Life in the Suck-Lane

I've been here exactly one week, and it's just dawning on me how spoiled I have been. I've had a rough adjustment to my life here, despite the fact that I'm familiar with more here than most of the other fulbright people. In my haste and greed, I had picked housing that was way too far to commute. Since there was already a down payment on the house, I can't leave until the end of January. Although the house itself is quite lovely, I have a difficult commute and it is isolated from everything and everyone I know. After I get off work, I hesitate on doing anything else because I don't want to travel that far at night. It takes about an hour to get to Makati, and since the fulbright office is there, I'll be suffering through it.

After my meeting at the shelter I work with, I took a jeep ride half an hour to my neighborhood. I think I have about a coat of grime on my face and have shortened my lifespan about a year because of all the smog. Not to mention the jeepney driver was insane. Oh, and it helped that I had to grab the overhead bar on the jeep and feel my armfat jiggle for half an hour. As much as I complain though, I thank my stars that I can have alternative means to get to work. Not that many people can even afford my daily commute.

Oh, did I mention that though I am thankful to have water, it was not cooperating this morning. I held off on my morning coffee because black particles were floating around in my mug. I showered with a bucket because the shower was off an on.

I guess I'll end this post now, as I'm a bit tired and nauseated from the ride.