Manila....and moving to site!!
Trip Start
Mar 21, 2006
1
8
55
Trip End
Oct 05, 2008
La Trinidad, Benguet,
Philippines
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
30 plus kids attended!!
!I spent last week in Manila for our swearing in ceremony and final hang-out days with fellow PCV's. It was really fun to see the other regions and nice to have a few days to unwind after our busy training. The swearing in ceremony while I bit anti-climatic because it was in the middle of the day, was still very nice. I was a Co-MC for the event, which was fun but also a bit hectic. In classic Filipino style the speakers and schedule of the events were constantly changing. But as I have learned time and time again these last few months, you put a smile on and roll with the punches. It was very special to hear from our new Country Director Karl Beck. He arrived in country shortly after we did, so he is learning right along with our batch. His speech was very powerful as he reflected on his PC service many years ago in Africa. When it took him two days on horse back to arrive to his remote village and now here we are many years later serving in the Peace Corps with cell phones (how the world has changed). I am very excited to get to know Karl over these next few years and learn from his expertise in community development.
So as of last Saturday I have been an official PCV!!!
Before heading to site on Monday afternoon, a bunch of us spent a few days in Manila
Again the adorible kids!!
. While I was not initially excited about heading to the madness of the big city, it was really nice to have a few days with everyone before we all went our separate ways. The variety of food options were wonderful, we ate Indian, Mexican and even found a TGI Friday's!! As always though, the dichotomy of being in a big city and having the commercialization all around but also the extreme poverty and pollution were difficult to process. There we were PCV's, going to the mall, (which is all there is to do in Manila) and not just any mall the MASSIVE.... I MEAN MASSIVE.... MALL OF ASIA. It really is the largest mall in Asia. While at the same time just outside the fence of our pension an entire family was bathing in the newly formed puddle combined with the sewage and diesel gas on the ground. Quite the reality check! I recently received an e-mail from Matt Gray (who many of you know) and I think he put it best when he said, "So much to take in all at once, so much contrasting poverty and wealth, health and sickness, happiness and depression, materiality and spirituality. What can we make of any of it?" I think my journey to make sense of all of this is only beginning and will probably be a life-long process! I arrived to site on Monday afternoon greeted by the soon to be daily occurrence of afternoon rains. Thus far things have been fairly slow, which I am pleased about, while my supervisor has high expectations for my job, I recognize that it is going to take a lot of time for me to get to know the community and for them to get to know me
All dressed up soon to be PCV's
. I was relieved yesterday when my supervisor said that she agrees as well. Yesterday was an example of what I think will be my usual schedule for my first few weeks and perhaps months here. After having a very brief meeting with the Municipal Planning officer, I spent the morning in the Mayor's office chatting with the office staff and just spending time with the locals. After eating lunch with my host family we went to look at our family farm. It was a beautiful drive and even more spectacular hike, the trail lined with pine trees and fresh air, a welcomed change from Manila. We did not go all the way to the farm, it is about a 45 min. hike, but looked at it form a distance. There are three nipa huts and we grow organic vegetables there. My host Aunt Marlene wants to help promote it as an eco-tourism area, which would be wonderful. It is a beautiful spot and I am very excited to spend time there as well as incorporate it into my projects! I spent the rest of the afternoon talking with another aunt, she is the only school nurse for the entire municipality (19 schools). She shared a startling statistic with me; there are more malls in Manila then hospitals!!! Just some food for thought!! As always I hope you are all well, again congratulations to all those graduates. I love hearing form everyone so keep the e-mails and snail mail coming.
All my love,
Sherry
My new address
Sherry Manning PCV
C/o Provincial Governor's Office- Tourism Division
Capitol, La Trinidad
Benguet Province, 2601
Philippines
You can always use the other address (since it is the Peace Corps Office) but this one is better for packages!!
Comments
Proud of you...
Hey, it sounds like you're really getting into things now, that is exciting! I'm glad to hear that you're doing well and that you passed your language test! Please let me know as soon as you can what you need so I can send your package off soon! Thanks. -Di
Great Pics!
Hi Sherry! I'm enjoying the pictures and you write beautifully! I have no doubts that you'll make a difference and I enjoy reading about your projects/adventures. Carol Gregory