My Internship Experience

Everything has its end. Though I have enjoyed my 4-week stay here with AFS Philippines, I got to go back to my real world for now - my college life in Miriam. I will never forget all the lessons I learned and the skills I have developed while I was here. This experience will definitely help me in my future career and even for my last year in college. It has opened up opportunities for me to learn more, meet new people, and be creative. I will always be truly thankful for my AFS family. 

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Though this picture is not complete (because some of them are out of town or out of the country), it still symbolizes the passion and the dedication of AFS Staff. You inspire me guys!

It was really good to see Muslim students, even from the most southern part of the country, is given the opportunity to experience what is it like to be in a different country and to share their culture and religion.

Goodluck to these young ladies who will spend their next 11 months in the US!

Visitor from the AFS Main Office

We are honored to meet Ms. Keri Dooley, Chief Government Relations and Sponsored Programs Officer of AFS USA. She is the one who manages all US Sponsored Programs like the YES Program. Whenever she goes to the Annual AFS Asia-Pacific General Meeting, its also predictable that she will visit AFS Philippines. She likes to have a round table discussion with YES Alumni to get to know what everyone was doing. This is also their way of knowing how much impact this project has on its alumni and their community. So far, they have seen real and wonderful changes in different countries that is why the US State Department still supports the program.

Ms. Keri said she had a great time with the YES alumni and was proud to see all the community services each of them had done all over the Philippines. It is always a wonderful experience to get to know the people behind the big programs. I find her very approachable and open to new ideas. She loves it when students/alumni speak out their minds.

She looks forward to coming back to the Philippines sometime next year. We also look forward to meeting her and presenting more awesome projects.

It is fun to be an AFSer!

Back to the Main Office here in Manila! Back to my REAL world!

Everything has to end. My Mindanao trip has become part of the moments I will always cherish. I guess I have to move on and face the work I left behind for a week. I have been trying to finish a batch of files to organize and at the same time help out the Volunteers and Chapter Development Team for their upcoming project in Davao. I have to prepare the kits for the participants.

But before that, we had to brainstorm on how to have a better workshop for volunteers. I and Frosh, the Volunteer and Development Chapter Head discussed the design of the front folder for the kits. We looked at pictures that I can probably show volunteerism integrated with intercultural learning. 

I have also consulted other staff from the VOLDEV team if they can help us with some preparation for the volunteer workshop. I wasn't disappointed. They are willing to help in any way that they can. I have shown them our proposal and they have made comments and suggestion on how to improve on it. 

Though I am not going to be Davao to be part of the volunteer workshop I am very sure it will be a success! Good luck to the VOLDEV Team!

My Mindanao Experience

It has been a lot of fun working at the AFS Office but it gets even better!!!!!! Sending Team was assigned to conduct Parents' Orientation for those who have a son/daughter coming back from the Youth and Exchange Study Program from the US and those who have a son/daughter leaving for the same program this coming August. I wondered why the Sending Team from the National Office has to do this when in fact; they can delegate OICs from the local chapters. Ms. Dannette, Sending Team Support said that they have been trying to pass on the task to the local chapter officers but it seems like parents and/or students are more willing to attend if they know they will be meeting people from the main office. The Sending Team is still working on how to localize the task to save money and energy. The good thing about it, though, is that parents get to see the people they communicate with here in Manila. Also, the Sending Team enjoy to personally meet the parents of the students they are handling and always more than willing to answer questions. Ms. Sha was the main speaker. She talked about the stages that the students will undergo once they are in the program. We highly encouraged parents to always be supportive of their son/daughter especially while they are on the program and away from them. We are also preparing parents especially those who have a son/daughter that will be coming back soon from the US program that there will be a lot of changes with their kids. There are changes that might look too much for them but we try to let them understand that most of these changes are stepping stones for them to become leaders in the future.

So here it is. First stop was in Cagayan de Oro. That's where we checked in because it’s near the airport but the place of orientation will be in Iligan City which is two hours away from Cagayan de Oro. We arrived in Iligan City around 2:30 in the afternoon. Everything was all set up by volunteers in Iligan City. There were also volunteers coming from Marawi City and a Canadian volunteer from the Mindanao State University's Peace Organization. There was a short introduction, more of a refresher, on what AFS is all about and discussed a little more about the Kennedy-Lugar Youth and Exchange Study (YES) Program which is the program the students are participants of. Most of the talk was all about the stages that a student will undergo before, during, and after the program. We highlighted how this program has helped students before to become better Filipino citizens and even more, leaders. At the end of the talk was the Q&A portion. Parents got the chance to ask questions. I, as an intern, helped in facilitating Q&A. Also, as an alumna of this program, I was also able to share my own experiences and assured the parents that AFS will be doing its best to ensure safety of their children while in the US. AFS Philippines has done this for years now and they know exactly what they are doing.

Let me share some photos of my experience in Iligan City.

After the orientation, I got the chance to chat and bond with the local volunteers and shared their experiences. AFS also host foreign students in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City. These volunteers also look for new families that would want to open up their home to a foreign student for a year. This is an opportunity to share and experience other cultures. Due to security reasons in Iligan City, it has been a challenge to work with LGU and Bureau of Immigration to ensure safety of foreign students. It felt good by the end of the day. I made new friends and learned more about the operations of the organization I worked for even for a short period of time. 

The fun doesn't end here!

Next stop... Zamboanga!!

Though it was very early in the morning, I'm so energized and excited for Zamboanga! 

And here we come...

We arrived in Zamboanga around 10:00 in the morning. We had a little time to prepare ourselves for the orientation. Together with a volunteer, we have tried one of the best foods in Zamboanga – CURACHA WITH ALAVAR SAUCE! I really have to share this just in case you happen to visit Zamboanga. Its a must-try food!

Our tummies satisfied with the Zamboanga's best foods, we now head off to our venue - Ateneo de Zamboanga University. We are so happy how the volunteers exert their time and effort to prepare the venue and even the program for the parents' orientation. When we arrived at the venue, everything was set up. We pretty much did the same thing but this time, we are working with different set of volunteers and parents. There are more active volunteers here in Zamboanga. It is always fun for them to see their old friends through AFS activities. This is also their time to catch up with each other. It was really fun working with these awesome people. Most of the volunteers are alumni of AFS programs. AFS Philippines is proud of them. Most of them have made their part in helping their own communities. 

After the orientation proper, we got more chance to bond with the volunteers over dinner in their famous Paseo located along the shore. We had shared their experiences as local volunteers as well as being a scholar in another country. I found out that the volunteers in Zamboanga conduct a lot of activities for volunteers to make them more connected. 

And yes, we mainly work with Muslim communities here in Mindanao so I haven't eaten pork when I was there. This experience has made me appreciate the beauty of real Islam.The Muslim people I met there were not so much different from the people here in the big city. They are friendly, caring, and fun to be with. They may look different from the outside because of their tradition but they are very hospitable - the undeniably famous Filipino trait!

Three cities in two days! Tiring? Yes! But wait, there's more!!!!!!!

Our next stop... General Santos City! Since there is no direct flight from Zamboanga to General Santos, we had to go back to NAIA and take a connecting flight to General Santos. We arrived in General Santos late in the afternoon. We met with the General Santos Chapter President Ma'am Jang and the General Santos Hosting Coordinator Sir Jopao to have dinner. We have tried the weird delicacies in General Santos while Ma'am Jang and Sir Jopao shared the challenges the local chapter experience with hosting foreign students. They have shared funny and wonderful stories that was made by the effort of hosted foreign students and volunteers in their community. Ma'am Jang is a person of dedication and passion. She spent her time to make sure the foreign students in GenSan are safe and having fun. Even her two daughters got involved with AFS as volunteers because of her. 

The next day was the parents' orientation. The venue was near the hotel where we stayed at so we just had to take a tricycle. Their tricycle is really a big sign for me that I am so not in Manila anymore. 

Our partner school in GenSan, Stratford International School has given us a venue to conduct the parent's orientation. Again, we were welcomed by student-volunteers who prepared everything for us. 

AFS GenSan, together with the celebration of Global Youth Service Day back in April of this year, launched a Barangay Day Care Center for those children who can't afford to go to school. German volunteers working with AFS are the ones in charge to facilitate the program. I got the chance to visit them and meet the German Volunteers.

Sorry for the blurred pictures but the kids couldn't stop themselves from jumping whenever they see cameras. 

With me on these pictures are the kids aging from four to eight years old and Maria, one of the volunteers from Germany. They teach children simple verbal and written English. German volunteers also play with them so they won't get bored. The Palengke Day Center usually starts at 9:00 and ends at around 11:30 noon every Mondays to Fridays. After some teaching and playing, German volunteers bring them to a nearby "carinderia" to eat lunch which is normally "Pastil" (rice with tuna or chicken) which only costs 5.00 per serving. It is wrapped in banana leaves  and ready to eat. After eating lunch, German volunteers accompany the children to brush their teeth. This ends their day. They kiss the cheeks of the volunteers to say goodbye. 

On the next picture is me and Maxie. Maxie is a volunteer from Germany. She came to the Philippines August of last year and will be leaving in July to go back to Germany. She was a fun person and loves kids. She will be taking up Social Work once she goes back to school in Germany.

The lady in pink is Nambra, she is one of the volunteers in GenSan chapter. She is the one who communicates with the local barangay where the Day Care is located. Also, if he German volunteers have problems, she is the go-to person. Maxie is living with a Filipino family in GenSan for her to experience how it is like to be in a Filipino community. She shared with me her difficulties and happy moments during the past nine months. She learned some conversational Filipino and goes around the city through the means of public transportation like tricycles and jeepney cabs. When I was with her in the market, a lot of people would still stare at her. She thought that by going to the market everyday to teach children, people would get used to her but apparently they did not. So far, most of her experiences in GenSan were good. She really loves kids and she loves what she does for them. She is really sad that she has to leave the kids soon. I've seen that the kids really love the German volunteers. They would hug and kiss them. German volunteers receive allowance from the program they are in and a little bit from the local government. They use their money for personal needs but some of it goes to the kids' school supplies and food. I am amazed that even though those kids are really hyperactive and most of the time, not really neat and kind of stink, the German volunteers never hesitate to play with them, hug them, hold their hand, and kiss them on the cheek.They even go to the extent of buying them little presents, bringing them to free medical/dental check-up, bringing them to the mall, and nearby amusement parks. 

Since Maxie is leaving soon, she is training Maria on the everyday routine in the Day Care Center so she would know what to do. I believe there are more volunteers coming from Germany and Sweden this coming months to help her out. 

It was indeed an intercultural experience for me, though I wasn't brought out of the country it was nice to have explored the Southern part of the Philippines. Thank you AFS for giving me this opportunity!

Intern Tasks

My tasks as an intern were not that hard. I mainly help the office with organizing the files of the students and participants of the AFS' different programs. I realized how tedious the processes are. There are tons of files here and they are trying to get rid of the hard copies so they want to make soft copies of everybody's files. In between, I get to chat with some of the staff and goof around. 

Working... but when the camera's there I won't hesitate to make a pose!

Strike a pose with the Volunteer and Chapter Development Coordinator! I love  my hat!!

Introducing... Jan Wein, an intern from Germany. He arrived here August of last year and will be staying until July of this year. I am amazed how he now can speak and understand conversational Filipino! Kudos Jan!

Elizabeth Eduave, AFS National Director, calls for a board meeting from time to time to discuss programs and get our inputs about the project proposals before officially launching it. Its 50% seriousness and 50% laughtrip! I told you they are a bunch of funny people.. I am so enjoying my internship here. And hey there's a lot of free coffee and food! I think I gained weight! Uh-oh!

View from the office! We are  on the 16th floor! I love big glass windows. The sunshine makes me happy and energized as soon as I get into the office! :)