During the last week, I have had the privilege to be gathered with all of my fellow Volunteers in Philippines Batch 267 to celebrate our half-way point of service. Because of the timing of MST (mid-service training), many of my friends are excited to return to their families and friends in America to celebrate the holidays. Whether they will be visiting for two weeks or five, they will all be able to spend quality time with their loved ones and unashamedly join in the traditions that they have grown up with.
While I didn’t think that I would be sad to be away for the holidays for yet another year, being around many people who will all be experiencing an American Christmas this year has made me realize that yes, I do miss some things. My Grandmothers’ cookies, our family gatherings, and the smell of a real Christmas tree cannot be replaced by a package in the mail or by a Skype conversation. Sleeping next to the Christmas tree and waking up to a blizzard outside will not happen here. I can’t hug my nieces and nephews, my grandparents, or my aunts and uncles. Watching my puppy rip apart Christmas wrapping paper from gifts just isn’t the same through the computer.
Despite being away, I feel really fortunate to be able to create new traditions in a faraway land. Spending Christmas with my host family is not the same, but it is special and rewarding nonetheless. It brings a smile to my face when we can just enjoy each other’s company, with the aid of some videoke, delicious food, and red wine. I will spend a day and a half baking hundreds of cookies with some really wonderful friends, all in an effort to create the feeling of Christmas-at-home-away-from-home. Hopefully when it is done, we will have plenty of cookies to eat and to share. I will undoubtedly talk with family members in the US while they are preparing for family gatherings, church services, and overall chaos.
Yes, it is not the same. But sometimes life is not about doing Christmas how we have always done Christmas. Being away has helped me learn to appreciate those special moments so much more than I did, and so I know that when I have the chance again to see my family and to celebrate the holidays like we have done together for so many years, I will be truly grateful to be there. For now, I also appreciate the incredible opportunity that I have to be a part of another family, who were strangers to me just over a year ago. While there may be short moments of homesickness or general wonder in the next two weeks, I am looking forward to celebrating the holidays in a place where I am also loved and that I can, for now, call home.
12 December 2009
06 December 2009
04 December 2009
Toto, we're not in the Phils anymore...
This next week finds Batch 267 Volunteers at Mid-Service Training, which is the midpoint of our Peace Corps training cycle. Along with three days of training, the days are accompanied also by doctor and dentist appointments, catching up with other Volunteers, mustache competitions (or, as some have interpreted it, hairy mole competitions), and some downtime away from site. Being opportunists, my sitemate Angela and I decided to take advantage of the paid flight to Manila and vacation for a week before in two of the must-see destinations here.
Last Friday, we took the last flight to Manila and wound up at the bus station at 1 AM. Excited to take a night bus and arrive in Baguio in the morning in order to give us a full day of sightseeing, our hopes were dashed when we found out the first bus we could get on was at 6 AM. So, what to do in Manila overnight when you don’t want to pay for a pension house? Well, you can catch the tail-end of live music, go on a search for your favorite flavor of ice cream at one of the 24/7 mini-stops, wander the streets, or make skype calls, since 4 AM in the Philippines turns out to be an ideal time for much of the world. When the time rolled around, we returned to the bus station, very tired and only slightly annoyed that our bus left a half-hour after the scheduled time. Without much sleep, we were able to take in the beauty of the Cordillera Mountains as we drove.
Our two days in Baguio proved fruitful both for recuperation and time with friends. With good timing, some other Volunteers and our great friends were spending time there after their Thanksgiving celebration in more northern Sagada. We ventured through the 100-year-old city that was designed by Americans as a mountain retreat and health center. Nestled at 1500 meters above sea level, the cold air was refreshing as we hiked around the city and created our adventures—getting lost on a hike only to be saved by a Filipino with a bamboo ladder to help us down a wall of rock, enjoying delicious meals while wondering if our waiters even worked at the restaurant at all (or which drugs they were on), and traversing historical areas and museums and wondering why they were even turned into museums at all. Baguio, as a city, is certainly different than much of the Philippines—people are extremely (genuinely) friendly, English skills are impressive, and the city is both incredibly lively and safe. It is no wonder why it is officially the “Summer Home of the Philippines”.
With our satisfaction in Baguio, we ventured next on a very curvy 6 ½ hour bus ride around the edges of mountains to the town of Sagada. Looking forward to the cooler weather, we discovered that a cold front had come in the same night that we arrived—meaning we spent days in long underwear, gloves, scarves, and hats. Temperatures dipped perhaps into the 40s (4-10 degrees Celsius), which amplifies its edge when houses are not insulated and there is no heating source. Nighttime was spent huddled under the covers in almost all of the clothes that we had packed—FYI, sleeping in a raincoat makes every toss and turn pretty noisy. Additionally, showers were few and far between since the cold breeze in the open-air shower room counteracted the only slightly lukewarm water. Fortunately, Sagada makes up for the cold with its general enchantment, incredible sights, and delicious food.
On our first full day, we set out to meet up with our guide to take us on a 4-hour caving expedition. We were both excited and nervous as we headed out of our pension house. The first sign of a challenging day, though, came when I slipped on the stairs and tumbled to the bottom, like the occasional klutz that I am. In a combination of laughter and pain, I announced to the several people in the restaurant that had seen my fall that I was okay. I rose to my feet like a tough kid and brushed myself off with an embarrassed laugh. Unfortunately, though, I knew that I had hurt myself a bit when I had reached for the railing with my right arm and my shoulder sustained an unexpected yank. But I can tackle a cave, right? We met our guide and hiked out of town to the trailhead and the opening of the cave, complete with stacks of hanging coffins that are part of the local cultural burial practices. We climbed over a few boulders towards the entrance, and I noticed that I was unable to put pressure on my right arm without pain. So, the decision had to be made. The caving included intense climbing, crawling, maneuvering, and hanging from ropes. My arm definitely wasn’t going to make it. Angry at myself for being such a klutz, I headed back to town to wallow in cups of lemon tea and internet. A few hours later, Angela returned and the pictures looked amazing. Maybe someday, I can go back and tackle that cave once and for all.
The next day, we ventured out on two hikes to a waterfall and a lookout with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and rice terraces. Both were stunning. The highlight of the day was trying to find our way on a return “trail” through fields and rice paddies. More of a guessing game, we found ourselves balancing along the edges of terraces, climbing rock walls, getting our feet stuck in the mud, crossing rivers, and getting lost in gardens. We returned to our pension house for a refreshing nap.
Meals were also the highlight of our days spent in Sagada. According to Lonely Planet, there are two restaurants worth a visit—and we did visit them, again and again. Homemade yogurt with granola, French toast soaked in maple syrup, homemade spinach fettuccine, tomato soup, cheese sauce, zucchini, fresh vegetables, lemon tea, chocolate chip cookies, strawberries—it was all a delight. Sagada has by far the best food that we have eaten in the Philippines in the last year and four months.
All in all, the pine trees, cold, fireplaces, and general goodwill of the people put us in the Christmas mood. If we had to create a soundtrack for the week, there is no doubt that it would contain nothing else but Christmas carols. Personally, this getaway was just the refreshing push I needed to get me through the holidays in the Philippines.
While we are heading back to Manila on Friday, it is by no means the end of our vacation. Before training begins, we get to spend the weekend relaxing with other Volunteers, getting our teeth cleaned, seeing The Christmas Carol, enjoying Dairy Queen Blizzards, and skyping with loved ones. The conference itself is also bound to be enjoyable—sharing ideas and experiences with other Volunteers always proves to be therapeutic and energizing.
Last Friday, we took the last flight to Manila and wound up at the bus station at 1 AM. Excited to take a night bus and arrive in Baguio in the morning in order to give us a full day of sightseeing, our hopes were dashed when we found out the first bus we could get on was at 6 AM. So, what to do in Manila overnight when you don’t want to pay for a pension house? Well, you can catch the tail-end of live music, go on a search for your favorite flavor of ice cream at one of the 24/7 mini-stops, wander the streets, or make skype calls, since 4 AM in the Philippines turns out to be an ideal time for much of the world. When the time rolled around, we returned to the bus station, very tired and only slightly annoyed that our bus left a half-hour after the scheduled time. Without much sleep, we were able to take in the beauty of the Cordillera Mountains as we drove.
Our two days in Baguio proved fruitful both for recuperation and time with friends. With good timing, some other Volunteers and our great friends were spending time there after their Thanksgiving celebration in more northern Sagada. We ventured through the 100-year-old city that was designed by Americans as a mountain retreat and health center. Nestled at 1500 meters above sea level, the cold air was refreshing as we hiked around the city and created our adventures—getting lost on a hike only to be saved by a Filipino with a bamboo ladder to help us down a wall of rock, enjoying delicious meals while wondering if our waiters even worked at the restaurant at all (or which drugs they were on), and traversing historical areas and museums and wondering why they were even turned into museums at all. Baguio, as a city, is certainly different than much of the Philippines—people are extremely (genuinely) friendly, English skills are impressive, and the city is both incredibly lively and safe. It is no wonder why it is officially the “Summer Home of the Philippines”.
With our satisfaction in Baguio, we ventured next on a very curvy 6 ½ hour bus ride around the edges of mountains to the town of Sagada. Looking forward to the cooler weather, we discovered that a cold front had come in the same night that we arrived—meaning we spent days in long underwear, gloves, scarves, and hats. Temperatures dipped perhaps into the 40s (4-10 degrees Celsius), which amplifies its edge when houses are not insulated and there is no heating source. Nighttime was spent huddled under the covers in almost all of the clothes that we had packed—FYI, sleeping in a raincoat makes every toss and turn pretty noisy. Additionally, showers were few and far between since the cold breeze in the open-air shower room counteracted the only slightly lukewarm water. Fortunately, Sagada makes up for the cold with its general enchantment, incredible sights, and delicious food.
On our first full day, we set out to meet up with our guide to take us on a 4-hour caving expedition. We were both excited and nervous as we headed out of our pension house. The first sign of a challenging day, though, came when I slipped on the stairs and tumbled to the bottom, like the occasional klutz that I am. In a combination of laughter and pain, I announced to the several people in the restaurant that had seen my fall that I was okay. I rose to my feet like a tough kid and brushed myself off with an embarrassed laugh. Unfortunately, though, I knew that I had hurt myself a bit when I had reached for the railing with my right arm and my shoulder sustained an unexpected yank. But I can tackle a cave, right? We met our guide and hiked out of town to the trailhead and the opening of the cave, complete with stacks of hanging coffins that are part of the local cultural burial practices. We climbed over a few boulders towards the entrance, and I noticed that I was unable to put pressure on my right arm without pain. So, the decision had to be made. The caving included intense climbing, crawling, maneuvering, and hanging from ropes. My arm definitely wasn’t going to make it. Angry at myself for being such a klutz, I headed back to town to wallow in cups of lemon tea and internet. A few hours later, Angela returned and the pictures looked amazing. Maybe someday, I can go back and tackle that cave once and for all.
The next day, we ventured out on two hikes to a waterfall and a lookout with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and rice terraces. Both were stunning. The highlight of the day was trying to find our way on a return “trail” through fields and rice paddies. More of a guessing game, we found ourselves balancing along the edges of terraces, climbing rock walls, getting our feet stuck in the mud, crossing rivers, and getting lost in gardens. We returned to our pension house for a refreshing nap.
Meals were also the highlight of our days spent in Sagada. According to Lonely Planet, there are two restaurants worth a visit—and we did visit them, again and again. Homemade yogurt with granola, French toast soaked in maple syrup, homemade spinach fettuccine, tomato soup, cheese sauce, zucchini, fresh vegetables, lemon tea, chocolate chip cookies, strawberries—it was all a delight. Sagada has by far the best food that we have eaten in the Philippines in the last year and four months.
All in all, the pine trees, cold, fireplaces, and general goodwill of the people put us in the Christmas mood. If we had to create a soundtrack for the week, there is no doubt that it would contain nothing else but Christmas carols. Personally, this getaway was just the refreshing push I needed to get me through the holidays in the Philippines.
While we are heading back to Manila on Friday, it is by no means the end of our vacation. Before training begins, we get to spend the weekend relaxing with other Volunteers, getting our teeth cleaned, seeing The Christmas Carol, enjoying Dairy Queen Blizzards, and skyping with loved ones. The conference itself is also bound to be enjoyable—sharing ideas and experiences with other Volunteers always proves to be therapeutic and energizing.
22 November 2009
Published.
Last night, I received a text from my great friend Angela - "Lynn! Did you read the new PC Times yet? You're in it! Yeah! So exciting." And so it turns out, an article that I had been asked to write about six months ago has finally surfaced and is floating around in the world of Peace Corps Volunteers. The PC Times is published four times per year and serves as one way to get news out about big changes in PC or about what other Volunteers are doing. In April, I had received an email asking me to write something about my experience in the Master's International program and doing youth work here in the Philippines. Always willing to write about my experiences, I gladly obliged. While the current edition of the paper has not been uploaded on the Peace Corps website yet, I'll share with you the text of the article...
Working with Youth and (Hopefully) Changing the World
While riding through the Philippines in a jeepney, it is impossible not to notice the overwhelming presence of children here. The population in the Philippines has been and continues to grow at a significant rate, which means that more and more children are flowing into the basic family unit, school systems, clinics, and the streets. Just taking a walk through larger cities, the presence of children living or working in the streets is a heartbreaking reality.
As a Children, Youth, and Families Volunteer, I have to constantly remind myself that I may not be able to change the world as a whole, but I can have a part in changing the world of a child. The same is true, though, for all Volunteers, whether you are working in Coastal Resource Management, Education, Agriculture, or Health. No matter what we are all doing on a day-to-day basis, we are ultimately hoping to make the world a better place for the next generation.
During my graduate studies at The University of Montana in Intercultural Youth and Family Development (a Master’s International program), we talked endlessly of the issues that children and youth face around the world. In our coursework, we analyzed existing programs targeting specific populations, discussed the psycho-social ramifications on children due to traumatic events, researched different strategies of sustainability, looked at various models of youth development that are successful, and on and on. We asked questions that brought out emotions and personal values about such issues that, in the end, resulted in no exact right or wrong answers at all.
What I have learned outside of the classroom, though, is that in the day-to-day business of CYF work, it does not matter if you know the best and most comprehensive way to conduct a needs assessment, or if you have studied endlessly about children who have been trafficked, or if you have the skills to develop an annual fundraising plan for an nongovernmental organization. It does indeed help, but as Volunteers, we all have access to such resources. What matters is that you are willing to get your hands dirty in the messy job of a youth worker—put your heart into it and jump right in. In the end, it’s those relationships, smiles, and moments of connection that may ultimately make a larger impact than anything else.
Debilzen is participating in the Master's International program. She is from Francis Creek, Wisconsin, and is serving as a youth, children, and family services Volunteer. She is scheduled to complete her service in November 2010.
Working with Youth and (Hopefully) Changing the World
While riding through the Philippines in a jeepney, it is impossible not to notice the overwhelming presence of children here. The population in the Philippines has been and continues to grow at a significant rate, which means that more and more children are flowing into the basic family unit, school systems, clinics, and the streets. Just taking a walk through larger cities, the presence of children living or working in the streets is a heartbreaking reality.
As a Children, Youth, and Families Volunteer, I have to constantly remind myself that I may not be able to change the world as a whole, but I can have a part in changing the world of a child. The same is true, though, for all Volunteers, whether you are working in Coastal Resource Management, Education, Agriculture, or Health. No matter what we are all doing on a day-to-day basis, we are ultimately hoping to make the world a better place for the next generation.
During my graduate studies at The University of Montana in Intercultural Youth and Family Development (a Master’s International program), we talked endlessly of the issues that children and youth face around the world. In our coursework, we analyzed existing programs targeting specific populations, discussed the psycho-social ramifications on children due to traumatic events, researched different strategies of sustainability, looked at various models of youth development that are successful, and on and on. We asked questions that brought out emotions and personal values about such issues that, in the end, resulted in no exact right or wrong answers at all.
What I have learned outside of the classroom, though, is that in the day-to-day business of CYF work, it does not matter if you know the best and most comprehensive way to conduct a needs assessment, or if you have studied endlessly about children who have been trafficked, or if you have the skills to develop an annual fundraising plan for an nongovernmental organization. It does indeed help, but as Volunteers, we all have access to such resources. What matters is that you are willing to get your hands dirty in the messy job of a youth worker—put your heart into it and jump right in. In the end, it’s those relationships, smiles, and moments of connection that may ultimately make a larger impact than anything else.
Debilzen is participating in the Master's International program. She is from Francis Creek, Wisconsin, and is serving as a youth, children, and family services Volunteer. She is scheduled to complete her service in November 2010.
31 October 2009
Tough (Gender) Issues.
This past week, I returned with Angela to our training site for the first time in a year to help another volunteer with a gender issues camp. It was strange going back to this place that I called home for three months and realizing just how much happens in a year. Sure, it may have been the differences in the city—the road construction in the downtown area was finished, some of the streets seemed to be more lit up, and one of our favorite hang-outs was closed down—but I am pretty sure that has nothing to do with it. Last year, the streets of Dumaguete seemed so foreign, scary, and dark. Everything was completely new and there was a feeling of vulnerability that accompanied it all. At the time, of course, I didn’t realize it. Now, though, it seems incredibly different. The whole city was so friendly and safe, causing me to wonder why I ever thought it was a bit scary to walk around after dark. The reason is because I am the one that has changed, and not the city. This time, we walked those streets with confidence, as much is different now. There we were—poised with accumulated knowledge and experience, ready to take on anything that landed in front of us. It makes me wonder…if returning to Dumaguete (which can serve as a baseline) makes me realize how far I have come after a year, what will returning to the U.S. after two years be like? It is both exciting and scary at the same time, and it is something that I would rather worry about later rather than sooner.
Overall, the youth camp was a success. We brought together about 40 teenagers from five different centers in the area to discuss anything relating to gender issues. The kids seemed to catch on, but I wish I could say the same for the adult facilitators.
There are a lot of topics here that are very sensitive, and that I just won’t offer my opinion on unless I am specifically asked for it—religion, family planning, the education system, fidelity, cultural beliefs in general, etc. For the most part, it is easy to stay quiet, unless I am with a trusted Filipino friend who I can have a mutual conversation with, or if I feel like something is completely unjust (like the race-centered jokes that are told all.of.the.time). Gender, though, is one of those topics where it is just very difficult to stay quiet.
I have heard so many times the phrase “gender sensitive” being thrown around, by NGOs and government organizations, trying to claim their level of “progressiveness”. It is supposed to impress people. Not me. From what I have observed, being “gender sensitive” means that women and girls are taken into consideration, not as equals but almost as if being a woman is a disability. By being “gender sensitive”, many organizations simply make an attempt to show that women are participating. In reality, though, at least in my observations, this is very much still a man’s culture and society. Yes, there is a female president, but that doesn’t exactly make us “progressive” by any means.
There was a moment during the camp that really caused all of the Peace Corps Volunteers to have to pick up our own jaws off of the ground. During one of the large group sessions, this statement was read, “If a woman dresses provocatively and walks around at night, it is her fault if she is raped or sexually assaulted.” Participants had a choice of Agree, Neutral, or Disagree. The group was split—about 50% in the Disagree, 10% in the Neutral, and 40% in Agree. There was even a male house parent from one of the centers that was agreeing to this statement! When asked to express his opinion, he shared that women who look sexy are responsible for putting bad thoughts in men’s heads. Umm, I’m sorry, when did humans revert to simple animals, who don’t have the ability to think logically or make their own decisions? What was equally sad was that those in the Disagree section were arguing for reasons that I wouldn’t even think of—“What if the woman is coming home from a party?” Well, what if she is not? What if she just likes to wear tank tops? By the way, the term “provocative” is pretty subjective, but I am not talking about anything slutty.
Now, I am not about to put you through a venting session on my blog. In the last few weeks, though, I have noticed a pattern when talking with other female Peace Corps Volunteers. With over a year finished in our service, the question of extension often comes up. It says something when the ONLY reason not to extend amongst other female PCVs is because they cannot stand the men. Now, we are not talking about wanting to date the men—we are talking about simply co-existing with them. Walking down the street here is never a leisurely stroll. It is usually not joyful by any means. Yes, there are times when you can walk down the street and make it to your destination without being noticed. That is usually at 5:30 AM, when no one is around. Otherwise, the walk involves men staring at women (especially foreign women), men hocking loogies, men urinating on the sidewalk, men drinking, men sticking their stomachs out with their shirts up, and most annoyingly, men randomly saying comments such as “Hello” or “Good morning, beautiful” after you pass them, since they are too “shy” to say it to your face. Two weeks ago, I visibly lost my temper for the first time, when an older man thought he had the right to grab my shoulder and slowly drag his hand all the way down my arm—as I was walking past him. Apparently, the fact that I was wearing a sleeveless dress was too tempting, and his ability to control his actions was thrown out the window. It is very much a man’s world, and to be a strong woman in a place that is constantly trying to shove you back down is a challenge.
With that said, there are definitely some Filipino men that do not fit this description at all—they are nice, respectful, and treat you as an equal. Yes, they are out there, I am sure of it. I have met a few, and I see a lot of potential in the male youth that I have worked with—they are thinking critically about their world, and hopefully gender and the dynamics within the Philippines has entered into their thoughts. At the same time, I have met so many young, strong women here, and I know that they will take a stand and demand a change in the way that society treats them and what is expected. My two closest Filipina friends both have boyfriends and both insist on delaying marriage until the time is right and they have accomplished some of their personal goals. Both being mid-20s, with a very young average marriage age here, this says a lot about where the trend is going. The key demographic factor of these two friends though, I believe, is that they are both college-educated. Most of the population is not.
One thing that has also come up within the past few weeks regarding gender is how American women are seen around the globe. I have had several great conversations with co-workers recently, most notably in our taxi rides home after long days of training or in the community. The most common question that comes up is, “Lynn, is it true that women in the US are liberated?” While I have many ways that I want to answer this question in my head, my boilerplate response is, “What is your definition of ‘liberated’?” This question is usually responded to with something along the lines of, “Well, is it true that American women have sex at a very young age?” To which I respond, “What age do you think that American women have sex at?” The response. “Well, they say that girls in the US have sex starting at the age of 9 or 10.” To which I calmly respond, “Who is ‘they’ that is telling you this?” Usually with no idea of who this mysterious ‘they’ is, we launch into a mutual conversation about the similarities between women here and women in the US. One thing I make sure to point out is that everyday I see at least a handful of girls (not women, but girls) who are pregnant and who are somewhat forced into a marriage that they do not want and into a family that they are not mature enough to handle. We eventually arrive at a conclusion involving something along the lines of all women, no matter what nationality, are individuals but that they actually have a lot in common. If we are lucky, we delve into the portrayal of women in the media and the difference between television and real life. If we are lucky. And don’t worry—I definitely dispel the belief that American girls are having sex at age 9.
So, are women in the US “liberated”, you ask? Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we are encouraged to follow our dreams and have the ability and social support to do so (usually). Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we can find good jobs and be successful in our careers, while simultaneously being girlfriends, wives, mothers, grandmothers. Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we have control over our own bodies and the knowledge (hopefully) to make decisions as our maturity allows us. Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we can wear clothes that are flattering and not be stared at or reduced to feeling like an object as soon as we walk out of our houses. Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we pursue higher education, global experiences, and professional advancement, all because we can. So, I guess the answer is yes, we are liberated.
Gender everywhere seems to be a complicated issue, and with only being here a year, I am only beginning to understand. Like many things, it is a dichotomy. But alas, I will leave you with some pictures of our camp—which again, was a total success, thanks to how awesome our fellow volunteer, Elizabeth, is!
Overall, the youth camp was a success. We brought together about 40 teenagers from five different centers in the area to discuss anything relating to gender issues. The kids seemed to catch on, but I wish I could say the same for the adult facilitators.
There are a lot of topics here that are very sensitive, and that I just won’t offer my opinion on unless I am specifically asked for it—religion, family planning, the education system, fidelity, cultural beliefs in general, etc. For the most part, it is easy to stay quiet, unless I am with a trusted Filipino friend who I can have a mutual conversation with, or if I feel like something is completely unjust (like the race-centered jokes that are told all.of.the.time). Gender, though, is one of those topics where it is just very difficult to stay quiet.
I have heard so many times the phrase “gender sensitive” being thrown around, by NGOs and government organizations, trying to claim their level of “progressiveness”. It is supposed to impress people. Not me. From what I have observed, being “gender sensitive” means that women and girls are taken into consideration, not as equals but almost as if being a woman is a disability. By being “gender sensitive”, many organizations simply make an attempt to show that women are participating. In reality, though, at least in my observations, this is very much still a man’s culture and society. Yes, there is a female president, but that doesn’t exactly make us “progressive” by any means.
There was a moment during the camp that really caused all of the Peace Corps Volunteers to have to pick up our own jaws off of the ground. During one of the large group sessions, this statement was read, “If a woman dresses provocatively and walks around at night, it is her fault if she is raped or sexually assaulted.” Participants had a choice of Agree, Neutral, or Disagree. The group was split—about 50% in the Disagree, 10% in the Neutral, and 40% in Agree. There was even a male house parent from one of the centers that was agreeing to this statement! When asked to express his opinion, he shared that women who look sexy are responsible for putting bad thoughts in men’s heads. Umm, I’m sorry, when did humans revert to simple animals, who don’t have the ability to think logically or make their own decisions? What was equally sad was that those in the Disagree section were arguing for reasons that I wouldn’t even think of—“What if the woman is coming home from a party?” Well, what if she is not? What if she just likes to wear tank tops? By the way, the term “provocative” is pretty subjective, but I am not talking about anything slutty.
Now, I am not about to put you through a venting session on my blog. In the last few weeks, though, I have noticed a pattern when talking with other female Peace Corps Volunteers. With over a year finished in our service, the question of extension often comes up. It says something when the ONLY reason not to extend amongst other female PCVs is because they cannot stand the men. Now, we are not talking about wanting to date the men—we are talking about simply co-existing with them. Walking down the street here is never a leisurely stroll. It is usually not joyful by any means. Yes, there are times when you can walk down the street and make it to your destination without being noticed. That is usually at 5:30 AM, when no one is around. Otherwise, the walk involves men staring at women (especially foreign women), men hocking loogies, men urinating on the sidewalk, men drinking, men sticking their stomachs out with their shirts up, and most annoyingly, men randomly saying comments such as “Hello” or “Good morning, beautiful” after you pass them, since they are too “shy” to say it to your face. Two weeks ago, I visibly lost my temper for the first time, when an older man thought he had the right to grab my shoulder and slowly drag his hand all the way down my arm—as I was walking past him. Apparently, the fact that I was wearing a sleeveless dress was too tempting, and his ability to control his actions was thrown out the window. It is very much a man’s world, and to be a strong woman in a place that is constantly trying to shove you back down is a challenge.
With that said, there are definitely some Filipino men that do not fit this description at all—they are nice, respectful, and treat you as an equal. Yes, they are out there, I am sure of it. I have met a few, and I see a lot of potential in the male youth that I have worked with—they are thinking critically about their world, and hopefully gender and the dynamics within the Philippines has entered into their thoughts. At the same time, I have met so many young, strong women here, and I know that they will take a stand and demand a change in the way that society treats them and what is expected. My two closest Filipina friends both have boyfriends and both insist on delaying marriage until the time is right and they have accomplished some of their personal goals. Both being mid-20s, with a very young average marriage age here, this says a lot about where the trend is going. The key demographic factor of these two friends though, I believe, is that they are both college-educated. Most of the population is not.
One thing that has also come up within the past few weeks regarding gender is how American women are seen around the globe. I have had several great conversations with co-workers recently, most notably in our taxi rides home after long days of training or in the community. The most common question that comes up is, “Lynn, is it true that women in the US are liberated?” While I have many ways that I want to answer this question in my head, my boilerplate response is, “What is your definition of ‘liberated’?” This question is usually responded to with something along the lines of, “Well, is it true that American women have sex at a very young age?” To which I respond, “What age do you think that American women have sex at?” The response. “Well, they say that girls in the US have sex starting at the age of 9 or 10.” To which I calmly respond, “Who is ‘they’ that is telling you this?” Usually with no idea of who this mysterious ‘they’ is, we launch into a mutual conversation about the similarities between women here and women in the US. One thing I make sure to point out is that everyday I see at least a handful of girls (not women, but girls) who are pregnant and who are somewhat forced into a marriage that they do not want and into a family that they are not mature enough to handle. We eventually arrive at a conclusion involving something along the lines of all women, no matter what nationality, are individuals but that they actually have a lot in common. If we are lucky, we delve into the portrayal of women in the media and the difference between television and real life. If we are lucky. And don’t worry—I definitely dispel the belief that American girls are having sex at age 9.
So, are women in the US “liberated”, you ask? Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we are encouraged to follow our dreams and have the ability and social support to do so (usually). Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we can find good jobs and be successful in our careers, while simultaneously being girlfriends, wives, mothers, grandmothers. Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we have control over our own bodies and the knowledge (hopefully) to make decisions as our maturity allows us. Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we can wear clothes that are flattering and not be stared at or reduced to feeling like an object as soon as we walk out of our houses. Yes, if by “liberated” you mean that we pursue higher education, global experiences, and professional advancement, all because we can. So, I guess the answer is yes, we are liberated.
Gender everywhere seems to be a complicated issue, and with only being here a year, I am only beginning to understand. Like many things, it is a dichotomy. But alas, I will leave you with some pictures of our camp—which again, was a total success, thanks to how awesome our fellow volunteer, Elizabeth, is!
MassKara Rocks.
Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to visit some friends in Bacolod, a city in a neighboring province, to attend their 30th annual MassKara Festival. The city-wide festival gathers together people, colors, masks, and dancers for an explosion of a celebration. It was so great to get together with other volunteers, some of whom I hadn't seen for six months. Enjoy some of the pictures!
09 October 2009
Height Matters.
“Helper Wanted: Male, 15-18 years old.”
“Hiring: Store Managers – 2 Female, 1 Male: 25-28 years old.”
“Job Fair: Hotel Employees. Preference goes to graduates of University of ______. 20-23 years old."
“Waitress Needed: Female, 18-20. Symmetrical Features.”
Finding a job in the Philippines is not only difficult because of the lack of jobs here, but also because job openings usually have very narrow requirements. These specifications are very different than in the US, and it has been difficult to adjust to this. Not that I am looking for a job, but I do know a lot of people that are. Most employers look to fill their openings with someone of a specific gender, age, look, or alma mater. Although I have heard that discrimination (whatever that means) is supposedly illegal, I often wonder which definition of discrimination is used.
A resume in the US is pretty basic—it includes your name, contact information, objective in seeking this particular position, education background, work experience, and any other relevant information. A “biodata” sheet here contains the same information, as well as such things as a picture, your religion, birth date, physical description, and even your father’s occupation. When all this extra (and one could say irrelevant) information gets thrown into the hiring process, is it a wonder why it is difficult for some to attain employment? For example, an employer might be much more likely to hire someone whose father is a sales manager than someone whose father is a trike driver. This piece of information actually has nothing to do with the skills and abilities of the applicant that sits down for the interview, but nonetheless, the fact that it is on the biodata sheet probably weighs into the decision. The same goes for religion—if an applicant lists Born-Again Christian on their biodata sheet, they are probably not likely to be hired by a Catholic organization. After all, it might interfere with their work.
Imagine my surprise the other day when I found out that in many positions, there is even a height requirement. Yes, whether you are tall or short may determine your hire-ability or even your chances of continuing on to further education. One of our youth (and I must say, one of my favorites) is 4’11” and a high school graduate. He took and passed the entrance exam to get into one of the best technical training programs here, but because of requirements of employers (who have heavy influence over the students who are accepted into the program) that their employees must be over 5’0” tall, he was turned away. In the discussion with my supervisor, I must have repeated several times, “A height requirement?!?” in several different grammatical forms in both languages. She was equally shocked when I said that this sort of discrimination is illegal in the US. “Oy, illegal?”
While no place is perfect, and I suppose I am not in any position to say what is right or wrong, it is little pieces to the puzzle like this that help to explain the persistence of poverty. Even if a youth from an indigent family is lucky enough to receive a college scholarship or sponsorship and eventually graduate, the fact that their biodata lists their father’s occupation as “standby” or their picture shows that their teeth aren’t all present might influence their chances at finding a job. Those people who choose to cross-venture into a traditionally male- or female-gendered career, or those who are in a religious minority, might be put at more of a disadvantage. Depending on the job you are looking for, being a short male, single mother, married woman, gay man, non-religious person, man with long hair, woman with short hair, Muslim, someone in your mid-40s, someone with a disability, a fresh graduate, etc. might determine your success.
Word on the street is that the height requirement for this specific technical training program has been lifted, which is great news for this particular youth. It is also great news for me, as I don’t have to consider lending him my favorite high heels to trick the system anymore. Fortunately, while some “flaw” on your biodata might determine your job prospects, it does not have to decide everything, as the sign I saw along the road the other day clearly demonstrates:
“Wanted: Asawa (wife). Any kind. Call # ________________”
28 September 2009
Storming, Adopting, Goodbye-ing, Hump Day-ing, etc.
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of a schedule at work! This past Friday, along with another Peace Corps Volunteer and two staff members of International Justice Mission, we did a presentation for the American Chamber of Commerce on human trafficking and the current situation here in the Philippines. The presentation went pretty well, and there was a great response afterwards in talking to members of the audience. On Saturday, we held a full-day toy-making training for our supervised neighborhood play teachers and mothers in the community. The mothers got a lot out of it, and I think it was a good bonding time for them—I just hope they use what they learn once they are back at home! While it was all something to smile about, I was a ball of stress for about an hour since the training went really late, transportation options were limited where we were, I was supposed to be at a going away party (despedida) of a good friend that night, and I still had to pack for my 7 AM flight.
While riding in a trike, I received a phone call though from my training manager, who informed me of the horrible weather in Manila and that I was not supposed to travel the next day. Whoo, one thing off my plate. It wasn’t until the next day, though, that I realized how big this storm actually was. The metro Manila area basically received a month’s worth of rain within a 24-hour period, causing flooding and landslides. The last number I heard was that 79 people were dead. Please keep those affected and the Philippines in your thoughts and prayers, as it is a difficult time now for many.
And, on to the despedida…this weekend, I had to say goodbye to one of my site mates, who is heading for the US this week. Due to unfortunate circumstances, her departure is both premature and unexpected. Over the past few months, we have grown close and learned to use each other for support when it was most needed. We have also had a lot of fun! I am sad to see her go, and she will truly be missed. Loren, I hope there are plenty of pleasant surprises and equally-fulfilling challenges down the next journey…and I will see you on the flipside!
This week, I am heading to do my CYF duty as “Adopt-a-Cluster Extraordinaire”. There will be no real adopting—this just means that I will lead trainings for one of the clusters in our new batch of Peace Corps Trainees. I am excited to meet them and share the experiences of our batch! Plus, I have stocked up on some American goodies for them—I can’t wait to see their reactions. Last year, it seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere and had no access to any of our comfort foods—when gifts arrived from our training manager, I don’t even think we breathed during inhaling all the food. Although I am arriving two days late (due to the storms), I am excited to be there. My travel plans have changed, though, and I won’t be making it up to Vigan where I was hoping to vacation for a few days. I will be heading back to site next week!
One fun piece of news is that my time in the Philippines is 50% complete, as of yesterday! Another CYF volunteer and all of his amazingness occasionally sends texts to all of us, congratulating us on our one-month, six-month, one-year anniversaries, etc. The text we received yesterday went like this:
“365 days a year times 2 years + 84 days of PST = 814 days of Peace Corps Service divided by 2 = 407 days. August 16th, 2009 (day 365) + 42 days = September 27th, 2009 (day 407). . . So Congratulations and Happy Hump Day! You are officially halfway completed with your Peace Corps Services : ) . . . And there’s not much 2 say on your Peace Corps Hump Day, it’s more of a day for thoughtful thinking they say. . . Some might say the glass is half empty, and some might say that it’s half full. . . I say, if you’ve still got something in your glass, then you’ve still got something 2 cheers! . . . So let the fun continue and congratulations 2 you awesome Peace Corps Volunteers, because “The hardest job you’ll ever love” isn’t an empowering advertising slogan for you, it’s your lifelong slogan for a period of time when you faced unforeseen challenges in an effort 2 help : ) . . . Keep up the good work!”
It is hard to believe how quickly the time goes, and looking forward at a calendar, the second half will seem to fly by twice as quickly as the first. Thanks to all my fellow PCVs for keeping the days bright!
While riding in a trike, I received a phone call though from my training manager, who informed me of the horrible weather in Manila and that I was not supposed to travel the next day. Whoo, one thing off my plate. It wasn’t until the next day, though, that I realized how big this storm actually was. The metro Manila area basically received a month’s worth of rain within a 24-hour period, causing flooding and landslides. The last number I heard was that 79 people were dead. Please keep those affected and the Philippines in your thoughts and prayers, as it is a difficult time now for many.
And, on to the despedida…this weekend, I had to say goodbye to one of my site mates, who is heading for the US this week. Due to unfortunate circumstances, her departure is both premature and unexpected. Over the past few months, we have grown close and learned to use each other for support when it was most needed. We have also had a lot of fun! I am sad to see her go, and she will truly be missed. Loren, I hope there are plenty of pleasant surprises and equally-fulfilling challenges down the next journey…and I will see you on the flipside!
This week, I am heading to do my CYF duty as “Adopt-a-Cluster Extraordinaire”. There will be no real adopting—this just means that I will lead trainings for one of the clusters in our new batch of Peace Corps Trainees. I am excited to meet them and share the experiences of our batch! Plus, I have stocked up on some American goodies for them—I can’t wait to see their reactions. Last year, it seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere and had no access to any of our comfort foods—when gifts arrived from our training manager, I don’t even think we breathed during inhaling all the food. Although I am arriving two days late (due to the storms), I am excited to be there. My travel plans have changed, though, and I won’t be making it up to Vigan where I was hoping to vacation for a few days. I will be heading back to site next week!
One fun piece of news is that my time in the Philippines is 50% complete, as of yesterday! Another CYF volunteer and all of his amazingness occasionally sends texts to all of us, congratulating us on our one-month, six-month, one-year anniversaries, etc. The text we received yesterday went like this:
“365 days a year times 2 years + 84 days of PST = 814 days of Peace Corps Service divided by 2 = 407 days. August 16th, 2009 (day 365) + 42 days = September 27th, 2009 (day 407). . . So Congratulations and Happy Hump Day! You are officially halfway completed with your Peace Corps Services : ) . . . And there’s not much 2 say on your Peace Corps Hump Day, it’s more of a day for thoughtful thinking they say. . . Some might say the glass is half empty, and some might say that it’s half full. . . I say, if you’ve still got something in your glass, then you’ve still got something 2 cheers! . . . So let the fun continue and congratulations 2 you awesome Peace Corps Volunteers, because “The hardest job you’ll ever love” isn’t an empowering advertising slogan for you, it’s your lifelong slogan for a period of time when you faced unforeseen challenges in an effort 2 help : ) . . . Keep up the good work!”
It is hard to believe how quickly the time goes, and looking forward at a calendar, the second half will seem to fly by twice as quickly as the first. Thanks to all my fellow PCVs for keeping the days bright!
11 September 2009
Happy Birthday, Dad!
I wanted to send a public shout out to my Dad, who is celebrating 55 wonderful years of life this weekend! Thanks Dad, for being who you are, for our weekly phone calls, for always being there, and most especially, for putting up with me when I was a teenager. Cheers to another healthy and happy 55 years of life!
10 September 2009
After a year...
(in no particular order)
…I keep reminding myself to calculate the percentage of my monthly “income” that I spend on Starbucks and iced chai lattes in general. 15%? 30%? When will the novelty wear off?
…I forget what “quiet” sounds like. Does it make a sound? Where do I find it? Are there jeepneys, roosters, motorcycles, and loud music involved? How did I feel when I was surrounded by “quiet”?
…I have realized which friendships are strong enough to survive long distance, and which ones are best kept local. For those long-distance friends, I am truly grateful.
…I start to wonder if people in the US will think I am crazy when I return. Will they wonder why I make kissy noises to get someone’s attention, why I answer with my eyebrows, why I point with my lips, and why I draw a square in the air to ask for the bill or anytime I have insufficient Cebuano words to describe what I am looking for?
…I still miss my blow dryer and hair straightener, but I realize that there is no point in having one here – the hair will look good again when I am not immersed in such humidity. Still, though…I miss it.
…I have rounded the curve and within a few weeks, will hit the half-way mark of my time in the Philippines. Where does time go, and why does it seem like it flies so fast?
…I have realized that this is my “real life”, after making hundreds of references to, “Well, if this were my real life…” or “In my real life, I would do this…” Two years is very temporary, but what am I missing out on if I don’t consider it part of my “real life”?
…I forget which English words I started using here and which ones I have always used. Will I always like the word “avail” as much as I do now? Will I forever insert the words “actually”, “already”, and “supposedly” way too often into my sentences? Will I continue to write letters that begin with “Greetings!”? How did I start letters before?
…I realize that I am about a year behind on fashion, movies, music, and anything pop culture, and yet, I don’t care.
...there have been points where Peace Corps has been five times more difficult, yet ten times more rewarding, than I ever expected.
…there have been no regrets.
…I keep reminding myself to calculate the percentage of my monthly “income” that I spend on Starbucks and iced chai lattes in general. 15%? 30%? When will the novelty wear off?
…I forget what “quiet” sounds like. Does it make a sound? Where do I find it? Are there jeepneys, roosters, motorcycles, and loud music involved? How did I feel when I was surrounded by “quiet”?
…I have realized which friendships are strong enough to survive long distance, and which ones are best kept local. For those long-distance friends, I am truly grateful.
…I start to wonder if people in the US will think I am crazy when I return. Will they wonder why I make kissy noises to get someone’s attention, why I answer with my eyebrows, why I point with my lips, and why I draw a square in the air to ask for the bill or anytime I have insufficient Cebuano words to describe what I am looking for?
…I still miss my blow dryer and hair straightener, but I realize that there is no point in having one here – the hair will look good again when I am not immersed in such humidity. Still, though…I miss it.
…I have rounded the curve and within a few weeks, will hit the half-way mark of my time in the Philippines. Where does time go, and why does it seem like it flies so fast?
…I have realized that this is my “real life”, after making hundreds of references to, “Well, if this were my real life…” or “In my real life, I would do this…” Two years is very temporary, but what am I missing out on if I don’t consider it part of my “real life”?
…I forget which English words I started using here and which ones I have always used. Will I always like the word “avail” as much as I do now? Will I forever insert the words “actually”, “already”, and “supposedly” way too often into my sentences? Will I continue to write letters that begin with “Greetings!”? How did I start letters before?
…I realize that I am about a year behind on fashion, movies, music, and anything pop culture, and yet, I don’t care.
...there have been points where Peace Corps has been five times more difficult, yet ten times more rewarding, than I ever expected.
…there have been no regrets.
05 September 2009
Unfinished Blogging.
Since the end of July and my life got so crazy, I have started and left unfinished two different blog postings, both of which I think are important to complete and post. So keep on reading. I apologize for them being a bit outdated, but bear with me. I’m quite shocked, though, because over a month has gone by and I have only received a couple of inquiries about where is my darn blog update?? Perhaps I have lost all my readers by this point, though, because all of those nudges were from Mom, Mom, and Mom. Thanks for your patience everyone! And perhaps I shall update you about my life lately while I am in the writing mode…because it is Saturday night, and I am sitting at Starbucks, and I am not anticipating a real day off until next weekend. Why not?
Since beginning at my new site, work has been getting busier and busier. Luckily though, it has also been getting better, more challenging, and much more interesting. Last Friday, I had one of those days that reminded me of exactly why I joined the Peace Corps in the first place. I came home exhausted and disgustingly dirty, and it was absolutely fantastic. I had held my first monthly training with the teachers in our supervised neighborhood play (SNP) program, which is one of the main components of my job. Because of the severe lack and inaccessibility of early childhood education here (nationwide, 80% of children do not have access to ECCD, while within that Barangay, it is at 60%), my organization had trained eleven community-based volunteers to conduct daily (M-F) or thrice-weekly classes for local children, ages 2-6. Each month, we will conduct a professional development session for them to improve their teaching skills.
The title of our first full-day training was, “Becoming a Fantastic Storyteller”. You may be thinking to yourself that I have absolutely no formal skills in storytelling, so how would I be qualified to lead a training on it? Well, as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I am extensively trained in being an expert in something in which I am not an expert. I have mastered this skill in many jobs before. It’s only an 8-hour training, right? Exactly. So with a little research on google, all I had to do was dive right into the planning. And it went pretty smoothly. My counterpart and I split up the sessions the night before, and without much preparation, she continued to amaze me with her, well, amazingness at being a social worker. She is the best counterpart I could ever ask for! (Sadly, she has resigned this week….more about that later). Throughout the day, most of the sessions were active and hands-on, which proved to be the best way for them to learn and practice new material. They practiced voice, emotion, using props, dramatizing, and ad-libbing stories, and at the end of the day, they had the opportunity to work with their co-teachers to create, practice, and perform their own storytelling session. Most of the day emphasized the use of creativity and imagination, since the teachers are really lacking in high-quality early childhood books within their classrooms. Also, there are NO books published in the local language, which (I could imagine) is really confusing for young children. (Stay tuned here and to your emails—I will be trying to collect book donations and/or monetary donations for books very soon).
Throughout the day, I had a lot of great discussions and feedback from my director (who is also very awesome!) about how the training was going, future plans, and other projects I can take on. She also proved extremely helpful in co-facilitating with me and helping when my language skills were not adequate in explaining my thoughts (ugh, I have that problem even in English). At the end of the day, we handed out certificates and did evaluations. To my surprise, my director asked the teachers for two representatives to thank me, and the teachers responded with, “We would all like to thank her.” So they went around the group and each thanked me individually for my time, effort, and giving myself to their organization to teach and to learn. There were seriously tears in my eyes at the end, as it was the sweetest thing ever. Knowing how much I love my job now, I can not even imagine what the good-byes will be like in a little over a year. The friendships I have formed already at my new site have continued to surprise me so much. It’s exactly what I hoped Peace Corps would be like, and I am so glad to have had the support and encouragement to get through those murky few months. Thanks to all!
Back to my counterpart…she informed me a few days ago that she is resigning, as she has found another job with another organization. First, let me just say that she is the best social worker that I have interacted with so far. She is motivated, loves her job, and can form great relationships with and relate to her clients. Even though she is switching jobs, I can only hope that we will continue to be friends. This will be an excellent career opportunity for her, as she will be working with children with disabilities. The new hours of her position will also allow her to return to school for her Master’s, which has been part of her five-year plan since graduating from college.
During our first two months of working together, I had noticed right away the long hours she puts in and the lack of off-days she takes. I constantly said to her, “Pahuway lang…Mag-burn-out ka! Rest, you are going to burn out!” As a community organizer, she is tired. Her body has taken the brunt of the stress, as she has found herself exhausted and sick much of the time. It is no shock, though, since community organizing is an exhausting job no matter where you are in the world. But the same goes for many of my co-workers, and almost every social worker I have met here. People are tired—their bodies and their minds. NGO employees within human services are too often underpaid and over-worked—people come in with a huge heart and high levels of motivation, but slow results and long hours eventually exhausts a person. Fortunately, though, most of them still believe in the cause and what they are doing—they are willing to keep trucking along.
I am fortunate to have had two months to learn from Margie. I have observed her and learned so much from her in such a short time—she has left me with the confidence and the creativity to continue the work that we started together, and so I am excited to go forward.
During the last month as well, I had another bout with bad health and wound up in the hospital again for six days. While I was taken great care of (thanks to Angela!), it was quite the cultural experience! With low platelets, my doctors originally thought I had Dengue Fever. When the platelets stabilized, though, they wanted to send me home—fortunately I asked them when my stomach would stop hurting. This being an indirect culture, even medical professionals do not share much information with patients, so it is hard to tell most of the time what is going on. Because there was no reason for me to be having pain, they kept me there to perform more tests. I was told that I was going to have an ultrasound, a colonoscopy, and an endoscopy. You probably all know what the first two are, and an endoscopy is when they stick a camera and a long tube down your throat all the way to your intestines, to get a good view of your insides. The night before I was scheduled, I talked to my Dad on the phone. Expressing that I was a bit nervous, he assured me that they will use some type of anesthesia during the process, as that is what the procedure is in the US. The next day, when I was wide awake and choking on a camera that was in my stomach and a tube that was blocking my throat, I was quite surprised and really annoyed about healthcare in the Philippines. Ugh. Fortunately, though, they found out what was wrong with me—my symptoms had been the collaboration of three different infections that were working to take over my body. Shwoo, good thing I asked about that stomach pain.
Two weeks later, I am much better, but still not fully recovered. I’m instructed to return to the doctor next week if I still am having pain—at the moment, it looks like I will be going back for more tests. Fun times at the hospital.
Signing off for now—going to head home to my wonderful host family and to watch a movie. Thanks all for your patience in waiting for my blog posts!
Since beginning at my new site, work has been getting busier and busier. Luckily though, it has also been getting better, more challenging, and much more interesting. Last Friday, I had one of those days that reminded me of exactly why I joined the Peace Corps in the first place. I came home exhausted and disgustingly dirty, and it was absolutely fantastic. I had held my first monthly training with the teachers in our supervised neighborhood play (SNP) program, which is one of the main components of my job. Because of the severe lack and inaccessibility of early childhood education here (nationwide, 80% of children do not have access to ECCD, while within that Barangay, it is at 60%), my organization had trained eleven community-based volunteers to conduct daily (M-F) or thrice-weekly classes for local children, ages 2-6. Each month, we will conduct a professional development session for them to improve their teaching skills.
The title of our first full-day training was, “Becoming a Fantastic Storyteller”. You may be thinking to yourself that I have absolutely no formal skills in storytelling, so how would I be qualified to lead a training on it? Well, as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I am extensively trained in being an expert in something in which I am not an expert. I have mastered this skill in many jobs before. It’s only an 8-hour training, right? Exactly. So with a little research on google, all I had to do was dive right into the planning. And it went pretty smoothly. My counterpart and I split up the sessions the night before, and without much preparation, she continued to amaze me with her, well, amazingness at being a social worker. She is the best counterpart I could ever ask for! (Sadly, she has resigned this week….more about that later). Throughout the day, most of the sessions were active and hands-on, which proved to be the best way for them to learn and practice new material. They practiced voice, emotion, using props, dramatizing, and ad-libbing stories, and at the end of the day, they had the opportunity to work with their co-teachers to create, practice, and perform their own storytelling session. Most of the day emphasized the use of creativity and imagination, since the teachers are really lacking in high-quality early childhood books within their classrooms. Also, there are NO books published in the local language, which (I could imagine) is really confusing for young children. (Stay tuned here and to your emails—I will be trying to collect book donations and/or monetary donations for books very soon).
Throughout the day, I had a lot of great discussions and feedback from my director (who is also very awesome!) about how the training was going, future plans, and other projects I can take on. She also proved extremely helpful in co-facilitating with me and helping when my language skills were not adequate in explaining my thoughts (ugh, I have that problem even in English). At the end of the day, we handed out certificates and did evaluations. To my surprise, my director asked the teachers for two representatives to thank me, and the teachers responded with, “We would all like to thank her.” So they went around the group and each thanked me individually for my time, effort, and giving myself to their organization to teach and to learn. There were seriously tears in my eyes at the end, as it was the sweetest thing ever. Knowing how much I love my job now, I can not even imagine what the good-byes will be like in a little over a year. The friendships I have formed already at my new site have continued to surprise me so much. It’s exactly what I hoped Peace Corps would be like, and I am so glad to have had the support and encouragement to get through those murky few months. Thanks to all!
Back to my counterpart…she informed me a few days ago that she is resigning, as she has found another job with another organization. First, let me just say that she is the best social worker that I have interacted with so far. She is motivated, loves her job, and can form great relationships with and relate to her clients. Even though she is switching jobs, I can only hope that we will continue to be friends. This will be an excellent career opportunity for her, as she will be working with children with disabilities. The new hours of her position will also allow her to return to school for her Master’s, which has been part of her five-year plan since graduating from college.
During our first two months of working together, I had noticed right away the long hours she puts in and the lack of off-days she takes. I constantly said to her, “Pahuway lang…Mag-burn-out ka! Rest, you are going to burn out!” As a community organizer, she is tired. Her body has taken the brunt of the stress, as she has found herself exhausted and sick much of the time. It is no shock, though, since community organizing is an exhausting job no matter where you are in the world. But the same goes for many of my co-workers, and almost every social worker I have met here. People are tired—their bodies and their minds. NGO employees within human services are too often underpaid and over-worked—people come in with a huge heart and high levels of motivation, but slow results and long hours eventually exhausts a person. Fortunately, though, most of them still believe in the cause and what they are doing—they are willing to keep trucking along.
I am fortunate to have had two months to learn from Margie. I have observed her and learned so much from her in such a short time—she has left me with the confidence and the creativity to continue the work that we started together, and so I am excited to go forward.
During the last month as well, I had another bout with bad health and wound up in the hospital again for six days. While I was taken great care of (thanks to Angela!), it was quite the cultural experience! With low platelets, my doctors originally thought I had Dengue Fever. When the platelets stabilized, though, they wanted to send me home—fortunately I asked them when my stomach would stop hurting. This being an indirect culture, even medical professionals do not share much information with patients, so it is hard to tell most of the time what is going on. Because there was no reason for me to be having pain, they kept me there to perform more tests. I was told that I was going to have an ultrasound, a colonoscopy, and an endoscopy. You probably all know what the first two are, and an endoscopy is when they stick a camera and a long tube down your throat all the way to your intestines, to get a good view of your insides. The night before I was scheduled, I talked to my Dad on the phone. Expressing that I was a bit nervous, he assured me that they will use some type of anesthesia during the process, as that is what the procedure is in the US. The next day, when I was wide awake and choking on a camera that was in my stomach and a tube that was blocking my throat, I was quite surprised and really annoyed about healthcare in the Philippines. Ugh. Fortunately, though, they found out what was wrong with me—my symptoms had been the collaboration of three different infections that were working to take over my body. Shwoo, good thing I asked about that stomach pain.
Two weeks later, I am much better, but still not fully recovered. I’m instructed to return to the doctor next week if I still am having pain—at the moment, it looks like I will be going back for more tests. Fun times at the hospital.
Signing off for now—going to head home to my wonderful host family and to watch a movie. Thanks all for your patience in waiting for my blog posts!
A complete living room.
As my time here in the Philippines is approaching an entire year, I realize that I have been living with my current host family for the last nine months, but yet I have not yet dedicated a blog posting to them. I really think I could exhaust all of the adjectives for “great” when talking about them, but I will try not to bore you with all the goodness that is my host family.
First, there’s Papa and Mama. They’re really a very functional team in all aspects—running their catering business, managing a household and a family, and parenting three children. Papa is a quiet man, but loves to joke around whenever there is a chance. He really enjoys cooking, tinkering with gadgets around the house, and watching Manny Pacquiao and basketball. When Baby Jinx (who I will talk about later) comes over to visit, Papa is usually her favorite. Papa is awake first thing in the morning to cook breakfast for the family, and when there is a catering event that day, he leaves the house at 3:30 AM to head to the market. Many times when I am arriving home and getting off the jeepney, I can see Papa riding down the street on his miniature bike, usually waving a friendly hello. Whenever a cockroach appears in the kitchen or there is a trail of ants crawling on my bedroom wall (which is a very rare site), Papa is always there to save the day while my sisters and I look on in horror.
Mama is almost always busy—cleaning the house, running errands, doing the laundry, calculating the books for the family business. Everyday, she has a smile on her face and is wondering what I am up to. Since she’s always so busy, she often is sick with a cough, but very jolly anyways. We’ve had many conversations and she has helped me out so many times, especially with my frustrations in adjusting to the culture and at my first site. We’ve discussed Filipino politics, family planning, and the socio-economic situation here—both coming from very different places but arriving on the same beliefs and thoughts. My favorite memory of Mama so far happened last December, when she arrived home with a 1-gallon jug of red wine, saying, “Lynn, we’ll drink a glass every night, and it’ll help us sleep.” I can always count on Mama to cheer me up if I have had a bad day!
Next is Ann-Ann, who I affectionately refer to as “Ate” (pronounced ah-tay, the term for older sister), even though she is technically not my Ate. At 24 years old, she has a business degree and works for a local bank at the SSS (Social Security System), setting up accounts and direct deposit for those who need assistance. She loves sleeping in, cooking, singing videoke, and making new purchases in celebration of pay-day. We talk a lot about her hopes to go abroad and work, the differences between Filipino and American culture, and our favorite foods. When we are both home (which is rarely) and have time, we love to gossip or watch movies and TV…although she prefers Tagalog television, which I try to avoid as much as possible! Her boyfriend, Hermie, is at our house often when he is not working as a substitute nurse at a local hospital. Having graduated from college last year, it has been a struggle to find a nursing job here in the Philippines, as university nursing programs are all over-enrolled, and job openings are slim. He is patiently looking and applying for opportunities abroad. I keep asking them when they are going to get married (which is completely okay in this culture), but at the moment, wala’y budget (no budget). Even though I do want them to be happy, it’s mostly for selfish reasons, really, as I just want to stand up in my sis’s wedding!
Next is Ruby, who is pretty much AWESOME. She is 18 and is a second-year nursing student at a University here. She has a secret boyfriend (Rube, if you’re reading this, ayaw kabalaka, I don’t think Mama and Papa will be…) and is constantly texting and on Facebook. When she is not doing that, she’s studying! She recently started her clinicals for nursing, and she loves coming home and telling me the stories about what she did that day at the hospital. Her favorite color is pink, which means that almost everything she owns is that color, and she will never get sick of it. Also, she has a group of girlfriends that have been hanging out since they were in Kindergarten (the parents of those girls are all close friends with Mama and Papa)—they are all pretty cool as well. I get a kick out of them, because even though it’s a different culture from my own, there is still teenage girl drama. I can relate to Ruby a lot, because she oftentimes wears her heart on her sleeve. As the middle child, she feels that sometimes she gets picked on too much…I never mind trying to cheer her up, but I doubt that it ever works. Either way, she is great and can almost always make me laugh.
Next is Ian (pronounced eye-an, not ee-an), who is 16 years old and is a fourth-year student at a local private high school. Even though he is extremely shy around me, I have a feeling that he is not like that all of the time! Recently, he suggested to Mama that the family have a big party to celebrate my one-year anniversary with them. I was quite shocked that Ian was the one to suggest it, since we haven’t really had any in-depth conversations, but he still carries that “little brother” aura around me, which is cool. He’s one of the top students in his class, and every time he has a project due for school, you can find him busily scrambling the night before to complete it. About a month ago, there was a project assigned for one of his classes to create a family tree-type poster. I was watching over his shoulder as he completed it, and I joked, “Where is my picture?” We laughed a bit, and twenty minutes later, he knocked on my bedroom door to come find a picture. It was the cutest thing! So we looked at all the pictures on my wall until we found a good one to fit with the others. I was so happy, though, to be a real part of the family. He loves to spend his free time at the internet café next door (even though we have internet at our house), so there is a running joke that he is always in his office. Whenever he is not at home, I will ask, “Where is Ian? At his office?” and it never seems to get old.
Within our compound and behind our house, lives Mama’s brother and his family. Their four kids are some of my favorites ever. There’s Gian, who is 12 and is the quietest 12-year-old I have ever met. Oftentimes, we will just happen to meet on the street and will walk home together. His younger sister, Stephanie (nickname Pan-Pan), is five years old and goes to Kindergarten. She has the best giggle in the world, and if I could bottle her laugh and take it home with me next year, I would. We often have extensive conversations, even though most of the time I am confused about exactly what we are talking about. Jon-Jon is three and is perhaps my favorite. He has so much energy and the cutest eyes, and he yells, “Ate Lynn”, every time he sees me. He can usually be found outside pretending to be a superhero, and has been known to Skype home with my family sometimes. Baby Jinx is almost two, and she has grown up so much in the time that I have been here. It literally took her about 8 months before she did not make a horrible face, scream, and cry every time she saw me, but now she just smiles and plays shy. She loves eating anything I have on my plate—her favorites are mangoes, yogurt, and cereal, and that is the only time that she will come near me. One time last week, she ran into my arms as I was sitting at the table, and after I picked her up, she looked at my face and realized how close she was. She immediately regretted her decision. So cute!
Next door, in the other house, is my cousin Dona, who is fourteen and is a second-year student at the local public high school. Her English is fantastic, so I try to speak only English with her if I can remember. She’s just a very cool teenager.
So that is the family! Huh, I am exhausted. They are pretty amazing, and I have to be honest in saying that they have definitely been one of the best parts of my Peace Corps experience thus far. They have accepted me for who I am, and they have welcomed me into their home. Last week, Mama showed me a new picture frame that she had bought and that was sitting on the end table—in it, was a picture of me. She said, “Now our family and living room is complete.”
First, there’s Papa and Mama. They’re really a very functional team in all aspects—running their catering business, managing a household and a family, and parenting three children. Papa is a quiet man, but loves to joke around whenever there is a chance. He really enjoys cooking, tinkering with gadgets around the house, and watching Manny Pacquiao and basketball. When Baby Jinx (who I will talk about later) comes over to visit, Papa is usually her favorite. Papa is awake first thing in the morning to cook breakfast for the family, and when there is a catering event that day, he leaves the house at 3:30 AM to head to the market. Many times when I am arriving home and getting off the jeepney, I can see Papa riding down the street on his miniature bike, usually waving a friendly hello. Whenever a cockroach appears in the kitchen or there is a trail of ants crawling on my bedroom wall (which is a very rare site), Papa is always there to save the day while my sisters and I look on in horror.
Mama is almost always busy—cleaning the house, running errands, doing the laundry, calculating the books for the family business. Everyday, she has a smile on her face and is wondering what I am up to. Since she’s always so busy, she often is sick with a cough, but very jolly anyways. We’ve had many conversations and she has helped me out so many times, especially with my frustrations in adjusting to the culture and at my first site. We’ve discussed Filipino politics, family planning, and the socio-economic situation here—both coming from very different places but arriving on the same beliefs and thoughts. My favorite memory of Mama so far happened last December, when she arrived home with a 1-gallon jug of red wine, saying, “Lynn, we’ll drink a glass every night, and it’ll help us sleep.” I can always count on Mama to cheer me up if I have had a bad day!
Next is Ann-Ann, who I affectionately refer to as “Ate” (pronounced ah-tay, the term for older sister), even though she is technically not my Ate. At 24 years old, she has a business degree and works for a local bank at the SSS (Social Security System), setting up accounts and direct deposit for those who need assistance. She loves sleeping in, cooking, singing videoke, and making new purchases in celebration of pay-day. We talk a lot about her hopes to go abroad and work, the differences between Filipino and American culture, and our favorite foods. When we are both home (which is rarely) and have time, we love to gossip or watch movies and TV…although she prefers Tagalog television, which I try to avoid as much as possible! Her boyfriend, Hermie, is at our house often when he is not working as a substitute nurse at a local hospital. Having graduated from college last year, it has been a struggle to find a nursing job here in the Philippines, as university nursing programs are all over-enrolled, and job openings are slim. He is patiently looking and applying for opportunities abroad. I keep asking them when they are going to get married (which is completely okay in this culture), but at the moment, wala’y budget (no budget). Even though I do want them to be happy, it’s mostly for selfish reasons, really, as I just want to stand up in my sis’s wedding!
Next is Ruby, who is pretty much AWESOME. She is 18 and is a second-year nursing student at a University here. She has a secret boyfriend (Rube, if you’re reading this, ayaw kabalaka, I don’t think Mama and Papa will be…) and is constantly texting and on Facebook. When she is not doing that, she’s studying! She recently started her clinicals for nursing, and she loves coming home and telling me the stories about what she did that day at the hospital. Her favorite color is pink, which means that almost everything she owns is that color, and she will never get sick of it. Also, she has a group of girlfriends that have been hanging out since they were in Kindergarten (the parents of those girls are all close friends with Mama and Papa)—they are all pretty cool as well. I get a kick out of them, because even though it’s a different culture from my own, there is still teenage girl drama. I can relate to Ruby a lot, because she oftentimes wears her heart on her sleeve. As the middle child, she feels that sometimes she gets picked on too much…I never mind trying to cheer her up, but I doubt that it ever works. Either way, she is great and can almost always make me laugh.
Next is Ian (pronounced eye-an, not ee-an), who is 16 years old and is a fourth-year student at a local private high school. Even though he is extremely shy around me, I have a feeling that he is not like that all of the time! Recently, he suggested to Mama that the family have a big party to celebrate my one-year anniversary with them. I was quite shocked that Ian was the one to suggest it, since we haven’t really had any in-depth conversations, but he still carries that “little brother” aura around me, which is cool. He’s one of the top students in his class, and every time he has a project due for school, you can find him busily scrambling the night before to complete it. About a month ago, there was a project assigned for one of his classes to create a family tree-type poster. I was watching over his shoulder as he completed it, and I joked, “Where is my picture?” We laughed a bit, and twenty minutes later, he knocked on my bedroom door to come find a picture. It was the cutest thing! So we looked at all the pictures on my wall until we found a good one to fit with the others. I was so happy, though, to be a real part of the family. He loves to spend his free time at the internet café next door (even though we have internet at our house), so there is a running joke that he is always in his office. Whenever he is not at home, I will ask, “Where is Ian? At his office?” and it never seems to get old.
Within our compound and behind our house, lives Mama’s brother and his family. Their four kids are some of my favorites ever. There’s Gian, who is 12 and is the quietest 12-year-old I have ever met. Oftentimes, we will just happen to meet on the street and will walk home together. His younger sister, Stephanie (nickname Pan-Pan), is five years old and goes to Kindergarten. She has the best giggle in the world, and if I could bottle her laugh and take it home with me next year, I would. We often have extensive conversations, even though most of the time I am confused about exactly what we are talking about. Jon-Jon is three and is perhaps my favorite. He has so much energy and the cutest eyes, and he yells, “Ate Lynn”, every time he sees me. He can usually be found outside pretending to be a superhero, and has been known to Skype home with my family sometimes. Baby Jinx is almost two, and she has grown up so much in the time that I have been here. It literally took her about 8 months before she did not make a horrible face, scream, and cry every time she saw me, but now she just smiles and plays shy. She loves eating anything I have on my plate—her favorites are mangoes, yogurt, and cereal, and that is the only time that she will come near me. One time last week, she ran into my arms as I was sitting at the table, and after I picked her up, she looked at my face and realized how close she was. She immediately regretted her decision. So cute!
Next door, in the other house, is my cousin Dona, who is fourteen and is a second-year student at the local public high school. Her English is fantastic, so I try to speak only English with her if I can remember. She’s just a very cool teenager.
So that is the family! Huh, I am exhausted. They are pretty amazing, and I have to be honest in saying that they have definitely been one of the best parts of my Peace Corps experience thus far. They have accepted me for who I am, and they have welcomed me into their home. Last week, Mama showed me a new picture frame that she had bought and that was sitting on the end table—in it, was a picture of me. She said, “Now our family and living room is complete.”
I wonder...
(Blog post began July 27, 2009)
It’s Monday night at 8 PM, and I feel like I have been both been hit by a truck and slipped a sleeping pill. I don’t recall ever being this tired. But alas, I need to write this blog tonight so that I do not forget any of the happenings or bits of conversation. Sadly, some of it has already escaped from my memory, but I hope to be able to get the gist. It’s a deep one.
Yesterday, I helped the youth leaders at my new agency with conducting a community activity for other youth—the topic was health, so they decided to focus the activity on education about Dengue and H1N1. Both of these are excellent topics, as Dengue has a really high prevalence rate in the areas that we work in, and H1N1 has been all over the news since….well, seems like forever (H1N1 is what the Philippines refers to the Swine Flu, so as not to cause too many misnomers in the media about the piggies). The planning of the session was done completely by the youth—I only helped to give them an idea for one activity and to facilitate it; otherwise, they facilitated and led everything. I was so proud of them, and so excited for what lays ahead for them and the agency. In addition, they are so fun to work with!
The topic that I wanted to write about, though, stems from a conversation I had with two of the youth leaders before the session even began. Somehow, our conversation stumbled upon their futures, politics, and the lack of opportunities for young people like them. They are frustrated young men, and I do not blame them. They have worked hard in school, some of them only to get their scholarships taken away because of the downturn in the economy or unable to enroll for the next school year because their family cannot afford the uniform. They are bright young leaders who have the potential to shine, but who are constantly reminded of what is wrong with their country. If they are lucky enough to get a college degree and find a decent job, their salary will forever be going towards financing the rest of their family to live. That is just the way it works.
The discussion was a bit depressing actually, and while I sit and type this over a month later, some of the same feelings are being stirred inside. What is a Peace Corps Volunteer to say, besides encouraging words? Having gotten to know the system and the realities of the Philippines over the last year, it’s difficult to be as idealistic as I once was. Opportunities are slim, and even then, there are unfortunate consequences. The average Filipino earns about $200 per month, and families are large. Many times, only one parent is working to feed everyone else. Not only this, but oftentimes there are elderly parents, unemployed cousins, and abandoned nieces and nephews to take care of. How does one build equity, or even save for a medical emergency, like this? If a person is lucky enough to find a job outside of the Philippines (called OFWs, overseas Filipino workers), most of their money is sent back home to their immediate family and distant relatives who just keep asking. While working overseas, people have to leave their families and children behind, sometimes for two years, or as long as ten or twenty. But it is what one needs to do in order to secure a good future for their children.
Of course, there are many exceptions to this, just as there are in every developing country. There are many people who are ridiculously rich, with more cars than I have ever dreamed of owning or would ever want. Their houses are as big as hotels and they have traveled all over the world, but they live a strange parallel life with millions of Filipinos who have nothing. It’s a strange dichotomy, but yet it’s reality. They are the ones that are keeping the economy going and funding development of corporations. Oftentimes, they are also the ones funding projects with NGOs and government agencies, through various organizations like Rotary and Lions Club. So they are doing a lot of good.
So, in conversing with these two young men, I asked them, “What can you do? How can we fix it?” We talked for awhile, and we failed to save the Philippines or the world in that conversation. There is obviously no easy solution, and we will not discover it on a Sunday morning. But they are on the right track – they know that it is important for people, and youth especially, to work together in order to improve their communities. They are educating each other, which proves invaluable in the lives of those who do not have the luxury of (or the opportunity to avail of the right to) attending formal education.
As a Peace Corps Volunteer, it may be our reality as a world, but it will never be my reality. Why was I so lucky to have been born into a great family, in a wealthy part of the world? Why me? One year here has taught me a lot about the world and about myself – what I can do and what I can’t. What I can’t do is ever know the feeling of complete hopelessness for my future, of complete worry about not having food, of knowing that the only way to make an adequate salary is to leave everything and everyone I know. Another thing I can’t do is fall short in telling the story about their lives, their almost quashed hopes, and yet their persistence in moving on. Perhaps they are my role models.
It’s Monday night at 8 PM, and I feel like I have been both been hit by a truck and slipped a sleeping pill. I don’t recall ever being this tired. But alas, I need to write this blog tonight so that I do not forget any of the happenings or bits of conversation. Sadly, some of it has already escaped from my memory, but I hope to be able to get the gist. It’s a deep one.
Yesterday, I helped the youth leaders at my new agency with conducting a community activity for other youth—the topic was health, so they decided to focus the activity on education about Dengue and H1N1. Both of these are excellent topics, as Dengue has a really high prevalence rate in the areas that we work in, and H1N1 has been all over the news since….well, seems like forever (H1N1 is what the Philippines refers to the Swine Flu, so as not to cause too many misnomers in the media about the piggies). The planning of the session was done completely by the youth—I only helped to give them an idea for one activity and to facilitate it; otherwise, they facilitated and led everything. I was so proud of them, and so excited for what lays ahead for them and the agency. In addition, they are so fun to work with!
The topic that I wanted to write about, though, stems from a conversation I had with two of the youth leaders before the session even began. Somehow, our conversation stumbled upon their futures, politics, and the lack of opportunities for young people like them. They are frustrated young men, and I do not blame them. They have worked hard in school, some of them only to get their scholarships taken away because of the downturn in the economy or unable to enroll for the next school year because their family cannot afford the uniform. They are bright young leaders who have the potential to shine, but who are constantly reminded of what is wrong with their country. If they are lucky enough to get a college degree and find a decent job, their salary will forever be going towards financing the rest of their family to live. That is just the way it works.
The discussion was a bit depressing actually, and while I sit and type this over a month later, some of the same feelings are being stirred inside. What is a Peace Corps Volunteer to say, besides encouraging words? Having gotten to know the system and the realities of the Philippines over the last year, it’s difficult to be as idealistic as I once was. Opportunities are slim, and even then, there are unfortunate consequences. The average Filipino earns about $200 per month, and families are large. Many times, only one parent is working to feed everyone else. Not only this, but oftentimes there are elderly parents, unemployed cousins, and abandoned nieces and nephews to take care of. How does one build equity, or even save for a medical emergency, like this? If a person is lucky enough to find a job outside of the Philippines (called OFWs, overseas Filipino workers), most of their money is sent back home to their immediate family and distant relatives who just keep asking. While working overseas, people have to leave their families and children behind, sometimes for two years, or as long as ten or twenty. But it is what one needs to do in order to secure a good future for their children.
Of course, there are many exceptions to this, just as there are in every developing country. There are many people who are ridiculously rich, with more cars than I have ever dreamed of owning or would ever want. Their houses are as big as hotels and they have traveled all over the world, but they live a strange parallel life with millions of Filipinos who have nothing. It’s a strange dichotomy, but yet it’s reality. They are the ones that are keeping the economy going and funding development of corporations. Oftentimes, they are also the ones funding projects with NGOs and government agencies, through various organizations like Rotary and Lions Club. So they are doing a lot of good.
So, in conversing with these two young men, I asked them, “What can you do? How can we fix it?” We talked for awhile, and we failed to save the Philippines or the world in that conversation. There is obviously no easy solution, and we will not discover it on a Sunday morning. But they are on the right track – they know that it is important for people, and youth especially, to work together in order to improve their communities. They are educating each other, which proves invaluable in the lives of those who do not have the luxury of (or the opportunity to avail of the right to) attending formal education.
As a Peace Corps Volunteer, it may be our reality as a world, but it will never be my reality. Why was I so lucky to have been born into a great family, in a wealthy part of the world? Why me? One year here has taught me a lot about the world and about myself – what I can do and what I can’t. What I can’t do is ever know the feeling of complete hopelessness for my future, of complete worry about not having food, of knowing that the only way to make an adequate salary is to leave everything and everyone I know. Another thing I can’t do is fall short in telling the story about their lives, their almost quashed hopes, and yet their persistence in moving on. Perhaps they are my role models.
30 July 2009
Baby Addalyn debuts!
I was awoken this morning by a phone call which I have been expecting for the last two weeks—my niece has finally been born! Addalyn Kay Debilzen was born by c-section at 1:39 PM on July 30, 2009. She was 7 pounds, 3 ounces of beautiful, blonde, bumbling baby-ness. Although I wasn’t able to see her until I arrived at work and checked my email this morning, I could tell by my brother’s voice on the other end of the phone that their lives had just been changed for the better. Congratulations, Scott and Kim! I hope you know how much I wish I could be there right now, meeting my niece and celebrating this new chapter in your lives.
25 July 2009
Two-Way Relationship
I was talking with my mom this morning over skype, when she mentioned the toothpaste that she still wanted to send me (since arriving here in the Philippines, my love for Crest has grown significantly, as it is almost non-existent here, and if it is available, it costs a pretty penny…other brands don’t seem to do much for dental hygiene for some reason). Subsequently, I brought up the fact that I haven’t received a care package in awhile (what’s up with that?)…which she then countered with the fact that I do not blog nearly as often as I should. If I did, people would actually remember who I was and the fact that I have disappeared from their lives. Well Mom, good point. This is, in fact, a two-way relationship that I have with my readers of my blog (I shall disregard the fact that I received NO questions about life or culture here in the Philippines a while ago when I made an urgent, urgent plea…no worries). She suggested that I subtly appeal for care packages via my blog….haha, this is NOT my attempt to request care packages, as almost anything I could want I can get here (except Crest Vivid White or high-quality bobby pins). But don’t send those, as they are already on their way! But this IS my attempt at updating you on what is going on in my life.
Three weeks ago, I started at my new site, which is a community-based NGO (see below for details). So far, I have been able to go with the community mobilizers into the covered areas to do home visits, have had many discussions with the parent volunteers for the project, have assisted with planning for upcoming advocacy campaigns and trainings, and have worked on a large funding proposal during the majority of my time. Since arriving in my hands, the proposal has changed from a one-year project into a five-year one, has grown significantly in project scope, and has been tweaked from being a reading sore to being a smooth transition of words into sentences into paragraphs. While at the moment I am going through the nightmare-ish motions of figuring out how to budget for a long-term project, I am so glad to have finally put my skills to use during my Peace Corps service. In addition to this, being able to work on this proposal has emphasized to me how much I enjoy writing, planning, researching, and building relationships—all of the necessary components in being a professional grant writer. Ta-da….which means I have stumbled upon my dream career.
In other news, I am patiently awaiting the arrival of my new niece, B.G. (short for baby girl), who is scheduled to arrive today—and will be induced on the 30th if she hasn’t decided to make her debut by that point. It’s avocado season here in the Philippines, which means that Mama has been bringing home huge amounts of avocadoes for me to make guacamole (even though the family doesn’t eat guac). I finished both Season 5 of Desperate Housewives and Season 3 of Grey’s Anatomy recently, which means I will be moving on to Season 4 of Grey’s. As for DH, I have to wait until next year for the completion of Season 6. My favorite coffee shop significantly increased their prices two weeks ago, and in return I practically had a heart attack at the counter as I paid for my chai tea and brownie. I guess I can no longer pretend that I am a working ex-pat, rather than a PCV who gets paid the typical Filipino salary. Michael Jackson has been playing repeatedly from my neighbor’s stereo for about a week—I’m not counting on it stopping within the next year.
And lastly, I’ve been talking to another PC friend (in Costa Rica…shout out, Becca) about our post-PC lives. Because of all the activity lately with my new job (that I LOVE, did I mention??), I haven’t thought too much about it. But she got me thinking again about where I want to go, what I want to do, who I want to be by…..so I will start accepting official bids and proposals soon about my post-PC life…let me know what you think I should do, huh? Because PC is almost half-over (crazy!), and I must continue my brainstorming, so as to prevent me from wasting away in my mom’s basement for months and years (not that it’s a bad place to be….just not when I’m 27).
Much love to all.
Three weeks ago, I started at my new site, which is a community-based NGO (see below for details). So far, I have been able to go with the community mobilizers into the covered areas to do home visits, have had many discussions with the parent volunteers for the project, have assisted with planning for upcoming advocacy campaigns and trainings, and have worked on a large funding proposal during the majority of my time. Since arriving in my hands, the proposal has changed from a one-year project into a five-year one, has grown significantly in project scope, and has been tweaked from being a reading sore to being a smooth transition of words into sentences into paragraphs. While at the moment I am going through the nightmare-ish motions of figuring out how to budget for a long-term project, I am so glad to have finally put my skills to use during my Peace Corps service. In addition to this, being able to work on this proposal has emphasized to me how much I enjoy writing, planning, researching, and building relationships—all of the necessary components in being a professional grant writer. Ta-da….which means I have stumbled upon my dream career.
In other news, I am patiently awaiting the arrival of my new niece, B.G. (short for baby girl), who is scheduled to arrive today—and will be induced on the 30th if she hasn’t decided to make her debut by that point. It’s avocado season here in the Philippines, which means that Mama has been bringing home huge amounts of avocadoes for me to make guacamole (even though the family doesn’t eat guac). I finished both Season 5 of Desperate Housewives and Season 3 of Grey’s Anatomy recently, which means I will be moving on to Season 4 of Grey’s. As for DH, I have to wait until next year for the completion of Season 6. My favorite coffee shop significantly increased their prices two weeks ago, and in return I practically had a heart attack at the counter as I paid for my chai tea and brownie. I guess I can no longer pretend that I am a working ex-pat, rather than a PCV who gets paid the typical Filipino salary. Michael Jackson has been playing repeatedly from my neighbor’s stereo for about a week—I’m not counting on it stopping within the next year.
And lastly, I’ve been talking to another PC friend (in Costa Rica…shout out, Becca) about our post-PC lives. Because of all the activity lately with my new job (that I LOVE, did I mention??), I haven’t thought too much about it. But she got me thinking again about where I want to go, what I want to do, who I want to be by…..so I will start accepting official bids and proposals soon about my post-PC life…let me know what you think I should do, huh? Because PC is almost half-over (crazy!), and I must continue my brainstorming, so as to prevent me from wasting away in my mom’s basement for months and years (not that it’s a bad place to be….just not when I’m 27).
Much love to all.
13 July 2009
Change is good.
A lot of time has passed since I originally told you of my site change—the search and paperwork amounted to a much longer time “out of work” than I would have liked. You might have been wondering what I have been up to, when I would stop travelling and actually start working, what kind of work I would be doing in the future, etc. Even if you weren’t, I am going to tell you right now.
I was at my new placement for four days that past week, and I was able to get a pretty good glimpse of the type of organization it is, the work style of my new co-workers, and the ideas of the community regarding the organization. The work I will be doing is strictly community based, and the organizations’ main projects at the moment include scholarships for about 500 students, community organizing, early childhood development, and linking with local schools to get them the learning resources they need. They have a large parent organization, youth organization, and children’s organization—each one has officers and conducts regular activities and meetings. From what I have seen so far, it is truly an empowering agency—the community volunteers are highly involved, take on their own responsibility for projects, and are merely just assisted by the organization (which is how true community development should be). I was very impressed.
While the first month will mainly be “immersion” and getting to know my co-workers and the community members, my job description mainly consists of conducting trainings for both the mothers and youth in the community, as well as assisting them with establishing a youth center from the ground up. This will involve creating a vision with the community, drafting a proposal, and doing a lot of networking for resources. The main skill I hope to transfer to them over my remaining time here is technical writing skills, as this is where they have expressed the most need within the organization.
Overall, I am super excited about this next endeavor as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I will be doing exactly the kind of work I pictured I would be doing when I signed up for the Peace Corps and dreamed about it before I came. (Wow, complicated sentence). I will undoubtedly keep you all posted about my projects as they come up. Wish me luck!
I was at my new placement for four days that past week, and I was able to get a pretty good glimpse of the type of organization it is, the work style of my new co-workers, and the ideas of the community regarding the organization. The work I will be doing is strictly community based, and the organizations’ main projects at the moment include scholarships for about 500 students, community organizing, early childhood development, and linking with local schools to get them the learning resources they need. They have a large parent organization, youth organization, and children’s organization—each one has officers and conducts regular activities and meetings. From what I have seen so far, it is truly an empowering agency—the community volunteers are highly involved, take on their own responsibility for projects, and are merely just assisted by the organization (which is how true community development should be). I was very impressed.
While the first month will mainly be “immersion” and getting to know my co-workers and the community members, my job description mainly consists of conducting trainings for both the mothers and youth in the community, as well as assisting them with establishing a youth center from the ground up. This will involve creating a vision with the community, drafting a proposal, and doing a lot of networking for resources. The main skill I hope to transfer to them over my remaining time here is technical writing skills, as this is where they have expressed the most need within the organization.
Overall, I am super excited about this next endeavor as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I will be doing exactly the kind of work I pictured I would be doing when I signed up for the Peace Corps and dreamed about it before I came. (Wow, complicated sentence). I will undoubtedly keep you all posted about my projects as they come up. Wish me luck!
30 June 2009
Pictures.
Enjoy some pictures from Korea! Most of the great photos are on Rachael's camera...which I will get eventually. But for now, here are some photos from our trip :)
View of Busan from a rooftop barbecue part-ay.
Beautiful lanterns at the Buddhist Temple.
Rachael checking out the scene.
Prayer Time.
I did eat some Korean food.
Man in the market, whose laptop is hooked up to a machine that carves out stamps...it was pretty amazing.
Fresh fish in the market.
Octopus!
I love men's fashion in Korea.
Heading to the market. Economy-Sized Shampoo, Korean Bath Houses…and other such luxuries.
A few days ago, my friend Rachael and I boarded a red-eye flight heading north, excited for vacay and some time outside of the country. Four hours and some great sleep later, we arrived bright-eyed in Busan (sometimes spelled Pusan), South Korea. Rach’s brother picked us up at the airport, and within three hours, we were indulging in some delicious always dreamed-about sandwiches and laying on one of the fine Korean beaches. What a great welcome to a new country! So the last few days have included some time on the beach, climbing a mountain, eating some delicious food, hanging out with the many English teachers here, checking out Buddhist temples, exploring the Korean bath houses, and wandering the fish market. I will spare you the play-by-play by just highlighting some of my favorite parts.
We decided to climb a mountain overlooking the city on the second day we were here. Since nightlife took the energy out of us the night before, we got a late start and headed up the mountain around noon. The ascent was a demanding two-hour hike, and Rach and I got to enjoy the view and cool breeze (yes, cool breeze!) from the top. The highlight of the whole hike is perhaps the battle wounds I accumulated. Since we were heading on vacation and I was unaware that South Korea has many outdoor activities, I had failed to pack tennis shoes or anything that closely resembles them (plus since I’m a PCV who lives in a city, I stopped wearing my Chaco’s long ago….). One of Nate’s friends kindly let me borrow her shoes, which were about a size too small for my feet. With the combination of socks that might or might not have been too short (also borrowed), I developed six (SIX!) blisters, complete with blood-stained socks upon return to the apartment. After our trip to the beach the next day, the sand that has retained itself within may or may not lead to gangrene within the next week. Fortunately, bathing in the public bath houses on our last day might have helped to clean them out (seriously…but yuck).
Public transportation in Korea has also been a great source of enjoyment and relaxation, as opposed to public transpo in the Philippines (see previous posting about Jeepneys). The subway system in Busan is simple, efficient, and clean (not even sewer-type odors floating from below the platforms!), and it is easy to get from one side of the city to the other for about a dollar. It was all very, very quick…until the subway drivers went on strike. But this was okay as well, since we knew about it in advanced, thanks to our late-night eating spree at the street stands, where we were informed by two of the drivers themselves. By “our” late-night eating spree at street stands, I actually mean that Rach and Nate ate at the stands, and I enjoyed a wonderful McFlurry (I may love traveling, but I’m still a picky eater….sorry, world, I fail). But all in all, the subways and buses are big, clean, comfortable, predictable, efficient, etc.
Speaking of being a picky eater, one of the best parts of the trip was going down to the fish market, which is one of the largest fish markets in all of Asia. The experience was so different than markets in the Philippines for a few reasons, but mostly because it is much cleaner, the fish are still alive, and you can actually sit down and enjoy some really fresh fish. While there, we sat down to a delicious meal of sashimi and live octopus (again, I am using the term “we” loosely here, since I filled more of the photographer role). The market experience was awesome, but it was constantly difficult trying to mentally adjust to Korean prices (most things were much more expensive than the Philippines).
The shopping experience was also a bit of a culture shock (a very, very welcomed culture shock). I really wasn’t sure what to do in the stores, since no salespeople were following me around putting items in front of my eyes, just in case I have the inkling to purchase them. There were large, clean stores without millions of people surrounding me all at once – culture shock. It was also great to see economy sized bottles of shampoos and foods—many things in the Philippines are sold in individual packets.
On our last day in Korea, we headed to one of the largest bath houses in all of Asia (according to Lonely Planet…). We were able to enjoy sitting and relaxing in hot tubs, salt baths, champagne baths, saunas, herbal baths, etc. We of course committed a few cultural faux pas while there, as the Korean bath house is not really like a typical spa anywhere else (no clothes, no shoes, no towels allowed in…). It’s an experience that is pretty easy to adjust to though, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for the Korean cultural experience!
All in all, we have had a fantastic trip, and of course I am sad to go, but I am also very excited to return to the Philippines and (hopefully soon) a new job! Once I return home, I will be attending a 2-day camp with the youth at my new worksite and my new counterpart, and hopefully paperwork will be moving along so I can officially start! I have been itching to be doing something work-wise for quite a while now!
We decided to climb a mountain overlooking the city on the second day we were here. Since nightlife took the energy out of us the night before, we got a late start and headed up the mountain around noon. The ascent was a demanding two-hour hike, and Rach and I got to enjoy the view and cool breeze (yes, cool breeze!) from the top. The highlight of the whole hike is perhaps the battle wounds I accumulated. Since we were heading on vacation and I was unaware that South Korea has many outdoor activities, I had failed to pack tennis shoes or anything that closely resembles them (plus since I’m a PCV who lives in a city, I stopped wearing my Chaco’s long ago….). One of Nate’s friends kindly let me borrow her shoes, which were about a size too small for my feet. With the combination of socks that might or might not have been too short (also borrowed), I developed six (SIX!) blisters, complete with blood-stained socks upon return to the apartment. After our trip to the beach the next day, the sand that has retained itself within may or may not lead to gangrene within the next week. Fortunately, bathing in the public bath houses on our last day might have helped to clean them out (seriously…but yuck).
Public transportation in Korea has also been a great source of enjoyment and relaxation, as opposed to public transpo in the Philippines (see previous posting about Jeepneys). The subway system in Busan is simple, efficient, and clean (not even sewer-type odors floating from below the platforms!), and it is easy to get from one side of the city to the other for about a dollar. It was all very, very quick…until the subway drivers went on strike. But this was okay as well, since we knew about it in advanced, thanks to our late-night eating spree at the street stands, where we were informed by two of the drivers themselves. By “our” late-night eating spree at street stands, I actually mean that Rach and Nate ate at the stands, and I enjoyed a wonderful McFlurry (I may love traveling, but I’m still a picky eater….sorry, world, I fail). But all in all, the subways and buses are big, clean, comfortable, predictable, efficient, etc.
Speaking of being a picky eater, one of the best parts of the trip was going down to the fish market, which is one of the largest fish markets in all of Asia. The experience was so different than markets in the Philippines for a few reasons, but mostly because it is much cleaner, the fish are still alive, and you can actually sit down and enjoy some really fresh fish. While there, we sat down to a delicious meal of sashimi and live octopus (again, I am using the term “we” loosely here, since I filled more of the photographer role). The market experience was awesome, but it was constantly difficult trying to mentally adjust to Korean prices (most things were much more expensive than the Philippines).
The shopping experience was also a bit of a culture shock (a very, very welcomed culture shock). I really wasn’t sure what to do in the stores, since no salespeople were following me around putting items in front of my eyes, just in case I have the inkling to purchase them. There were large, clean stores without millions of people surrounding me all at once – culture shock. It was also great to see economy sized bottles of shampoos and foods—many things in the Philippines are sold in individual packets.
On our last day in Korea, we headed to one of the largest bath houses in all of Asia (according to Lonely Planet…). We were able to enjoy sitting and relaxing in hot tubs, salt baths, champagne baths, saunas, herbal baths, etc. We of course committed a few cultural faux pas while there, as the Korean bath house is not really like a typical spa anywhere else (no clothes, no shoes, no towels allowed in…). It’s an experience that is pretty easy to adjust to though, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for the Korean cultural experience!
All in all, we have had a fantastic trip, and of course I am sad to go, but I am also very excited to return to the Philippines and (hopefully soon) a new job! Once I return home, I will be attending a 2-day camp with the youth at my new worksite and my new counterpart, and hopefully paperwork will be moving along so I can officially start! I have been itching to be doing something work-wise for quite a while now!
09 June 2009
IQ, SchmI-Q.
Tonight I had an interesting conversation with a co-worker of mine from my first Peace Corps site (I say “first”, because as noted earlier, I am in the process of a site change). The site change is going pretty well, as I have been really busy with secondary projects lately and therefore have not been around much to witness the “chika-chika” that may or may not be going on. But, word has inevitably spread of my departure, and although I do not yet know where I am going, I am very satisfied with my decision to move placements. A time comes where every Peace Corps Volunteer thinks about the inevitable questions—what am I doing here? What good am I doing? Am I making the most of my time? Am I being given professional opportunities that challenge me? Am I anywhere near reaching my potential? Anyways, I had to think about the professional experience I was or was not gaining and weigh it against professional opportunities that are out there at other agencies, and the potential impact that a PCV can make in a short amount of time.
Anyways, so I visited my site tonight to retrieve some books and visit with the children. When talking to a co-worker, he asked me about the sort of things that I was hoping to accomplish there but hadn’t. Without getting into much detail, I just said that I was hoping to do life skills sessions with the teens and children, such as leadership, decision making, conflict resolution, communication skills, etc. Starting life skills sessions is my idea of the MINIMUM I had wanted to do, since they are relatively simple to do, and also the baseline that the CYF program here uses. I was quite surprised by my co-worker, when he said that those sorts of sessions are much too challenging for our children. He pointed out that most of them have such low IQs, so he doesn’t agree with challenging them intellectually. His belief was that since he doesn’t think they will “get it”, there is no point in trying. It is much better to give them “hard skills”, such as welding or jewelry making, than to try to develop any of their internal and more abstract skills.
I countered very firmly with, “I disagree”. My belief is that every child, no matter where they come from or what their background or “IQ score” is, they have the potential to do great things. Not only that, but every child will eventually become an adult, and it is the responsibility of adults and centers for children and youth to equip these children with the skills that are needed as an adult in this world—communication, conflict resolution, interpersonal relationships skills, etc. They are ALL important, and more than that, EVERY child is special and has potential to grow and be challenged, no matter what any scores on any tests say. Despite my attempts, my co-worker was not convinced that children are able to grow…this broke my heart, because these children are especially the ones who need people to believe in them!
The conversation left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, which is where the M&Ms that were sitting at home came in handy…
Anyways, so I visited my site tonight to retrieve some books and visit with the children. When talking to a co-worker, he asked me about the sort of things that I was hoping to accomplish there but hadn’t. Without getting into much detail, I just said that I was hoping to do life skills sessions with the teens and children, such as leadership, decision making, conflict resolution, communication skills, etc. Starting life skills sessions is my idea of the MINIMUM I had wanted to do, since they are relatively simple to do, and also the baseline that the CYF program here uses. I was quite surprised by my co-worker, when he said that those sorts of sessions are much too challenging for our children. He pointed out that most of them have such low IQs, so he doesn’t agree with challenging them intellectually. His belief was that since he doesn’t think they will “get it”, there is no point in trying. It is much better to give them “hard skills”, such as welding or jewelry making, than to try to develop any of their internal and more abstract skills.
I countered very firmly with, “I disagree”. My belief is that every child, no matter where they come from or what their background or “IQ score” is, they have the potential to do great things. Not only that, but every child will eventually become an adult, and it is the responsibility of adults and centers for children and youth to equip these children with the skills that are needed as an adult in this world—communication, conflict resolution, interpersonal relationships skills, etc. They are ALL important, and more than that, EVERY child is special and has potential to grow and be challenged, no matter what any scores on any tests say. Despite my attempts, my co-worker was not convinced that children are able to grow…this broke my heart, because these children are especially the ones who need people to believe in them!
The conversation left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, which is where the M&Ms that were sitting at home came in handy…
04 June 2009
Clean Money.
I’ve been so fortunate to have spent the last four days helping out two other NGOs (one American-based and one Philippines-based) with a livelihood training for a couple groups of women that live here in some of the poorest areas of the city. The only requirement for these women to participate is that they have no job and no land—many of them are also former prostitutes who are trying to lift themselves out of their past profession. The training consisted of making jewelry products that will be sold abroad by the NGO that conducted the training. The two groups then formed co-ops, where they will be able to earn group money that they can decide to invest in other ways.
It was amazing to see the change in the women throughout the four days of training. They went from being unsure, quiet, and hesitant women on Day 1 to being talkative, joking, and empowered women by Day 4. Just through observation, I could see their confidence levels rise just a little bit with each jewelry item they completed. It was pretty awesome to be able to participate in something like this! Throughout the four days, I worked with one of the groups in creating their jewelry—extra hands means more jewelry can be made, which means more money for them. We bonded together as a group through mere presence, small chit-chat, and shared tasks.
Today was the best day of all, though, because the women got paid! Because they are a co-op, each group received a certain amount of “group money”, and each woman received her share of “individual money”. The group money was paid in a combination of US Dollars and Philippines Pesos—you should have seen them go crazy over the dollars! It was their first time seeing $20 or $100 bills in real life, and boy did they love it! They posed with the money and were so proud of their accomplishments. The women then signed a contract which establishes them as a co-op. Both parts of the morning were especially empowering for them!
Afterwards, the women from my group gathered downstairs while the other group conducted their business. There were tears of joy, and one woman stated something particularly profound—“We now know the difference between earning clean money and dirty money. It feels so good!” There was so much emotion wrapped into that statement, and I think the women felt self-worth for the first time in a long time. One member of our group had been working on her list of things she was going to buy after payday—the first thing on her list was 10 kilos of “good” rice (there are different qualities). She wants to eat well!
What a life-changing event for them, and a moving one for me! I hope to continue working with the groups of women as they delve into their businesses—can’t wait to see what the future holds. If things go well, it definitely holds more “clean money”.
It was amazing to see the change in the women throughout the four days of training. They went from being unsure, quiet, and hesitant women on Day 1 to being talkative, joking, and empowered women by Day 4. Just through observation, I could see their confidence levels rise just a little bit with each jewelry item they completed. It was pretty awesome to be able to participate in something like this! Throughout the four days, I worked with one of the groups in creating their jewelry—extra hands means more jewelry can be made, which means more money for them. We bonded together as a group through mere presence, small chit-chat, and shared tasks.
Today was the best day of all, though, because the women got paid! Because they are a co-op, each group received a certain amount of “group money”, and each woman received her share of “individual money”. The group money was paid in a combination of US Dollars and Philippines Pesos—you should have seen them go crazy over the dollars! It was their first time seeing $20 or $100 bills in real life, and boy did they love it! They posed with the money and were so proud of their accomplishments. The women then signed a contract which establishes them as a co-op. Both parts of the morning were especially empowering for them!
Afterwards, the women from my group gathered downstairs while the other group conducted their business. There were tears of joy, and one woman stated something particularly profound—“We now know the difference between earning clean money and dirty money. It feels so good!” There was so much emotion wrapped into that statement, and I think the women felt self-worth for the first time in a long time. One member of our group had been working on her list of things she was going to buy after payday—the first thing on her list was 10 kilos of “good” rice (there are different qualities). She wants to eat well!
What a life-changing event for them, and a moving one for me! I hope to continue working with the groups of women as they delve into their businesses—can’t wait to see what the future holds. If things go well, it definitely holds more “clean money”.
Changes :-)
Well, some of you knew this was coming but most of you didn’t. As of this morning, I am officially in the process of a site change. There are many reasons for this, but no need to get into the nitty-gritty. On to brighter days! Although it is always difficult to jump into the unknown, especially when routines have been established, I feel that this will be the best move for me. The agency I was at is an excellent place for children to grow up, and I feel that I did the most with what I could while I was there. I am fortunate enough to have Peace Corps managers that are really supportive, and they have decided to allow me to stay in the same city. This is fantastic news, as I love it here (minus the air pollution, of course)! So I will keep you updated on the changes, which will include definitely a new job site, perhaps a new place to live, and for sure many, many new relationships.
29 May 2009
Boracay, Boracay.
Pictures just can't capture how blue (clear) the water is!
Mom and I by our boat that took us island hopping.
Swimming in one of the caves!
During our island hopping trip...
Doing my floating meditation on our practically private beach...I'm convinced the floating meditation is the only time it is ever quiet here in the Philippines.
Cute kids wanting their picture taken!!
We spotted a dog on the beach...no wait, we saw a spotted dog on the beach.
Filipino food - pizza? Delicious.
Sunset in Boracay
View of the water from our resort
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