momma

my mom was here visiting last week, and even though the weather was cloudy and miserable (no lying on the beach or island-hopping, sigh), we had a wonderful time. i was so grateful that she was able to come out (albeit sad that my dad couldn't come as well). it just means so much to be able to share all these experiences and places with people back home – i can write in here, post pictures, and talk about it, but ... it doesn't even begin to compare to having someone actually here. there is something much more intimate about having her meet all these people, see all these places, and maybe get an idea of what life here is actually like.

i hope she had as good a time being here as i did showing her around.

and she definitely got a good picture of what life here is like – planting mangroves, facing frustration with the agri office, awkwardness of meeting people, "what's your name?", "where are you going?", having buko, boat trips, big waves, hanging out at the deli, san miguel, having happy hour out in the rest house, trying halo-halo, lots of food, jeepneys, visiting schools, wandering through romblon, tricycles, mosquito nets, rain, parties, meeting volunteers, the cacophony of noise in the mornings, and so on.



[planting mangroves with scott]


[at the deli]


it was good for me to have her here. one of the problems for me is that i have come to actually care a great deal about this place, but that all the continuous frustrations and challenges were starting to really eat away at me. the week before she came i was in one of those "i just can't handle this anymore" and then the first morning she woke up here (she was sharing my room with me), to the chorus of roosters, barking dogs, squealing pigs, and just general noise in my house, she said, "think of it as a symphony" and we both lay there giggling.