called to serve

Last Monday I was supposed to go into Tacloban and celebrate Chinese New Year but we didn’t get paid so I stayed home. I did need to do some Internet things so I went next door the Internet café. They have wifi. Sometimes up here in my room I can pick up the signal but can never connect. If I could connect that would save me 10 pesos but I digress from my story.

There was no school on Monday so when I walked in a bunch of my students were in there. They all looked at me, and then looked over to these other white people in the Café with this look like you are white, they are white, so of course you HAVE to know each other. They were missionaries, this was the first time I’d ever seen them, so I didn’t know them.

I wanted to ask them bunch of questions, like if you live in Alangalang where? That was really the only question. They didn’t even look at me (I’ve lived here 17 months and see missionaries all the time, I’ve spoken with them all of 3 times, they are very sketch. And it’s not just because I’m a cute white girl (ha, I laugh), but Mark has said they never talk to him either). Knowing that this is the only time all week they get Internet I left them be. But that is not to say I wasn’t eaves dropping like mad. The one was complaining to the other about these two girls who just got engaged (like there isn’t going to be any girls left when they got back). They were writing emails about the earthquake and the one was a website putting in their work.

I think there are parts about my experience that are harder and easier than their experience and vice versa. Example they have one day a week where they can Internet. That same day is the only day that they can wear clothes that are not hot and restrictive. I live in flip-flops, and I hate it, but I can’t imagine walking down the street turned lake in dress shoes. The language I was trained in is the language the locals speak; the church doesn’t train in that language. Sure they have to live with each other, but they aren’t living with a crazy old lady (who most days I love, but still).

Just an interesting thing. I’ve got a bit of perspective of both, and I bet after both being called to serve here we both go home loving these islands just as much.

you say you want a resolution

Well here I am half way through January posting some resolutions for the New Year. Which I guess isn’t too bad, BUT this year I’m doing resolutions more on a month-to-month resolution with the year being the goals, so ya it is bad. I’ve got an excuse. I’ve been working on my resolutions.

The first goal, haha, keeping my self-accountable via this here blog. Since leaving the USA this blog has been super neglected. Hopefully this year it will get more love than my resolution thing. So each month, I’m gonna do the resolution catch up on here. Month of January, check!

I’ve got a confession, to me the year ends in November. Most of my goals are things to do in the next months in country. And considering that today actually is Chinese New Year (holler to the Dragon!) and I go to November I’m rocking a super short year, so I have no excuse as far as resolutions go. Another goal is to save as much money as possible while I’m here. January is a bunk month. I started out way in the hole and I hate it. I’ve always hated it. In our bank accounts we need to keep a certain amount or we get charged. Most volunteers live at near 0, but that freaks me out. I hate that I started this month so low, and I hated the reason--tooth extraction. So this month I’ve lived on 1,000 pesos, which is not good, and I had no choice so it doesn’t count. From here on out I’m trying really hard to budget 5,000 or less a month rent included. It shouldn’t be a problem. Hopefully I get paid today.

Another goal of that is to be as brave as possible this next year. I’ve not really figured out any way to do monthly resolutions for this other than, be brave. Any suggestions?

Along with being brave is being calm. It is becoming more and more apparent that I may have a bit of an anxiety disorder. Do the nature of the beast I worry about it way more than I should, but for now now I am trying to focus on how this is just a temporary thing. My main focus will be when I’m trying to fall asleep, not let my mind run through everything at crazy repeat.

And the last major goal is to be healthier. Basically, I want to get ripped. I also want to get so that waking up and running is second nature. This goal actually expands beyond November. I know I’m going to come home and eat like crazy. My life here is the most sedentary I’ve ever been and I’m hoping my metabolism hasn’t changed, but just incase I need running to be habit. Another goal is trying to eat better. A side goal of this is having a clean room. When my room is dirty I tend to keep the yoga mat rolled up. Not this year, so far so good!

Oh and bonus resolution for this month! My parents sent me three pounds of pistachios. The resolution is to make those last as long as possible.

bloggedy blog

A blog about blogs! Whoa! Sounds crazy, but Imma gonna do it anyways.

I love blogs. I’ve got a great group of blogs in my reader that I update every time I get Internet for more than 15 minutes. You know it makes sense. I love memoirs. Right now I’m in a state where I just can’t get enough of them. I also love books from journals, whether they are real The Diary of Anne Frank or false stories involving love triangles with Massimo and Dave the Laugh (who is way better looking than the movie portrayed). So friends keep blogging.

Also, lately I’ve been in love with doing the blogging myself. I’m between books and between trips to get new books. So I have nothing to read, so instead I type. Hence the recent activity here. I’ve also been doing a lot of posting on that other blog. But wait there is more. A while back when I was living in Albs I started a running blog (yes I’m one of those awesome people) to try to help me to get some motivation going. It worked for a post or two then went whawhawa. When I first got to county and had a running club I posted some, but again with the whawhawa. Now I’m on a hard-core kick and blogging away. Right now it is a mostly iPod centric blog, and full of all my thoughts before 8 in the morning. You can click the link I have for chasing pavement, or you can go to runningfraud.blogspot.com   Also, I think you should read the BFF blog that I should have posted over there also.

That is it, for now.