AND SO IT BEGINS

Dear Rylan,
     I am here in the Philippines on this crazy adventure for the Peace Corps.  I miss you very much, but I do think I can be back when you are 5, as you have requested.  Two more birthdays for you and I should be on my way.  Meanwhile, continue to check my mail and take care of my house.
     I am so glad we live in the age of Skype.  Seeing your ballet dance and hearing you sing the other night was a real treat for this grandmother!  You are a sweet, beautiful child, and I am so proud of you.
     I know you're too young yet to understand, but someday you may want to look back at what my life was like in the Peace Corps.  My own parents had many experiences they never shared with me, and I don't want to let the moment pass without sharing along the way.  Even after one week, so much has happened that I am beginning to forget some things, so be patient with me as I work on telling the tale.
     As you know, I flew out of Bham on August 19.  Remember?  You and your daddy and mommy and Uncle Caleb had dinner with me and then your daddy took me to the hotel near the airport so I could be sure to make the flight.  We jumped on the beds and I spun you in the chair and we laughed and had a blast!  But then, you all had to leave.
     I flew to Philly for a one-day meeting and became a Peace Corps trainee!  Then the other trainees and I began the long trek to Manila.  Of course, as those who know me can attest, my life never goes down the ordinary path, so it is no surprise what happened next.
     In Japan, where we were to change planes, we learned that one of the trainees had gotten sick on the flight.  As no one from PC was with our group of 80, someone had to stay with her overnight in Japan.  I volunteered because I knew that she and I were close in age, and I figured I could offer more support since I am also experienced in the mother/grandmother/teacher/chaperon department. We spent quite a bit of time being shuttled from pillar to post at the Tokyo/Narita airport. Our last stop before going to the hotel?  Quarantine!  Good thing she wasn't contagious since we'd been in almost every section of the airport by that point. So, we spent the night in Japan, where I learned that it is possible to be politely rude, and that the dollar's value is inferior to the yen.  When we reached Manila, of course, we were behind one day in orientation, and we have been playing catch up ever since.
     Here are a few things I want to tell you about the week:
1.  the food has been great, but rice for breakfast is a little odd
2.  I haven't felt warm water on my skin since I left Japan, but I have learned that blow drying my body after a cold morning shower can be quite invigorating
3.  Manila Bay is pretty nasty, but putting on a life vest, jumping out of a pump boat, and pretending to drown/rescue each other was pretty fun
4.  Filipinos LOVE videoke, we have been told, so some of us participated in a little of it at the water safety training site, and I am pleased to report that I led the group in "Sweet Home Alabama," which is a great song and was your daddy's "batter up" song in college
5.  we all must take anti-malarial drugs once per week the whole time we're here (we affectionately call this Malaria Monday)
6.  I got to ride in a Jeepney and visit a local mall.  Man!  The Filipinos love their malls.  This place was in a pretty chaotic, dirty little town, but inside (after we passed through mall security, mind you) we found a plethora of stores covering 4 floors.  Pretty snazzy.
7.  I learned today that I, along with some very nice new friends of mine, will be learning Tagalog in Olangapo, where I will also be preparing to teach at the college level.

Ry, I want you to know that others say what I am doing is admirable and noble, but I cannot lie to you.  This decision has been one of the most selfish I have ever made.  I am getting to travel, meet people, learn a new language, challenge myself, and do it all in one of the most beautiful (and disaster-prone, too) countries in the world, a country where I will never have to deal with snow and cold and ice storms.  So honestly, I think I have been blessed all along the way with everything that has happened to me since I decided to join the Peace Corps.

I love you and everyone else back at home.  I will continue to write to you, and I will certainly be looking for you on Skype, sweetie.

Love,
Mumma