7 - Taal Volcano

With my first month up, I decided to call a meeting with my counterpart and my supervisor to reflect on the month past and review the objectives for the next 9. As we sat down, my supervisor asked “Is this an Australian style meeting? :-)”, as I had placed a 1 page agenda on the table. The meeting went well though, and I came away feeling a lot clearer about the goals for the next 9 months. During our meeting, various people breezed in and out again, Mik Mik being one of them and she looked over my shoulder for a while at the agenda on the table. Later that afternoon I attended a meeting Mik Mik had called to discuss the use of funds on projects. An agenda was distributed and the meeting ensued. Afterwards, I turned to Butch and said “So, agenda’s aren’t so unusual after all, Mik Mik prepared an agenda for this afternoon’s meeting”. “Actually, I was surprised, that’s the first time she’s done that” he replied. I couldn’t help feeling pleased that perhaps I’d had a small influence there, and, as we learned in Orientation week, it’s important to celebrate the small wins.


Another win was that we went to inspect the Handumanan site prior to the weekend, and the earthmoving was well underway. Apparently a small amount of compensation was given to the squatter who planted the rice crop on the site. Construction of the first lot of houses is scheduled to commence this coming Saturday!


I have now met the Dean of the School of Architecture in Bacolod. La Consolasion College is reputedly the second best Architecture School in the country after Manila. I have been invited to give some guest lectures in second semester. I will also be engaging the 4th year students in a project for a new GK village.


On the weekend, a selection of AYAD’s and their host organisations returned to Manila to participate in an AusAID workshop aimed at piloting a more programmatic approach to the placement of AYAD’s, which up to now has been on an ad hoc basis. This was the brainchild of Jonas, our fabulous In-Country Manager, and if successful, will be rolled out across all the countries in the Asia Pacific where AYAD’s are sent. GK was one of the chosen host organisations. We were all put up in a very nice hotel in Manila. It was funny the things we appreciated, such as the hot showers with water pressure and mixed salad leaves! It was a full-on 2 days and exciting to be a part of this new direction for the AYAD program.


Rather than returning to Bacolod straight after the workshop, Aruna and I decided to take the opportunity of making a side trip. So we delayed our return until Monday, and headed a couple of hours south of Manila to Taal Volcano. Lou, another AYAD, joined us and the 3 of us stayed 2 nights in a fabulous bamboo cottage on a ridge overlooking the volcano which sits in the centre of Lake Taal. On the Sunday we took a boat across the lake and climbed the volcano (which is still active by-the-way!). At various points along the walk there was sulphurous gas leaking from cracks in the earth! It was good to get some exercise after all the good food at the workshop, but locals took a lot of convincing that we really didn’t want a horse and we were quite happy to walk! When we reached the top, there was a lake within the crater and a tiny island in the middle of it – it looked spectacular – a lake within a lake! Very matrushka doll like.


Monday morning we relaxed in “Sonya’s Garden”, making the most of the pleasant mountain air and had a fabulous lunch of fresh garden produce. Then it was time to head back to Manila for our return flight to warm, humid Bacolod. But unlike the first time we took this flight, just over a month ago, it was nice to know we were going ‘home’ to our own place.


There’s now less than 2 weeks until Jordi comes to visit. I can’t wait to see him and show him around!