Four months ago—a hazy time I now think of as the long, long ago—I had yet to leave one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the United States, and my favorite past time was imagining all of the ups and downs I would face while living in a new and foreign country. Fast forward a few months and here I am, living those ups and downs.
Some difficulties are standard Peace Corps fare, and I’m not surprised to find them here in the Philippines. The absence of hot showers, quality Mexican food, and toilet paper for instance, have all been unpleasant but not wholly unexpected. In fact, I find myself coping with the loss of these luxuries fairly well.
But what surprises me most about life in the Philippines are the trials and tribulations that are unique to this place. As a country that stands wedged between the Eastern and Western worlds—a country dominated by the Spanish, ravaged by the Japanese, and recently emancipated from a tumultuous period of stewardship by the Unites States—the Philippines is a land of contradictions.
Gripped by poverty, a swelling population, and political corruption, the Philippines is also host to an astonishing array of megamalls, including (or so I’ve heard) one of the world’s largest malls, The Mall of Asia. Professionals, laborers, and abandoned street children all walk together each day along the same crowded streets. And in a land that stresses the importance of family, one of the largest contributions to the country’s financial sector comes from the earnings of overseas workers who work abroad without seeing family or friends for periods lasting several years.
A picture of my recent excursion to a smaller, but still gigantic mall in the nearby province of Pampanga.
This last month has been on of reflection for me, and all of the challenges that face the Philippines can at times seem insurmountable for one confused Peace Corps volunteer to handle. But, some part of me knows that this period of deep ambivalence is just part of the adjustment process; afterall, I have a lot to be thankful for.
I’ve enjoyed getting to know locals and my fellow volunteers, I no longer get lost wandering the city, and I have shaken hands with Mayor “Bong” Gordon on more than one occasion. In fact, despite having only spent a little over a month in Olongapo, I’ve even had a few successes at work: I've taught a few English classes, volunteered at a center for girls, and even managed to offer a series of trust building games at a Boy Scout camp.
I’ve enjoyed getting to know locals and my fellow volunteers, I no longer get lost wandering the city, and I have shaken hands with Mayor “Bong” Gordon on more than one occasion. In fact, despite having only spent a little over a month in Olongapo, I’ve even had a few successes at work: I've taught a few English classes, volunteered at a center for girls, and even managed to offer a series of trust building games at a Boy Scout camp.
But, so far the conditions here are still putting a damper on my spirits., making it difficult for me to “settle in”. That said, November is a new month and I hope to find happier, less equivocal times over the horizon.
So, until next month...
Palaam!
