Peace Corps Philippines recently conducted the second annual Program Advisory Committee sessions. To showcase the work of the Children, Youth, and Families program, a fellow Volunteer made a pretty awesome video:
The day that this video appeared on our Facebook pages, it was great for two main reasons. First, it helps to show people at home what our daily lives are like. And second, it helped to remind me that we are doing some great work and that it is really mattering in the lives of the children, families, and social workers that we work with. Sometimes, we need that reminder.
22 March 2010
11 March 2010
Happy Fire Prevention Month!
March is Fire Prevention Month around the Philippines. There are banners everywhere claiming individual's and businesses' commitment to the cause, although I haven't seen any education going on about the issue. Perhaps the prevention is somewhere? It's a big city, so I could be missing something...
Ironically, since March began, there have been three large fires in Cebu, the latest one killing three people. The first one was last Friday, and it really impacted me since we witnessed it first-hand. As a friend and I got out of a jeep, our driver pointed out the fire blazing on the hill up ahead. We looked up and couldn't help but stare, along with the hundreds or maybe thousands others that were gathered on the streets. We stood there for quite awhile, watching the blaze and wondering how many families just lost their homes. The smoke evolved from a thick gray cloud into a widespread black tunnel into the sky. It became more surreal when the flames started to appear over the rooftops and you could watch people in neighboring homes try to scale walls and climb out alternate ways. Eventually, fire trucks arrived, but not quickly enough. The fire was on a hill in an area where probably only walking paths separated houses from each other, so it spread quickly. Without home insurance, all of these families will have to start from scratch...
In the meanwhile, there is a lot of funding going into organizing activities for the annual monthly celebration, probably including art contests, parades, or such things that do not actually change the way things are done (such as faulty wiring, which caused the deadly fire yesterday). Just another day...
Ironically, since March began, there have been three large fires in Cebu, the latest one killing three people. The first one was last Friday, and it really impacted me since we witnessed it first-hand. As a friend and I got out of a jeep, our driver pointed out the fire blazing on the hill up ahead. We looked up and couldn't help but stare, along with the hundreds or maybe thousands others that were gathered on the streets. We stood there for quite awhile, watching the blaze and wondering how many families just lost their homes. The smoke evolved from a thick gray cloud into a widespread black tunnel into the sky. It became more surreal when the flames started to appear over the rooftops and you could watch people in neighboring homes try to scale walls and climb out alternate ways. Eventually, fire trucks arrived, but not quickly enough. The fire was on a hill in an area where probably only walking paths separated houses from each other, so it spread quickly. Without home insurance, all of these families will have to start from scratch...
In the meanwhile, there is a lot of funding going into organizing activities for the annual monthly celebration, probably including art contests, parades, or such things that do not actually change the way things are done (such as faulty wiring, which caused the deadly fire yesterday). Just another day...
Jab! Straight! Hook! Jab!
Depending on whether you stay updated on boxing events or not, you might have heard of Manny Pacquiao. Manny, or "Pacman", is a Filipino professional boxer who is currently the welterweight champion of the world and the "number one pound-for-pound boxer in the world". Since I have been in the Philippines for quite awhile now, I definitely know Manny's schedule of fights and victories pretty well. He is really the gem of the Phils, and his face would be recognizable anywhere by any Filipino. Boxing, as a sport, is pretty popular amongst the general population, much more so than in the United States. I am not sure whether this is a new-found popularity since Manny's rise to fame or not. But it definitely is a sport that brings communities here together.
It has also recently become my new passion. Since it is so popular and there are a few women at my gym that box, and box really well I must say, I had wanted to try it for awhile. The only thing holding me back was the hand wraps that I needed to buy. I wasn't sure how much they cost, and I just didn't feel like I had the money laying around to spare. Around Valentine's Day, I received a card in the mail from my grandmother with a $5 bill to "treat myself". Usually wanting me to go buy myself something sweet, I defied all tradition with the annual Valentine's gift and used it to buy hand wraps.
SIDENOTE HERE: One of my favorite, and sometimes most annoying, things to do in the Philippines is exchange money. There is a little booth in the mall that displays all of the exchange rates from around the world and has two miniature windows where you can slip your money through. Most of the time, I find myself waiting in line with many Korean or Japanese tour groups. Usually, there is also the creepy old man from somewhere halfway around the world with a young girl hanging on his arm. Anyways, it makes for great people watching. The best part though is exchanging money after a large group of Korean students or tourists. For some reason, they usually have far larger amounts than $5 to exchange, so oftentimes, the woman behind the window will count out 20,000 or even 30,000 Philippines Pesos (php). Last time, the person in front of me, after receiving 28,000 php or so, was quite disappointed in the amount that they received. Maybe the exchange rate changed or they just didn't estimate it correctly. The best part was then walking up to the little window and slipping my $5 bill through, only to receive 225 php back. I guarantee the smile on my face was much brighter and larger than any of those tourists complaining about their 28,000 php that day. It meant a lot, and it allowed me to take on something new...
So, back to the boxing. Throughout my first week, I developed muscle pains, bruises on my arms (from what, I am not sure), and sore hands. But it is the best workout I have ever done. It tones the arms, abs, shoulders, back, legs, and butt - all in one! I don't know any machine that can do that. Additionally, I have found that it is great for stress relief. One on one with a trainer, they challenge you to box "just one more round" and quicken your timing. Twice I went into my lessons having very stressed-out days, and I went home those nights feeling wonderful. More than anything though, I am really having fun picking up a new hobby. It has been difficult to learn to move my feet again, but I am enjoying every moment. When I walk away from Peace Corps later this year, I can now add boxing to the long list I already have of things that I have learned. While it definitely is not along the lines of saving the world, it's pretty fun, and sometimes that is just what I need.
It has also recently become my new passion. Since it is so popular and there are a few women at my gym that box, and box really well I must say, I had wanted to try it for awhile. The only thing holding me back was the hand wraps that I needed to buy. I wasn't sure how much they cost, and I just didn't feel like I had the money laying around to spare. Around Valentine's Day, I received a card in the mail from my grandmother with a $5 bill to "treat myself". Usually wanting me to go buy myself something sweet, I defied all tradition with the annual Valentine's gift and used it to buy hand wraps.
SIDENOTE HERE: One of my favorite, and sometimes most annoying, things to do in the Philippines is exchange money. There is a little booth in the mall that displays all of the exchange rates from around the world and has two miniature windows where you can slip your money through. Most of the time, I find myself waiting in line with many Korean or Japanese tour groups. Usually, there is also the creepy old man from somewhere halfway around the world with a young girl hanging on his arm. Anyways, it makes for great people watching. The best part though is exchanging money after a large group of Korean students or tourists. For some reason, they usually have far larger amounts than $5 to exchange, so oftentimes, the woman behind the window will count out 20,000 or even 30,000 Philippines Pesos (php). Last time, the person in front of me, after receiving 28,000 php or so, was quite disappointed in the amount that they received. Maybe the exchange rate changed or they just didn't estimate it correctly. The best part was then walking up to the little window and slipping my $5 bill through, only to receive 225 php back. I guarantee the smile on my face was much brighter and larger than any of those tourists complaining about their 28,000 php that day. It meant a lot, and it allowed me to take on something new...
So, back to the boxing. Throughout my first week, I developed muscle pains, bruises on my arms (from what, I am not sure), and sore hands. But it is the best workout I have ever done. It tones the arms, abs, shoulders, back, legs, and butt - all in one! I don't know any machine that can do that. Additionally, I have found that it is great for stress relief. One on one with a trainer, they challenge you to box "just one more round" and quicken your timing. Twice I went into my lessons having very stressed-out days, and I went home those nights feeling wonderful. More than anything though, I am really having fun picking up a new hobby. It has been difficult to learn to move my feet again, but I am enjoying every moment. When I walk away from Peace Corps later this year, I can now add boxing to the long list I already have of things that I have learned. While it definitely is not along the lines of saving the world, it's pretty fun, and sometimes that is just what I need.
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