Relief Goods collection with VSO-ICS Team VI082

I've said that I have been helping out with relief operations starting in Ubay. So when I was invited to help out with the current team's Mini-CAD which is a house-to-house collection of relief goods, I didn't hesitate to say yes. This time I helped out as a Returned Volunteer (RV).

I was with Fidel, an RV from the cycle before us. The team never made us feel awkward towards them that we were able to fit in well. Some of them were curious about certain things so some of them asked me of how my volunteering went. While waiting for the dumptruck, we also played the "Indian War Sign", a game where you need to create your own sign and pass it on to another by doing their sign. That was a bit hilarious since some volunteers did funny signs that I was no way of considering doing. Because of this, I didn't win. (Sorry RVs I turned you down) hahaha

I hopped on the front seat as soon as the truck came, and after the bumpy ride we were later dropped off in Brgy. San Isidro, Pilar. Per groups, we were assigned in certain areas by the CAD committee. We started off collecting right away and in our first stop-- we were given half sack of rice.  We went on each houses, gathering different types of donations-- money, rice, canned goods, noodles, and clothes. I saw how generous my fellow Boholanos are, even the place has been affected by the earthquake too, they still have a heart and kindness to share what they have to people largely affected.

We assembled before one o' clock putting everything we have collected. And as the rain poured down while eating our lunch, it didn't bother us as we were more delighted with what we have gathered.

After our relief collection, we did the packing at Pilar, LGU. Everyone helped out that we finished earlier. (With all our hands put together, relief goods were too little for us for packing, like in a snap! Its done!).

Photo taken from Twiggy Gatuteo' Facebook Account

I'm soo happy to be with everyone and looking forward to participating in more activities this team will organize. :D Ajja!

Assessing Her

Probably, the most irritating case is when people look down on you. Being sensitive as I am, this is one thing that I'm always careful about since I don't want to make people feel down about themselves I try not to be treated the same. But being in a place where people have preconceptions of where you're coming from was a barrier in making yourself feel better and confident of who you are. Cause people judge, that's how they are. The challenge is how to break that barrier that limits them from knowing me as a person.

I do judge people, but in most cases I don't want to make them feel that. So in the middle of knowing them in depth, I certainly assess whether I like them or not. I'm sensitive about not making them feel awkward towards me by asking questions they don't want to answer. Cause I feel the same, I don't want to be caught in that kind of situation as well. Just so I'm careful about all this kind of situations, I met a person who definitely challenged my patience on how well I'm going to stand strong to being myself. The feeling of awkwardness and questions I don't want to answer bombard me when she's around. At first I thought, it was just her way of dealing with people that she's not aware of. So the first time she did it to me, I ignored it. Until it kept on happening that I pretended I didn't hear nor feel anything. Of course it was never right but I chose to be quiet. Yet now that I have talked to people who know her better. Maybe what I felt was true, maybe she's really was unfair to me. 

Questions?? Don't ask.

I'm starting to live my life without bothering how people might react to what I'm doing. It feels relieving and seemingly surprising how much burden was taken out of me- it is so much better now, but problems are always there of course. Regardless of how free I am now, I still can't forgo people who question me a lot. Those are the forbidden questions I hate to answer. Like "What are you doing now?, Where do you work?, What would you do next?" Shhhhhhh.. The moment I hear these queries, I want to disappear for a moment. Because I don't know the answer yet and I see judgement in their eyes which affects my optimistic view of life.

So I see avoidance as the most effective way not to encounter questions like those. Cause as much as I try to explain my side they will never understand my reasons. It will be just a waste of time so I decided to keep my mouth shut and talk only to those people who can empathize and understand what I'm doing. I live my own life not to impress other people after all. Might as well do the things that I want to do with consideration that it doesn't get out of the line. :D

Totally Embarassing!

Debrief was the last team social that we had, and so much of the feelings hidden inside of us were released on this very day. I didn't want to be too emotional towards everybody because I don't want to look like a crybaby but the part where we need to give tribute to our supervisor Piso, I gave in. But this isn't why I was really embarrassed, it was the last thing we did during our last stay at JJs Seafood in Tagbilaran- that was the real embarrassment.

Imagine me together with my co-volunteers sneaking into a prestigious hotel and resort in Tagbilaran pretending we are risk assessing the place. For those people who know me, I couldn't have probably done that but guys I did. And it wasn't just that. But before I tell you the details of what happened, I'm telling you that I am not the source of the idea, I just drag along knowing that I couldn’t shop with everybody else. And I have never expected what happened next ever.

Picture before we went inside! :D

And so, we went on inside the resort to the reception area. It was the very effective acting and good reasoning of my company that allowed us to see the whole place. Well the idea of going was just to ask if we can use the pool and if we can't we'll go back to JJs- at least that's what I thought of but not my company. I found myself going with them showering ready to dip into the pool. I was confused "like guys what' happening, why are we doing this", but the two of them just laughed at me telling me to undress and join them. I felt a bit of excitement in me so I undressed myself leaving my shorts and shirt and was about to go to the pool when the guard called our attention.  I stood there in a moment in a sense of panic but my company was just so calm and converse with the guard answering his questions. It was a lot of lies!!! Hahahaha! But the guard didn't let us use the pool cause we are not guests (which we already know). It was a really awkward situation with the guard and I was lucky enough  not to wet myself since we need to leave in an instant. We were all laughing as soon as we got out of the resort. IT WAS SOOO EMBARASSING! I hope they won't tighten their security because of us, intruders! I don't want to find pictures of me hanging on their walls , I might not be able to go there ever!

This is the kiddy pool! :D

But that was lots of fun, and a new experience for me…. Now I know my company has a hidden wildness in her. :D

Visayan Treasure Hunt

Since my volunteering experience was already done, some things are worth reminiscing from the beginning. Consider this throwback volunteer post I did, this was during the month of June back when we were still at training. :D

Going back to the month we have started which was during the training, this was the event that I enjoyed a lot- Treasure Hunt. 

We were divided into groups to explore the city of Tagbilaran finding the clues in the buildings that were of much use for us. And this was my team...

Tom, Me, and Isaac

 There was the great hope of winning in our team since I'm from Bohol. hahahahaha. It was not hard for my teammates to talk to the locals since I did much of the talking. :D

We posed, jump and run most of the time. We even got across competing teams!! 

In the end we were second best! hahahahaha... can't help it if one team got ahead of us. :D But the smiling faces and the wild adventure that was definitely some of the best things I had in the program.

Note: Photos are not mine, photo credit to my friend Tom who gave me a copy. :D

My new favorite blog site!

Cant help to blog about this site I newly discovered! Ha Ha

Well, well. this ain't about a Korean-related blog or something. But it does sell cute stuff! It is a design company that sells cute cards and tees. Yeah! owners are Asian (but I'm not sure if they are pure or half foreign though), I figured because of the Japanese characters on the site and on their designs..:D

Here is the blog site!
I hope they won't sue me by just cropping a picture of their site cause I was sooo captivated, t'was really cuteeeeee!  (I actually used the print screen)

tomandtee.com

Mind you the cards are sooo cheesy too!! and the tees are also good for couple of shirts! :D
But for pictures, I think you need to visit their Facebook site https://www.facebook.com/TwoAndTee. Check it out. :D

Goodbye to youth groups!

 (Late Post)

Had our last meeting with the youth groups today. I enjoyed working with them. Seeing their very enthusiastic faces makes me feel happy inside. But I don't know if my workmates appreciate their company. So sad we've never been of much use to them when they are so active in everything and just needed guidance to walk them through it.

Goodbye pose.. 

Our last habal-habal ride.. :D

We could've done more, you know. I could see a lot of opportunities in my mind which entails a lot of work of course but a satisfying outcome in the end. But I don't think my work mates see the same way I do. Cause every time suggestion for activities are made it is turned down. For me, maybe it is not a matter of questioning what we need to do when we can do something more like going the extra mile. Which we can do actually cause we've got ample time to do activities. But once a person gives no interest and the other person agrees to it, I can't do it on my own without someone's support.

Attitudes (Reflection)

(Late Post )

New people, new challenges. I consider these as the main theme of my volunteering. Though I'm towards the end of the cycle I'm still puzzled about how my co-volunteers think of things so differently. They are way beyond what other people like me might think, do and deliver.

It amazes me when they sometimes comment about certain things like being advised about things they do which is not good for the team. It's good that they practice voicing out their thoughts and criticisms but in my own point of view, those kinds of advice are understandable and not need to be taken offense of. Maybe the issue is about how you assess yourself or maybe highly accomplished people are harder to humble themselves down.

I just realized that I'm an average person and I am happy with that. At least, I'm able to balance things and deal with people in good ways.