habo habo

k, this is going to be a quick update... i think :) sunday: lo and i helped with the gram stains and learned how to do the pap smears so that we can perform them in the future - so amazing what they'll let you do here!! we also learned how to find the Ballard score for newborns (it's used to assess gestational age)... we basically play with babies all day, can't complain about that, finding RR and HR and checking the mother's vital signs, simple stuff. Luna and some of the other nurses and midwives at the clinic like to hear about the US and usually know someone (a relative or friend) who lives there. They were telling Lo and I that they would be our Yaya's (live in nanny) once we have kids, but when we explained that wouldnt be for a few years they decided they would just come to be our Yayas now -we're ok with that :)

When it started getting slow around the clinic, Max (the guard) flagged us a taxi and we were taken to hiary and david's community of really REALLY nice houses in the hills above the city. the taxi's cant make it up the steep hills to the houses so you get dropped off at the gate and take a habo habo (a small motorbike) to the house... unfortunately, despite explaining countless times that we were there to visit the Overton's, the guards were still confused and unable to find Hilary and David in their directory. Being that we knew we were in the correct place and had the correct names it was very frustrating, until finally Lo decided to spell out "Overton"... at which point the guard says "Ohhhh, Oh-ber-tone!!!" and sticks us BOTH on the tiny habo habo (driven by a very large man), as he laughs about us mis-pronouncing Overton. For the most part language hasnt been a problem here because so many of the locals speak english very well, but in this particularly situation we had some serious communication issues that we laughed off as we sped up the steep winding road to hil and david's :)

Our reason for coming to their house was to use the community pool, which was amazing!! Then Hilary and David met up with us along with some of her friends from her NMAT (their version of the MCAT) class - their test is sooo different than the MCAT we take in the states. We had bbq and learned more about the philippines... For one thing, Hilary was telling us they move the holidays here so that they always fall on a monday or friday (people really value their three day weekends : ) even if the holiday is already on a weekend the president will move it to give everyone an extra day off work. Side note, the karaoke here is crazy, everywhere you go you hear it, lots of english songs... and birthday parties are also really extravagant. there was a kid's party at the community center where the pool is last night when we were having dinner and there was a crazy clown and it was catered with the tables all set up (Lo and I thought it was a wedding at first).

Lo and I stayed at Hilary and David's house last night. The AC and soft bed were incredible! and I dont even know how to describe the view from the bedroom and bathroom... when you shower you have a view of the entire side of the island and ocean, its breathtaking! I did have to fish a gecko out of the shower, which was interesting, but they like having them around because they eat the bugs (they make really odd sounds though, and we saw one that was at least a food long and had pink spots... not sure how i'd feel about him living in my house).

Two new babies at the clinic this morning, both born overnight and then one is still there from yesterday (they like to keep the mothers 24 hours after the birth), the baby girl's name is lindsey!! All three babies are really healthy and beautiful and the mothers are so friendly and sweet. One of the mothers who gave birth last night was telling us that with her first child she was at the hospital and had a lot of pain relievers but in the clinic they do a natural birth and she was telling us how loud she was screaming and how much in hurt... these women are so incredibly brave and tough!!

K, lo and i should head back to the clinic but the internet cafe has air conditioning so its fun to come hang out here (and to see what all the neighborhood kids are doing). All the best from Basak!!