Hello!
Well I'm now into my third week of volunteering and living in Tacloban City, Philippines. While speaking to various friends online, they all seem to ask the same question...'what do you do?' Since I'm now into the swing of things, I thought it would be worth sharing with you what a typical day for me here consists of.
I wake up at 6am. I roll out of bed and breakfast will be waiting for James and myself. Everyday breakfast is different but we always get something very filling along with juice and some fruit. I'll then either shower but more commonly go back to my bedroom and lay down for half an hour. At around 6:45am, I go over to Matt's house. Matt is at the same placement as me so we meet up each morning to commute together. His house is a 20 second walk away and it's the one house in the whole community (that I'm aware of) with free wifi. So I usually go online until about 7:15 and then we catch a Jeepney to Tanauan to take us to the RRCY (Regional Rehabilitation Centre for Youths).
I already mentioned in a previous post what the RRCY is so refer back if you're unsure. We usually get to the RRCY at 8am and are greeted by a bunch of chuckling young men who are always very excited to see us. The first two hours is usually spent playing basketball as part of the league we set up. The last two hours, we set up a games room with cards, jacks, connect four, jenga, dominoes, chess, darts, pick-up sticks etc. We bought all these games from the local city centre and although the residents can not keep them (to prevent them gambling with them) we can bring them along each day for them to play with under our supervision.
We then leave the RRCY and head back to Bliss, usually rocking up at about 12:30ish. We'll meet James and grab lunch at our favourite burger stall (50p for two burgers!) and then most days we'll go to the gym. This brings me to a good plugging opportunity since I've now officially begun training and fundraising for the London Marathon. I am running for the Martin B. Cohen Centre for Wellbeing - Please visit my justgiving page: www.justgiving.com/samaboudara have a read and perhaps sponsor me if you feel so inclined!
After the gym, it's time for my tutorial. I have a group of 2nd and 3rd grade girls (8-9 year olds) that I tutor for an hour each afternoon. These girls are part of the VFV sponsorship programme and receive funding so that they can go to school. Each day I tutor them a different subject ranging from English, maths, reasoning, general knowledge etc. Dinner is served at 6pm which will always consist of lots of meat/fish, vegetables and fruit. After dinner, I enjoy hanging out with my family, playing games with the kids and kicking back. Later in the evenings, I often meet up with some of the other volunteers and we might go to the cinema, play cards or hit up some of the bars in town.
So that's a typical day for me! Weekends are far different and usually jam packed with fun. I'll try and share more next time.
Much love
Sam
Tuesday 26 October 2010
Tuesday 19 October 2010
My Homestay Family
Hello!
Firstly, for those of you who have heard the recent news stories regarding the super typhoon, Megi, you need not worry about me, as it has not affected the region I am living in. For those of you who are unaware, a category 5 typhoon hit the Northern tip of the Philippines on Monday. It is the biggest typhoon to be received by the Philippines in the last 4 years, with winds in excess of 250km/h. At least ten people from the North Luzon region have been killed. It has now moved towards South China and Vietnam, so I guess all we can do is hope that Mother Nature takes it's course and leaves as little destruction as possible.
A big part of being a volunteer in Tacloban is the experience of living with a host family. I want to take this opportunity to tell you a little about mine. Firstly, they have been nothing but hospitable towards me, which seems to be a common trend in the Philippines, because no matter where I go, people are always very welcoming and generous despite how little they have.
I already mentioned Nanay Pering, my homestay mother. She is a typical Philippino mother: A fantastic cook, able to keep track of several children and grandchildren and a very kind lady as well. Her and her husband, Tatay Roberto (who of course, is my homestay father) are in their early sixties and have brought up 6 children, all now adults. Tatay Roberto is a comedian: He will always greet me with a salute, despite knowing that I'm not American and is always quick to crack out a joke or bring back a bottle of beer!
Their oldest son is in jail for drug charges and with his wife disappearing without any notice, Pering and Roberto were left to parent their three grandchildren. These are John (18), Ronmar (15) and Alecs Anne (11). Three great kids and very different siblings. Their oldest daughter, is a mother of three. During my first few days in the Philippines, she was actually in hospital giving birth to her third child, which left Pering and Roberto to look after the other two kids for a few days. I was lucky enough to see the mother bring home her new born and watch the two siblings completely amazed by this new baby brother of theirs. Since then, this family of now 5, have gone back to their respective home and we see them from time to time when they visit.
Their third child is currently working in Hong Kong as a Nanny in order to support her only child Melly (8), who lives with Pering and Roberto. Their fourth child lives with her husband and children in another region of the Philippines, working as a school teacher. I have not yet met her. Their fifth child Ruperto is in his mid twenties and is married with a child. Ruperto lives both with his parents and his wife and is a mechanical engineering graduate, now training to be a policeman. His final exam is due to take place in the next couple of weeks and him and I have planned to go for a few celebratory drinks once he has completed his training.
Their youngest child is Ning Ning, who is a couple years younger than Ruperto. She has a one year old daughter, Nikka Mae and they both live with her parents. Ning Ning's husband is currently working in Dubai to help support Nikka Mae.
So that is the whole family. My homestay is certainly the busiest compared to the other volunteers, but in many ways, it's nice to be part of a big family. Including myself and James, another volunteer from the States, there are 11 of us living under one relatively small roof. Most nights, there is someone sleeping on the sofa and floor but no one seems to mind. With each day that goes by, I find myself becoming more and more comfortable being a guest in their house. They have made me feel like a member of the family and I'm thoroughly enjoying building a connection with each individual family member. Most evenings after dinner, now consist of us sitting around the living room table and sharing stories. Nanay and Tatay will ask me about my life in the UK and my future dreams, Alecs Anne and Melly enjoy playing games with me, looking at my photos and teaching me songs. Nikka Mae tends to wonder around grabbing whatever she can but with a cute little grin to get away with it. Ronmar... well Ronmar is a 15 year old boy, who has recently established that he is gay. As a result, he enjoys making the occasional suggestive comment towards me - which isn't the end of the world! He's just discovering himself!
So that's about it for now. Yesterday, Melly had a dance presentation at her school which I went along to and watched with Nanay Pering. I managed to get a few photos, which you can see on facebook and today, I plan on getting a few printed for the family to keep.
Much love!
Sam
Firstly, for those of you who have heard the recent news stories regarding the super typhoon, Megi, you need not worry about me, as it has not affected the region I am living in. For those of you who are unaware, a category 5 typhoon hit the Northern tip of the Philippines on Monday. It is the biggest typhoon to be received by the Philippines in the last 4 years, with winds in excess of 250km/h. At least ten people from the North Luzon region have been killed. It has now moved towards South China and Vietnam, so I guess all we can do is hope that Mother Nature takes it's course and leaves as little destruction as possible.
A big part of being a volunteer in Tacloban is the experience of living with a host family. I want to take this opportunity to tell you a little about mine. Firstly, they have been nothing but hospitable towards me, which seems to be a common trend in the Philippines, because no matter where I go, people are always very welcoming and generous despite how little they have.
I already mentioned Nanay Pering, my homestay mother. She is a typical Philippino mother: A fantastic cook, able to keep track of several children and grandchildren and a very kind lady as well. Her and her husband, Tatay Roberto (who of course, is my homestay father) are in their early sixties and have brought up 6 children, all now adults. Tatay Roberto is a comedian: He will always greet me with a salute, despite knowing that I'm not American and is always quick to crack out a joke or bring back a bottle of beer!
Their oldest son is in jail for drug charges and with his wife disappearing without any notice, Pering and Roberto were left to parent their three grandchildren. These are John (18), Ronmar (15) and Alecs Anne (11). Three great kids and very different siblings. Their oldest daughter, is a mother of three. During my first few days in the Philippines, she was actually in hospital giving birth to her third child, which left Pering and Roberto to look after the other two kids for a few days. I was lucky enough to see the mother bring home her new born and watch the two siblings completely amazed by this new baby brother of theirs. Since then, this family of now 5, have gone back to their respective home and we see them from time to time when they visit.
Their third child is currently working in Hong Kong as a Nanny in order to support her only child Melly (8), who lives with Pering and Roberto. Their fourth child lives with her husband and children in another region of the Philippines, working as a school teacher. I have not yet met her. Their fifth child Ruperto is in his mid twenties and is married with a child. Ruperto lives both with his parents and his wife and is a mechanical engineering graduate, now training to be a policeman. His final exam is due to take place in the next couple of weeks and him and I have planned to go for a few celebratory drinks once he has completed his training.
Their youngest child is Ning Ning, who is a couple years younger than Ruperto. She has a one year old daughter, Nikka Mae and they both live with her parents. Ning Ning's husband is currently working in Dubai to help support Nikka Mae.
So that is the whole family. My homestay is certainly the busiest compared to the other volunteers, but in many ways, it's nice to be part of a big family. Including myself and James, another volunteer from the States, there are 11 of us living under one relatively small roof. Most nights, there is someone sleeping on the sofa and floor but no one seems to mind. With each day that goes by, I find myself becoming more and more comfortable being a guest in their house. They have made me feel like a member of the family and I'm thoroughly enjoying building a connection with each individual family member. Most evenings after dinner, now consist of us sitting around the living room table and sharing stories. Nanay and Tatay will ask me about my life in the UK and my future dreams, Alecs Anne and Melly enjoy playing games with me, looking at my photos and teaching me songs. Nikka Mae tends to wonder around grabbing whatever she can but with a cute little grin to get away with it. Ronmar... well Ronmar is a 15 year old boy, who has recently established that he is gay. As a result, he enjoys making the occasional suggestive comment towards me - which isn't the end of the world! He's just discovering himself!
So that's about it for now. Yesterday, Melly had a dance presentation at her school which I went along to and watched with Nanay Pering. I managed to get a few photos, which you can see on facebook and today, I plan on getting a few printed for the family to keep.
Much love!
Sam
Saturday 16 October 2010
The Dumpsite Project
Hello,
So previously, I spoke about my placement at the Regional Rehabilitation Centre for Youths. But being a volunteer here involves more than just your one placement. There are plenty of other projects to get involved with through Volunteers for the Visayans (VFV). For example, soon I will begin tutoring the local sponsored children for an hour after school each day. What I would like to mention here however, is the Dumpsite Project, which I visited for the first time yesterday.
When I refer to The Dumpsite, I'm actually talking about a group of villages located about 45 minutes from Bliss, where we are living. It is a very poor area where the settlements are extremely basic. The dumpsite itself is found near the local villages and sees heaps of garbage spilled over the beautiful natural surrounds of Tacloban. Many of the children from this area come from families that are struggling to get by. They therefore, visit the dumpsite to look for food scraps or any products that they can sell, such as plastic bottles.
The Dumpsite Project is a sponsorship programme that aims to provide food and clothing to these children so that they do not have to visit the dumpsite to scavenge. Yesterday, I visited the local village and met 25 children who are part of this project. We fed them lunch and watched each child receive a brand new t-shirt and jacket. These had been provided by Walter, one of the sponsors, who had flown over from Hawaii to witness the children receiving these gifts. It was really quite touching to see just how thankful these children were.
Upon leaving the village, we headed to the dumpsite. A small group of the sponsored children had been chosen to come with us so that Walter could take some photos of the children with their new clothing and the dumpsite as a backdrop. I suspect these photos will be for promotional use to further increase awareness and funding. I had never seen anything like it. It was completely covered in waste and the smell was horrendous. There was litter and garbage for as far as you could see but the saddest image was that of the children, who were wondering around looking for scraps and items. While the rest of the volunteers went with Walter, to take photos of the sponsored children, I stuck around and tried to interact with some of the kids who were looking for scraps. These are ordinary children. They laugh when you do something funny and they respond when you make conversation. But here they are living a life that no child should ever be forced to experience. I needed to compose myself on a couple of occasions. It was so saddening to see. I took a few photos to remember these images but I couldn't help noticing the contrast between the beautiful landscape of the Philippines and the filthy views of the dumpsite, side by side.
Mano John, one of the Philippino volunteers said something very thought provoking on the Jeepney ride back. He said that he 'enjoys the smell' - to which we looked puzzled and assumed that he was being sarcastic. He assured us that he was not being sarcastic. He said he 'enjoys the smell because it reminds me that I must help them.'
I don't think I can leave this place without trying to do something myself. I'm not sure exactly what I can do but I intend on making it a mission to further help the Dumpsite Project, once I leave the Philippines. Perhaps I can use my work in informal education, to raise awareness amongst the youth in the Western World and maybe create some fundraising projects as a result.
On a happier note, that evening I sat down with the kids in my homestay and showed them all my photos from travelling. It was lovely to have them asking me so many questions and we spent the evening playing games, watching movies and looking at family photos. My next blog update will be a full description of my Philippino family, who I've grown very attached to already.
Much love!
Sam
So previously, I spoke about my placement at the Regional Rehabilitation Centre for Youths. But being a volunteer here involves more than just your one placement. There are plenty of other projects to get involved with through Volunteers for the Visayans (VFV). For example, soon I will begin tutoring the local sponsored children for an hour after school each day. What I would like to mention here however, is the Dumpsite Project, which I visited for the first time yesterday.
When I refer to The Dumpsite, I'm actually talking about a group of villages located about 45 minutes from Bliss, where we are living. It is a very poor area where the settlements are extremely basic. The dumpsite itself is found near the local villages and sees heaps of garbage spilled over the beautiful natural surrounds of Tacloban. Many of the children from this area come from families that are struggling to get by. They therefore, visit the dumpsite to look for food scraps or any products that they can sell, such as plastic bottles.
The Dumpsite Project is a sponsorship programme that aims to provide food and clothing to these children so that they do not have to visit the dumpsite to scavenge. Yesterday, I visited the local village and met 25 children who are part of this project. We fed them lunch and watched each child receive a brand new t-shirt and jacket. These had been provided by Walter, one of the sponsors, who had flown over from Hawaii to witness the children receiving these gifts. It was really quite touching to see just how thankful these children were.
Upon leaving the village, we headed to the dumpsite. A small group of the sponsored children had been chosen to come with us so that Walter could take some photos of the children with their new clothing and the dumpsite as a backdrop. I suspect these photos will be for promotional use to further increase awareness and funding. I had never seen anything like it. It was completely covered in waste and the smell was horrendous. There was litter and garbage for as far as you could see but the saddest image was that of the children, who were wondering around looking for scraps and items. While the rest of the volunteers went with Walter, to take photos of the sponsored children, I stuck around and tried to interact with some of the kids who were looking for scraps. These are ordinary children. They laugh when you do something funny and they respond when you make conversation. But here they are living a life that no child should ever be forced to experience. I needed to compose myself on a couple of occasions. It was so saddening to see. I took a few photos to remember these images but I couldn't help noticing the contrast between the beautiful landscape of the Philippines and the filthy views of the dumpsite, side by side.
Mano John, one of the Philippino volunteers said something very thought provoking on the Jeepney ride back. He said that he 'enjoys the smell' - to which we looked puzzled and assumed that he was being sarcastic. He assured us that he was not being sarcastic. He said he 'enjoys the smell because it reminds me that I must help them.'
I don't think I can leave this place without trying to do something myself. I'm not sure exactly what I can do but I intend on making it a mission to further help the Dumpsite Project, once I leave the Philippines. Perhaps I can use my work in informal education, to raise awareness amongst the youth in the Western World and maybe create some fundraising projects as a result.
On a happier note, that evening I sat down with the kids in my homestay and showed them all my photos from travelling. It was lovely to have them asking me so many questions and we spent the evening playing games, watching movies and looking at family photos. My next blog update will be a full description of my Philippino family, who I've grown very attached to already.
Much love!
Sam
Wednesday 13 October 2010
The Rehabilitation Centre for Youths
Hello,
Having now visited my placement and began working, I thought I would share with you all a bit of information about the Rehabilitation Centre for Youths (RCY) and my first impressions of working there.
The centre currently holds 53 young men aged 15-23 years. For these residents, this is their home for the next few years. In essence, it's a young offenders institution. All off the residents had committed crimes as a minor (under 18 years) but rather than going through the prison system, they are given the opportunity to spend 2-6 years at the RCY until it is deemed by the social services and courts, that they are fit to return to society. This is their one chance in the RCY. If, on being discharged, a resident reoffends, even if they are still a minor, they are not permitted back into the RCY and instead will go to prison.
I was astonished when I first visited at just how friendly and welcoming the residents are. I don't want to judge too soon and be viewed as naive but my first impression is that these young men are not bad. It seems that there are a number of contributing factors which have lead to them becoming involved in drugs, violence and theft. Most of them come from broken families and have experienced a really troubled childhood. They come from some of the poorest parts of the region, where basic living requirements such as shelter and food are sometimes unattainable. Many have come from areas where rebel activity is high and so have been surrounded by negative role models and have been influenced into making poor life choices.
Whatever it may be, they have been brought to the RCY for committing a serious crime. The centre provides a number of services for the residents. These include schooling, behavioural modification, vocational skills training and a disciplined environment where these young men are encouraged to succeed. They are expected to complete daily jobs such as cleaning, washing and cooking, promoting the idea of being part of a community and contributing. As well as basic academic studies, they are taught crafts such as baking, printing and construction in order to improve their future job prospects for when they return to the outside world.
During my orientation, I met with Mum Lim (The head of the institution). She somehow had a copy of my CV and we discussed my background and experience. My role, is to provide some recreational activities and act as a positive role model to the residents. I have always strongly believed that recreation such as art, music and sport have the ability to not only allow people to express themselves and display competence but also act as a tool to teach values, transferable skills and education. Mum Lim was quite interested in my views and we seemed to be on the same wavelength, which was comforting for me, since up to now I've been a bit uncertain as to what was expected of me as a volunteer.
My first day at the RCY allowed me to meet the residents and spend some time talking to them and finding out what they're interested in. They were overwhelmingly welcoming and it gave the impression that seeing new faces is something they really enjoy. On the whole, most of the residents are interested in sport, which suits me perfectly. Sadly, they have no interest in soccer but many are keen on basketball and volleyball - so I'm going to have a think as to what else I can offer. Activities need to be appropriate for the residents as well as suited to the facilities and equipment available - so karate or rugby are probably out of the question! But something like ultimate frisbee would probably work well. I'm also going to have a think about some possible art and music projects that might work since they have some art supplies and a small music room.
After experiencing my first day at the RCY, I sat down and quizzed Mum Lim and the social workers a little more to find out a bit about the process that the residents go through when they get discharged. It seems that the RCY recommend the residents for discharge and then the courts make the final decision based on their behaviour while in the RCY. The sad reality is that for many of these boys, their improvement in behaviour may be irrelevant, if the environment they are welcomed back into is not conducive to living a crime-free life. The centre might work wonders on the residents while they are inside, but if they return to a family who are struggling financially or a social setting where they are easily led astray again, then all the good work of the RCY could be for nothing. Unfortunately, as explained by Mum Lim, the social welfare system in the Philippines is not advanced enough to be able to ensure that all residents upon being discharged, will be placed with either a family or communal living arrangement where they have access to job prospects and a healthy future. I found this side of things hard to handle. How can it be allowed for a centre to have such a positive impact on these young men's lives but then be wasted when they return to the outside world? I guess that is part and parcel of being in a developing country and even if this system can help steer a percentage of these boys in the right direction when they leave, then it is still doing some good. Meanwhile, the positive influence of the RCY, while the boys are in residence is unquestionable.
That's all for now.
Much love!
Sam
Having now visited my placement and began working, I thought I would share with you all a bit of information about the Rehabilitation Centre for Youths (RCY) and my first impressions of working there.
The centre currently holds 53 young men aged 15-23 years. For these residents, this is their home for the next few years. In essence, it's a young offenders institution. All off the residents had committed crimes as a minor (under 18 years) but rather than going through the prison system, they are given the opportunity to spend 2-6 years at the RCY until it is deemed by the social services and courts, that they are fit to return to society. This is their one chance in the RCY. If, on being discharged, a resident reoffends, even if they are still a minor, they are not permitted back into the RCY and instead will go to prison.
I was astonished when I first visited at just how friendly and welcoming the residents are. I don't want to judge too soon and be viewed as naive but my first impression is that these young men are not bad. It seems that there are a number of contributing factors which have lead to them becoming involved in drugs, violence and theft. Most of them come from broken families and have experienced a really troubled childhood. They come from some of the poorest parts of the region, where basic living requirements such as shelter and food are sometimes unattainable. Many have come from areas where rebel activity is high and so have been surrounded by negative role models and have been influenced into making poor life choices.
Whatever it may be, they have been brought to the RCY for committing a serious crime. The centre provides a number of services for the residents. These include schooling, behavioural modification, vocational skills training and a disciplined environment where these young men are encouraged to succeed. They are expected to complete daily jobs such as cleaning, washing and cooking, promoting the idea of being part of a community and contributing. As well as basic academic studies, they are taught crafts such as baking, printing and construction in order to improve their future job prospects for when they return to the outside world.
During my orientation, I met with Mum Lim (The head of the institution). She somehow had a copy of my CV and we discussed my background and experience. My role, is to provide some recreational activities and act as a positive role model to the residents. I have always strongly believed that recreation such as art, music and sport have the ability to not only allow people to express themselves and display competence but also act as a tool to teach values, transferable skills and education. Mum Lim was quite interested in my views and we seemed to be on the same wavelength, which was comforting for me, since up to now I've been a bit uncertain as to what was expected of me as a volunteer.
My first day at the RCY allowed me to meet the residents and spend some time talking to them and finding out what they're interested in. They were overwhelmingly welcoming and it gave the impression that seeing new faces is something they really enjoy. On the whole, most of the residents are interested in sport, which suits me perfectly. Sadly, they have no interest in soccer but many are keen on basketball and volleyball - so I'm going to have a think as to what else I can offer. Activities need to be appropriate for the residents as well as suited to the facilities and equipment available - so karate or rugby are probably out of the question! But something like ultimate frisbee would probably work well. I'm also going to have a think about some possible art and music projects that might work since they have some art supplies and a small music room.
After experiencing my first day at the RCY, I sat down and quizzed Mum Lim and the social workers a little more to find out a bit about the process that the residents go through when they get discharged. It seems that the RCY recommend the residents for discharge and then the courts make the final decision based on their behaviour while in the RCY. The sad reality is that for many of these boys, their improvement in behaviour may be irrelevant, if the environment they are welcomed back into is not conducive to living a crime-free life. The centre might work wonders on the residents while they are inside, but if they return to a family who are struggling financially or a social setting where they are easily led astray again, then all the good work of the RCY could be for nothing. Unfortunately, as explained by Mum Lim, the social welfare system in the Philippines is not advanced enough to be able to ensure that all residents upon being discharged, will be placed with either a family or communal living arrangement where they have access to job prospects and a healthy future. I found this side of things hard to handle. How can it be allowed for a centre to have such a positive impact on these young men's lives but then be wasted when they return to the outside world? I guess that is part and parcel of being in a developing country and even if this system can help steer a percentage of these boys in the right direction when they leave, then it is still doing some good. Meanwhile, the positive influence of the RCY, while the boys are in residence is unquestionable.
That's all for now.
Much love!
Sam
Sunday 10 October 2010
Arriving in The Philippines
Good Morning!
I left my cousin's house at 7am on Saturday 9th October 2010. My journey from there consisted of: Walking from his house to Gardiner train station, taking a train to Southern Cross station, catching a shuttle bus to Melbourne airport, flying to Singapore airport, transferring and flying to Manila airport, catching a shuttle bus to the domestic terminal of Manila airport. By then it was 9pm on the same day. I slept for a few hours on a metal bench before checking in at 3am for my flight to Tacloban City which was at 5:30am.
Manila is the capital city of The Philippines and from what I saw of it, it's a typical city: Industrialised, full of sky scrapers and with a well developed infrastructure. Tacloban City however, was far different. I arrived into a small terminal where their version of a conveyer belt was a man lifting the suitcases off of a big trolley and walking them into the terminal building. As soon as I walked outside, the first thing I noticed was the extreme humidity and heat. I was met by dozens of men trying to offer me transport in taxis and buses. I was somewhat confused and disoriented by the lack of sleep I had received in Manila airport but fortunately I noticed Devina, my volunteer coordinator, who was holding a piece of paper with my name written on it. She took me to Bliss, the settlement where all the volunteers live with their homestay families. Bliss is also where the Volunteer For The Visayas office is located. I arrived and met my host family, including Nanay Pering (my Mother for the next 8 weeks). She showed me to my room and later made me breakfast.
That day I got to meet the other volunteers who are all here for differing periods of time. Some are here for a few weeks, while others remain for up to 6-months. At present there are 6 of us, all from the UK, USA or Australia. I spent the majority of my first day with James (who is staying in the same homestay as me) and Matt who lives a few doors down. They showed me a few of the local spots which I'll go into more detail on now.
Firstly we visited the private hospital, where one of our fellow volunteers, Hazel, is staying for a few days having had an appendectomy. The walk to the hospital was the first I saw of the local streets. The streets here are very typical of a third world country: No road markings, lots of litter and full of people selling products from the road side.
We next visited the Astrodome, which is a small complex located a short bus ride away. However, there are no buses in Tacloban. The common mode of transport are Jeepneys, which are large and rusty yet colourful vehicles which would ordinarily hold about 8 people on two parallel benches, however here, they squeeze about 25 people into these things! You jump on the back of the Jeepney wherever convenient and at some point during your journey, you're expected to pay the driver 6 pesos (10 pence)! At the Astrodome, Matt and James showed me the local fitness centre, which I've signed up with for the next two months. The hope is that I can spend some of my free time here getting in shape for the many phsical challenges ahead of me: Karate training in Japan, climbing Everest and running a marathon.
We next visited downtown Tacloban, where again we hopped on a Jeepney. It was here that I started to realise just how much of a novelty I would be here. There are no white people in this part of The Philippines, so walking down any street, it's common to have people stare at you constantly. This is something I'll get used to but what I'm not sure I'll ever become accustomed to are the living conditions for some of the people around here. Downtown is a busy area with many shops and cheap roadside stalls, but what it also brings are many people who are living on the streets and spending their days begging. The vast number of underfed and dirty children that I saw lying on the street floors, with barely any clothes on really got to me. It was probably the biggest culture shock I've encountered. None the less, we have been told not to give money to beggars as the sad reality is that many of these people will not use it to buy food, but instead will buy cigarettes or drugs. When you come to a poor area, such as this it's hard to not feel helpless because there are just so many problems that exist here. However, I feel that if I keep reminding myself that the voluntary work I am here for is worthwhile and will make a small difference then perhaps this will help me get over this notion of helplessness.
The final place we visited was Robinson's shopping centre, which is a rather Western looking shopping mall and as a result, looks rather out of place in the middle of Tacloban. I took this time to buy a few essentials for my stay here such as a cell phone, some tank tops, an umbrella and some laundry detergent - nothing too exciting!
That was pretty much my first day. I arrived back at the homestay, ate dinner and went to bed to catch up on some well needed sleep. The next day I met Devina at the VFV office and spent the day receiving an orientation. This involved learning a bit about the Philippino culture, visiting downtown Tacloban again and getting a health check at the hospital in order to receive a medical certificate to show that I'm eligible to take part in my placement.
Tomorrow I will be visiting my placement centre for the first time and I will look forward to telling you more about it in my next post. What I can tell you in the meantime is that I will be placed at the RCY, (Rehabilitation Centre for Youth). This is a centre which houses around 60 young men aged 15-23. All of these young men have been in trouble with the law. Common crimes include theft, assault and drug taking. The purpose of the RCY is to help steer these men in the right direction and provide them with the skills, confidence and discipline to lead a crime free life. My role is to provide some recreational activities and by the sounds of things, I have a free reign to bring in whatever ideas I have. The only constraint is that I must purchase whatever resources I require - which isn't so terrible considering how cheap everything is out here!
This has been a long blog update but I'll end it with a few basic first impressions of life out here. Firstly, the people are friendly yet a little shy - but if you take the initiative to talk to them, they will happily open-up and show a great deal of hospitality. They like to eat - regularly - I'm talking 5 meals a day - their lives revolve around food! For fun, well they enjoy playing basketball but the thing that seems consistent amongst all families here is a love of karaoke. It is common to walk past a home and hear someone singing particularly loudly to a music track with the entire extended family sat listening and cheering as an audience. Aside from that, life here is about surviving and getting by - as sombre as it sounds.
Much love!
Sam
I left my cousin's house at 7am on Saturday 9th October 2010. My journey from there consisted of: Walking from his house to Gardiner train station, taking a train to Southern Cross station, catching a shuttle bus to Melbourne airport, flying to Singapore airport, transferring and flying to Manila airport, catching a shuttle bus to the domestic terminal of Manila airport. By then it was 9pm on the same day. I slept for a few hours on a metal bench before checking in at 3am for my flight to Tacloban City which was at 5:30am.
Manila is the capital city of The Philippines and from what I saw of it, it's a typical city: Industrialised, full of sky scrapers and with a well developed infrastructure. Tacloban City however, was far different. I arrived into a small terminal where their version of a conveyer belt was a man lifting the suitcases off of a big trolley and walking them into the terminal building. As soon as I walked outside, the first thing I noticed was the extreme humidity and heat. I was met by dozens of men trying to offer me transport in taxis and buses. I was somewhat confused and disoriented by the lack of sleep I had received in Manila airport but fortunately I noticed Devina, my volunteer coordinator, who was holding a piece of paper with my name written on it. She took me to Bliss, the settlement where all the volunteers live with their homestay families. Bliss is also where the Volunteer For The Visayas office is located. I arrived and met my host family, including Nanay Pering (my Mother for the next 8 weeks). She showed me to my room and later made me breakfast.
That day I got to meet the other volunteers who are all here for differing periods of time. Some are here for a few weeks, while others remain for up to 6-months. At present there are 6 of us, all from the UK, USA or Australia. I spent the majority of my first day with James (who is staying in the same homestay as me) and Matt who lives a few doors down. They showed me a few of the local spots which I'll go into more detail on now.
Firstly we visited the private hospital, where one of our fellow volunteers, Hazel, is staying for a few days having had an appendectomy. The walk to the hospital was the first I saw of the local streets. The streets here are very typical of a third world country: No road markings, lots of litter and full of people selling products from the road side.
We next visited the Astrodome, which is a small complex located a short bus ride away. However, there are no buses in Tacloban. The common mode of transport are Jeepneys, which are large and rusty yet colourful vehicles which would ordinarily hold about 8 people on two parallel benches, however here, they squeeze about 25 people into these things! You jump on the back of the Jeepney wherever convenient and at some point during your journey, you're expected to pay the driver 6 pesos (10 pence)! At the Astrodome, Matt and James showed me the local fitness centre, which I've signed up with for the next two months. The hope is that I can spend some of my free time here getting in shape for the many phsical challenges ahead of me: Karate training in Japan, climbing Everest and running a marathon.
We next visited downtown Tacloban, where again we hopped on a Jeepney. It was here that I started to realise just how much of a novelty I would be here. There are no white people in this part of The Philippines, so walking down any street, it's common to have people stare at you constantly. This is something I'll get used to but what I'm not sure I'll ever become accustomed to are the living conditions for some of the people around here. Downtown is a busy area with many shops and cheap roadside stalls, but what it also brings are many people who are living on the streets and spending their days begging. The vast number of underfed and dirty children that I saw lying on the street floors, with barely any clothes on really got to me. It was probably the biggest culture shock I've encountered. None the less, we have been told not to give money to beggars as the sad reality is that many of these people will not use it to buy food, but instead will buy cigarettes or drugs. When you come to a poor area, such as this it's hard to not feel helpless because there are just so many problems that exist here. However, I feel that if I keep reminding myself that the voluntary work I am here for is worthwhile and will make a small difference then perhaps this will help me get over this notion of helplessness.
The final place we visited was Robinson's shopping centre, which is a rather Western looking shopping mall and as a result, looks rather out of place in the middle of Tacloban. I took this time to buy a few essentials for my stay here such as a cell phone, some tank tops, an umbrella and some laundry detergent - nothing too exciting!
That was pretty much my first day. I arrived back at the homestay, ate dinner and went to bed to catch up on some well needed sleep. The next day I met Devina at the VFV office and spent the day receiving an orientation. This involved learning a bit about the Philippino culture, visiting downtown Tacloban again and getting a health check at the hospital in order to receive a medical certificate to show that I'm eligible to take part in my placement.
Tomorrow I will be visiting my placement centre for the first time and I will look forward to telling you more about it in my next post. What I can tell you in the meantime is that I will be placed at the RCY, (Rehabilitation Centre for Youth). This is a centre which houses around 60 young men aged 15-23. All of these young men have been in trouble with the law. Common crimes include theft, assault and drug taking. The purpose of the RCY is to help steer these men in the right direction and provide them with the skills, confidence and discipline to lead a crime free life. My role is to provide some recreational activities and by the sounds of things, I have a free reign to bring in whatever ideas I have. The only constraint is that I must purchase whatever resources I require - which isn't so terrible considering how cheap everything is out here!
This has been a long blog update but I'll end it with a few basic first impressions of life out here. Firstly, the people are friendly yet a little shy - but if you take the initiative to talk to them, they will happily open-up and show a great deal of hospitality. They like to eat - regularly - I'm talking 5 meals a day - their lives revolve around food! For fun, well they enjoy playing basketball but the thing that seems consistent amongst all families here is a love of karaoke. It is common to walk past a home and hear someone singing particularly loudly to a music track with the entire extended family sat listening and cheering as an audience. Aside from that, life here is about surviving and getting by - as sombre as it sounds.
Much love!
Sam
Thursday 7 October 2010
Goodbye Australia!
Hello!
Firstly, I'll update you on some of the other things I've done in Melbourne. Since I last posted, I visited the National Gallery of Victoria and saw some beautiful artwork. My personal favourite were the oriental ornaments collection, featuring work from China, Japan and Korea. I also visited the National Sports Museum, which involved checking out the famous MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground): Home to Australian cricket and AFL. We were also treated to a day out with my Auntie Dorothy, who I was very surprised to see. She took us for lunch and showed us around a few of the coastal spots by St Kilda. Other than that, I've eaten some good food, watched a bit of the Commonwealth Games and enjoyed catching up with my cousin on the last 10-years.
It is now my last night in Australia. Tomorrow morning I will be flying to the Philippines, via Singapore to undertake 8-weeks of voluntary work in Tacloban City.
My time in Australia has been really enjoyable and I feel Andy and I definitely made a good choice visiting the country the way we did. When Andy and I were looking at our travel plans, many months ago, we decided that we wanted to visit both New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand was easy enough to see in its entirety over a 4-week period but with Australia being so vast, we knew we would barely be able to touch the surface. We therefore had the choice of doing a whistle stop tour of the East coast or picking a couple of major spots and experiencing them in full. We went for the latter option and have truly taken advantage of our time in both Sydney and Melbourne.
As I depart Melbourne I am not only leaving Australia, but a few other things as well. Firstly I'm leaving Andy. Andy is flying to Borneo tomorrow to spend 10-weeks living in a jungle as part of a charitable project which will see him working with the local communities and participating in a number of environmental projects. I couldn't have asked for a better travel partner. Having lived together for 2-years at university, I knew this would work out well and I've really enjoyed being able to experience the States, New Zealand and Australia with Mr Dykey!
Secondly, I'm leaving a lifestyle of certainty! It sounds a bit abstract I know, but up to now I've had a pretty good idea of what all my travel segments would entail. Camp, I've obviously experienced many times, I've also travelled around the States a number of times, I knew what to expect from New Zealand and our time in Australia was relatively predetermined. However, I know very little about what to expect in the Philippines - both in terms of the work I will be doing, the people I will meet, the agency who are supporting me, the living set-up and the cultural differences that I will encounter. In short - lots of uncertainty ahead of me!
Finally, I'm leaving a world of civilisation. It dawned on me a few days ago, that this will be the first time I will experience a consistent level of poverty across a region. I have of course visited many places where homelessness exists and people live in poverty but this has never been a general occurence throughout a specific area. There has always been plenty of affluence and people living comfortably to counterbalance the individuals living in poverty. This can be seen in any big city and I've experienced this in New York, South Africa, Israel, Europe and even where I live in London. The Philippines is by no means one of the poorest nations on the globe but it is a developing country and part of the third world. It certainly has it's wealthy areas but Tacloban City, which is where I'll be located, is not one of those areas. Tacloban City is home to a community where across the board the civilians are uneducated, underfed and in many cases homeless. Crime levels are relatively high and drug taking (most notably glue sniffing - an appetite suppressive) is pretty common. Now although this draws a very sad and negative picture of life in Tacloban City, it does provide the opportunity for doing something good in this community. I will be spending 8-weeks working alongside the Social Services in Tacloban City. The aim is to get the local youths off the streets and give them something more productive to do with their time. Offering activities such as sport, art, computing, English Language training will not only redirect their focus, but also develop their skills and better their future job prospects. I expect it to be a challenging 8-weeks but my hope is that it will continue to fuel my passion for youth work and engaging young people in informal education.
Good bye Oz!
Much love!
Sam
Firstly, I'll update you on some of the other things I've done in Melbourne. Since I last posted, I visited the National Gallery of Victoria and saw some beautiful artwork. My personal favourite were the oriental ornaments collection, featuring work from China, Japan and Korea. I also visited the National Sports Museum, which involved checking out the famous MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground): Home to Australian cricket and AFL. We were also treated to a day out with my Auntie Dorothy, who I was very surprised to see. She took us for lunch and showed us around a few of the coastal spots by St Kilda. Other than that, I've eaten some good food, watched a bit of the Commonwealth Games and enjoyed catching up with my cousin on the last 10-years.
It is now my last night in Australia. Tomorrow morning I will be flying to the Philippines, via Singapore to undertake 8-weeks of voluntary work in Tacloban City.
My time in Australia has been really enjoyable and I feel Andy and I definitely made a good choice visiting the country the way we did. When Andy and I were looking at our travel plans, many months ago, we decided that we wanted to visit both New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand was easy enough to see in its entirety over a 4-week period but with Australia being so vast, we knew we would barely be able to touch the surface. We therefore had the choice of doing a whistle stop tour of the East coast or picking a couple of major spots and experiencing them in full. We went for the latter option and have truly taken advantage of our time in both Sydney and Melbourne.
As I depart Melbourne I am not only leaving Australia, but a few other things as well. Firstly I'm leaving Andy. Andy is flying to Borneo tomorrow to spend 10-weeks living in a jungle as part of a charitable project which will see him working with the local communities and participating in a number of environmental projects. I couldn't have asked for a better travel partner. Having lived together for 2-years at university, I knew this would work out well and I've really enjoyed being able to experience the States, New Zealand and Australia with Mr Dykey!
Secondly, I'm leaving a lifestyle of certainty! It sounds a bit abstract I know, but up to now I've had a pretty good idea of what all my travel segments would entail. Camp, I've obviously experienced many times, I've also travelled around the States a number of times, I knew what to expect from New Zealand and our time in Australia was relatively predetermined. However, I know very little about what to expect in the Philippines - both in terms of the work I will be doing, the people I will meet, the agency who are supporting me, the living set-up and the cultural differences that I will encounter. In short - lots of uncertainty ahead of me!
Finally, I'm leaving a world of civilisation. It dawned on me a few days ago, that this will be the first time I will experience a consistent level of poverty across a region. I have of course visited many places where homelessness exists and people live in poverty but this has never been a general occurence throughout a specific area. There has always been plenty of affluence and people living comfortably to counterbalance the individuals living in poverty. This can be seen in any big city and I've experienced this in New York, South Africa, Israel, Europe and even where I live in London. The Philippines is by no means one of the poorest nations on the globe but it is a developing country and part of the third world. It certainly has it's wealthy areas but Tacloban City, which is where I'll be located, is not one of those areas. Tacloban City is home to a community where across the board the civilians are uneducated, underfed and in many cases homeless. Crime levels are relatively high and drug taking (most notably glue sniffing - an appetite suppressive) is pretty common. Now although this draws a very sad and negative picture of life in Tacloban City, it does provide the opportunity for doing something good in this community. I will be spending 8-weeks working alongside the Social Services in Tacloban City. The aim is to get the local youths off the streets and give them something more productive to do with their time. Offering activities such as sport, art, computing, English Language training will not only redirect their focus, but also develop their skills and better their future job prospects. I expect it to be a challenging 8-weeks but my hope is that it will continue to fuel my passion for youth work and engaging young people in informal education.
Good bye Oz!
Much love!
Sam
Monday 4 October 2010
Arriving in Melbourne
G'day!
Funnily enough, no one even says G'day in Australia...It's the same as expecting English people to greet you with 'Good day to you sir' - it just doesn't happen!
Our final afternoon in Sydney was spent tidying Cazz's appartment, bidding fairwell to Toby and Jonny who were flying to Cairns and leaving Cazz a few gifts for when she returned from Brisbane. At about 7pm, we made our way to Sydney Central Station, to catch our 12-hour Greyhound bus to Melbourne. I figured, 12hours...I'll grab myself a double seat, lounge-out and get a good 10-hours sleep! Sadly, this was not to be as the coach was at capacity, so Andy and I were squished next to each other and I think it's fair to say that neither of us had the best night's sleep!
We arrived into Melbourne at 8am where we would be staying with my cousin, Max. I hadn't actually seen Max in 10 years! He had moved to Melbourne when he was 13 and although he makes an annual visit to England to see family, this tends to be during the English summer time, which is when I'm in the States at camp. Still, Max had contacted me a few months prior, and offered for us to crash at his place for the week, which was very kind of him.
After settling in and catching up with Max, the three of us headed into the city centre to watch the AFL (Australian Football League) Grand Final. n.b. This is not soccer/football but the commonly referred to Aussie Rules Football! Although many people seem to assume that rugby and cricket are the big sports in Australia, in Melbourne, AFL is all they really care about. This was quite a special occassion as well, since it was the first time a Grand Final game had gone to a replay. We had watched the first match between St Kilda and Collingwood, the previous week in Sydney, and had seen it end in a draw. The official rules are that in the Grand Final game, a drawn match must go to a replay. This seemed kind of stupid and was a rule that most people were unaware of, since it's never happened! We piled into Federation Square, with 1000's of other crazy supporters to view the game on the big screen. After 80 gruelling minutes, The Collingwood Magpies secured the win.
After the match, we headed over the river with Max to check out the Parklife festival which was featuring bands such as The Dandy Warhols, Groove Armada and Cut Copy. Unfortunately, we didn't have tickets, but it was nice to hear a bit of the music and see the atmosphere present.
Andy and I had decided that Melbourne would be our place to chill out. Everything had been pretty busy in New Zealand and Sydney and we needed to recharge our batteries, Therefore, we were both looking forward to a week of chilled nights and late lie-ins!
The next day, we went back into the city centre and saw the World Cycling Championships, which were taking place in Melbourne. Andy had chosen to wake up early to see live, the start of the mens elite race. I however, placed greater value on my beauty sleep and rocked up late to watch the race on the big screen in town. We then spent part of the afternoon checking out the famous Queen Victoria Market before heading back to make dinner, play some Fifa '10 and watch a DVD.
The next day, we visited the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) which was a whole museum looking at the evolution of cinema, film, television and games. Definitely well worth a visit! Highlights included reenacting a scene from the matrix and creating your own flipbook. We later checked out the Parliamentary buildings and strolled down China Town.
That brings me up to today, where once again we will be rising late, eating lunch and then heading into town to check out one of the other places on our to-do list!
Much love!
Sam
Funnily enough, no one even says G'day in Australia...It's the same as expecting English people to greet you with 'Good day to you sir' - it just doesn't happen!
Our final afternoon in Sydney was spent tidying Cazz's appartment, bidding fairwell to Toby and Jonny who were flying to Cairns and leaving Cazz a few gifts for when she returned from Brisbane. At about 7pm, we made our way to Sydney Central Station, to catch our 12-hour Greyhound bus to Melbourne. I figured, 12hours...I'll grab myself a double seat, lounge-out and get a good 10-hours sleep! Sadly, this was not to be as the coach was at capacity, so Andy and I were squished next to each other and I think it's fair to say that neither of us had the best night's sleep!
We arrived into Melbourne at 8am where we would be staying with my cousin, Max. I hadn't actually seen Max in 10 years! He had moved to Melbourne when he was 13 and although he makes an annual visit to England to see family, this tends to be during the English summer time, which is when I'm in the States at camp. Still, Max had contacted me a few months prior, and offered for us to crash at his place for the week, which was very kind of him.
After settling in and catching up with Max, the three of us headed into the city centre to watch the AFL (Australian Football League) Grand Final. n.b. This is not soccer/football but the commonly referred to Aussie Rules Football! Although many people seem to assume that rugby and cricket are the big sports in Australia, in Melbourne, AFL is all they really care about. This was quite a special occassion as well, since it was the first time a Grand Final game had gone to a replay. We had watched the first match between St Kilda and Collingwood, the previous week in Sydney, and had seen it end in a draw. The official rules are that in the Grand Final game, a drawn match must go to a replay. This seemed kind of stupid and was a rule that most people were unaware of, since it's never happened! We piled into Federation Square, with 1000's of other crazy supporters to view the game on the big screen. After 80 gruelling minutes, The Collingwood Magpies secured the win.
After the match, we headed over the river with Max to check out the Parklife festival which was featuring bands such as The Dandy Warhols, Groove Armada and Cut Copy. Unfortunately, we didn't have tickets, but it was nice to hear a bit of the music and see the atmosphere present.
Andy and I had decided that Melbourne would be our place to chill out. Everything had been pretty busy in New Zealand and Sydney and we needed to recharge our batteries, Therefore, we were both looking forward to a week of chilled nights and late lie-ins!
The next day, we went back into the city centre and saw the World Cycling Championships, which were taking place in Melbourne. Andy had chosen to wake up early to see live, the start of the mens elite race. I however, placed greater value on my beauty sleep and rocked up late to watch the race on the big screen in town. We then spent part of the afternoon checking out the famous Queen Victoria Market before heading back to make dinner, play some Fifa '10 and watch a DVD.
The next day, we visited the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) which was a whole museum looking at the evolution of cinema, film, television and games. Definitely well worth a visit! Highlights included reenacting a scene from the matrix and creating your own flipbook. We later checked out the Parliamentary buildings and strolled down China Town.
That brings me up to today, where once again we will be rising late, eating lunch and then heading into town to check out one of the other places on our to-do list!
Much love!
Sam
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