first week

So far so great!  Yesterday we all got back from a great resort weekend as part of our Orientation.  I got to swim in turquoise ocean, eat fun food (included a lot of wonderful, wonderful mango things like, mango crepes, mango fruit drink and mango ice cream) wonderful massage which when the money conversion was done was only about 12 dollars Canadian.  Played beach Volleyball, Watched fire dancing and Fireworks!

No its not all fun and games, we are going to start our major orientation this week with lessons on culture and things in that nature.  After this week the real work begins.  The other young woman, Ellora, and I will head up to Tabuk on Sunday the 31st where we will start our two month language lessons.  The students that remain in Davao city will also be in language classes and learning the local language (that I do not know how to spell).
In Tabuk, Ellora and I will be learning Ilocano

After the two months of language class we head back down to Davao city and join our other class mates for a one month missions program called Nehemiah Teams http://www.nehemiahteams.com/ we will spend a month among a Tribal village doing different activities in order to share God's love.

After the Nehemiah Team month, us two Tabuk girls, will head back up North to start our Clinical training in December.

A little about life in Davao city
The other young ladies that are here with me are terrific! The only drawback to going to Tabuk is not being able to be among them for the duration of the two and half years.  I am not the only homeschooler/come from a big family/farm kid.  There are LOTS of us, one young woman is the oldest of 12.  So my background type is actually in the Majority which is a little unusual.  The result is that many of the conversations involve animals or younger siblings.   The food is wonderful, the fruit is out of this world, although there is one fruit called Durion that I am not so sure about.  The traffic is something else, I actually find it exiting because I've heard about places with traffic like this but have never actually seen it!  But I'm glad I don't have to drive in it.....
Being white results in a lot of attention as white skin is in the tiny minority,
The people who are in service are super helpful and attentive, the clerks will be by your side when you buy your products eager to make sure you find what you are looking for and then they carry your purchase to the counter for you.

well that is a taste of Davao, at least of what i have experienced so far.  However I am told that Tabuk is very different.

well I say goodbye for now I hope all of you are well in your part of the world

P.S. Fantastic Church service today!!!! absolutely loved it, it was a guest speaker, the husband of one the students, he talked about the need to tell the lost about Jesus and it was a powerful message.