Saturday April 22, 2006

Myad nga gabi-i! (Good Evening!) I (Erin) have a quick story to share. Quite a few nights ago after a yummy dinner with our host family (which in itself is exciting, since they used to set a separate table for us in the dining room, while the family ate in the kitchen – something about respect for guests and Filipinos eating with their hands, I don’t know, but we’re very thankful that we all eat together now), anyway. . .after dinner, Scott and I were practicing sentences in Kinaray-a. One of the sentences I was saying involved the words mga tiki (translation = the lizards), no sooner were the words out of my mouth then TWO lizards landed on my head. Yes that’s right. Two fighting lizards fell from the ceiling onto my head at the dinner table. Very funny. One jumped right off, and everyone had a good laugh and thought that was it. Meanwhile I was still shaking and pointing at my host sister, as I could still feel one hiding in my hair. After perhaps the longest 10-15 seconds of my life she realized there was another one and brushed it off my head! Such is life here!

Speaking of random animals in the Philippines, Scott was stung by a sea urchin this week – ouch! If you ever get stung by a sea urchin, soak your foot in vinegar – it works miracles.

One more thing, this country is beautiful! If you are considering visiting sometime in the next two years, let me encourage you to do so. Words and pictures simply can not describe it. Amazing blue coastline, rugged mountains, and the cutest kids on the planet! You have to see it for yourself.

Salamat gid!