home is where the heart is

Things just got real!  After a 30 minute flight to the town of Naga, my counterpart and I were met by the Mayors’ driver and we took the 90 minute trip to Lagonoy.  Actually, the flight was a welcomed mistake made by a member of Peace Corps staff.  I was supposed to take a bus (apparently a 10 hour affair), but somehow I ended up with a plane ticket!  That was the good news.  The bad news was that because the flight was on such a tiny plane, there was a weight limit that forced me to part with one of my three large bags.  Since one of the members of the group drove up from Lagonoy, he thankfully agreed to bring it to me.  Hopefully, I will see him and my bag tomorrow!

About my living space.  Its one enclosed room with a bed and a table and three chairs. I have a sink, a shower that dribbles water and toilet as well.  Very limited water pressure, no hot water.  Outside my door is a counter with a hot plate and a sink.  I have an outdoor kitchen!  Also, there is a large sitting space with 4 comfy chairs.  All of this is covered by a tin roof but is otherwise open to the elements.  Halfwalls made of cut bamboo enclose me for privacy.  There is a secure gate that leads to the road and then another brick wall.  No fridge but guess what?!  Air Con in the bedroom!!  'Thank you, God', as Jean would say!

So, after unpacking, Carlos and I traveled by jeepny to the nearby town of Gao so that I could purchase some food and cooking utensils. this is what I bought:

1 pan

2 forks

2 spoons

one coffee cup

one large spoon for cooking

one small kettle for boiling water

one small pot with lid

dish soap and clothes soap

As for food, I purchased oatmeal, a can of tuna, a can of mackerel, a can of corned beef, dried beans, rice, sugar, salt, hot sauce, soy sauce, spaghetti and sauce to go with it, garlic and bananas too.  Oh, and I bought some ramon too, oh, and powered milk!  For my first home cooked meal, I made oatmeal with bananas!  Yum!  Im going to have to get a bowl tomorrow, too….  and a bucket.  I see many a bucket bath in my future!

Tomorrow, being Friday is my first day on the new job.  I have pasalubong ready for my workmates, so that I will make a good impression.  Pasalubong is a filipino custom that amounts to small gift giving whenever you meet someone new.  We were coached in Manila to buy chocolate…. lots of it… and of course, I brought gifts from the USA that I will eventually share as well.

So, thats that…  Im a bit lonely at the moment.  No internet connection, no tv, no one to talk to.  I'm typing this will the hopeful intention on finding a WiFi somewhere in town in the near future!  Things will be better tomorrow as I meet new friends all over again!  I did a bit of walking on my own through the town and of course EVERYONE looked at me like I had two heads… but it was fun in a way.  Four school aged kids started walking behind me and before I knew it they were giggling and laughing and calling to me, “hello daddy!  hello mister daddy!  Where are you going?”  So we talked and laughed and then I switched off down another side street.  And so my life in Lagonoy begins.