Back By Popular Demand

Aka everyone and their mother has been complaining telling me that I need to write a blog, so here it is.

Hello, friends! I am in the Philippines!

This has all kind of been a whirlwind adventure, so let me fill you in on how I ended up here. Three Fridays ago, I had a Skype interview for a job in Cambodia. That job didn't pan out. Two Mondays ago, I had a Skype interview for a job in the Philippines -- with the same organization. I got a call a few hours later saying that I had the job if I wanted it, but I had to be in Paris for training at HQ by the Monday after, meaning I had to fly out of DC on Saturday. I had five days to pack up my entire life and get the hell out of there.

So, of course, I did it, because why would I do anything the easy way?

Anyway, one week later I was wrapping up five days in Paris (though this time there were not nearly so many steps involved, though I did encounter several tiny elevators and a city-wide garbage strike) and on a plane to Abu Dhabi, UAE, where I hung out in the airport library for 8 hours waiting for my next plane to Manila, Philippines.

I am now in Tacloban City [pronounced tack-LO-bahn], in the Philippines, which will be my base for a while -- though, of course, there will be lots of travel in the area/country for work.

But work is not the real reason I started this blog, although it is important and I'm excited to be here.

I'm really writing this blog to keep you all informed of the ridiculous (read: typical) things that happen to me.

Let's start off with the gecko in my bedroom last night when I arrived. Pretty sure my neighbors thought someone was being murdered (or they would have if we had any), I shrieked so loud. My boss just kind of looked at me, like I was overreacting instead of at very real risk of possibly being mauled in my sleep (or at the very least suction-cupped when I least expect it).

OR we could discuss the small frog army that's gathering on the patch of grass in front of the guest house. Maybe I've always had an exaggerated mind's eye picture of frogs, but I swear to god they grow them extra large here in the Philippines: they all look ready to pounce at a moment's notice. I held my mouth closed so they couldn't jump down my throat and suffocate me as I sprinted for the door. (Unrelated side note: our driver thinks I'm insane. And probably also a big chicken. He may not be wrong on either count.)

For the moment, I'm exhausted (still not sure what time zone -- or even decade, really -- I'm in), so I'm going to pass out early. I'm 12 hours ahead of all of my East Coast friends, so if (when) you get messages or emails or FB notifications from me at an ungodly hour, just remember that it's already tomorrow here. :)