Working

Hey guys...just in solano...town nearby lamut. came with adam and jill to visit a peace corps volunteer from last year. her name is peyton and seems really cool. so were doing internet and made pancakes this morning at her house. we are also gonna indulge in some fast food fries and ice cream and stop by the grocery store that i have heard sells ketchup and old fashioned oatmeal..not instant. crossing my fingers. so last week was ifugao days in lagawe. its a week long cultural celebration....beauty pagent, agricultural displays, parades, dances, bands, it was a lot of fun...Ive also been starting work in lamut. I go in every morning at 730 for the flag ceremony and leave at 1130 for lunch. sometimes i come back in the afternoon. at first i had some problems with my schedule. it seemed i would go into work and have nothing to do. just sit there while my co worker did decorations for the room or chit chatted with other teachers. its getting better now. for awhile there i was feeling isolated fromt them, always talking in a different language with no translations or inclusion. but lately she has warmed up a lot. im hopeful. but now the next problem is getting the classroom started. we have no materials and no budget to buy any materials. ive been very frustrated with that because liza is wanting to start classes in a week and we have no curriculum. she has no idea how to teach these kids and wants me to do it all but i have no idea because i dont speak the language well...some of these kids even speak languages that i dont know at all. and i dont know them personally. we are trying to get them assessed so we know what level they are at or what diagnosis they have but that has been a struggle too becuase of budget and transportation. the hospital is 7 hours away. THe other day i bought a ball, two puzzles, and a second hand magna doodle. so far thats all we have for the class. even if there was the money i dont know where i could buy things for the class. its not like in the us where you have walmart or target down the street. everything is at an open market or second hand.....no big toy stores or school supplies stores.
so those are my work concerns......my supervisor is great tho. any time i have concerns i talk to him. he has said numerous times that anything i want, he will approve....eg my schedule or days off, whatever.
and my family situation is really great. i cant stress that enough. they are so sweet. the host brother, jeff, 23, came back from manila last week and has been very friendly. he went to a nearby town where there is a university and made me a copy of the ilokano english dictionary with definitions and had it bound. maybe he has some intentions that i dont know about....people have been talking in town. some think i am his girlfriend becuase we both showed up in town about the same time. and there are two 30 something males that have my cell phone number...they got it from other people and text me all the time. its weird and im not sure how im going to handle it....they seem very interested in dating me........i was thinking about saying i have a boyfriend just to keep them at bay.
not much else going on. ive had my ups and downs. sometimes im lonely but thats just part of this whole thing. the other day i checked my email and got kinda down cos everyone seems to be having a good time in the us. and i really appreciate iowa more now than ever before. crazy how that happens when you leave. it did before when i studied abroad but its more intense now...especially knowing ill be here for two years. it has a different affect....and whenever i talk to other peace corps volunteers i am so proud to be from iowa and the midwest. and i realize more and more how midwestern i am....really small town compared to these people from LA, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Seattle, even St Louis and Chicago.....iowa is really great....
oky, enough of that sentimentality.
i hope you are all well. i love you all and miss you always.