Thursday, June 30, 2011

June 30,2011 My address while in training

Letters and packages may be sent to the following address:

Alice DeMatteo
c/o U.S.Peace Corps
6/F PNB Financial Center
Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City
1308 Philippines

Only letters, on the other hand, may be sent to the following address:

Alice DeMatteo
U.S. Peace Corps
P.O. Box 7013, Airmail Distribution Center

NAUIA, Pasay City

A Peace Corps staff member picks up mail from the post office weekly and sends it to volunteer sites through a courier service, known in-country as the Peace Corps Pouch.
1301 Philippines


I left my house yesterday and am staying with Anna until I leave for the airport at 6:00AM tomorrow! Thank you for all your interest, support and warm fare-thee-wells! Love, Ali

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

June 29,2011 Last days at Rum River Library

Rum River Library
Busy, busy, busy directing, redirecting and cutting communications with people and businesses. I only have a few more days and then, Yeaaa! All the preparing will be done.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

June 9,2011 Airline tickets arrive!

I have my airline ticket to LA! It's feeling real and getting exciting! I leave July 1 for LA and leave for the Philippines July 3!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

June 7,2011 Turtle laying eggs

I don't go to DC after all. I will be going to LA. This came via email yesterday. Our "brief, yet intense orientation" will be there, and "you will be expected to act and dress in keeping with your status as a professional and guest. At staging, business casual attire is required." So now I'm looking for a dress.
Meanwhile, our one week allotment of spring is, apparently, expired, and now we are in sweltering summer. I'm not complaining, mind you, just noting!
Yesterday evening I was out in my back yard and my neighbor, Jenna, and her little ones, Zacky and Christa, came over to visit and Zacky yelled for us to come see the turtle in my garden. We have a lot of turtles, but he wanted us to see this one, "It's in a hole!", he said. Sure enough, the 6" turtle had backed itself into a hole about 6" deep and just about right to hold a bottle of water. We got to watch as Mama Turtle deposited an egg! Then, as we sat there with the children, she plopped out one after the other, about 30 seconds apart, until she had laid 8!! What a thrill! Wild America right in my yard! We wanted to see her push the dirt over the hole, but she scurried away as soon as she laid the last. I've never seen a turtle move that fast. I'd want to hide, too, if a little crowd watched me and narrated my giving birth.