Updated Mailing Address

Elder and Sister Stamps
386 Malibong, Urbiztondo
Pangasinan, Philippines 2414

Sister Stamps reports that they had two baptism this month. They are busy still and tired but love what they are doing.

Baptisms!

Farmers plowing the fields for the second palay planting

It's Different...

It’s different when:

The gecko in the corner sings better than the karaoke down the block at 1 am.

The karaoke is so loud that the dogs quit howling and the roosters quiet down.

You can sing better than the guy on the karaoke.

The ants quit biting because you have too much talcum powder on.

You go down the road ten miles and have a crises because you forgot your cellphone.

You get lost because the map is older than you are (and you are old.)

Your glasses get lost under your computer.

The lock on the front gate can be picked with a nail but won’t work with the key.

Mcdonalds is 8 miles away but it takes two hours to get there. (the bridge is washed out).

You turn on a light and the rooster thinks it is morning.

The country air is refreshing (unless the neighbors have pigs).

When someone has a party and the tables and chairs are set on the highway.

You have to ask for the threshing machine to move off the back road so you can pass.

You meet a large truck on a back road that is ten feet wide.

You go through a mile of mud and bamboo to find the pavement again.

The food at the market looks good and smells great but you are afraid to eat it.

Friends give you ten pound of bananas from their trees.

The mangoes are big as a softball on the tree next door.  

The papayas are the size of basketballs and fresh.

You can buy fresh juice from the pushcarts.

The push carts are all on bicycle side cars.

Most people are friendly and will say hi. Even if they have never met you.

All the chairs are made of bamboo or plastic.

When we come into a home we are always offered a seat of honor.

Some floors need to be paved.

When in someone’s home you are always offered a drink, usually a coke or orange pop.

No one can name the other guy, but everyone wants to know what we think of the president.

You can’t turn the car around because the bamboo and banana trees are too thick.

The whole neighborhood comes to see how you will turn around this time.

You get stuck on a tree root.

When you put the jack under the car, the ants keep biting you.

The next time you drive that road, you remember the tree root but forget the bamboo fence.

Scratches from bamboo don’t show on gray paint.

Bamboo has thorns which are hard on tires.

People are bathing the kids at the community well at 6 am.

The kids are back to the well by noon to cool off.

The mansion by the road looks better than anything back home.

Behind the mansion is a nipa hut made of bamboo and grass.

Some trucks are bigger than the ones back home.

The trucks own the road.

You get cut off in traffic by someone on a bike. He owns some of the road too.

Everyone walks on the road. It’s their road too.

No one goes very fast. Except late at night when the road is clear.

Gas is sold in pesos per liter.

You wade through water a foot deep to get something to drink.

You wait in line to buy water.

You sweat a gallon of water each day.

It is a crises if the aircon dies.

You are saved because the car has aircon.

You are glad when it rains cause it cools down but, but you forget the umbrella.

The school rooms are open air with center courtyard in front.

No one is upset because a guy plays hookey from school.

Everyone in a store or office is soooo polite.

You know more about local politics than that back home.

Everyone speaks English but no one understands it.

You understand more of what is being said when they mention your name.

No one will answer a phone but they will text you back.  (it is much less expensive).

Computers are rare.  Tvs are common. You can tell who has electricity, they have tv at night.

The cheap pharmacies have the best medicine. Everyone buys there.

You have to go to the dealer to get an oil change.  

The dealer is two hours and 25 miles away.  (no one travels fast).

Life in the slow lane is usually pretty good. Most people here like you…..

You can lose weight and not even know it.  Life is good.