Off to Quezon Province

Hello everyone! As I write this, it is 7:30 PM in the evening here in Manila. At 3:00 AM, I will be leaving for Quezon in Quezon Province (QQ). The drive should be around five hours + a one hour boat ride. During our first week there, the other participants and I will be joined by some medical students from UERM, the University of Eastern East Ramon Magsaysay. It will be exciting to learn from them, along with Dr. Jana, Quezon's Municipal Health Officer.

Alabat Island consists of three municipalities: Perez, Alabat, and Quezon (where I will be!). Unisan, my father's hometown, is not too far from where I will be staying. I (vaguely) circled both locations on this map. :)

On Friday, we received an orientation about life on the island. While I am a little unsure (haha) of what to expect, I am looking forward to some of the tasks Dr. Jana shared with us. Overall, we will work in a rural health unit and interact with the local patients. Since we are still students, we will not (of course) be involved with vaccinations, blood-drawing, or anything like that. However, we can provide more tangible support through smaller tasks such as monitoring blood pressure. Since July is considered Nutrition Month, we will also help facilitate programs organized for the locals. We also might have a chance to witness a baby delivery!

According to Dr. Jana, life on the island is definitely more slow-paced than in Manila. She mentioned that there will be no wifi and suggested for us to purchase a pocket wifi. Although I will have limited wifi, I will use it to keep you all updated about life on the island.

That's all for now. :)

Love,

Jen