Up-to-Speed, One Month Late!

Hello!

When we last left our heroine, she was embarking on a mysterious trip, crossing seas and pursuing health care with great aplomb. Then she kind of got sidetracked and left everyone hanging. For this she is deeply sorry, or at least a little bit repentant.

The truth is that my time in the Philippines is NOTHING like I expected it to be! Cool, right?! Remember how I was going to be alone a lot? Remember how I was getting new glasses? Yeah. Neither of those things happened. Instead I made a lot of new friends, explored Manila more than I thought I would, and came home with a totally unexpected and laughably simple solution for my eye problems (one that doesn't even involve glasses!).

I should start with the eyes, since they were the cause of this little vacay. When I went to the ophthalmologist, whose offices were located in a mall named Shangrila, they examined my eyes and declared them functionally perfect, except that my "tear bays were a little low." (Since I'm now a fisherman's daughter, I automatically associated this diagnosis with low tide.) So basically I was told that I don't need ANY glasses for ANYTHING (a reversal of the last two years of bespectacled reading & computer time), and I was given ELEVEN boxes of moisturizing eye drops, plenty to bring my eyes back to high tide.

I was in Manila from Saturday night until Thursday night (flights from Manila to FSM do not run daily, you see). All the medical stuff happened on Monday. So I had the rest of the time to do with as I liked. Which I promise would have been spent regaling you with adventure stories if I hadn't been surrounded by people with whom I could make those adventures!

"What people?" I hear you ask. Well, the hostel where they set me up for the week also happens to be the central landing place for any and all Philippines PCVs, and my trip corresponded with several cool people coming through for various business. In fact, from the moment the lovely and hospitable PCMO ushered me into my hostel (after she met me at my terminal as I deplaned on a Saturday night ... what a lady!), I defaulted into having at least 15 new friends! There was a group of PCVs and PCTs sitting on the patio who were eager to welcome me once I said the magic "Peace Corps" words. It's funny, the Philippines has so many volunteers that there was some initial confusion/assumptions that I was, in fact, one of their in-country peers who they had somehow failed to meet earlier. But then we sorted it out and got down to the business of getting acquainted and having fun.

Over the week with my new friends I experienced Videoke (Video Karaoke; I hear it's the Philippines' national pastime), went out dancing in a club that plays more than 5 songs on loop (!!!!), ate delicious meals (Indian! Shawarma! Mexican! Dark Chocolate Cakes! Milkshakes!), and went to funky markets and upscale malls. So, yes, my main activity in Manila was consumerism, and it was fantastic. Amidst these adventures I got a chance to have wonderful conversations with some really excellent individuals. A recurring theme was comparing and contrasting PC experiences past, present and future -- what got us here, what life is like now, and where we hope it will take us. It's amazing that I was able to connect so well with people I just met--and was able to share and listen to really personal stories (you know who you are; thank you).

The other best part of the trip (I think we're several "bests" in right now ... it was a really great trip!) was the opportunity to skype using the free, fast internet at the hostel. Even though I was on the other side of the world (12-hour time difference from EST, what?!) It was amazing to see my familiar faces. I love you all very much! Thank you for connecting with me!

So that basically sums up my trip, but it only brings you up to speed to the beginning of October. Since that time, I spent a couple of weeks madly catching up with my work at school in time for mid-term exams and tried to get a good direction going for 2nd quarter (tough with all these early November holidays & community funerals, but who doesn't like a nice day or several off from school?). I also experienced the relationship twilight zone of saying goodbye to the last of the M75s on-island, getting to know the new M77s who will be sworn in next week, and looking forward to seeing the rest of my M76s when we come together for our Mid-Service Conference in December. I'm also falling more deeply in love with my host family, making new friends/having new experiences in Pohnpei, and looking forward to seeing my REAL family in Kauai in December. As my dear friend Caitlin would say (in quoting a great film), "It's all happening!"

So thanks for caring about what's happening with me. What all is happening for you?

Love!
Mox