Monday, November 4, 2013

Week 1 in the Philippines (Aug. 5, 2013)

Hello!!!


   How is everyone? Happy p-day :) I'm finally here in the Philippines. We're in this little internet cafe thing right now in Iba.

   I'm serving in Masinloc at the moment. It's my first area. We're in the Santa Cruz zone.

   So. This week has been pretty crazy. Our flight to San Fran was delayed by an hour so we didn't get to hang out in Cali at all. They were very nice and held the plane for us. The flight to japan was really fun. Elder A, our travel leader, okayed Disney movies so I watched Lion king and Aladdin :) It was so nice to not think for a while. We only got to stay in the Tokyo Narita airport for an hour :/ and it wasn't the one that I thought we were going to stay in... Darn.

   The flight to manilla was really bumpy cuz we were in the back of the plane. But somehow we all slept through it. That was the only sleep I got the whole time. In Manilla we stayed in a hotel. We landed in Manilla at 9:30, got to our hotel at 10 and then we had to be ready to leave for the mission home at 3:30 in the morning. We slept for about 2 hours in the hotel.

   Needless to say, when I got to the mission home I was about ready to break down. I was so emotional! I've never been that emotional I think. our mission president and his wife are so nice. apparently our mission is the strictest in the Philippines so guess what? I'm wearing a dress right now. no jeans :( saddest thing I've ever heard. I'm gonna forget how to wear them.

   So when it was time to leave and go to our areas and I had to say goodbye to my sisters I was crying... Not fun. Everyone probably thought I was a bit baby.

   My kasama is Sister C. She's 4'9"! Ha! And she's never trained a foreigner before. She speaks very good english but she's always pushing me to speak Tagalog. Good thing too because I need all the pushing I can get. She's also learning a lot of patience from me.

   Our apartment was disgusting when we first got there. We're white washing here so Elders lived there last. We spent the first night cleaning. Good news though! We have an actual shower. I haven't had to shower out of a bucket :)

   The food here is really good too. Last night we had dinner at our neighbors house. They are the E's and they are an amazing family. Yes they are members. Sister E made spaghetti for us! Oh it was the best spaghetti I've ever eaten. reminded me of home.

   We've taught a lot of people. They are all so amazing. They live in the most humble circumstances but they are so happy. They are also really friendly and they think I look like a lifesize Barbie :P

   We stay out until 9 at night and by 8 i'm just exhausted. Every single night when we go to teach our last lesson, my eyes won't stay open. There have been a couple of times that I've actually fallen asleep for 30 seconds. It's really bad.

   We've ridden on every single form of transportation that we can. Jeepneys, trikes, and buses. And people always stare at me just cuz I'm so white. It's really funny.

   but I love it here. I really do. I love the people and the culture and I don't even notice the living conditions anymore. It's just what I'm gonna be in for the next 17 months.

   Sacrament meeting yesterday was fun. It's funny to hear the people try to sing. Yes they hold sacrament meeting in english and we sing english hymns. Hahaha these people can't really sing.... but it's nice of them to try :)

   My favorite part is when we walk around and they blast american music. Yesterday we were walking around and I hear What Makes You Beautiful. Oh it made me so happy :)

   Ok i think that's everything.

   I love you guys! Talk to you next week.
-Sister Hess

p.s. we only get mail and dear elders every 6 weeks :/ sad day. 

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