Running in Circles

I've spent the last twelve days "working" (there are many reasons that the word working is italicized here). For example I spent yesterday from 7am-930pm "working". However if you analyze the work day there is usually less than 10% devoted to actually accomplishing a task. There are just an unbelievable difference between an American and a Filipino perception of work. At this point I just feel dizzy from it all and can't recognize much reward from it all. Despite all the headache associated with that aspect of Peace Corps life there are many rewards in the day to day things. Our host family is incredibly generous. The two kids ages 10 and 8 are hilarious and their two cousins are always around also. They've become less shy in the past couple months and now interact with us but there are few words. I came to the realization a couple weeks ago that they own a total of about five toys between the four kids. It was while I was trying to figure out the rules to the game they were playing that I finally noticed there wasn't a toy chest in the house instead they were playing with rubber bands. At this point I've identified five different games they've created with just rubber bands. The amount of respect that people have for each other here is amazing and especially the kids. Rebeka's students always identify their parents as their hero's because of the sacrifices they make for the family. I'm always addressed as sir and Rebeka is addressed as mam by younger kids. I believe after two years here the hardest thing about adjusting back to American culture will be the lack of respect present in our society.
I have a great story about the export of American culture. One day I was walking back from town and was greeted by a young kid probably about 8 or 9 waving his middle finger at me and saying "whats up". The interesting thing is he had a smile from ear to ear and wasn't trying to offend me at all but was simply showing me his understanding of America and trying to greet me in an American way. You may be thinking right about now Americans don't greet each other like that however to the eight year old Filipino boy all he knows of America is from what he has watched on MTV and in the movies. Since those are his resources for studying American culture it makes perfect sense that flipping someone off is a way to make a connection. I wish I had the Tagalog vocabulary to tell him that most people in America aren't like what you see in the movies, that we aren't all rich, we don't drink constantly, and we don't flip each other off regularly or as a greeting but even if I could I feel that the years of movies and TV will serve as a more prominent educational tool. Therefore as I passed him I smiled and waved because I didn't want to be rude.

*In response to Uncle Matt
There is wildlife here but most of it is insects, reptiles and amphibians. The population of birds has been wiped out due to the use of banned pesticides and habitat destruction. The best wildlife here is the marine life. There are dolphins, whale sharks, sea turtles, hundreds of fish species, lobsters etc. I saw my first sea turtle last week and have identified probably close to sixty fish species. However everyday that goes by there is more habitat destruction so the sooner you get here the better chance of seeing wildlife. So snorkeling is the best activity. Did you go on the top thrill dragster???