Postings.

Friday the 20th

At the Bureau of Immigration.

I woke up pretty early and headed to the Bureau of Immigration to pick up my I-Card. This is an identification card (ID) that Kelsey and I had to get because our stay is longer than 59 days (by 3 days). It was a quick in and out situation in which I just had to tell them my name and sign for it and I was the proud new owner of an I-Card! I was glad that it was a quick trip for sure!

I-Card!

I got home and Tilly and I decided to make the day an adventure and go to the island of Samal to find a waterfall we had heard about the week previous from our scuba instructor. We packed our bag and headed out, ready for a relaxing and exciting day. We took a jeepney to the wharf and waited for the ferry to take us across the bay. The boat ride was pretty quick and we hopped onto a motor to head up to the waterfall. It was Tilly's first ride on a motor and she hung on pretty tight! The island is so very different from where we live, so filled with jungle! There were banana trees, pineapple trees, and who knows what else as we wound up, down, and around a mountain or two. The houses were pretty spaced out, which was a welcome change to the city pace.

Motor ride! All three of us on this baby up the mountain!

The homes we saw were very similar to those that we have seen so far- either cement or woven bamboo for walls and either bamboo roofs or tin. Many yards had goats, dogs, or cats in them. We left the main road when we got close and drove on a narrow path to the entrance to the waterfall park. At the gate we were informed that because it had rained the night before and the water was murkey, admission would be half price. We were bummed about the murky water but happy for the half price! The man at the gate told us it would be about a 100meter hike to the falls and we set off. Hike it was! Down and then up again! It was pretty toasty while we were walking but pretty adventuresome. All of the foliage reminded me of the times we have gone to Pikes Peak in Prairie Du Chen. It made me feel a bit at home.
We ventured around near the falls and then hiked out of the valley to take a tricey back into town.

The hike

Overlooking the falls.

We walked through their market a bit and popped out at the shore. There we saw a low tide and some of the homes that are on the water. They are stilted and right on top of each other! They were pretty tiny and had tin roofs and walls. We also saw a dad at his market stall watching his sleeping baby in a homemade 'Pack and Play' out of wooden slats. Lord, thank you for showing me more of this country today! Thank you for continuing to open my eyes to the culture, need, and lifestyles here! Lord I pray for those who have entered my life and I theirs, may you continue to touch them.

Some of the homes near the water.

"Pack and Play"

We hopped onto a bus to take us the rest of the way across the island where I snoozed off and on. The bus even took us on the Ferry and dropped us off at the local hospital. From there we walked home.
Once home we hung out for a bit and I got ready to head to bed! It was a pretty crazy day but I had it all off because of some switching that another midwife and I did so she could go on a trip out of town. It was pretty nice to have a relaxing day after so many back to back shifts!

Saturday the 21st
This was another pretty relaxing day for me, since I was only scheduled for night shift. Tilly, Kelsey and I decided to go to Aldevinco (the touristy market place) to check out some more souvenirs. We left pretty satisfied with our purchases and walked to nearby mall to pick up flour and bananas for the house before we headed home.

I tried to nap before shift but wasn't really able to and headed to shift hoping to be first up. It turned out that I wasn't but that was okay with me. I was told that I had mail upstairs by my supervisor and rushed upstairs to see what was in store for me. I was SO very excited! It is a special treat to get mail here because I like to see how long it takes. It turned out that I got two letters (one from Bev and one from Grandma Gravel) and  PACKAGE!! Of course the package was just a packing slip and I had to go to the post office to claim it and wait until MONDAY! None the less I was pretty stoked!

Shift was pretty uneventful. I did end up being first up for about two hours while the first up midwife sutured a patient along with Heidi, one of my roomies. I didn't get any sound sleep while I rested my eyes, being ready at any minute for a labor to arrive. Once I heard them transfer the patient to postpartum I slept pretty well until 5:20AM when a patient came in via ambulance. This was the first time that I had seen a patient arrive via ambulance (lights and all). Typically they arrive via tricey, jeepney, or most commonly taxi. We checked to see if she had received prenatal care with us, a prerequisite for being admitted. She had and was brought in quickly. She didn't deliver on our shift but it was certainly a memorable moment, especially since the first up midwife had to be shaken awake!

Sunday the 22nd

Busy at work!

I left shift well rested and headed to the other house to call Grandma  to tell her I had gotten her letter. She was pretty tickled, I would say. I talked with her for a while as well as Mom. I left the house to shower and change at mine. I decided since it was pretty warm to head to the mall to write some long overdue postcards. I talked with some roommates about shift, showered, and then headed to the other house again to call Dad. We talked for a while and then I headed out for the mall.

I hulled myself up in a coffee shop and wrote some post cards, determined to send them out on Monday when I picked up my package. And write them I did! I also tried coffee jellies in my frozen mocha. Interesting. Its like coffee flavored knox blox that you put in your coffee. It is pretty trendy here. I think I might pass on it next time.

I got home from the mall and we headed out for a pre-arranged date to People's Park. This is a family friendly park with statues. It is pretty much a park that you walk around and they have performances there also. It was neat enough but not near as exciting as the website made it out to be. A very nice place to take kiddos for sure!

Kelsey, Tilly, and I went on a hunt for mozzarella cheese after the park to bring over to a friend's house for homemade pizza! Three of the midwives that live in the other house are house sitting in another neighborhood and invited over for dinner. We had a bit of difficulty finding cheese as it is fairly pricey here and the grocery store Tilly and Kelsey checked around 2:30 was expensive, the next we checked after the park didn't have any. We struck gold at a third grocery store and bought it! The next challenge was making it to our friend's house. We took a taxi because it was faster than a jeepney (which would have taken 45 minutes! versus 15-20 minutes).

some of the statues at People's Park of the tribes.

Dinner was SO SO GOOD! Plus the company was delightful and filled with great conversation and laughs. We took a taxi home and I went to bed pretty promptly(ish) since I had day shift the next day. Lord, thank you for such wonderful companions while I am here! I have learned so much from them about life, midwifery, myself, God, and compassion! Thank you for all of their gifts and talents they have to offer and share! Thank you for showing yourself through them to me!

The dinner gang! Pizza, Pringles, salad, and Coke! Cookies and ice cream to boot!

Love you!
Casey

Baby check! Healthy baby girl, AMEN!