Island

Hey anybody who reads this!

I have returned to what most refer to as normal life after being on Apo Island. Apo is a small island with a population of less than 1000, I will have the exact population later in the week. Anyways it is small, beautiful, has crystal clear water, and amazing coral reefs and aquatic life. I got to experience life in the ocean first hand as I got open water scuba certified. The training and dives were incredible, my brain lacks knowledge of words fit to describe my time there. The people there were extremely generous and genuine. My population register project was a breeze because all of the locals wanted to work really hard to help me out. Apo is also not developed in any major way and lives sustainably on rain water, solar power, and fishing. They import some things like beer and amenities, but these are not necessary for the locals to sustain healthy lives there.

Scuba diving was insane, I saw any brightly colored fish imaginable and even sea turtles, eels, and sea snakes. The feeling is being able to breath underwater is somewhat like what I imagine being in space to be like. Gravity doesn't really happen anymore once you establish neutral buoyancy and you just float suspended.

Aside from diving I got to sing karaoke in the village with the locals and that was a riot of a good time. Once again the locals were buying beers for me, even though they do not have very much money. I tried my best to return all of the favors, but their generosity knows no limits. Karaoke was awesome though, I got to sing Bon Jovi's Bed of Roses duet style with one of the locals named Cali? He was a random 30 year old guy I met who sings karaoke every night just because he loves it.

I have to go eat before an all night ferry right to Cebu City. Hope to hear from everyone soon.