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Jen in the Philippines: October 2008
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Jen in the Philippines. Saturday, October 25, 2008. 12 – MassKara. Following the GK expo I remained in Manila for another week to welcome the next batch of AYADs and participate in their orientation. This actually helped to consolidate just how much we have learned culturally, professionally and personally in 3 months as we assisted in presenting some of the sessions. It was weird not being the new kids anymore! It was also great to catch up again with the other AYADs and compare experiences. In the days...
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Jen in the Philippines: GK Hope Village School Progress
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Jen in the Philippines. Monday, August 16, 2010. GK Hope Village School Progress. A very big THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the GK Hope Village School Appeal. Thanks to the generous donations of family, colleagues and friends, I sent off a cheque for AU$2,750 in February 2010. The progress of construction is illustrated in the following series of photos, kindly sent to me by friends who are involved in the project on the ground:. Site Plan for the proposed School at GK Hope Village in Talisay.
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Jen in the Philippines: February 2009
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Jen in the Philippines. Friday, February 13, 2009. 23 – Slumdog Millionaire. Also when my Mum and Aunt were here, we visited the other extreme – some of the ancestral houses just up the road in Silay. Silay was once known as the Paris of Negros. Landowners made their fortunes on sugar cane and built grand homes, some of which are now open as museums … of a not so bygone era. The work of GK’s is as much about appealing to the rich to donate land as it is about helping the poor to have a better future.
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Jen in the Philippines: June 2009
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Jen in the Philippines. Monday, June 1, 2009. 31 – Bye Bye Bacolod. I think GK is becoming a little more discerning now about their negotiations over land donations. Rather than a handout, we sold the clothes such that the beneficiaries would value the items, yet kept the prices low so they could afford them. The village had prepared a long table for us to lay out all the items like an outdoor Op Shop! It was so much fun. The second challenge was not quite as fun! Balut is an embryonic duck egg – a...
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Jen in the Philippines: November 2008
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Jen in the Philippines. Wednesday, November 26, 2008. Filipinos are big on ‘sharing’. I don’t mean sharing a house or sharing food etc (although they do that a lot too). The word here is used to refer to talking in front of a group about a personal experience such that the group can either share in your joy and thereby derive inspiration from it or share in your sadness and thereby lessen your load. Construction began only 10 weeks ago. The village is due for completion in January. Mayong aga sa tanan...
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Jen in the Philippines: September 2008
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Jen in the Philippines. Tuesday, September 30, 2008. 9 - A Day in the Life. Now that I’ve been here 2 months (wow, time flies! I thought it might be a good time to share with you what a typical day looks like (although, to be honest, no day in the Philippines is ever typical! But I knew I should take it in the cultural context in which it was delivered! By the time I’m walking back home, a blonde foreigner in gym clothes seems to create quite a spectacle for the early morning commuters. The first priorit...
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Jen in the Philippines: May 2009
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Jen in the Philippines. Saturday, May 9, 2009. 30 – Highs and Lows. Within the space of a week I’ve had my highest and my lowest points of my time in the Philippines. He loved it so much he invited us for lunch in his guest house and gave us the money to proceed with the first 30 houses! Hi Jen. I went over your work a few times and I think you did a wonderful effort to improve and define what we have in GK. This will surely come in more handy and helpful to all workers. That evening, a bit shaken from t...
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Jen in the Philippines: July 2008
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Jen in the Philippines. Sunday, July 27, 2008. After a bittersweet farewell at Sydney airport, I boarded the flight to Manila along with the 7 other AYADs of intake 22 posted to the Philippines. As the flight progressed, my excitement for the adventure that lay ahead steadily increased. The first thing to hit us as we disembarked was the intense heat and humidity, and this was 7.30 in the evening! While they waited for us to arrive. 8221; (snack time). I think eating is the second national sport! I am no...
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Jen in the Philippines: April 2009
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Jen in the Philippines. Thursday, April 23, 2009. 29 – Mangoes and Mountain Biking. The Holy Week (Easter) break in the Philippines begins on Holy Thursday and finishes Easter Sunday. Rachael, Alison and I headed to the nearby island of Guimaras for a mountain biking / beach trip. Guimaras is a small island between Negros and Panay known for its mangoes. We had better luck with the ferry this time (no fires, just a bit of sea sickness)! We recommended the mountain biking to a couple of Aruna’s frie...
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Jen in the Philippines: December 2009
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Jen in the Philippines. Tuesday, December 15, 2009. GK Hope Village School Appeal. I’ve now been back in Australia 6 weeks. It was quite surreal and joyous at first after having been away for 16 months. It was so nice catching up with family and friends, reacquainting myself with my country and culture and … earning a wage again! And to my family and friends … if you don’t know what to get me for Christmas – a donation for the school would be a fantastic present that will keep on giving!
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