From Leyte Province

Written 9.4.09

All is well one week into training. Last Friday we boarded a plane for Leyte province (Eastern Visayas region), and it started to hit us that we were really in the Peace Corps. The plane taxied to a tiny, rural airport and we exited via stair truck (a la Arrested Development!) Standing on the tarmac, all we could see was lush, green hills and bright blue sea. It was a surreal moment and one we think we’ll always remember.

We took our first jeepney ride to our training site, a municipality on the coast, to meet our host family at the municipal building. Fellow trainees were met by several talkative family members, but we were met by one small, quiet woman dressed in sequins, who we now know as Nanay (mother).

Nanay is seventy years old (and she reminds us of this daily). Her favorite response to any question is “I do not do that. I am old. I am scared.” Nanay has welcomed us into the home she shares with her granddaughter’s family and her house helper, Biya. She shows great concern for us and enjoys introducing us to her many children and grandchildren (31 in all), most of whom live in the same barangay (village/neighborhood).




The municipality we’re living in has about 50,000 residents, although we rarely leave our compact neighborhood, making it feel smaller. Our house is a 10-minute walk from the beach and we’ve spent several afternoons there with our fellow Peace Corps trainees.

Other highlights from our first week include: attending a Catholic mass, held entirely in Waray-Waray; sampling lechon (roasted pig) – the local specialty; struggling through Waray-Waray class every day for four hours; eating both water buffalo and eel; scratching lots of mosquito and cockroach bites; and signing videoke at a 21st birthday party.