Exploring Iloilo: culture, friendship and village life – part two

My name is Courtney, and I’m in my third year studying BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) – Mid Yorkshire Hospitals. During my 28-day placement in the Philippines, I spent my free time exploring Iloilo, experiencing local culture ad making friendships I'll never forget.

You can read about my academic placement and what I learned in part one of my blog, Hello, Iloilo: my nursing placement in the Philippines.

Days 1 and 2

I met up with my friends at Wakefield Westgate before travelling to London Heathrow Airport. After a 26-hour journey across three flights, we finally arrived in the Philippines.

On arrival, we were given a tour of the house where we'd be staying and attended an introductory meeting later that evening. After such a long journey, it was nice to spend some time relaxing by the pool.

As I mentioned in part one, we were given a tour of the city, which included the town square, where street food markets are held, and the local cathedral. A flag parade was held to welcome us as new students to the hospital, and staff treated us to a buffet lunch.

I wedged in a bit of time for sunbathing and later had a language lesson. Speaking Filipino really put a smile on the nurses' faces.

Days 3 - 6

After finishing placement for the day, my friends and I spent some time exploring the local area. We celebrated my friend's birthday by spending the afternoon swimming and visiting local malls and markets to browse the shops and pick up a few bargains.

Days 7 and 8

One of the highlights of the trip was visiting Guimaras for a half-day island hopping tour. We swam in caves, explored the island and sampled some of the local produce.

Guimaras is famous for its sweet mangoes, so naturally I had to try some. I tried mango pizza and mango coffee. The mangoes really were as good as everyone says.

The next day was much more relaxed, and I enjoyed a lie-in before heading to the pool to sunbathe for the afternoon.

Days 9 and 10

We were lucky enough to be in Iloilo when the local basketball team won the championship. The celebrations ended in a foam party with music, dancing and plenty of laughter.

I managed to fit in some more swimming and relaxation after placement.

Days 14 and 15

I visited Delgado Mall to buy souvenirs for friends and classmates back home.

The following day was spent resting and catching up on some sleep before another busy week.

Days 18 - 21

Some of my favourite memories came from spending evenings with the friends I'd made during placement.

We explored the street food stalls in the plaza and tried a huge variety of food.  Everything was incredibly affordable, which meant we could sample plenty of different dishes. From corn dogs to dynamite chillies to balut - a Filipino delicacy consisting of a developing duck embryo inside the shell - I was keen to try as much as possible!

By this point, our group had become very close, and I knew I'd made friendships that would last long after the placement ended.

On my final evening before heading to the village, I went for Korean BBQ with friends and reflected on how quickly the experience had gone by.

Days 22-26 

I then travelled to San Dionisio for my village experience. The journey took around 3 hours on a bus with sliding windows and air conditioning, making it very different from travelling at home. 

When I got to the village, I got to try fresh coconut water before meeting and playing with the local children. We spent hours playing hide and seek, tag and handshake games. They kept asking me to take photos of them as they loved the photos!

During my stay, I learned how leaves are woven together to help create roofing materials and spent time exploring the local area.

I also went fishing one afternoon and managed to catch three fish! Another evening was spent at the beach with my guide, collecting shells and enjoying the coastline. We made sure to avoid all the jellyfish that you could see swimming around.

I got to learn about traditional herbal remedies from the local village people. I was shown how oregano leaves can be washed and squeezed, with the byproduct being used as a treatment for colds.

I also visited a local school where I helped serve meals to children. It was an expereince that will stay with me for a long time.

Days 27 and 28

After saying goodbye to everyone in the village, I returned to Iloilo.

On my final day, I met up with the friends I'd made during the placement for one last trip to the mall. We bought the ingredients needed for ABC soup as a farewell meal.

We created a group chat together and said we’d meet up once everyone was back in Manchester.

Then it was time for the long journey home - tired, grateful and with memories that will stay with me for years to come.

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