a request

so it is friday and another week has come to an end. i feel i am doing well on my work at CFSI which i am thankful. of course there are those moments when i feel like i may be over my head but i am assuming that is normal and i am learning what it means to be a professional social worker in this type of role. good stuff, good stuff.

i had a request to share a bit about my living situation. apartment, roommates, neighborhood, etc. so i will fulfill that request and share with all who are interested.

so i mentioned quite a few blogs ago that i am living in an apartment building, josefa apartments, in malate, manila. first of all if you google josepha apartments you will discover that there was some terrorist plots uncovered there in 1995. i have been reassure that is no longer the case (but it makes for an interesting story). the building is not fancy by any means but the receptionist and doorman are warm and always have a smile. they both giggle when i attempt to speak tagala but are kind enough to respond back. the building is located on a main artery into the city. needless to say, there is quite a lot of road noise. between the honking, sirens, people yelling, cats "fighting" it is a mystery that we are able to sleep. well i guess considering i am exhausted EVERY night by the time my head touches the pillow i am out it is not much of a mystery in the fact that i can sleep.

the neighborhood is malate and would be comparable to say the adams morgan area of dc with all the night life- bars, restaurants, karaoke, what have you. however it is not in the ritzy part of town at all. directly outside of the apartment building are men, women and children who live on the street. it is a sad reality yet they are always smiling. (lessons to be learned) i think since i have been here i have seen maybe 2 other non-filipino people on the streets so we are known even if it is with the greeting of, "hey joe".

if you haven't figured it out there are 3 other students from catholic who i live, travel and work with. i share a room with my friend jen. i am thankful on a daily basis for her ear, patience and presence in this experience. the other 2, stephen and fatoumata, share the other room. the apartment is not spacious by any means but it gets the job done. after living in a closet for the past 9 months ANYTHING is the penthouse. i am sure there have been times and there will be times when we get on each other's nerves but currently relations in the apartment have been great.

so that is my living situation. i know riveting, eh?

tonight we leave for banaue which is the jumping off point of hiking and experiencing the sacred rice paddies. i am told it is magical and i do not doubt it. it is a 9 hour bus ride but i am excited. i hope all is well in you world and until next time...

blessings.