AYAD Sartaj "Taj" Chopra volunteered as an I.T. Trainer at the Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry in Nayon, Ifugao for a period of 6 months.

His motto? "Stop swimming. Start floating." Read on as he shares his thoughts on Ifugao, AYAD (and switching to a healthier lifestyle).

Q: From where in Australia are you from?
A: Melbourne, Australia

Q: What have you been doing before joining the AYAD/VIDA program?
A: Thinking why I kept talking about volunteering without taking any concrete action on it! On a more serious note, I worked in Technology Risk at the National Australia Bank.

Q: What made you decide to go on assignment in the Philippines?
A: When applying for the AYAD program, I did not focus on the country but only on the assignments and their expected deliverables. This was my focus because in I.T the skills are of a specialist nature and as such it was vital for me to choose an assignment that closely matched my skill set and experience so that I could do justice to the expectations of the HO.

However having been in the Philippines for almost 6 months now, I must say that I have been very lucky to have my chosen assignment here. This is truly the most hospitable and relaxed countries I have been to!

Q: You’ve been in the Philippines for some time now. What have been your best memories in the country so far?
A: Tough question, simple because I have seriously over a million ‘best’ memories in my time here! However if I were to pick a few they would have to be –

-To have spent time with my wife, Bianca in Palawan. The media says that Palawan is the final frontier of the Philippines. I reckon that is still an understatement.
-To witness the awe-inspiring acts almost everyday of seeing Filipinos making something out of absolutely nothing!
-Seeing the genuine love, care, affection and sadness my HO and I shared during my despidida party.

Q: Do you have any misconceptions/bad impressions about the Philippines that you proved entirely wrong?
A: None. I try never to have any expectations / assumptions about places or people. So if I get something positive out of it, it’s like having a bonus. In this case, I have so many ‘bonuses’ that my pockets can’t hold them anymore!

Q: Tell us about your assignment. How does this fit in the HO?   
A: My assignment involved reviewing and updating the I.T curriculum of the College; analysing the College network and providing recommendations; training / facilitating  of the I.T faculty; initiating linkages with other I.T institutions, canvassing for book donations from NGOs / LGUs.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge in your assignment? How did you respond to that?
A: The biggest challenge for me was to initially stop treating my assignment as a work project as if I was working at NAB in Melbourne. In other words I had to stop swimming and just try and float. Once I did that, I found myself building meaningful relationships with my co-workers at an incredible rate. This in turn allowed me to have open & honest conversations with them, which ultimately helped in an affective facilitation of ‘our’ assignment deliverables.

Q: What do you do in your spare time in your assignment location?
A: As a volunteer in a remote location, I soon realized that good mental health could be a challenge and as such it was important to be have some sort of focus outside of work. In Ifugao, we have lots and lots of mountains and an infectious cycling community. What started out as casual biking soon turned into the biggest passion I have ever had. So much so, that if I was not working or sleeping, rest assured you could find me on the road with my trusting kasamas.

Q: What are your top 3 Philippine destinations?
A: Haven’t done much ‘voluntouring’ I must be honest as there was simply so much to do in my own province of Ifugao. The only place outside of Manila and Ifugao that I have visited was Busuanga in Palawan and what a place it is – heaven on earth.

Q: Give us your top 3 favorite Filipino dishes.
A: That’s easy! Chicken Adobo, lomi and red rice cakes

Q: How has the program helped or changed you as a person?
A: The program has had a profound affect on me in more ways that one. I now have a degree of self-awareness that I never did. I now understand what the term ‘development’ means. By immersing myself into the life of the Ifugaos, I now believe that simple living is the best of living….and on a lighter note, I am a fatty no more! My passion of cycling and a lack of any fast food chain outlets in Ifugao has led me to shed 20 kgs of pure fat. What else could one expect from a stint as short as 6 months?! :)

Q: Any message for those who are thinking twice about volunteering in the Philippines?
A: If you are thinking twice, you are already thinking far too much! Just say ‘yes’; pack your bags with nothing more than an open mind and lots of smiles. When you land here, you will find people will sweep you off your feet with honest love and care.

The only problem with coming here I have found is the feeling of being unsure what is ‘home’ to me anymore. Clearly, not that bad a problem to have!