its about 6:30pm and i'm in a stifling hot province called anilao in mabini, batangas in the philippines. actually, i shouldn't call it stifling hot because it actually rained today so its cooled down, but the rain has also brought out more flies than usual. ugh.

anyway, this is a big, unexpected buenviaje family reunion. although it is a sad event that brought us all here, the family all seems excited to be here together. i've been learning about a ton of different superstitions and traditions surrounding death and one of them is the wake. my lola's funeral is this saturday. tradition is that for the week+ before her funeral, someone has to be up with her 24-hours a day. (her coffin is sitting in the living room of her house.)

us "kids" (my cousins and i) have been doing the night shift. my uncle organized a bingo tournament for all the neighborhood folks to come and win prizes. supposedly they've stayed as late as 4am. they left at midnight yesterday. the rest of us have kept occupied by playing card games and reading books. and some of us got a manicure/pedicure yesterday.

needless to say, it hasn't been very eventful. a lot of eating, sleeping at odd hours, and a lot of not showering. there isn't any water at night and during the day, the water pressure is weak. so our time to shower is limited and well, we're just gross. haha.

even though i was here 8 years ago, i hardly remember it and now that i'm here again, its still a culture shock to me. us americans really have it good and boy are we spoiled, me included. its a shock to see how people live here -- burning their trash, stray dogs roaming the streets, the markets teeming with flies... no internet except for one little cafe with 5 ghetto computers that hardly work! how does one live!?

alright, i have to hand this computer off to my cousin, but just wanted to let you all know that i'm here, sweating and sticky. and not kidnapped yet! (they won't let us walk anywhere -- even down the street -- without an escort. we're prime targets.) hope all is well back in the states and maybe i'll bring back some goods for everyone since i seem to be a rich person here.

maganda gabi sa inyong lahat! (haha)