Preparations for the Philippines
26th August 2005
I am getting very excited about this trip (and sometimes a little
scared too) and I can't wait to get away. So to temporarily
satiate my wanderlust I headed up to Wellington to meet some people from
the Global Volunteer Network.
I could of got my questions answered via email, but a trip to Wellington
seemed much more exciting.
I liked the fact that to get to Wellington and back, I used the
following forms of transportation: Shuttle van to Dunedin Airport, plane
to Wellington Airport, shuttle van to Wellington City, public bus to
Lower Hutt, shoes to GVN building, public Bus to Wellington City, taxi
to Port, ferry to Picton and a rental car to Dunedin. If I had
also got a train, I could of started building motels...
I really enjoyed the drive from Picton to Dunedin. I picked up
some hitchhikers in Picton who wanted to go to Nelson. I wasn't
sure which way I was going to go, so I figured what-the-hey, and went
via Nelson. I headed south via the Lewis Pass. I really
enjoyed swooping around the hills of the South Island. I even sped
a little bit, which is very unlike me. Apart from a
couple of small problems, it was very
enjoyable.
Anyway, I have decided to stay for 6 months. The airfares and
subs have both been paid. I just need to organise some travel
insurance and some entry visas and I'll be all set. I don't
foresee any problems.
The school term in the Philippines ends in March, so I plan to return
to New Zealand around then. I will be teaching Maths, Science,
Health and Computers (if they have them) at either the Dumangas National
High School or The Don Bosco School, which are both in Dumangas which is
about 30 km away from Iloilo City.
The Philippines program is a relatively new one and only 3 volunteers
will be there in October. This number is expected to rise over
subsequent months. Consequently, my preferred choice of living in
the volunteer dormitory is not a practical option. Instead, I will
be the guest of some local Filipino family. I get my own room and
will share in all their meals. They will almost certainly have
electricity and will probably have plumbing. I am a bit nervous
about staying with the family as I was really looking forward to living
in a community-type environment in the dormitory. I sent an email
to Raymund Villanueva, who is the local co-ordinator in the Philippines,
and his reply made me a lot less nervous. He says the local people
are very welcoming and will inevitably invite me to join groups and
visit other homes and places. The more I hear about the Filipino
people, the more I like them! The dormitory is also used as a
hang-out place for volunteers and that sounds pretty cool too.
I purchased a cool backpack
complete with glue-on™ mini
back-pack and sleeping bag. Apart from a few sentimental items, I
am going to put all my earthly possessions in the back-pack and take
them with me to the Philippines. I've given away a lot of the big
stuff (television's, heaters and so on). The clothes I don't need
will go to the Salvation Army. I've sold some computer games on
trade me. My parents will
store the sentimental stuff for me in Auckland.
My parents are coming down to Dunedin and I will drive back with them
to Auckland. September the 17th will be my last day in Dunedin.
Full travel details can be found here.
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