Mabuhay Family and Friends!
April 17, 2006
I know we have been slow with our initial posting but as you can imagine we have been extremely busy since arriving in country. Yes, "in country" is PC terminology and if you plan on viewing our blog regularly you will see we are inundated with numerous acronyms and a tremendous amount of catchy phrases that are impossible to avoid. On Sunday we found out our PST(pre service training) site, Bagac on the Bataan peninsula, and our actual site location could be the best or the worst depending on who you talk to! Sink or swim...right. We find out Thursday April 17th. As you can imagine we are having an amazing time. We pinch ourselves every so often and still cannot believe that we are here seeing the things we see and meeting the wonderful people, volunteers and Filipinos alike. Our first week we were staying at a resort but make no mistake it is not the resort you are picturing in you mind when you hear the word resort. Don’t get me wrong it is nice but the water of Manila Bay is extremely polluted. The poverty in the greater Manila area is unlike anything I have ever witnessed. The roads surrounding Manila are completely insane.
Following our first week we found ourselves at Balanga Polytechnical College in a Hostel on campus. Balanga is a really neat "city" know for its trikes, motorcycles with sidecars, and the pollution that goes along their two stroke engines. For those History buffs Balanga is situated at the base of Mt. Samat. After three days we went for our first ten day tour living with a host family. We traveled west to the town of Bagac and will be staying with our host family on and off for the next 10 weeks. They are very generous and we have adapted quite well. We live in a three bedroom concrete home with a tin roof. Can you say OVEN. We have no running water, no ceiling, and a flushless "toilet." Welcome to the Peace Corps...right.
We experienced holy week and all the unique rituals that go along with it. Take note of the photos below. These crazy folks slice twelve lines in their backs and then proceed to strike themselves until blood pours down their backs saturating their pants. It is completely intriguing yet thoroughly disturbing at the same time.
As you can see we are having a wonderful time here in the Philippines, with all the time for "chika-chika" which is time spent gossiping or talking with family and friends about your day...we definitely miss home and Everyone we know and love. This place needs a good sandwich place with some thinly sliced smoked turkey, Swiss cheese and good rolls. Most of the meat here is pork and sweet tasting at that. We hope to keep this blog updated regularly, so keep checking in.
All our love.
Kate & Patrick.
April 17, 2006
I know we have been slow with our initial posting but as you can imagine we have been extremely busy since arriving in country. Yes, "in country" is PC terminology and if you plan on viewing our blog regularly you will see we are inundated with numerous acronyms and a tremendous amount of catchy phrases that are impossible to avoid. On Sunday we found out our PST(pre service training) site, Bagac on the Bataan peninsula, and our actual site location could be the best or the worst depending on who you talk to! Sink or swim...right. We find out Thursday April 17th. As you can imagine we are having an amazing time. We pinch ourselves every so often and still cannot believe that we are here seeing the things we see and meeting the wonderful people, volunteers and Filipinos alike. Our first week we were staying at a resort but make no mistake it is not the resort you are picturing in you mind when you hear the word resort. Don’t get me wrong it is nice but the water of Manila Bay is extremely polluted. The poverty in the greater Manila area is unlike anything I have ever witnessed. The roads surrounding Manila are completely insane.
Following our first week we found ourselves at Balanga Polytechnical College in a Hostel on campus. Balanga is a really neat "city" know for its trikes, motorcycles with sidecars, and the pollution that goes along their two stroke engines. For those History buffs Balanga is situated at the base of Mt. Samat. After three days we went for our first ten day tour living with a host family. We traveled west to the town of Bagac and will be staying with our host family on and off for the next 10 weeks. They are very generous and we have adapted quite well. We live in a three bedroom concrete home with a tin roof. Can you say OVEN. We have no running water, no ceiling, and a flushless "toilet." Welcome to the Peace Corps...right.
We experienced holy week and all the unique rituals that go along with it. Take note of the photos below. These crazy folks slice twelve lines in their backs and then proceed to strike themselves until blood pours down their backs saturating their pants. It is completely intriguing yet thoroughly disturbing at the same time.
As you can see we are having a wonderful time here in the Philippines, with all the time for "chika-chika" which is time spent gossiping or talking with family and friends about your day...we definitely miss home and Everyone we know and love. This place needs a good sandwich place with some thinly sliced smoked turkey, Swiss cheese and good rolls. Most of the meat here is pork and sweet tasting at that. We hope to keep this blog updated regularly, so keep checking in.
All our love.
Kate & Patrick.
posted by Patrick at 9:04 PM
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