The Perks

7-25
Life has quickly settled into a routine here in Los Banos. Michael and I head out to interviews at 8 or 8:30 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. We joke around with each other meet up with a pastor or some FH mothers and do a bunch of interviews. Between me asking questions, me answering questions, praying, talking, and taking photos, we can get in at most 8 interviews a day, after which both Michael and I are mentally shot. I come home, read, check email, and maybe watch part of a movie. Monday, Wednesday, Friday are a lot more unpredictable as they tend to be full of random tasks from Ate Chill, grocery shopping, and catching up on writing stories and evaluations. There’s something going on at the church every night of the week, so I try to head there when I have time or I’m not tired or, like tonight, when I’m the one scheduled to speak at prayer meeting. A few highlights of the past week include:

-Making friends with the youth at New Century Church. I’ve been having a blast getting to talk with them. I think they’re getting more comfortable with me too. I got to sing videoke with their young adult ministry on Sunday which was awesome. Even though I’m horrendous at karaoke. The highlight was definitely seeing Chris dance. Chris’s demeanor quite closely resembles that of Evan Sterling, for those of you who have the pleasure. For those who don’t, Chris is just a quiet guy who everyone likes, who is reliable, who fixes things around the church, and generally doesn’t strike you as someone to do crazy things. And then, just like Evan, he surprises you. Like dancing to the spaghetti song.

-The animal life at Mom Andres’ house. Where to start… there are 7 dogs. Apparently, they didn’t bark as much before the 3 puppies came along. Now they pretty much bark from the second someone opens the gate and for a minute once they get inside. One night the power went out so I opened the windows wide and pulled the curtains aside. Even though the power came back, I suffered through listening to three HUGE beetles fly around my room klaakakakakakakakthud and smack into the walls. Thankfully, only one landed on the bed. In the morning I found all three of them on their backs unable to flip over. Each was quite fat as long as my thumb. Another night I was reading on the bed when I heard something scurrying in the ceiling. At first I was quite alarmed, as the noises were quite violent. I thought perhaps one of the little lizards that are everywhere had gotten into the wiring and was being electrocuted. Then the frenzy stopped and the noise scurried away across the ceiling, seemingly too loud to be one of the (relatively) small lizards. The next day I was out in the kitchen (it’s outside-ish), heard the scurrying coming towards me, and a fairly decent sized rat poked his head out of the roof. I’ve affectionately named him Roger. Not sure how he’s survived the dogs apart from remaining in the ceiling.

-Reading Bryant Myers’ Walking with the Poor. It’s been changing my perspective on a lot of things. Which is good. My perspective has needed some changing.

-Learning my way around town. I now feel quite confident in my ability to get from one place to another. Admittedly, the places I go are few and I couldn’t get somewhere new without help. I’d been getting frustrated with the tricycle drivers as they all seem to want to take me solo wherever I’m going, which costs four times as much as waiting for some fellow passengers. Just cause I’m white doesn’t mean I want to pay more or that I am incapable of waiting or that I don’t want to be crammed onto a motorcycle with 3-6 other Filipinos. But as my frustration grew, so did my familiarity with the tricycle drivers, who now seem to mostly know where I want to go when I show up and that I will be waiting for others. Something about the whiteness must make me memorable or something.

-Another awkward other white person encounter. Today in ChowKing with Michael and Myla a white girl walked in while we were ordering. Again, there was awkward tension in the whole restaurant. Something about white people in groups doesn’t sit well with pinoys. Might have something to do with 50 years of American colonial rule (joke). Still, Michael and I again thought it was pretty entertaining and I think Myla just didn’t know what to do.

-This coming Friday. Michael and I and Michael’s girlfriend Thet are going to some touristy island thing near Manila. Which I’m pretty pumped for. It was some kind of military base that has been held by Americans, Japanese and Filipinos. Apparently, it should be fun, but mostly I’m looking forward to hanging out with Michael and Thet. Not much looking forward to leaving at 4:30am to get to Manila. But that evening I get to go to one of the youth’s “debut”. When Filipino girls turn 18 they get a big party with all kinds of traditions as they enter womanhood. I’m pumped to get to be a part of it, and glad that I brought just enough dress clothes. It’s going to be a long day, but a sweet one!