A Girl and Her Blog

Gene's Birthday

2012-01-08T20:56:00.003+08:00

My supervisor, who is the head of the City Social Welfare Department, celebrated her birthday with the girls and staff of SDC. There was a slide show, speeches, choreographed dances, games and most importantly to the girls, tons of food.

Rainbow Friendship Bracelets

2012-01-07T11:47:00.001+08:00

The two youngest members of my center sporting there new creations. The girls have graduated from 2 color bracelets and just learned how to make a 6 colored rainbow wave. After the chevron pattern I'm not going to have much left to teach them in realm of bracelet making.

Getting Glasses

2012-01-05T09:21:00.002+08:00

While looking at old pictures of the girls at my center, I noticed one of the girls was always wearing glasses in the photos. Since my 5 months at the center I had never once seen her wear glasses. I asked the staff and they said she needed glasses but had broken them over 6 months ago. Since my family had generously given me money for Christmas, I though they would appreciate the money going to good work. The staff found an optometrist, negotiated the lowest price possible, and even arranged for a free eye exam. There was even money left over to get some soda and apple pies from McDonald, which may have made it the best little girl outing ever!

Zoobic Safari

2011-12-28T11:14:00.003+08:00

As a late Christmas gift the Mayors brother took SDC and the Center for Youth to Zoobic Safari (an animal park in Subic Bay).

I have no idea what these fuzzy little guys are but they were my favorite critter at the zoo. And of course no Asian zoo is complete without piles upon piles of crocodiles.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T11:40:00.003+08:00

I spent Christmas with the girls making and decorating paper Christmas trees, to decorate the center with. The girls also each got a gift of stickers, beads, pencils, hair ties, and other girly things, which was courtesy of my very loving grandmother and great aunt in New Mexico. The girls absolutely loved it!

Christmas Eve Worksheets

2011-12-24T08:35:00.002+08:00

To celebrate Christmas Eve, I put together an activity packet for the girls with puzzles and coloring pages. This is the second holiday packet I have done with them and it still amazes me how intensely focused and quiet they get. While they worked I read them the Night Before Christmas poem. It was the first time they had seen a color by number puzzle or connect the dots. Once they were told how to do it they flew through the puzzles and had lots of fun!

Night Market

2011-12-23T21:06:00.003+08:00

I have been wanting to go to the winter carnival called the "night market" all month. When I found out that some girls from my center were going it became my mission to meet them there. I had a blast. It was a mixture of carnival rides, street vendors, gambling, and food stalls. I even got to ride the "horror train", which turned out to be much more for children then I care to admit.

Trust Building

2011-12-10T21:01:00.004+08:00

Since it was such a beautiful day we moved most our activities outside. We started the day with untangling "human knots", selecting our favorite item out of a dichotomy in "common ground", running through a "human zipper", "crossing the river" of hula hoops and poi blindfolded. We ended the day reflecting on what characteristics people need to have to be trust worthy, as well as the realization that people without these characteristics may not be worthy of our trust.

Friendship Bracelets

2011-12-03T11:42:00.001+08:00

Had a really fun day at SDC. Spent the day showing the girls how to make friendship bracelets. They did an amazing job. Once they master the 2 string patterns, we will move on to the 6 string patterns.

World AIDs Day

2011-12-01T11:38:00.001+08:00

As part of world AID's day, I participated in a training for employees of a local bar in the province of Subic.

Emergency Drill

2011-11-28T21:24:00.002+08:00

I'm chalking today up to budget cuts. Got a call from PC in the morning that I had to go to Manila for an emergency drill. So I told my center I would be out of town, and got on a 5 hour bus to Manila. Once I got to the designated evacuation sight no one was there except for other confused volunteers. Even though the sight was a few minutes away from PQ head quarters, no PC staff ever showed up. Eventually we were emailed a survey about evacuation logistics to answer and send back to PC. Being a volunteer is sometimes a daily adventure.

Today is a good day to... hoop

2011-11-27T21:53:00.003+08:00

Just another typical day at my center <3 The girls have become board with using only one hoop at a time and like to see who can keep the most hoops up the longest.

Fan Donations

2011-11-27T00:25:00.005+08:00

Today my center got to purchase 6 ceiling fans for the girls' bedrooms thanks to a generous donation from Michael and Rosemarie Hauger in CA. The staff couldn't remember when the last time the girls had power, let alone fans in their rooms. The girls are ecstatic! And it is no wonder, the nights here range from 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit. Thank you so much Michael and Rosemarie.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T14:46:00.003+08:00

My first Thanksgiving in the Philippines went really well. I'm just starting to settle into my new life abroad and I have a lot to be thankful for. To celebrate Thanksgiving this year, I met up with several other PC volunteers at Starbucks. This is a rare treat since most coffees cost more than our daily allowances. I was even able to have a somewhat traditional vegan Thanksgiving dinner of mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, green beans, black olives, and roasted tofu.

Potato Stamps

2011-11-19T19:07:00.002+08:00

When I brought a bag of potatoes in with me the girls thought they were going to get french fries. Instead of eating the tubers we made stamps. This was a particularly special workshop because it was the first time the girls got to use paint in the center.

Oil Pastel Butterflies

2011-11-12T11:27:00.001+08:00

The girls did not use the oil pastels during their mask making workshop, so I brought them back to decorate their daily schedule. They made tons of colorful butterflies to beautify the board wall and their bed rooms.

Electrical Makeover

2011-11-09T11:15:00.003+08:00

After the directors visit, City Hall approved repairing the electricity at my center! The Social Development Center dose not have a proper roof so anytime it rains the water gets everywhere, including the walls, and destroys the electricity. Now electricians are installing the wires in the the building inside protective covers. I am so excited to be able to plug in a fan while at work. Now I just have to tolerate the drilling and sawing for the next four weeks. Maybe next visit we could get running water.

Care Package

2011-11-08T21:16:00.000+08:00

Friends from home (Crystal & Shawn Porter) surprised me with an awesome care package! I immediately made tofu and bean burritos. I can't believe it had been 4 months since my last tortilla. I'm trying to pace myself, but I doubt these goodies will survive much longer.

Aaron Williams' Visit

2011-11-05T11:44:00.005+08:00

After a mere month at SDC, it was visited by the Peace Corps director Aaron Williams and guests, who were in the country to celebrate the 50th anniversary. The tour and mask making activity went really well. At the end of the day I got to have dinner with the director, Peace Corps staff, and other nearby volunteers.

Olongapo Blog about the visit:

http://subicbaynews.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-peace-corps-director-aaron-s.html

USAID & Peace Corps 50th Anniversary

2011-11-04T22:32:00.003+08:00

I took a bus to Manila to celebrate USAID and Peace Corps 50th Anniversaries with my fellow US volunteers at the Mall of Asia. USAID put on a 10 hour long program with workshops, presentations, and of course... songs, videoke, and dancing. It was a full and interesting day. There were even children dressed as corn dancing to "Moves Like Jagger". That really says it all.

Mall Food

2011-11-04T21:56:00.002+08:00

While in the Mall of Asia for the 50th anniversary, I stumbled upon an awesome sushi place, with a vegan platter! It seriously made my day. Being vegan in the Philippines is definitely not a burden.

Mask Materials

2011-11-02T21:33:00.006+08:00

Aaron Williams the director of Peace Corps is scheduled to visit my site on the 5th. He is going to tour facilities, talk to staff, and participate in one of my workshops with the girls. I decided to do a mask making activity, and have been gathering materials over the past month. As my kitchen table can attest. I'm starting to get as excited to see the girls using the materials as I am to meet the director. All funds for materials were lovingly donated by Loretta Armstrong, Roswell, NM.

Homemade Hoops

2011-10-26T11:18:00.003+08:00

After scouring several hardware stores, as well as having some supplies shipped to me from the U.S. I finally can make hoops in the Philippines! The girls love them, and already can do several tricks. It is definitely an improvement over everyone sharing my one collapsible hoop, for the past few weeks. Now I need to figure out the best way to make poi sets for the center.

Child Friendliest City Award

2011-10-24T21:58:00.001+08:00

Went to Pompanga with the CSWD office to watch the child's month celebration program, and receive the Child Friendliest City Award. The performances were very cute and I learned 45% of Olongapo's population is 18 years old and below. That is a lot of children. Keep in mind Olongapo has half the population rate of the Philippines, and is one of the few places were discussing family planing is legal.

Mexican Food

2011-10-18T20:23:00.003+08:00

Mexican food is hard to come by in the Philippines. So I made tacos to celebrate moving in to my new host families home. I fried crumbled tofu with onions, garlic and tomatoes then added vegan taco seasoning. For the tortilla I used local lumpia (a thin wrapper made of flour). Since I live by a free port I even got my hands on some refried beans.

Police Gender Sensitivity Seminar

2011-10-12T21:15:00.004+08:00

I got to sit in on the last day of a two day gender seminar for police. They covered topics such as: child trafficking laws, procedures for working with children in conflict with the law, and parenting styles.

Alay Lakad 2011

2011-10-09T17:44:00.005+08:00

The CSWD joined the city in a Walk For a Cause to generate funds for college scholarships. We assembled at 5:30 am at Rizal Triangle and walked through the city. It was really fun to see the streets cleared of all vehicles as well as get to know the area better. The walk ended with a program and award ceremony.

Social Development Center

2011-10-06T17:48:00.003+08:00

My first day at the Social Development Center (SDC), a residential facility for abused or neglected girls. This will be my primary assignment over the next two years. I am so excited to get to work here and cant wait to get to know the girls better.

Mobile Store

2011-09-29T18:26:00.004+08:00

Today I spent the day selling discounted rice with the city's mobile store. People are still recovering from the typhoon. There is no power in the entire city. All schools are closed today. Most people are busily clearing their homes and streets of mud and debris.

Typhoon

2011-09-28T18:24:00.003+08:00

The day after the typhoon woke up to see many trees and power lines knocked down, and that the streets by city hall are still flooded.

Relief Rations

2011-09-28T17:53:00.002+08:00

After the typhoon I got to help pack food rations, for the city to distribute. We all definitely broke a sweat moving rice and caned goods all day without fans or electricity, but I'm glad I got to be a part of it. It was therapeutic to do something helpful and physical after the storm.

GAD Planning Workshop

2011-09-23T20:27:00.003+08:00

I got to participate in the city's Gender and Development planning meeting, where different government departments discussed possible projects to improve the lives of the women in the city. I learned a lot about Philippine laws and policies relating to gender. Such as, 1) disusing family planing is illegal in most of the Philippines, 2) abortion is illegal, 3) couples have to be separated for 7 years before they can get divorced, 4) women are automatically responsible for custody and finances of children under 7 years old, 5) the father of a child can not have his name on the birth certificate if the father is under 18 years old, and 6) there is no official child support because even when paternity is known men can choose not to be on their children's birth certificates.

Police Senior Superintendent

2011-09-22T17:45:00.002+08:00

Today I went to Subic to meet Christopher Tambungan, Olongapo's Police Senior Superintendent and City Director. He was very friendly, and gave tips of places volunteers need to visit while in the Philippines. I hope to take advantage of the information once my three month settling in (no traveling) period is over.

Anti Trafficking Training

2011-09-22T17:02:00.005+08:00

On my fourth day of work I got to participate in my supervisor and counterpart's anti human trafficking presentation. The audience was barangay officials, who will use the information to improve awareness and response in their communities.

Daycare Swearing In

2011-09-21T16:53:00.003+08:00

On my third day at CSWS I got to witness the mass induction of daycare center officers. It was an intense celebration with songs, dances, food, and games. I was even pulled on stage by one of the daycare officers to dance to Waka Waka.

Flag Raising Cerimony

2011-09-19T16:56:00.003+08:00

For my very first day at work I went to the city's Monday morning flag raising ceremony. I and other Peace Corps volunteers started the week introducing ourselves to the mayor and all the city's employees.

Mall of Aisa

2011-09-18T11:15:00.003+08:00

I am not much of a mall person, but since I first found out I was going to the Philippines I have been trying to visit the Mall of Asia. Originally, I only really wanted to go the mall for Lush. So I could checkout the hand made, free trade, vegan soaps and lotions. However I quickly found Soy Yummy, a vegan smoothie, soy milk, and taho stand. Love it, love it so much!

Help Wanted

2011-09-17T10:57:00.001+08:00

I passed by this restaurant in Cavite. It really made me miss anti discrimination and sexual harassment policies.

Swearing In

2011-09-16T10:41:00.000+08:00

My training cluster celebrating after swearing in. After all the many forms, interviews, essays, training, conferences and projects we are finally Peace Corps Volunteers!

Counterparts Conference Award Ceremony

2011-09-15T10:02:00.000+08:00

Philippines Peace Corps Director Denny F. Robertson awards Nova for completion of a week long conference as well as being my counterpart.

I'm Loving It

2011-09-14T10:11:00.003+08:00

After the seminars ended for the day I headed to the SM Mall in Cavite. I got to get some long awaited vegan Burger King fries and evan made a new friend.

Counterpart

2011-09-13T09:11:00.001+08:00

Today I got to officially meet Nova, a social worker City Social Welfare Department Office and my new counterpart for the next 2 years.

Island Cove

2011-09-12T10:23:00.000+08:00

Back at Island Cove in Cavite for the counterparts conference and at to swear in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer at the end of the week!

Dino Detour

2011-09-11T00:54:00.004+08:00

On the way to Manila the bus stopped for a few minutes so we could get breakfast and use the restroom. Instead of either I was magnetically drawn to a nearby abandoned dinosaur themed fun land. Time well spent.

Handog Party

2011-09-10T08:36:00.000+08:00

At the end on training, each region of Peace Corps trainees had a "handog" party before heading to Manila. We celebrated the families who helped us adjust during our first 3 months in the Philippines with games, food and awards.

Language Proficiency Interview

2011-09-09T09:48:00.003+08:00

I am super stressed out. Today I have my Tagalog language proficiency interview. This is one on the last big hurtles before swearing in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I have been studying non stop for the past week, fingers crossed.

The End of Technical Training

2011-09-05T19:54:00.002+08:00

For our very last day of technical training training my cluster got to go to a nearby beach in Subic. We reflected over the past two months of training, had lunch and swam a lot.

The day went really well until a skim boarding sprained ankle altered the mood a bit. The injured party rallied everyone in our cluster to take a silly picture to commemorate the incident.

Care Package

2011-09-02T16:43:00.003+08:00

The best part of Peace Corps medical office presentation is that they bring mail from Manila. Today my parents sent me a care package of duct tape, almonds, and vegan granola bars. Sweet!

Volunteerism Squared

2011-09-01T18:39:00.002+08:00

Today we started the training for the Volunteerism Squared or V2 project. The idea is to inspire and train others to volunteer, who in turn inspire and train even more people. We took 11 youth leaders from the community who were interested in volunteering and trained them in four team building exorcises. We ended the day by having the youth plan a leadership training for 9-14 year olds, which they will lead next Saturday.

Internship Week

2011-08-24T20:46:00.001+08:00

This week I will be interning with the Olongapo City Social Welfare Development Office at City Hall. So far I have gotten to learn about all the social programs the city has to offer, as well as see how the office generally runs.

Team Building Overnight Camp

2011-08-21T18:30:00.002+08:00

We, 15 Child Youth & Families (CYF) Peace Corps trainees, had 3 days to plan an overnight camp for over 100 people ranging from 5 to 19 years old. We had cooperative games, sports, capture the flag, ropes courses, friendship bracelet making, and of course hooping. It was a challenge creating a camp in a few days, but the children had fun and we all made it out alive.

Olangapo

2011-08-14T19:24:00.002+08:00

After a very long week in Manila it is so nice to be back home in Olongapo. It is suprising how quickly a foreign place can become familiar and even comforting. I missed you Olongapo.

Peace Corps Office

2011-08-13T07:09:00.002+08:00

Before heading back to Olongapo, I made a new friend at the Peace Corps headquarters in Manila. All my batch mates and I will swear in during the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps. JFK and Sargent Shriver would be proud to see what a fixture their program has become.

Mobile Education

2011-08-12T19:25:00.003+08:00

Got to pair up with a religious nonprofit that brings alternative education to street children. After playing some team building games the kids watched an educational video, and then got a treat for participating.

Smokey Mountain

2011-08-11T07:45:00.001+08:00

Today I climbed the Smokey Mountain, a 20 meter high dump that was shut down in 1990 after an avalanche killed hundreds of families. Our guide (from a local nonprofit dedicated to improve the lives of Smokey Mountain residents) said it is the tallest mountain in metro Manila. From a distance it looks like a beautiful rolling hill, because families have planted sweet potatoes, corn, and other edible plants to live off of. Walking or living on it however, is a different story.

CNN World:

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-04-05/world/philippines.smokey.mountain_1_coal-mine-rubbish-plastic?_s=PM:WORLD

Rizal Park

2011-08-10T16:11:00.001+08:00

I got to visit Rizal Park in Manila, where José Rizal was killed on December 30, 1896 which sparked the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish colonizers. It was a beautiful day, a huge rainbow even came out to join in on the historic fun.

Animal Island

2011-08-09T18:51:00.004+08:00

In between conferences I had time to visit a small zoo next to the hotel. There were tons of monkeys, crocodiles, as well as other animals (such as tigers, bunnies, ostriches and hawks) that were not given such pleasant or comfortable habitats.

Supervisors Conference

2011-08-08T17:40:00.002+08:00

Finally after a month and a half of training, the moment of truth. The supervisors conference in Manila is where we Peace Corps Trainees finally get to meet our supervisors for the next two years. I will be working with The City Social Welfare Development Office in Olongapo City.

Vegan Meals in the Philippines

2011-08-02T16:07:00.005+08:00

So far being vegan in the Philippines has not been an issue. Since living with my host family I have had vegan stir-fry, soup, and salads. Not to mention all sorts of new fruits and veggies. Staying at IIRR for orientation made me think my diet for the next 2 years wold be very monotonous and unflavored. I'm happy this turned out to be untrue.

Olongapo Bowling

2011-07-29T20:26:00.005+08:00

Today the children youth and families trainees took a break from our usual routine to go bowling. It was a little different then in the states. Setting up the pins and returning the balls were all done manually, and there were 2 different versions of bowling to choose from. The larger version is what I was use to, with a heavy bowling ball that has 3 holes in it. There was also a smaller version, which was the one we played. The ball was about a quarter of the size I was use to, and did not have finger holes. It even had smaller pins to knock down.

Xtream Xpresso

2011-07-28T20:31:00.002+08:00

To finish off literacy week, all the Ologapo trainees went out to Xtream Xpresso. Pizza, sandwiches and brewed coffee are something of a rarity in the Philippines and Xtream Xpresso had all three.

Earthquakes & Typhoons

2011-07-26T20:09:00.005+08:00

This morning around 1:00 am I was woken up by a 5.9 earthquake. Everyone here is okay, but sleepy. Then later in the day I experienced my very first typhoon. It was a small one (level 2), meaning primary and secondary schools were canceled for the day. Which translated to no one to tutor. Ah, nature.

Subic Times:

http://subictimes.com/2011/07/26/olongapo-city-engineers-inspects-infra-after-5-9-magnitude-quake/

Leaping Lizards

2011-07-22T20:07:00.004+08:00

I am not a fan of these little guys, but they are absolutely everywhere in the Philippines. I went to the kitchen one night to get some water and there were 5 lizards hanging out on the kitchen table. No respect I tell you. They are super fast, crawl up walls, and can jump a surprising distance. I even saw one swing on drapes to catch a bug.

Serious Rain

2011-07-21T19:19:00.004+08:00

For some reason anytime we have a field trip it dose not sprinkle, it rains. Believe it or not the Jeepney driver drove us through this river, I mean road. It was well worth it to see a tour of POCM (the Philippines Outreach Center Ministries), and PREDA (the People's Recovery, Empowerment Development Assistance Foundation). PREDA turned out to be my all time favorite nonprofit in the Philippines, and is currently my largest source of inspiration.

POCM:

http://www.philippineoutreachcentre.com

PREDA:

http://www.preda.org

Science Tutors

2011-07-20T20:58:00.002+08:00

Some wacky Peace Corps trainees making science fun for the children in their barangay.

Vegan Merienda

2011-07-18T21:13:00.000+08:00

I found vegan Chicharon in the Philippines! The vegetables and fruits are amazing here, but it is nice to have packaged food from time to time for that midday snack.

Marty's Vegetarian Chicharon:

http://www.martysvegetarian.com

Street Hooping

2011-07-17T06:14:00.002+08:00

I had an impromptu hooping session with some kids in my neighborhood. They did great! By the end they could waist and leg hoop as well as do some vertical tricks. Now I have a mini fan club outside of my house waiting for hooping lessons and new game ideas.

Community Calendars

2011-07-16T13:31:00.003+08:00

Today my training cluster started our first community project by getting to know the people in our barangay. We broke the community members into groups according to age and had them map out a typical day from morning to night. Then the groups mapped out the important events throughout the year and presented it to all the other groups.

Community Walk

2011-07-15T14:42:00.001+08:00

Enjoying a walk with my fellow trainees to see where everyone lives. The Peace Corps does not give us much down time, which is probably best. Anytime I have time to reflect it baffles me that I'm actually living in the Philippines, speaking Tagalog, and using pesos.

Olongapo Courtesy Call

2011-07-14T13:52:00.000+08:00

Today all the Child Youth and Families Peace Corps trainees in Olongapo city got to meet Mayor James L. Gordon, Jr. and other political figures in the community. The Mayor was very kind to us. He have us a packet materials including: specs on the city, his card, a pin with Olongapo City written on it, and his CD which played for us every time he stood up.

My Host Families Home

2011-07-13T14:14:00.007+08:00

This will be my home for the next 2 and a half months. I am really lucky and have the best host family. They picked me up in an new SUV, gave me a comfy room, are extremely friendly, and best of all they make me awesome vegan meals. I am super spoiled :p

Heading to Olongapo

2011-07-12T21:46:00.000+08:00

Today was last day of initial orientation. Tomorrow the CYF trainees head separate ways to our respective training sites. As for me, first thing in the morning I'm going to be taking a 5 hours bus ride to Olongapo and meet my first host family. I still have so much packing to do...

Bahay Tuluyan

2011-07-11T17:40:00.002+08:00

It is crazy to think I have been in the Philippines for only 9 days. It is rainy outside, but we are safely inside learning about local agencies, and laws relating to children. The highlight of my day was a guest speaker from Bahay Tuluyan talking about children's rights. I bought an awesome bracelet from the organization the kids made out of magazines.

Bahay Tuluyan Website:

http://www.bahaytuluyan.org

Dragon Fruit

2011-07-10T12:48:00.000+08:00

I am so excited! After years of lusting, I finally got my hands on a Dragon Fruit. Outside it is a beautiful pink and green, and inside the flesh is white with small black seeds. It is refreshing with a hint of sweet. The texture is kind of like a melon with kiwi seeds. The next fruit on my bucket list is a Durian...

Water Safety in Manila Bay

2011-07-09T12:25:00.000+08:00

Yesterday all 59 trainees were issues our very own life jackets (which we return after service), and given a brief water safety training. Today we put theory in to practice by inflating out life jackets, jumping out of a boat, huddling together in the Manila bay, and then awkwardly climbing back onto the boat.

The resort was beautiful, and very accommodating. Being next to the capital after a heavy rain however, one can imagine the bay to be less then pristine. The resort had several employees on the beach to rake up the continual garbage that washed up on shore. Everyone made it back to the Yen Center intact and oozing with water safety knowledge. Especially the one trainee who was bitten by a fish :p

SM Mall

2011-07-08T12:38:00.000+08:00

On the rare occasion of free time the Peace Corps trainee can sometimes be found wandering the nearby SM mall to find anything from flashcards to groceries. The favored mode of transportation a jeepney, filled to the brim with other adventurous trainees.

Courtesy Calls

2011-07-07T20:34:00.000+08:00

All the Children Youth and Families (CYF) Peace Corps trainees went to Manila to visit some government and non government ran programs for youth.

Vegan Meals in the Philippines

2011-07-07T12:55:00.001+08:00

This is a very typical meal for me since coming to the Philippines. There is rice for every meal, not many if any spices because the staff wants to insure an animal free meal, and it usually comes with a banana. I recently discovered a bottle of soy sauce which has opened up a whole realm of flavor diversity.

Olangapo

2011-07-06T05:12:00.000+08:00

Today we were told where our training site will be! This is where trainees will live for the next 3 month after initial orientation learning our new language and receiving technical training for our assigned jobs. I am going to be located in Olangapo and learning Tagalog.

Prophylaxis

2011-07-05T04:41:00.000+08:00

Malaria prophylaxis and the Peace Corps go together like traveling and jet lag. Today I learned about the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency, and Peace Corps role in it. Went to more many more seminars, had my first Tagalog language lesson, went to the SM mall (which was way bigger then I expected), and ended the day taking my first ever bright pink malaria suppression pill.

Initial Orientation

2011-07-04T08:38:00.000+08:00

My first official day in the Philippines and all 60 of us hit the ground running. We got to the Yen Center (our hostle) a little after midnight. In the morning we began the Initial Orientation for Peace Corps Philippines, which will last for 4 days. Today I got a medical kit, met with my medical officer, had my picture taken, learned about safety, and filled out lots of paper work.

The Yen Center is located in Silang, Cavite, about an hour and a half drive south of Manila. The volunteers (like me) in the Children Youth and Families group will be staying here for the next 9 days. It is so nice to have a break from traveling.

The staff has been kind enough to make vegan and vegetarian meals for all the herbivores in the group. For breakfast I had a banana and oatmeal with mango jelly. Lunch, a veggie stir fry, salad, and rice. An awesome mid day snack of pineapple which was brought to us during a training. Lastly for dinner: rice, green beans, cauliflower, carrots, and melon. Yum!

The Yen Center:

http://www.iirr.org/index.php/aboutus/yencenter

Take Me To The Philippines

2011-07-03T08:03:00.000+08:00

My final and third day straight of flying. After a 2 hour layover in Tokyo I caught the 6:30 pm flight to Manila and arrived in the Philippines for the first time about 10:00 pm. This picture is when we first arrived in the Philippines and were waiting for the bus to take us to hostel.

Going International

2011-07-02T00:14:00.000+08:00

My second day as a Peace Corps trainee. Checked out of the Radisson Hotel at the Los Angeles airport 8:00 am, and took a bus to LAX at 8:30 am. Next step is to catch the 11 hour 45 minute flight to Tokyo at 12:40 pm.

Peace Corps Staging

2011-07-01T00:59:00.000+08:00

It begins. Early this morning I cleared out the last of my apartment. Then caught a flight from Humboldt to San Francisco at 5:45 am, had an hour layover, and then caught a plane at 8:02 am to Los Angeles. Checked in at the Radisson Hotel 10:45 am, and then attend Peace Corps registration/orientation from 12:00-7:00 pm. So sleepy... I'm ready for some awesome vegan Indian food and then bed.

Mr. Bert's Wild Ride

2011-06-24T02:04:00.001+08:00

After 2 days and over 11.5 hours of driving, Bert finally made it to his new home. In a few days when Bert has settled in, his new care takers will let out of his exercise pen and let him roam free.

Bert exploring the car, before we headed out. He did really well on the trip. He had trouble not sliding around the car though (especially on the twisty redwood highway), so he stayed under his cardboard box for most of the trip. He did come out to eat and visit during stop lights, and straightaways. Such a trooper. Now that Bert is safe and sound, it is time to go home and finish cleaning and packing up.

Friends Never Say Goodbye

2011-06-19T11:53:00.000+08:00

Today all my large furniture went to a thrift store. The apartment seems a lot bigger without a couch or table in it. In a few days I will start on my last U.S. road trip, ending with Bert beginning his life as an LA bunny. It will be difficult adjusting to a bunny free lifestyle :(

Salon Effects

2011-06-13T00:36:00.000+08:00

I took a break from organizing and packing to finally try Sally Hanson's Salon effects nail polish strips. I didn't use a base coat, put on the polish strips like a sticker, and then one coat of a shimmery top coat. Super easy! I was skeptical at first, but it turned out great. It has been 3 days and the polish has not chipped or deteriorated in any way.

Bye Bye Birdie

2011-06-11T00:52:00.000+08:00

I am one step closer to being ready for the Peace Corps and one pet light. My parents took Boomer today to live with my aunt in Sacramento for the next few years. I will miss the crazy little guy. Who will constantly yell "what are you doing" or "Boomer is a sweet Boomer" at me now?

UN Urges Vegan Diet

2011-06-10T05:21:00.000+08:00

The United Nations released a report stating an animal based diet is one of the largest contributors to fossil fuel consumption. Not only is an animal based diet not sustainable, a vegan diet is required to feed the world's growing population.

Planet Green Article:

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/un-urges-a-vegan-diet-to-feed-a-growing-population.html

United Nations Environment Programme report:

http://www.uneptie.org/scp/publications/details.asp?id=DTI/1262/PA

43nd Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race

2011-05-29T00:22:00.000+08:00

The Humboldt Kinetic Grand Championship is a 3 day race from Arcata to Ferndale.

Each Kinetic sculpture is human powered and designed to survive being pedaled on paved roads, the beach, and in the Humboldt Bay.

I remember seeing my first race in 3rd grade. This is a really fun local event, and I am so glad I got to see it one last time before moving to the Philippines.

I got to ride in the picnic basket at Burning Man. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the people powering these huge creations for 3 days in a row.

Official Website:

http://kineticgrandchampionship.com/

KEET PBS Auction

2011-05-27T14:22:00.001+08:00

Tonight I was part of the Humboldt Mediation Services shift for the local PBS biannual auction fundraiser. It was fun to be on TV and to see behind the scenes of the auction. The studio light were surprisingly warm. My shift took bids 8pm to 11pm, and I got to see the station sign off for the night.

Humboldt Mediation Services:

http://www.humboldtmediationservices.org/

KEET Public Television for the Northcoast:

http://www.keet.org/

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

2011-05-17T03:12:00.000+08:00

My favorite perfume company is Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. They sell 5 ml bottles and 1/32 oz imps (sample vials) of scented oils. They "specialize in formulating body and household blends with a dark, romantic Gothic tone". All the scents are made fresh when ordered and are vegan except those made with honey, which will be labeled in the description. It is hard not to become a collector, with all the limited edition special oils released for holidays, special events, and even full moons. I am addicted to the general catalog scents (sold year round) inspired by H. P. Lovecraft and Lewis Carroll.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab:

http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/welcome.html

Birthday Cake

2011-05-14T11:19:00.000+08:00

I am so excited, this year for my birthday I got a vegan pink champaign butter cream cake from Calla Lily Cakes. It is so cute, I can't wait until tomorrow to try a piece.

Calla Lily Cakes:

http://www.callalilycakes.com/

Peace Corps Fame

2011-05-02T01:48:00.000+08:00

I'm famous. There is a blurb about me on the Peace Corps West Coast Recruitment Offices blog.

Next PCVs: Meet the Newest Peace Corps Volunteers:

http://nextpcvs.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/rkooy/

Annie's Cambodian

2011-05-01T13:22:00.000+08:00

The Humboldt Vegetarian Society had dinner out at Annie's Cambodian Eureka, CA. Tonight dinner shows most any restaurant can create a vegan dish. Everything on the menu had meat in it. Even the dished listed under vegetarian items had fish and beef in the seasonings! With careful ordering we found 3 dishes and an appetizer that could be 100% veganised.

Humboldt Vegetarian Society facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Humboldt-Vegetarian-Society/133088206304

Collapsible Hoop

2011-04-30T11:34:00.000+08:00

I just got my very first collapsible hula hoop! Since it is collapsible to 1/4 the size of a regular hoop I can bring it with me to the Philippines. I bought it from Stellar Sunshine Hoops, and it came in the mail just wrapped in bubble tape (no box). The mail carrier said she had never seen anything like it. I love the hoop, even though Bert felt comfortable sticking his little tongue out at it.

Stellar Sunshine Hoops:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/StellarSunshineHoops?ga_search_query=hoop+hula&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

Happy Earth Day

2011-04-22T23:50:00.000+08:00

Helping the environment can start with what you put on your plate. Using animals for food is extremely resourse intensive. Raising animals takes more water, food, oil and land, creates more pollution, and yields less food then plant based nutrition. For example it takes 5,000 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat— as appose to 25 gallons to grow 1 pound of wheat.

Free Action for Animals vegetarian starter kit:

http://www.afa-online.org/starterpack.html

Z Pallet

2011-04-22T12:05:00.000+08:00

I love Z Pallets. I finally depotted all my eyeshadows and condensed them into one pallet. I have been shopping around for a way to condense packaging and make traveling easier. The Z Pallet is great. They come in 2 sizes, have cute patterns, are magnetized, and do not have compartments (like the MAC pallet) so they can fit any shape eyeshadow and can be organised any way.

Z Pallet:

http://www.zpalette.com/

Peace Corps Invitation!

2011-04-05T09:34:00.000+08:00

I have been officially invited by the Peace Corps to serve in the Philippines July 1, 2011 -September 9, 2013. I accepted! The next step is to write an aspiration statement, updated my resume, apply for a US government passport, and a Philippines visa.

My Last DOR Day

2011-03-26T10:04:00.000+08:00

Today was my last day working at the Department of Rehabilitation. I definitely learned a lot over the past year. I am grateful for what I now know about government programs, social work, disabilities, and different vocations. It is amazing how short a year can seem.