Getting There

On March 27, 2016March 27, 2016 By hitherekatehereIn Peace CorpsLeave a comment

Fortunately for my bank account, I don’t use public transportation too often at site. I live 30 seconds from work and our office is lucky enough to have a vehicle to ferry us around the province for our various seminars and workshops.

However, this week was Holy Week–a popular time for volunteers and Filipinos alike to get out of town. My friend, Kelly, and I made a plan to meet in Tagaytay, a popular vacation spot outside of Manila. Throughout our trip (which was relaxing and awesome and so necessary), I think I traveled on nearly every transportation option available here in the Philippines!

Over the past few days, I have travelled by:

Ambulance: My office’s car has been in the shop, so we borrowed an ambulance to get to an event in a far-flung municipality (Note: add far-flung to my list of favorite Filipino English words). One of my favorite things about the Philippines is people’s willingness to adapt and share resources. Shout out to the health office that lent us their ride!

Bus: Buses are ubiquitous in the Philippines. You can sometimes pre-purchase tickets at the bus station, but more often, I find myself hailing buses down at the side of the road. It’s easy enough to tell where the bus is going by the sign in the front window and you can buy your ticket on board. Some buses will also let you ride for a short distance–a nice alternate to stuffy jeeps if you are lucky to catch a bus as it passes!

Van: FX vans (named after the model of van) are shared taxis that travel along a specific route. Up to ten people are packed in the van and they usually drive very, VERY fast. Kelly and I were lucky to catch a ride to Tagaytay with a Japaneae tourist who had contracted an entire Van just for himself. Using her expert Tagalog skills, Kelly negotiated that we would pay only a small fraction of the total price (no shame–#integration plus the guy was willing to pay the whole price to begin with…volunteers kami at walang $pera$)

Tricycle: Trikes are the easiest way to travel short distances when a. It’s too hot or b. You are with a Filipino who insists that your destination is “too far” to walk and then it turns out that the place you wanted to go is around the corner. I resist taking trikes because I am too tall to sit comfortably in the sidecar.

Jeepney: The main form of public transportation in the Philippines is the jeepney. Like FX vans, jeeps follow pre-set routes–albeit with more character as relics of WWII. You can hop on and off the jeep any time you like. To find out the price of your bayad or pamasahe (how much it will it will cost to ride the jeep), just ask the driver and he will somehow magically know how much you owe to the piso AND will give you back the right change, even though 10 people handed him their bayad at the same time.

To get a jeep to stop for you on the side of the road, stick out your hand with your fingers indicating the number of passengers looking to ride. Each side of the jeep is lined with a bench that holds nine passengers, so if there is enough room–the driver will stop. Just kidding! The driver will almost always stop if you are willing to sit next to him in the front seat, in the “back seat” (plank of wood precariously placed at the rear exit of the jeep as needed), or up top on the roof of the jeep.

When it’s time to stop, shout “para” (okay, fine, I am the only one that shouts; the typical practice is to mumble “para” under your breath, but this trick doesn’t seem to work for foreigners) or rap a coin a few times on the roof to make a tinkling noise to signify your stop.

A last word on jeepneys–one thing that really irks me is the fact that every passenger wants service to their exact destination. This often means that the jeep will stop to let a passenger off, only to make another stop 30 seconds later to let off another passenger. As someone who is used to a relatively efficient commute, this practice can be frustrating, but such is life in this laid back country!

Bangka: A bangka is a small pump boat that carries passengers from island to island. Living in the mountains, I obviously don’t travel by boat too much but it was nice to get out on the water during my trip to Tagaytay.

Walking: As a ~city girl~, walking is something I sorely miss about home. The Philippines is just not well set up for pedestrians with its relentless traffic and general lack of sidewalks. However, in Tagatay, I not only walked (due to a gross underestimation of how far away our hotel was) but I also hiked Taal Volcano!

Motorbike: NOT! Motorcycles are bawal (forbidden) for volunteers.

Our car was in the shop, so we borrowed an ambulance to get to our event

I lay down on the stretcher and took a nap during our ambulance ride. Not a bad way to get to work!

tricycles (trikes) are the most common mode of transport for short distances. You can pay a steeper price to take the tricycle alone or wait for others to split the price with. At my site, trikes usually cost 10 pesos (about 20 cents)

On our first day in Tagaytay, my friend , Kelly, and I hired a trike to bring us to many of the famous tourist spots. However, given that it is Holy Week, we spent a lot of time sweating while sitting in traffic

rode the ferris wheel at sky ranch amusement park

Horses are the main means of transport at Taal Volcano, one of Tagaytay’s most famous tourist destinations. Kelly and I chose to hike, but most (sane) people choose to ride horses.

Edit

friends on a boat! kelly has been such a life line here in the philippines. So special to have such an easygoing supportive friend

our guide set a relatively brisk pace (aka i was dying)

a well deserved second dessert (not pictured: many other well deserved desserts)

this is just a random picture of a jeep that i found on google, but i think it gives you an idea!

i think this picture (courtesy of google images) makes it clear why volunteers are not allowed to ride motorbikes. i regularly see kids under the age of ten driving motorbikes (With no helmets!!)

I never knew I never knew!

On March 22, 2016March 22, 2016 By hitherekatehereIn Peace Corps2 Comments

Before starting my Peace Corps service, I assumed that I would learn Tagalog (Filipino), the national language of the Philippines. I did in fact spend weeks studying the language during our pre-service training and I am so grateful for all that I absorbed, as it has been very helpful in negotiating with taxi drivers and making small children laugh at birthday parties.

However, Tagalog is not the most common language spoken at my site. More often, I hear people speaking Tuwali (our native Ifugao dialect), Ilocano, and surprisingly–English.

There are many reasons why English is widely spoken in the Philippines–years of American colonization, mass media exposure, and the fact that English often serves as a common tongue among speakers of the over 170 languages utilized in this archipelago nation.

Although my students protest “Nosebleed!” (read on for the definition of this commonly used term) when I conduct my sessions in English, I reassure them that their English skills are truly very strong.

However, this is not to say that speaking English with a Filipino is exactly the same as chatting with a native speaker. There are certain English expressions used here that are distinctively Pinoy!

Before starting Peace Corps, I neer knew that I would be learning FOUR languages–Tagalog, Tuwali, Ilocano, and my own (English)!

Enjoy this list of English phrases and vocabulary unique to the Philippines:

“I will be the one”: Meaning “I’ll do it.”

“I’ll go ahead”: Manners are big here in the Philippines. At least where I live, it’s customary to announce your intent before departure

Already: Filipinos use this word to say that they have finished doing something, even if it the task was completed past the original deadline (i.e.: late) In the U.S., “already” is only used when something was completed ahead of schedule

Bread: Refers to actual bread, but also cookies, crackers, and almost any carb that’s not rice or pasta

Bedspace: If you see a sign that says “Bed space available,” it means that there is a room for rent. Bedspace rooms are often a cheap option for college students, as they are occupied by several people sleeping on bunk beds

Tomboy: A girl that dresses in a traditionally masculine fashion. A “tomboy” is almost always presumed to be a lesbian

The other day: Refers to the “day before yesterday”

“Wait awhile”: The equivalent of “Wait a minute” in the U.S.; “awhile” can last anywhere from seconds, to hours, to days…

Pentel pen: a marker; I use this one a lot in my sessions with youth!

Duster: Not quite pajamas, a house dress is a dress that you wear at home but not in public

Green joke: Dirty jokes, usually with a sexual connotation

“Gets?”: “Do you understand?”

Canteen: Cafeteria

Cabinet: Closet/dresser

Kinder: pre-school/kindergarten

High blood: Used to describe the feeling of being angry/annoyed/frustrated/generally out of control of one’s emotions

Ref: Refrigerator

CP: Cellphone

Slang: Speaking with a heavy accent (rather than using colloquial words)

Nosebleed: Describes the feeling experienced by non-native English speakers when someone speaks to them in English in a manner that is too fast/unfamiliar

Low batt: Used to describe a phone whose battery is dying/dead

Batch/batch mate: “Batch” refers to the year you graduated from school; a batchmate is a classmate from your year

Bond paper: Regular old computer paper

Bird/Flower: Slang terms for penis and vagina. In our sessions on Adolescent Reproductive Health, it can be really challenging to get youth to use the clinical terms.

Barbeque: Not as general of a term as it is in the States. In the Philippines, barbeque refers specifically to grilled meat cut into smaller pieces and put on a stick.

Fall in line: To line up

Course: One’s major in college

“Get down” from the jeep: to disembark from the jeep or any mode of transportation

Rubber shoes: Sneakers/Crocs

Remembrance: Souvenir

Officemate: Co-worker

Gay: Refers not only to homosexuals, but also to trans/gender-non conforming males. The Tagalog term for gay is ‘Bakla”.

M’am/Sir: M’am and Sir take the place of Mr. and Ms.

Cope up: To deal with a challenging situation

“Joke!”: After someone makes a funny/sarcastic comment that could be interpreted as rude or hurtful, they usually will immediately say “Joke! Joke!”, oftentimes in the same breath.

Load: Credit for your cellphone (Most phones are pay-as-you-go)

Open/close the light: Turn on and off the light

Feeling close (FC): A group of high school students introduced me to this one the other day. “Feeling close” means acting like you’re close to someone who barely knows you, such as an acquaintance

Service Water: Unbottled water at a restaurant

Chit: The bill at a restaurant

Soft drinks: Refers to different types of sodas

Mag-Facebook (and similar Taglish words): Ok, so not officially English, but there are so many English words utilized in Tagalog that when in doubt, I just add the “Mag-” verb prefix and I can usually be understood

imagesQ2PVDKNG — I think one of my favorite Filipino English expressions is when pancit (the ubiquitous noodle dish), is referred to as a snack. As far as I am concerned, pancit is a meal!

A Day in The Life

On March 12, 2016March 12, 2016 By hitherekatehereIn Peace CorpsLeave a comment

Hey there! This week I am continuing with the Blogging Abroad Challenge by sharing some insights into my day-to-day life as a Peace Corps Volunteer living in the Philippines. No two days are exactly the same, but this is my general schedule.

5:00-5:20am: Wake up! Although work starts 8:30am, the only chance I have to exercise is in the early morning. It seems culturally taboo to exert any energy once the sun comes up.

I’ve always been a morning person, so it’s not too hard for me to put on my sneakers and get out the door. Plus, running in the pre-dawn hours is the only time that I get to wear all black without anyone commenting on it (mostly because they can’t see me when it’s so dark). This is reason enough for my Johnny Cash self to wake up at 5am to go jogging in the plaza.

6:15am: Return home and start making breakfast while my bath water heats up. I use an electric coil to heat my water and I live in fear of electrocution. It’s just not natural to dunk something with a plug into a bucket of water. However, a hot bath is definitely worth the anxiety.

It brings me such joy that I can eat oatmeal for breakfast every day just like I did in the states. Sadly, access to real coffee is another matter. Since I gave up 3-in-1 coffee (a sickly sweet combination of instant coffee, non-dairy creamer and SUGAR), I’ve been trying to stick to tea, which is surprisingly expensive here in the Philippines (if you need an idea of something to put in a package 😉 )

the notorious 3-in-1 coffee…you can buy the sachets in long strips at the market

7:00am: Take a hot shower with one bucket for scalding water and one for cold. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s always important to measure your hot to cold water ratio before dumping the tabo (water dipper) over your head. Boiling water is really hot!

this is the coil i use to heat my bath water…scary!

7:30-9:00am: The best part about waking up early is having extra time to fool around before work. It takes me about five minutes to get dressed and then the rest of my time is spent listening to podcasts, chatting with friends and family back in the states, stretching, and meditating on the days I have the patience.

podcasts of the moment–always open to new suggestions!

9:00am-5:00pm: I can just about see my office from my house, so the walk over is pretty uneventful. I do live near two schools though, so I get to see a lot of cute kids in uniform.

There are no typical days at the Population Office. Usually, I am out in the field at least two days of every week conducting workshops and trainings for high school and college kids. Sometimes these trainings are local and other times they involve overnight travel. Sometimes I facilitate for ten students and other times I facilitate for three hundred. I’m also often called upon as an inspirational speaker for various events. Being a Peace Corps Volunteer will do wonders for your public speaking skills!

speaking to graduating college students about finding the right career

protecting our students (many of whom will go on to work oversees) from exploitation and human trafficking

practing making good choices with some teenage decision-making ninjas

the awesome participants of one of the Write On! creative writing contests that another PCV and I held

On the days that I am in the office, I work on developing my modules and preparing materials for my sessions. There is a lot of creative collaboration in our office and I am so grateful for how much my coworkers help me in making my lessons culturally applicable.

There is also a lot of laughter and snacking around these parts. Popular snacks of the Population Office include: camote cues (potato-like root vegetable on a stick, coated in crystallized sugar), lumpia (fried spring rolls), and cinnamon bread (sticky orange pull apart bread coated in cinammon and sugar).

snack at a recent event, sweet spaghetti and hot dogs!

In many ways, my office is just like any workplace in the states–air con, florescent lighting, and bulletin boards. Some notable differences–we have no reliable wifi connection, we send most of our documents using Facebook (due to our slow/non-existent internet), and there are a plethora of children who come to work with their parents every day.

I get my lunch from the canteen run by persons with disabilities. In addition to being an altruistic way to get fed, it is also some of my favorite food in town. A few months ago, they had an Australian volunteer who helped introduce new recipes like sweet and sour chicken and carrot cake; I am a very happy beneficiary of this cultural exchange! While it was a little difficult at first to place my order with the server who has some challenges in speaking, I am now know by all as “half rice” girl given my frequent requests for smaller portions.

5pm: Given that I work for the Provincial Government, rules about working hours are pretty stringent. No one is supposed to leave before five, even if work is completed for the day. Once five hits, we are all out the door.

Some days I head to the market after work and other days Chelsea, my site mate and I, take long rambling walks around our community. But mostly, I am bone tired. It takes a lot of energy to be shiny all day.

5-7pm: During this time, my host mom and I drink coffee and chat about…everything under the sun. If I am feeling anti-social, I might retreat to my room to read a book. Peace Corps Volunteers read a lot. A lot.

At around 6 or 7, I make myself dinner. I’m always happy to have the chance to eat something fresh and vegetarian. A great part about living in the Cordilleras is the abundance of vegetables. I eat a lot of green beans, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, tomatoes, and pechay (similar to bok choy); bonus healthy points because it’s all ~organic~. As far as protein goes, it’s mostly eggs, peanut butter, and mung beans. Not surprised my hair is falling out…

bitter gourd/ampalaya, a truly bitter acquired taste

7:00-10:00pm: After dinner, I seal off from my downstairs life and retreat upstairs to my fortress of solitude. As of late, I’ve been spending the hours before bed alternating between Sherlock and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I’ll read for a few minutes before bed and then it’s time to tuck in my mosquito net and shut off the lights.

And that’s it–my simple life. Weekends are a bit more spicy, with trips to the market, social functions, and occasional excursions to the nearest mall (when I told my parents that I travel 3+ hours to go to the movies, they thought this was ridiculous but HEY–a girl’s got to live and eat some popcorn once in a while).

Enjoy these pics from a recent weekend trip to Bagiuo (the biggest city in the CAR region) for Panagbenga, a massive flower festival and parade!

strawberry flavored taho (lukewarm drink with soy and tapioca pearls)

quick visit to my other home in new york!

Thanks as always for reading!

Where is home?

On March 2, 2016March 2, 2016 By hitherekatehereIn Peace CorpsLeave a comment

I wanted to write something clever for this week’s blog post. However, I have a sore throat, so I am admitting defeat. Also, someone has already said what I wanted to say and said it better, so I’ll keep my words to myself–just this once.

I first watched Pico Iyer’s TED talk “Where is Home?” in 2013. I had recently returned from six glorious months in Guatemala and was feeling heartbroken that I had traded tamales and bougainville for squatting in the living room of the one-bedroom apartment my parents were temporarily renting while negotiating the sale of my childhood home.

Without a familiar family domicile, or even the faintest memory of having a permanent address (I spent most of 2010-2013 in Asia and Central & South America), I was feeling pretty lost at sea. Iyer’s words resonated with me by giving context and meaning to my lack of a home in the traditional sense.
Of nomads like myself, Iyer states:

They have one home associated with their parents, but another associated with their partners, a third connected maybe with the place where they happen to be, a fourth connected with the place they dream of being, and many more besides.

And their whole life will be spent taking pieces of many different places and putting them together into a stained glass whole. Home for them is really a work in progress. It’s like a project on which they’re constantly adding upgrades and improvements and corrections.

And for more and more of us, home has really less to do with a piece of soil than, you could say, with a piece of soul.

A piece of soul, I like that.

Eight months into living in the Philippines and there are surely things that I miss about the U.S. Everything bagels with scallion cream cheese; Mr. Green, my 92 year old Jamaican landlord who dresses exclusively in three piece suits; aimlessly walking from Crown Heights to Park Slope and Williamsburg just because I had the time.

I miss all of these things, but I can’t truly say that I am homesick. If anything, by choosing to live far away in spite of the lure of comforts and familiarity, I feel more at home with myself than ever.

Enjoy these pictures of my home here in Ifugao. I am still happily living with my host mom, but I will be moving into my own place sometime soon.

For the next couple of weeks, I will be participating in the Blogging Abroad Blog Challenge. Expect more frequent posts and check out their website for insights from individuals living and blogging around the world!