Week 29 - Settling In

Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat  = Good afternoon to you all - the extent of my new language aquisition so far. hah!

I was so fortunate to find a decent apartment right away. My landlady, whom I just call Tita/Aunty, is really sweet and has helped me get oriented and settled around the city the last few days. My new sup and counterpart are amazing (makes the last few months at my last site seem even more of an anomaly), sweet and helpful. Overall, I'm settling in pretty well and last week's transition was relatively painless.

I spent the weekend in Naga and Goa with a few girl friends, whom are the closest volunteers from me - all two or three hours away. This is going to take some adjustment. My last site, I had other volunteers I could get dinner with nightly. Having my own apartment and not many close friends here in this city (yet!) gives me a sense isolation, but not quite loneliness since there is so much to get to know, so much new-ness, and so many people looking out for me still.

Having to learn a new language is definitely a draw-back. I feel like a dud when I can't understand any Bicol or Tagalog spoken to me here. I spent so much energy trying to learn Waray. Some words translate, but most of the time I bashfully say to people "I'm sorry. I don't understand". I have to learn Tagalog/Bicolano! It's the best way to connect and be a part of the community. That way I'm not just Mei, the Chinese girl who happens to be an American volunteer.

Lunch break is drawing to a close. I had rice and chicken adobo from the canteen next door. I prefer to make my own - can't wait for my kitchen to get set up. First things on the list: Adobo & Dumplings, nom nom.