We soon found ourselves boarding an airplane once again. It was nice to know that after this short 45 minute flight we could stay on the ground for a while. 

The view from the plane was magnificent! The water was an aqua color. As we looked out the airplane window we could see the many houses crammed together in a little space. Having a bird's eye view of the island made us think, "What is it really going to be like working on this island, with the Filipino people, for a month?"    

Upon arriving in Puerto Princesa, we were welcomed with a breakfast at the SDA mission office. This was our first experience with real Filipino food. Some didn't enjoy the papaya. But this left more for the rest of us! The mango was very sweet and juicy, with no strings! Pancit was a favorite dish made with thin noodles stir-fried with vegetables. The small bananas were interesting. Some of us thought they tasted a little like strawberries.  

Another one of our first experiences occurred just before we left for our four hour drive to San Vicente. We decided we should use the restroom before we began this last leg of our journey.  All of us had a chance to experience using these Filipino toilets at least once. You have to get the hang of the special technique of flushing these "special" toilets. The procedure is to dip a cup in a large bucket of water and pour it in the "toilet bowl."  Simple, right?

On our way to San Vicente we had time to lean back and enjoy the  beautiful tropical scenery. The lush green of the rice fields and the jungle were just part of the beauty of Palawan.

Finally, we arrived at our destination: Caparii resort in San Vicente. As we stepped off the bus, we were immediately surrounded by the friendly SDA church members who had come to welcome us. We shook the hands of almost every person there! As soon as our luggage was unloaded from the van, they helped us carry it to the cabins where we would be staying for the next three weeks.