Warning: Tsunami at the end
A half a day later, I arrived on a beautiful island with pristine beaches with white sand and brown and green palm trees. A woman with brown skin and hair, wearing a skirt with pink and purple lines, and a pink shawl with flower designs embroidered on it over her head approached me. "Are you lost?" She questioned. I nodded. She held out her hand.
She led me to a hut made out of coconut shells. The roof was made of yellow cogo grass and green nipa leaves. She led me inside. A man with brown skin and hair wearing a green, silk shirt and green shorts was cooking in an aquamarine clay pot over a red and orange fire. "Who's the kiddo, Bituin?" He questioned.
"I'm Anna." I replied.
"Anna, I'm Bayani." He replied. Just then, a little girl with brown skin and hair wearing a skirt with pink lines, and a pink shawl ran over to us.
"Mama, Dada!" She cried, skipping over to Bituin. Bituin hugged her.
"Dalisay, meet Anna." Bituin told her daughter, as she raised her up to my face. Dalisay held her hand up.
"Ello." She told me.
"Hi, Little One." I greeted her as I took her hand. She smiled.
"Should I get going on dinner?" Bituin questioned. Bayani nodded.
One hour later, Bituin had dinner ready. It was roasted peanuts, fish, sausage, and a type of ice cream with sliced mango on top which she called Halo-halo. I ate some peanuts. They were good. I ate some fish. It had spices in it, which made it delicious! I ate some sausage. It was sweet! I ate some Halo-halo. It was delicious!
After dinner, it was time for bed. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
10/5/1626
Dear Journal,
Today I arrived in The Philippines. I am staying with a woman named Bituin, her husband, Bayani, and their toddler daughter, Dalisay. Dalisay really likes me, I hope I can stay here.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two months later, I found Bayani sitting in front of a brown, wooden, board with big holes in it. Inside of the board were small, pink and purple seashells. I sat down on the other side of the board. "So, Bayani, how do you play?" I questioned.
"This is Sungka. You pick up the first shell and put it in the second hole. And the other person picks up their first shell and puts it in their second hole. You continue until you're able to put a shell in your big, oval-shaped hole. If you put a shell in an empty hole, and your opponent has shells in the hole across from it, you get to 'steal' them and put them in your big, oval-shaped hole. But the same goes for your opponent. If they put a shell in an empty hole, and you have shells in the hole across from it, they get to 'steal' them and put them in their big, oval-shaped hole. The game continues until all the shells are in the big, oval-shaped holes. Then we count the shells and whoever has the most shells, wins. Do you understand?" Bayani questioned. I nodded. We played the game. I won.
After dinner, it was time for bed. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
12/25/1626
Dear Journal,
Today I played Sungka with Bayani. It was like mancala, but with seashells. I won.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two months later, I was playing with a pink seashell with a white string inside of it. I pushed it down. It came back up. I pushed it down again. It came back up again. I pushed it down again. It came back up again. I pushed it down again. It came back up again. I pushed it down again. It came back up again.
After dinner, it was time for bed. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
2/14/1627
Dear Journal,
Today I played with a seashell yoyo.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two months later, I caught Dalisay playing hopscotch. The path was carved in the tan sand. Dalisay threw a white rock on the path. The rock landed on the number three. She hopped with feet together on number one. She hopped with feet apart on numbers two and three. She looked at me. "Anna play too?" She questioned.
I picked up a white pebble. I threw it. It landed on the number ten. I hopped with one foot on number one. I hopped with feet apart on numbers two and three. I hopped with one foot on number four. I hopped with feet apart on numbers five and six. I hopped with one foot on number seven. I hopped with feet apart on numbers eight and night. I hopped with feet together on number ten. "Yay Anna!" Dalisay explained. I smiled.
After dinner, it was time for bed. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
4/15/1627
Dear Journal,
Today I played piko (hopscotch) with Dalisay.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two months later, I found Bayani outside making a vase out of brown clay out front. He was sitting in a brown wooden chair behind a brown pottery wheel. He looked up and saw me. "Anna! Do you want to make a pot?" He asked me. I nodded. I sat down in a brown wooden chair behind another brown pottery wheel. I molded it into a pot.
After my pot was dry, I carefully set it on the white, wooden table. Bayani brought me a box of paints. I grabbed a brown wooden paintbrush. I dipped it into the purple paint. I painted my pot purple. I grabbed another brown wooden paintbrush. I dipped it into the pink paint. I painted pink hearts on my pot. "Wow, Anna, that looks amazing!" Bayani told me.
"Thank you." I replied.
After dinner, it was time for bed. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
6/15/1627
Today I made a pot with Bayani.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two and a half weeks later, it was time for the lantern festival in Corona. "I'm going to the lantern festival in my hometown today." I announced after I had finished my breakfast of sausage.
"Okay, Anna, have fun." Bituin told me.
"I will!" I cried as I rushed out the front door. I jumped on my raft. I arrived in Corona an hour later. The baker was selling cupcakes at his booth in the street. People were dancing and making chalk art in town square. Some people were also selling flags, dolls, and other souvenirs along the sides of town square in wooden booths.
I went over to the baker's brown, wooden booth. "Can I have a mango cupcake?" I asked him. The plump, red-headed baker nodded. He handed me an orange cupcake with green frosting. "Thank you so much!" I told him.
I went into the town square and spun around. The people in the market cheered. I smiled.
I went over to the chalk art station. I outlined baby Rapunzel with the black chalk. I colored her skin with the tan chalk. I drew her eyes with the white, green, and black chalk. I colored her lips and gave her some blush with the pink chalk. I colored her dress with the purple chalk. I stood up and wiped my brow. "Hey, she drew a picture of the Lost Princess!" A man with tan skin, brown hair, and eyes, wearing a white shirt and brown pants announced. I smiled.
Suddenly, I heard a strong, male voice announce: "To the boats!". I rushed to the docks.
I rowed into the middle of the ocean. As soon as we got to the middle of the ocean, I noticed lights arising from the island. I just watched the lanterns for the rest of the night.
That night, after I got back to The Philippines, I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
7/4/1627
Dear Journal,
I went back to Corona today for the Lantern Festival. Again, like last year, nobody recognized me and I didn't get caught. I had a mango cupcake. It was good. I danced in town square. I drew a picture of baby Rapunzel with chalk. I saw the floating lanterns! I hope Rapunzel sees them and knows to come home.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
One month later, I found Bituin sitting in front of a white easel. She was painting realistic pink flowers in a purple vase in front of a black background. She turned to me. "Do you want to paint something?" She questioned. I nodded.
I sat down on a brown stool in front of a white canvas on a brown easel. I dipped my hands in the pink paint. I pressed them up against the white canvas. I dried my hands with the dirty, brown rag. I dipped my fingers in the purple paint. I pressed them up against the canvas in between the fingerprints of my pink handprints. I dried my hands with the dirty, brown rag. I dipped my index finger in the brown paint. I pressed it up against the canvas in between my pink handprints. I dried my hand with the dirty, brown rag. I dipped my index finger in the yellow paint. I pressed it up against the canvas on the pink and purple wings several times. I dried my hand with the dirty, brown rag. I took a brown paintbrush and dipped the end of it in the black paint. I painted a smiling face on the butterfly.
"Woah, Anna, did you paint a butterfly with your hands?" Bituin asked me. I nodded.
After dinner, it was time for bed. I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
8/15/1627
Today I painted a fingerprint butterfly with Bituin.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two months later, it was Dalisay's fifth birthday. We were in the yard. Bayani and other men were holding green bamboo sticks in pairs of x's. Bituin was standing in the middle of the yard.
"This game is based on the traditional Singkil dance. Now, you're going to have to walk through the x's holding a parasol. The x's will clap together occasionally, so you have to avoid getting your feet smashed in them." Bituin explained.
I grabbed a pink parasol. I walked up to the x. I walked into the first part of the x. The x opened. I walked into the middle. I walked into the bottom part of the x. The x clapped together. I cringed. "Good job, Anna." Bayani told me.
That night, I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
10/31/1627
Dear Journal,
It was Dalisay's birthday today. We played a game based on the Singkil dance. It was cool.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two months later Bituin, Bayani, Dalisay, and I were at the beach. It was a beautiful beach, with white sand, green palm trees, and crystal-clear blue water. Bituin was in a pink and purple bikini, Bayani had green swim trunks on, Dalisay was in a pink one-piece swimsuit, and I was in my purple bikini.
"Anna, want to build a sandcastle?" Dalisay asked me.
"Sure." I replied. I grabbed a grey pail, went over to the ocean, scooped up some water, went back to Dalisay, and poured the pail out in front of Dalisay. I built a brick out of the sand. Dalisay built pillars on top of the brick. I built tiny bricks around the top of the pillars. Dalisay built cones on top of the pillars.
I walked away from our sandcastle. I found a pink shell. I picked it up. I found a purple shell. I picked it up. I found a teal shell. I picked it up. I found a yellow shell. I picked it up. I found an orange shell. I picked it up. I found a teal shell. I picked it up.
I came back to the sandcastle about the same time Dalisay was coming back with seaweed. She put the seaweed around the top of the rectangle. I put the pink shell on top of the first pillar. I put the purple shell on top of the second pillar. I put the teal shell on top of the third pillar. I put the yellow shell on top of the fourth pillar. I put the orange shell on top of the middle pillar. Dalisay put a piece of brown bark on the front of the sandcastle. I put the teal shell above the bark. I grabbed a brown stick and carved a river from the ocean to the sandcastle. I carved a circle around the sandcastle.
I went over to a coconut tree. I climbed up it. I picked five brown coconuts. "Anna, get down before you fall." Bituin yelled at me.
"Ok." I told her as I schooed down. I walked over to her. "I picked some coconuts." I told her.
"Thank you, Anna." She told me, sounding a bit tired. We walked to our stuff. I set the coconuts down.
"Do you want to go to a tide pool?" I asked Dalisay. She nodded. I took her hand and led her to a small pool down by the ocean. We saw a pink starfish. I petted it. Its skin felt rough on my hand. We saw a purple sea anemone. Dalisay tried to pet it. That could sting her! I thought as I grabbed her hand. "That could sting you." I explained. We saw a pink sea urchin. Dalisay went to pet it. "Be gentle." I reminded her. She lightly petted it. We saw some white barnacles. I petted it. Their skin felt rough on my hand. We saw a red hermit crab with a pink shell. Dalisay went to pet it. "Only pet the shell." I reminded her. She petted the shell.
Once Dalisay had run off to Bituin and Bayani, I dived in the ocean. I saw a massive blue whale shark with white speckles swimming by. I swam over to it. I petted it. It was smooth. I saw a blue manta ray swimming by. I swam over to it. I petted it. It was smooth. I saw a grey manatee swimming by. I swam over to it. I petted it. It was smooth. I saw a green sea turtle swimming by. I swam over to it. I petted its shell. It was rough. I saw a yellow octopus with brown spots on it on the ocean floor. I swam down to it. I petted it. It was smooth. I saw tons of blue, red, yellow, silver, green, and orange fish swim around me. I saw a red lobster. I saw a giant pink clam open to reveal a white pearl. I swam down and grabbed the pearl. I heard something swim behind me. I turned around to see a grey shark with a very long top tail fin. I quickly swam up and swam ashore.
I stood up and ran back to our stuff. I set the pearl down. Bayani looked at me. "Did you see a shark?" He questioned. I nodded. He laughed. "Sharks don't usually attack humans." He explained. I laughed.
I went over to Bituin and Dalisay. Bituin had some sausage and litchi fruit Halo-halo. I ate the sausage. It was sweet! I ate some Halo-halo. It was delicious!
That night, we and about four other families, gathered in the middle of the beach to play Singkil. Bayani and other men were holding green bamboo sticks in pairs of x's. There were colorful parasols off to the side. I grabbed a pink parasol. I walked up to the x. I walked into the first part of the x. The x opened. I walked into the middle. I walked into the bottom part of the x. The x clapped together. "Good job, Anna." Bayani told me. I smiled.
That night, after I had bathed in a bath with pink flowers floating on top of the water, I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
12/25/1627
Dear Journal,
We went to the beach today. I built a sandcastle with Dalisay. I collected shells for it. I tried to climb a coconut tree, but Bituin yelled at me. We explored a tide pool. Of course, Dalisay tried to touch every dangerous animal in the pool. I swam in the ocean. I saw a whale shark, a manta ray, an octopus, some fish, a lobster, a giant clam, and a shark. I got out there when I saw the shark! But, Bayani said it was harmless. We played Singkil again. It was fun! When we got home, I took a bath with pink flowers floating on top of the water.
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
Two months later, I found myself on top of a brown, wooden sky bridge above the green treetops. Let's go! I thought. I carefully walked across it.
That night, after I had bathed in a bath with pink flowers floating on top of the water, I changed into my pink nightgown from Corona, took out my journal, and began to write.
2/1/1627
Dear Journal,
Today I walked across a sky bridge. That was fun!
Sincerely,
Arianna
I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.
One week later, I and Dalisay were playing catch with a green ball in front when it began to rain. We ignored it for a couple of minutes until we saw the water rising to our ankles. Bituin grabbed Dalisay and Bayani grabbed me. They took us inside. We all sat inside for a few minutes until the water came in and knocked down the front door. Dalisay screamed. Bituin clutched her daughter and Bayani set me and my bag on the front door. He pushed me away.