A volunteer leaves

Bare bed in the last few days

Most volunteers preparing to return end up giving away all their personal belongings. That was what happened to me. The clothes (pants and blouses) were difficult to find a new owner since my size is petite, and ladies here don't usually wear pants.

Philippine money given as souvenir

Queenie of the Olympics?

My collection of James Bond movies had to be properly introduced to be appreciated since Agent 007 is unknown here.  Boston Legal series was the most difficult to find a new owner because the storyline is more for industrialized economies and the characters were a bit promiscuous and expressive.  If the owner is not carefully chosen, it could corrupt a young mind. But what really made me happy was the music (Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Sergio Mendes, classical, rock, rhythm and blues) on my Mac that I burned on several CDs. The recipients enjoyed them as the albums are not easily available here.

May they dust in style

Some have been picking-up the lyrics and using them in their day-to-day conversation.... a new language. When everything was given away, I ended up for one week, lying in a bed with no pillows and using a curtain as bedsheets.

Kitchen chair and staples last to go

As the bathroom bucket has a new owner, I used a saucepan as substitute.  Well, nothing new.

Saucepan-bucket works

And not to be forgotten was the formality of thank-you cards.  I mailed to some people the postcards that I brought from the Philippines - scenes of Banaue, Sagada.  I also mailed to my family a card postmarked Gulu, Uganda as a traditional finale.

I'd probably be home to receive from the mailman