the group sang in harmony. The kids are looking forward to the carolling session next weekend!

Carolling practice

This is one of the practice sessions the kids attended in preparation for the Christmas carolling. Tita Pinkee happily volunteered to teach the kids, and she squeezed in as much time as she can because she would not be available by December, as they are expecting a new member of their family come Christmas!