“You look like a manican….with a mountain nose!” 02. 22.2011

Things around UDH have been kind of crazy lately. Literally, crazy. Everything just feels kind of weird. For example, Bekah and I have been going by our watches the entire time we have been here, and they have been exactly right on time. Today, however, we arrived home from the Internet cafe at 12:30, which is when lunch usually is, and they had already eaten and were headed to school. They told us that it was after one already. Um..no it isn’t! haha. It seems like they are all going to bed much earlier than they were in the beginning. Things just feel sort of…weird! Filipinos are never very timely anyway.

On a funny note…..There are only two mirrors in this building. One in the bathroom, which is usually being used by 15 boys, and one in the hallway. So yesterday I was getting ready to go to Marble, and went to the hallway mirror to put make- up on. While I was standing there, Momma Gwapa * came by and said, “Oh my gosh…you look like a manican! …with a mountain nose!” haha. Wow! What a statement! I had no words for that! Momma Gwapa is Baby Bob’s care taker. Her room and my room are connected, so we see each other quite a bit.



Mama Gwapa



*Gwapa means beautiful in Ilonggo. Anytime Mama Gwapa sees me around she will say, "Oh my gosh...Emily Gwapa!" OR she will have Bobby call me "Ate Gwampa," meaning "Beautiful sister." Becuaee this has sort of become her "thing," Bekah and I decided we should begin calling her Mama Gwama. Seemed fitting.



Jiji on the very crowded jeepney





Yesterday, Bekah, Jiji, and I went to Marble to do a little shopping! We are having American Day this upcoming Saturday, the 26^th, so we had to get some groceries! It was such a fun day! Bekah and I had so much fun looking for food that we have now been craving for weeks! We bought so much food! I hope the children are really hungry on Saturday! We went to Greenwich* for pizza and lasagna at lunch! It was incredible! Although I don't have pizza all that much,  I have definitely missed it! We also found the imported chocolate! They had Reese’s and Hershey’s! I think we both died and went to Heaven. You never realize how much you take for granted life's simple pleasures until you are forced to do without.  Did I mention we paid six bucks for each candy bar?! Definitely a luxury over here.  The buy of the day was Mountain Dew! I might slightly be addicted to it, so it's been kind of awful to do without. Needless to say,  It was such a fun, much needed day!

Of course we were stared at all day! Jiji thought it was really funny, especially at lunch! We sat at a table that was right in front of the cash register, and counter where all of the workers were. They just kept staring at us. Jiji had to get up and go ask them for a straw for all of us, and she came back laughing!! She said, “They are staring at you because of your eyes! They tell me they can’t stop looking at them!” haha. At this point, I have been to the Philippines enough times, and stayed in their country long enogh that I feel like I just belong here, and shouldn't stick out at all. I guess these blue eyes will never totally blend in.

Here is a few pictures of the greatness we bought yesterday:

*Greenwich is kind of like Pizza Hut in America.



the bus headed to marble (aka the "big city")



small amount of all the goodness we purchased

a large part of the juice will be boarding the plane back to the usa with me :)

mountain dew..woo hoo!

the meat secion of the grocery=gross
experiencing this a few hundred times has taught me how to totally shut my nose off from smelling.
i think it might be a talent? ha!

hamburgers
definitely not the usa kind..

Today, we went to the Internet Cafe, and I got to Skype with my family! It was really great to see them! Kind of funny to think that today might be the last time they see me through a computer screen before they see me in person! Less than a week now until I am home! That’s such a strange thought to me! I can’t wait to see them though!

This afternoon we have an activity planned! We have white t-shirts and paint! We are all planning to put our hand prints on each other’s shirts and sign them. It will be fun! I just hope they turn out cute J I’ll post pictures later!