Updates

I haven't updated in a minute. Here's what's up recently:

- The biggest thing I've been working on recently is an environmental camp that's going to be held at my school this February. It's for the whole Division of Palawan, so we'll be hosting kids from all over the province. We're doing things like making terrariums and benches out of solid waste and will hopefully do a tree planting at one of Narra's old mining sites. We just got approval from the superintendent, so I'm pretty excited for this.

- Ronald, my partner for the environmental camp, and I are also trying to adopt this mangrove area in Narra. The students will plant mangroves there and learn about conservation and do research projects about wildlife and stuff like that. We met with Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources last week and are submitting our proposal today, so we should be good.

- Along with Petra, the volunteer closest to my site, I started training for a half-marathon in Cebu City in January. Things were going pretty well but I've hurt my knee and it isn't really getting better so I probably won't make it.

- Going to Taytay in northern Palawan for a going away party for volunteers who arrived a year before me. When I first met them they were where I am now. Did that make sense?

- Started studying for the GRE. Eh. I get in this great place where I just drink coffee and listen to music and make vocab flash cards for hours and zone out and don't really blink much, but I haven't really been feeling studying them once they're made.

- Next week I'll be spending Aborlan at Petra's site for her camp on gender and reproductive health. I'll be leading sessions on gender identity and STIs. I spent a pretty disgusting day yesterday making an STI powerpoint. 

- I think this is making me sound way more busy then I am. It only took me like a week to get through three seasons of Breaking Bad. 

- Then going to Manila for mid-service training. I always look forward to these because you get away from site for free and get to see everyone but they can also be super boring. Also, they're kind of like how I picture an AA meeting. Like someone says "and then my supervisor said that the project I've been working on for a month no longer has a budget so that we can afford a beauty pageant" and everyone nods gravely or laughs knowingly. Like, you could replace that with, "...and that's when I hit rock bottom," and a Peace Corps conference would be indistinguishable from an AA meeting. 

- Then up to Sagada for Thanksgiving. Pretty excited to go hiking and wear cold-weather clothing. Also, trying to cop a tent a friend left for me there.

Also, much love to my Aunt Jean.