James, Bob N., And Jerry (back to camera) at fruit market

Linda and Pat C. on field trip away from Manila

Rick, Dr. Juan Flavier (author of Doctor to the Barrios, Ramon Molina, Peter, and Cecile Motus on field trip to health center outside Manila during first week in country.

Dave (from Ida Grove, Iowa) rides water buffalo (carabao); Chris looks on. field trip outside Manila.

Mike McQuestion on water buffalo (carabao). Steve and Sioux look on.

Ken takes in the view on our first field trip outside Manila.

November 12 – 16, 1974

Most of the following is from Journal pages, unfinished, scribbled, undated

The first morning I was awakened at 5:30 by Christmas carols and folksy John Denver tunes blurting from a radio or juke box in the alley below. There was no sleeping late. We were in Quiapo, the most crowded section of Manila. Fortunately there were no vacancies in the more touristy area where the Peace Corps administration prefers to transition new volunteers. We all appreciated the grittier side of Manila.

Volunteers from other rooms paraded into my room to use the only working shower. Kathy and I were on the 2nd floor. The water pressure was not enough to reach floors above us. However, our toilet did not work. I dressed and left the room to seek a working toilet and food for my now rumbling stomach. I found a place with cold milk; I returned daily to this “automat”, drinking all the milk I could before I would be  unwillingly dairy free for two years. I remember not liking papaya that first morning. The three days in Manila were mad. I could make no sense of the bus system, nor could I develop a sense of direction while walking.

During this time we received a basic orientation and met some enthusiastic Filipinos involved with rural health or nutrition programs. We browsed the open markets and patronized various night clubs until curfew. These were side attractions, to our eventual experience. Manila grew increasingly oppressive; I was anxious to proceed to the rural area. An excursion Friday outside of Manila set tired faces to sparkling. (You can view my blurry pictures, from an instamatic camera, of volunteers on water buffalos.) The world became tropical green and warm with a promise of serenity, unlike the concrete madness of Manila, or “Maniller”, as Dave, from Ida Grove, Iowa, called it.

Annotation: While in Manila, we had our “Swearing In Ceremony” at the house of Barry Devine, Country Director. We all imbibed before we were handed the Peace Corps oath to sign. We then were instructed to raise our right hand, and recite the oath in unison. I was taken aback by the part about defending the Constitution of the United States.  So I edited my statement to make it clear that I would not raise arms, or shoot anyone, to defend the U.S. I then read the revised version aloud. I think a few others may have copied my edits, but I’m not sure. It is probably on file somewhere with the FBI.