Sarah serving in the Philippines: Some things I will greatly miss when I leave the Philippines. Others...not so much

Some things i will greatly miss when i leave the philippines. others... not so much. you can decide for yourself which list these things fall in.

Tricycles: wind in your hair, on a hot day of walking a loooooong road. Just sit back in a crazy tricycle and try to carry a yelling conversation with the driver about his kids and why we speak tagalog and here's a pamphlet-- we would love to come visit you and your family if you ever stop working and go home!!!!!

Surround sound: watching conference with the whole stake we were amazingly given surround sound for all the hymns!! crazy how that works! except the sound quality lessened noticeably as you moved farther away from the actual speakers...........

Diversity: Although it is crazy to be the extreme minority as far as white people go and experience all that that entails (constant stares, random dudes ages 8-80 professing their love in hilarious english and then being suuuper surprised to responses in Tagalog....)

Our house right now consists of a sister from the Philippines, Pakistan, Australia, and America. that's about as diverse as you can get and the conversations that we get are absolutely hilarious. for example. take the word "Water." now have people from all four corners of the earth pronounce it as they would normally.... laughter will follow. guaranteed. :D

Eagerness: people are just so excited to help and do what's right!!! and people here are soooo nice. like for reals. the story Elder Holland told of flying mashed potatoes, i have been so lucky never to see even a hint of that kind of hatred. people are also super excited to hold meetings and make things happen! sometimes they're so excited and inspired from the first session of sunday general conference that they want to have a meeting right then!!! during the first talk of the second session of Sunday general conference!! ngayon nga!! lolz. wait lang friends. we're not done yet.

English as a Second Language: throw a teaching on the front of that and you've got my minor! it's really fun to work with people in a different language... once they realize they don't have to rely on english! also exciting, my comp and i really do have to rely on english!!! which she didn't really speak before she got here on the mish.... it's always interesting what words she knows and what escapes her.... like grumpy. she's got nothing. or masungit [rugged] tagalog doesn't work either. hahaha so we spend some fun walks between appointments finding the common language of charades. lolz. anyway back to my first point, some people check out if they can't understand. get a whole group of people together that are way good at english buuuut throw an accent on there and it's rough and you get... chatty congregation every talk not by a native english speaker..... alas. at least they're there!

Weather: from the heat to the...hot rain! in minutes and back again!! you can always use a payong!! (umbrella) love that everyone uses an umbrella for every weather. if it's sunny we hear constantly "saan yung payong mo!!? [where's your umbrella] mainit!! [it's hot!] " or if it's even slightly drizzling "saan yung payong mo!!!!?? [where's your umbrella -- it's rainy!] maulan!!!" doesn't matter what the weather is. you need an umbrella. or you will get pasma [spasm]. and you will die.

My favorite response in these situations: (if it's hot) "ayos lang! kailangan kong umitim!!!" (it's ok, i need to get tan) (if it's rainy) "ayos lang! water proof naman kami!!" (it's ok, we're water proof) both are received with great surprise every time. you want to be dark??!!!!?? you're water proof?????!?!?! crazy american!!!! lolz hey we're all a lil bit baliw. [crazy] it's all good :)

have a great week! see you in a few more!!!

-jonesy