Manila Diary | Week Four | Success Stories, New Places and New Ideas
Another week has come and gone in a flash. Our team continues to work alongside the Mentors, attending center meetings and contribute during them with short lessons about the basics of business, record keeping and planning. I would, however, be lying to you if I told you this internship has been a piece of cake. This trip has been a daunting game of people problems, language barriers and cultures clashing. A trip where we learn how to better understand people, overcome obstacles and work through tough situations. We have all done our best to communicate as well as we can, along with understanding of one another's differences.
The biggest thing that I have learned this past week would be that at some point, your patience can wear thin. When you start with completely new people and a brand new internship, you find out that you are the guinea pig and the number of kinks and bumps could be numerous. But after awhile, you realize something. It's when honest communication happens and the desire for change to provide a genuine helping hand, that alone translates the same across any country.
I travel somewhere new every day along with new people as I go. I introduce myself and speak in the little Tagolog that I know. Children continue to follow close behind us and wait patiently to get a good look. Every now and then they brush their hand across my arm. They wave and smile and run off around the corner in giggle fits. I meet their Mother's at meetings and learn more about their business and their families.
One day this past week, I went to go visit a couple who have had major success. The husband was a photographer and has created his own website, Facebook page, and even invented a new way to share pictures with the customers he gets. His wife owns a preschool, started from the ground up. We talked with them for an hour and discussed different ideas on how we could help them, but we were mostly in awe about how they managed money, managed their families, and came out with new and innovative ideas for their business! They were kind and sweet and a joy to talk to.
It's people like that that reignite the fiery passion of why it is we all came down here. It's knowing that people can see change and can see the big picture. It's people that make a conscious effort to work towards a better life and already knowing that it takes hard work. It was an amazing and the most valuable hour I've had here on this trip. I will continue to help and work in all the ways I know how; after all, I only have 65 days left til I'm home!
Thanks for Reading!
Nicole
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