Least Favorite Roommate

So. One morning, I woke up and this spider was in my room. I thought that I would share the picture with you. I hid on my bed, only brave enough to take a picture using the full extent of my zoom, and called a friend to come kill it for me. I have had some interesting critters decide they want to bunk with me. My favorites are the geckos. This spider was definitely at the bottom of the list. My friend says that they are just house spiders, but I personally feel like there is nothing about that spider that belongs in a house.

The interview has progressed a bit. I have now completed three interviews. I had hoped to be a bit farther along by now, but I have had some problems hearing back from people, and several individuals I wanted to interview last week went out of town. With my free time, I have been a bit of a tourist. I got a massage and went diving, and went out at night with a new crew that's in town for the week: two Danish guys and an Austrailian. They were lots of fun! They are probably headed to the city now, as Moalboal was there last stop before heading home from the Philippines. Here's some pictures of our dive trip.

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

Moalboal: This is More Like it!

Hello. Thursday night, I moved to Moalboal. My thesis adviser, Patrick, and Bridget came down with me for a night to go diving. Moalboal (pronounced Mo-Al-Bo-Al) reminds me much more of my previous adventures in Southeast Asia. It's nice to be out of the city and the scenery is very pretty. The three of us stayed at a very pretty resort over in White Beach, the more upscale tourist part of Moalboal. It was so gorgeous! We went for an evening dive as soon as we got in. There was a humongous school of sardines. They moved as a group, and the late afternoon light reflected off their sides like disco lights. It was very cool.



The next day, I moved over to Panagsama (harder to say: Pa-Nag-Sama) I got the hook-up price-wise in terms of my accommodations. Moalboal is pricy in terms of Philippines accommodations, and my lodgings are really cheap. Plus, I have a private bath and aircon. The biggest problem with my room is there is about a two inch gap between the door and the floor. Currently, I am sharing my room with a cockroach that is just too big to smush. So I am trying to ignore him. But, my place has free wifi for guests, which is very handy for working. Wish coverage extended to my room, but I guess you can't have everything. Panagsama is not as postcard-perfect as White Beach, but it has its moments. I have made a couple friends, and Saturday night we went to the disco. It only happens once a week, and is the biggest weekly social event of three neighboring villages! It was very fun, lots of dancing.

Pictures From Cebu City

Bridget at our guest house, Myra's Pensionne. Possibly my favorite part of living in Cebu!



The Ayala Mall. Our other home. :)