http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/cowpattyengineer/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from cowpattyengineer en-us Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:20:22 +0000 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:20:22 +0000 Now that I have had the pleasure of helping to establish a new center in Iloilo City I have moved on to another aspect of the Scala program. I recently spent a few days in Batangas City Batangas with Sarah and the DSWD monitoring one of the Scala centers. This particular center began in 2004 has trained 7 batches of out of school youth OSY so far and has just started on its eighth batch. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Manila/blog-16768.html Article for SCALA Thank You Booklet By Lisa White on August 9th 2005I canrsquot believe that my time in the Philippines has come to an end so quickly. The past 3 months have passed in a flash it doesnrsquot seem so long ago that I was sitting on the plane to Manila wondering what in the world I had gotten myself into What an experience this has been and I was only just getting started http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Manila/blog-16157.html So to integrate into the community I decided to get involved with a local Girl Scout group. Before I got to my city of Iloilo in the Western Visayas I visited the headquarters of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines in Manila and bought myself a uniform but I also wear my Canadian Girl Guide international scarf and world pin to show that I am a member of the international Guiding community.So http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-12506.html Having finished my placement in Iloilo City and started work with Sarah at the national office I have had a chance to reflect on my experiences and mistakes from the past several months. Overall I believe that the main thing I have learned thus far is what makes a good leader. In my opinion this is particularly important for development work especially since capacity building depends to a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Manila/blog-15373.html There's a huge market very close to where we live here in Manila and I thought I'd share some pictures of it with you. It's called Commonwealth market and as you might suspect it's along Commonwealth Avenue. As part of trying to live like Filipinos do which I can never really do after all I know that I can leave anytime that times get really tough and I never really have to worry about goi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Manila/blog-15370.html Okay so I had a really interesting day today. The president's state of the union address was earlier today and a bunch of rallies were going on all over the city. Work was cancelled for all government workers of which the DSWD is a part so that meant we didn't go to work either mostly because all of the main thoroughfares were blocked off by people and parked jeepneys and other vehicles. L http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-14704.html So the SCALA crew had a debriefing sharing session after our first placements this past few days in Bohol province of. We arrived in Tagbilaran after taking an overnight ferry from Iloilo City Andrea and I that is and then we headed of for the short trip to Panglao Island and Alona Beach. Awesome place We could sit and have our meetings with the beach in the background and the sea breez http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-14367.html Yesterday was the launching of our new SCALA center in Iloilo city. The mayor and other dignitaries of the city attended to sign the MOA Memorandum of Agreement to provide funds and outline how the center is to function and the OSY were there too to help celebrate. So it was a very exciting dayThe computers arrived at our center just in the nick of time We got them Friday from the port and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-13518.html So we had another meeting where we made Girl Scout promise cards. I was wrong about the scarves the solid colours are for the younger girls and the stripes are for the older girls. And they have their choice of several colours of scarves yellow pink blue and green I think. Their leader tells me that if they feel really adventurous they'll try to get everyone wearing the same colour sca http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-12755.html Some pics of the Philippines. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-12753.html Okay this is for my family and friends who want to know exactly what I am doing in the Philippines. What the heck am I doing in the Philippines anyway Well I am working with Engineers Without Borders EWB www.ewb.ca if you want to check it out on a project called SCALA shared computer access locally and abroad at www.scala.ewb.ca or httpproxy.dswd.gov.phscala. It is an ITC informa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-12752.html Some pics of our work at the SCALA center as it is being set up. Meetings and more meetings seem to be the order of the day We have orientation meetings and update meetings and presentations etc. depending on who we are meeting with and what role they have in the SCALA project. The great thing about the Philippines is that meetings always involve a snack of some sort http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-12514.html Second BiWeekly Overseas Volunteer ReportVolunteer Name Lisa White Departure Date May 18 2005Partner Agency DSWD Return Date Sept. 2 2005Project Location Iloilo City Philippines Reporting Date June 27 2005Lisarsquos Special SCALA QuestionsStrengths and weaknesses of EWB Volunteers and SCALA Trainers Center Managers as Volunteers1. Describe the benefits of a Filipino setting up a cen http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-12513.html First BiWeekly Overseas Volunteer ReportVolunteer Name Lisa White Departure Date May 18 2005Partner Agency DSWD Return Date Sept. 2 2005Project Location Iloilo City Philippines Reporting Date June 19 2005Special Questions for First Report1. Please provide contact phone numbers and names where you can best be reached in the office in the field and at home.I am available on my cellphone http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/blog-12512.html