It's a Text World Out There...
Some of you might not know this, but the Philippines is the texting capital of the world! Here, people don't use their cell phones so much to make calls. They text. Not only is it the standard of communication in leisure and business...but it is the chief mode of communication for romance here. They're called "text mates."
During training, me and my fellow PCVs sent texts to each other to keep in touch, share experiences or commiserate. This may be too much in-country humor for you state-siders, but here's a sampling that we presented at our swearing-in, with one of our PCVs, Josh, playing guitar as background music!
There was a frog in my shoe dis umaga (morning)!
Chika-chika: Tink I have a mild crush on one of da actors on Darna (a local superhero TV show)!
My host sister and her husband just brought out a stingray tail, used for fighting off the Aswang, a half-man, half-bird creature.
How much does a fishhead count toward your Recommended Daily Allowance?
Will you eat my dogs if I kill them?
Oh no! de caribaw (a large moose-looking creature) is loose and I'm the only one dito (here). Wat 2 do?
Ever try BBQ'd chicken blood B4? Masarap (delicious)!
Ugh. Just had an ant doing rounds in my ear. Ayaw ko! (I don't like it!)
Hahaha. The only thing I regret about 2day is not hoping on that carabaw.
Aaah! Bed bugs in my bed. Lots. I'm seriously going insane.
Oh My God. Not sure I've ever seen dis many bugs. Saan (where)? Sa aking kama! (In my bed!) No jokin. It's like sum one skejuld a bug convention without telling me.
Chances of death or dismemberment? 43.7 percent.
Can I just tell u how much I stink right now? I haven't done laundry since before we left and I'm just wearing the same dirty clothes over n over! Gross!
Roger dat vector niner. This chicken is about 15 minutes from flying the coop. What's ur destination?
Got the tears out of the way. I have no idea what I'm doing.
The house is dirty. The TV is on loud. Mother, dad away a work. No food.
Will watch kneeling carabao at church 2nite.
Would you believe they are doing circumcisions on 7 to 10 year olds?
I have no blood left in me: The mosquitoes have taken it all.
A series of texts:
Volunteer: Myles, a kid puked on the jeepney on the way home.
Trainer: What! That's twice today.
Volunteer: I know, it's crazy. It's a bad sign.
Trainer: What kind of sign could it be?
Volunteer: Maybe I'm next to yak on a jeepney.
Trainer: You'll not do that with us around.
Volunteer: If I do I'll stick my head out the window.
Trainer: Ur whole thing will fly in our faces.
Volunteer: Then you better bring an umbrella.
Trainer: And a raincoat...And do it silently so no one will notice you.
Volunteer: Oh yeah, I'm sure no one will notice a vomiting white girl on a Jeepney.
End series
I better get credit for naming your new straing of illness -- Jengue fever. (After Dengue fever acquired by volunteer Jen Austin) Are you still alive? Text once for yes, twice for no.
Even though my standard of living is lower, I don't think my standard of life is.
Have a great time. Things went well here. I will head to my site 2moro. Here's to the next phase in our journey. Let me know when it's official for you.
It's official!
During training, me and my fellow PCVs sent texts to each other to keep in touch, share experiences or commiserate. This may be too much in-country humor for you state-siders, but here's a sampling that we presented at our swearing-in, with one of our PCVs, Josh, playing guitar as background music!
There was a frog in my shoe dis umaga (morning)!
Chika-chika: Tink I have a mild crush on one of da actors on Darna (a local superhero TV show)!
My host sister and her husband just brought out a stingray tail, used for fighting off the Aswang, a half-man, half-bird creature.
How much does a fishhead count toward your Recommended Daily Allowance?
Will you eat my dogs if I kill them?
Oh no! de caribaw (a large moose-looking creature) is loose and I'm the only one dito (here). Wat 2 do?
Ever try BBQ'd chicken blood B4? Masarap (delicious)!
Ugh. Just had an ant doing rounds in my ear. Ayaw ko! (I don't like it!)
Hahaha. The only thing I regret about 2day is not hoping on that carabaw.
Aaah! Bed bugs in my bed. Lots. I'm seriously going insane.
Oh My God. Not sure I've ever seen dis many bugs. Saan (where)? Sa aking kama! (In my bed!) No jokin. It's like sum one skejuld a bug convention without telling me.
Chances of death or dismemberment? 43.7 percent.
Can I just tell u how much I stink right now? I haven't done laundry since before we left and I'm just wearing the same dirty clothes over n over! Gross!
Roger dat vector niner. This chicken is about 15 minutes from flying the coop. What's ur destination?
Got the tears out of the way. I have no idea what I'm doing.
The house is dirty. The TV is on loud. Mother, dad away a work. No food.
Will watch kneeling carabao at church 2nite.
Would you believe they are doing circumcisions on 7 to 10 year olds?
I have no blood left in me: The mosquitoes have taken it all.
A series of texts:
Volunteer: Myles, a kid puked on the jeepney on the way home.
Trainer: What! That's twice today.
Volunteer: I know, it's crazy. It's a bad sign.
Trainer: What kind of sign could it be?
Volunteer: Maybe I'm next to yak on a jeepney.
Trainer: You'll not do that with us around.
Volunteer: If I do I'll stick my head out the window.
Trainer: Ur whole thing will fly in our faces.
Volunteer: Then you better bring an umbrella.
Trainer: And a raincoat...And do it silently so no one will notice you.
Volunteer: Oh yeah, I'm sure no one will notice a vomiting white girl on a Jeepney.
End series
I better get credit for naming your new straing of illness -- Jengue fever. (After Dengue fever acquired by volunteer Jen Austin) Are you still alive? Text once for yes, twice for no.
Even though my standard of living is lower, I don't think my standard of life is.
Have a great time. Things went well here. I will head to my site 2moro. Here's to the next phase in our journey. Let me know when it's official for you.
It's official!
posted by Julia at 2:28 AM
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