We found out our sites today and I will be in Legaspi, Albay, Philippines. I don't know where within the city I will be, nor do I think I will be able to post that information on here once I do know (security and all that).
I will be working with a university in the area on the planning and design team for a water resource development and management strategy for the ENTIRE PROVINCE OF ALBAY! Imagine I was an engineer designing the water system to be put into Delaware; have some scale. The budget for the design portion of the project (what I will be doing) is 1.5 million Pesos (about 30,000 USD) which may not seem like a lot, but 30 grand goes a long way when the cost of living is so much lower.
My official Peace Corps assignment is great. I could not be happier unless they gave me a giant pile of dead bunnies to play with as well. What is funny is that at the same time they told me all the good stuff, I recalled a conference I heard about at CU. There is a type of ceramic filtration system that can be made by local potters from local materials for local purchase/consumption that WORKS!!!! Although it is not my original idea, it is the kind of thing that, with time and effort, could be turned into a holy grail for the third world.
Research has been done on its production and chemistry:
http://www.ideassonline.org
http://www.potpaz.org/
http://www.edc-cu.org/filtron
If my primary project does not pan out as planned, I am thinking of holding a seminar within Peace Corps (after learning the nuances of this particular idea) to teach other volunteers how to make/train others to make this filter.
This project has so many facets and so much potential that it simply CANNOT be ignored. Hard work will push it through.
I have to go eat delicious Filipino food now, Ta-ta.
ps - If you are reading this, you are likely my friend or relative. That having been said, JOIN THE PEACE CORPS!!! This is the most incredible thing I have ever done and I think all of my friends/family could potentially provide immense support to the third world. At least consider it...THEN DO IT!!!
6 comments:
Hey Page, that sounds great. Learn all you can about how this ceramic filtration system works - by that I mean, break it as many ways as possible and find out its strengths & weak points, so you can advise people on how best to use it and what to avoid. What a fine opportunity!
Love, Mom
The dead bunnies are en route in their own cute little box.
A ceramic filtration system definitely sounds amazing. Is this place really the size of Delaware?
You're like a CEO, just don't embezzle them funds.
Page:
That's awesome! It sounds like you're on the edge of something very exciting. Good on ya! (That's Newfoundlandspeak). Glad your Dad sent me your blog link. All the best,
Andrew
Page,
Do you know that you have many RELATIVES in the Philippines? For instance, there are Ogie's 9 brothers and sisters, some in Leyte and some in Manilla. And, of course, THEY all have relatives, and then there are the relatives of their relatives. So you are probably related to most of the people in the Philippines.
We have a little beach property in Leyte where Ogie's family has built a bunch of "nipa huts", and where you are welcome to go for a vacation, anytime. I'm sure they will take good care of you.
But, in any case, now that we know you are there, I'm hoping that Ogie and I can visit you one of these days.
Good luck on the project. Joining the Peace Corp DOES sound fun. Will they teach me how to be a teacher?
Tom Udell
OI! Just got internet and catching up on blogs.
I love the idea. In fact, I want a ceramic filtration system of my own. Not that I need it, given the overdeveloped first-worldness of los Estados Unidos.
Why can't you divulge your location, fool? We want to spy on your doings via Google-Earth. But I have gathered that you'll be at a nice halfway point between green and blue (ie mountains and ocean). Enjoy :)
Dude! Sorry I've missed every singe Instant Message you've sent me. You always IM me when its 4 or 5 in the morning here so I'm usually passed out. But anyways...I've been keeping pretty busy trying to graduate, and that will happen in about a week. After that I'm gonna find a job that pays better cause I'm officially moving out of my house in August. Things are good.
You gotta post more though! We definitely need to see some pictures ASAP. Hope your Peace Corps project is rolling along nicely...you're gonna be helping a whole lot of people. Have fun! Lots of love from the other side of the world yo. Peace.
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