Transitioning and What's to Come

Before I share about my transitioning from my Peace Corps Service back to home, I'm currently  participating in one of my last projects here in the Philippines. What is it you ask?

I'm so lucky to have been one of four volunteers chosen to participate in a project called Padayon Mindanao.  Here's a descriptions with some pictures:

 

It's a three-year USAID funded and Peace Corps’ continuing effort to promote peace building in the Philippines. At the core of this education initiative is cross-cultural learning among literacy teachers and peer educators across conflict affected areas in Mindanao and other Peace Corps sites in the Philippines. Through this project, PC volunteers and their local counterparts will take an expanded role in improving youth literacy and life skills by means of Alternative Learning System.

There's two part ,including a Literacy Summit and a Youth Leadership Camp.

Literacy Summit is a seven-day intensive training which aims to develop competence of literacy teachers to meet the education needs of vulnerable youth through Alternative Learning System by: raising awareness on situations of vulnerable youth in education settings; promoting innovations in teaching strategies and learning assessments as applied to ALS core modules; and, upholding mutual learning among participants and exchange of ALS initiatives across regions.

 

Youth Camp is a seven-day youth exchange training which aims the following for the youth:

·         increase life skills and livelihood skills

·         increase understanding of civic engagement

·         develop/enhance leadership skills

·         strengthen linkages & understanding among them

·         promote cultural exchanges

So I'm currently in the second part, the youth camp, here in Cebu City. We are having so much fun and I've really enjoyed my experience here. It's kind of been the cherry on top for the ending of my service that is fast approaching now.
After this project ends the start of the Close of Service (COS) conference, with all my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers that are leaving, starts.


It is soooo crazy how much time has flown and super weird to think that I’m leaving this place, that I have made my home, so soon. Completely in denial and procrastinating on thinking about how I will feel when the time comes to say good bye, is how I’m handling the situation.

COS has always seemed so far away for most of my Peace Corps experience. Up until recently I didn’t really worry about how much it’s going to hurt to leave my work and my friends, both Filipino and fellow Peace Corps Volunteers.  It’s almost like when I first left for the Philippines; it’s been more than two years since I left everything back in the states to start a new part of my life.

Again I will leave my support network and go into more uncharted territory. Yes I’ll be going back home and physically it will mostly be the same as when I first left. Maybe there will be small changes in the landscape, but the bigger difference is me. I am not the same. My inhibitions, my dreams, my outlook on life are different. I will mentally leave my found normal here and venture into the unknown again. That is what is on my mind the most as time gets closer, of course I am excited to see my friends and family back home again but I’m worried about the disconnect that may occur.

I mean no one will understand my jokes, because all of my humor is adapted from Filipino culture or Peace Corps related. hehe, biro lang (just kidding)! I will survive, but am nostalgic.


As my for my future, my next year will be focused on traveling... I 'm going on a month long journey to Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. And then when I get back home to the states.... applying to graduate school is my mission along with road tripping around the great states since I know other PCVs from other states now.

Even though I have mixed feelings now, I am excited and ready to start the next part of my life and whatever comes my way along the way.