1st Month

It has been a month now since I left Calgary and travelled through Vancouver and Hong Kong to reach Manila and I have to say that it has been a very blessed first month. So I have decided to give some form of update (ps. I will try to do it way more regularly from now on) without going into every single detail, but still giving some kind of view on what has been good, bad and beautiful.

First of all I will have to say that the way I have been received here has been a gift of God. People of both CRWRC, CCGG (the specific org that I work with) and people in general have all been so kind, helpful, and hospitable that I can not do anything, but say thank you at every corner....

I feel like I have acclimatized rather quickly....well weatherwise ...it took me like not even a second....as this is the kind of weather I think I was made for...but regarding all other things...I feel very at home already...I know there will be times when I will hit my feet against some stones and times when I will struggle in the upcoming months....but in general I can say that the adjusting has gone very smooth....

The first month has been very busy....and sometimes i am pretty tired...but it has been a good kind of busy...as I am learning a whole lot about the country, the langauge, the specific job etc.. but yeah like many of you know that learning new things and especially langauge and culture can be pretty draining at times....I have had a number of langauge classes already, but have a long way to go.....Cultural training has been very good....especially since I feel like i still have so much to learn about the country, its history, its people etc.

now let me get to the Good, the bad and the beautiful....

the Good:
1. I feel like i already know Quezon City quite well...yeah even here i try to walk as much as possible...and that helps a lot in knowing the place...because yeah with my size in the jeepneys....i dont really get to see much of the road...:)
2. It was very good meeting up with Pow and meeting Joanna

The Bad:
1. ehmm well...this is pretty easy as well...the air...
2. another easy one is the impossibility of going for a run in Metro Manila...because of air and traffic....
3. Ehmm the lack of Indian...food although I think I might have found some places...both at IRRI and in metro Manila

The Beautiful:
1. The Palawan trip...man got to say that God did a pretty darn good job in creating this planet...when you get to see some of its nature still relatively pristine....it becomes all the more evident.. in adition the fresh fish and other food for such a good price...yeah pretty sweet....Thanks to ACDA for taking me along on their trip :)

















2. Los Banos Only an hour and half from Metro Manila..I can see this become one of my more
favourite places in the Philippines and a place to take a break whenever I feel like getting away for a weekend. I already know quite a number of people living within the town.
The campus is absolutely beautiful....you can run and excercise all over the place.






Some added pointers:
1) I am still pretty white and hence stand out pretty much everywhere....but you become more immune to the attention after a little while
2) Apparently Prince Harry is my twin brother.
3) Like i wrote in an e-mail to some you ...yeah the sad day has come that I got a cellphone...and yeah i actually text...although I have to say that I am pretty sucky at it.
4) I hope to introduce some of the people that I work with and that I have met so far in upcoming posts
5) I will be heading to Bikol for the upcoming 5 days starting this upcoming wednesday.

Much Love to all of you...Ps. As was the case in the past so is the case now...mi casa su casa...okay maybe more my apartment or my room your apartment or your room....but you get the point if ever in the area...or if ever you think i need a break where can i go....and you wanna go a little further than the corner store down the road...then you are all more than welcome....no need to make reservations...just knock on the door and it shall be opened.