I've just recently completed my first full month in Sorsogon City. I am starting to get to know my way around the place, as well as seeing where I fit in my role as a volunteer. A lot of things are still uncertain. At this point, language seems to be the biggest hurdle to clear. I can have a basic conversation in Tagalog, but it is clear to me that I need to be stronger in the language in order to do my job effectively. The challenging part in all of this is that although Sorsoguenos understand Tagalog, it is not the dialect that's most spoken here. The people all speak variations of Bicolan depending on which barangay you visit. Some may speak Sorsoganon, some may speak Bicol Albay, some may speak Gubatanon, and so on. So despite my background in Tagalog, understanding people when they speak can be a frustrating process. Luckily, people have been very patient and are usually thrilled that I speak as much Tagalog as I do. It's encouraging when strangers tell me, "You're a fast learner!" because sometimes it feels like I'm retaining things at a snails pace. Despite my frustration, I'm looking at this as a blessing because the breakthroughs are amazing when they happen.
I am thankful for a lot of what Pre-Service Training taught me about what to expect at site. The ups and downs that were described are very real. You can go from the lowest low to being incredibly inspired in the course of one day. The most important thing is that you don't try to go through all of it alone. So I've really taken it upon myself to try to build and maintain friendships, which luckily is not very hard to do with Filipinos. Taking time to hang out with other volunteers has been a great change of pace as well.
Much of my work at this point has been shadowing City Link social workers as they conduct Family Development Sessions (FDS) with parents in the community. Topics covered at these sessions including things like family planning, personal health and community involvement. As I get a firmer grasp on the language, I will eventually start to lead these full-time. The team of City Links that I work with really value my experience in working with youth, and we have been planning project ideas for the future that I am beginning to get excited about. A lot of things are still up in the air, so it's a cautious optimism, but optimism nonetheless. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated through our failures and successes. ;)
Stay positive and enjoy Fall for me! Peace.
