Post #1. This is my first time ever blogging, so let's see how it
goes.
I am now a little more than two weeks into my Peace Corps volunteer
experience and I have finally been able to sit down and create this blog.
What good is an adventure if there is not an epic story written about it to
account tales of bravery, fortitude, culture shock, and balut?
Why did I join the Peace Corps?:
(1) Service. The opportunity to serve my country, my world, and those
in my assigned community.
(2) International Development Experience. The chance to apply and
broaden my previous knowledge and experiences.
(3) Language. The opportunity to truly learn and be immersed in a
foreign language.
(4) Culture. The opportunity to learn and live in a new culture.
(5) Adventure. The chance to see the world, have new experiences, and
get lost along the way.
(6) Opportunity. I don't know what to expect or what will happen, but
I remain open to see where this experiences takes me.
July 7, 2012
My Peace Corps adventure began with Staging in San Francisco. Having never been to the city, I decided to
go a few days early to explore the city and see family and friends. Big thanks to Patrick, Carlee, Keith, and
Gabe for the great time. On Friday, July
7th, I reported to the Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf hotel to check in
and meet my fellow Peace Corps volunteers.
It’s funny now to think back on meeting them for the first time as we
underwent final policy reviews, discussions of cultural differences, and ice
breakers. The most memorable part for me
was the final activity in which we had to group ourselves without speaking based
on a sticker that was placed on our backs.
Most people had a single colored circle, while some had two circles and
one girl (Michelle “Mariposa”) had three.
I thought it was a great activity to practice nonverbal communication
and watch difference teamwork strategies emerge.
July 8-9, 2012
Early the next morning, we checked out of the hotel and shuffled our stuff
to the airport. By this time, I had
gotten to know a few volunteers fairly well and was still getting to know
others. Embarking on this type of
adventure as a peculiar way of creating camaraderie and solidarity as we can
all relate to each other in a way that others back home cannot or cannot
understand. After eating my last meal of
pizza and final Facebook updates, we boarded the plane bound for Manila with a layover
in Tokyo. Surprisingly, Delta was our
airline for both legs of the journey; I was expecting Asiana Airlines for
another Asia-based airline based on my previous trip to China.
After 16 hours of traveling with moderate sleep, we finally arrived in
Manila sometime after 10pm and were greeted by the Philippines Peace Corps
staff with leis made of sampagita, the national flower of the Philippines. We proceeded through Customs and began the battle
to retrieve our luggage. Volunteers threw
their bags onto precariously stacked piles on large carts. I was sure that the carts would not hold them
all and sure enough one mound of suitcases nearly toppled over as it was being
wheeled out. With the luggage situation
resolved, we took our first group photo and broke into two groups to board the
buses that would take us to our temporary home for two weeks: the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. The
first thing I noticed when we stepped outside was the humidity; the air was so
thick, hot, and wet. I was expecting
this, but even expecting can’t entirely prepare you for how it actually feels.
We didn't arrive to the International Institute, or "11-R-R" as the Filipinos call it, until after midnight and I was ready to get my room and pass out. Fortunately, the staff had the same idea and were very quick to offload our luggage and get us off to bed. The real adventure and training would start in the morning.
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