Hello everyone! Next week I’ll be back in Illinois, which means this week is my final week in the Philippines. This week will include some small adventures, random walks to SM Bicutan, packing, and completing my internship – plus some surprising moments to share in my next blog. It’s so weird how some peers will study abroad this fall, and I’ll spending my time in Bloomington. Instead of elaborating on the end of my internship, here are some wholesome moments from the past few weeks.
- colleagues gifting juice, corn, avocados, and marang
- strangers helping my peers and I navigate jeeps (I’m very glad I didn’t get lost anywhere)
- colleagues greeting me daily, many of whom work in different sections of FNRI
- swimming in the ocean with fish I’ve never seen in person before
- sister sending me cat photos, and kind texts from other family members
- using a DSLR camera at work (I haven’t even used the DSLR back home I invested in yet) and taking some cool photos
- Sir VJ driving me to SM Bicutan after work (twice)
- going to The Bang Cafe in Rizal (works with healthcare facilities and community members, community advocacy)
Photography is an incredibly special art form to me. It’s a privilege for me to capture moments of joy or beautiful scenery. Although I may not always own the photos, the images will allow individuals to reflect on beautiful things. Also, marang is a fruit similar to durian and jackfruit. It’s kind of sweet and slightly savory, though the smell is less distinct than durian. I enjoyed tasting some marang at work a few weeks ago.
Though some small projects are being completed before my internship ends, last Tuesday I joined ma’am Celina and Josie on a morning trip to Marcelo Village in Paranaque. The morning trip served as a work function to go over safe food handling, general food safety, good manufacturing practices (GMP), and a workshop for staff.
Last week included some rest days, but on Saturday Sir Dars, Jessica, and I traveled to Calatagan, Batangas. Around noon we took two jeeps to Pasay for 39 pesos, then a DLTB bus for 277 pesos – about 7 USD for 6 hours of traveling. Planning ahead is really important in the Philippines, though I tend to be quite stubborn at times. Though we left late in the day, we strolled on the beach front of the resort and rested in our room. On Sunday, I swam a lot and got sunburned (though my skin is doing well considering).
More specifically, Sir Dars, Jessica, and I saw the sun rise on Sunday. After the sunrise, we enjoyed the beach and breakfast. We weren’t sure if we wanted an official boat tour or explore local areas on our own. So, after a moderately stressful conversation considering our options, we went on a boat ride to go swimming in the ocean (technically not snorkeling, but extremely fun). I was relieved to see fish since I saw trash in the water before reaching the swimming area. Some trash aside, the water was very salty and incredibly beautiful.
Updates in the next week!