It's strange to say that, but in a way, it almost feels like I've been here forever instead of just one week. I am still making adjustments, but for the most part I am settled. I am fully moved into my dorm, I am starting to know how to get around, and I have met all of my fellow students. The last two weeks have been such a blessed and relaxing time. First I had orientation in Portland, which was mostly getting to know my fellow students, and that was like a beautiful calm before the storm. We had a very long 38 hours of traveling to get here, and once we arrived we met lots of people and were given lots of information. Now that we have been here a week, we will be starting classes tomorrow and some work in the clinic next week! I am SO thankful for the lovely time we had getting to know each other and relax the last few weeks, but I am definitely ready to get to work!
Sometimes it almost feels like a fantasy to actually be here, hanging out with all my new friends, seeing all the sites I have imagined seeing for so long, and starting to do what I have been praying for and dreaming of for years now. There are most assuredly some things that I am going to have to adjust to, but I am really loving life here!
My favorite things so far have been:
- Riding on a Trycie. These are one of the main modes of transportation around here, and they are so much fun! They are just like little golf carts pulled alongside a motorcycle. (if you google search the word trycie with Phillipines you can find a lot of pictures of them!) I love how open air most things are around here; it makes you feel a little more "connected" with your environment.
- Spending an evening playing cards in our "yard" with some of my fellow dorm-mates. (I say "yard because we live in a second story apartment so our yard is just actually a porch where we hang our clothes.)
- Going to a new island for orientation the past few days. We stayed on the island for one night, and had an amazing time! We got to swim at the beach, watch fires shows, try lots of new (and yummy!) food, and get lots of information in our orientation sessions.
The heat here is definitely one of the hardest adjustments for me. As someone who strongly dislikes humidity -and really any temperature over 75 degrees - this first week I has involved a lot of acclimation. Even with the heat, I still love it here. I just look at it as a challenge to overcome (or at least learn to accept!)
And now, what I know many of you have been waiting for. Pictures!
All of my Classmates!
Having fun and staying cool in Portland.
The view from our "porch"
our porch! Laundry is quite different here, as the washing is about a 4 step process and then we hang everything to dry!
My room :)
Our living room
The "common area" with our dining table, and everyones' desks.
The kitchen
The Island we stayed at the past few days :)
The rest of these photos were taken with my under-water camera so I do apologize for the quality :)
Feeding the fish bread with my toes :)
~Rebekah
