Time is over

The end of my journey

Today, Sunday, January 22, 2012 I will be flying back to the United States after spending nearly three months in the Philippines.

Most of the time I have been in a small village “Sugod” either working the mangrove project (that kind of petered out) and teaching two classes each day (4th and 5th grade slow learners). I did that with the help of Evan (volunteer from Canada).

Evan and I traveled together for a vacation in Borocay. We spent Christmas there then returned to Sugod for the celebration of New Years.

Hopefully we made some impact on the students we taught. Time will tell that. What are really needed are some special education teachers to volunteer. This would benefit the village/school/community.

For anyone who is thinking of volunteering I want you to be aware of one thing. I have just spent the last ten days in a hospital in Manila with a leg injury (not sure what caused it but red, swollen, blistered, etc and still not heeled). I want to thank GVN for requiring that volunteers take out travel insurance (especially medical). Had it not been for the insurance company (recommended by GVN) I would have been in serious trouble. The insurance company guaranteed payment to the hospital (that meant I did not have to leave the $500 deposit that is required) and when I left the entire hospital bill was covered. In addition, my new flight home (business class) was arranged and paid for by the insurance company too. I’m sitting in the Delta Lounge typing this now. I don’t usually fly business class with an economy pocketbook so I am really appreciating this.

The hospitals in Manila are somewhat different then in the states. Here you are expected to have someone stay with you at all times to take care of the little things (empty bed pans, count intake and output of fluids, go out and purchase supplemental food (comfort food) since the food served isn’t exactly that. I had two wonderful women stay with me and I am forever grateful to both of them (Eden who coordinates the volunteers for CERV and Joy – the daughter of the woman I lived with on Sugod). They took care of my every need!

So, ALWAYS TAKE OUT INSURANCE cause when it was needed it was there for me.

I leave the country in a few hours. I’m sorry my adventure ended this way but it too was a learning experience. I learned a lot from the wonderful doctors and nurses at the hospital.

I am not home yet and hopefully all will go as planned and my plane will land in NY and then I have my first class ticket to Philadelphia (also from the insurance company). Can’t ask for a better trip home then this.

Thank you GVN for the wonderful experience. Without you, it would not be possible.