no picnic.

The system here in the philippines for enrollment into classes is vastly different from that at home. for one, everything here is done manually. This means, taking a form to each department, getting the lecturers to sign off on you taking the class, doing to administration, getting it inputted into the computer and doing the same for each class from different departments.
Then ofcourse going back to the education abroad officer to hand it in. Then recieving a call from them to say it hadn't been inputted correctly and having to do it all over again. It wouldn't be so much of an issue if each building wasn't a mile away from each other (I am pretty sure that isn't an exaggeration, the campus is its own suburb). There is alot of walking back and forth in the sweltering heat only to have to do it all over again, for a signature.
It makes you wonder why they have not implemented a system where you go to one office, and they do it all online for you, since ultimately it gets inputted into the computer anyway.
Having done this for an entire day on our first day of classes as they decided to change the timetable for one of our classes i realised that I was one subject short for my requirements of exchange. So it was back to the drawing board. What is a subject that interests me, is offered in english and fits into my timetable. I came to the conclusion that i would take Comparative literature of Medieval and Renassaince writings from europe, in the english department of UP. The English department seemed like a great place to find a subject taught in English, and it fit in perfectly (and in the same classroom directly after) my Introduction to Shakespeare class. So here is hoping that it pans out. However after Cathy went to her third world literature class to find that she would need to read 5 novels, and about 13 short stories all for analyses over a span of about 12 weeks, taking up two literature subjects seems like death. We shall soon see next week what my work load will entail.

Now I am officially enrolled in Community Work, project Development in Social welfare and community development (which after two classes, two changes in teachers already seems like it is definitely not going to be a picnic, i may never leave the library), Introduction to Shakespeare and ofcourse now comparative literature of Medieval and Renassaince writings from europe. Then finally, just for fun and excercise Cathy and I have enrolled in Modern Jazz dance classes.
Here is hoping that I survive, and can make it from one class to another in one piece.

The walking around wouldn't have been so bad if in the last two days my right foot hadn't doubled in size thanks to enormous swelling. On Tania's birthday (her 21st birthday!! excitement) we went out to dinner for some delicious thai food, before heading to Kareoke, where we had a private box where we could terribley screech at the top of our lungs with no judgement. It was great fun, except for the fact that my foot had ballooned over dinner and i could barely walk. That put a damper on my ability to accompany my songs with my epic moves like jagger, and left me icing my foot for most of the evening. I have to say all in all it was an amazing night though, just to chill and have some silly fun.

So the next morning when my foot hadn't gone down one bit, instead of going to my first lot of literature classes, I made my way to the University Medical Center. Since the University appears to be it's own suburb it makes sense that the Medical Center turns out to be a small hospital with an emergency ward, consulting suites, and hospital rooms, pharmacies, etc.
The lovely Doctor there told me that after scraping my foot on coral i needed to keep my wounds dry to prevent infection, however being that the air here is so damp with humidity, it was not an easy task. So she bandaged me up, gave me some drugs, and sent me on my way. Now i can say that I am happily walking around (with only a small hobble) and in a few days i will be back to my old self. It's situations like these when i realise just how accident prone I am. I really know how to injure myself in the speediest possible way.One week into living here and I have already made a trip to the doctor for injury. It reminds me how in South America after 3 days I had to go to the hospital due to turning a beautiful blue shade....I sure am a special one ;)

I am missing everyone terribly, the next 6 months are by no means going to be a picnic, they will be exceptionally difficult (on the uni front, just to pass here you need to get atleast 75% which is just scraping by in Filipino standards, which in Australia would be equivilent to a Distinction) and adjusting to a whole new way of life will be hard. I do believe though that I am in the place that I need to be right now, but it's going to be a struggle. Possibly something that I very much need...


Now, I won't bore you all with the details of anything else, as for the most part, i would like to keep you all as friends. And it's not nice to bore your friends or they will never come visit again.

I will love you and leave you for now. Hope everyone is well.

B xox