Rock on, Bon Jovi.

So this post will be a little disjointed, as much time has passed since the last. I settled in nicely to Moalboal, only to have to return to Cebu 10 days later to extend my tourist visa before it expired. This Wednesday, I will have been in the Philippines for one month. It has been a big adjustment. Bridget and I have had many conversations about race- a topic neither of us have really thought about at length before coming here. I guess since race factors so little in my daily thought process at home it's such a shock to have it be such an issue here. Although, people here are very uh, pro white? But it's still very weird. Especially since people stare at me where ever I go. Which sometimes I think I can get used to, but then things like me tripping and falling happen when 20ish people were already staring at me before I went down. Niiice.

But, back to Moalboal. Had a great 10 days, got some work done. Made friends. Met this really great American couple, but they were only on vacation for a week. Too bad. Trista and I got along very well, and I think I will miss her for the rest of the trip. On our last night in Moalboal together, Rick cooked us a GIANT crab and we at dinner together, Filipino-style. Then Trista, Patrick and I caught the bus to Cebu. I went to the office and they caught a plane.



Cebu was more enjoyable this time around. The office has more people, as a bunch of the staff has come in from the field. So, there is a younger crowd and a bit more energy. I made a friend while getting my nails done ($2 manicure, and I needed it. My nails grow so quickly here they were too long! I've never had that problem before...) and we went out. The place we went to had two live bands that were really good. They sang American covers of all kinds of different songs, and had the voices down perfectly for them all! It was really incredible. The second band did a set of Bon Jovi. Which is the second time in Asia I have seen a Bon Jovi cover band. An odd coincidence- especially since I don't think I'd ever go to a Bon Jovi concert. But, just like last time, it was really fun. And the crowd gets so pumped up. SE Asia is so weird sometimes! Here's a picture from that night. Bridget, in red, is my friend from school and Nalla (pronounced Nalia) is our new friend from Cebu. I am very excited- as it's hard to meet girls here, they don't go out much. It's a cultural thing, I guess. Who's the guy in the picture? Good question. He just kinda jumped in at the last minute. It happens here more than you would expect.



Last few thoughts for today: Went snorkeling. It was AWESOME. Best snorkeling I've ever done, which is saying a lot. Until I got stung by a jellyfish. It was the MOST gorgeously sunny day today, the only downside being that the internet told me it felt like 105F in Moalboal and I believed it. Got one interview done earlier this week and it went pretty well. Spent a good chunk of time transcribing it so I am feeling pretty productive. Have a lot of work ahead of me for the next week. Hope everything is great for everyone back home. Love, Jenn