I made it!

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The story so far…..

After a uneventful trip I arrived in Manila - unless you have been to a big busy Asian city before its quite a shock. Most of all the contrast with some places rich and luxurious just next to shanty’s with the poorest people you can imagine - one living on the others rubbish. It’s a busy city where traffic rules are regarded as nothing more than optional. I didn’t stay there long!

From Manila I flew to Cebu then on to Tandag (have a look on the map at the bottom of the page its about where the t of Butuan is). The country is stunning from the plane window particularly the coral reefs and small islands. Inland there are large mountains shrouded in cloud. Tandag itself is a small town by our measure. It is important locally as the provincial capital and transport hub because of the airport and harbour. All of the shopping facilities banks etc are here making it a regular day trip for me over the next couple of years.

On landing in Tandag the Mayor of Lanuza (opposite me in the dinner table picture) and some of the other people I will be working with were there to collect me. Its then about 1 hours drive north along the coast to Lanuza. I don’t think I could get the mini along that road!

I have to say I have “got lucky” being placed in Lanuza. It’s the place that other volunteers go to spend their holidays. Just check out the beach picture, only a short walk from my house. It’s a small town with few facilities but a fantastic position, and most importantly good swimming and surfing. I think I might get quite good!

Work wise I don’t really start until mid May. Leading up to that I have 5 weeks of one to one language training. I now have a much better understanding of the job but that can wait for another post.

The monkey picture? He was just cute!

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Photos

Habag Beach
A good place for a swim.

Dinner
Oposite me is the Mayor of Lanuza. Next to him is his wife then Phillip a Ugandan VSO volunteer. Declan from island was behind the camera but his girlfreind couldnt escape the photo.

Cute monkey
Local wildlife

Comments

[David]

WoW
The beach, the beach... you lucky lad! Well, it's good to read a post, but there are lots of unanswered questions, like 'do you keep a record of the cockroaches found in your bed?' and 'how will you stay faithful with monkeys THAT cute?' Also 'what are you eating in the picture?' Blighty stays the same - cold overcast bureaucracy.

[Gill]

wow
Hi Matt... Hope you're settling in well over there.. Glad you've got there ok (did you fit the melons in your suitcase) Very impressed you're having 1-1 tuition.. you'll be fluent in 'filipenese' (?) by the time you get back.. pictures look awesome! How are the trees? I went back to the botanics the other day to speak the Herbarium people over my dissertation.. thinking identification is a MAJOR task.. Anyway.. Off to meet Laura this afternoon who's back for a wee while.. nice and sunny in St.Andrews today though our beach pales abit in comparison to where you are I think.. Take care and keep in touch.. GILLx

[annmariemarie]

Some geography
Hi Matt Y! I am impressed with your guts to fly into an unfamiliar country, such as ours, and volunteer to preserve its natural resources. I notice you have forever been referring to your location as Lanuza. Also you have been classifying your location as just part of Mindanao. This information may be unsolicited but I can't resist to _share_ with you some Phil. geography. I have recently traveled to Mindano myself just a few weeks ago. Thanks and here's the link to where Lanuza is IN Mindanao. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanuza%2C_Surigao_del_Sur