This must begin with the recognition that Emily turned 23 on February 3rd! “Unfortunately” we weren’t able to post anything on here due to being in a little village on the ocean in the Philippines where they don’t have many places to get connected to the internet. Also our first Valentine’s Day passed as a married couple without a post due to us spending the day on a deserted, picturesque beach in the Blissippines.

We really did have a great vacation. The first few weeks of winter break weren’t so hot for me. It rained pretty much everyday here in Taiwan and I just hung out at the house and watched movies and tv. The Philippines made up for it though and the combination of the warm sunny weather, scuba diving, meeting new and interesting people, and enjoying adventure were just right! It was really interesting to see the Philippine culture compared to Taiwan because even though the Philippines are part of Asia it, at least to me, mixes in a lot from Latin, South Pacific Island, and American cultures with its own indigenous culture. Lots of signs have English, or Spanish along with the local languages of Tagalog and Cebuan.

I loved being able to wear shorts and sandals for a change. The weather was so different from what I’m used to. In the evening I could put on something warmer if I wanted and I wouldn’t be hot but if I didn’t I wouldn’t get cold….weird I know but perfect don’t you think.

I do have to say those who have difficulty bargaining should either learn how or not visit the Philippines. As westerners we had to make sure the taxi drivers turned on their meters and tell them to do so if they didn’t or threaten to get out. If we wouldn’t have they get you to your destination and then tell you the price is way way way more than it really is. A lot of them had their meters in little glove compartments so that you couldn’t see them unless you asked about it. Same story with street vendors to buy little trinkets and stuff.

Everyone who has something to sell approaches you too. Not just once either. If you refuse the first time and walk back down the street 5 minutes later they’d try to make the sell again. They’d ask you where you were staying so that they could swing by with “a better selection to pick from.” Sometimes I would get annoyed with how determined and persistent they were but on the whole they were very sweet about it and besides being whiny (only a few of the women vendors actually) they were very gracious. I only remember children in Cebu City begging too. Everyone else tried to sell us something but never asked for money without selling us something in return.

I’ll probably think of more things to talk about regarding the Philippines but thats it for right now.

In other news school started up last week. This semester I’ve got about 28 hours of class time a week. Calculus, Accounting, and Economics are all year-long courses so the teachers are the same and its getting harder. Calculus especially I think will be a fun one! Hopefully I’ll pass though and you all won’t have to listen to any more ‘oh me oh my’ about it anymore.

The Philippines!!!

We had a great 10-day vacation from rainy Taiwan. It was truly what the doctor ordered. For the first few days, we stayed in over-populated Cebu City, trying to see the sights and relax. It didn’t work very well. So, we rode the bus to a place Michael had read about, a seaside village, Moalboal. At Panagsma Beach Moalboal, we got a little room directly on the ocean, had a glass of mango juice, and heaved a sigh of relief. This was the place. We ended up staying there for the rest of our time. Everything was great! The scenery (think waves, coral and thatch roofs), people, food, experiences… it all mixed together and made something we won’t soon forget.

We learned how to scuba dive, so no tan – because we were underwater when it was sunny out… but as a result, we are now officially PADI-certified Open Water Scuba Divers. woo! We’re not sure it will do us much good in Michigan, that is unless anyone knows of a lake that actually has decent underwater visibility. Mainly it sounded like a heck of a lot of fun, something to overcome and have with us as an exploring option for the rest of our lives. It seems anyone can do it – we saw teenagers, older folks, skinny rails, fat guys, buff, weak, pretty, ugly. Scuba diving apparently does not discriminate. It was hard work at times, but so rewarding to see the underwater world for ourselves! We met some young travelers not unlike us, Tom and Sarah from Canada, who were great conversation and great fun. We dove together once when Tom had his underwater camera, so maybe you’ll eventually get to see what we saw… for now, envision a Discovery Channel special on tropical reefs and the incredible variety of species that make their home in brightly-colored corals, just a few feet under the blue-green, clear waters. I would say it was breath-taking, but you’re in trouble if you stop breathing underwater. It was mind-boggling and dreamlike.

I posted all the pictures from our trip on the Pictures page, and commented on everything. I tend to do much better with photojournalism. Maybe later I’ll tell some stories.

We’re glad to be back in Taiwan where everything is familiar. I was actually glad to hear Chinese upon my return, even if I can’t understand most of what they’re saying. Still, everything was just as we left it in our little apartment, dirty clothes and all. This really is our home!

Love to you all.

Emily