My Trip to Tablas Island in Romblon

Eden and I set out for Romblon Saturday afternoon. We got a taxi to take us to the bus stop and you should keep in mind that I had 3 pieces of luggage and Eden had 4 boxes of food that we were bringing with us which made everything more complicated. So we got to the bus stop and packed all of our things in the bottom compartment or behind some seats. They don't have bathrooms on their buses like we do on our greyhounds so you really don't have an option about going to the bathroom on the bus. It was a 3 hour drive and though I consider myself to have a fairly strong stomach, those 3 hours were brutal. The driver continually lurched and I was too hot and my knees were smushed into the seat in front of me. Imagine how it is here for people talller than 5'6''!

The bus brought us to a port where we waited for 2 hours before boarding the ferry. There was the most white people I have seen in quite a while at the port. Oh and you can't get into any major public building here without going through security and having your bag checked. This was the case at the port as well as going into any mall.

To get on the ferry a porter carries all of your baggage and it was really good that we had 2 people because the porter had to make 2 trips so one person stays on each side with the luggage. Because the ferry rides are so long here you can buy 2 types of tickets, one is for a bunk and the other is for a seat. Thankfully we had bunks and you should have seen it! It is a huge room crammed full of bunkbeds. Each bunkbed is beside another lengthwise as well as widthwise so they come in sets of 8. There were some cochroaches crawling on the wall by our bunks but I'm learning to ignore them.

Anyway we had an interesting time on the ferry. I had my Chocolate Story number 2. I discovered that being single, white and friendly are not the the safest combination. I made friends with a man who then decided that he didn't want to leave us alone. Eden is pretty sure he lied about his occupation. We all ended up doing karaoke for a couple of hours (karaoke is very popular) here, and then Eden and I hid on our bunks. lol. It's funny now. I didn't give out my phone number though, I have discovered that not knowing my own phone number is actually quite useful because I can be honest in saying I don't know it. Anyway I've learned my lesson. Here being asked if you are single is a normal question as well as how old you are. I was introduced to one of the teachers at the school that I am at and immediately after being told her name I was told by the principal that she was single (and looking, someone else added). This is strange for me, in some ways we are much more private people in N. America I think.

After the ferry we got to have a 2 hour jeepney ride. Thankfully this jeepney was larger than the ones in Manila so I could actually see out of the window without crouching. This was the most amazing journey of my life I think. It doesn't feel like extreme poverty here like you see in Manila but there are all kinds of houses. The vegeatation is beautiful with the palm trees and jungle like atmosphere. The rice fields are amazing. We drove though a pass of sorts in the mountains, which, though not as tall as the Rockies and have no rock on top, are craggy and wonderful to look at covered in palm trees. I want to climb one but without a path there is no way, the underbrush is much too thick. The small communities that we live in are strung out along the coast.

As we were driving I was falling in love with this place and the people. I think it is very easy to get the Philippines in your blood. I was wondering if I have given my heart away only to never get it back. I have a feeling though that I might feel this way about every third world country that I visit. Since all people are made in the image of God and I am having the opportunity to get to know a new culture I think it gives me enlightenment into seeing God in a new way through these people. Does that make any sense?

The first thing I did when I got to my house was eat and then head off to mass with my family. The last mass I attended was in French. I was just as oblivious at mass here to though I felt somewhat on display as everyone was looking at me! I am getting more used to it though. Anyway I don't plan on attending mass again. I'd rather stay home and read my Bible and pray because then at least I know what's going on. :) I might try a Baptist church in San Agustin but getting transportation Sunday morning is likely to be difficult.

There are 2 main types of tranpsortation here, tricycles and motorbikes which are called doubles (on which 3 people will ride here) . It is hard to get a ride though and today I actually started walking to town cause I couldn't get a ride. 2 guys on a double picked me up though which was so nice and they let me ride for free, the bike wasn't for hire. It was really appreciated though! All public transportation ends between 4-6 so it's hard to get together with people in the evenings. It gets darks here by 7 though so at that time you just stay home or go to one of many little stores which you find in the front of many houses here.

My family is amazing, both my parents are teachers (this is the second family of teachers that I have been hosted by) and they speak English well. I have a host brother and 3 host sister and they are all great. I went with Bernadette (who is in her second last year of high school) to play volleyball at the school yesterday. We had a really good time and had lots of observers who repeated most of what I said. I guess it's fun for them. I don't speak using my face here but use words, I'm not very cultured in the Filipino way yet I guess. Maybe I'll talk less using words when I get home! haha

My family has a beach house so I have been swimming in the amazing ocean every day. It is so warm but it is nice to cool off from the heat here. I hope to go scuba diving yet as well.