by Jeneen R. Garcia

As dawn breaks in the coastal town of Boljoon, the market is silent, its pots waiting to be filled with fresh fish.

On the beach, the villagers wait impatiently for the boats to bring in last night's catch. Sometimes sand is the best balm for boredom.

The large fishing boats arrive, and everyone scrambles to get on the smaller boat that will take them aboard where they can negotiate the price of the catch.

Children climb up the fishing boats to help unload the catch and get some extra school money, perhaps a few fish for their families.

The catch is plenty. Everyone will be fed, and everyone is happy because they have something to sell in the market today.

In the afternoon, when the tide is low, families go out to collect shellfish for dinner as the boats go out into the sea for the next day's catch. Early, they wake, and again the waiting begins.