Former PFAC Palawan International
Volunteers Reminisce their Time in the Refugee Camp.
______________________________
When I started teaching in the VRC (PFAC) we didn't have classrooms and it was my very first job as a teacher.
The
students had to sit on rocks as they learned listening, speaking, reading and
writing. We had to use portable blackboards, ones that we then put against the
tree trunk in front of the students. The students had to move around with their
rocks to follow the shade as the sun moved. I found that situation unique and
I'm indeed grateful to God that at my very young age He allowed me to
experience something that was truly remarkable and that I believe very few
human beings will ever experience in their lifetime.
ANDREW TAYLOR
PFAC Palawan English Teacher
and HTC-PFAC Academic Supervisor
__________________________________________
Some PFAC VOLUNTEERS' REACTIONS to PFAC Palawan as the best Refugee Camp in the World
__________________________________________
There was an elected Vietnamese Committee that served four
months at a time. They were usually older men. They did things such as seeing
the garbage was picked up every day. When I needed to work on a camp wide
health problem in 1982 (scabies), I did some teaching in classes with a translator and then
worked through the Committee to organize a zone-by-zone procedure to get it
done successfully. So much more effective than having non-Vietnamese people
enforce behavior. This helped to keep the camp peaceful and cooperative. Other
refugee camps in other countries had riots. Also, people could go to language
and vocational classes, assist the foreign volunteers, make small loaves of
French bread in the bakery, They could also go outside the camp--either into
Puerto Princesa, to the Filipino cantinas across the road or to the beach. They
had a curfew at 10:00 p.m. I know all these things because I lived inside the
camp, although UNHCR provided a large house for its volunteers.
ELEANOR STEWART
Former VRC Palawan Education Coordinator
Author of the book "Not Only a Refugee"
_____________________________
WESCOM administrators were strict but also flexible and approachable. I was medical coordinator from 1988 to 1989. The Vietnamese committee representatives were very active in enforcing camp sanitation procedures. We worked well together and I am forever grateful to them.
PFAC Palawan Medical Coordinator
1988 - 1989
_________________________________
My dear Quan,
Writing in this book brings back memories when I was young like you.
Asking some special friends to drop some lines in my autograph book, hoping
against hope that friendship once shared will last till the end of time. Well, as your teacher, I've not advised you
anything but I hope this piece will help you something to live by.
You
must have a hope to inspire you, a path to pursue, an object to work for, a
plan and a purpose to view. You must
have a sense of direction, or lost, you'll go drifting along. You must have faith to hold you when life
holds us light and strong. You must have
stake in the future though swiftly the years depart. You'll always have something to live for if
you have a dream in your Heart.
The best of luck in every endeavor that you'll undertake. God bless and always be good.
Love,
Teacher Mona
RAMONA SAN LUIS
Former Assistant School Coordinator
and Teacher Assistant Teacher Trainer
HTC-PFAC School
