Reassured by Norwegen Hospitality

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Yesterday, because no one else was available, I was asked to present the Cordillera human rights situationer to a couple of Norwegen interns.
The presentation for the Norwegens went really well. Turns out I know what I am talking about. But since I have never really hosted the interns before I wasn't sure what else to do with them.

Since we were finished the presentation by mid-afternoon, I decided to take the girls for a walk around Burnham lake, one of my favorit spots because of it's campy swan paddle baots, and then for iced tea in Vocas, a hippie restaurant with awesome atmosphere. The conversation was initially about human rights and the situation in the region, a continuation of the presentation I had given them in the office. But as iced tea stretched into the late afternoon, and we decided to continue over dinner, the conversation turned to our personal experiences in the Philippines. We talked about things we find difficult to understand, or things that we just haven't liked. But more so we told our good stories and talked about the amazing people we have all met in this country. As dinner turned into drinks at my favorit reggae bar the conversation turned to funny stories from our lives at home, and discussions about what our plans are for the next few years. I realized late into the evening how much fun I was having, how much I liked these two girls and how easy it was to talk to them.
This was not a schocking realization in and of itself, but to me it did result in the shocking realization that I might be alright when I go home.

I have been really scared in the last few weeks about the idea of going back to Canada. I have been really worried that I won't be able to re- integrate properly. For one thing, I am afraid that things I have been able to handle here have been managable because they are seen in the light of a third world country, but might not be so managable if I am looking at them in the light of a first world country. What if the Canadian context makes everything I have seen and experienced here too hard for me to deal with? But on top of that, and possibly more frightening, is the fact that I don't know if I will be able to go back and rely on my friends. Not because of them, but because of me. I have worried that they will not be able to understand what I have seen and experienced here and will not be able to help me get through the first few weeks. I have also been afraid that I will not be able to settle back into "normal" life and talk about things that are not human rights or the socio-political situation of the Philippines. But hanging out with the Norwegens last night has proven to me that I can still relate to other westerners, and to other girls, and that they can relate to me. And that I can move beyond this work from time to time to talk about things like boys and Masters Programs. I am reasured by that. Though I have no intentions of leaving the people and the experiences of the Philippines behind me when I go home, I like knowing that I will be able to be a normal 24 year old Canadian girl at the same time.

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Comments

[Caloy]

That's good
Hi. Good to know that you don't lose yourself. God Bless

[Argie]

hi
what have you disliked? what are things you found difficult to understand? you seem to be resilient--don't you worry.