Peace Corps in Video

After reading this post I can say that the following definitely hold true for me now:

1. What a perfectly normal breakfast looks like

3. When all else fails…there’s sweet bread

4. I only know how to make rice in a flowery rice cooker

12. I immediately turn my head when I hear the words “hoy” or “psst”

13. This is normal pointing now

15. Nothing makes your mouth water faster than the sight of pan de sal

18. I could really go for a halo-halo right now.

21. You call this an air con

28. Half the time, you don’t eat with silverware

30. Everything ends with videoke

31. Represent the Philippine Flag (Yes, I own numerous shirts now that have either the Philippine Islands or Philippine flag)

This blog definitely gives me a good insight to how I am becoming integrated and thought it would be worth sharing….. but this is only the tip of the iceberg of my integration.

Many think of the exotic and romanticized vision of the Peace Corps volunteer. In many ways our service does live up to that… we are on a tropical island surrounded by incredible people, natural beauty, and a uniqueness that life in America can’t bring. But on the other hand, life is the same. We cook, clean, grocery shop, and go to work. Most of our days aren’t glamorous or overly exciting, its just settling into  that daily routine. But as a Volunteer, that routine can be one of the most valued parts of service…when you know you are becoming integrated into your community and are slowly figuring it out. That is when you can safely say, no news is good news.

The Boston Marathon tragedy demonstrated how united and connected the world is. This was not just an event that affected Boston, but hit on the global community. Symbolically, the bombs ripped through the world flags dotting the finish line. But it also represented the nationalities running the race. This was not just Boston, but the world.

As I got the news here in the Philippines, I couldn’t help but think of my fellow volunteers who were proud Bostonians. Their friends and families were OK, but I then became flooded with friends who were in Boston, some even running the marathon. It’s hard to replace that feeling that even from a world away, it can hit so close to home. I was continually asked by Filipinos about the bombings, as they expressed their concern and well wishes. There was also this article in the Phil Star: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/17/931593/blasts-miss-runner-minutes. It is in these moments of inhumanity that our world is united by the good nature and better human nature of the world we like to believe in. As unfortunate as these tragedies are, it brings out the best of us. We saw it in the Boston heroes and the ordinary people around the globe, showing a solidarity against evil.

These events are a reminder of why we are here, serving in the Philippines. We are not just the Coprs, we represent, embody, and hold the Peace as the core of our mission. We are here to represent those better parts of humanity and hope that in some small way we can continue to represent that good nature even in the best of days. As the world reaches out to Boston, I hope we can reach out to the world in our small way to pay it forward.

First was language camp. We spent a week in Manila in classes consisting of 5 volunteers focusing on strengthening our Tagalog skills. It is 8 hours a day for 5 days in a class setting using nothing but Tagalog. This is where Peace Corps gives us an edge in service, the continual ability to learn the language and better communicate with our coworkers and community.

Next, I was selected to attend a Monitoring, Recording, and Evaluation (MRE) workshop hosted by Peace Coprs Washington jointly with our local PC Philippines staff. We focused on revising our sector frameworks and then developing tools for measuring the impact of volunteer projects. This was a very tedious and time-consuming process, but is better enabling Peace Corps to tell the story of our work and the impact we are making in the Philippines.

This coming week, I will travel back south again to Batangas to attend an In-service Training (IST) Project Design and Management (PDM) workshop that is focused on how to create and manage a variety of different Peace Corps projects. I will attend this conference with my counterpart from my Host Country Agency, so we can begin working on a project that will be brought back to site that we can implement. This workshop will also be where the MRE tools are presented to our respective sectors. Wish me luck since I get to present the findings and creations of the CYF framework to our group.

Finally, the week following our IST, I will go back to the Peace Corps office to attend a grants committee meeting where we will be trained in evaluating and providing feedback to volunteers applying for grants. This committee is a peer service (with staff supervision) we edit and give feedback to volunteer grants to strengthen and improve before they are given final submission to Peace Corps. This week will be dedicated to developing our skills as grants “experts” where we can effectively assist fellow volunteers.

It is a life on the road, but one that continues to fine-tune my skills as an effective volunteer and a professional in international development. For the future volunteer who may ask, yes there is a lot of downtime, but there are also these weeks where you are constantly on the go and ever so busy. It’s the Peace Corps live, and it’s why I love it!

Today, the festival is a month long, each February, which includes a landscaping competition and cultural market running throughout the month. It culminates with two parades the last Saturday and Sunday of February. The first parade is the marching parade featuring street dancers, musicians, and marching bands. This is followed by the float parade on Sunday…the most popular event of the whole festival. This year nearly 2 million people visited Baguio for the float parade. To give you perspective, we arrived on Sunday at 4:30am (for a 9am parade) and the streets were already jam packed with people sleeping overnight to get the best spaces. It’s that popular. As an American equivalent, this is the Rose Parade of the Philippines.

More than a parade, this is a celebration of the CAR culture. It brings all of the provinces together to showcase their finest customs and traditions. There are the gongs and native dances of Ifugao, the patterns and weavings of Sagada, the music of Baguio, and so much more.

So what about work. The best description I have ever gotten about Peace Corps work is that it ebbs and flows. That is ever true. Let me give you a schedule of my average week:

Monday

9am……..Courtesy call with the Mayor or public officials

1pm………Return to office and discuss the results of the meeting, plan accordingly for next steps

3pm………Begin work on projects

5:30pm…Go home

Tuesday

9am……….Staff meeting on outcomes and impact of trainings on partner families

11am……..Resume work on projects

1pm……….Lunch with the girls at the Home

3pm……….Meet with fellow Peace Corps volunteer to discuss project collaboration

5:30pm….Go home

Wednesday

9am……..Meet with PCV and partner organization to plan project collaboration

11am……Resume work on planning projects

1pm……..Lunch with co-workers

3pm……..Resume work on project

5:30pm..Go Home

Thursday

9am…….Observe barangay (community) officials training

1pm……..Lunch with barangay officials

5pm……..Conclude training

Friday

9am………Participate in staff training on designated topic

11am……..Merienda break with staff

11:30am…Resume training

1pm………..Lunch with staff

2pm………..Resume training

5:30pm…..Go home

Saturday

9am………Arrive and set-up for presentation

9:45am….Begin presentation to youth and/or families

12pm……..Break for lunch

1pm………..Resume training

5pm………..Complete training and go home

Like I said no two weeks are ever the same but I included this schedule for one major reason. It is to denote many of the common themes and overtures that are included in the daily Filipino life.

1. Courtesy Call: This is a very traditional meeting that every volunteer will take part in many times throughout service. It is important as a chance for a volunteer (or organization) to introduce themselves to public officials and tell why they are in the Philippines. Very seldom is this meeting ever used to discuss business; it is merely an introduction or meet-and-greet.

2. Observation: The very foundation of Peace Corps is not to jump directly into any organization but to watch, learn, and ease your way into work. The large reason for this is for sustainability, giving the volunteer a chance to learn how an organization operates, what makes them successful, and the areas that a volunteer can help improve. By waiting and learning, the volunteer is able to better see how to design projects that have the most direct impact on the organization. This is also one of the best chances to observe and learn about culture in the Philippines. But even more important, the most important part actually, is to build trust and demonstrate your abilities to help so that your colleagues will be eager, not reluctant, to have your help. It builds the legitimacy and credibility of the volunteer.

3. Volunteer Collaboration: This is one of the most important aspects to Peace Corps, and many organizations. There is a recognition that each volunteer brings a very unique and different skill set to the Peace Corps. Therefore, working together gives each organization a great chance to maximize the volunteer’s work by utilizing as many skill sets as possible. For example, I have been working closely with two volunteers. In one, I have helped write and provide business development ideas to the creation of a youth-friendly cafe that would provide job trainings. The other project I have been working on is building the training capabilities of a local university in life skills so they can conduct a soccer and life skills clinic. Many volunteers will collaborate on HIV/AIDS trainings or youth camps. This is a very common aspect of Peace Corps life.

4. Staff Trainings: Every organization is different, but my organization places a great emphasis on training staff and staff development. This has included my traveling to conferences as well as being a presenter on key topics. The trainings change based on the need but have included communication and writing skills, photography, and conferences on children’s rights and development. Part of my responsibility over the next 2 years will be to identify and work on training staff in the areas that they request. In addition to staff trainings, every few months Peace Corps will provide trainings for volunteers that ranges from language classes to learning grants and project management.

4. Saturday events: This will be the most common day, for CYF (Children, Youth, and Families) volunteers, to conduct activities or sessions. Most of the sessions I have conducted include teaching oral communication and facilitation skills, building leadership skills, and other life skills to youth. This will usually involve a variety of activities including lecture and a games component that will help reinforce the key points of each activity.

This is very much an overview of daily life as a volunteer. And be sure that every week will change, no two are ever the same. But I embrace it since its the journey, not the destination that you must embrace. Much of the week is based on what projects are running at any one time and that dictates the amount of free or busy time you will have. I once told my fellow volunteers that I embrace the free time I have because it gives me a chance to get to know my co-workers and find out the real needs of the organization, and where I can be most effective. But rest assured, there will also be plenty to do and weeks you will not have any free time. It really ebbs and flows.

There is no possible way in Peace Corps service to rush into projects. It takes the building of trust and relationships, understanding the needs of your host organization before you can truly begin your work. Many volunteers before me said, it will take 5-8 months before you really get started. I thought it could have been quicker for me, but then, as I got to site, understood the virtues of that patience and why it can take so long. Peace Corps is build on the foundation of sustainability, that projects must last beyond the lifecycle of the volunteer. That means waiting, taking the time to figure out the true needs of an organization and how they want to approach a project. It is an exercise of patience and trust, but one

of the most important you will ever have.

Looking back on an email I sent when I first got to site, I had these grand dreams and elaborate visions for what I could and wanted to achieve. Sure, they definitely still hold true, there is a lot I want to accomplish, but after 5 months I have realized it is not my directive but my organizations that will drive what I will accomplish. Let me be clear though, Peace Corps is built very much on a self-starter foundation, meaning you may or may not have direct contact with your supervisor on a regular basis. Peace Corps check-ins are monthly via phone and usually annually in person. So, you are your own advocate, job-maker. Both Peace Corps and your organization expect you to take the initiative to find your work and how to fulfill your work plan, so you must be a self-starter.

Small becomes big. By this I mean, in my first 5 months at site, I have done a lot of projects of various different sizes. However, to date, I wouldn’t yet call any of my projects “major” as it takes that Peace Corps patience and determination to keep them driving and moving forward to sustain. They are often not big, because these smaller scale projects give me the opportunity and chance to understand my host organization, how they operate, and how I can fit into the picture. And most importantly, they are small because they are needed. Many of the projects I have accomplished so far have been critical in the daily or overall operations of the organization, they are very necessary and a great way of building a foundation for bigger projects. More than projects, Peace Corps is about building relationships and the initial process is just that. These projects have allowed me to get to know not only my organization better but also the people in it.

That patience can be a challenge as much as a virtue. You are a Peace Corps volunteer 24/7 for 27 full months and that patience extends to all aspects of Peace Corps life. This includes the social life. When you are placed in an unfamiliar land and different culture, it takes a large effort to understand how the culture operates and that can be a challenging experience. It can be difficult to meet people, build a level of trust and subsequently friendship. There is a chart of emotions during service, and I remember looking at it and within the first year, there is a feeling of loneliness and isolation component that fits perfectly in the “emotional rollercoaster” that is Peace Corps. It happens to the best of volunteers, and when you experience it you aren’t alone. Whether you are in a rural town or big city, the initial transition can be a challenge. Beyond the isolation, that patience can lead to boredom. What do you do with the extra free time? It takes a creative mind to find that outlet, whatever it may be. But in the end, it only makes you stronger. You realize what you can do, that you can talk to almost anybody, and gives you a newfound self-confidence.

I saw that the first of next year’s batch has begun to receive their invitations to serve in Peace Corps Philippines next year. So I naturally was drawn back to my pre-service days and where I am now…and what the difference is between then and now. So I think I have found the difference is not much, I knew going in patience would be the biggest virtue and it is keeping that mentality and knowledge that the best things are yet to come that drives the work I keep doing. There is also a weird feeling that I soon will no longer be the newbie, transcending into the veteran, a role that is both scary yet embraced. Do I know enough now that I can instill into my future co-volunteers? I like to think so, but every service is so different and every day so different you continue to learn things about volunteering and yourself that you are different from the beginning than you will be at the completion of service. So as a volunteer that answer will continue to change as you learn more, but in the meantime: yes, I know enough that supporting and encouraging your fellow volunteers, being the Peace Corps Philippines volunteer family is what drives and sustains us through the two years, because no matter how different our services may be, we are all in it together.