Girls L.E.A.D Camp 2008

These are the four participants and my really amazing counterpart from my center :-)

I love the saying from the movie Forest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” So many opportunities fall into my lap all the time being here and it is hard to choose, sometimes I will want to participate and commit to it but it is hard to do it all and then I back out. Today has been a tough day; yes I do have these and from what I’m told it is normal (I’m kidding I know they are normal). I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with the amount of projects I have going and will be starting soon. I was telling my sister that one of my biggest challenges in my life is the lack of ability to pace myself which can lead to me becoming paralyzed until a deadline and then it gets done. I probably don’t sound very professional but I guess that’s life and I am human. I’m working on it but I think I’m also just hard on myself because it has been a very busy week and I’m over tired. I’ll get there.

I just helped facilitate a 4 day Girls L.E.A.D camp for 30 girls (4 were from my center) and it was amazing. In a way it was more like a conference because it was session orientated. My counterpart and I facilitated 2 sessions: friendship and understanding cause and effect. Other sessions were: past/present/future, career visualization, agree to disagree, goal planning, and communication. The second half of the camp the girls had to decide on one session, plan and prepare to echo it to some of the residents at their center. I think it went really well and we had 5 pairs of girls planning to replicate one of our sessions. It was really hard work, the first activity was at 6am and lights out was at 10pm with a very tight schedule. The facilitators were constantly on and encouraging the girls so by the end of the 4 days all participants and staff were totally exhausted.

It was nice to work with a group of girls who thought they had limited options, then to see them bloom over the 4 days and see there are options for them. This was the second time the camp had been conducted and not many changes had been made regarding the content and implementation. A few of us hope to do it again next year and make it an annual program. The counterparts that worked on the camp again this year had grown since the last one and their self confidence as facilitators improved. They are really motivated to see this program continue. I look forward to working with them on it next year.

One of my younger girls really came out of her shell and I am so proud of her. She is often the one who follows the stronger girls at our center without much standing up for herself. She is quiet and reserved; she is very polite and sweet. Over the 4 days she would give her opinion when asked, and would try to interact and have fun with the other older girls. I was concerned she and the other younger girl would not be able to replicate a session because of their timid persona but after practicing a few times she improved and interactive. I think her session will go very well.

Hot Air Balloon Festival, Pampanga 2008

Pics from the Day...

Last Saturday I went to the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival at Clark base in my province with Rachel. It is about 2.5 hour trip from my house (using public transportation). Unfortunately we left late so we did not see the hot air balloons fly off into the morning sky but we did get a chance to see some really cool aircraft.

It felt like an activity my dad would find out about when we were kids and then he would pack us all in the car and we would be off for the day to a festival of some kind. Rachel and I took our time perusing the area, stopping at the Green Peace booth, talking with the staff about their promotion of clean vehicles (using bio-degradable waste as fuel) and them trying us to pledge some money. Rachel and I were not interested in giving money but we did try to find out if they had any info we could share and work with our barangay’s on but no luck. These vehicles they are promoting are pretty cool but the guy got kinda technical and I couldn’t keep up with the conversation (I was just too tired). There were booths selling charms, t-shirts and cool mugs (dad I got you a cool magnet) and other various things. The really nice part about the set up was any kind of fast food you could imagine they had there willing to feed the masses.

So back to the cool stuff… there were 21 balloons that participated in the festival this year and two were Filipino operators. They go up in the morning before 7am and then do another show at dusk (yeah we missed it; we can plan better for next year). We got to see some really cool 3, 5, and 19 passenger planes. We also saw a “kit plane” which is a plane that is put together like a model car, plane or any other model toy. 51% of the plane comes in a box and the rest has to be purchased separately (like the engine) and then people who know how assemble it. It is not approved by the FAA but it follows their standards. It is pretty cool looking but unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of it but basically it has 2 seats and looks like a plane but without the walls. Also there were so many air force officers from the Philippine military that were willing to take pictures with you next to their jeeps, guns, tanks and helicopters. We got a chance to see the kind of equipment and even touch it!!! Yeah they would explain the different parts and how they would use them in various situations. There were model planes, and model scenarios built and in cases. Lots of pictures from the previous wars were on display; situations the military aided in and some very gruesome and devastating situations with dead soldiers.

Lots of families were there watching people fly kites, watch the various aerial shows and learn about the military brought for show and tell. It was well put together and something Rachel and I want to see again next year.

Thanks a Bunch

Isn't my kitty Harrold cute???

Here in the Philippines there is no mailing letters from your mailbox, post box on your street or handing it to your mail carrier (if you can figure out who he might be). You are required to go to the post office in the closest town (which is a 15 min jeep ride or 10.50 peso ride each way) and then you need to make sure you are there before closing time at 4:45pm. The post office opens about 9am but they cannot sell stamps before 9:30 or 9:45am so even if you are there at opening time you best have a stamp already. This is the funny part your mail gets weighed if it is international (which mine are 99.9% of the time) so buying stamps ahead of time are kinda worthless cause my letters seem to be different weights all the time. Although, sending a postcard is a straight 26 pesos. I think I need to send more real mail in order to get this into an exact science.

Now as Ming (the cat who will live with me permanently) sits in my lap and takes a rest while Harrold is standing on my foot chewing at some part of my sock I think about the packages that I have received in the last week. I want to say a big THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH for sending all the goodies. I get all sorts of warm fuzzies when I think of them and opening them. Yesterday, I received another package and my host mom asked if the packages I have received were from my boyfriend and I had to remind her again that I’m single (I think my host parents are in denial that I’m 26, single and this is okay at least by my standards) but from my relatives back in the states who love me so much and are willing to pay the outrageous postage to send me cute, fun stuff. Being far away and getting e-messages, e-mails, written letters and packages makes it all okay.

In conclusion thank you for taking the time to have any contact with me at all I really appreciate it. :)

Asking Me Questions

Hi Guys,

So this is a quick message to all those who send me messages, let me know what they think about my blogs and everyone else. Thank you for being interactive. I love hearing about what you think and answering your questions. My only comment is that if you have questions and you post it on my blogs please leave your e-mail address or a way to give you a response. If you need it here is my e-mail addy: katiepentz@hotmail.com if you are concerned about someone getting your e-mail addy. Ingat (take care) and I will blog again soon :-)

This a picture of a portion of a hotel that shoots a very popular t.v show called Mari Mar. It is an amazing hotel that has 2 status next to each other that just don't fit... the grotto with the virgin Mary and a dinosaur. Only in the Philippines!!!

Starry Night Surprise or Holiday Surprise

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Me and my Host Mom - Inang God the night sky was beautiful tonight. I think there are more stars in this sky than there are in Havasu if that is even possible. Not really but it seems so. Really there are minimal lights in the streets and even at points there should be there are none. Walking between the Somascan property and Mary’s place is a death trap. Pot holes are everywhere and you cannot even walk in a thin straight line. I wanted to stop in the middle of the road and just look up for a while but I was late coming home and needed to catch a bus if there was even one. Well I don’t want to get into how I got home because I’m home safe and writing this. I have experienced my first Christmas and New Years away from home and I survived. They were both great cultural opportunities and I’m so glad I got to participate in them; next year I hope to get new opportunity. My host family does not celebrate Christmas because of their faith - Iglesia Ni Christo so I was on my own to find my activity. A fellow PCV and I were spending Christmas together and we were invited to spend it with another PCV at her work site. Christmas here actually starts on Christmas Eve between 10pm and Midnight and it is called "Noche Buena." Families will get together the night before and welcome the birth of Christ. Food will be made and shared and spaghetti is definitely included in the menu. This is the start of gift giving, all could be given or some could be opened the next morning. On Christmas day neighbors will come to each others homes looking for a Christmas gift which would be a monetary gift. A coworker indicated that 20 pesos for children and 100 pesos for an adult was the standard. The family gets together which includes extended family and food is prepared and consumed. Food as you may have caught on is a huge part of the culture and any holiday, event or visitor will call for special dishes and consuming something. New Years eve was similar in preparation actually the day was restful and around 6pm the family began again preparing this time for the midnight feast welcoming in the New Year. My host cousin’s family prepared beef and broccoli, carbonara pasta, chicken wings, deep fried pork, sweet spaghetti (the classic), and a variety of deserts. Ate Nitz prepared kebabs, hotdogs on a stick, squid, chicken adobo, and deserts. By 10:30pm I was so tired and took a quick 1 hour nap. Just before midnight I was told to turn on all the lights in my house and to open my door even though I was not in my house (this is the first time I was allowed and advised to) this shows God the way to my house so he will bless it for the New Year. The family says a prayer for the New Year and by this time the whole neighborhood is alight with fireworks. Everyone has them and lights them in the yard or along the highway. Some fly into the botanical nursery across the highway and I’m concerned they will set the whole place on fire but it is not to be thank God. We then start at Inang’s house with the feast. Of course I’m told I have not eaten enough (especially since I refused rice) but I needed to save room for the other homes. We visited 3 other family members before heading home and by the time I climbed into bed it was 4am. Crazy!!! New Years day was a blur, I felt hung over but I didn’t even have a sip of any alcohol!!! I have come to the realization that if I lay my head down after 2:30am (with or without alcohol) I will be utterly useless the next day. I was discussing with a counterpart her Christmas and New Years and it was also very family orientated. I’m much more used to spending Christmas with my family but also visiting friends and New Years celebrating it with family and friends.

The Questions!!!!

Me and my Host Cousin - Diane at New Years

“Kate, is this your first Christmas (or New Years) without your family? Is it difficult for your family not to have you at home? Don’t you miss them?” These are the questions I have been repeatedly asked this holiday season. It is only because the person asking really cares but at the same time it can be difficult. When it is asked as often as I have received the questions it make me second guess why I would leave such a comfortable situation back home and come to a place so different from home.

Of course spending a major holiday like Christmas or New Years is tough but if I dwell on it I would be on a plane back home and would not be looking back. This is exactly what I want to reply with but it is too callous and would not be good. To leave your home and your family other than for monetary gain is unheard of and crazy. Why would I do such a thing??? I don’t know maybe for the adventure or knowing I could be making a small difference in the world around me. I guess the reason these 3 questions are more difficult for me is that they realize how special and wonderful my family back home is and I must be totally out of my mind to have left. I am a person who has to focus on the positive or I would fall off the wagon. The Christmas season is difficult enough with multiple people leaving this earth around this time, it is my favorite season (and I put up no decorations this year – big mistake) and my compound does not celebrate Christmas. Now that Christmas and New Years is over I figure that by the end of January any residual versions of these 3 questions will cease and I’ve just got to hold out till then. I’m tough, I can do it and still remain perky :-)

Some of the other constant and crazy questions with my responses:

How old are you? 26 and I’m still marriage material.

Are you married? Why not? No, cause I have not found my husband yet.

Would you marry a Filippino? Sure, I would marry any nationality.

Don’t you want to get married? Yes, when I find the right guy (as they chuckle).

Do you know…(a random Filippino) he lives in Arizona (or any other state) let me show you his picture? Hum, I don’t think so.

Where are you going (as you pass someone in the street)? Over there.

Will you help us build our church (the squatters asked)? I have a meeting right now but when I pass by later you can ask me again.

How much rent do you pay? Secreto!!! (Always a good response when it is nobody’s business).

Do you like it here in the Philippines? Yes, I love it!!!

Are you a missionary (the look is quizzical)? Oh no, I’m with the Peace Corps and we have no religious affiliation.

What religion are you? I was “raised” catholic but right now I’m taking a break from religion.