Hot Pockets

I figured that i would just write things i find interesting instead of just things about my trip and stuff directly related to the Philippines. I found this translator thing and i found it very funny... so i thought i would share...

Original English Text:
Warning you just bought hot pockets.

Translated to French:
Vous avertissant a juste acheté les poches chaudes.

Translated back to English:
Informing you just bought the hot pockets.

Translated to German:
Sie informierend, kaufte gerade die heißen Taschen.

Translated back to English:
She informing, bought the even hot bags.

Translated to Italian:
Lei informare, comprata i sacchetti persino caldi.

Translated back to English:
She to inform, bought the even warm bags.

Translated to Portuguese:
Ela a informar, comprado os sacos mesmo mornos.

Translated back to English:
It to inform, bought the exactly warm bags.

Translated to Spanish:
Él a informar, comprado los bolsos exactamente calientes.

Translated back to English:
He to inform, bought the purses exactly I warm up.

Oh, say can you see..

I have been back for a couple days now and sleep schedule is starting to get on track ( i hope) I am actually awake very early right now typing this after going to bed at 1am. While typing this I began to eat a banana my mom had sitting on the counter. Perviosly, before going to the PHilippines, I hated bananas. I ate several everyday i was there. For some reason i thought if it didin't taste the same i could at least convince myslef.... i will NOT finish this banana that is now half eaten and turning brown sitting next to the keyboard. But remind me to pick it up when I am done here so my mom won't get upset. All right... about the trip back... I flew early in the morning accompanied by MANY of my great friends that i had made both the other volunteers and many of the Filipinos in my area i have become very attached to. Once arriving at the airport close to 30 of the Deaf kids were there already holding a farwell banner for me. It was a really tough farwell. I flew to Manila and had to spend the night there. At that point i just want to fly straight to the US instead of prolonging the inevitable. I cried the entire plane ride to Manila. Once i arrived it was very hot and NOT raining there. The family i stayed with was very nice and took really good care of me. They have two maids that live with them and I connected with them right away. I had to exchange information and everything. One of thier friends came over because they were told he was Bi-polar and they wanted me to tell them if it was true or not. I was not up to that challenge. I just wanted to decompress everything before i took my trip back to the USA. But he came over and... to make this quick... he IS Bi-polar. The flight back home there was a young Filipino boy, ok he was 21 so younger than me, who was moving to the states to live with his mom. It was his first time out of the Philppines and he was very excited to see the US. We talked about the differences and i felt i was preparing him well. Every hour or so i would lean over and tell him how excited i was for him to see snow for the first time. I can assure you after awhile... i was way more excited than he was. When we landed I safley found my luggage and Khris found his. It was an easy task to find my family and Josh who were waiting on the other side. Khris came with us to eat before his next flight. We brought him to Fudruckers for his first American food experience. He couldn't pronounce it that well but he laughed a lot and you could tell he was very excited. So now i am back in Upsala praying for direction and finances to become clear. Feel free to put in a word for me if you think of it.
Should i keep writing on here about what happens with my partnership with VFV and my organization? Or will nobody read it anymore?

my last few days(i know a couple... let me say FEW)

Before I left home to come here I remember being excited because the place I would be staying had electricity and running water. Looking back over my 2 months I realize that the running water was turned off many times and the electricity went out at least once everyday for a significant amount of time… but I guess what matters is that it existed. I put in perspective with my showerhead… at least I have one to look at. J People teased me about my headlamp at first but now they are all wishing they would have one. My room doesn’t have any windows so when the electricity goes out it is deadly hot, full of mice, cockroaches and darkness. Until I put my headlamp on. Glorious. There was a massive downpour all day again yesterday and everything flooded once again. It is amazing how fast the weather can change. I didn’t bring my umbrella with me because it was very hot and clear skies in the morning. I was getting too proud to think that I could judge the weather by now. Needless to say I was soaking wet by the time I got home. Tonight is my Despiteda( going away party). One of the staff of VFV who I have become very close with is going out of town for two nights so we moved my party so she could attend. It was important to both of us. Apparently I get to share my going away party with the French volunteer. I feel their mindset behind that went something like this… “Hey. We should have Toni and Donon’s party together since she doesn’t drink at all and he is an alcoholic. That way we will spend the normal amount on alcohol.” Just kidding… but he does drink A LOT! He is a good guy. I have also found that I am eating WAY more banana’s than mangos lately… if you know what I mean. In my process of preparing myself mentally for heading home have made a couple lists:

Things I am ready to go home for:

Fresh air

Lack of Cockroaches

See Jackson and hear him talk!

Things I can live without but am ready to have again:

My family and friends (JK that should go in my first list.)

Snow

Cheese

Ice cream

Broccoli

Driving

A comfortable pillow

Unlimited access to real chocolate

Being able to Chanda anytime I think it is necessary.

Reasons I will come back:

I have fallen in love with the kids here.

The oppression needs to end ASAP within the Deaf culture

The relationships with many of the Filipinos here have changed who I am put a new perspective on many things.

I like to “shower” with a bucket and freezing cold water… it really wakes you up. I don’t drink coffee in the morning anymore!

I want to bring my friends to experience this!

This is going to be my last post until I get home. I will try to write as soon as I can to let you know about my time in Manila as well as the flight. I will wait to post more pictures until I get back. It will be easier to go through them all. LOVE~

the weather is changing.

So last night there was a big party because four of the volunteers are leaving today. Two of which i have gotten really close to. Audrey and Shannon are both leaving today. It really hit me this afternoon and i cried a lot. I know i have five days left but it still really hard for me to realize that I will have to leave these kids. Last night all the volunteers went to a local bar to hang out one last time and about an hour later the earth began to shake. it was really intense. I had not drank anything So i knew that it was not just me... everyone grasped the table or their drink and went silent. It lasted a couple minutes and was really scary. I guess i wasn't' scared i was just nervous. It was an earth quake. I have never experienced anything like that before! The foundation below me was MOVING! After it passed the swedish girls were a little in panic but i started laughing and thought it was awesome. One of them was in Thialand during the bad Tsunami so i can see why she was worried though. But it was a neat experience. Then on the way home there were flashes in the sky... i havn't seen that since being here. Today it was SOOO hot again... But it poured down rain for like 2 hours this afternoon and i didn't have my umbrella. So i ended up being soaking wet. The weather is strange.. but i know that is all part of living on an island. I am just sad that i have to leave the island.... really sad actually... extremely sad.

God is doing some great things.

I was able to meet with Troy (the founder of VFV.. volunteer for the Visayans) And explain to him all that is happening here with the Deaf and the organization i am starting. Patrick and his sister came to the meal as well. Patricks sister works for another volunteer company called GoAbroad which is owned by Troy's friend but they are partners with that company. Anyway.. Vanessa(patricks sister) has been telling me about a conference in Washington D.C. that is coming up for all the different places around the world who help with setting up Volunteers. I really wanted to go and do some networking there for the Deaf here and EARN. But i knew it wasn't possible financially. I have been praying about if I should go to this conference or not. I didn't even bring it up to Troy when I was explaining to him my ideas for getting this all set up. He was really down to earth and helped bring me back to reality with a few of the things i was suggesting. He has been working in peru and the Philippines for over 20 years now and he know a lot about the government and how to get around it. His advise was very helpful as well as encouraging to me and Patrick. Troy mentioned the conference but i told him i have been thinking about it and i am sure that I will not be able to attend becuase it is too expensive and too close to my return home in order for me to earn enough money again. He told me he would pay for my plane ticket and the hotel. I would be staying with Vanessa when she goes. I started crying a little bit and told him that would be amazing. I also offered to pay for half of my plane ticket but he refused. he said he wanted to pay for the plane ticket and my hotel. All i need to pay for is the food and conference fee. My conference fee will also be reduced if I volunteer during it for at least 10 hours during the week. I want to volunteer as well as do my own promoting because then i will be able to meet many other people and develop more relatinoships with people around the world. I know that this is a huge step but everything is SO clear and i know that God is using me to do some huget hings. I am very honored to be in the position i am in right now. Somtimes it gets a little stressful but I know that this is not my work..

Today i visted the McCarther Beach landing. It was very intense. But amazing to read the history as well. It hasn't rained for three days now. It was VERY hot the past two days. I have a pretty nice heat rash that everyone is worried about when they see me. I am reassuring them it is from the heat and not from something have eaten or been bitten by. :) Don't worry mom.. i know that is what it is from. This morning we visited the Dump Site. It was horrible. I didn't think it was going to be that bad. four of us road in a bulldozer as the man pushed the garbage all along. There were many children picking through the nasty and trying to find somthing. I am not even sure what they would be able to salvage from THAT. it was disgusting. I have never smelled something so horrible in all my life. I have a pretty strong stomach.. but i ended up throwing up. I couldn't handle it. I was very surprised with myself... but yes.. I vomited into the nasty.. only adding to the wonderful smells during the ride. I guess it smelled a lot worse than it ever has when they take volunteers only becuase it has been raining for a month and now it has been like 100 degrees for two days. there were a lot of flies, mosquitos and other nasty things that flew around. UH>>. just talking about it makes me want to throw up again. I took a lot of pictures but when i look at them right now i can smell it again. so i will have to show them when i return.
so my next step is to put together a brochure and DVD to hand out to promote EARN and the Deaf here in the Philippines.
can't wait to see you all. I can hardly believe i will be back in a week. The Deaf kids here get really sad and tell me they are already depressed that i am going to be leaving. I feel like it just makes it that much harder to leave. But I know i must go home and continue what i need to there while raising funds to return with the plans to bulid up the organiztion.
oh... the conference is May 25-30th. :)