Photos of Peace Corps Philippines 1
This is a picture of Maureen and David as they arrived at the Pension Natividad in Manila. This is what we looked like after 24 hours of constant travel. July 27th, 2002
Our arrival to the Philippines
(Back row: Dave, Melissa, and Peter. Front row: Seyla, Big Mike) One of our first days in Manila we took a walk in the park. It was our first taste of Philippine heat. July 28th, 2002
Rizal monument in Rizal Park
Here we are hamming it up before our briefing at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. We also got to meet Colin Powell in the same room a few days later. August 2002
US embassy
This was the site of our training in Los Banos, Laguna, just 1-5 hours from Manila, depending on traffic. We did not live here, but spent 10 hours a day, six days a week here. Sometimes Sundays too! August 2002
Lakeview Resort
This was a lucky shot from a balcony at Lakeview. The storms in Los Banos were quite impressive! Maureen took this picture. August 2002
lightning bolt
Here is Dave squeezing the coconut pulp for its precious milk at our host family's house in Los Banos. The woman in blue is our host mom Mona, and the girl laughing is Mylene, the house girl. She is laughing because guys don't do this sort of thing in the Philippines. August 2002
coconut milk
We stopped on our way back to Los Banos from our water safety session in Batangas. This is the view from the scenic outlook of the smallest volcano in the Philippines, called Taal Volcano. August 2002
Lake Taal
The fruits in the foreground are called rombaton and are as delicious as they are crazy looking. This was a snack at Maureen's group event during training. They called it Burn the Stress, and her group planned activities like ballroom dancing, Tai Chi, and Meditation. August 2002
rombaton
Here is Maureen on the top of the boat that took us to Mindanao, just before it sank, look at that baby keeling over! It took us three days to get there. September 16th, 2002
Ferryboat to Mindanao
Maureen stands proudly in front of her very own jeepney, the primary mode of transport in the Philippines.
Maureen's jeepney
A view from atop the boat before we leave for Mindanao.
Manila Bay
Kathy is from RhodeIsland, and she is placed in Butuan, a 30 minute jeepney ride from Buenavista. She and Maureen do a mean version of Me and Bobby McGee!
Kathy and Moe Kareoke
Hey! Look at the pasty white people under the falls of Mt. Makiling in Los Banos!
Makiling Falls
These guys were at Makiling Falls and enjoyed impressing us with backflips into the water. They were pretty drunk and kept apologizing to us.
Makiling Falls, some locals
At the swearing in ceremony we took a picture of our Visayan group. From left: Dave, Maureen, Kathy, Oma, Big Mike, Cris, a little girl, Julie, Peter
Swearing In - Language Group
From right: Bill Bright (PC Country Director, our boss), Dave and Maureen, Ambassador Ricciardone and his wife. We (group 260) gave them some sweet T-shirts and he swore us in as official volunteers!
Ambassador Ricciardone
This is where we sleep at night in Buenavista. We also read a fair amount in here too. The blue thing is our mosquito net.
our room
This is where the magic happens! Those are some of our friends from the SPED school, the little girl in the middle is our neighbor and walks home with us often.
office
Just a typical view of one of the streets in our town of Buenavista!
The mean streets of BV
From left: Yon, Papa Tinoy, dave, Mama Greta. This was taken at 4:30AM after the teachers serenaded Dave for his birthday.
Dave and the host Family
Bounty from the sea! We came all the way to the Philippines, and all they had to eat was fish and lobster! What a drag!
See food
So that is what they look like on the tree.
bananas
