Happiness is Good News to go with the Bad

Hi all! I'm still having a wonderful time and really enjoying myself here in Sabang. The "Bad" news happened this past Monday night, when I awoke to something biting me right between my eyes. No one's really sure what it is, the general consensus around the beach is that it must have been a cockroach... but I prefer to think it was a vicious spider or scorpion or anything but a cockroach :) Anyway, my face and right hand swelled up like a basketball (pictures here, be warned that they're not for the faint of heart!) Eyes swelled shut, fat lips, lump on my forehead, What a mess! Pete brought me a doctor and she pumped me full of hydrocordisone and antihistamine injections. This is all not nearly as dramatic as it probably sounds, and I was fine within a few days. The eyes stayed puffy for a bit, but today I look like this again!


Now the good news is that, well, other then my basketball face, everything has been wonderful. I just moved up the road to Sanindeagan Village, and into this adorable little apartment. I have a kitchen and living room with TV, my own bathroom, etc. for 300 pesos/night (about $7). It's just a 5 min motorcycle ride from the Big Apple, and our DiveMaster at the shop, Mick, lives next door to me. We usually end the night with a small group of people drinking on my cozy balcony and enjoying the warm night. Its just up from the ocean, so I get a nice breeze through the house. I sleep with the windows open and can hear the bugs chirping and get dry lightening at night... and wake up to the roosters crowing and kids playing at 6am. Can't complain one bit.



My class/internship class is also going very well. Pete is hard, but he really knows his stuff; he's had about 12,000 dives, and has been certified for longer than I've been alive. Sources say I have the best instructor on the beach. It's been strange making the transition from a guest diver to someone that leads and teaches the guests at the resort. Like I said, Pete is really tough, but I'm learning so much from him. We certified two new divers yesterday... They got the "golden snorkel" to celebrate. The golden snorkel is basically a snorkel with a funnel attached to the top, and depending on the class you complete, certain drinks are poured down it that have to be chugged. I had the honor of pouring a beer into the funnel for the new divers to drink... I made it extra foamy and swirled it a bit for them :) The boys at the shop are already planning for my golden snorkel after I finish my DM, ugh!

In short, all is well. Emma arrives in about 2 weeks, and I can't wait to show her around. Then off to Palau with Jeremy. Fingers crossed the cockroaches stay away from me.