quick update

Time is flying by. Assuming I get out of here on time, I only have 10 months left. I've been in the Philippines almost a year and a half already!

Something that I've always known, but really realized lately, is that one of the major struggles of the Peace Corps is time. Specifically, regardless of a culture's concept of time, the Volunteer has a two-year opportunity in which to accomplish their projects, but the community has always been here, will always be here, and doesn't see anything particular special about these two years. It's an ever-ongoing task, after these two years there will be many more, and there are a lot of limitations on what can get done in any certain time frame. But for me, it's all I have. I'm definitely feeling the rush to get things done, especially now knowing how a month can go by so quickly without really getting anything done.

Lately, I've been running around trying to keep tabs on my various projects, especially the high school mural project and the recycled products project. The strictly CRM stuff seems to be sort of on hold right now. Looking forward a few months, it is hard to imagine that a lot will be accomplished in the rest of 2008, between vacations, helping with training, fiestas, and holidays. But that's the way it goes. Every occasion from here on out is my last go-round at it, so I have to take advantage of as much as I can.

I spent most of last week in Bacolod helping out with the Supervisors Conference for a lot of the new batch of trainees. I was a late draftee to help at the conference and mostly just hung out and tried to get to know people, pitching in at sessions where I could (there were no CRM trainees there, so a lot of my knowledge wasn't super-relevant.) I've met 2/3 of them now and it's been fun to get to know, and give advice to, the newbies. In the first week of November, I'll be going back there to be a resource volunteer again, this time for the whole batch, and I'll see their swearing in.

The big news is that in about 12 hours I'm flying up to Manila, where I'll meet my parents, who are coming for a 2-week visit! We'll spend some time in Manila, relax in Bohol, and then I'll show them around Negros. It's been a long-anticipated visit, so it will be great for all parties involved.

Oh, also I came across this new blog by a guy named Craig and some of his friends. It's called Hella Politics, and it's about politics. Check it out if you're into that sort of thing.

Peace!
-cpb

PS- Thanks to the anonymous benefactor in Jacksonville, FL, who sent me some magazines! That was cool.
PPS - Please nobody send me any Huskies football videos.