First off, I’d like to acknowledge the people that helped me get to where I am today. Without my family’s financial support, I wouldn’t have been able to afford this trip, and even when the price of the trip nearly doubled and my car was totaled a month before the trip, they stuck with me and supported my dream. I would also like to thank my friend Jaylin Green, a previous Global Scholar, were it not for him I likely would have never heard of Marine Conservation Philippines and in the months prior to my trip he supported me by answering endless questions and providing helpful advice that has made the transition to a foreign country much smoother. To be quite honest, Jaylin walked so I could run. And finally, I would like to thank the Global Scholars Program and my advisor, Warren Oliver, for helping me set up a global experience in a foreign country and being very supportive and understanding for the small hiccups that happened along the way.
Before I stepped off the airplane in Manila, my expectations were shaped by the discussions I had with Jaylin, the research I had done on the Philippines Wikipedia page, the emails I had exchanged with MCP, and an extremely kind Filipino woman that I met on my 15-hour flight. If not for these interactions, I would have likely lost my checked baggage, missed my connecting flight, been completely unprepared for the climate, eaten alive by bloodthirsty mosquitos, and maybe even sent back home. Before this trip, I had never been out of the country alone, and traveling can very quickly make you feel confused, overwhelmed, and exhausted. I learned very quickly of the advantage that comes with being able to strike up a conversation with a stranger. Some of my favorite moments from my time here have involved lots of broken English and kind people. Coming here and talking to some of the other volunteers has also given me the confidence that even after I go back home, I’d like to keep traveling and exploring more places outside of the United States. Most of my time here I have spent volunteering for Marine Conservation Philippines: an NGO based in Zamboanguita and founded in 2015 that works to promote sustainable fishing practices and the Marine Protected Area system by collecting survey data and participating in local community events such as mangrove planting, dive cleanups, and demarcation projects. Unfortunately, I couldn’t participate in the surveying due to time constraints with my stay and my dive master training, but I supported the other surveyors’ work and participated in the community projects that came up. Coming to MCP has also given me some experience in how Western foreign NGOs operate in another country in accordance with the local community’s standards and traditions. For my capstone project, I’d like to touch on how MCP has successfully integrated into the local community and why it’s so important when trying to make tangible and sustainable change. For my capstone, I am planning on using some interviews I have held with the staff and local representatives to get a better picture of MCP’s standings in the community and what works for them. Due to the busy schedule and duties that I am responsible for, I am having some trouble finding time in my day to conduct these interviews but I will likely get more time as my training winds down.
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