Day Trip to Tagbilaren

Today is January 11, 2010 and I had a great adventure today here in Bohol.  I took an elderly neighbor lady to Tagbilaran with her adult daughter accompanying us.  Our neighbor Vicki also went along to help with translation.  Vicky had asked me if we could have her neighbor’s hearing tested because she is struggling so much with hearing loss.  This elderly lady was like a mother to Vicki.  We were off to see the nurse at IDEA, the organization for the deaf here in Bohol.  This organization will do free hearing tests for anyone who wishes.  I couldn’t understand why she was having trouble getting in the truck until Vicki explained that she didn’t know how to get in because she’d never been in a private vehicle before!  When she finally managed to get in and shut the door we were off to Tagbilaran.  Of course I had to shut off the vents to the air conditioning because they just don’t like the AC.  The hearing test went well except for the fact that she has a moderate to severe hearing loss.  On further questioning it was discovered that she has hearing aides but she refuses to wear them because they just cause too much noise and she doesn’t like that.  Besides, they have been dropped in the mud and she also doesn’t have any more batteries and she is just not going to wear them and that is that!  Next we were off to the mall for lunch.  We came into the mall on the ground level and had to ride the escalator to the next floor where the restaurants were.  This dear lady screeched to a halt!  No, absolutely not was she going to ride that thing!  I could see her pupils dilate with fear!  I grabbed her arm and her body and the next thing we knew we were headed up on the escalator!  Next challenge – how to get off the escalator!  I grabbed her arm and her body and almost lifted her off the thing.  Whew!  we made it!  One more problem.  The place I choose to have a lite lunch didn’t have rice.  We switched to the fast food place across the hall.  Vicki and I thought that the food choice we made for her would be just perfect – very Filipino.  Not!  When the order came there was no rice!  I jumped up, bought a 15 pesos serving of rice and brought it to the dear soul looking rather perplexed at her lunch.  A smile came across her face and she proceed to wolf down her plate of food with much gusto and contentment.  It was a fun adventure and both she and her daughter were happy and grateful for the time in Tagbilaran.  Blessings,  Ellen