Mabait na Kaibigan (kind friends)

HI I have an array of pictures. Most of the beach pictures were taken on a boat trip with the staff from Bahatala on a staff day to Cocoloco Beach. The evening beach picture is at a local beach in Puerto Princessa. I will spend many days there as it is convenient and the owners are very kind.

Well as you can see I am working on Language, day 2. It is very challenging and I will spend a lot of time in the next few weeks studying. (The pictures of me are just to show you all that I am really here!! after all this time waiting.)
There are a few pictures of in Puerto Princessa, (city hall and the street outside the hotel I stayed at for the week).

corrected links

Well my week here in Puerto Princessa is finishing; for 5 weeks I will be in Manila. I am still working on getting some pictures onto the blog when I have easier Internet access. I corrected the link www.katjack.net (it is net instead of com) Kat is a lady I met early in the week. Her web site is very interesting and I look forward to getting to know her better when I return. The other link is to the Bahatala, the clinic I will be working at. I am getting very excited about the work and people I will be involved in. www.britishpalawantrust.org.uk
I had a spell of being home sick this morning but a nice afternoon at the beach has helped. I will have to work hard at finding things to keep me active and in shape. I am a bit nervous about walking and running just anywhere as there are snakes and traffic to contend with. I have not seen a snake yet but I do have a bit of extra phobia and hypersensitivity to stories about the cobras that live in the area. (The first time I actually see one, I will have a story to write about I am sure).

paradise

Hi. Well I am in paradise (and just as I would suspect, computers don't belong here. I have been trying to get onto my page for the last 20 minutes and I am finally here. I can't get my pictures here so you will have to take my word for it).
I met the program directors and people in charge and they are wonderful. I think I will love working for this program and the people in it.
Although it is technically dry season we have had some rain which comes and goes without the weather getting cold. I have spent my first night here meeting some local artist at an opening ceremony for there art display. I think I will have to channel my unused soccer energy into some form of art over the next year. There is an annual art festival in April that I will have to miss because I will be in Manila doing language training. I am very disappointed because it sounds like the festival will be a wonderful show of local talent and indigenous tradition. Manila will seem very polluted and busy after this week in Puerto Princessa but I am sure the time to learn to speak a little tagolog will be worth it in the long run.
Although I haven't even seen the sea yet I love it here. I will get pictures up and running in a few days I am sure. I don't think my pictures will do the place justice so in the mean time I've included a link to a website made by a lady working on coral reef protection. I will hopefully out in this ocean soon.
I am also pleased to inform you that I have been very healthy and the mosquitoes are not bothering me much at all.
I am hoping that you girls back home (in Calgary today) are doing well with provincials. You know I have been thinking of all weekend and I will be checking the results my next computer day. Please send me any good updates. I have been told that soccer is very uncommon here but there is a big open field by the teaching clinic that I work at (need I say more)!
I have found out a bit more about Bahatala, the program I am working for, and I can't wait to start working. It is set up well but the demand are endless. I will keep you updated on that once I return from language training and realy get going.

Day 2

Hi, Just a few pictures so you know were I'm at. The second one is the front yard at the bed and breakfast place I am staying at. So far I share a room with a volunteer from Holland. It is great to get to know the other volunteers, The organization is like a family network. The last picture is the office were I am presently using the computer (It takes 10 minutes for each picture to be downloaded, that's why they are only 4 for now). The other shot is me on my little walk to the office (just so you know for sure I am here), it is only 5 minutes and I quite enjoy this little neighborhood. I am feeling very safe and enjoying seeing all the plants that grow here, (It reminds me of our living room at home, don't forget to water Rick!). A low and behold there is a soccer field. It's in pretty bad shape but I plan on taking a few shots this afternoon. There is a basketball court to the side that gets used more often. I am loving the weather. I am free all day today so I will walk over to the shopping center dawn the street and see if I can then find my way home. So far I haven't had too much in the way of jet lag. a little sleep in the afternoon and I'm feeling pretty good.

take care and hope you are doing well back home

Safe in the Philippines

Just a quick update. I am here safe and sound and in good hands. I will be spending the next week at the bed and bread house which is in a safe neighborhood, even a small soccer field down the street! The flight was long but actually relaxing. Got to Manila 5:00 a.m. Thursday, went for a bit of a walk, met some other volunteers and staff, and it's now about 11:00. I'm sure crashing is about to occur sometime today. I will have pictures next time.

Zero more sleeps

The count down for sleeps is done so a good bye to you my good friends is what I set out to do. I have had so much support that I don't feel like I am really leaving. Thank you.

Past volunteers report a very common trend. They say it is a normal to start with excitement that then crashes and becomes home sickness. This then settles into feeling content. I am at the excited stage (and very nervous stage today).

Growing up, I often wanted to just run away. This trip is my run away. A little more controlled than a hankie on a twig dream; (I'm caring about 100lbs of goods). My past run away fantasy was to go to California and live on the beach. I've never been to California but I had figured that with time, I could walk my way there. Well, today I'm happy I didn't run away, with a bit of patience, I still get to set off to a new life experience by the ocean.

The running away was to be by the ocean, but it was also about is leaving behind stuff. The stuff is an accumulation of routine, other people's agenda, and things that have become comfortable but no longer valuable. This stuff fills life so there is no room to accept the newness of life. So in keeping with my dream of the hankie and twig, I hope to be able to keep life simple.

I am very lucky that home is still here and will carry on being here. My goal will be to bring the simple life, that has room for newness, back home in a year. Because the stuff I leave behind is only part of the story, my running away is temporary. I am also leaving the people I love. To this I know I am not really gone, my love is still present.

I will be back next year.

Free for newness and blessed with my past I am ready.

Soon

With one week to go, reality is setting in. My flight itinerary places me on the plane to Vancouver at 5:30 p.m. March 13. With a short stop over in Vancouver I make my way straight to Manila. (this is way better than the London, Hong Kong, stop overs they were preparing me for.)
My first 5 weeks will be in Manila for language training and some in country training. This will give me time to get use to the climate and the culture. I hope there will be enough time to get into my job for the remaining year. I am very aware of how often I switch from thinking a year is long; to thinking it will be too short. Only time will tell.
The challenge, what to bring? What to organize for my last few days? Definitely not my strong points. I will have my "just go with it attitude" once I find out I didn't pack what I should have and I didn't organize all that needed to be organized. In the mean time any advice from seasoned travellers will be appreciated.