On scooters... A guest post from Dave!!

My darling husband has agreed to write a few more guest posts for the blog. The way we see things are so different sometimes!! He's definitely an adventurer, while I'm a nurturer, so our hobbies can sometimes contrast, but in the end they somehow work out for the best of each other. But I'm starting to ramble. Without further ado, part one!!

Mótuō chē shíjiān – Scooter Time!

Steph and I bought a 125cc scooter for 20,000 NT or around 700 Cdn. This scooter is made by the company Sym here in Taiwan and is one of the largest makers of scooters and competes directly with Yamaha. It is nice having a set of wheels to commute with as Steph works an hour’s walk from our apartment to her branch and I work an hour and 15 minutes away. 

The streets in Taiwan are like a maze- no street runs the same direction even if it has the same name. Fuel is very expensive, like 5.95cdn a gallon, but our little the scooter only uses around 2 gallons a week. Oil changes happen every 300km and costs $5.50 for premium oil and a full checkup. I think I may consider getting my “M” License something that I never really cared for until we moved to Taiwan. Steph and I have talked lately about getting a scooter or motorcycle when we get back to Canada ( big scooter like 250cc or something).  Its amazing how freeing a scooter can be and you can see so much more than being in a car. 

Maybe taking photos in traffic isn't the best idea... but I'm pretty sure we were stopped at a red light!

Taiwan really doesn't have any road rules. Okay, yes, there are traffic signs and lights but no one follows them. On any trip you can expect to get cut off at least once, see 1 scooter accident, get run off the road, have someone drive down the wrong side of the road at you, have someone cross at the pedestrian walk and sometimes don’t stop at all. I have forced to eliminate all defensive driving habit’s I learned in Canada and drive as if everyone around me is either falling asleep at the wheel or just left the bar and is drunk. Speaking of drunk driving there is zero tolerance for drunk driving here in Taiwan. They impound your car or scooter and take your licence plates, Place you on probation and make you pay a fine. I have seen a couple of road blocks where they check peoples breathe for alcohol which is really cool. In Taiwan there is no law about open consumption of alcohol and it is actually encouraged by the local people as it’s a way of cheering people up.

So there you have it! I (Steph) am not the greatest driver yet. I find our scooter heavy, and as Dave does all the driving, I don't get much practice in. But there's still time yet!!

Do you have any tips for me? Maybe you drove a motorcycle and know what it's like. Let us know!

On love... from another mouth...Meet Alex, midwife-in-training in the Philipines

About the same time Dave and I were applying to and doing interviews with schools in Asia, a friend of mine was packing up her life in preparation for attending a midwife school in the Philippines. Aside from being an amazing sister-friend and an absolutely beautiful woman of God, Alex is doing something I've never actually seen before- practically learning midwifery skills on the mission field. Not a week or two deal either. This girl is in it for the long haul.

First, tell us a little about yourself.

I am a 26 year old Canadian who loves her country but has a heart for distant shores. I grew up in Sault Ste Marie, and to this day, it is still the place I call home. That word “home” took on new meaning though as I grew up and moved around. The feeling of home can be found wherever you are. I am blessed to have lived in a few places that have truly felt like home. But SSM will always have that special place in my heart. I am from a family of five; two fantastic sisters, and two hilarious brothers. I've spent time in Washington, DC, working as an Au Pair, lived in St. Catharines/Niagara on the Lake for almost 3 years, then spent a great year and a bit out west in Kamloops before deciding it was time to venture further.

What perked your interest in midwifery? How did you get started?

I've known since I was young that I wanted to work in some sort of medical field. For a long time I thought that would be nursing. I was accepted to the BscN in Nursing program at Sault College, all ready to start, yet felt like something just wasn't right. It was at that time that I decided to take a break from SSM and headed to DC for a year. While there, I began to discover how much I loved working with children and mothers. The seeds of midwifery were planted as I listened to different birth stories and read books. When I moved home, it just so happened that a friend of mine was pregnant. Her and her sister had both previously mentioned that they thought I should look into Midwifery. They thought it would be a good fit for me. She invited me to come along to one of her midwife appointments. I remember sitting in the room and clearly seeing her baby's foot kick her belly from inside the womb. That hooked me. I was amazed. It was like it all came to life before my eyes. The more I prayed about it and pursued it, the more my passion for it would build.

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the best route to go. Canada has an amazing program, but I really felt like I wanted to learn in a more hands-on missional environment. Midwifery is a very practical way to meet the needs of women and infants in need. I always felt that I wanted to use my education in that way, whether it be in Canada or a developing country. Because of this, I felt I would rather gain my experience in the developing country setting, then transfer those skills to Canada rather than the other way around. Better to learn with limitations and have your knowledge and skill level expanded, then to learn with excess and experience a lot of career culture shock when you realize most of those things are not available. That's my thought anyway :)

So after a lot of researching, I came across Newlife...

Tell us about the organization you're working with. How does it work? What did you need to do to be part of it?

Newlife is a midwifery school whose goal is to train midwives who will go into all the world and share the love of Christ through competent midwifery care. The students of Newlife (such as myself) volunteer and train in two birthing clinics, one in Davao and one in Tabuk. We are supervisied and taught by amazing Filipino midwives who, as is the case in Tabuk where I am, we live with as well.

It is specifically an awesome program because we get to see our student fees be put directly to work. The “tuition” we pay, which I fundraise for, goes directly to keeping the clinic's open and running well. For me, I have stopped viewing it as tuition and instead it is just my contribution to the clinic. Not only mine, but the contribution of all the people who have supported me thus far. It is really amazing to see the impact it has. Literally, every dollar counts.

To be a part of it, you have to apply and be accepted as with any other program. You have to love mom's and babies and want to be a part of helping mom's bring babies into the world... it's quite simple really!

How did you decide to pack up your life and move across the globe? What did your family and friends say?

It was just the right time. Things fell into place. God provided a way. I wasn't an easy decision to make, but that was mostly due to fear that finances wouldn't come 
through. It's easier to say 'no' to something than to say 'yes' and have to deal with the disappointment if it doesn't work out. I was ready to say no. It all seemed too impossible. But I couldn't let go of it, and the people that knew me best wouldn't let me let go of it.

My family and friends were amazing. Still are. I wouldn't be here without the support that everyone showed. When I lacked faith that it would happen, someone would be right there encouraging me to keep going. Whether is was financial support, encouragement, or prayer, so many people that I love and am blessed to call family and friends played a huge role in me getting here... and they continue to play a huge role in me staying here.

What's the best part of living in the Philippines? What's the worst?

Oh goodness. There are so many things. Fried Chicken and Pancit? Warm buko rolls? Am I allowed to just name food? ;)

If I had to narrow it down to only one, I would say the best part of living here is knowing that it is exactly where I am supposed to be right now. That gets me through even the hardest of days. This is a beautiful country and the people are amazing.

The worst would be being so far from my family and friends at home. With my sister having a baby soon, best friends getting married and more best friends having babies it's hard not to feel like I am missing out on important things. With that being said, I would never trade this time here, and I think everyone understands that. I have a feeling I will spend my life “missing” a lot of things... but I also feel that I will spend my life gaining a lot as well.

Tell us a little about what you've learned.

It feels like I have learned so much in such a short time here, yet the more I learn, the less I know. There is SO much to learn and I just try to soak it up day by day.

I've learned that every woman is different. You can't really predict how someone is going to be in labor so it's better to just go in open minded. I've learned to be confident in the skills I have been taught, but to never fear not knowing. There is always someone to help.

I've learned that birth is freaking amazing! More so then I could have ever imagined. Women have a strength like no other... and that is true whether they experience childbirth or not.

I've learned to be a guest in another culture. To find joy in respecting a different way of life.

I've learned there is nothing to be said for living your life in excess, but so much to be said for living in simplicity and putting the highest value on lasting things.

What was your first birth like?

It was amazing. I had been here for not even 48 hours when I had the privilege of observing my first birth... ever! I came here very green. Lots of people come with previous experience such as doula-ing or at least observing births. Not me. Besides YouTube video's I had seen nothing. I'm pretty sure my jaw was on the floor the entire time and there were many tears in my eyes.

My dear friend and fellow student(second year), Aisling, sat with me the whole time and taught me how to chart a birth. I feel like I learned so much just in that first birth by writing down the whole process.

The mom was a 19 year old beauty who was probably half my size. I often look at these women and think “there is no way a baby is gonna come out of that!”.. but I'm always proven wrong :) At one point during pushing the mom somehow found this incredible focus and concentration. She would count herself down for each contraction “3, 2, 1, push!”. Baby was out quite quickly and I was left picking up my jaw from the floor. I will never forget that day.

In what ways have you seen yourself grow?

That's hard to say. Not because I haven't grown, but it's hard to pinpoint things. I think the longer I am here I grown more into the person God created me to be.

I've grown to love the unknown through trusting in God's provision and faithfulness.

I've conquered fear and insecurities that I didn't even know I had until I came here.

I've learned to trust my intuition a whole lot more. And to ask for help. It is so important to live in humility never being afraid to ask for help. Pride builds huge walls, humility breaks them down.

I've learned that there are very few things that I need. I could think of a whole ton of comforts that I “want” and miss... but I certainly do not need them and they only bring momentary comfort.

What are you looking forward to in the future?

I'm looking forward to continuing to learn and grow. To becoming a midwife. To seeing where that takes me. There is so much to look forward too!

Anything else you'd like to add?

I wish I had some great words of wisdom to share... :) I guess I would finish this all by saying patience pays off. It took me a long time to get to this place and the road here was not all rainbows and sunshine. It was hard, I was often frustrated, and a lot of times I felt like the things that were on my heart would never happen. Yet, here I am. Exactly where I have wanted to be for a long time... and it's so worth the wait!

I think it's also important to remember that your story and your journey is never just about you. It's always like pieces of a puzzle fitting together in the right timing and all we know is the one piece we have... that's it. Take the pressure off. Just enjoy life and trust that things will happen in the right time.

I feel weird talking about myself so much... haha!

To donate:

People can go to my blog www.alexandrapag.blogspot.com and click on the Donate link that links directly with paypal. Or they can e-mail money transfer to pagnucco.alexandra@gmail.com.

Basically, when it comes to fundraising, people can always give however and whatever they feel. It will always be put towards my clinic fees which are, well, literally that. Clinic fees to keep this clinic running so that it can provide care. It's amazing how much we see this money in action.