Trying a new platform

Hi all,

Trying a new platform - want to see how wordpress works...

So, to catch up on the last wee while...

flojogoeswandering.wordpress.com

On my way home.

Well,

I am in Manila airport, waiting for my flight home. Its not too bad, 8 hours to Sydney, 3 hrs stopover and 3 hrs home to new zealand. I will be staying at Dad's in Chch for a few days, giving me a nice time to rest (and do my JET interview - *bites nails*). I spent last night in Manila, and, after the dramas of last time, decided to actually stay in a real hotel, not some ten bed dorm. I even ordered room service! I don't really like Manila, which is funny, as I love Bangkok, and people tend to see them as similar.

I am really missing Zamboanga, especially the community we worked with. Will post some photos later. A large proportion of the community live in stilt houses over water, because it means they don't have to pay for land etc. I find it amazing though, because even in a place where you are surrounded by so much poverty, you can walk to the end of the footbridges and get the most amazing views of God's creation.

I am in a lounge here. It costs about $12nz, and you get a large, quiet lounge with wifi (or desktops) a movie playing (currently richie rich), a free snack buffet (making back the $12 in sandwiches, seeing as it is dinner time!), free non-alcoholic drinks, sleeping rooms (with wake up calls), and for an extra fee a wider array of drinks and food, and massages.

Anyway, I will blog a bit more about my time in Zamboanga when I get home.

Pray for me :)

Leaving

Wow... I am leaving Saturday - Zamboanga Friday, to Manila, then Manila Saturday evening.

We are still working with the volunteers in the school, and it is cool to see them 'do the work'.
I have enjoyed the people I have met, especially the children. i hope to work more wiht kids in the future.

2 prayer requests:

1. There was a minor error on my visa letting me into the country. It has been sorted, but please pray that there are no complications with me leaving the country.

2. I have a JET programme interview when I get back.
Please pray for whatever outcome God wants :).

Laura

Interesting school fun

Well, it has been an interesting couple of days. We were arranging tutoring sessions with somey re community members, training the community members to tutor kids in reading. It was determined that we were going to get a few kids who struggled with reading. We ended up in a room with 84 kids to assess - it was interesting to say the least :).

We eventually rearranged things and will start working with the volunteers on Monday :).

Today I went to the beach - I feel a little less sunburned than last time - I tried hard not to, but did anyway :(.

Will post pics later :)

Stuff

* I have a new roommate. Her name is Sarah, she's 25 and she's from Seattle :)!

* I am getting teeth x-rays tomorrow.

* I found some cheap, see Laura isn't really the duff blimp in disguise, dresses in bloomingdales today. They even fit my foreigner size AND, cause it was US sizing for one of the dresses,

i got to wear m, instead of xxxxL. I can now say I have been to Bloomingdales.

* I officially LOVE Asian hair ties. I am yet to find some that don't hold my hair. Amazing, due t i's insane thickness.

*It is really hot and muggy here. In case you didn't know.

Please keep praying for safety etc.

Feeling hot hot hot

Man oh man do I find myself with some attractive outfits. Due to my comparatively enormous size, coupled with my need to wear very modest outfits, and of course, my tendency to be cheap, I find myself with some rather, well, hideous outfits to wear here - I do believe I resemble a blimp! Here are some examples of shirts I have purchased here in the last 3 days (due to heat/ humidity meaning changing clothes 2-3 plus times per day, meaning I ran out of clothes!):

This stunning number is actually a man's shirt

Purple tie dye is really what high fashion is all about!

It's a tree. On a shirt. With a house!

2nd - 4th January

Well - I am starting to settle into life in Zamboanga. I had a toothache on Saturday, and went to a friendly dentist, who stated that it was a little imflamation, and prescribed me some painkillers and antibiotics if it didn't clear up over the next few days. All up, the visit and the meds came to $7.50 NZ. I am considering having my 2 most needed fillings done whilst I am here, because the come to about $18 each.

On Sunday I accompanied one of the team members to church. We went to a Chinese English church, and it was quite a traditional, Anglican style church, with a choir in white robes and a very structured service. I enjoyed it a lot, especially the sermon.

After lunch the team member and I went to Jollibee, the Filipino equivalent to Mcdonalds and KFC. It was quite tasty, and a lot of fun. As with all Filipino takeways they gave rice, and I had to order fries separately. I actually preferred the chicken to KFC! Never thought I'd say that about a fried chicken.

mmmmmm...Jollibee!

Today I helped another team member unpack his house after moving here. It was actually kinda fun. The all of us moving had chicken and rice for lunch :).

After lunch I had language training with one of the team members. We went to KFC to enjoy some aircon. They had run out of all drinks except sprite and mountain dew, so I had mountain dew and a brownie. It was kinda funny, as I joked that the most important phrase for me to know is 'sorry'. I later managed to accidentally flick my pen in such a way that the cap came off and hit a complete stranger, so 'sorry' was the first word in Tagalog that I actually did use in a non language learning context.

We then visited the community, where I had a chance to meet a lot more members, and visit the school. I also met my lovely language partner, who will help me learn another language spoken in the community.

We then enjoyed another trip to Jollibee!