Must say that it's been a fascinating process thus far and that I'm very favorably impressed with the logistical competencies of the PC Philippines in dealing with 143 new Trainees.
As everyone warned us, you land in Manila (we landed after midnight), they bus you to your IO site (initial orientation) to a hurrah welcome from PC staff and volunteers, give you a snack of bananas and apples and sweet tea, and around 2am you plop into bed (three in a room). We arrived on a Saturday midnight and began the orientation at 8:30 am, after breakfast. All three of us in our room collapsed around 7pm and woke up at 3am for a couple of days. We were kept busy every day, getting lectures from the Embassy on dangers, the Peace Corps on etiquette and the medical officers on keeping healthy (and of course getting our inoculations).
Because our group was so large (143), we stayed at a lovely resort and were treated royally...quite delusional. The last night, my two roommates and I even went to the spa and splurged ($20) for a massage...pretty intense - I still have bruises - but it certainly worked out whatever knots I had!
Announcement of our various language placements came with fanfare. I was hoping to study Waray in Lehte, Cebuano in Dumaguette, or Hiligaynon (Ilonggo)in Iloilo - all of which are in the Visayas...oh well. I'm glad to be studying Tagalog since it's the official language, but a little bummed that I won't be near a swimmable beach. I do, however, remind myself that I could be in Azerbaijan, which quickly restores my mood!!
There are two 'clusters' of CYF (Children, Youth and Family)volunteers grouped together for language study - 5 people in each cluster. And so, we boarded the bus at 7am for a 4 hour trip to Olangapo, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines!!
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