Peace Notes: Philippines

Click play and take a look.

justincagaoan — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:37:02 -0500

Click play and take a look.

Transpo

justincagaoan — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 08:05:00 -0500

This is a little post on how I get around in the Philippines (specifically on land)....

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

justincagaoan — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:45:00 -0600

I have been in the Philippines for almost eight months now, five of which at site. The...

Killing Time During Typhoon Quinta

justincagaoan — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 03:43:41 -0600

Typhoon Tropical Depression Quinta is currently rolling through the Bicol and Visayas regions of the...

A Uniquely Peace Corps Christmas

justincagaoan — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 01:20:00 -0600

Move to a time zone 14 hours ahead of your family. As the holidays approach, research the price of a...

This is What PCVs Talk About

justincagaoan — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 05:36:35 -0600

Me: I just saw an RC Cola commercial. I do not think I have ever seen an RC Cola commercial....

Down and Out with Dengue Dengue fever: Also know as Breakbone...

justincagaoan — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 03:39:00 -0600

Down and Out with Dengue

Dengue fever:

Also know as Breakbone Fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the Dengue virus that is transmitted through mosquitos. Symptoms include: High fever (104-105F), Headache, Muscle and Joint pains, and a skin rash that is similar to Measles. In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into the life-threatening Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and Dengue Shock Syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs.

10.31

I head home after work with a severe headache. I skip dinner in an attempt to go to bed early.

11.01

Cannot sleep. Pain behind the eyes, back hurts, hot. Take temperature with a disposable thermometer. Temperature was 104F. Rest the remainder of the day. Eat only crackers. Decide to text the Peace Corps Medical Officer (PCMO) for consultation. PCMO tells me to drink a lot of water and take Ibuprofen.

11.02

Another night with little sleep. Morning temperature was still a high 104F. Updated PCMO on condition. PCMO suggests that I go to the hospital for tests. Blood tests comes back normal, urinalysis shows signs of a urinary tract infection, possibly due to E. Coli. Prescribed an antibiotic.

11.03

Rest. Fever slowly lowered to 100F. Watched the bulk of movies and TV shows on my hard dive.

11.04

Temperature lowers to 99F. Everything seems normal. While eating dinner I pass out, falling onto the floor, knocking various things off the kitchen table including a glass of water that I shattered. Wake up not knowing where I was or what was happening. Host family frantic. They prop me up in the chair where I proceed to pass out for a second time and “convulse.” Needless to say I go to the hospital where I am admitted and subjected to various tests. Blood pressure 100/80. Low blood platelet count of 90.

11.05

Blood tests conclude that I have Dengue Fever. I drink a lot of water and have an IV. Have blood drawn every 6 hours for platelet monitoring. Peace Corps sends out a mass text stating that there will be a mandatory evacuation drill. I do not participate.

11.06

Watch the election. Obama wins. I am happy. Find out that host family no longer wants me. They are too nervous that I will get sick again. When discharged, my temporary living arrangement will be at Casa Miani.

11.07

Get discharged with a medical bill totaling 23,000 PHP ($522 USD). This is about 2/3 of the money I currently have in my bank account. I will get reimbursed in a few days.

There are several things that I learned while in the hospital:

Doctors do not wear gloves here. This includes any activity dealing with blood.
You have to do everything yourself. This includes buying your own drinking water and hand soap.
You have to ask for test results. This kind of falls under #2, but if you don’t ask, they will not tell.
Confidentiality is nonexistent. The nurses will friend you on Facebook.
Meals are just as bad as the ones at hospitals in the States. You also do not get silverware, hands only.
You will most likely be diagnosed with something other than what you actually have.
You need someone with you while at the hospital to take care of #2,3, and 5 (someone needs to buy good food). If you don’t do this, life will be hell.

A quick tour of my city.

justincagaoan — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 23:29:27 -0500

A quick tour of my city.

One Month In Sorsogon This Saturday will be the one-month mark...

justincagaoan — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:46:02 -0500

One Month In Sorsogon

This Saturday will be the one-month mark of my time in Sorsogon. Contrary to a previous blog post, the time seems to go by reasonably fast. Perhaps it is because I am working a lot, my current schedule is 10-7, Mon-Sat. I am slowly making my way outside of Pangpang (my neighborhood) and into Sorsogon City proper, this worries my host mother greatly, she thinks that everywhere outside of the house is unsafe.

I live about a 10 min. trike ride from the city center where there is really not much to do but peruse the aisles of the supermarket or browse through illegal copies of “HD” movies. I have also unsuccessfully gotten a haircut. To clarify, this means that I paid the equivalent of $1 to get practically no hair cut off and a poor shoulder message. I have thought of cutting my own hair with the pair of sheers that are found in my medical kit. I only wonder what my host mom’s reaction would be.

I started teaching English to a group of 33 students who are considered “out of school youth,” which in the simplest form means that they did not finish high school. My students range in age from 16-62 and are currently preparing to take the National Exam, the Filipino equivalent to the GED, later this month. Teaching English is hard, not to mention sweaty. My students are not part of the organization that I work for (Casa Miani), the Department of Education has partnered with Casa Miani to use our facilities. ALL of the boys that are in Casa Miani either attend public or private school.

I usually teach in the mornings, then after lunch my time is spent surfing the Internet until about 3. I would also like to comment that surfing the web and being on Facebook are acceptable uses of time while at work. The elementary boys return home around 4, and then there is some sort of recreational activity until 5:30. They boys then take a shower and then proceed to Rosary until 6. At 6 I take the high school boys and help them with their homework and do “research.” Research consists of Facebook and YouTubing songs.

On Monday and Thursday mornings I continue my Tagalog language tutoring with a Peace Corps language tutor who live in Sorsogon. I am also joined by the only other Volunteer near me. We are slowly progressing in our language skills. Nowhere close to fluent.

In other news, yesterday I attended the Kasangayahan Fiesta parade. It was a very long parade that had dancers from each municipality in the province. It was hot. I was sweating. Thankfully I get to cool off every Sunday with a trip to the beach with the boys. I have also started looking for my own house. More specifically, I am looking at where the past Volunteers have stayed, and I like what I see. I am also traveling to Dumaguete for New Year’s. It should be fun. I have also lost 30 lbs. Clothes don’t fit any more. “Ain’t nobody got time for dat!”

PS: I am not going to get into the details of the negative things at site (giant cockroaches, human sized bats, ants in bed, mosquito bites, moldy toothbrushes, and runaway sheep).

Life is good.

Justin

5 Unconventional Insights From 3 Months in the Philippines

justincagaoan — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 03:25:34 -0500

It is almost the three-month mark of my time in the Peace Corps and the Philippines. Let’s take a...

RAMBUTANS Closest thing to eating an alien egg.

justincagaoan — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 21:30:00 -0500

RAMBUTANS

Closest thing to eating an alien egg.

This is my favorite commercial in the Philippines. Its a catchy...

justincagaoan — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 20:27:11 -0500

This is my favorite commercial in the Philippines. Its a catchy little jingle isn’t it? PS: Nestle rules the world.

New Challenges

justincagaoan — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 20:09:17 -0500

It was a long ride to Sorsogon, 14 hours to be exact. Overnight, on an uncomfortable bus, speeding...

Hello! Ako po si Justin

justincagaoan — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 03:57:07 -0500

Ako po si Justin. Taga Minnesota po ako. 22 anyos na po ako. Peace Corps Volunteer po ako. Nakatira...

Site Placement

justincagaoan — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 05:48:07 -0500

From Sunday to Thursday I attended Supervisors’ conference. This conference is held so permanent...

A Dialogue

justincagaoan — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 06:59:41 -0500

The following was a dialogue that I had with my sister in Tagalog. Me: Do you have a...

Notes On Endless Rain and Rising Rivers

justincagaoan — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 04:35:03 -0500

Date: August 7th, 2012 Location: Subic, Philippines 3:23am: Awoke to rain on roof. The sound is...

What I Have Learned Through My Encounters With Children

justincagaoan — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 06:02:01 -0500

Children possess brilliance in their simplicity. They do not know much about the world around them,...

My Life in Subic, Zambales

justincagaoan — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 07:28:10 -0500

I moved to Subic, Zambales last Sunday during a typhoon. The rain has been fairly consistent raining...

CYF Site Visits

justincagaoan — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:16:24 -0500

Today the CYF (Children, Youth, and Families) sector (23 of us) headed into Pasay City to visit...