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| Constance and I |
Love, Ali
Saturday, July 9, 2011
July 9, 2011 Enjoying plants at Base Camp
Bananas! Growing wild on a tree! The sight of this made my day!
Birds of Paradise
Love, Ali
Love, Ali
Sunday, July 3, 2011
July 4, 2011 Leaving LA, arriving at Base Camp, Cavite, Philippines
Happy 4th of July!
Well, we left LAX on July 2nd and have traveled through many time zones and many moods and have had about 5 hours of sleep. I am sharing a room with Amy again. She's about my age, from SC. I slept well but woke often, listening to the sounds of animals outside. Something chirps and grunts and I've never heard anything like it before. If only I weren't so tired I would have been more curious.
Off to breakfast, which smells garlicy and delicious, and then we have a whole day of training sessions. We're hearing that our group of 60 was to have been 2 or more times that but got cut because of budget.
Hey! How is MN running? Are you in fact shut down?
Enjoy some John Phillips Sousa for Mama and me.
Below: Excited to be boarding at LAX to head to the Philippines.
Our residence while at Base Camp for training
Before everyone gathered for breakfast. (wifi-Peace Corps, Philippines, 2011 style!It is extremely unreliable, though and my best hope is to catch it about 4AM, which works well for me since I wake up about 3 every morning.)
Well, we left LAX on July 2nd and have traveled through many time zones and many moods and have had about 5 hours of sleep. I am sharing a room with Amy again. She's about my age, from SC. I slept well but woke often, listening to the sounds of animals outside. Something chirps and grunts and I've never heard anything like it before. If only I weren't so tired I would have been more curious.
Off to breakfast, which smells garlicy and delicious, and then we have a whole day of training sessions. We're hearing that our group of 60 was to have been 2 or more times that but got cut because of budget.
Hey! How is MN running? Are you in fact shut down?
Enjoy some John Phillips Sousa for Mama and me.
Below: Excited to be boarding at LAX to head to the Philippines.
The view out Amy and my room.
Friday, July 1, 2011
July 1, 2011 In which I fly into the next two years of unknown
First day over. Flight went well from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. The meetings today taught me that all the conflicting emotions I'm feeling are common to everyone. We all have anxieties and aspirations over everything. What will I do if I don't like the food? What if my Filipino colleagues disapprove of me or my work? Will I learn the language? Will the family I live with accept me?
Finally, at 7, we finished for the day. A bunch of us walked about a mile to an In'N'Out Burger for supper and had a good, relaxing talk about what this PC process has been like so far.
I'm rooming with Amy, from SC. We set our alarm for 7 and have to be down in the lobby by 8. We fly for 12 hours to Tokyo and then 4 more to the Philippines. We're supposed to "dress comfortably but make a good impression when we land"!
Finally, at 7, we finished for the day. A bunch of us walked about a mile to an In'N'Out Burger for supper and had a good, relaxing talk about what this PC process has been like so far.
I'm rooming with Amy, from SC. We set our alarm for 7 and have to be down in the lobby by 8. We fly for 12 hours to Tokyo and then 4 more to the Philippines. We're supposed to "dress comfortably but make a good impression when we land"!
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
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.
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.
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.
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