Preparations
Hello!
I’m writing this post in English because it might be useful in the future as I think I need to recall and report my experiences and writing in English makes it one step easier. So, I am heading to the Philippines in less than two months. Last week I found out about the actual dates for the project which are 23.2.2015 – 31.3.2015. That makes four weeks and I was under the assumption that the length would be something from 6-10 weeks. At least I know what I am doing for four weeks out of 52 :D
AIESEC: a student organization that develops and connects the next generation of young leaders with impactful professional and volunteering experiences to activate their potential.
AIESEC's Global Citizen Program: connects students and recent graduates to voluntary projects across the world. This process is entirely student-operated with AIESEC members working to produce the best quality exchanges possible.
What has happened so far?
I had a plan of an autumn full of different activities in order to ward off fatigue caused by the dark times of Finnish fall. So I applied to become an AIESEC member in the Global Talent Program and also applied for this Global Citizen Program keeping in mind already the time after graduation. I wasn’t accepted into the Global Talent Program but obviously I got a green light for this, Global Citizen Program. I got a results call at the end of September and was told that I would receive more information by e-mail which then I didn’t see in my inbox for quite a while. I then contacted the person responsible, wondering why I hadn’t received any further information. It had happened that the e-mail was still in the person’s draft box. After that all got sorted out pretty quickly. I chose 3 projects that interested me from a database (all concerning environmental issues), placing Philippines as the number one option because that’s what I was initially thinking. There was also a very interesting project in Sri Lanka, concerning forest preservation.
I applied online for my project, then it has been about sending some e-mails and also filming a video! I had to provide a short video of myself and a recommendation letter from the AIESEC organization in my university for them. When they accepted me I had to sign a contract online and then I waited for a confirmation by e-mail but there wasn’t one so I e-mailed them once again, asking whether all is okay. Then I got directed to contact another person about the details of the project.
I booked my flights on Sunday. It was very stressful because I have never flown with more than one stop and always in Europe. Well, I can only imagine how wreck of a person I will be when I actually take the flights… I used Supersaver which I am familiar with and Momondo which I’d never used but turned out to be very nice. I got flights with stopovers at Helsinki-Amsterdam-Abu Dhabi-Manila-Davao. In Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi I have two hours to change and in Manila about five hours. I will arrive in Davao on 23.2. at 5:50 having left Helsinki on 21.2. at 18:00 :D This is so exciting to me! My first ever intercontinental flight ;) From Davao I’ll fly to Bangkok to visit my friend which only takes 8 hours and one stop in Manila. And from Bangkok I got a Russian plane with a stopover in Moscow, that one also about two hours. I’m happy that the transit times are reasonable but I will definitely learn and print out all the airport maps and check how I have to move in a particular airport!
What happens next?
After I had booked my tickets I wrote an e-mail to the contact person asking about visa stuff. Because I can stay in the Philippines for 30 days with only my Finnish passport, I am not sure should I just apply for extension to that when I’m there or should I have a work visa/residence permit though what I do is volunteer work and I will be in the country only for 37 days. So I asked do they know how it should go or should I just contact the nearest Philippine Embassy to make sure.
On Wednesday I have a meeting about the vaccines I need. Then I have to go to the bank, as well as search for potential organizations that could aid with the expenses of taking part in the project. After all it is volunteer work and I am still a student. Quite a massive amount of text for a blog post but again, this is just for future reference :D
I’m writing this post in English because it might be useful in the future as I think I need to recall and report my experiences and writing in English makes it one step easier. So, I am heading to the Philippines in less than two months. Last week I found out about the actual dates for the project which are 23.2.2015 – 31.3.2015. That makes four weeks and I was under the assumption that the length would be something from 6-10 weeks. At least I know what I am doing for four weeks out of 52 :D
AIESEC: a student organization that develops and connects the next generation of young leaders with impactful professional and volunteering experiences to activate their potential.
AIESEC's Global Citizen Program: connects students and recent graduates to voluntary projects across the world. This process is entirely student-operated with AIESEC members working to produce the best quality exchanges possible.
 |
| http://philippinesdavao.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/davao.jpg |
I had a plan of an autumn full of different activities in order to ward off fatigue caused by the dark times of Finnish fall. So I applied to become an AIESEC member in the Global Talent Program and also applied for this Global Citizen Program keeping in mind already the time after graduation. I wasn’t accepted into the Global Talent Program but obviously I got a green light for this, Global Citizen Program. I got a results call at the end of September and was told that I would receive more information by e-mail which then I didn’t see in my inbox for quite a while. I then contacted the person responsible, wondering why I hadn’t received any further information. It had happened that the e-mail was still in the person’s draft box. After that all got sorted out pretty quickly. I chose 3 projects that interested me from a database (all concerning environmental issues), placing Philippines as the number one option because that’s what I was initially thinking. There was also a very interesting project in Sri Lanka, concerning forest preservation.
I applied online for my project, then it has been about sending some e-mails and also filming a video! I had to provide a short video of myself and a recommendation letter from the AIESEC organization in my university for them. When they accepted me I had to sign a contract online and then I waited for a confirmation by e-mail but there wasn’t one so I e-mailed them once again, asking whether all is okay. Then I got directed to contact another person about the details of the project.
I booked my flights on Sunday. It was very stressful because I have never flown with more than one stop and always in Europe. Well, I can only imagine how wreck of a person I will be when I actually take the flights… I used Supersaver which I am familiar with and Momondo which I’d never used but turned out to be very nice. I got flights with stopovers at Helsinki-Amsterdam-Abu Dhabi-Manila-Davao. In Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi I have two hours to change and in Manila about five hours. I will arrive in Davao on 23.2. at 5:50 having left Helsinki on 21.2. at 18:00 :D This is so exciting to me! My first ever intercontinental flight ;) From Davao I’ll fly to Bangkok to visit my friend which only takes 8 hours and one stop in Manila. And from Bangkok I got a Russian plane with a stopover in Moscow, that one also about two hours. I’m happy that the transit times are reasonable but I will definitely learn and print out all the airport maps and check how I have to move in a particular airport!
 |
| http://www.zamboanga.com/z/images/3/37/Davao_city_urban.jpg |
After I had booked my tickets I wrote an e-mail to the contact person asking about visa stuff. Because I can stay in the Philippines for 30 days with only my Finnish passport, I am not sure should I just apply for extension to that when I’m there or should I have a work visa/residence permit though what I do is volunteer work and I will be in the country only for 37 days. So I asked do they know how it should go or should I just contact the nearest Philippine Embassy to make sure.
On Wednesday I have a meeting about the vaccines I need. Then I have to go to the bank, as well as search for potential organizations that could aid with the expenses of taking part in the project. After all it is volunteer work and I am still a student. Quite a massive amount of text for a blog post but again, this is just for future reference :D
 |
| http://tanawintravelandtours.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/2/9/14294662/353609_orig.jpg |
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