Things take time- This is a developing country and so the things that I expect to happen within a certain time in America will definitely happen at that pace here in the Philippines. This applies to projects at work and seeing a difference that I hope my work is making. Making friendships and gaining the trust of your agency also takes time and culturally there will be different nuances to learn and master in order to achieve this. My hardest battle was probably my host sister and her outright disrespect. I'm a year in and she is still disrespectful but it is different now. And I can tolerate her more now. It's growth, not as fast as something chemically injected with hormones to grow but growth nonetheless that I can appreciate.
At times there can be competing interests. - The best way to deal with this is to know what is at stake and what can be spared or saved for a later time. Do not compete, it is a waste of time and energy. I have learned to think outside of the box therefore accomplishing what I want without alienating others. Compromise can work but be prepared to make concessions. Negotiating is key and it is helpful to help the HCA understand the purpose of a certain training besides the overt benefits.
My community really likes me- Its nice to have the children wave and smile and shout "Hi Ate Rina" or say good morning and do mano po. I am no longer the new foreigner and can walk down the street and feel pretty safe at night. The jeepney drivers and trike drivers on my route know me and will wait for me to take me to centro. Sometimes the workers at my job will pay my fare and I will reciprocate that at a later time.
I'm really needed by my peers. Many nights I've been involved in long text conversations with friends about their concerns or problems and just being a listening ear for them. When I applied to be a Peace Corps Volunteer, I imagined being here for host country natives, but never imagined that my presence would be a blessing to my other batch-mates. I like to keep work and personal separate but there are times when my technical background comes into play and it is best for me to act with integrity and help them. Hey there are people who are trained yoga instructors who teach, why can't I impart wisdom also? But I appreciate the opportunities to help my batch mates and give them encouraging words, or help them think through a certain situation.
I am capable of doing this- Many times I over-think a situation or underestimate my abilities, but after this past project I have no doubts that I belong here and am capable like the rest of doing this work. I had to take it to the next level and it was fine and I was natural. I just have to be as consistent as I ask the others to be. Leading by example is the best way to go. I compare it to the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. It was time to leave the cocoon.
Projects take time to develop and implement- Just because something is a good idea, doesn't mean it necessarily turn out to be a good project and sometimes it does. But I've learned that it takes time to implement, to assign people to certain tasks, to monitor and evaluate the project. Sometimes the problems which we wish to address are surface level and others take time to but we can start picking away at the behaviors that cause the problems seen. Planning is important and knowing your project inside and out will help when things like electricity, space, or materials fail you.
If you build it, they will come! - It is hard when you want 20 people to show up at your training at 8:00am and you only have 2 but then you see the other trickle in little by little and then eventually you have a room full of people. If you stay true to the training and begin as you stated you have failed none but have shown that the training will take place. I have learned that I can not control everything and have to let things as they will be.
Bureaucracy sucks!- it really does and the process to get supplies for trainings and events is so outrageously complex that it makes me want to just do activities without supplies because of the many gatekeepers and the hoops and hurdles that I have to jump through. so I have learned to request items a month in advance to avoid having these troubles days before a project or training.
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