Volunteer sharing

Last week I went up north to Baguio for a volunteer sharing session organised by PNVSCA - * that’s the “Philippines National Volunteers Service Coordinating Agency” for those of you not up on your Filipino acronyms.

Before going I was dubious about the session- I didn’t think I had much to share after only a month in the country but the three days turned out to be really productive and heaps of fun. I got to learn a lot and meet a group of really wonderful people- the Peace Corps crew from the US, volunteers from UK, Germany, Japan and Korea as well as local volunteers who had worked overseas.

The session consisted of workshops and group activities including a morning of “fun games” where my team came up trumps in the piggy back and three legged races. The Australian volunteers showed fine leadership skills organising after hour activities- ensuring that we explored many of Baguio's bars and night spots in the evening. As always when drinking is involved there were some interesting incidents including a lot of dodgy dancing, a fire in the karaoke bar and a classic late night injury when one of the girls fell out of her top bunk bed. No, it was not me!