Did you know July 4th is Filipino-American Friendship Day?

Happy 4th of July, Steemians!

I had some great experiences celebrating Filipino-American Friendship Day, as well as the 4th of July, when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. Below are some of the activities I got to partake in.

Hanging out with the girls at Consuelo Home
On July 4th, a fellow Peace Corps volunteer invited some of us to the center where she was working, Consuelo Home, to celebrate 4th of July and Fil-Am Friendship Day with her and the girls. We had a tasty fusion dinner of Filipino and American food — hamburgers and salad (American) and sweet spaghetti (Filipino). Then, we had a discussion about the 4th of July and history between the Philippines and the United States while decorating sugar cookies with firework and star designs. I had brought some face paint, and the girls went all out with full-face creations. If you ever want to have a good time with kids, just bring some face paint!

Having a blast with face paint!

Partying with the Ambassador
On July 8th, the US Ambassador to the Philippines invited us to his house in Camp John Hay. There was a classy party with food, drinks, and all kinds of people — US Embassy, USAID, military, Filipino politicians and artists, Peace Corps staff. It so happened that the Ambassador’s project “America in 3D” (A3D), a mobile exhibition about America and American organizations in the Philippines, was having its weekend show in Baguio, so lots of participants were in town. At A3D, volunteers took turns manning the Peace Corps booth. Mostly, we just answered questions and posed for pictures.

The PCVs are giving peace signs and the military guys are... well, looking very military. (Apparently they're not allowed to do crazy poses in uniform.)

Getting to know the military guys
Our booth was right next to the military’s booth and it was nice getting to know the US Army and Navy guys. I used to have a pretty narrow minded view of the military, but after meeting them, I see that there’s more to the US military than occupying Iraq. In the Philippines, they mostly do capacity building work and are quite welcomed there. The Navy guys were musicians living in Japan, and they put on a great show for the event. They also performed at Benguet State University where they did a music workshop for the students there.

Navy band at Benguet State University

Playing baseball
The US Embassy teamed up with Pure Play Sports Management and the National Philippine Baseball Association to share the joy of baseball with student players in the area. I was able to bring nine players from my school and they had a whole day of baseball drills and activities with the professionals. I could tell the kids had a great time because even though it started raining, they continued playing!

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into a day in the life of a Peace Corps Volunteer. Follow me to read more about my experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines, as well as my current adventures in Detroit!