WOO OOO WE'RE HALF WAY THERE!!

Soooo....
There's been another long gap from my last post and a lot has been going on

My one year anniversary has come and gone now, both one year being in the Philippines and one year being a Peace Corps Volunteer.  THAT'S RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So at this point I am over half way done and taking the time to reflect and update those who still read this blog.  Which means keep reading if you want to know how I'm actually feeling, what I have been doing and what I have planned for my next year of service here in this beautiful country. Prepare for me to get deep mamaya (later)

Work wise....

I had a crazy month of work in July that ended with both my counterpart and I becoming sick.  We had an extra amount of meetings and then there was Typhoon Glenda that hit my area directly and my community had a lot of damage with no power for almost two weeks.

Path of Typhoon Glenda

Besides my burning out because of work at that time, I also had a great opportunity to help with a Special Olympics event near me.  A bunch of volunteers came together to help support this project that took so much effort and hard work done by some friends of mine in the province of Albay.  Here's a link to their facebook page to see some pictures...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Special-Olympics-Albay/256499864559786?ref=br_tf


It was a two day event, which unfortunately had to be canceled on the second day because of the same typhoon that I mentioned above.

Bicol University

Also, a training I was planning for my organization at my site also had to be canceled because the venue of the training was destroyed.  So I hope to be able to reschedule the training in October because I was already awarded a grant for this specific training my counterpart and I had been planning since April.  No one in my community was harmed thankfully, but so many homes were destroyed. It was stressful month to say the least, but a distant memory now as it is September.

Presently, 

I am just getting back into things here at my site because I had a one month absence, so I really feel like I have to reintegrate back into my community and work.  Planning my training and hopefully a youth camp in my community is in my future hopefully!!! 

Why that month gone you ask? 

In the middle of August I was very fortunate to be picked as a resource volunteer for the new batch of volunteers that arrived in July.  So I traveled back to where I started training, in the lovely province of Bataan to meet all the brand new Children Youth and Family (CYF) trainees.  It was crazy to think that I was in their same position this time last year.  Meeting them and working with them during training really got me re-energized and thinking about the reason to why I joined the Peace Corps and to remember what my goals are during my service here.

They worked so hard and I felt so lucky that I was able to meet such great people that are now a part of the Peace Corps Philippines family.  So if any of you 273 CYFers are reading this thank you for letting me join you and I wish you all the best in your service here :) I have all the confidence in the world that you will do great things here. I'm sending love and peace your way :)

AMERICA

is where I spent the other part of my month absence.   I was so happy that I  returned home to see my wonderful family and friends.  While there I stuffed my face and just enjoyed the pleasantries of a first world country again, hot showers, air conditioning and flushing toilets included.  Time in America, time spent with the new volunteers and time I am spending reintegrating back into my Philippines home now has really let me reflect about this last year and what I want in the next year.

So many FEELINGS.....

When joining the Peace Corps in the beginning over a year ago I could not have imagined how much and what I would learn. I did not think about the personal relationships I would be sacrificing and changing back home.  But being back home has reminded me about the really amazing people that are truly there for me in my life and the people I have found in my service here that continue to inspire me everyday.  So overall I am thankful for this opportunity I  decided to take. Even though my work isn't exactly what I would have imagined it would be, my sanity has sometimes been pushed to its limits more than multiple times while here, and I have lost someone who I believed I would not loose, I am happy. I am happy because those are just blessings in disguise and the things I have gained in return far out way those hardships.


So after all this brain overloading information I would like to end this blog with a post by one of my fellow volunteers, who I will not name.  She is doing some pretty awesome things and someone I really admire.  I'm posting it for the sole purpose of giving people around the world food for thought and as a reminder to me that my time here has been quite a journey, but am so happy I have this opportunity to continue to learn and grow as a person....


 "I've come to the conclusion that Peace Corps isn't always an ideal situation. There is this certain glamor to it, yes, but putting the great, Facebook posting days aside, we are extremely vulnerable here. We talked about the past year and day to day risks we are exposed to, the constant staring and scrutiny, the days when you feel like you are loosing your mind, the days where you feel so misunderstood, the constant questioning of ethics, the struggle to find meaningful work, the risks of being a lone woman, the expectations of gender roles- and not fitting into them. I had to pause and think, this can be dangerous stuff. Between the torrents of nature, to misunderstanding others, language barriers, being alone in our communities, stereotypes of Americans, mysterious sicknesses, and some malintent .... It broke my heart to remember that my fellow volunteers have been hurt, violated (some in some very dangerous and serious ways), taken advantage of, and used. Many have been broken; many have left. With a year left to go, I just wanted to take a moment and recognize my batch-mates. You have sacrificed so much to be here, fulfilling a dream of helping others. To you I give my respect, my love. Hugs to you all." -

Tut tut, looks like rain!

So it is already June and with it comes the almost end of the hot season. Thank goodness! 

Since my last blog post, which was when this said hot summer season was just starting, I have been sweating away here in the Pines. When I say hot I mean sit and do nothing and your whole body is still sweating all over hot, can’t live without electric fan hot, spend all my money on Gatorade to stay hydrated and sit in the 711 air con hot, and travel an hour away to the city to sit in air con for the day multiple times a week hot.  Some days have reached up to 106 F, which is bad in itself, and then there’s brownouts too.   

Brownouts are when the power turns off because the electric company is trying to save money.  I have experienced brownouts here before this summer, but now is when they really seem unbearable because you think life without air con is bad back in the states try to do life without even an electric fan in 106 degree heat.

So now as the rain comes, I get so excited because this is a sign to the end of this heat that no one could have prepared me for.

Sili(Pepper) Ice Cream to stay cool

With June also comes with the nearing of my one year anniversary. So I have been looking back and thinking about the things that have been going on in this year of my life here. So this is the list I came up with...

About Philippines

Words can not express how wonderful and hospitable the people are here in the Philippines. I have never met such caring and generous people even when they are going through some really traumatic experiences. And they are always telling me to eat..

Mango/fruit Cocktail Frost

Host family

I am still currently living with my host family and enjoy the support I receive from them outside of work.  It is nice to be able to come home and practice language or just be together.  Even though it would be nice to live on my own, I miss my independence a little, availability of housing prevents me from that.  I do happily accept this though! They have taught me a lot about the foods in my region and showed me a lot more catholic practices. Here's just a few pics of some of the tasty things I get to eat!

Grilled Tilapia

 

Mercedes de Braso

Bicol Express

Planned activities

Next month I am planning a training for the parent leaders in my organization of 4Ps at the DSWD.  The training will help to form a support group for 4Ps member after their 5 year benefits of the program, so that when they graduate from the program they will still have resource people to go to, the parent leaders, if they were having a problem or issue.  

In the mean time my usual tasks at work include co-facilitating Family Development Sessions, team building days for staff of 4Ps, and most recently as scholars orientation for beneficiary children of the program. It's nice to feel like I have my place :)

Lessons learned

In the first year of service I can say that it definitely has been a rollercoaster of emotions.  From going through my first holiday season away from my family to adjusting into my site, especially my job, there have been a lot of ups and downs.  My biggest things I am proud about myself is that I was patient and made it through the hardest part I think.I definitely have learned to be patient.  I wanted to find my niche right away, which was pretty much impossible to do in the beginning.  With time to get to know my community, this is when I can start projects and focusing in on what would be good for my community.