Because I Have To

I've been telling myself I would blog when I could post some pics from last weeks Clinic Anniversary party. But I feel like it's been too long since I last said anything. And how lame is this, I'm blogging about blogging because I feel like I have to blog.
Well today was my very last Cebuano class. From this point on I'm winging it, and not giving too much time into learning more and more. I've reached a level of fluency at the clinic (read very, very not fluent!), that I feel proud of, considering I've only been speaking the language 3 months. And I hope I get better just by being here and using the language and asking questions. But I have decided that my weekly time of studying grammar and sentence composition is done! And that's a little relieving. I enjoy gaining the language, but man, the whole language learning thing is tough!
I got a very exciting email today, my friend Sonya, who visited me in Manila this spring, is coming back to the Phils in 2 weeks. And lucky me, we'll get to have a couple days to re-catch up, and do some touristy things. I'm excited to see her, maybe we'll even have a couple small adventures!
I'm hoping that tomorrow I can post a few pics from last weeks party. So, be on the alert!
For now, goodbye.

Normal?

My eyes are squinting as I try to run through all my online activities quickly, the computers in this internet cafe are prehistoric, and that manages to steal some of the joy from emailing and posting!
The last week has been very normal, certainly nothing out of the ordinary, what does a person write about when life is normal? I don't know, so in the name of News, I will give you these little tidbits...

• We celebrated the 8th of July last Sunday (basically we were late), and I enjoyed it with Filipinos, Americans and one fellow Canadian. In the midst of a whole lot of Red, White and Blue, I frosted one cookie with a Canadian flag, and us Canucks shared it.
• I am working my brain harder than usual (ha) with my recently acquired addiction to Sudoku, the ever-present midwifery studies and my new Cebuano efforts. I'll either come back without brain activity or as a genius.
• After wondering where my kitty had gone to for so many hours, I finally tracked a small mewing from my closet, where I had unknowingly locked her for hours. Ooops.
• I am becoming very comfortable in the killing of cockroaches, last night I was talking with a patient when I noticed a roach on the wall beside us, without any hesitation I lifted my flip flop and did away with him, all in a days work you know.
• I bought a new hot pink pot and pan this week, seriously mahal kaayo! But at least now all my food isn't black and rusty!
• I loved Church yesterday, I'm usually attending the Vineyard here, which is located in a really needy part of town and all around the congregation you can point out Glory Reborn midwives, nurses, our cook or security guard and past patients and their babies. Everyone is so friendly, which is a very Filipino trait, but they are even more than friendly, if I could remember that many names and faces I would now know the whole church!
• I am discovering the great complexity of Cebuano, I was foolish to think I would ever understand this! I mean, I know I will, but this morning's lesson in Actor Topic Verb forms, was enough to overwhelm me for this week! I get so flustered in class, our teacher will ask a question and I'm left flipping pages, "That was on...No, Wait...Ok that one and..., Umm..."

Perhaps this week will become less normal and I will be able to find pictures and stories to share with you. Have a good week!

Cebuano It Is

Today I began official Cebuano lessons. I've signed up for tutoring with a new friend Jen who is just starting to study midwifery here at Glory Reborn. While I've been picking up a lot from the girls at the clinic I really want to vamp up my efforts, and after todays session I guess we're full speed ahead!
Seriously I don't even know what a "predicate" is in English, they don't teach you that kind of stuff in school! So wish me luck as I test out my new sentence building skills.
Daghang Salamat!