After months of preparation, reviewing statements of work and information about our client, we finally had the chance to meet them for the first time! We were all a little bit nervous about the first meeting, especially after so much information about cultural norms, etc. I think we were all over thinking everything and trying to plan too much. One thing we were informed of is the fact that first impressions are important and also that it is important to connect on a personal level before talking “business.” Oh, and also that selfies and taking group photos are a way of life here 😀 I walked into the room to a swarm of IBMers and Filipino government officials and immediately could feel the energy and excitement. It felt slightly odd to spend most of the morning talking about our personal lives, families and our ages (that was a first, I don’t think I’ve ever had someone ask me my age in a professional setting). But I must say, I really loved it. It felt really great to immediately form a bond with the team we will be working with and it definitely helped to form a connection right from the beginning. In the US, we are so used to cutting right to the chase without getting to know someone first, and I really love this about Filipino culture. In addition to some quality face time with the new team, we got to also hear from the IBM Philippines Country General Manager and the Peace Corps Philippines Country Manager. We spent the day on Monday getting to know the client and preparing for our first day of work at the site on Tuesday. We finished off the day by walking across the street to have a delicious Korean BBQ meal, complete with some soju too! I feel like all I’ve been doing is eating non stop since I arrived! Here are some pics from our meeting with the client at our hotel on Monday.
The Opposite Side of the World 