I MISS WOW

I am beginning to be majorly stressed out because of school. I have one day off a week. It's absolutely insane. You would think that it's illegal. Well, its not here. And to think even my bowling is becoming stressful. Basically, we have given up on trying to get a faster internet. I might go to the mall today to at least get dial up. Not much use for WoW or skype. I am thinking about writing a letter to the Senator =) Surprisingly, all of my teachers are extremely political and out spoken. I never really hear anyone here give an opinion until I came here.
They tried to get me to run for Governor (President) of the Nursing School for my year, but I am so stressed out I dont think I can handle it. I did manage to join Green Peace =) I am the auditor for my Healthcare class (Gee, I wonder why...) The only thing that I managed to do was go to the hairdresser, and that's only because I have one at my school.
I have been crying for a couple of days because of terrible news about my dog. It hasn't been a pleasant couple of weeks. SO far, the only good thing is that I am making a few friends.
I was thinking about asking one of the internet cafe's here if I could put my game on one of their computers, but all the comps here are only 256k in RAM =( I need at least 1G. I dont know what to do =(

The Beginning of Real Nursing

I finally met my real instructers for my healthcare lab. They seem to be no nonsense type of people, but yet they still try and make the students feel comfortable. They asked us what the real reason why the students are taking up nursing. Most of the responses were that their parents or grandparents had chosen it for them. It sounded a little sad, because in nursing you need the heart to be able to help people. I guess they will come to learn to love the profession. I did meet a new friend today. Her name is Gladys, and she was very friendly. Always talking to me, which is more than most people that I have met here. Most likely, we will have the next 2 years together, and hopefully I can be comfortable enough with her as my...bath partner (only other nursing students will know that I mean that in the most unsexual way). I don't need to go into any details. I will have to see how things go, because for all I know I might make friends with someone else. Quite possibly find a best friend somewhere. I hope so. Friends can be so hard to come by. Unfortunately, she is not in my lecture class, so maybe I might have to find someone else. By the stroke of luck, Gladys ended up in the same group as I am so that's a good sign. As I said yesterday, I keep making friends and end up getting a new seat assignment. I do like this school a lot better than my last one. They are more mature here, and for the first time people are silent when the teacher is talking. I am really not looking forward to "recitations" ( last time I did a recitation was in the 5th grade) but I guess I should be fine. I am not as good as memorizing things as the good Filipinos here. I barely memorized the Apostle's Creed. Good thing that most of the time, its displayed on the wall for me to recite.
Well, I was told yesterday that they line to our house for Viacom is too long, but not all hope is lost. I told them that I am willing to pay for them to put the line in. Maybe that's what stopping the internet companies here from coming down. I do know that we used to have cable (we plugged in the tv and it worked, but then it was shut off) so it should not be a problem. I feel bad because Michele (our live in helper) has really not much to do. I found her yesterday very upset. I dont know if she was upset because she fell asleep and did not here us knocking on the door, or if its her family. I just know that I can only do so much. I just feel so bad for her. She is so far away from her family, and I know how she feels. But at least I have Joaquin when I left. She has no one, and we can barely communicate with her. I did purchase another English-Tagalog dictionary to try to help me, but I really need to find a tutor. I might post on Baguio online again.

Today is a new day

I am surrounded at the moment with people all playing Warcraft 3. I am extremely jealous. I tried the game, and I like it, but it is nothing compared to WoW. I might join their game but kinda afraid to. These people seem too serious =) Today was a little different. I tried something new to turn my situation around. I decided that in every class that I go to, I am going to introduce myself to someone new. Usually, I have been picking the person next to me, but that is proving to be a failing situation because now my instructors are becoming inclined to move the class around =( Right when I find someone interested in me, I have to move. Its ok, because I will just say hi to them again at next class.
I dont know why this ALWAYS happens to me, but I have been made leader of my zoology lab. Well, now that I think about it, it cant be that bad. This is my first step to be a vet and this way I have more control of what my grade is. As we speak, I am researching compound microscopes. So far, my first teacher spoke only in English (happens to be physics, and I dont know how they can teach physics in tagalog). My zoology lab was taught in tagalog, but I spoke with the teacher and he seems fine with talking in English. Actually, he was quite apologetic for not speaking it in the first place. I am hoping that I may use a locker here because all my classes so far require me to bring my book, and I dont think the little bag I purchased can handle it all. I dont think Joaquin will be too happy with me purchasing yet another bag. Viacom should be surveying the house right now, cross your fingers =)

New School Jitters

Maybe I am interpreting this wrong, but I think the last day of our exams is Oct. 2. I am not sure though. Check out the website and tell me what you think www.ubagio.edu/facilities/facilityview/aspx
Well, so far, my first day is not looking so promising. We were late for school because the jeep was 15 min late. But it wasn't too bad for me, because the teacher wasn't there by the time I got there. I did my usual, and told my teacher when he arrived that I did not understand tagolog. He gave me a hard time about it, and announced to the class that if we do not know the language, we need to know or we can't do our duty. I don't know why he put me on the spot like that. And we found out the hard way that I am the only person in the class (supposedly I am going to be with the same students for the next 3 years) who does not speak the language. The class is supposed to be broken up into 3 groups because it is too large. I am sure people are praying that they dont get me in their class. I dont really care, actually, if I get discriminated against. I know I am not the only person in this entire school that only knows English (Joaquin excluded). It is scaring me a little because the teacher said that I better learn, especially Illocano because I won't be able to communicate with the patients. What are the chances I can do my duty in the States?
They gave me a break for a couple of hours so they can figure out what our new schedule is like. I can cross my fingers and hope they have my class start at 930 instead of 730. But with my luck, it will be at 730-830, then I will have nothing to do for 2 hours =(
My next class is at 1030 (physics lab) and hopefully it will go better. Maybe I shouldn't tell the teacher that I don't understand a word that they are saying. Then they won't look at me like such an idiot. You see, they don't mind Joaquin not understanding. He looks the part. But they look at me like Im supposed to know better. Maybe I should know better, but I have been living in an English speaking country for 22 years. You would think they would cut me some slack. And everyone was scared to speak to me, all cowering when I came close. I understand that they are shy, but why do they have to make me feel like a leper. Granted, I walked in dripping sweat, but that should give no reason for them to think I was some 50ft woman. This is a more mature class aswell. No one was younger than 17.
I never used to hate the first day of school until I moved here. I couldn't sleep all night because I had the new school excitement. But I didnt expect the unwelcome stares from the people here. At least in my last school, people were curious as to what I was all about. Here, people looked at me like I had an arm growing out of my head. And now, I am scared to death to do my duties here because no one is going to have ANY idea what the hell I am talking about.
The water keeps coming in and out. When i go home, I have to call a plumber. Maybe they can fix it. But it sucks not knowing when the next time you can take a shower. Whenever I see water, I am going to take a shower regardless if I took one earlier.
Hopefully, this Viacom thing goes well. It comes with free cable (meaning, im not allowed to have any other cable). So, we went to the cable company that we had a contract with, and told them the surveyers said we were too far (for once it worked to our advantage), which is what they told us. I had called Viacom, the engineer department, and they told me they already had a line down where we live. As I said in my last blog, all I can do is pray that nothing else will go wrong.

Frustrated again

Our water ran out twice in the past 4 days...Ugh. So yesterday, I flipped out. I also fell down the stairs. I thought that the only thing I hurt was my pride, but I think my thumb is sprained. Guess I should invest in an ace bandage. Ok, so my high speed internet thingy fell through. They are claiming yet again that our area is too far and we are unable to get it. Fortunately, I called a place today called Viacom and they said that they service my area for broadband. I know that I have cable so it should be able to work. All I know is that I cant stop praying. Then, as we went upstairs, we noticed that the water was filling again. One of our pipes was broken so that is why we were running out of water fast. I thought it was the maid using up too much water washing our clothes (hence me falling down the stairs). I was so frustrated this morning that I wanted to cry, but things are looking up...I think. I can't get my hopes up, we all know what happens when we do that. Ok, I cant type much more, my thumb is killing me. Oh, by the way, for those who are interested, I think it would be a good idea if we got an owner =-)

PS, since we got the maid, the scorpions seem to have vanished =)

Hopefully WoW is not history!

I dont have much time. I have to go back to my stupid social orientation at school. I know love myself so much its ridiculous. Anyway, as we speak, High Speed Wireless should be coming to the house to see if we can get highspeed. Cross your fingers, and I will play WoW as soon as I can =)

Waiting for the movies

Well, the pics never came out. I am hoping that we are able to get wireless internet, so that I can add them in. We are waiting at a local internet cafe before we see a movie (this time it's the Omen) and I figured I should write in my blog. Even though I am almost positive no one is reading my blog because I never get any comments...
We got a live in maid recently, and she is a nice girl. We are sending her to school so that she may get something out of working for us. She just makes sure our clothes are done, house is clean and food is cooked. We also broke down and finally bought a TV. We got a great deal because it was from a Japanese surplus store, and all of their TVs are 110v (the philippines is 220v). Luckily, our new apartment is completely wired with 110v =)
We start school on Monday, and I am sad to say I am a little excited. We didnt expect our enrollment to go by so smoothly so we could have stayed in the states for an extra couple of weeks. So we've been mainly kicking back and relaxing.
Joaquin and I are on this major weird diet (since I cant work out anymore). We eat normal one day, then the next we eat less than 1000calories. Sounds weird but I think it's working...for Joaquin. I am doing exactly what he is doing but I look the same. I still dont eat meat, only seafood, and that has also been working for me. I feel a little healthier.
I miss my family a lot, especially my dad. I haven't really talked to him much, but I still miss him more than ever. I wish that people could come visit here. It would be nice. We always go home and run around all over the place. I would like to show people what we really do here...which is next to nothing. We live in a much more livable climate, and the people are real nice here. I get things done around here, instead of expecting to get hustled all he time.
Ok, the movie should be starting soon. We go to the movies a lot because it only costs us about a $1.50 =P If we get the wireless, I promise to edit my last blog and put pics in.

Pics...I think

Last night, we had several scares just before we went to bed. First, Joaquin found an almost dead baby scorpion on our bathroom floor. I have no idea where it came from but I know that they have quite a sting and are poisonous. In some animals, the babies are more poisonous than the adults, because they are more vulnerable to predators. I never studied the insect variety, so I am not that knowledgeable about the subject. All I know is that I don’t need a scorpion in our house. So now we have to make it a point to shake our shoes out before we slip our feet into them or we might get an unpleasant surprise. Also, we have to check inside our sheets. Its bad enough we found a wolf spider in our room the other day and that freaked me out. I am about to grab a bunch of geckos outside and place them in the house as permanent residents.
Then, as we were watching a movie on my portable DVD player (yes, we still have no TV for all you non believers), “Life without Dick” I felt something crawling on my hand. Sure enough, it was a roach. Not huge, but still scared the daylights out of me especially after we just saw the scorpion. Joaquin thoroughly killed it (and I have no remorse over it) but all night I was jumpy. I had to tuck the sheets all over my body, and I couldn’t sleep. I can tolerate most bugs, but 2 poisonous ones and one crawling on me is enough for one week. I have to literally run to the bathroom at night =(
Anyhoo, I am finally writing my blog ahead of time so here are some pics from our trip back from the states:

We went to New Mexico just before we went home. We had a great time. This is in Taos. I love this pic of Pam, she is so cute!
What’s up with the two kids and the shovels? This is not the beach!



Same place in Taos, New Mexico. It’s of the pueblos…


Doesn’t the sun’s ray make me look like an angel? If you knew me, you would know the truth.


This is my favorite picture. You think that it’s boring, just picture of Kate standing on a ledge, but little does anyone know dirt was blowing in her face…





So, I did what any good sister would do…I zoomed in lol


IF LOOKS COULD KILL…


This was the day that we went back home…on Joaquin’s Birthday (we wont mention how old ugh!)

I had way more from before we went to New Mexico, but these pics are post new camera. I still have to upload the pics from pre new camera. So, for next time, I will have more for you =)