week 6

Week five ended with a tropical getaway. A trip I never could have fathomed I would be able to take when I envisioned where in the world the Peace Corps may place me. Last Sunday, a group of 18 trainees went snorkeling at Apo Island! It is said to be one of the top places in the world to snorkel/scuba dive. A short bus drive from Dumaguete and a 45 minute boat ride later we were jumping into the clear, beautiful water to explore. I was suddenly in a world I had only ever seen on the Discovery Channel. Bright corals and schools of fish swarming around me. I am in awe as a sea turtle passes by. If my mouth didn't have a snorkel sticking in it I would have been smiling from ear to ear.

This week I went to our Supervisor's Conference in Bacolod, on the northwest part of Negros. The first afternoon we were impatiently awaiting to hear our site placements. Our sector managers announced placements by region and my heart began to race as they began calling the trainees for Cebu. Was my prediction right? It sure was! My future work site will be in Lapu Lapu City in the metro area of Cebu City. I will be working at a community-based NGO called Euphrasia Development Center. They offer programming in various barangays to children, youth, and families. A summary of the organization's mission/vision: To provide less fortunate children, youth, and families uplifting dignity that promotes equality. To nurture and develop children and youth to become self reliant, healthy, and responsible while living in a peaceful humane society motivated by spiritual and moral values. 

I will be focusing my work in the barangay I am living in, but venturing into Cebu City once or twice a week for alternative projects and staff meetings. I will be aiding/facilitating life skills trainings, supervised neighborhood play (SNP), empowerment and advocacy activities, working with their youth group, networking with families, health education, and outreach in schools. As my time progresses I will develop new projects and my overall goal is to help their longtime dream become a reality: opening a youth resource center.

At the conference I met my supervisor and worked with her to level our expectations of one another and develop a work plan for the first six months of service. She is very smart and committed to the work of the organization.

On Thursday my supervisor and I traveled from Bacolod to Lapu Lapu City. I met my counterpart and other volunteers within the organization. They were all so warm and welcoming which was a great first impression. I visited the various sites where the organization operates and made courtesy calls in my future barangay, Pajac. I should mention, the barangay feels quite rural with open fields around. The bustling city is so close yet I am in a different little world.

On Friday, I visited three SNP sites. My mind was racing as I was bewildered as to how I would ever work with 2-6 year olds. My experience is with youth, not small children. I hope my focus will be more so with Euphrasia's youth programs, because I would be much more effective with that population. I am overwhelmed. There is a small office in Cebu City for Euphrasia otherwise my work is literally community-based. My Cebuano is more elementary than I thought. I need to become fluent in order to become successful in developing rapport with clients and implementing programming.

Although my three day site visit is over I will be staying in Cebu City for four more days. The CYF trainees will participate street immersion to develop a better understanding for the issues facing street children and prostitutes. My agency, Euphrasia, is one of the facilitators so I will continue to learn more about my organization as the week goes on.

Week six was a roller coaster. I was stressed. One minute I was reconsidering my reasons for being here then  laughing with my future co-workers the next. I think this will be very common over the next two years. Oh, the strains of being in the PC. Sigh. Time for sleep and another busy week ahead.