Im on a plane, from Cagayan to Manila, eating a Tender Juicy hotdog wrapped in a waffle! The flight attendants are playing a trivia game with the passengers over the loudspeaker, and while boarding they were playing hip hop music… this is really the Philippines! Gotta love it.
Six amazing Filipino women just dropped me off at the airport, six women who took such good care of me, laughed with me, showed me their love over the past 3 weeks, and who made my heart smile with the knowledge that I have them in my life. But its not just these six women, who happen to be my closest friends here, it was the whole of CH who I felt the love from. Even for those with whom words have never been our form of communication due to a language barrier, I am so thankful to still feel the deep connection and care between us after so long!!! (words and talking are so over rated sometimes).
Last week I finally had numerous days at the CH campus in Tu-od, just living and hanging out with the staff and kids! It was perfect, chillin in the nipa hut under the mango tree, cooking and eating some of my favorite foods, laughing with the kids, making a run to the market, eating roasted pig at a neighbor’s birthday party, ect. The kids were so much fun and it was great to meet the newest CH kids, at the home now just 2 weeks from the streets. The college students have grown and matured and I had a wonderful time hanging with them in their house in the city too!
I spent some of this week taking a “vacation” (vacation for the others involved- but lets be honest, its just normal life for me!) to Davao, a city about 8 hours from Tuod with the other singles/ childless staff, 10 of us all together. I taught them a little about backpacking, as we found a different place each night, lived on a small budget, and didn’t worry about time! Good conversations, uproarious laughter, fresh fish, fresh fruit, live music, crocodile farm, native jewelry, overnight at the beach, fresh air… it was a goooood time! J
Overall the Philippines treated me well. It was an amazing time to catch up with friends and take a break from backpacking. I appreciate my memories from there, and will surely miss it again. But, one of the reasons I did not save the Philippines for my last stop before coming home was because I didn’t want to go home in the mental state that I now find myself in. PH was not just a vacation destination for me a few years ago, and going back involves more than just laughing and fun in a few ways. The relationships and friendships there are not simple, and the feelings, ideas, and desires to someday have more involvement in the Philippines again are rampant… like I said in my first PH blog, who knows what the future will hold for all my wild ideas, but for now I am not meant to be in the Philippines long term.
If I end up going home at the end of August then it means I am now in the last half of my trip. The end of August seems far away, but at the same time, so close! I am hoping to go back to the states refreshed and with a clear mind. This is now my ultimate goal of the rest of my travels. I literally have sooo many options for what I will do when I go back, and they all sound appealing. I want to go back to my old job in the PICU and live near my family and friends in Virginia beach, but I also want to try travel nursing, I want to live in New York City, I want to do Doctors Without Borders, I want to work in oncology, I want to work in a fancy resort hospital in India, and that’s just scratching the surface regarding only my career… none of which can be done simultaneously. Usually in my life, when it comes time to make a big decision, it is very clear to me. I him and hull over it, and consider everything, and feel torn, but I always have a stronger feeling about one thing. There is one opportunity that I never thought of before, that is speaking to me right now... and I just have to wait and see what will happen in the next few weeks! Until then, working it out and still livin it up baby!!! :0
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