Ambassador Visit!

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  Tublay, Benguet, Philippines
Tuesday, August 1, 2006

Greetings to all!!

On Saturday night all of the PCV's in the greater Baguio region were invited to a very special cocktail party at the US Ambassador's Residence at Camp John Hay in Baguio City. Camp John Hay used to be the recreation and living facilities for the US Army and is currently a huge tourist attraction and probably the most peaceful place in Baguio City. The Ambassador's residence is beautiful, with pine trees surrounding the property and amazing views of the vegetable terraces in the various barangay's below. As we drove thru the circular drive way to the home and waited for our security clearance at the main gate, I felt like I was back in Washington DC, with the grand colonial architecture of the place. As many of you know I love to "smooze," and this indeed was a "smoozing" event! There were many representatives from the Embassy in Manila as well as various American's that are living in Baguio City at the event

Ambassador Kristine Keeney and Me!

. Not only was Kristine Kenney
(The Ambassador) there but also the US Assistant Secretary of State for the East Pacific Region, Christopher Hill. He has been a key player in the recent North Korea negotiations and is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer from many years ago in Cameroon. It was quite funny to hear his stories of his days in the Peace Corps, where he was trained in bookkeeping and ended up teaching English to his small African community. How the world and Peace Corps has changed!! I was very impressed with how personable and down to earth both the Assistant Secretary and Ambassador were, as well as the other diplomatic staff present. Hearing their stores of their travels and work throughout the world has made me consider the Foreign Service as a possibility post Peace Corps.
This event was also held in a very historical room of the Ambassador's Residence. The very room where the Japanese singed the Peace treaty to the US ending the occupation and war in the Philippines, is where we "smoozed" all evening. (Thought you would like that Dad)

On Sunday evening when I returned home I had a wonderful chat with my Host Lola Carmen (Grandmother) about her days of living at Camp John Hay as child. Her father was a US Citizen and served in the Army. Prior to the war breaking out Filipino Service Men and their families lived on the John Hay property and had access to schools, food, doctor's and many other comforts that were not available in their rural farming village just 20 min

Ambassador's Residence

. North of Baguio City. When the war began they were forced to leave the property and return to their rural communities. Sadly, Lola's father was captured by the Japanese and eventually died in one of their prisons. As she was telling me many of these stores there were large tears in her eyes and I could see in her face that she still wonders what her life would have been like had her father not died in the war. Her younger brother's and mother received benefits from the US Army after her fathers death that helped them go to school, but I know that had the war not began many if not all of her family (including her) would be in the states now. (She has 9 siblings 4 of which are still living). I also learned that only two years after the war ended she was 18 years old met Lolo Enrique (Grandfather) and they were married in an arranged marriage. Lolo was 31 at the time and being that they raised 11 children together, I am sure that their love thru time grew beyond the arrangement their parents made. (Lolo died two three months ago after being bed ridden for over a year). I did not know that arranged marriages used to be so prevalent here and Lola and I laughed to think if they were still practiced today. Of her 11 children only 4 are married. I so enjoy listening to the stories of Lola and look forward to continuing our conversations. In every wrinkle on her face and hands there is years and years of hard work and many sad but also motivating stories to learn from.

I hope everyone is well and know that I am thinking about and missing you all often, but still very happy to be on this journey!

All my love,

PACE

Sherry

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

Another bedroom shot	Greeting Ambassador Keeney	My bedroom	Out in Baguio with PCV's and PH friends!
Painting of the Japanese Surender	PCV'a and the Ambassador	The group shot at Camp John Hay	The living room, little mountain lodge feel!
The room of the surender	The surender document	View from the back of her residence

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