So, living in Michigan has definitely been an interesting experience. We live in a small village here called Pewamo which is home to less than 600 people. It's about a half a mile to the house nearest to ours so it's literally more rural than my Peace Corps site (although transportation, regular electricity, central air/heat make it a completely different situation). Anyhoo, we have been hit with a lot of snow in the past month or so including that huge storm that "crippled" much of the midwest. I think the best part about that storm is that Garrett and I don't have a television so we didn't know it was coming (yes we have internet, but we don't use it every day)...so, the morning after it hit I woke up and walked into the kitchen as usual and paused as I walked past the sliding glass door to the back porch. Something didn't look right and in my sleepy haze it took a minute to dawn on me that the porch was FULL of snow, as in you couldn't see any of the railing that is about 4 feet high. I explored further and found that there was not a freak dump of snow on our back porch, that, in fact, it had snowed like that everywhere and there were snow drifts over my head in our back and front yard. Definitely an interesting thing to wake up to unexpectantly.
Anyhoo, aside from that Garrett has only had to cross country ski into work a couple of times (it's only about 2 miles away so it only takes him 20 or 30 minutes to get there depending on how hard he has to work to make a path). We went out on the snow mobile today (because we had another snow storm) and drove down to the inlaws house...we spoke to Garrett's dad and came to the consensus that we are all ready for spring to get here soon if possible (really Phil the groundhog? Sure you didn't see that shadow?)
On to school things - I have been substitute teaching to fill the gap between Peace Corps and grad school which has been an experience. Most people know that I'm not the greatest with kids, but I've found a happy medium between being completely giggly/fun/childlike (as I previously though was the only way to connect with kids) and complete awkwardness (myself before this experiment). I taught third grade for two days last week and the same teacher asked me back for tomorrow, I'll also be teaching Middle School Math on Friday which should be even more up my alley. My favorite little happening of the day with third grade last week was when a quiet little boy brought me a drawing that he said "someone told him to give me" - I told him to tell whoever it was "thank you" from me. A few minutes later he brought me up a crumpled piece of paper and said "this goes with the picture I gave you before" - I opened it and the note said "It was me who rote that pictur!" - Very cute, I acted like I was surprised and thanked him quietly. I tried to be open and approachable with the kids without passing over my comfort line and it worked! I really think that they liked me and I think that they probably told their teacher that or she wouldn't have invited me back to sub for tomorrow :). I'm glad I decided to do the subbing thing, I've always "liked" kids, just felt awkward around them because I didn't have a lot of experience with them and didn't want to screw up. My desire to work with underprivileged communities dealing with infectious diseases is going to require me to spend a lot of time with kids (which I am excited about), I just needed to get over that hump and get accustomed to little ones and I think subbing is really helping with that!
Concerning Big-Kid school: I also had an opportunity to visit Tulane and Emory the second week of February and I'm really glad that I did. I really liked Tulane, it was very bare-bones, located in (basically) an office building in downtown New Orleans. I was guided around by a guy who is in the Masters International program (this will be his first time serving in the Peace Corps) and the coordinator of the program, a recent RPCV from Jamaica who COS'd a few months before me just in time to start grad school in the fall when I was still a PCV. I had a lot of fun with them, we had a quick tour of the school and medical center and then they sat me down with an advisor for a little meeting. The advisor let me know that they would let me start in May of this year if I wanted to (in order to be done in May next year so we would be eligible for summer Peace Corps programs since the bulk of Africa programs leave in the summer - this was my main concern with the Tulane program being three semesters since doing it Fall, Spring, Fall would make us available for service in December when there aren't many programs that leave for Peace Corps). She also told me that Tulane does not require a thesis like Emory does...she meant this as a bonus, but I kind of took it as a turn off, I guess I've always thought that harder work was required for something because it was worth it.
I then went to Emory which was a totally different experience, huge school, tons of building in a suburban area, architecture, statues, technology, haha, it was overwhelming. I was there from 945 am until after 5 pm and felt like I was rushing out. Unlike Tulane I had to plan my own visit at Emory (they had offered a tour and a meet with an academic advisor, but I had emailed a couple of other people to see if I could pop in with them and it had spread like wildfire from there). At Emory I was my own guide, I bounced around to three different professors, an on campus tour, meetings with the Masters International group, sitting in on a class, etc. I really loved it and I felt that the more spread out program (2 years instead of 1 at Tulane) is a better fit for me. There isn't much difference in cost, but at Emory I do block tuition for 11-16 hours and I can take courses at the undergrad portion for free, which means I can take a language course or anything else to help boost my resume for the future. They also had a lot more connections than Tulane that I feel will be really beneficial for me. I liked their Masters International/Peace Corps community as well, it seemed really important to the school.
So Emory it is! (For the reasons above and many more I won't bore you with :) ) Garrett and I will be heading down to Atlanta together March 21-25-ish for me to go to Visit Emory, to look at apartments, and for Garrett to look at jobs, I'm looking forward to it!
I do want to make a note about something that I experienced on this trip that is a result of my Peace Corps service that I hadn't expected. When I was in the Philippines I was in a small, rural town, I saw Garrett and Randy often, but didn't spend a lot of time talking to other people or around a lot of people in general. Before I left for the Peace Corps I was used to the city life in Nashville, all the people, etc. Since I've been back Garrett and I spent about a month in Tennessee, mostly in the small town I grew up in, and then moved to the village we live in now. I didn't realize how I had grown accustomed to the lack of people. At Emory I found myself overwhelmed by the volume of people walking around the school and even started getting a headache (even though I wasn't speaking to the people, just the sheer number of them were daunting). Yes, there were a lot of people in Manila in the Philippines, but I spent most of my time there walking with my eyes averted to avoid people yelling "hey Joe" or something more explicit (in the big city). It's just different when it's other Americans, I don't know why it's more overwhelming than a large number of Filipinos, it just is. I know I'll get used to it again and I'm not worried or stressed out about it, I just found it to be an interesting situation since I didn't expect that at all.
That's it for now, hopefully next time I post there won't be any snow on the ground!
Hanggang sa susunod na lang!
Amanda
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
RPCV Week 12 - Decisions and Peace Corps AGAIN!
Well, before anyone gets too excited (in a good or bad way depending on the person), we are not talking Peace Corps again this week. However, I will definitely be enrolling in the Masters International program with my graduate school studies starting this fall which means we will hopefully be leaving again for the Peace Corps in about 2 years as soon as my classroom work is finished. What is Masters International and what does that have to do with Peace Corps? I'm glad you asked, I will explain:
Peace Corps has a unique relationship with many top-grad schools around the nation for a variety of degrees. There are two options when it comes to combining Peace Corps with your graduate school education: one is called Peace Corps Fellows and the other is Masters International.
Peace Corps Fellows is for Volunteers who have already completed a full term of service (RPCVs, so you have to have closed of service or have been evacuated from a country to avail of this, you are not eligible if you quit service of your own volition or if you were administratively separated). Schools participating in this program will offer RPCVs a wide range of benefits depending on the school. Most state schools involved in the program offer in-state tuition to RPCVs even if they have never set foot in the state in which the school is located. Private universities will often guarantee a certain amount of work-study to offset some tuition costs or give grants to RPCVs who enroll in the program.
Masters International is for students who wish to serve in the Peace Corps for the first time or again (like me) as part of their curriculum. For me this means that my second Peace Corps service will offset the 300 practicum hours required for me to finish my degree. I will also receive an automatic grant/scholarship during my last semester on campus (provided that I have received my PC assignment already). Most schools participating in Masters International arrange for Peace Corps service to count as your last semester of classwork (or a semester in the middle and then you finish coursework on campus when you return from service). This is a financial help because the schools give you a semester's worth of credits without charging you tuition. Another upside is that you are often still considered to be an enrolled student during your service so your loans are not in repayment (meaning you don't have to pay them while you are gone or apply for deferment every year). Peace Corps service is a mandatory 27 month commitment regardless of how many times you have served (one guy has served 10 times!!), so it would be another 27 months!
I had thought fleetingly about doing this (Masters International with grad school)...when Garrett and I were only friends my first year in the Philippines he had told me that he would likely sign up for Peace Corps again as well. We had joked that perhaps we could time our applications so that we could serve in the same country at the same time again. As the situation has changed, we will definitely get to serve together which I am looking forward to immensely!
What this means is that, come this fall, just about 6 months from now, I will be beginning the Peace Corps application process all over again! Although the waiting and the medical exams are daunting, and I remember the frustrations and times that I wanted to quit and just forget about my dream to join the Peace Corps, I'm actually looking forward to the excitement of the process. I think it will be easier to be more patient this time around (especially with school taking up much of my time). The first time around I really wanted to serve in Africa but it was not meant to be, I was excited to serve in the Philippines and I treated it as though it had been my first choice and I wouldn't trade my time there for anything. This time around though we plan to be a little more assertive and ask for Africa. Garrett and I are both RPCVs and have shown our capacity for service and flexibility and we hope that since Peace Corps places 37% of PCVs in Africa (the highest % of all regions, compared to only 7% going to Asia where the Philippines is) that we will have a good chance of making it to Africa!
In a week and a half I'll be heading with my mom to Tulane and Emory to help make my final decision for grad school (although it would take something pretty fancy from Tulane to change my focus from Emory, but I'm going to remain slightly open minded and give it a shot!). I'm looking forward to meeting faculty and students and to sit in on a class at both schools. I'll update more after that trip! Hope everyone is staying warm in the states and that all my friends in the Philippines are staying cool :)
Pis
Amanda
PS Here is a nice picture to bring some belated Christmas Cheer to you all! Maligayang Pasko sa inyong lahat!
Peace Corps has a unique relationship with many top-grad schools around the nation for a variety of degrees. There are two options when it comes to combining Peace Corps with your graduate school education: one is called Peace Corps Fellows and the other is Masters International.
Peace Corps Fellows is for Volunteers who have already completed a full term of service (RPCVs, so you have to have closed of service or have been evacuated from a country to avail of this, you are not eligible if you quit service of your own volition or if you were administratively separated). Schools participating in this program will offer RPCVs a wide range of benefits depending on the school. Most state schools involved in the program offer in-state tuition to RPCVs even if they have never set foot in the state in which the school is located. Private universities will often guarantee a certain amount of work-study to offset some tuition costs or give grants to RPCVs who enroll in the program.
Masters International is for students who wish to serve in the Peace Corps for the first time or again (like me) as part of their curriculum. For me this means that my second Peace Corps service will offset the 300 practicum hours required for me to finish my degree. I will also receive an automatic grant/scholarship during my last semester on campus (provided that I have received my PC assignment already). Most schools participating in Masters International arrange for Peace Corps service to count as your last semester of classwork (or a semester in the middle and then you finish coursework on campus when you return from service). This is a financial help because the schools give you a semester's worth of credits without charging you tuition. Another upside is that you are often still considered to be an enrolled student during your service so your loans are not in repayment (meaning you don't have to pay them while you are gone or apply for deferment every year). Peace Corps service is a mandatory 27 month commitment regardless of how many times you have served (one guy has served 10 times!!), so it would be another 27 months!
I had thought fleetingly about doing this (Masters International with grad school)...when Garrett and I were only friends my first year in the Philippines he had told me that he would likely sign up for Peace Corps again as well. We had joked that perhaps we could time our applications so that we could serve in the same country at the same time again. As the situation has changed, we will definitely get to serve together which I am looking forward to immensely!
What this means is that, come this fall, just about 6 months from now, I will be beginning the Peace Corps application process all over again! Although the waiting and the medical exams are daunting, and I remember the frustrations and times that I wanted to quit and just forget about my dream to join the Peace Corps, I'm actually looking forward to the excitement of the process. I think it will be easier to be more patient this time around (especially with school taking up much of my time). The first time around I really wanted to serve in Africa but it was not meant to be, I was excited to serve in the Philippines and I treated it as though it had been my first choice and I wouldn't trade my time there for anything. This time around though we plan to be a little more assertive and ask for Africa. Garrett and I are both RPCVs and have shown our capacity for service and flexibility and we hope that since Peace Corps places 37% of PCVs in Africa (the highest % of all regions, compared to only 7% going to Asia where the Philippines is) that we will have a good chance of making it to Africa!
In a week and a half I'll be heading with my mom to Tulane and Emory to help make my final decision for grad school (although it would take something pretty fancy from Tulane to change my focus from Emory, but I'm going to remain slightly open minded and give it a shot!). I'm looking forward to meeting faculty and students and to sit in on a class at both schools. I'll update more after that trip! Hope everyone is staying warm in the states and that all my friends in the Philippines are staying cool :)
Pis
Amanda
PS Here is a nice picture to bring some belated Christmas Cheer to you all! Maligayang Pasko sa inyong lahat!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Week 8 - Surgery, more grad school, new family, etc.
I pulled up the calendar on the computer to count the number of weeks that we've been home...it's kind of crazy, it seems like forever since I was in the Philippines, but we really just got home last month, albeit that it was the beginning of last month and there is only one day left in this one...but still.
Despite that fact, I've gotten a lot done in the last 2 months, I had surgery to remove the two dermoid cysts that were discovered during my time in the Peace Corps. That went pretty well, they ended up needing to do it as a laporatomy (big scar) instead of laproscopically (little appendix-removal-esque scar). My doctor opted to do the surgery based off of the ultrasound report from the Philippines, I was thinking "Hmmm, I would get another ultrasound if I were him" - knowing what I know about the medical care I received - but I figured he knew his business so I kept quiet. After the surgery he was shocked to say that the cyst on my left ovary was almost triple the size they reported on the ultrasound and that the cyst on the right ovary was 50% solid mass which should have been visible on the ultrasound as well...he was shocked, I was not...no big deal. He got everything out, rebuilt both ovaries, but did not get me the picture I asked for of the fully formed bone they found inside both cysts (refresher - the cysts are formed by cells that everyone is born with that are coded to for teeth, nails, and hair...in some women the cells become stuck on their ovaries instead of traveling to the correct area - your mouth, head, etc - then when you reach puberty they trigger growth). There were teeth in both cysts, which would have been cool to see, but the good news is that neither was malignant so thankfully all I am left with is a 6 inch c-section looking scar that is blessedly below the tan line I still had remnants of when I hit the surgical table.
Recovery went well, they had trouble waking me up after surgery and one particularly dense nurse told my mom and Garrett that the nose tub of oxygen was "pretty much the only thing keeping her going" - the situation was not dire, just a poor choice of words when someone comes out of surgery with unexpected minor complications. I stayed in the hospital overnight and had extreme nausea, but the next day I went home and started feeling better. I ended up going to Nashville at the end of the week and everything was uphill from there!
Since then we have moved to Michigan for a short time! We're going to try to sell the house and be ready to move in the next 3-6 months. I heard back from Emory and was accepted to their Global Health program for this coming fall. I'm still hung between Tulane and Emory, but I'm leaning toward Emory so we are looking for apartments in Atlanta. I'll be flying from Michigan to Tennessee in February to go visit both campuses so I should be able to make a firm decision on that trip.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do in the interim here in Michigan...we are in a village of about 600 people and about 45 minutes from the larger city where I would likely find work...that coupled with the fact that we don't know if we'll be here only 3 months and that we are sharing one vehicle that I can't drive on ice makes it difficult to find a job for the short period. I may attempt to get in to substituting at local schools, that way I can decline days when the weather is too bad. Luckily Garrett is going back to work at the company he worked for before we left for the Philippines so it's not too urgent for me to find something.
I'll continue to update on post-Peace Corps life...I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday season!
Maligayang Pasko and Manigong Bagong Taon!!
Amanda
Despite that fact, I've gotten a lot done in the last 2 months, I had surgery to remove the two dermoid cysts that were discovered during my time in the Peace Corps. That went pretty well, they ended up needing to do it as a laporatomy (big scar) instead of laproscopically (little appendix-removal-esque scar). My doctor opted to do the surgery based off of the ultrasound report from the Philippines, I was thinking "Hmmm, I would get another ultrasound if I were him" - knowing what I know about the medical care I received - but I figured he knew his business so I kept quiet. After the surgery he was shocked to say that the cyst on my left ovary was almost triple the size they reported on the ultrasound and that the cyst on the right ovary was 50% solid mass which should have been visible on the ultrasound as well...he was shocked, I was not...no big deal. He got everything out, rebuilt both ovaries, but did not get me the picture I asked for of the fully formed bone they found inside both cysts (refresher - the cysts are formed by cells that everyone is born with that are coded to for teeth, nails, and hair...in some women the cells become stuck on their ovaries instead of traveling to the correct area - your mouth, head, etc - then when you reach puberty they trigger growth). There were teeth in both cysts, which would have been cool to see, but the good news is that neither was malignant so thankfully all I am left with is a 6 inch c-section looking scar that is blessedly below the tan line I still had remnants of when I hit the surgical table.
Recovery went well, they had trouble waking me up after surgery and one particularly dense nurse told my mom and Garrett that the nose tub of oxygen was "pretty much the only thing keeping her going" - the situation was not dire, just a poor choice of words when someone comes out of surgery with unexpected minor complications. I stayed in the hospital overnight and had extreme nausea, but the next day I went home and started feeling better. I ended up going to Nashville at the end of the week and everything was uphill from there!
Since then we have moved to Michigan for a short time! We're going to try to sell the house and be ready to move in the next 3-6 months. I heard back from Emory and was accepted to their Global Health program for this coming fall. I'm still hung between Tulane and Emory, but I'm leaning toward Emory so we are looking for apartments in Atlanta. I'll be flying from Michigan to Tennessee in February to go visit both campuses so I should be able to make a firm decision on that trip.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do in the interim here in Michigan...we are in a village of about 600 people and about 45 minutes from the larger city where I would likely find work...that coupled with the fact that we don't know if we'll be here only 3 months and that we are sharing one vehicle that I can't drive on ice makes it difficult to find a job for the short period. I may attempt to get in to substituting at local schools, that way I can decline days when the weather is too bad. Luckily Garrett is going back to work at the company he worked for before we left for the Philippines so it's not too urgent for me to find something.
I'll continue to update on post-Peace Corps life...I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday season!
Maligayang Pasko and Manigong Bagong Taon!!
Amanda
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Week 1 - Home as a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and hearing from grad school!!
Week 1 - well, after a few weeks of travel in Southeast Asia we are back in the US and in Tennessee with my family and friends from before I left for Peace Corps. My mom and dog, Kamo, met Garrett and I at the airport in Nashville with balloons, it was a great reunion and I was glad to see them both!
We spent the first few days at my moms, going to the Jack Daniel's Distillery for a fun tour and eating good food. We were able to meet my dad and step-mom for lunch on Saturday and it was great to see them!
The weirdest things have been the weather, which is amazing, my heat rash was gone in days which has been wonderful. I'm also getting used to the size of everything here, I mean, have you SEEN onions or peppers at the grocery store lately? The normal ones here are about the size of watermelons in the Philippines. Also, cats and other animals are much larger than I remember. It's also great that places have toilet paper in bathrooms, aircon, and automatic flush toilets. Crazy. Also, free hot water when you wash your hands in a public bathroom, out of control. I'm sure that the newness will wear off soon, but for the meantime I will revel in the availability of cold water and ice.
Some great news is that I have received my first grad school acceptance! Tulane accepted me into their International Health and Development MPH program for Fall 2011. This was my tied-with-Emory top choice so the pressure is completely off since I would be more than happy at Tulane. I received an email from both Emory and Boston letting me know that they are not yet reviewing fall applications (still working on Spring 2011) but that they had received my application and it would be one of the first reviewed for the fall. I'll wait to make a final decision until I have all the acceptances/rejections in, but I'm excited about hearing from Tulane already!
I'll continue to update about the readjustment back to the states, hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!
Amanda
We spent the first few days at my moms, going to the Jack Daniel's Distillery for a fun tour and eating good food. We were able to meet my dad and step-mom for lunch on Saturday and it was great to see them!
The weirdest things have been the weather, which is amazing, my heat rash was gone in days which has been wonderful. I'm also getting used to the size of everything here, I mean, have you SEEN onions or peppers at the grocery store lately? The normal ones here are about the size of watermelons in the Philippines. Also, cats and other animals are much larger than I remember. It's also great that places have toilet paper in bathrooms, aircon, and automatic flush toilets. Crazy. Also, free hot water when you wash your hands in a public bathroom, out of control. I'm sure that the newness will wear off soon, but for the meantime I will revel in the availability of cold water and ice.
Some great news is that I have received my first grad school acceptance! Tulane accepted me into their International Health and Development MPH program for Fall 2011. This was my tied-with-Emory top choice so the pressure is completely off since I would be more than happy at Tulane. I received an email from both Emory and Boston letting me know that they are not yet reviewing fall applications (still working on Spring 2011) but that they had received my application and it would be one of the first reviewed for the fall. I'll wait to make a final decision until I have all the acceptances/rejections in, but I'm excited about hearing from Tulane already!
I'll continue to update about the readjustment back to the states, hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!
Amanda
Week 113 - October 14, 2010 - Returned Peace Corps Volunteer
Week 113 saw us coming to Manila for our Close of Service. We spent Friday of the week before packing up the remaining stuff in the apartment, giving away some things and sending some clothes and bags to the church to be given out in the community. On Saturday morning at 3:30 am we got our last tricycle in Alaminos to take us to the bus station with all our stuff and we said goodbye to Pangasinan for the forseeable future.
Once we got to Manila things moved pretty slowly at first, we found out that the office was closed on Monday because of an American Holiday (not that I want to begrudge anyone a holiday, but I think it's a sore spot for all volunteers that the people in the office get US and Philippine holidays off but we volunteers don't get US holidays like Thanksgiving off). This made things a little tricky since our COS (close of service) date was set for Thursday, October 14, it gave us only 2 days to get all of our meetings, signatures, bank account closing, etc done. We're all used to getting things done quickly and under pressure so no one was worried.
During the week there were about 17 volunteers from my batch in the office, it was great to see and spend time with some of our favorite people, we were also sad to miss some of the other awesome people we have served with who were leaving on different days. Between catching up, sharing travel plans, and future goals we all had to meet with our regional managers, country director, close our bank accounts, return books, get signatures for life vest return, financial, grant closure, medical, and all other facets of volunteer life. I finished my paperwork on october 14 in the afternoon and was officially declared a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (just a fancy word for suddenly unemployed 20-something former volunteer :) ).
I have loved my time in the Philippines and am grateful for the friendships and relationships I have formed, for the lessons I've learned and the knowledge I've gained about so many things. I'll never forget the people who were a part of my life during my peace Corps service American and Filipino.
Hanggang sa susunod na lang,
Pis,
Amanda
Once we got to Manila things moved pretty slowly at first, we found out that the office was closed on Monday because of an American Holiday (not that I want to begrudge anyone a holiday, but I think it's a sore spot for all volunteers that the people in the office get US and Philippine holidays off but we volunteers don't get US holidays like Thanksgiving off). This made things a little tricky since our COS (close of service) date was set for Thursday, October 14, it gave us only 2 days to get all of our meetings, signatures, bank account closing, etc done. We're all used to getting things done quickly and under pressure so no one was worried.
During the week there were about 17 volunteers from my batch in the office, it was great to see and spend time with some of our favorite people, we were also sad to miss some of the other awesome people we have served with who were leaving on different days. Between catching up, sharing travel plans, and future goals we all had to meet with our regional managers, country director, close our bank accounts, return books, get signatures for life vest return, financial, grant closure, medical, and all other facets of volunteer life. I finished my paperwork on october 14 in the afternoon and was officially declared a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (just a fancy word for suddenly unemployed 20-something former volunteer :) ).
I have loved my time in the Philippines and am grateful for the friendships and relationships I have formed, for the lessons I've learned and the knowledge I've gained about so many things. I'll never forget the people who were a part of my life during my peace Corps service American and Filipino.
Hanggang sa susunod na lang,
Pis,
Amanda
Monday, October 4, 2010
Week 112 - Down to the wire
112 weeks down, less than 1 to go....
Well, it's been about 7 weeks since I've posted, so I'll try to catch up on a couple of things that have happened in the meantime:
CRM/Work related:
Wrapped up my VEG (Volunteers for Environmental Governance) Grant which was a pain in the butt! I had quite a bit of money left after the project completion a few months ago and needed to spend it. However, I also needed to involve my host organization in any decisions for spending funds, which is difficult since the only place I can buy quality stuff is Manila and my office doesn't have internet and phone calls are expensive. So, I went in and priced some things out and took the information back to my site (a 6 hour bus ride each way)...we decided that waterproof binoculars were the way to go so I went back (another 6 hours) the next week to get them and they were on a 20% off sale! Ugggh, this means that I had a surfeit 4,500 pesos to spend and I really didn't have the time or energy to make another 12 hours of bus rides to decide what to spend it on. Luckily my counterpart, Ate Virgie, is awesome and we agreed via text for me to spend it on educational resources at my discretion. I ended up getting a bunch of posters for the schools in Tagalog (the local language in case you have forgotten :) ) about forestry, parts of trees, leaves, life cycles of seeds, etc. I also got a few guide books to Tropical Plants for the schools to use on field trips. All-in-all I was really happy with it.
I was also able to get 30 Tarpaulins printed with the remaining funds, one for each of the barangays and a couple for the municipal hall which had an aerial view of the watershed/forest area on them. It wasn't the best quality photo, but someone at my office had spent weeks putting it together on the computer (a difficult task since there is no internet) and it's one of the best and most detailed maps I've seen of the area, so I think it was a score over all.
Other than that I have been finishing up more data analysis work. I recently finished reports on old mangrove surveys, a benthic SCUBA monitoring done by a national agency in 2008, and Fish Catch monitoring from 2009. I think that, with 3 days left, I'm done with doing analysis and reports!
Outside of work:
I have been packing up, giving things away and trying to get ready to leave. I was able to sell a few things to volunteers who have only been here a year and to new trainees that just got into the country. That was a nice surprise and a little bit of money for our travels after service. I'm planning on having a despidida (going away party) this Thursday at the office. Here in the Philippines it is the person who is leaving's job to throw the party, provide the food, and give gifts to the people who he/she is leaving (called "remembrances")....so I will be purchasing a lot of food and giving some of my things away to co-workers to give them something to remember me by. A lot of people have been asking for me to give them my camera, bicycle, furniture, computer, and jewelry...obviously all things that I can't afford to just give away since I am needing to keep a few of them and the others I needed to sell since I am a volunteer and have no money...I hope that those people aren't disappointed in the things that they do get. Honestly, all the asking for expensive items is souring my last few weeks here, I did a lot while I was here and I guess it makes me feel as though they weren't grateful for the time I spent here, but I know that's not it, it's just a cultural thing.
In the last few weeks I've also had COS (close of service) medical. We went to Manila for a few days and had blood drawn, tuberculosis tests, GYN visits, physical assessments, and were sent home with MIF kits (poop tests). I have to say that the MIF kits are not that fun, the following is a description of the process, not for the feint of heart, so read on IF YOU DARE:
The MIF kits are a cardboard tube which containe three smaller tubes filled with some kind of preservative for your feces. You must collect samples from three separate bowel movements (so you must complete the following task at least 3 times). So, the sample cannot be contaminated, meaning that it can't have urine or water in it, which means that you much collect it before it hits the water in the toilet. A popular method is to take a plastic bag and line the small toilet bowl with it to catch the sample...there is also the triple-wrap-your-hand-in-a-plastic-bag-and-toilet-paper method. Both seem to work. After you have a sample you have to extract small portions of it (since the tube opening is not huge, but you need a lot of sample, so you have to break it up with a small wooden popcicle stick provided in the kit). After you do that you insert it in the tube up to a line indicated on the outside. You actually need quite a bit to get to the line....once this is done to mix it until it looks "homogenous" and then put it in the cardboard tube until you are done with all three. Hopefully you have a reason to be in Manila at the office once you are done, but if not, then you have to mail it and hope that the post office doesn't inspect it thinking you are a depraved sicko mailing poo to someone. As a Peace Corps Volunteer (at least here in the Philippines) each PCV has to do at least 2 of these kits (6 samples) while they are in-country....However, you also have to do them anytime you have diarrhea, which for many people, is often. Luckily I have only had to do the requisite 2 kits while I've been in country, but that's 6 times too many that I've had to collect poo.
Well, after COS medical we came back to site with only 2 weeks to go. This past weekend we made one last trip to San Juan where there is a beach and waves that Garrett can surf. The weather was great and the waves were the best he'd seen in several months, it was a nice weekend to end on! We only have 3 days left at site, then Saturday morning at about 4 am we head to Manila to begin the week-long close of service stuff. The office here celebrates Filipino AND American Holidays (lucky dogs! We as volunteers only get Filipino Holidays...hmmph), so Monday, the 11th is Columbus Day (I had no idea, but just got an email from headquarters, welcome back to the Red, white, and blue!) so we will only have 2 days to get our stuff done with staff in the office (the 12th and 13th). To add to my rush, I still have to have a follow up on the cyst that I had spoke of before, I have that appointment in a neighboring area of town on the 12th, which will take up half the day with travel and waiting, so I will be in a mad dash to get my paperwork done. However, most of you know that I am an over-achiever in the paperwork arena and already printed a lot of the paperwork and filled it out when I was in Manila for medical, so all I really have to worry about getting done is the meetings with the Country Director, my regional manager, and various other staff to get things signed off on so I can close of service at the end of the day on Wednesday (effective Oct 14). It'll be a breeze!
After COS Garrett and I will be leaving for Siargao in Mindanao on Friday, October 15. We'll enjoy the waves, beach, and low number of tourists there for 8 days and then fly straight through Manila to Thailand. After 10 days in Thailand we'll spend two days in Manila before heading to Nashville on November 4! I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone and to having Thanksgiving and Christmas in the states!!!!
Thanks for following the blog! I'll keep updating the next few weeks and plan to write about re-adjustment things as well, so it won't be ending right away!
Salamat po
Hanggang sa susunod na lang
Pis
Amanda
Well, it's been about 7 weeks since I've posted, so I'll try to catch up on a couple of things that have happened in the meantime:
CRM/Work related:
Wrapped up my VEG (Volunteers for Environmental Governance) Grant which was a pain in the butt! I had quite a bit of money left after the project completion a few months ago and needed to spend it. However, I also needed to involve my host organization in any decisions for spending funds, which is difficult since the only place I can buy quality stuff is Manila and my office doesn't have internet and phone calls are expensive. So, I went in and priced some things out and took the information back to my site (a 6 hour bus ride each way)...we decided that waterproof binoculars were the way to go so I went back (another 6 hours) the next week to get them and they were on a 20% off sale! Ugggh, this means that I had a surfeit 4,500 pesos to spend and I really didn't have the time or energy to make another 12 hours of bus rides to decide what to spend it on. Luckily my counterpart, Ate Virgie, is awesome and we agreed via text for me to spend it on educational resources at my discretion. I ended up getting a bunch of posters for the schools in Tagalog (the local language in case you have forgotten :) ) about forestry, parts of trees, leaves, life cycles of seeds, etc. I also got a few guide books to Tropical Plants for the schools to use on field trips. All-in-all I was really happy with it.
I was also able to get 30 Tarpaulins printed with the remaining funds, one for each of the barangays and a couple for the municipal hall which had an aerial view of the watershed/forest area on them. It wasn't the best quality photo, but someone at my office had spent weeks putting it together on the computer (a difficult task since there is no internet) and it's one of the best and most detailed maps I've seen of the area, so I think it was a score over all.
Other than that I have been finishing up more data analysis work. I recently finished reports on old mangrove surveys, a benthic SCUBA monitoring done by a national agency in 2008, and Fish Catch monitoring from 2009. I think that, with 3 days left, I'm done with doing analysis and reports!
Outside of work:
I have been packing up, giving things away and trying to get ready to leave. I was able to sell a few things to volunteers who have only been here a year and to new trainees that just got into the country. That was a nice surprise and a little bit of money for our travels after service. I'm planning on having a despidida (going away party) this Thursday at the office. Here in the Philippines it is the person who is leaving's job to throw the party, provide the food, and give gifts to the people who he/she is leaving (called "remembrances")....so I will be purchasing a lot of food and giving some of my things away to co-workers to give them something to remember me by. A lot of people have been asking for me to give them my camera, bicycle, furniture, computer, and jewelry...obviously all things that I can't afford to just give away since I am needing to keep a few of them and the others I needed to sell since I am a volunteer and have no money...I hope that those people aren't disappointed in the things that they do get. Honestly, all the asking for expensive items is souring my last few weeks here, I did a lot while I was here and I guess it makes me feel as though they weren't grateful for the time I spent here, but I know that's not it, it's just a cultural thing.
In the last few weeks I've also had COS (close of service) medical. We went to Manila for a few days and had blood drawn, tuberculosis tests, GYN visits, physical assessments, and were sent home with MIF kits (poop tests). I have to say that the MIF kits are not that fun, the following is a description of the process, not for the feint of heart, so read on IF YOU DARE:
The MIF kits are a cardboard tube which containe three smaller tubes filled with some kind of preservative for your feces. You must collect samples from three separate bowel movements (so you must complete the following task at least 3 times). So, the sample cannot be contaminated, meaning that it can't have urine or water in it, which means that you much collect it before it hits the water in the toilet. A popular method is to take a plastic bag and line the small toilet bowl with it to catch the sample...there is also the triple-wrap-your-hand-in-a-plastic-bag-and-toilet-paper method. Both seem to work. After you have a sample you have to extract small portions of it (since the tube opening is not huge, but you need a lot of sample, so you have to break it up with a small wooden popcicle stick provided in the kit). After you do that you insert it in the tube up to a line indicated on the outside. You actually need quite a bit to get to the line....once this is done to mix it until it looks "homogenous" and then put it in the cardboard tube until you are done with all three. Hopefully you have a reason to be in Manila at the office once you are done, but if not, then you have to mail it and hope that the post office doesn't inspect it thinking you are a depraved sicko mailing poo to someone. As a Peace Corps Volunteer (at least here in the Philippines) each PCV has to do at least 2 of these kits (6 samples) while they are in-country....However, you also have to do them anytime you have diarrhea, which for many people, is often. Luckily I have only had to do the requisite 2 kits while I've been in country, but that's 6 times too many that I've had to collect poo.
Well, after COS medical we came back to site with only 2 weeks to go. This past weekend we made one last trip to San Juan where there is a beach and waves that Garrett can surf. The weather was great and the waves were the best he'd seen in several months, it was a nice weekend to end on! We only have 3 days left at site, then Saturday morning at about 4 am we head to Manila to begin the week-long close of service stuff. The office here celebrates Filipino AND American Holidays (lucky dogs! We as volunteers only get Filipino Holidays...hmmph), so Monday, the 11th is Columbus Day (I had no idea, but just got an email from headquarters, welcome back to the Red, white, and blue!) so we will only have 2 days to get our stuff done with staff in the office (the 12th and 13th). To add to my rush, I still have to have a follow up on the cyst that I had spoke of before, I have that appointment in a neighboring area of town on the 12th, which will take up half the day with travel and waiting, so I will be in a mad dash to get my paperwork done. However, most of you know that I am an over-achiever in the paperwork arena and already printed a lot of the paperwork and filled it out when I was in Manila for medical, so all I really have to worry about getting done is the meetings with the Country Director, my regional manager, and various other staff to get things signed off on so I can close of service at the end of the day on Wednesday (effective Oct 14). It'll be a breeze!
After COS Garrett and I will be leaving for Siargao in Mindanao on Friday, October 15. We'll enjoy the waves, beach, and low number of tourists there for 8 days and then fly straight through Manila to Thailand. After 10 days in Thailand we'll spend two days in Manila before heading to Nashville on November 4! I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone and to having Thanksgiving and Christmas in the states!!!!
Thanks for following the blog! I'll keep updating the next few weeks and plan to write about re-adjustment things as well, so it won't be ending right away!
Salamat po
Hanggang sa susunod na lang
Pis
Amanda
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Week 105 - Happy Anniversary Batch 267!
August 16 falls in week 105 which is the 2 year anniversary of our arrival here in the Philippines...so Happy Anniversary to all my fellow batch 267-ers!!!
I'd also like to say a Happy One Year to the 268-ers who arrived last August around the 21st, and a Mabuhay sa Pilipinas! to the new trainees who will comprise batch 269 and will be arriving in country this weekend :)
Speaking of weeks, those of us COS-ing (close of service) October 14 have a mere 8 weeks left in the Peace Corps. It's a crazy time since there are so many things that need to be done:
Site-related:
- Continued data analysis...I'd like to finish analysis for fish catch monitoring, fishers registration and licensing, mangrove surveys, and a benthic monitoring that BFAR (bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources) did in 2007, but it seems like I always have other things to work on
- Getting the tarpaulin made that has a map of the forest area in the uplands to round out my grant project, we have to get this printed and get a receipt so I can close out the grant (and the deadline for this is in about 3.5 weeks)
- Packing up all my things, deciding what to take home and what to give away
Peace Corps related:
- DOS (description of service) - they want this to be submitted to our Regional Managers no later than one month before our COS date, this is something else that is due in about 3.5 weeks. This is a 1-2 page summary of everything I have done here including training, it is a public document that can be accessed by future potential employers, grad schools, etc, so it's important to take it seriously since it will be the official, consolidated record of my work here (since it is signed off on as accurate by our regional managers and country director).
- Grant close out - this is also to be done a month before COS, this means that I have to get all the info and receipts together and return any money that wasn't used in 3.5 weeks
- 3 quarterly reports - I need to finish my year report as well as the report for May and August, these shouldn't take long, but getting around to them and remembering details of what I did in those timeframes will be daunting.
- COS medical - we have appointments with doctors in Manila September 20-21, we must clear medical at least 72 hours before we are released from Peace Corps service.
- A slew of paperwork and exit interviews with Peace Corps Staff, PNVSCA (Philippine National Volunteer Services and Coordinating Agency), closing out bank accounts, filling out paperwork, blood to be drawn, returning books, life jackets, etc.
- Our last Volunteer Advisory Committee meeting
I'm sure there are other things I am leaving out, but those are the things that are in the forefront of my mind right now as the weeks are flying on the way to October.
I hope everyone is enjoying the ebbing heat at home as September looms nearby. It's been especially hot here and my heat rash is back and even worse this time! November in Tennessee is the perfect cure for such an ailment I think.
Hanggang sa susunod na lang
Pis
I'd also like to say a Happy One Year to the 268-ers who arrived last August around the 21st, and a Mabuhay sa Pilipinas! to the new trainees who will comprise batch 269 and will be arriving in country this weekend :)
Speaking of weeks, those of us COS-ing (close of service) October 14 have a mere 8 weeks left in the Peace Corps. It's a crazy time since there are so many things that need to be done:
Site-related:
- Continued data analysis...I'd like to finish analysis for fish catch monitoring, fishers registration and licensing, mangrove surveys, and a benthic monitoring that BFAR (bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources) did in 2007, but it seems like I always have other things to work on
- Getting the tarpaulin made that has a map of the forest area in the uplands to round out my grant project, we have to get this printed and get a receipt so I can close out the grant (and the deadline for this is in about 3.5 weeks)
- Packing up all my things, deciding what to take home and what to give away
Peace Corps related:
- DOS (description of service) - they want this to be submitted to our Regional Managers no later than one month before our COS date, this is something else that is due in about 3.5 weeks. This is a 1-2 page summary of everything I have done here including training, it is a public document that can be accessed by future potential employers, grad schools, etc, so it's important to take it seriously since it will be the official, consolidated record of my work here (since it is signed off on as accurate by our regional managers and country director).
- Grant close out - this is also to be done a month before COS, this means that I have to get all the info and receipts together and return any money that wasn't used in 3.5 weeks
- 3 quarterly reports - I need to finish my year report as well as the report for May and August, these shouldn't take long, but getting around to them and remembering details of what I did in those timeframes will be daunting.
- COS medical - we have appointments with doctors in Manila September 20-21, we must clear medical at least 72 hours before we are released from Peace Corps service.
- A slew of paperwork and exit interviews with Peace Corps Staff, PNVSCA (Philippine National Volunteer Services and Coordinating Agency), closing out bank accounts, filling out paperwork, blood to be drawn, returning books, life jackets, etc.
- Our last Volunteer Advisory Committee meeting
I'm sure there are other things I am leaving out, but those are the things that are in the forefront of my mind right now as the weeks are flying on the way to October.
I hope everyone is enjoying the ebbing heat at home as September looms nearby. It's been especially hot here and my heat rash is back and even worse this time! November in Tennessee is the perfect cure for such an ailment I think.
Hanggang sa susunod na lang
Pis
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