and so it begins...

Hey all,
Here it is. We have arrived safe and sound into Manila. We spent the night watching movies, and I am not sure whether it was Qantas guilt, but they kept coming around and feeding us constantly, which seemed ridiculous to us, as we would sit there thinking ‘I’m pretty sure you just fed us!’.

Flying into our landing reminded me of a quote by Francesca Lia Block “Strawberry sky dusted with white winter powder sugar sun. And nobody to munch on it with.” For me there was Cotton candy and marshmallow clouds floating in the skies, highlighted with pinks and oranges and even green hues melding in together. As the plane descends below into angry grey clouds who are thick with the promise of rain, lightning shoots down upon Manila, and I am overcome with the realisation that this is where I will call home for the next 6 months.
At the airport people look at us, at our differing complexions and are automatically intrigued and quizzical as to what has brought us to the Philippines. Even in the dark the humidity smacks us in the face, and we begin removing our Melbourne layers.
I watch Tania in the cab, and she is like a kid in a candy store, she exclaims loudly at everything we pass, and it reminds me of my first time overseas in a new city, the utter excitement and thoughts of adventure. When I look outside I see a city. Perhaps it is a sign of desensitizing to new surroundings, but all cities around the world begin to look similar to me. When I look at the people on the street, and the cars on the road, this is where something stands out for me. The jeepney’s (a strange hybrid of a jeep and a mini bus) are what catches my eye as something I have never seen. Each is individual with its street art like outer shell and the cramming of a few too many Filipino citizens inside.
When we arrive to our new home, we are greeted enthusiastically by our new housemates Erin and Cathy. They show us around and have spent the day furiously cleaning the house after our previous tenants (insert exclamations on how dirty boys are) and we sit up for a few hours talking before we are overcome by the travels of the day and go to sleep.

Today I have woken up to the noises of the neighborhood. It appears the neighbourhood rises early and has no qualms about making as much noise as possible. But it’s ok, it doesn’t hassle me in the slightest, it is what reminds me that I am away on a new adventure.
In a strange way it never occurred to me that this is the type of adventure I have never been on before. I have never lived in one place overseas for a prolonged amount of time, nor have I taken part in actual work overseas; it has always been a holiday. This time instead I will be enrolled in another university, taking their classes, and spending my time doing the copious amounts of assignments that they throw my way, and at the same time floundering in trying to keep my head above water immersed in a new culture. Seems silly that this would not have occurred to me until right now, and it seems silly that it has only just occurred to me how tough it is going to be.
I do however believe that this experience will open up so many doors for me personally, and it will make me stronger and more self aware, which in most cases is a positive thing to happen.
It will also test my new found vegetarianism. The last tenant of this house, who was a hardcore vegetarian for a long time, had to make the exception here in the Philippines, or else starve for a severe lack of dishes that didn’t contain meat. Yep, this is going to be interesting.
It is definitely going to be a hard 6 months in every way, but my house mates came up with an ingenious plan to go away for the weekend to a tropical beach to kick start our spirits before the work really begins. Something I will not turn my nose down at. Bring on bliss I say!
I can say that having only been here a night, while mixed in with my excitement, I am already missing you all back home. Today will be spent going to the mall, collecting all things for our house to make it a home, and to buy sim cards for our phones, internet credit amongst other necessary things. I can’t wait to get out and explore the area and meet the locals and begin this scary and amazing adventure. BRING IT ON!!


xoxoxoxo